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Buenos Aires Tetra

Buenos Aires Tetra

Family: CharacidaeHyphessobrycon anisitsiPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   One of the most easily kept fish, the Buenos Aires Tetra is great for the beginning aquarist!

   The Buenos Aires Tetras are very hardy, long lived, and prolific breeders. They are peaceful fish and will do very well in a community tank, but they do have a big appetite. They must be kept well fed because if they get hungry, they will nip the fins on any of their long-finned tankmates!

   For many years they were one of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby. The Buenos Aires Tetra however, will eat live plants. With so many people today growing plants in their aquariums, they have fallen a bit out of favor. If you are keeping an aquarium with artificial plants they make a wonderful addition to a community tank.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Geographic Distribution Hyphessobrycon anisitsi Data provided by FishBase.org Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Characiformes Family: Characidae

Habitat: Distribution / Background

   The Buenos Aires Tetra was described by Eigenmann and Ogle in 1907. They are found in South America in the La Plata region, Argentina, Paraguay and southeastern Brazil. They inhabit ponds and feed on worms, crustaceans, insects and plants.

• Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon anisitsi
• Social Grouping: Groups - Best kept in a school of 5 or more.
• IUCN Red List: NE - Not Evaluated or not listed

Description

   The Buenos Aires Tetra is a full-bodied large tetra species. It has a silvery color that picks up flashy neon highlights. The top and bottom of the tail fin is generally red, as are the pelvic and anal fins. The dorsal fin also has a hint of red. Their most distinguishing characteristic is on the caudal penduncle which has a bold black 'cross' shape.

• Maximum Size: 2.8 inches (6.99 cm)

Fish Keeping Difficulty

• Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
• Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Foods and Feeding

   Since they are omnivorous the Buenos Aires Tetra will generally eat all kinds of live. fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat.

• Diet Type: Omnivore - This fish loves to eat aquarium plants.
• Flake Food: Yes
• Tablet Pellet: Yes
• Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Some of Diet
• Vegetable Food: Some of Diet
• Meaty Food: Some of Diet
• Feeding Frequency: Several feedings per day

Aquarium Care

• Water Changes: Bi-weekly

Aquarium Setup

   This is a very undemanding species, as can be seen by the wide range of acceptable conditions.

• Minimum Tank Size: 25 gal (95 L) - This fish is very active and requires space and companions of its own kind so it can school.
• Substrate Type: Any
• Lighting Needs: Moderate - normal lighting
• Temperature: 64.0 - 82.0° F (17.8 - 27.8° C)
• Breeding Temperature: 75° F
• Range ph: 6.0-8.0
• Hardness Range: 2 - 30 dGH
• Brackish: No
• Water Movement: Strong
• Water Region: All

Social Behaviors

   The Buenos Aires Tetra are generally a good community fish. They are quite active and when provided with plenty of space they will school. As mentioned above they will eat most plants, with the probable exception of Java Fern, and so should be kept with stone or plastic decorations. And remember, keep them well fed so they don't snack on the fins of their tankmates!

• Venomous: No
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive - Although not usually aggressive, this fish is very active and will irritate more temperate fish. It is also a notorious fin nipper so select tankmates carefully.
• Compatible with:
  • Same species - conspecifics: Yes
  • Peaceful fish (): Monitor - Watch for fin nipping induced stress in other fish. Sometimes they can be outright aggressive so monitor them in community tanks.
  • Semi-Aggressive: (): Threat
  • Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Safe - not aggressive
  • Plants: Threat - One of the only drawbacks to this fish is that it will eat plants.

Sex: Sexual differences

   The male will have brighter red fins, sometimes tending towards yellow. The female is fuller bodied and has a more rounded stomach.

Breeding / Reproduction

   Suggested conditions: 75° F
   The Buenos Aires Tetra are egglayers. The female will lay eggs on plants or green floss.

See the description of how Characins breed in Breeding Freshwater Fish.

• Ease of Propagation: Easy

Availability

  The Buenos Aires Tetra is readily available, both in fish stores and on line, and is reasonably priced.

References

Animal-World References
Freshwater Fish and Plants Tropical Fish ~ Freshwater Fish ~ Aquatic Plants

Author: David Brough. CFS.

• Hyphessobrycon anisitsi : $1.99

Hyphessobrycon Anisitsi Buenos Aires Tetra Offered By: That Pet Place Price: $1.99

Lastest Comments on Buenos Aires Tetra View all 14 comments on Buenos Aires Tetra Add Your Comment

earl ganter - 2012-01-17 i have 2 of thees guys and they get along fine i keep them with 3 golden wonder killifish and have hade no problems. the killis stay mostly on top of the tank so the tetras leave them alone. they school together and its very entertaining to watch them follow eachother around the tank.when feeding them they strike hard and fast. i like em but they have agressive tendencies. would not keep them with smaller fish Reply

Cesar Wilkins - 2012-01-04 We have them here in Panama too, yes they are too agressive, even cannibal, we use them here as bait. Get at leas 100 of them for a few hours of good bass fishing. I used to keep some for Aquarium, they are inmortal thoug lol!!! Reply

Tay P. - 2010-07-11 I had just bought four Buenos Aires tetras and two of them are chasing the other two and my gouramis who were originally the leaders in my tank are scared of them but are'nt these fish community fish? Click For Replies (5) \" Ron L \" - 2010-10-09 That's what they said these fish is a community fish when I bought 2 at petsmart. As soon as I brought them home put them in my 36 gallon tank. They started to terrorize my neon tetra, rummy nose, and bala shark. This fish is not community fish. I brought them back for a refund. tj black - 2011-01-25 Having same problem, took a piece of my biggest gouramis tail, I have smaller black strip neon and they don't bother them, they go for the big lid on the block, gouramis which once ruled the tank, now run scared. pleco - 2011-07-18 Keeping them as group (at least 6) really helps with the said agression. I keep ten with silver hatchets and cory cats and no issues as of yet. Don't think neons are something I would house them with, though, and guaramies would also be trouble simply because of the long pelvic "feelers". Definately boisterous for a tetra. steven vallee - 2012-01-01 Try putting some rainbow fish in, they are peaceful but tough. Quick swimmers, they take a licken, but keep on ticken. They will take the pressure off your gourami's. Alex Burleson - 2012-01-01 It is not uncommon to find fish which are listed as 'community fish' that become seemingly aggressive to tank mates. One method to combat this problem is to add a few more [3-5] Buenos Aires Tetras. Buenos Aires Tetras are a schooling fish, which means they need to be kept in schools of 5+. Often, when the school is not large enough a few in the school, (or the entire school) will behave in an aggressive manner. However, in the majority of incidents, it is only because they feel threatened. Given you have correct aquarium parameters, and space requirements, I would add 3-5 more Buenos Aires Tetras. If this does not combat the problem, try seeking an alternative solution such as returning all of the Buenos Aires Tetras to your place of purchase, and opt for a different fish. Best wishes! Reply

Kai Voigt - 2011-06-30 The piranha of the tetra world. Had 24 neons and next day there were only 6 left. That was one expensive buenos aires meal. Considering there are only two in the tank. They seem to be very aggressive and are now getting the royal flush. Click For Replies (1) Charlie Roche - 2011-07-01 Sure doesn't sound like something I would invite over for dinner. Reply

Josh - 2010-01-14 I just purchased 3 of these tetras and within a matter of minutes, they had killed 2 of my neon tetras... Click For Replies (2) beastfb7 - 2010-07-02 That's cuz these fish are semi aggressive and neon tetras are tropical community fish ben - 2011-01-23 Funny thing that you said the above, because overnight, 8 of my neon tetras, 2 of my bleeding tetras, and 6 of my glowlight tetras were dead the following day after I added them to my tank.... Reply

Jb - 2011-01-22 Why do most pet shops here in the Philippines call this fish as the red cross tetra? Reply

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