Bleeding Heart Tetra

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Upper Amazon River Basin (Colombia, Peru). Prefers large rivers obscured by decomposing plant vaults, in moderately flowing waters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Bleeding Heart Tetra (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma). The colossus of the "Rosy Tetras" (Up to 7 cm / 2.7 inches). Huge rhomboidal discoidal profile; it possesses a gigantic sail-like dorsal fin that develops dramatically in old age.

Social Behavior: Proud and Majestic. Males engage in endless ritual "dances" in which they snap their very high anal and dorsal fins, brushing against each other's flanks but without causing any real damage. Gregarious from 6+.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Pastel pink/peach body that fades into silver. The name derives from the perfect "bleeding heart" (a large cherry red spot in the center of the flank). Males recognizable by the very long black sickle dorsal fin, females with a rounded fin.

Aquarium Setup: A "bulky" fish: minimum tanks of 100 cm or 120 cm (40-48 inches). Leave huge swimming paths at mid-height (e.g. above an Echinodorus lawn) because they disdain the excessively tight tangle of woods.

Diet and Feeding: Mid-tank predators (Insectivores). They have large mouths (swallow small guppies); they need large flakes (dwarf cichlids) so as not to become undernourished and, above all, a lot of bloodworms and drosophila.

Water Quality: They tolerate nitrates and "old" water very poorly. The bleeding heart fades to lead gray in a few days if the filters get clogged. They prefer oak extracts in water to enhance the red heart.

Compatibility and Tankmates: The King of warm South American tanks! Magnificent with Discus (given their size they will not be eaten), Severums (Heros), Geophagus and Altum Angelfish. They do not attack but are too powerful for rasboras.

Aquarium Reproduction: Almost completely absent from amateur aquariums (Scattering). Requires large spaces (200 lt / 50 gallon tanks dedicated to breeding) and osmotic parameters of extreme Blackwater (pH 5.0) to stimulate the breeders at dawn.

Risks and Diseases: Induced dwarfism and bone deformations. Too often kept in 40L (10 gallon) Nano Cubes (as if they were classic Neons), where they stop growing and present crooked dorsals (fatal gibbosity).