Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae – Redeye Tetra
Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae was officially described by Steindachner in 1907. Their common name is Redeye Tetra. The genus name Moenkhausia honors Professor William J. Moenkhaus of the Paulista Museum in São Paulo, Brazil.
The genus Moenkhausia contains over 70 species. They are part of the family of the Characidae.
Description
The Redeye Tetra has a silver-grey body with a black band on the tail fin. A white spot can be seen on the ends of the fins. In addition, these fish have bright red eyes, which is why the species gets its name. They can reach a maximum length of about seven centimeters.
This species is a very peaceful schooling fish, making it easy to keep alongside other calm species. It’s important to have them in a group of at least 10 individuals, as having more is always better. When kept in small numbers, they can become skittish, which affects their vibrant behavior and colors. Inadequate companionship can lead to stress, causing them to display their beautiful active behavior less prominently.
Origin
The Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae species inhabits clear river basins in the Rio Paraguay, Rio Paranaíba, and Rio Paraná regions of Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil in South America.
The Aquarium
Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae is found in clear-water rivers where a variety of aquatic plants thrive. To create a suitable environment for these fish in your aquarium, ensure that it is well-planted while also providing some open swimming space. An aquarium should have a minimum length of 80 centimeters. Additionally, using a dark substrate can enhance the vibrant colors of the fish.
Water parameters
Temperatuur: 21 – 26 Celsius.
pH: 6,5 – 7,5
GH: 8 – 12
Diet
These fish are omnivores and enjoy both frozen and live food, including black mosquito larvae, fruit flies, artemia, and cyclops. They also eat dry food, so provide a sufficient variety.
Breeding Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae – Redeye Tetra
To breed this species, you should transfer several parent fish to a separate breeding tank. Ensure that the parents are well-fed, ideally with live food. Female fish are highly fertile, but for the best results, it may be beneficial to separate the males and females for a few days before introducing them back together.
To set up a breeding aquarium, fill it with plenty of plants and consider adding marbles to the bottom. You may also use spawning mops where the eggs can be deposited. The marbles will help keep the eggs hidden between them, preventing the parent fish from reaching them. Once the eggs are laid, it’s important to catch the parent fish.
After approximately two days, the eggs hatch, and within three to four days, the fry become capable of swimming. The young Red-eyed Tetras are quite small, so the initial food must be appropriately sized. For the first few days, feed them infusoria. Once they grow a bit larger, you can transition to fine dust food and artemia nauplii. Even with proper care, the fry tend to grow very slowly.
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Kevin – Coby
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