SERPAE TETRA (HYPHESSOBRYCON EQUES)

Serpae tetras are popular schooling fishes. These are also known as Callistus tetras or Blood tetras. They are very beautiful flame-coloured slow-moving fishes. They are easy to care for and are robust; many aquarists keep them in community and planted aquariums around the globe.

- Rajiv Sharma*

APPEARANCE

Serpae tetras’ body is small, flame to bright red coloured. Their dorsal fin is black with white spots. The anal fin is also black with white patches on fins. Females are fat and bigger in size in comparison to males; their colour is also faded. Males are smaller in size and brighter in colour. They belong to Characidae family.

The can live upto 4–5 years in aquariums. Serpae tetras exist in two variants i.e. short- and long-finned Serpae tetras. Long-finned Serpae tetras are more attractive and slow movers in comparison to short-finned Serpaes. They should be kept in a school of more than 6 fishes. They show their true colour and behaviour in planted aquariums. Their vibrant red-flame-coloured elongated laterally compressed oval-shaped body adds colours in planted aquariums.

FEEDING HABITS AND BEHAVIOUR

Serpae tetras are omnivores and easily accept flake foods and pellet foods in aquarium-like other tetras. In nature, they depend on insects, fishes, and vegetation. Their mouth is small, so offer only small-sized flake or frozen foods. Proper feeds improve colouration of Serpae tetras. They happily accept lettuce, flake foods, dry worms, frozen worms, and blood worms in home aquariums.