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Bleeding Heart Tetra

Spotfin Tetra Family: Characidae

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Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   A blotch of bright red color on its side, often in the shape of a heart. gives the Bleeding Heart Tetra its memorable name!

   The Bleeding Heart Tetra or Spotfin Tetra is a stocky built vivacious little fish from the swift moving streams of the Amazon. It does best with when kept with a school of its own kind, and once established in a shoal, will show off deep body colors ranging from beige-orange  to a silvery lavender.

   This fish requires at least a fifteen gallon tank with water conditions kept optimal. The Bleeding Heart Tetra will show its best colors if secure, so provide dark gravel and subtle lighting. This along with floating plants, a balance of hiding places, and some open swimming space will keep it happy. Given time to acclimate to its environment in peace, its colors will become more developed.  

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Dream Aquarium Build your own aquarium The Coolest and Funnest Screensaver in the World.

Distribution:
   The Bleeding Heart Tetra or Spotfin Tetra was described by Fowler in 1943. They are found through Columbia and Peru, where they inhabit the many densely vegetated little creeks and river bends of the Upper Amazon They are primarily still collected from the wild.

Status:
   The species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   The Bleeding Heart Tetra is a stockily built tetra species. It has body colors ranging from a beige-orange  to a silvery lavender. Their most distinguishing characteristic and their namesake is derived from a blotch of bright red color on its side, often in the shape of a heart.

Size - Weight:
  This fish can grow up to 3.5 inches (9 cm) in length, but rarely exceeds 2.75 inches (7 cm) in captivity, even in the best kept aquariums

Care and feeding:
   Since they are omnivorous the Bleeding Heart Tetra or Spotfin Tetra requires a varied diet. It will happily eat most appropriately sized commercial aquarium food in addition to live aquarium foods and chopped blanched lettuce leaves. Live or freeze dried blood worms will be greatly appreciated.
   This fish also requires a more established tank, so wait at least 3 months before adding them to a new system. Clean water is vital as it is very sensitive to ammonia. If water quality deteriorates, the fish will often die of diseases like ich and fungus.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
  The Bleeding Heart Tetra inhabits all areas of the tank, but tends to favor the middle region

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Temp: 73 - 82° F (23 - 28° C)
   Hardness: 3 -12° dGH
   Ph: 5.6 - 7.2 (wild caught) 6.6 - 7.8 (tank bred)

Social Behaviors:
   The Bleeding Heart Tetra is generally a peaceful community fish, however there are occasionally boisterous individuals. They can be kept in large schools and will do best if kept in a school of at least 6 individuals. This fish will generally get along amongst its own kind, and will often school with its relatives, the Black Widow and Albino Tetra. They can also be kept in pairs along with other peaceful fish. Keep fin nippers out of their tanks as the males have fairly large delicate fins. In addition, this fish can be easily spooked into hiding so situate the tank appropriately.

Sexual Differences:
   The male is distinguished by longer extended dorsal and anal fins.The dorsal fin is elongated into a sickle shape that arches to the length of the tail base. The female has a shorter rounded fin.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The breeding process for the Bleeding Heart Tetra is difficult in home aquaria but not impossible. Females will often ignore males. If fish do breed, eggs will be laid among floating plants. Parents must be removed immediately following fertilization. Within 5 days free swimming fry will emerge from the plants. After this 1/3 of the water must be changed daily, and fry must be fed with small live and crushed dry foods. Unfortunately, few fry often survive to adulthood.
   See a general description of how to breed these fish in Breeding Freshwater Fish and Fish Food for Fry for more information.

Buy Bleeding Heart Tetras From LiveAquaria.com

Availability:
   The Bleeding Heart Tetra or Spotfin Tetra is readily available. It can be obtained from most fish and pet stores, as well as online. Cost is generally around 1 - 4 US dollars per individual in a pet store, slightly more from the internet or mail order.

Author: Yvonne
Edited by Animal-World.

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Latest Comments
I have 6 of these guys and they are indeed lovely and hardy fish. They do tend to hide behind my driftwood with the exception of 2 that love to zip around the tank. Great fish! Sharon 2007-04-29
This is a great fish! Great for community tanks WITHOUT fin-nippers. In our tank about 3 years ago, they were healthy, but something nipped their fins off. Back then we had goldfish, neon tetras, black skirt tetras, glowlight tetras, and a common pleco. J 2006-05-21

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