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Encyclopedia / Tetras / Long-finned African tetra
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Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Long-finned African tetra

Bryconalestes longipinnis · Brycinus longipinnis, Long-finned characin, African longfin tetra

Peaceful but jumpy; needs a lid.

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16.4 cmAdult size ✓
22–26 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
137 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Long-finned African tetra is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
Not recommended
  • Oscar is aggressive and will bully peaceful long-finned african tetra.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (22–26 °C vs 27–30 °C). No setting suits both.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.5.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

395 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓5–19 dGH
Group size ✓6 or more
Temperament ?Peaceful
Swims at ?Top
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 5–7 cm
Growth Fast

Behavior

Peaceful but jumpy; needs a lid.

Food

Flakes and frozen foods.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Adult males develop a long, flowing dorsal fin, are slightly larger than females and have a convex anal fin.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-scatterer · Moderate

An egg scatterer; tricky but achievable. Use a dimly lit spawning tank with floating plants and lots of java moss, soft (2-5 dGH), acidic (pH 6.0-6.5) water at 24-26 °C and gentle sponge filtration. Remove the parents after spawning, as they eat eggs, and keep the tank heavily aerated.

Pairing

Keep a group of 8-10 and move a well-conditioned trio or group to a spawning tank.

Setup

30-40 L tank with a spawning grid or dense java moss, soft to medium water (pH 6-7.5), a sponge filter and subdued light.

What starts it

Heavy live-food conditioning, then a water change with slightly cooler water in the morning.

Eggs

Several hundred orange eggs; they hatch in 4-6 days and fry swim freely 1-2 days later.

Raising the fry

Start with infusoria or powdered fry food, then newly hatched brine shrimp; sort by size as they grow.

Common mistakes
  • Leaving adults with the eggs
  • Poor conditioning of the parents
  • Overfeeding the fry tank
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionAfrica – West and Central Africa, from Gambia to the Congo
Rivers and lakesCoastal rivers from Gambia to the Congo
HabitatForest streams and rivers
Native rangeAbout 2,000 km across
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The story of the long-finned african tetra

A large, silvery African tetra from West and west-central Africa; males grow a long, flowing dorsal fin.

Albert Günther described this African tetra in 1864. Mature males develop a long filament on the dorsal fin, giving it its common name. It is a lively, robust tetra that does well in groups.

First described by Albert Günther in 1864. Named for 'longipinnis' means long-finned.

  • Males grow a long filament on the dorsal fin.
  • It has a black band near the tail base edged in orange.
  • It is an energetic swimmer that needs open space.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources