Aphyocharax anisitsi – Bloodfin Tetra
Aphyocharax anisitsi or Bloodfin Tetra by its common name belongs to the Characidae family or Characins. They were officially described by Eigenmann and Kennedy in 1903. Aphocharax means small charax, where charax means pointed pole, the species name refers to the small pointed teeth. The species name is a reference to Dr. J.D. Anisits.
Description
The Bloodfin Tetras body is elongated. Their base color is a silvery white with a blue shine. Their caudal- and analfins are red. Some specimen have red dorsal- and pelvic fins, other have transparent fins.
Males have a bit more intense colors, are a bit slimmer and show a little hook on their analfin. They are schooling fish and feel more comfortable when kept in groups. Keep them with at least 7 or more to keep them healthy.
Biotope
In the wild you can find Aphyocharax anisitsi Rio Parana in Argentinia and a couple of rivers in Brazil. They mainly inhabit the upper- and middle layers of the river. They usually hang around vegetation and feed on small worms, insects, and invertebrates.
Diet
Because of their very active behaviour they eat a lot compared to similar sized fish. They accept all kinds of food like frozen or live foods, flakes etc. Just make sure to give them a wide variety so they can show their best colors. De kleuren zullen dan nog beter naar voren komen.
The Aquarium
The Bloodfin Tetra is a very active species and needs over 10 times their length in space. Keep them in an aquarium of 80 centimeters or more. Provide lots of plants where they can hide but leave some swimming space in the middle. With a dark substrate their colors will show more.
Aphyocharax anisitsi can be combined with other community tank-suitable species. They are very peaceful among themselves and towards other species.
The aquarium temperature should be between 18 and 28 degrees Celsius, pH between 6.5 and 8. As you can see they are not very demanding. They do however require pristine water, they get sick quickly if you skip water changes too often.
Breeding aquarium and conditioning
Aphyocharax anisitsi is relatively easy to breed, as long as you keep a group of males and females together. They even lay eggs in a community tank. They prefer to deposit their eggs on broad leaved plants. If you want to keep the fry you can provide a substrate of marbles or synthetic grass. The eggs fall down when they spawn and the parents can’t reach them between the marbles or grass. The water level in the breeding tank just has to be between 15 to 20 centimeters.
The spawn
Adult Bloodfin Tetra females can spawn 200 to 800 eggs. They prefer to lay them on a broad-leaved plant, but the eggs fall down after being deposited. Remove the parents after spawning as they will eat their own eggs. They eat both the eggs and the young.
Raising the fry
The eggs hatch after 30 to 36 hours. The parents don’t take care of their young. The larvae can swim freely after 4 to 5 days, during that time they feed on their yolk sack. The fry are very tiny and can be fed with infusoria. When they are big enough you can switch to freshly hatched brine shrimp which makes them grow faster.
Conclusion
The Bloodfin Tetra is an excellent schooling fish for a community tank. They are suitable for beginners. They will make excellent community tank members.
This species is also suitable for the beginning hobbyist breeder. They are relatively easy to breed and raise.
Video
Author
John de Lange
Copyright images
John de Lange
Michael Negrini – Pisciculture d’Estalens
