The red flame owns many names including callistus tetra and jewel tetra. The Serpae tetra is a perfect fit for the aquarium for many reasons. For one, it explores widely. Secondly, it loves to be in a group. Seeing them wade slowly through the water can be an exhilarating experience. Thirdly, as it swims in the water, it gives the illusion of a red flame slowly making its way inside a tank.

Appearance of Serpae Tetra

The serpae tetra is reddish in color. When fully grown, it measures about 1.75 inches or 4cm. The most noticeable color on its profile is olive brown. However, on the sides the scarlet red is more pronounced. Behind the gills, a black outstanding dot is visible. Of course some of them lack this feature. A number loses it as they get older.

Its dorsal fin is black with white edges towards its ending. The anal fin is black with a smattering of white at the tips. The rest of the fins are entirely red.

Female serpae tetras are plumper as compared to the males. They are also not as brightly colored as the males. This makes it easy to distinguish them.

Lately, tetras with elongated fins seem to be produced more. If properly cared for in captivity, it can live to 5 years or more.

Behavior

The serpae is a peaceful fish that can easily entertain other fish species. While in the tank, they swim with short yet jerky motions. When living in a small group, they often nip their fellows fins, more so when they are feeding or about to. They prefer to swim mid-water. For the tank, sepae tetra makes a lovely tank pet.

Origin

It is native to the Amazon Basin. Original countries include Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The waters of Guyana are also home to the tetra.

In the wild, the fish inhabits slow moving rivers. For this reason, it will mainly be found in rivers, ponds and streams. They mostly move in groups. It is common to find them congregating where there is thick vegetation and around plant roots. These areas are preferred as they are sources of food and offer safety.

Tank Requirements

A generally peaceful animal like the serpae tetra is very easy to care for. However, it is important to mimic its natural environment so that it thrives. The following tank needs should suffice:

• Black water extract or peat to help mimic its original water preference.
• Plants with roots to offer it sufficient hiding place.
• Soft acidic water. Water hardness should be between 5 and 25dGH.
• Maintain the temperature at between 72 and 79 F. That is about 22 to 26 degrees Celsius.
• A pH of 5.0 to 7.8 is ideal.
• A darker substrate.
• Subdued lighting.

It is a wide swimmer. Sufficient swimming space should be provided. In this case, all the other additions to the tank like debris and plants must be organized in such a way that enough space is left for it to swim. Keep the water slow. If possible, they should be kept in a group as they enjoy each other’s company. Usually sensitive to changes in the water. Try to keep the water parameters as it should be.

Feeding

The serpae tetra is an omnivore. It consumes both plants and flesh. A hobbyist must not forget that it has a small mouth. When offering feeds, these must be shredded into manageable sizes. Some of the best foods to offer it are:

• Small live or frozen insects
• Live or frozen worms
• Flakes
• Pellets
• Ground grains
• Vegetables like lettuce
• Dried Brine Shrimp
• Bloodworms

While it eats a little food at a time, it is important to provide sufficient feeds. The serpae tetra’s color gets better highlighted when it obtains proper feeds and the right tank parameters.

Offer a variety of feeds to avoid monotony and to ensure all nutritional needs are met. When well fed, the serpae looks extremely elegant and is absolutely swift.

Breeding

Unlike most fish with both the males and females exhibiting striking similarities, the serpaes have some noticeable differences. This makes it easy to pair them.

The males are more colorful while the females are plumper. During breeding, the striking colorations in the males are more pronounced, and the females become a little jittery.

To successfully breed them, certain tank requirements are necessary. These are:

• Dark substrate
• Very dim light within the tank
• Dark leaved plants to be provided. Example of an ideal plant is the Java Moss
• Soft water with very little acidity
• Gentle filtration
• The water temperature should be maintained at 80F of 27C
• Provide more live foods

During breeding, the following will occur:

1. The female sprays the eggs on the leaves of plants.
2. The pair can eat the eggs and are best transferred to another tank.
3. The light in the tank with eggs should be turned off as the fry are very sensitive to light.
4. The eggs hatch after two to three days.
5. Once they hatch, they feed on the yolk sac for a number of days until they begin to swim freely.
6. When they begin to swim, introduce brine shrimp (for freshly hatched tetras) and crushed flakes. Infusoria can be ideal too.

Tank-mates

Serpae tetra is relatively peaceful and will not interfere with other fish species. However, owing to its size, it should not be housed with bigger fish species. Tankmates may include Danios, catfish (that dwell at the bottom of the tank), larger tetras. Other additions are black neon tetras, bristle-nose pleco and cardinal tetra.

They should not be housed with smaller fish than them. They can bully them. Also, do not keep them with fish that have longer fins. These can be nipped, leading to death.

Important points to remember

The fish can nip at the fins of the other fish. Be observant and in case this seems to continue, it is important to remove the victim from the tank as soon as possible. Most fish die if their fins are interfered with. You will also need to provide just enough feeds to avoid much of it remaining in the tank. Clean the tank regularly to ensure the water is clean hence safe.

If possible, keep the serpaes in groups as they love moving in a quora. The serpae tetra is an elegant fish for the aquarium. It is also easy to care for, making it an ideal tank addition.

A hobbyist with a preference for colored fish may find the Butterfly a suitable tank pet. Considered an exotic beauty, Butterfly fish belongs to the family of Chaetodontidae and comes in varieties. In fact, there are more than 114 butterfly fish species around the globe.

Apart from their intricate patterns, the butterfly are also agile swimmers. They are relatively small sized, rarely measuring beyond 20cm. When kept inside a tank in a group, they are some of the liveliest creatures to watch. One point to note though; the small sized species are friendly while in groups. The same does not apply to their big-sized counterparts. The latter only prefer to stick in the company of mating partners.

Appearance and Behavior of Butterfly Fish

The fish is extremely lovely with beautiful patterns on the body. It is quite thin with an almost round shape. The mouth is relatively small. Within it (mouth) are bristle-like teeth that are somewhat tiny. The jaws are drawn out subsequently forming a long snout. This allows them to invade tiny crevices in order to feed. They only have a single dorsal fin.

Most butterfly fish species have outstretched spines on the front part of their dorsal fins. They are a trifle tiny, seldom measuring more than 8inches in length. The most dominant colors on their profiles are black and yellow. Dark bands are found on the posterior of the dorsal area. It uses this as a camouflage to evade predators.

Across the eyes are dark bands. On their flanks are round dots that sometimes confuse predators.

While a big percentage of the butterfly fish are brightly colored, some have dull tints. Some common colors for the fish include white, orange, yellow, blue, black and grey. All of them spot at least a mixture of three or more colors, perhaps explaining their popularity with most hobbyists.

As agile swimmers, they move by darting and flitting about. As they do this in groups, they make a lovely spectacle. That is why it is often recommended to stock at least five or more of them in the same tank.

They are considered diurnal animals. This means they feed aggressively during the day and spend their entire night resting. Their preferred resting place is the coral. If well taken care of at the aquarium, they can live for 10 years or more.

Origin and Habitat

Butterfly fish is an original inhabitant of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean. It is a salt water fish. In its natural habitat, it inhabits coral reefs in sub-tropical and tropical waters. They are found in many countries of the world.

Tank Requirements

Butterfly fish are salt water fish. Since they come in variety, it is important to identify the specific ones before arranging the tank. Remember, for them to do well, the tank should mimic their original environment.

For the standard butterfly fish, the size of tank largely depends on the number of fish to be stocked. A school of five can be comfortably housed in a 100 gallon tank. There should also have sizeable live rocks and plenty of corals with enough cave-like crevices. These must be well arranged to offer it sufficient swimming space. Sand can be added to the substrate too.

Put in a bit of plant life. They may interfere with rooted plants owing to their agility. This makes well arranged floating plants on the sides of the tank ideal. Plants often add aesthetic value to the tank, giving it a more pleasant look. They also add realness into the tank.

Sufficient lighting during the day when they are most active. The light can be subdued at night when they are docile and prefer to take a nap. In their natural habitat, they are used to sunlight in the open seas. At night, they use darkness to rest. A strong filter to help keep the water clean and conducive to them. Since they are used to strong currents, this should be offered in their tank.

Water Parameters

Water temperature should be maintained at between 72 and 78F. A pH of 8.1- 8.4 should be suitable. Water hardness of between 8 and 12 dKH should be ideal. Like most types of fish, the butterfly needs a hygienic environment to thrive. Not changing the water regularly may lead to infections that can cause death.

Feeding

They are omnivores that feed on both plants and flesh. They can be fed various foods including:

• Crustaceans
• Finely chopped meat from various animals
• Mollusk flesh
• Live algae
• Spirulina
• Nori
• Vegetable matter. Lettuce, broccoli and cucumber
• Blanched spinach
• Fish pellets
• Flakes

The fish should be fed at least three times a day, more so when they are juveniles. As they mature, this can be reduced to twice.

Breeding

They form mating pairs and stick to them for life. They can be bred with difficulty. Maintaining the hatched fry to maturity is even the hardest part.

The female releases the eggs into the water. They form planktons. Animals that eat plankton often find the eggs delicious and may consume them. To be successful therefore, separate the two breeding fish from the rest of the group in the tank for success.

Once the eggs hatch, tiny butterfly fish in the form of fry are noticeable. They are usually so tiny and may not be easily seen by the naked eye. Straight from the eggs, the fry develop armored plate-like features on their bodies. They use these for protection as they are usually very vulnerable.

As the fry mature, the plates disappear. Within the first few days, they can be fed on crushed fry algae wafers. As they advance, they begin to eat crushed vegetables and finely crushed meat substances.

Tankmates

Butterfly is a schooling fish. It adores the company of its look alike. They are tolerant of other peaceful fish species. Care however, must be taken as they are predated upon by many fish types. Ideal tankmates include gobies, damsels, tangs, clownfish and parrotfish.

Important points to note

While some species are relatively easy to care for, some are extremely difficult to stock. Choose types that are suitable.

They are vulnerable to disease especially if the tank does not meet specific requirements. Use cleaner fish to help keep the tank hygienic.

If the following signs are noted, there is need to seek professional help:

• Fish curling
• Loss of appetite
• Rapid movement of gill
• Laying at the tank bottom

All in all, butterfly fish are adorable. They can be very beautiful tank additions.