fish · Acestrorhamphidae
Lemon tetra
Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis
Wild range: Tapajós basin and other lower-Amazon tributaries, Brazil (also Xingu, Trombetas, Curuá-Una) (South America)
At a glance: Lemon tetra care
Compiled reference information. Review the care notes and original sources below.
What temperature is listed for Lemon tetra?
The compiled profile lists 22.0–28.0 °C for Lemon tetra (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis). Check the original sources below for context and differing recommendations.
What tank size is listed for Lemon tetra?
The profile lists a minimum tank volume of 20.0 US gallons (75.7 liters). Volume alone does not establish suitability; consider dimensions, group size and other inhabitants alongside the full care notes.
What pH is listed for Lemon tetra?
The compiled profile lists a pH of 5.0–7.5. Review the cited care sources alongside the other water parameters in this profile.
Natural habitat
In the wild the lemon tetra lives in forested lower-Amazon tributaries in Brazil, mainly in the Tapajós basin. It favours small streams, oxbows and flooded forest with slow current, where dense plants, sunken wood and leaf litter give cover. The water there is usually soft and acidic.
Where they are found
Endemic to Brazil (Pará and Amazonas states). The species was described in 1937 from aquarium fish of unknown origin. Wild fish were later found in the middle and lower Tapajós, and it has also been reported from the Xingu, Trombetas and Curuá-Una basins. The orange 'Bolivia' lemon form in the trade may be a separate, undescribed species. Hemigrammus erythrophthalmus Ladiges, 1931 is an older name now treated as a forgotten synonym.
Aquarium care
Keep a group of at least six, ideally eight to ten, in a planted tank of about 20 gallons (75 L) or more with open swimming space. A dark substrate, driftwood, leaf litter and some floating plants bring out the yellow colour. Shop fish often look pale and colour up once settled. Captive-bred stock adapts to a wide range of water, but soft, slightly acidic water shows them at their best. Males spar and display at each other but rarely do any damage.
Feeding
This species is not picky and enjoys a varied diet that includes high-quality flake food, pellets, as well as live or frozen foods like bloodworms and daphnia. Maintaining diversity in their diet is vital for their vibrant coloration.
Compatibility
Lemon Tetras are peaceful fish and can be kept with other small, gentle species. They may compete with larger, more assertive fish for food but generally coexist well with other tetras and peaceful invertebrates.
Breeding
An egg-scattering free spawner with no parental care. Spawning usually happens at first light over fine-leaved plants or moss, and the adults will eat the eggs. A separate, dimly lit breeding tank with mesh, marbles or dense moss on the bottom works best, and the adults should be removed after spawning. The fry are tiny and need infusoria-sized foods first, then baby brine shrimp once they are big enough.
Sources
Compiled from multiple independent care sheets — not copied from a single site.