Bloodfin tetra care
Aphyocharax anisitsi · Paraná River basin, Argentina and Paraguay
Bloodfin tetras are silver with bright red fins and tolerate cooler water than most tetras, down to about 65 °F.
- Tank size
- 20 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 65 to 82 °F (18 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 2.2 in
- pH
- 6 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5 to 8 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 20 gallon long
30¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep bloodfin tetras
Bloodfin tetras are silver with bright red fins and tolerate cooler water than most tetras, down to about 65 °F. Keep six or more in a covered 20 gallon or larger tank; they swim fast near the top.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, micro pellets, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Top of the tank.
Bloodfin tetra tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Golden dwarf cichlid
2.2 in · 20+ gal · 72–80 °F
Diamond tetra
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Bleeding heart tetra
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 72–80 °F
Penguin tetra
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Chocolate gourami
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 77–81 °F
Bumblebee catfish
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 70–77 °F
Leopard frog pleco
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 77–84 °F
Rummy-nose tetra
2 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Keep apart
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as bloodfin tetras.
Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as bloodfin tetras.
Saulosi cichlid: Saulosi cichlids belong with other Lake Malawi cichlids, not with bloodfin tetras.
Red-tail dwarf puffer: Red-tail dwarf puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Everglades pygmy sunfish: Everglades pygmy sunfish belong in a tank of their own.
What a bloodfin tetra tank needs
A tank of 20 US gallons or more (such as the 20 gallon long) with a tight lid (they jump), and the equipment below. Bloodfin tetras are comfortable at room temperature, so a heater is optional in a normal home.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 10
Rated by the maker for up to 20 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon bloodfin tetra tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon bloodfin tetra tank without being built for a far bigger one.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding bloodfin tetras.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 65 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 20 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common bloodfin tetra problems
- They jump when startled; keep the lid on.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Aphyocharax anisitsi. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Bloodfin tetra VGW2006, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Golden dwarf cichlid Borkowski.robert, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Diamond tetra SOK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bleeding heart tetra 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Penguin tetra Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chocolate gourami OSt DD, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bumblebee catfish CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Leopard frog pleco Frank M Greco, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rummy-nose tetra PierangeloGatto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Jewel cichlid NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Saulosi cichlid Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red-tail dwarf puffer Neale Monks (English Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Everglades pygmy sunfish Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
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