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Encyclopedia / Tetras / Red phantom tetra
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Variations

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Red phantom tetra

Megalamphodus sweglesi · Hyphessobrycon sweglesi, Red phantom, Sweglesi tetra

Peaceful school fish; keep with other calm small fish.

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3.5 cmBody length, without tail ✓
22–27 °CTemperature ✓
5.5–7.5pH ✓
72 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Red phantom tetra only grows to 3.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Red phantom tetra is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Red phantom tetra only grows to 3.5 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

358 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 ✓1–12 dGH
Group size ✓8 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2.5–3.5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful school fish; keep with other calm small fish.

Food

Flakes, small pellets and frozen daphnia and brine shrimp.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Adult males have longer dorsal and anal fins; females are deeper-bodied.

Health

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

Breeding

Egg-scatterer · Moderate

Egg-scattering free spawner with no parental care; spawns readily in soft, slightly acidic water over fine plants, mops or mesh, and adults 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

100-300 eggs

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

RegionSouth America – Orinoco basin, Colombia & Venezuela
Rivers and lakesRío Meta, Río Guaviare and other Orinoco tributaries
HabitatVegetated, soft-water streams and pools
Native rangeAbout 500 km across
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The story of the red phantom tetra

A small red tetra endemic to the Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela. Most trade fish are commercially bred, and the extra-red "rubra" form is the same species. It moved from Hyphessobrycon to Megalamphodus in 2024.

Jacques Géry described this tetra in 1961 from Colombia. Its body is a warm red with a black shoulder spot. Females have a striking red, black and white dorsal fin, more colourful than the males'.

First described by Jacques Géry in 1961.

  • Females have a red, black and white dorsal fin.
  • It prefers soft, slightly acidic water.
  • It is closely related to the black phantom tetra.

Sources

14 facts checked with sources