# Interesting Tetras?



## EpicCichlids (May 7, 2011)

Hey guys! I'm thinking of adding one or 2 more tetra species to my 55 gal. standard US south american tank. Current tankmates include 2 pairs of nice F1 GBR's, good school of true h. rosaceus, couple endler's (took a long time to get these!) and the classic neons  Just wanted you guys' past experiences with any cool/interesting/rare tetras you've had before.


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## irondan (Nov 22, 2007)

i am a big fan of tetras and have had some nice ones over the years. my favs include von rio, emperor, columbian, lemon and black skirts. i dont know if any of these are rare but they are all beautiful. i currently have a 55 set up with a pair of spilurus, skunk botias and 7 blackskirts. the tank is planted with a couple of big pieces of bogwood and sand substrate, the black skirts really pop against the blue background


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## GOSKN5 (Feb 23, 2011)

I have a school of 12 lemons in my 55.... they are very pretty, especially once they settle in and get a good diet etc.. mine are bright yellow/gold with red eyes and the bright yellow fins...


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## EpicCichlids (May 7, 2011)

thanks for the suggestions; will definetly check those out the next time I head over to the LFS. anymore are welcome!


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## TeteRouge (Feb 15, 2009)

I have both Black Skirt Tetras- very active, always interacting- and Rummynoses- great schoolers, its fun to watch them shoal and play in the filter outflow. There are a couple of variants (my current ones have a green spot on the top of their head)


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## starplayer (May 3, 2011)

This recommendation comes with a caveat. If the mix is wrong they can disrupt the harmony of a tank.

I have 16 silver tip tetras. They are a territorial tetra. In my 4x2x2 they interact with each other and occasionally chase the rummynose. Males are a lovely copper colour, females silver. They dont chase the Colombians I have. I keep them with N. Anomala and L. Curviceps. They are very entertaining.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Personally, I find one or two very large schools more impressive and interesting than several small schools. Instead of adding a different species of Tetra, maybe add more to your existing schools?


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## bbortko (Nov 20, 2011)

I concur with bigger schools and fewer species. I have lemons and neons in my planted tank and don't care for the way lemons look with a planted background since there isn't as much contrast as with the neons.


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## EpicCichlids (May 7, 2011)

hmm... I see what you guys are getting at; just gonna see if anyone's had any exp. with an extremely cool tetra; i could trade in one of my schools and pick up some more of the other kind. but thanks for all the suggestions so far!


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

I have diamond tetras, they are gorgeous, they shimmer in silver, gold and fushia and the males have purple fins specially when there are females in the tank and other males. They are gorgeous when they school because they all swim close together in a very compact group and they swim from side to side in the aquarium doing "laps".
I also have cardinals but since you already have neons those are similar, great schoolers and striking color.
Congo tetras are others that are great schooler and have beautiful colors, the red ghost tetras are bright red, both , males and females, they are great schoolers too.


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## EpicCichlids (May 7, 2011)

oh cool the diamonds do look pretty nice! welcome to more suggestions!


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## Bamboo (Jan 12, 2011)

I know this thread is alittle old. I'm curious about the diamonds. Are they tight schoolers ? I've had both black and red phantom tetras , groups of 30. They were boring , they did not school and remained in sparatic spots in the aquarium. I've noticed my Bleeding Hearts aren't a tight schooler either. I'm wondering if this type of tetra ( body shape ) isn't much for schooling ? The torpedo shape tetras seem to be tight schoolers ,ie Neons , Cardinals , Rummynose , Bloodfins , etc etc . My bloodfins are super tight even in a large school of 27.


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

Yes, diamond tetras are tight schoolers indeed, tighter than cardinal and black neos. And mine are also breeding in the tank. My first batch is already the size of an adult cardenal and all the little ones school together, sometimes with fish their size like the cardinals or the harlequin rasboras. I love these diamond tetras, when fully grown the shimmer in gold and fusbia and the male have purple fins, females don't have as much color but they shimmer in vgold. They are fast swimmers in a very tight compact group. You will love them, specially if they have enough space to swim. Mine are in a 240g tank, 8 foot long.


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## EpicCichlids (May 7, 2011)

In that case, I might trade in my h. rosaceus for the diamonds (I got the rosaceus mainly since they were a "larger tetra" that schooled together a lot; besides the great colors of course!) Thanks for everything guys!


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## bblovesae (Feb 3, 2012)

I just picked up some tetras I believe to be January tetras. they're really cool and try schooling with my catfish. I'd never seen them before so I had to get some. I highly recommend.


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

January tetras??? We need a picture, I have never seen one.


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## bblovesae (Feb 3, 2012)

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/fish ... 56-800.jpg

They are also called costello tetras. I don't have any good photos of mine but here's a good pic of them. they have a yellowish body with a green strip all the way through the body, the green strip will sometimes appear bronze depending on the lighting and where they are in the tank. I love em and am planning on picking up some more!


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## bblovesae (Feb 3, 2012)

oh and the markings on the tail fin are really nice looking.


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

Nice looking tetras....nice fish, how big they grow?


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## bblovesae (Feb 3, 2012)

about 1.5 inches. here's a link to a video of my tank, you can see the little fellas in action.


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