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Encyclopedia / Tetras / Serpae tetra
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Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Serpae tetra

Megalamphodus eques · Hyphessobrycon eques, Serpae, Jewel tetra, Red minor tetra, Callistus tetra, Hyphessobrycon callistus, Red jewel tetra

Lively; nips fins of slow or long-finned tankmates.

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4 cmBody length, without tail ✓
22–27 °CTemperature ✓
5.5–7.5pH ✓
72 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Serpae tetra nips fins, and Congo tetra has long fins.
Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Serpae tetra only grows to 4 cm.
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Serpae tetra is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
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

348 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 ✓1–15 dGH
Group size ✓12 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2–3 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Lively; nips fins of slow or long-finned tankmates. Larger groups behave better.

Food

Flakes, pellets, frozen foods.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Male Serpae tetra
Male
Female Serpae tetra
Female

Mature females are rounder-bodied and a little larger than males; males colour up more when sparring with rival males.

Health

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

Breeding

Egg-scatterer · Easy

Egg-scattering free spawner with no parental care.

Pairing

Buy a group of 6-8 and pick the fattest females and brightest males.

Setup

20-40 L tank with fine mops or java moss and slightly acidic soft water. Dim light.

What starts it

Warm, soft water with a water change and heavy live food feeding.

Eggs

100-300 eggs; hatch in about 24-30 hours.

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
  • Keeping with long-fin fish (they nip)
  • Leaving parents in with eggs
  • Hard water
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionAmazon and Paraguay basins – Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia & Paraguay
Rivers and lakesAmazon and Paraguay river systems
HabitatQuiet, plant-filled waters and floodplain lakes
Native rangeAbout 1,800 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the serpae tetra

A red tetra from the Amazon, Guaporé and Paraguay basins, described by Steindachner in 1882. It is known for nipping fins, mostly when kept in too small a group. Since 2024 it is placed in the genus Megalamphodus.

Austrian zoologist Franz Steindachner described the serpae tetra in 1882. Its bright red body made it a hobby favourite in the 20th century. It is well known for nipping fins when kept in too small a group.

First described by Franz Steindachner in 1882.

  • Several similar red tetras were traded under the serpae name for years.
  • Keeping it in a larger group spreads its nippy behaviour among its own kind.
  • Its colour is most intense in fish kept with plants and a dark substrate.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources