If you are wondering whether or not to get a rosy tetra, well, it would be a nice idea to go for it. This majestic and colorful creatures could add a unique spark to your home aquarium.
Of course, just like any other fish, it would need some care, feeding, protection, and much more. If the lack of knowledge in these areas is what is stopping you from getting one, well, here is a complete guide of everything you need to know about rosy tetra.
Appearance
One of the things that will strike your eye is the colorful nature of their bodies. This type of fish comes with a light pink-white body. All its fins are red except the dorsal and caudal fin.
The caudal fin is usually pink-white and has some red spots spread around it. The dorsal fin, on the other hand, is usually black in color. Another spectacular thing about the rosy tetras is their eyes. If you look closely, you will see a faint black line running from the top to the bottom of the eyeball.
Habitat
Rosy tetras are known to inhabit rivers and estuaries. They love waters that are stained brown and acidic. One of the most common places in the world that fits these criteria is the lower Amazon River Basin in Brazil.
Here you will find schools of the rosy fish as they love to live in groups. Other than Brazil, the rosy fish is also known to love the Rio Guapore region in Paraguay.
Feeding
Since rosy tetras are omnivorous, you have a wide range of foods to choose from. But first, let us look at what they eat when in the wild,
In the Wild
- Small crustaceans
- Live Insects
- Worms
- Water Plants
In Aquariums
- Quality Food Flakes –flakes provide rosy tetras with the much-needed proteins. Therefore it should constitute about 60-80% of their diet. Feeding flakes to rosy tetras will help them grow strong. It will also help them maintain their beautiful colors.
- Live Foods – are known to provide a lot of nutrients to the tetra fish. You can give them such feeds as treats once in a while. It will go a long way to supplementing their normal meals. Some examples of live foods include: Daphnia, Bloodworms, Brine Shrimps, Cyclops
Feeding Instructions
- Maintain a frequent, steady feeding program that does not necessarily translate into overfeeding. Only give them food they can consume in 3 minutes.
- Any uneaten food particles should be removed to maintain healthy tank water.
Water and Tank Requirements
Preparing tanks is one of the trickiest exercises when it comes to keeping rosy tetras. All in all, if you have the right information, it becomes a lot easier. Well, hers is how to go about it.
The first thing that you need to check is the volume of the aquarium or the tank size. One thing you need to know is that rosy tetra love moving around water a lot. This then means that you will have to choose a large enough tank that has space for movement.
Therefore always use the standard rule; every inch of fish requires two gallons of water. All in all, you can also add a few gallons just for extra space. Therefore for a group of 6 rosy tetra species, it is good to have a 15 to 20-gallon tank.
You should also install a good water filter. It helps in filtering and cleaning your aquarium water. It also helps the beneficial bacteria to colonize the filter media.
When this happens, the aquarium nitrogen cycle takes place with ease. Also, we cannot forget the fact that rosy tetras love sluggish water. Therefore it is important to install a water filter that produces less current in the water.
The pH of the water should be between 5.5 and 7.5. The temperature of the water should be between 75 and 82 °F. This is the right temperature as it makes them feel at home. Of course, we cannot forget about the hardness; in this case, it should range from 5-19 dGH.
Compatibility
Rosy tetras are small creatures that are very peaceful. This then means that you need to place them with aquatic animals that are just as peaceful and calm. Some of these aquatic animals include:
- Corydoras
- Rummy Nose Tetras
- Angelfish
- Zebra Danios
- Bristlenose Plecos
- Molly Fish
Disclaimer
Make sure you do not put them with slow-moving fish as they will nip their fins. It is also not advisable to put rosy tetra fish with aggressive fish. This is because they will upset them, and as we said, rosy tetras are calm and peaceful.
Breeding
Just like any other fish, rosy tetras also reproduce by spawning. But before we get there, let us look at the conditions for successful breeding.
Conditions for Successful Breeding
There are factors that need to be put in place to facilitate reproduction, and they are as follows;
- The temperature should be maintained at 27 or 28° C at most.
- The water needs to be free of any minerals. Basically, put soft water in the tank.
- Separate the male and female rosy tetra you would like to breed from the others.
- It is advisable to place floating plants in the tank as they will provide a perfect site for spawning. Failure to do so well results in eggs scattering all around the tank.
- Feed the female and male rosy tetras with plenty of live food.
Reproduction
The process starts with the male fish leaving bubbles in the water. This is a signal that he wants the female rosy tetra. Thereafter the male and female interact, and spawning takes place. The female will then lay eggs in the plants.
Once fertilization and spawning are complete, it is critical to remove the parents. This is because they tend to feed on the eggs. After a few days, the eggs will hatch, and young rosy tetras will emerge.
Conclusion
Any aquarist knows that rosy tetras are nice to keep at home. This is because watching their bodies move through water peacefully is very satisfying. Of course, you will have to do a few things to keep viewing this spectacular sight.
The first thing you need to do is set up a right home for your rosy tetras. Basically, the tank should satisfy its needs. You also need to keep them with the right feeds. If you want to have young tetras too, just follow the breeding instructions.