Head and tail light tetra care
Hemigrammus ocellifer · Amazon basin and the Guianas
Head and tail light tetras (beacon tetras) have glowing gold-red spots over the eye and at the base of the tail.
- Tank size
- 15 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 1.8 in
- pH
- 6 to 7.8
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5 to 6 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 15 gallon
24¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep head and tail light tetras
Head and tail light tetras (beacon tetras) have glowing gold-red spots over the eye and at the base of the tail. They are hardy, peaceful schoolers for a 15 gallon or larger community tank in groups of six or more.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, micro pellets, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Head and tail light 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.
Endler's livebearer
1.8 in · 10+ gal · 72–82 °F
Bandit corydoras
1.9 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
1.7 in · 20+ gal · 75–84 °F
Zebra danio
2 in · 10+ gal · 64–77 °F
Honey gourami
2 in · 10+ gal · 72–82 °F
Shell-dweller cichlid
2 in · 10+ gal · 75–80 °F
Panda corydoras
2 in · 15+ gal · 68–77 °F
Otocinclus
2 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Keep apart
Angelfish: Adult angelfish eat fish under about 2 in; head and tail light tetras grow to 1.8 in.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Fancy goldfish: Adult fancy goldfish eat fish under about 2 in; head and tail light tetras grow to 1.8 in.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as head and tail light tetras.
Golden wonder killifish: Adult golden wonder killifish eat fish under about 2 in; head and tail light tetras grow to 1.8 in.
Oranda: Adult orandas eat fish under about 2 in; head and tail light tetras grow to 1.8 in.
What a head and tail light tetra tank needs
A tank of 15 US gallons or more (such as the 15 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aquarium Co-Op Easy Flow Sponge Filter, Small
A sponge filter gives gentle flow and cannot pull in small fish. It runs from an air pump, with airline tubing and a check valve, all sold separately.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 5–15 gal
Rated by the maker for 5–15 US gal, which covers a 15 gallon head and tail light tetra tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger AquaFall Aquarium Filter, M
Rated by the maker for 12–17 US gal, which covers a 15 gallon head and tail light tetra tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Head and tail light tetras need 72 to 82 °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 head and tail light 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 72 to 82 °F.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common head and tail light tetra problems
- Few problems in stable water; dull spots usually mean stress.
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: Hemigrammus ocellifer. 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.
- Head and tail light tetra Deadlyballistics (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Endler's livebearer Dgrummon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bandit corydoras Gonzalo Valenzuela, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Agassiz's dwarf cichlid Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Zebra danio Roundish, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Honey gourami Antoon Dommerholt (Dutch Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Shell-dweller cichlid Richard A. Ingebrigtsen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Otocinclus CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, 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
- Golden wonder killifish Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Oranda Lawrencekhoo, 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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