Head-and-tail light tetra — a Characidae from 南美洲及菲律宾, peaceful but shy in bare or bright tanks. Reaches 3.7–5.4 cm; shoaling; 8–10+ unlocks full colour and calm. 22–26 °C.
Care parameters
Water temperature
22–26 °C
pH
6–8
GH hardness
5–19 dGH
Adult length
3.7–5.4 cm
Minimum tank
35 L
Water layer
Bottom-dwelling
Difficulty
Moderate
Temperament
Peaceful but shy in bare or bright tanks
Origin
南美洲及菲律宾
Species overview
Characidae species Hemigrammus ocellifer comes from 南美洲及菲律宾. A mid-water shoaler whose colour and courage arrive together, with the group. It lives on the bottom. Adults reach 3.7–5.4 cm. Shoaling; 8–10+ unlocks full colour and calm. Dark substrate, gentle light, big school — the three levers for this fish. Maintain 22–26 °C at pH 6–8. A rewarding species for the aquarist who reads before buying.
Native biotope
Habitat
Blackwater streams and flooded forest
Flow
Still to gentle current
Dissolved O₂
Moderate
Aquascape & hardware
Substrate
Dark sand and leaf litter
Hardscape
Driftwood and dense plant edges
Plants
Floating and shaded plants appreciated
Temperament, diet & tankmates
Schooling
Shoaling; 8–10+ unlocks full colour and calm
Diet
Unfussy; a varied small diet preserves colour
Recommended tankmates
Other small peaceful tetras and rasboras — Form a mixed, calm mid-water mass
Avoid keeping with
Single-species isolation — A lone tetra is a stressed tetra
Breeding & notes
Sexual dimorphism
Subtle; females fuller-bodied
Breeding method
Scatters eggs among plants; light-proof the setup or add mops