Ornate tetra Care Guide

The ornate tetra is a beautiful and relatively popular aquarium fish known for its vibrant colors and social nature. Here’s how you can care for them effectively in a home aquarium:

Tank Setup

Ornate tetras require a spacious tank to accommodate their social behavior, with a minimum of 8 tetras living together. The tank should have a mix of surface, mid, and bottom dwelling zones to support their active swimming habits. A minimum of 5 liters of water per fish is recommended. It’s important to maintain the water temperature between 24°C and 28°C and the pH level should be between 6.0 and 8.0 to ensure their health and well-being.

For decor, include plenty of plants, rocks, and driftwood to mimic their natural habitat. Good filtration and regular water changes are essential to keep the tank environment clean and safe for the fish.

Feeding

Ornate tetras are moderately easy to care for when it comes to feeding as they accept a wide variety of foods. They thrive on a balanced diet that includes flakes, pellets, and live or frozen foods like bloodworms, brine shrimp, tubifex worms, and daphnia. Supplement their diet with vegetable matter and algae wafers for optimal health. Offering color enhancing foods can help maintain their vibrant appearance.

Behavior and Compatibility

These fish are mostly peaceful and social, making them ideal for community tanks. They exhibit mild territorial behavior, mainly during breeding. Keeping them in schools of at least 8 tetras helps in mitigating any minor aggression. Ensure that tank mates are similarly peaceful and not large enough to see the tetras as prey.

Breeding

Breeding ornate tetras is possible in a home aquarium with the right conditions. They are group spawners and egg-scatterers, requiring a separate breeding setup with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 and slightly higher temperatures around 26-27°C. Introduce conditioned fish fed on live foods, like brine shrimp and bloodworms, to the breeding tank. Provide fine-leaved plants or spawning mops for egg scattering. After spawning, remove adults to prevent them from eating the eggs. Ensure a dimly lit environment and meticulous monitoring of water parameters for successful breeding.

Care of the Fry

Ornate tetra fry hatch within 24 to 36 hours. Initially, they feed on their yolk sacs. After 3 to 5 days, once free-swimming, start feeding them infusoria or liquid fry food. Gradually transition to micro worms or freshly hatched brine shrimp as they grow. Maintain excellent water quality with regular, gentle water changes to promote healthy development.