Tetra Serpae Red | freshwater fish

Hyphessobrycon eques

INFORMATION:

Classification:

Order: characiformes

Family: characidae

Origin:

H. eques has a huge distribution in much of the Amazon drainage in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia, as well as the Paraguay River in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, the upper part of which is connected to the Amazon via the Guaporé River.

The type locality is 'Villa Bella, Obidos', in reference to the town of the same name on the Amazon River in the state of Pará, Brazil, located between Santarém and Oriximiná.

Wild populations vary in color pattern depending on origin, especially in the fins plus the size and shape of the humeral spot, and some populations have previously been described as species in their own right.

Its form is:

Sexually mature females have noticeably rounder bodies and are slightly larger than males.

Its size is:

30 – 40mm.

Parameters required:

PH: between 5.0 and 7.5

Temperature can range between 20ºC and 28ºC

Aquarium size:

An aquarium with base dimensions of 80 * 30 cm or equivalent should be the absolute minimum considered.

Feeding:

It is likely omnivorous, feeding on small invertebrates, crustaceans, filamentous algae, fallen fruits and the like in the wild.

A good diet for Tetra Eques can consist of:

- Canned food type: Mysis , Brine shrimps

- Dry feeding type: Vipan Baby

Behavior:

H. eques is known as an aggressive community dweller with a reputation for biting the fins of tankmates, although this behavior tends to be more pronounced when insufficient quantities are purchased or space is limited.

It is a gregarious species that forms loose hierarchies, with rival males continually fighting each other for the attention and positioning of females within the group.

A group of at least 12 specimens should be considered the minimum requirement, as this increases the likelihood of the fish being distracted by each other rather than their tank mates, but will result in a more effective and natural looking display. A group of 12-15 is recommended in the minimum sized tank listed above with no other topwater species. Adding other compatible species requires larger tanks.

Males will also show better coloration in the presence of conspecific rivals.

That said, it is relatively boisterous and is not an ideal companion for very shy, slow or long-finned fish, such as many livebearers, cichlids and anabantoids.

Robust fish that inhabit similar biotopes in nature, especially open-water characids of comparable size, may be the best options, but other potential options include smaller gastropelecids, lebiasinids, callictids or loricariids, and some small-sized cichlids. to medium.

If geography is not an issue, many rainbow and cyprinid fish are also suitable, but be sure to thoroughly research your options before purchasing.