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Encyclopedia / Tetras / Rummy-nose tetra
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Variations

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Rummy-nose tetra

Petitella rhodostoma · Hemigrammus rhodostomus, Rummy nose, Red nose tetra, Firehead tetra

Very tight schooler that moves as one group.

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5 cmAdult size ✓
24–27 °CTemperature ✓
5.5–7pH ✓
80 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Rummy-nose tetra only grows to 5 cm.
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Rummy-nose tetra is tropical.
  • They need different temperatures (24–27 °C vs 14–22 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Rummy-nose tetra only grows to 5 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

275 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 ✓2–15 dGH
Group size ✓10 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2–3 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Very tight schooler that moves as one group.

Food

Small pellets, flakes and frozen foods.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Mature females are noticeably rounder-bodied than males; otherwise the sexes look alike.

Health

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

Breeding

Egg-scatterer · Hard

Egg scatterer that spawns only in the evening, in groups or pairs; adults eat the eggs and should be removed once eggs are seen. Seriously Fish says breeding 'should not present too many problems'.

Pairing

Buy a group of 8-10; use captive-bred if possible. Pairs form in the group.

Setup

30-40 L tank with very soft, acidic water (pH 5.5-6.5), dim light and fine mops or moss.

What starts it

Very soft acid water, warmer temperature and plenty of conditioning foods.

Eggs

Eggs hatch in 24-36 hours and fry are free-swimming 3-4 days later.

Raising the fry

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.

Common mistakes
  • Hard water
  • Bright light
  • Poor water quality
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionLower Amazon basin – Pará, Brazil (similar species in the Rio Negro and Orinoco)
Rivers and lakesLower Amazon tributaries in Pará
HabitatSlow, soft and acidic forest streams
Native rangeAbout 800 km across
See it on the world map

Plants that suit it

Alternanthera reineckii

The story of the rummy-nose tetra

Known for its red head and black-and-white striped tail. The fish loses colour in poor conditions, so faded red can warn of a water-quality problem. Most fish sold as 'rummy-nose' are actually the similar firehead tetra (Petitella bleheri).

Ernst Ahl described Hemigrammus rhodostomus in 1924. Two very similar species, H. bleheri and Petitella georgiae, were later recognised, and many 'rummy-noses' in shops are actually H. bleheri from the Rio Negro and Orinoco. All three share the famous bright red head.

First described by Ernst Ahl in 1924.

  • The red nose fades when the fish is stressed, so aquarists use it as a health gauge.
  • Rummy-noses are known for tight schooling.
  • Their tail fin has bold black-and-white stripes.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources