How many should be kept together as a group?

Keeping too few can make them skittish, so it's best to keep a reasonably sized group together. Choose a number that fits comfortably within your tank size.

Can it be kept with other fish?

Thanks to its calm temperament, it generally does well alongside other equally peaceful fish. If pairing it with much smaller fish, watch how they get along before committing.

Is this a good fish for tropical fish beginners?

It's generally considered beginner-friendly and hardy. With consistent basic care like regular water changes, newcomers can keep it successfully.

How big does it grow?

Adults reach roughly 6.5 to 7 cm. It's noticeably more robust than smaller tetra relatives, so plan your tank size around its adult size.

Are there any legal restrictions on keeping or importing it?

The Colombian Tetra is not subject to CITES. If you have concerns, it's a good idea to check directly with the breeder listing the fish.

Colombian Tetra

The Colombian Tetra is a mid-sized characin native to Colombia in South America, prized for the striking contrast between its blue-silver back and the vivid red that washes across its tail and anal fins. It grows larger and swims more vigorously than many of its smaller tetra relatives, so it's at its best cruising confidently through open water. Calm and hardy by nature, it mixes well with other peaceful fish and is considered a good choice for beginners. Because it settles down and shows its best colors in a group, plan to keep several together in a tank long enough to give them room to swim.

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Colombian Tetra key facts

Care level: Beginner-friendly
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Size: About 6.5-7cm
Temperature: 20〜28℃
Diet: Dried foods, frozen bloodworm, Daphnia
Tank: Seriously Fish suggests a base of at least 90 by 30cm, about 81 litres. It is a strong swimmer, so choose a long tank, leave open water through the middle and frame it with wood and plants.
Water Temperature & Quality: Seriously Fish gives 20-28C, pH 5.0-7.5 and 1-10 dGH. FishBase records no pH or temperature figures for this species. It is adaptable, but keeping hardness on the low side is safer.
Tank Mates: Peaceful and suited to similarly sized characins, catfishes and non-predatory medium cichlids. It is bigger and livelier than the small tetras, so avoid very small or slow-moving tank mates.
Diet & Feeding: An omnivore that takes dried food readily. Frozen bloodworm, Daphnia and brine shrimp improve the colour. Its mouth is reasonably large, so granules are no problem.
Breeding & Spawning: An egg-scattering free spawner with no parental care. Use a dimly lit separate tank with fine-leaved plants or a mesh base and remove the adults straight after spawning. In good condition a few fry may appear in the main tank.
Health & Notes: FishBase lists it as IUCN Data Deficient, not on the CITES appendices and harmless to people. It was only described in 2002 and is known from the Acandi basin alone, so there is little basis for assessing wild stocks. Before it was described it was misidentified as Hyphessobrycon ecuadorensis, and it circulates under several trade names including blue flame tetra and Colombian red fin, so the same fish can appear under different labels.

TraitsCharacinShoalingHardyColombia

About Colombian Tetra

The Colombian Tetra is a hardy, beginner-friendly characin with a blue-silver body and vivid red tail and anal fins, best kept in a group.

7 things to know before welcoming a Colombian Tetra

1Give It Room to Swim
Colombian Tetras grow larger and swim more vigorously than many smaller tetra relatives, so a cramped tank can feel restrictive. Choose a long, horizontally spacious tank that lets them cover real distance.
2Keeps Best in a Group
Kept alone or in very small numbers, this fish can become skittish and restless. A properly sized group helps it settle down and show its natural swimming behavior and coloring.
3Peaceful and Community-Friendly
Its calm temperament makes it easy to keep alongside other peaceful fish. When pairing it with much smaller tankmates, though, it's worth watching how they interact before committing to the combination.
4Blue-Silver Meets Red
The appeal lies in the contrast between its bluish-silver back and the red that colors its tail and anal fins. Lighting and aquascape choices can change how vivid that color appears, so it's worth some thought in your layout.
5A Mid-Sized Fish — Plan Ahead
Adults reach roughly 6.5 to 7 cm, which can feel cramped in a tank sized for smaller tetra species. Before bringing one home, plan your tank and layout around its adult size.
6Hardy and Beginner-Friendly
It's generally considered an easy species for beginners and forgiving of small mistakes. That said, it's still sensitive to sudden water quality changes, so keep up with regular observation and water changes.
7Set Up the Tank Before You Bring Them Home
Since this species naturally shoals, have a tank sized for multiple fish ready in advance. Letting the tank fully cycle before introducing them reduces stress from environmental changes.

Frequently asked questions about Colombian Tetra

Q.How many should be kept together as a group?: A.Keeping too few can make them skittish, so it's best to keep a reasonably sized group together. Choose a number that fits comfortably within your tank size.
Q.Can it be kept with other fish?: A.Thanks to its calm temperament, it generally does well alongside other equally peaceful fish. If pairing it with much smaller fish, watch how they get along before committing.
Q.Is this a good fish for tropical fish beginners?: A.It's generally considered beginner-friendly and hardy. With consistent basic care like regular water changes, newcomers can keep it successfully.
Q.How big does it grow?: A.Adults reach roughly 6.5 to 7 cm. It's noticeably more robust than smaller tetra relatives, so plan your tank size around its adult size.
Q.Are there any legal restrictions on keeping or importing it?: A.The Colombian Tetra is not subject to CITES. If you have concerns, it's a good idea to check directly with the breeder listing the fish.