Colombian tetra care
Hyphessobrycon columbianus · Acandí River, northwestern Colombia
Colombian tetras are hardy, silver-blue tetras with bright red fins.
- Tank size
- 30 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 75 to 79 °F (24 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 2.6 in
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 4 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 30 gallon
36¼ × 12⅝ × 16¾ in outsideHow to keep Colombian tetras
Colombian tetras are hardy, silver-blue tetras with bright red fins. Keep six or more in a 30 gallon or larger tank at 75 to 79 °F in neutral or slightly acid water; they school with other tetras and suit an active community.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, pellets, frozen and freeze-dried foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Colombian 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 pencilfish
2.6 in · 15+ gal · 75–82 °F
Sterbai corydoras
2.6 in · 20+ gal · 74–82 °F
Gardneri killifish
2.6 in · 10+ gal · 72–79 °F
Dwarf chain loach
2.5 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Julii corydoras
2.5 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Bronze corydoras
2.75 in · 20+ gal · 72–80 °F
Guppy
2.8 in · 10+ gal · 72–82 °F
Wrestling halfbeak
2.8 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Keep apart
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: Colombian tetras need 75 to 79 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
Discus: No shared temperature: Colombian tetras need 75 to 79 °F, discus 82 to 88 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Fancy goldfish: No shared temperature: Colombian tetras need 75 to 79 °F, fancy goldfish 64 to 74 °F.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as Colombian tetras.
Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as Colombian tetras.
What a Colombian tetra tank needs
A tank of 30 US gallons or more (such as the 30 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 20
Rated by the maker for up to 30 US gal, which covers a 30 gallon Colombian 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 30 gallon Colombian tetra tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Fluval E100
Colombian tetras need 75 to 79 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding Colombian 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 75 to 79 °F.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common Colombian tetra problems
- Their red fins fade in bright, bare tanks; plants and a dark background bring the color out.
- Like most tetras, add them only to a cycled tank.
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: Hyphessobrycon columbianus. 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.
- Colombian tetra Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sterbai corydoras Matthew Mannell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Gardneri killifish Tommy Kronkvist, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dwarf chain loach Stefan Maurer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Julii corydoras Bob Jenkins, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bronze corydoras Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Guppy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Wrestling halfbeak Ahsan_al_hidayat, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, 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
- 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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