1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Peaceful, hardy.
332 species in our list are a good match.
Peaceful, hardy.
Flakes, pellets.
Tap a food to see what it is.
How hard to tell: Moderate
Tip: Look for the anal-fin spot
From the checked notes: “Females are rounder; the swim bladder, visible through the body, tapers to a point in males and is rounded in females.” Numbers sit on the part of the body each difference is about. Tap a picture to see it bigger.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Egg-scatterer · Easy
Prolific egg scatterer; spawn in a separate tank and remove the adults as soon as eggs are seen, because they eat them.
Buy 6 or more and let them pair up.
20 L tank with fine plants or mops, soft water and dim light.
Warm, soft water and good feeding.
Eggs hatch in 24-36 hours and fry are free-swimming 3-4 days later.
Feed infusoria or green water for days 1-3, then newly hatched brine shrimp and microworms. Keep light low early on. Grow out in a larger tank once fish are about 1 cm.
Named for its two iridescent copper-gold spots, one behind the eye and one at the base of the tail, which shine like a car's head and tail lights. Also sold as the beacon tetra.
Franz Steindachner described this tetra in 1882. Shining spots at the head and tail base gave it its common name. It has been a reliable beginner fish since the early days of the hobby.
First described by Franz Steindachner in 1882.
16 facts checked with sources
Recent rename: Melo et al. 2024 revalidated the genus Holopristis Eigenmann 1903 for this species (previously Hemigrammus ocellifer, originally Tetragonopterus ocellifer Steindachner 1882). The epithet changes to the feminine 'ocellifera'. Shops and most hobby literature still use Hemigrammus ocellifer. Seriously Fish mentions a possible subspecies 'H. ocellifer falsus' lacking the red caudal-peduncle spot, of questionable validity; Wikipedia lists H. falsa as a separate Holopristis species.
FishBase: Holopristis ocellifera summary · Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: genus Holopristis · Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetraSubfamily Thayeriinae, following the 2024 split of Characidae. Seriously Fish still uses Characidae.
Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: genus Holopristis · FishBase: Holopristis ocellifera summary · Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetraSeriously Fish gives 4.5 cm SL (standard length); FishBase gives 4.9 cm TL (total length). Legacy 4.5 cm matches the SL figure and is close to the TL figure.
Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetra · FishBase: Holopristis ocellifera summarySources disagree: Seriously Fish (preferred for husbandry) 24-28, FishBase 22-26. The legacy 22-28 spans both.
Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetra · FishBase: Holopristis ocellifera summaryFishBase matches legacy (6.0-8.0); Seriously Fish (preferred for husbandry) gives 5.5-7.5, 'Preferably below neutral.'
Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetra · FishBase: Holopristis ocellifera summaryNew value (legacy has none).
Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetra · FishBase: Holopristis ocellifera summary60 x 38 cm base x 30 cm height = 68.4 L; Seriously Fish lists ~68 litres. Legacy 60 L is slightly below.
Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetraNo source names a swimming level.
FishBase: Holopristis ocellifera summarySeriously Fish maintenance difficulty rating 'Easy'.
Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetraNew value (legacy has none). Wikipedia also lists Colombia and Ecuador.
FishBase: Holopristis ocellifera summary · Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetraSeriously Fish uses swim-bladder shape as the sexing clue. The legacy 'white spot on the anal fin' tip was not found in any source checked, so it should not be the headline clue.
Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetraFishBase biology also calls it a prolific breeder that can be bred in aquariums.
Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetraHatch time verified. Egg count (100-300) not found in any source.
Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetraSpot positions verified (Wikipedia, last resort; Seriously Fish does not explain the name). 'Gold' vs 'copper' is a wording difference.
Wikipedia: Head-and-taillight tetra · Seriously Fish: head-and-tail light tetra