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Encyclopedia / Tetras / One-striped African characin
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Variations

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One-striped African characin

Nannaethiops unitaeniatus · One-lined african tetra

Peaceful schooler.

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6.5 cmBody length, without tail ✓
22–26 °CTemperature ✓
6.5–7.5pH ✓
54 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 One-striped African characin is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. One-striped African characin only grows to 6.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Oscar eats animals up to about 12 cm. One-striped African characin only grows to 6.5 cm.
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

345 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 ✓5–12 dGH
Group size ?6 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 3–5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful schooler.

Food

Flakes and frozen foods.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Mature males are smaller, much slimmer and more brightly coloured than females, with deep red in the dorsal and upper tail fin when in spawning condition.

Health

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

Breeding

Egg-scatterer · Moderate

Egg scatterer that spawns at dawn among java moss or spawning mops; not often bred in aquaria. Parents should be removed after spawning.

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

Eggs hatch in about 30-36 hours and the fry are free-swimming 2-3 days later. No egg count found in the sources checked.

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 (Niger, Volta, Chad & Congo basins)
Rivers and lakesNiger, Volta, Lake Chad and Congo basins
HabitatSlow, vegetated waters
Native rangeAbout 2,500 km across
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The story of the one-striped african characin

A small, shy and peaceful African characiform (a distichodontid, not a tetra) from Nigeria to the Congo; rarely seen for sale and often confused with similar-looking Neolebias species.

Albert Günther described this small fish in 1872. It is one of the most widespread small characins in Africa, found from West Africa to the Congo. A single dark stripe along its side gives it its common name.

First described by Albert Günther in 1872. Named for 'unitaeniatus' means single-striped.

  • A single dark stripe runs from snout to tail.
  • It is found across much of West and Central Africa.
  • It belongs to the family Distichodontidae, related to the large Distichodus.

Sources

14 facts checked with sources