Breeding Habits: Egg layers. Use 15 gallon tank, 6 to 8 inches of water. Stock tank heavily with Cabomba, Myriophyllum, or other fine floating plants, also a thicket on bottom. Semi-adhesive eggs are deposited on plants, some sinking to bottom. Best results are obtained with 2 males and 1 female. Remove parents after spawning is completed. Fry appear in about 3 days. Tiny fry hang on plants and sides of aquarium about 3 days. Tetras may not spawn immediately—have patience.
Temperature: 70° to 90° F.
Maturity: From Rio—8 months. Buenos Aires—10 months.
Temperament: From Rio—Very peaceful, Buenos Aires—Fairly peaceful.
PRISTELLA RIDDLEI: (above)
(Venezuela and Guiana)
average size
Color: Silvery body, caudal reddish, anal and dorsal light yellow with dark spot. Difficult to distinguish sex.
Breeding Habits: Egg Layers. Spawn on fine plants, Myriophyllum or Cabomba—very small adhesive eggs, expelled 6 or 8 at a time, often fall to bottom. Sometimes as many as 200 eggs at a spawning. Remove parents after spawning.
Temperature: 72° to 80° F.; best above 75° F.