Buenos Aires Tetra

The Buenos Aires Tetra is one of the hardiest of the commonly available tropical fish but it may not make a good choice for a community tank or a live plant tank. They will view your live plants as a food source and will nibble at them. Since it's best to keep them in small schools they can quickly destroy your live plant collection, so plastic plants are the way to go with this fish.

The Buenos Aires is a larger tetra, growing sometimes up to 3 inches (8 cm) and if kept in good water conditions can live 3 to 5 years or more. If you are planning on keeping them in a community tank caution is advised. They can be fin nippers and may bully smaller tetras and slower tank mates. Keep them in schools of 6 or more which should help direct their aggression towards the other tetras instead of their more peaceful tank members.

There is an albino type of this Tetra that will sometimes be available, but it is not as common as the regular version.

This fish is a great eater and you should offer them smaller fish foods including flakes, frozen, freeze dried and live foods. You may see more territorial aggression from them around feeding time.

Picture

Hyphessobrycon anisitsi Buenos Aires Tetra

Freshwater Fish Species Profile and Care Information

Scientific Name : Hyphessobrycon anisitsi

Common Names : Diamond Spot Tetra

Care Level : Easy

Size : 3 inches (8 cm)

pH : 5.5 - 7.0

Temperature : 72°F - 80°F (22°C - 27°C)

Lifespan : 3 - 5 years or longer

Origin / Habitat : South America, Paraguay, Uruguay

Temperament / Behavior : Can be fin nippers and best kept in a small school (shoal) of 6 or more.

Breeding / Mating / Reproduction : They have been bred in captivity and are egg layers. They will scatter eggs in plants and they should hatch in 24 hours. Adult fish may eat the eggs.

Tank Size : 20 gallon minimum (schooling fish)

Compatible Tank Mates : They can be a pest (bullying smaller fish) when kept singly and you may see better behavior if kept in a small school of 6 or more.

Fish Disease : Freshwater Fish Disease

Diet / Fish Food : An omnivore - provide a varied diet with live food, frozen food and they should accept flake food. They will eat live plants too.

Tank Region : Middle to bottom

Gender : Can be difficult to determine, female may be more full bodied

Gallery Photos : Buenos Aires Tetra Photos - Upload your photos to the gallery!

Similar Species : Characins, Tetras

Fish Lore Forum : Buenos Aires Tetra Forum

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Tips

From: Mitch
I have 7 of these in a 55 gallon tank and they are definitely a lively bunch. They share the tank with a small group of silver dollars. They seemed to have developed a pecking order and their is a dominant one that the rest of the bunch follows. They are very aggressive eaters and will quickly grab any food off the top of the tank and dart back down towards the middle part of the tank. This is a cool fish.

From: Jennifer
This is a pretty cool fish and can live quite long. Mine is over 11 years old and has moved about seven times so it is extremely hardy!

From: Kenny
I have 6 Buenos Aires in a 60 gallon community tank with 12 Bloodfin Tetras, 2 Platies, 2 Glass Cats, 3 Zebra Danios and a 6 inch long Weather Loach. It is not recommended to keep the Buenos with some of these other passive fish but I have found that all aggression is limited to members of their own species and there is no problem at all. In fact I find that the Bloodfins and the Danios love hanging out with the Buenos and the Buenos still only tussle with each other. I have a very active tank and can watch for hours.

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