Red phantom tetra care
Megalamphodus sweglesi · Upper Orinoco basin, Colombia
Red phantom tetras are small, deep-bodied red tetras with a black spot on the shoulder, close cousins of the black phantom tetra.
- Tank size
- 15 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 68 to 77 °F (20 to 25 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 1.3 in (standard length, without the tail)
- pH
- 5.5 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 15 gallon
24¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep red phantom tetras
Red phantom tetras are small, deep-bodied red tetras with a black spot on the shoulder, close cousins of the black phantom tetra. Keep six or more in a planted 15 gallon or larger tank with soft, slightly acidic water; they like it a little cooler than most tetras, at 68 to 77 °F, and males spar with spread fins without harm.
Diet: Omnivore: small flakes, micro pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Red phantom 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.
Clown killifish
1.4 in · 5+ gal · 72–80 °F
Crystal red shrimp
1.2 in · 10+ gal · 62–76 °F
Malaysian trumpet snail
1.2 in · 5+ gal · 64–86 °F
DrawingRed neon blue-eye
1.2 in · 10+ gal · 74–82 °F
Medaka
1.5 in · 10+ gal · 65–82 °F
Umbrella dwarf cichlid
1.5 in · 15+ gal · 70–79 °F
Cherry shrimp
1.6 in · 5+ gal · 65–82 °F
Pitbull pleco
1.6 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Keep apart
Angelfish: Adult angelfish eat fish under about 2 in; red phantom tetras grow to 1.3 in.
German blue ram: No shared temperature: red phantom tetras need 68 to 77 °F, German blue rams 78 to 85 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Fancy goldfish: Adult fancy goldfish eat fish under about 2 in; red phantom tetras grow to 1.3 in.
Convict cichlid: Adult convict cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; red phantom tetras grow to 1.3 in.
Zebra pleco: No shared temperature: red phantom tetras need 68 to 77 °F, zebra plecos 79 to 86 °F.
What a red phantom 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 red phantom 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 red phantom tetra tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Red phantom tetras need 68 to 77 °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 red phantom 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 68 to 77 °F.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common red phantom tetra problems
- Faded color usually means hard water, a bright bare tank or too small a group.
- They do poorly in warm tanks; keep them at 77 °F or below.
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: Megalamphodus sweglesi. 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.
- Red phantom tetra Tsunamicarlos (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Clown killifish Dornenwolf, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Crystal red shrimp DirkBlankenhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Malaysian trumpet snail Buchling, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Medaka Seotaro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Umbrella dwarf cichlid Gordon Axmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry shrimp TheJammingYam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pitbull pleco Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, 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
- Zebra pleco Peaceinpianos, 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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