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The ember tetra (''Hyphessobrycon amandae'') is a 
This species is of typical tetra shape but grows to a maximum overall length of approximately to ; Most exhibit striking orange and reddish coloration with mild translucency near the pelvic fin. The eye frequently mirrors the color of the fish and is outlined in black.
The fish's natural diet consist of small invertebrates and plants.
Although somewhat hard to find in fish stores, ''H. amandae'' is commonly kept as an
freshwater
Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...
fish of the characin
Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.; Buckup P.A.: "Relationshi ...
family (family Characidae
Characidae, the characids or characins is a family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish, belonging to the order Characiformes. The name "characins" is the historical one, but scientists today tend to prefer "characids" to reflect their st ...
) of
order
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...
Characiformes. It is native to the Araguaia River
The Araguaia River ( pt, Rio Araguaia , Karajá: ♂ ''Berohokỹ'' eɾohoˈkə̃ ♀ ''Bèrakuhukỹ'' ɛɾakuhuˈkə̃ is one of the major rivers of Brazil though it is almost equal in volume at its confluence with the Tocantins. It has a total ...
basin of Brazil and was discovered in 1987 and named in honor of the fish explorer Heiko Bleher's mother (Amanda Bleher).
This species is of typical tetra shape but grows to a maximum overall length of approximately to ; Most exhibit striking orange and reddish coloration with mild translucency near the pelvic fin. The eye frequently mirrors the color of the fish and is outlined in black.
The fish's natural diet consist of small invertebrates and plants.
Although somewhat hard to find in fish stores, ''H. amandae'' is commonly kept as an aquarium
An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...
fish by hobbyists.
In the aquarium
The minimum tank size requirement for the Ember tetras is at least 10 gallons with few live aquarium plants. Ember tetras should be kept in acidic water with a pH near 6.6, and although their native habitat has very soft water they have adapted quite well to a wide range of hardness (5–17 dGH). The recommended temperature range is between . Ideally their tank should contain live plants, a darker substrate, and open water for swimming. Ember tetras should be kept in groups of at least 6, though recommended number is 9–10, in order to promoteschooling
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...
. They appreciate a heavily planted aquarium, ideally with a small area shaded from direct light and will spend a lot of time swimming through planted areas, which also offer some protection for their fry.
Ember tetras will school with other tetras, such as the neon tetra, but may become stressed by the presence of significantly larger fish.
These fish swim at the middle level of the aquarium, and they don't feed from the bottom of the tank. Therefore, it is recommended that they are kept with other bottom dwelling fish (such as pygmy corydoras) so that leftover food is then eaten up off the substrate and not left to waste.
Ember tetras can be fed a variety of foods
Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingest ...
, including flake, frozen, and freeze dried food. Small live foods like worms and brine shrimp are also recommended as they bring out the fish's colors.
In a well maintained heavily planted aquarium, Ember tetras have been known to live ten years or more.
See also
*List of freshwater aquarium fish species
A vast number of aquatic species have successfully adapted to live in the freshwater aquarium. This list gives some examples of the most common species found in home aquariums.
Catfish
Characins and other characiformes
...
References
* * Fish described in 1987 Taxa named by Jacques Géry Hyphessobrycon Tetras of Brazil {{Characidae-stub