Splash Tetra / Spraying Characin

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Native to the Pará River basin and the lower Amazon River (Brazil). Inhabits flooded forest areas, slow-flowing streams and shallow marshes, characterized by dense marsh vegetation emerging from the water.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Splash Tetra / Jumping Tetra (Copella arnoldi). Small tapered Lebiasinid with a torpedo-shaped body. The pectoral fins are muscular and developed to allow formidable leaps, while the mouth is superior.

Social Behavior: Extremely peaceful and shy. Must be kept in schools of at least 6-8 specimens. They spend almost all their time swimming horizontally in the very first top layer of water, ready to dart for food or reproduction.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Delicate beige/yellowish coloration with iridescent reflections. The male, in addition to having much more intense colors (with red and black spots on the elongated fins), is significantly larger (6 cm / 2.4 inches) than the female (4 cm / 1.6 inches).

Aquarium Setup: Unique in its kind: it needs a "paludarium" or an aquarium filled only halfway. The tank (minimum 80 cm / 32 inches) must have branches, leaves (like Anubias or Philodendron) or the cover glass located a few inches ABOVE the water level. Cover is imperative.

Diet and Feeding: Surface insectivorous micro-predator. Feeds exclusively on small insects caught by jumping out of the water. In the tank it requires live food (fruit flies, bloodworms) or high quality floating flakes.

Water Quality: Requires calm waters, with very gentle filtration that does not create current on the surface, ideally filtered over peat. Any turbulence disorients them and prevents feeding. Warm and possibly amber water.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Ideal fish for the upper zone of peaceful amber tanks. Cohabits with small Characins (Neons, Cardinals), dwarf Corydoras, slow Loricariids and very docile dwarf Cichlids.

Aquarium Reproduction: Extraordinary! The pair jumps *out of the water* and clings to an emerged leaf (or the lid) for a few seconds to lay/fertilize a few eggs at a time. The male will then stay under the leaf and with his tail will "splash" drops of water on the emerged eggs for days, keeping them moist until the larvae fall into the water.

Risks and Diseases: If there is no lid, they will invariably jump onto the floor. The newborns (who fall into the water) are tiny and are eaten by the parents themselves or end up sucked up by the filters if not promptly separated.