Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Characins

Characin Varieties

Family: CharacidaeLemon TetraHyphessobrycon pulchripinnisPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

     Hatchetfish are known to break the surface of the water and "fly" after their prey using their large pectoral fins as "wings"!

     Most Characins are schooling fish so they do better in a community aquarium with lots of buddies to hang out with. Apart from the predatory species such as the Piranhas, most Characins are peaceful even though many are carnivores. The herbivorous Characins are known as Limnivores or mud-eaters.

• Tetras
• Hatchetfish
• Pencilfish
• Other Characin Fish (Silver Dollar, Headstander, Leporinus)

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

Characins: Click on the small images below
for more information about each one.

Red Piranha
Pygocentrus nattereri

Hatchetfish
Common Hatchetfish	Marbled Hatchetfish
Gasteropelecus sternicla	Carnegiella strigata

Other Characin Fish
African Tiger Fish	Black Pacu
Hydrocynus vittatus	Colossoma macropomum
Black-Banded Leporinus	Headstander
Leporinus fasciatus	Anostomus ternetzi
Long-nosed Distichodus	Payara
Distichodus lusosso	Hydrolycus scomberoides
Red Tail Barracuda	Sabertooth Characin
Acestrorhynchus falcatus	Hydrolycus armatus
Silver Dollar Fish
Metynnis argenteus

Pencilfish
Red Arc Pencilfish
Nannostomus mortenthaleri

Tetras
Black Neon Tetra	Blackskirt Hifin Tetra
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi	Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
Blackskirt Tetra	Bleeding Heart Tetra
Gymnocorymbus ternetzi	Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma
Bloodfin Tetra	Buenos Aires Tetra
Aphyocharax anisitsi	Hyphessobrycon anisitsi
Cardinal Tetra	Colored Skirt Tetra
Paracheirodon axelrodi	Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
Congo Tetra	Diamond Tetra
Phenacogrammus interruptus	Moenkhausia pittieri
Flame Tetra	Glowlight Tetra
Hyphessobrycon flammeus	Hemigrammus erythrozonus
Golden Tetra	Lemon Tetra
Hemigrammus rodwayi	Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis
Neon Tetra	Ornate Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi	Hyphessobrycon bentosi
Phantom Tetra	Red-eyed Tetra
Hyphessobrycon megalopterus	Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae
Rosy tetra	Rummy-nose Tetra
Hyphessobrycon rosaceus	Hemigrammus bleheri
Serpae Tetra	White Tetra
Hyphessobrycon eques	Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
X-Ray Fish
Pristella maxillaris

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Description:      Characins are found in Central America, South America and Africa. They are considered by some to be the most ancient fishes in the order of Cypriniformes. The fact that they are in both the Americas and Africa is considered proof that the two global continents were once joined! This means that Characins originated before the land masses split in Mesozoic times, some 80 to 150 million years ago. Currently there are about 1000 species in the Americas and about 200 species in Africa along with many species that are not yet discovered.

     A visual clue to a Characin is the adipose fin which has an unknown purpose. There are several genera which have no adipose fin, and several catfish that also have an adipose fin. All the Characins have teeth and scales and none of them have barbels or whiskers.

Care and feeding:      In the aquarium Characins usually prefer clear, slightly acidic water with strong currents and highly oxygenated water provided by a strong filter and good surface movement. Most will eat a tropical flake food which contains both proteins and vegetable. You can supplement this with additional proteins such as blackworms, bloodworms, or even brine shrimp for those that are carnivorous.

Breeding:      See Breeding Freshwater Fish for a more information.

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