The Diamond Tetra (Moenkhausia pittieri), also known as Brillantsalmler, Diamond Characin, Pittier's Tetra and Timanttitetra is native to South American inland waters. A somewhat larger tetra, the Diamond Tetra reaches 2.5 inches and exhibits intense coloration; They are said to sparkle like a diamond with their silvery scales and orange accents when kept in a darkly aquascaped tank.

These Tetras prefer a heavily planted tank and softer water on the acidic side. It should also have adequate swimming room in the tank. The Diamond Tetra should be kept at a water temperature between 74º and 82º Fahrenheit with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5 and soft to moderately hard water. They are ideal fish to put in a community tank and prefer to school with an odd number of at least 3 Diamond Tetras, making them an attractive addition to your nature aquarium.

To breed the Diamond Tetras, like breeding Platy fish, they should be separate a pair into a "breeding tank" with no lighting at first and then gradually increase it until spawning occurs. Water hardness should be less than 4 degrees and live food such as mosquito larvae are great inducers. Be sure to remove the adults after the eggs have been laid, as the adults will eat them. The eggs should hatch within 30 hours.

The Diamond Tetra has violet-hued scales with a fine scattering of green and gold that creates a pleasant sparkling effect. A high quality flake and freeze-dried foods supplemented with live brine shrimp fulfill its dietary needs. "Diamond Tetras" also will accept many small foods such as daphnia, freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex.

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Penguin Tetra comes from the tributaries and rivers of South America and makes a wonderful addition to any community aquarium. They are pale to golden in color, and have a black vertical stripe that extends down the bottom half of the tail, giving an appearance similar to a penguin.

Penguin Tetra is actually two related species, Thayeria boehlkei and Thayeria obliqua. Thayeria obliqua has a shorter black line than Thayeria boehlkei, and Thayeria obliqua grows a little bigger although these are both small fish. The species most often available in aquarium shops is Thayeria boehlkei and in Australia, thet often sold as a Hockey Stick Tetra.

Penguin Tetra can be housed in an aquarium with other soft water fish. Tetras are a schooling fish that work well in groups of six or more fish of the same species. Live plants, rocks and driftwood help to enhance its natural habitat and provide hiding spaces.

Penguin Tetra is a peaceful schooling fish and A school of Penguin Tetras can usually even be kept with slow long finned fish like Siamese fighting fish, Guppies and Endlers Guppies. There is not much difference between the sexes of the Penguin Tetra, but when in breeding condition, the females get a rounder belly.

Penguin Tetras breed occasionally in an aquarium setting and a hospital or "breeding tank" will be necessary. During breeding time, the females will display a fuller looking belly, which help distinguish them from the males. Slightly acidic water and very soft water with a temperature of about 27 degrees C (81 degrees F) is best for optimal breeding habits.

Thayeria boehlkei is a prolific breeder in the sense of producing a lot of eggs. A female of this little fish with a very well rounded belly can produce as many as 3000 eggs. After the eggs begin to hatch, 12 to 15 hours after being laid, removing the parents will reduce the number of lost fry. These are very small. Partial water changes are recommended to maintain the high quality of water that the fry need.

Like many tetra fish such as cardinal tetra or neon tetra, Penguin Tetra is an easily fed omnivore. They are particularly carnivorous. The Penguin Tetra will accept many small foods such as brine shrimp or daphnia, micro pellet food, and a high quality flake food. Frozen foods, including frozen blood worms or tubifex are also appreciated.

Penguin tetras are one of the characins with a very unique feature compared to other tetras, they can swim at a 45 degree angle due to low buoyancy of their tails. In the wild, these fish lie just below the surface among dense vegetation and feed on insects falling on the surface. In both these traits they closely resemble the two pencilfish species Nannostomus eques and N. unifasciatus.

Penguin Tetra is a tropical fish and it does better in clean water and care needs to be taken with the water quality. Although Penguin Tetra is a delight in an aquarium, as with all pets, do not allow them to get into ecosystems they are not native to.

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Tropical ornamental fish species such as the Neon Tetra and Cardinal Tetra are among the most popular of all freshwater fish, adding a touch of brilliance and social interaction to the community aquarium. Besides two tetra types above, the Black Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) also one of the aquarium fish species with a most beautiful and unusual coloration. And like other Tetras, the Black Neon Tetra do best in a well-planted aquarium with moderate lighting.

The body of the iridescent Black Neon Tetra is an elegant blend of deep obsidian black paired with a contrasting bright, neon horizontal stripe of yellow-green. A fluorescent orange marking above its eyes completes the telltale markings of the Black Neon Tetra. Praised for its peaceful nature, the Black Neon Tetra is a great addition to any soft water community aquarium.

The distinct coloration of the Black Neon Tetra complements the shaded green and yellow hues of most freshwater plants. In turn, the plants offer hiding places for the Black Neon Tetra. The addition of rocks and driftwood also help mirror its natural habitat. The Black Neon Tetra thrives in slightly acidic water and will do best when water parameters are kept constant. Black Neon Tetra is a schooling fish and will do best if kept in odd numbers of 5 or more.

Feeding: Black Neon Tetras will accept many small foods such as brine shrimp or daphnia, freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex, micro pellet food, and a high quality flake food.

To breed Black Neon Tetras or Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi , separate a pair into a "breeder tank" with no lighting at first, and then gradually increase light levels until spawning occurs. To encourage breeding, water hardness should be less than 4 KH. Live foods such as mosquito larvae are another great inducer. Be sure to remove the adult Black Neon Tetra after the eggs have been laid, as they will eat the eggs. The eggs should hatch within 30 hours.

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Among other tetra fish, Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) and Cardinal Tetra most famous because his tiny body shape and color are very beautiful. Body shape is flattened to the side with the color yellow-brown dorsally and yellowish white belly.

The characteristics of the most easily recognizable is the presence of such a line of blue neon green elongated on both sides of his body, and under fluorescent lines that there is a red line on, but not all the neon colors.

The fin of NeonTetra fish is actually clear, except for a red tail fin. Peaceable nature, makes neon tetra can be blended with other types of ornamental fish in an aquarium. The beauty of Neon Tetra fish will appear more clearly in a state when swimming clustered together to form a line.

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Cardinal Tetra Fish (Paracheirodon axelrodi) body size only 4.5 cm. But no doubt the Cardinal Tetra is the kind that most coveted of ornamental fish for aquarium hobbyists with an amazing color combinations. In the wild, these fish alive until thousands tail clustered in one group. Therefore, if maintained in the aquarium should be flocking to the minimum number of 12. They will stress if kept only a pair only. Cardinal Tetra Fish do not like strong light, they prefer the shade. Although Cardinal Tetra can tolerate a pH between 5.0 to 7.0 but they will spend the most optimal colors at pH 5.8.

Neon colors displayed by the fish is actually a result of light reflection of Iridescent Particles. This tropical fish uses reflected light obtained to reflect red and blue. At night, the Cardinal Tetra will pale, because the particles are not active. Not so clear what purpose the Cardinal Tetra fish colored neon flashy, but it is suspected that the neon colors that stand out are useful for the fish can follow the movements of his group in solid-colored waters (Blackwater)

The condition of the water where these fish live does not contain minerals, because most of the water comes from rain water, therefore water conditions in the aquarium if you want to keep this fish should be the same as in landscape. In its natural, neon or cardinal tetra fish is a prey for larger fish, such as fish, angelfish and other types of racing, but so far have never encountered obstacles and maintain the kind of angelfish and neon tetra cardinal in an aquarium.

If you want to maintain the cardinal tetra fish, aquarium should be prepared for a long time, in other words aquarium conditions is stable and water conditions are quite 'old', and the water has low pH levels. Water conditions greatly affect the survival of these tropical fish. Neon tetra otherwise more easily adapt to the conditions of the all-new aquarium. An easy way to get water conditions ideal for the cardinal fish (and other tetra species) is by mixing extracts of 'Blackwater' into the aquarium water. Products such as aquavital and tetra blackwater it's so good to get a blackwater conditions.

The recommended aquarium setup is to use substrate (sand) with a dark color, so the bright colors of Cardinal Tetra will appear in full. Water plants should be pretty much used to lure fish guts are swimming in open waters.

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