Tetra is the common name of many small

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 ...

characiform fishes. Tetras come from

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

, and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

, belonging to the

biological family Family ( la, familia, plural ') is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between order and genus. A family may be divided into subfamilies, which are intermediate ranks between the ranks of f ...

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 ...

and to its former subfamilies

Alestidae African tetras (family Alestidae, formerly spelled Alestiidae) are a group of characiform fish exclusively found in Africa. This family contains about 18 genera and 119 species. Among the best known members are the Congo tetra, and African tiger ...

(the "African tetras") and

Lebiasinidae The pencil fishes are a family (Lebiasinidae) of freshwater fishes found in Costa Rica, Panama, and South America. They are usually small and are known as ornamental fishes in aquaria, including popular fishes such as the various pencil fish a ...

. The Characidae are distinguished from other fish by the presence of a small

adipose fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as s ...

between the

dorsal Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to: * Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism * Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage * Dorsal co ...

and

caudal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

s. Many of these, such as the

neon tetra The neon tetra (''Paracheirodon innesi'') is a Freshwater fish of the characin family (family Characidae) of order Characiformes. The type species of its genus, it is native to blackwater and clearwater streams in the Amazon basin of South Am ...

(''Paracheirodon innesi''), are brightly colored and easy to keep in captivity. Consequently, they are extremely popular for home aquaria. ''Tetra'' is no longer a

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

term. It is short for '' Tetragonopterus'', a genus name formerly applied to many of these fish, which is

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

for "square-finned" (literally, four-sided-wing). Because of the popularity of tetras in the

fishkeeping Fishkeeping is a popular hobby, practiced by aquarists, concerned with keeping fish in a home aquarium or garden pond. There is also a piscicultural fishkeeping industry, serving as a branch of agriculture. Origins of fishkeeping Fish have ...

hobby A hobby is considered to be a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time. Hobbies include collecting themed items and objects, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits, playing Sport, sports, or pursu ...

, many unrelated fish are commonly known as tetras, including species from different families. Even vastly different fish may be called tetras. For example,

payara The payara, ''Hydrolycus scomberoides'', is a species of dogtooth tetra. This predatory fish is found in the Amazon Basin in tropical South America.SeriouslyFish: Hydrolycus scomberoides.' Retrieved 31 October 2015. It was the first of four sp ...

(''Hydrolycus scomberoides'') is occasionally known as the " sabretooth tetra" or "vampire tetra". Tetras generally have compressed (sometimes deep),

fusiform Fusiform means having a spindle-like shape that is wide in the middle and tapers at both ends. It is similar to the lemon-shape, but often implies a focal broadening of a structure that continues from one or both ends, such as an aneurysm on a b ...

bodies and are typically identifiable by their fins. They ordinarily possess a homocercal

(a twin-lobed, or forked, tail fin whose upper and lower lobes are of equal size) and a tall dorsal fin characterized by a short connection to the fish's body.Carey, R. ''Tetras and Barbs: A Complete Guide to the Successful Care and Breeding of Two of the Most Popular Groups of Aquarium Fish''. TFH Publications, Inc., 2009 Additionally, tetras possess a long anal fin stretching from a position just posterior of the dorsal fin and ending on the ventral caudal peduncle, and a small, fleshy adipose fin located dorsally between the dorsal and caudal fins. This adipose fin represents the fourth unpaired fin on the fish (the four unpaired fins are the caudal fin, dorsal fin, anal fin, and adipose fin), lending to the name tetra, which is Greek for four. While this adipose fin is generally considered the distinguishing feature, some tetras (such as the emperor tetras, ''

Nematobrycon palmeri ''Nematobrycon palmeri'', commonly known as the emperor tetra, is a species of characid fish found in the Atrato and San Juan river basins in western Colombia. It was first imported in the aquarium trade to the United States in 1960 and has s ...

'') lack this appendage. Ichthyologists debate the function of the adipose fin, doubting its role in swimming due to its small size and lack of stiffening rays or spines.Moyle, P., & Cech, J. ''Fishes: An Introduction to Ichthyology'' (5th ed.). Pearson, Benjamin Cummings, 2004 Although the list below is sorted by common name, in a number of cases, the common name is applied to different species. Since the aquarium trade may use a different name for the same species, advanced

aquarist An aquarist is a person who manages aquariums, either professionally or as a hobby. They typically care for aquatic animals, including fish and marine invertebrates. Some may care for aquatic mammals. Aquarists often work at public aquariums. They ...

s tend to use scientific names for the less-common tetras. The list below is incomplete.

Species

Tetra species: A–D *

Adonis tetra The Adonis tetra (''Lepidarchus adonis'') also known as the jellybean tetra, is a very small African fish of the family Alestidae. It is the monotypic, only member of its genus. Range ''Lepidarchus adonis'' is native to freshwater habitats nea ...

, ''Lepidarchus adonis'' * African long-finned tetra, ''Brycinus longipinnis'' * African moon tetra, ''Bathyaethiops caudomaculatus'' * Arnold's tetra, ''Arnoldichthys spilopterus'' * banded tetra, ''Astyanax fasciatus'' * bandtail tetra, ''Moenkhausia dichroura'' * barred glass tetra, ''Phenagoniates macrolepis'' * beacon tetra, ''Hemigrammus ocellifer'' * Belgian flag tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus'' * black darter tetra, ''Poecilocharax weitzmani'' * black morpho tetra, ''Poecilocharax weitzmani'' *

black neon tetra The black neon tetra (''Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi'') is a freshwater fish of the characin family ( Characidae) of the order Characiformes. It is native to the Paraguay basin of southern Brazil. They are often found in the aquarium trade. ...

, ''Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi'' *

black phantom tetra The black phantom tetra (''Hyphessobrycon megalopterus''), or simply phantom tetra, is a small freshwater fish of the characin family (Characidae) of order Characiformes. It is native to the upper Paraguay basin and upper Madeira basin (includin ...

, ''Hyphessobrycon megalopterus'' *

black tetra The black tetra (''Gymnocorymbus ternetzi''), also known as the black skirt tetra, petticoat tetra, high-fin black skirt tetra, black widow tetra and blackamoor, is a freshwater fish of the characin family (Characidae). It is native to the Parag ...

or butterfly tetra, ''Gymnocorymbus ternetzi'' *

, ''Gymnocorymbus thayer'' * black wedge tetra, ''Hemigrammus pulcher'' * blackband tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon scholzei'' * blackedge tetra, ''Tyttocharax madeirae'' * black-flag tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon rosaceus'' * black-jacket tetra, ''Moenkhausia takasei'' * blackline tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon scholzei'' * bleeding heart tetra, '' Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma'' * bleeding heart tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon socolofi'' * blind tetra, ''Stygichthys typhlops'' * bloodfin tetra, ''Aphyocharax anisitsi'' * blue tetra, ''Boehlkea fredcochui'' * blue tetra, ''Mimagoniates microlepis'' * blue tetra, ''Tyttocharax madeirae'' * brilliant rummynose tetra, ''Hemigrammus bleheri'' *

bucktooth tetra The bucktooth tetra (''Exodon paradoxus'') is the only member of the genus ''Exodon'' and is a freshwater fish of the characin family (family Characidae) of order Characiformes. It is native to the Amazon Basin and Guyana. Though first desc ...

, ''Exodon paradoxus'' *

Buenos Aires tetra The Buenos Aires tetra (''Hyphessobrycon anisitsi'') is a tropical fish from South America. It was first observed in the wild in 1907, by Carl H. Eigenmann. History An aquarium subject for over 60 years, the Buenos Aires tetra is a well love ...

, ''Hyphessobrycon anisitsi'' * Callistus tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon eques'' * calypso tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon axelrodi'' *

cardinal tetra The cardinal tetra (''Paracheirodon axelrodi'') is a freshwater fish of the family Characidae of order Characiformes. It is native to the upper Orinoco and Negro Rivers in South America. Growing to about total length, the cardinal tetra has ...

, ''Paracheirodon axelrodi'' * Carlana tetra, ''Carlana eigenmanni'' * Cochu's blue tetra, ''Knodus borki * central tetra, ''Astyanax aeneus'' * coffee-bean tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon takasei'' * Colcibolca tetra, ''Astyanax nasutus'' *

Congo tetra The Congo tetra (''Phenacogrammus interruptus'') is a species of fish in the African tetra family, found in the central Congo River Basin in Africa. It is commonly kept in aquaria. Description The Congo tetra has a typical full-bodied tetra s ...

, ''Phenacogrammus interruptus'' * copper tetra, ''Hasemania melanura'' * Costello tetra, ''Hemigrammus hyanuary'' * creek tetra, ''Bryconamericus scleroparius'' * creek tetra, ''Bryconamericus terrabensis'' * croaking tetra, ''

Mimagoniates inequalis ''Mimagoniates inequalis'', known as the croaking tetra (a common name also applied to '' M. lateralis'' and '' M. microlepis''croaking tetra, ''

Mimagoniates lateralis ''Mimagoniates lateralis'' is a species of tetra in the genus ''Mimagoniates''. Its common names In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or ...

'' * dawn tetra, ''Aphyocharax paraguayensis'' * dawn tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon eos'' *

diamond tetra The diamond tetra (''Moenkhausia pittieri'') is a small freshwater fish of the characin family (family Characidae) of order Characiformes. It is found in and around Lake Valencia in Venezuela, South America. Description This species exhibits cl ...

, ''Moenkhausia pittieri'' * discus tetra, ''Brachychalcinus orbicularis'' * disk tetra, ''Myleus schomburgkii'' * dragonfin tetra, ''Pseudocorynopoma doriae'' E–Q * ember tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon amandae'' *

emperor tetra ''Nematobrycon palmeri'', commonly known as the emperor tetra, is a species of characid fish found in the Atrato and San Juan river basins in western Colombia. It was first imported in the aquarium trade to the United States in 1960 and has s ...

, ''Nematobrycon palmeri'' * false black tetra, ''Gymnocorymbus thayeri'' *

green neon tetra The green neon tetra (''Paracheirodon simulans'') is a freshwater fish of the family Characidae of order Characiformes. It is native to the upper Orinoco and Negro Rivers in South America. This fish is similar in appearance to the closely relate ...

, ''Paracheirodon simulans'' * false red nose tetra, ''Petitella georgiae'' * false rummynose tetra, ''Petitella georgiae'' * featherfin tetra, ''Hemigrammus unilineatus'' * firehead tetra, ''Hemigrammus bleheri'' * flag tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus'' * flame tail tetra, ''Aphyocharax erythrurus'' * flame tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon flammeus'' * garnet tetra, ''Hemigrammus pulcher'' * glass tetra, ''Moenkhausia oligolepis'' *

glass bloodfin tetra The glass bloodfin tetra, ''Prionobrama filigera'', is a species of Characid fish native to the Amazon River basin of South America. Nutrition In the wild this fish eats mainly aquatic insect larvae and crustaceans. In an aquarium they will r ...

, ''Prionobrama filigera'' * glossy tetra, ''Moenkhausia oligolepis'' *

glowlight tetra ''Hemigrammus erythrozonus'', commonly known as the glowlight tetra, is a small tropical fish from the Essequibo River, Guyana, South America. It is silver in colour and a bright iridescent orange to red stripe extends from the snout to the bas ...

, ''

Hemigrammus erythrozonus ''Hemigrammus erythrozonus'', commonly known as the glowlight tetra, is a small tropical fish from the Essequibo River, Guyana, South America. It is silver in colour and a bright iridescent orange to red stripe extends from the snout to the bas ...

'' * gold tetra (aka golden tetra, or brass tetra), ''Hemigrammus rodwayi'' * goldencrown tetra, ''Aphyocharax alburnus'' * goldspotted tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon griemi'' * gold-tailed tetra, ''Carlastyanax aurocaudatus'' * green dwarf tetra, ''Odontocharacidium aphanes'' *

, ''Paracheirodon simulans'' * green tetra, ''Paracheirodon simulans'' * Griem's tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon griemi'' * Head & Taillight tetra, ''Hemigrammus ocellifer'' * Hy511 tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon sp.'' * January tetra, ''Hemigrammus hyanuary'' * Jellybean tetra, ''Lepidarchus adonis'' * jewel tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon eques'' * jumping tetra, ''Hemibrycon tridens'' * largespot tetra, ''Astyanax orthodus'' *

lemon tetra The lemon tetra (''Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis'') is a species of tropical freshwater fish which originates from South America, belonging to the family Characidae. It is a small tetra growing to 5 cm in length. The species is a long establi ...

, ''Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis'' * longfin tetra, ''Brycinus longipinnis'' * long-finned glass tetra, ''Xenagoniates bondi'' * longjaw tetra, ''Bramocharax bransfordii'' * Loreto tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon loretoensis'' * Mayan tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon compressus'' *

Mexican tetra The Mexican tetra (''Astyanax mexicanus''), also known as the blind cave fish, blind cave characin, and blind cave tetra, is a freshwater fish of the family (biology), family Characidae of the order (biology), order Characiformes. The type speci ...

, ''Astyanax mexicanus'' * mimic scale-eating tetra, ''Probolodus heterostomus'' * mourning tetra, ''Brycon pesu'' * naked tetra, ''Gymnocharacinus bergii'' *

, ''Paracheirodon innesi'' * Niger tetra, ''Arnoldichthys spilopterus'' * nurse tetra, ''Brycinus nurse'' * oneline tetra, ''Nannaethiops unitaeniatus'' * one-line tetra, ''Hemigrammus unilineatus'' * orangefin tetra, ''Bryconops affinis'' * ornate tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon bentosi'' * Panama tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon panamensis'' * penguin tetra, ''Thayeria boehlkei'' * Peruvian tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon peruvianus'' * petticoat tetra, ''Gymnocorymbus ternetzi'' * phantom tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon megalopterus'' * Pittier's tetra, ''Moenkhausia pittieri'' * pretty tetra, ''Hemigrammus pulcher'' * Pristella tetra, ''Pristella maxillaris'' * Pygmy tetra, ''Odontostilbe dialeptura'' R–Z * rainbow tetra, ''Nematobrycon lacortei'' * rainbow tetra, ''Nematobrycon palmeri'' * red eye tetra, ''Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae'' * Red Phantom Tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon sweglesi'' * red tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon flammeus'' * redspotted tetra, ''Copeina guttata'' *

rosy tetra The rosy tetra (''Hyphessobrycon rosaceus'') is a small species of Characin from the South American countries of Guyana and Brazil.It is popular in the aquarium trade. Description The rosy tetra has a light pink-white body with red fins, except t ...

, ''Hyphessobrycon bentosi'' *

, ''Hyphessobrycon rosaceus'' * royal tetra, ''Inpaichthys kerri'' * ruby tetra, ''Axelrodia riesei'' *

rummy-nose tetra The rummy-nose tetra (''Hemigrammus rhodostomus'') is a species of tropical freshwater characin fish originating in South America, popular among fishkeepers as an aquarium fish. One of many small tetras belonging to the same genus, it is on aver ...

, ''Hemigrammus rhodostomus (bleheri)'' * sailfin tetra, ''Crenuchus spilurus'' * savage tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon savagei'' * savanna tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon stegemanni'' * semaphore tetra, ''Pterobrycon myrnae'' *

serpae tetra The Serpae tetra (''Hyphessobrycon eques''), also known as the Red Minor tetra, Jewel tetra or Callistus tetra, is a species of tetra, a tropical freshwater fish of the characin family (family Characidae) of order Characiformes. It is native to ...

, ''Hyphessobrycon eques'' * sharptooth tetra, ''Micralestes acutidens'' * silver tetra, ''Ctenobrycon spilurus'' * silver tetra, ''Gymnocorymbus thayeri'' * silver tetra, ''Micralestes acutidens'' *

silvertip tetra The silvertip tetra (''Hasemania nana'') is a species of characid freshwater fish omnivores native to streams and creeks in the São Francisco basin in Brazil, but frequently kept in aquariums. Silvertip tetras are slightly more aggressive than ...

, ''Hasemania melanura'' *

, ''Hasemania nana'' *

splash tetra ''Copella arnoldi'', commonly known as the splash tetra or the splashing tetra, is a species of tropical freshwater fish belonging to the family Lebiasinidae. It is native to South America. The fish is named in honor of German aquarist Johann P ...

, ''Copella arnoldi'' * spotfin tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon socolofi'' * spottail tetra, ''Moenkhausia dichroura'' * spotted tetra, ''Copella nattereri'' * Swegles's tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon sweglesi'' *

tailspot tetra The tailspot tetra (''Bryconops caudomaculatus'') is a freshwater fish that lives in the coastal river regions of upper South America. Both its common and scientific names reference the distinct spot of color present on the tail fin, which is one ...

, ''Bryconops caudomaculatus'' * tetra von Rio, ''Hyphessobrycon flammeus'' * three-lined African tetra, ''Neolebias trilineatus'' * Tietê tetra, ''Brycon insignis'' * Tortuguero tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon tortuguerae'' * transparent tetra, '' Charax gibbosus'' * true big-scale tetra, ''Brycinus macrolepidotus'' * Uruguay tetra, ''Cheirodon interruptus'' * white spot tetra, ''Aphyocharax paraguayensis'' * x-ray tetra, ''Pristella maxillaris'' * yellow tetra, ''Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus'' * yellow-tailed African tetra, ''Alestopetersius caudalis''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10693610 Fish common names Paraphyletic groups