Fire Ant Tetra - Hyphessobrycon myrmex

The Fire Ant Tetra, originally from Brazil, was only scientifically described in 2017 and is still a very rarely available tetra. He is only about 3 cm long and the male enchants with his mainly bright orange coloration. In the right light, the back shimmers bluish and on the side of the body a black band runs from the base of the caudal fin to the eye.

Care

The Fire Ant Tetra needs a tank with an edge length of at least 60 cm and enough free swimming space. As a somewhat shy schooling fish, it only feels comfortable in the company of its conspecifics and should therefore be kept in a group of at least 8 individuals. Ideally, the water should be rather soft (< 15 °dGH) and the pH should be between 6.0 and 7.2. Dense planting on the edges and floating plants give the tetra a sense of security and an opportunity to retreat.

Feeding

Small flake or granulated food as well as small live and frozen food are readily accepted by the Fire Ant Tetra.

Sexual characteristics and breeding

In contrast to the males, the female Hyphessobrycon myrmex have a pale yellow to silver coloration.
 

These animals are...
[  ] ...bred by us
[  ] ...bred by regional breeders (AT, DE)
[  ] ...bred by international breeders (import)
[x] ...wild caught (import)