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Glowlight
Tetra
(Hemigrammus erythrozonus)
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Glowlight tetras or Hemigrammus
erythrozonus are native to the
Essiquibo basin in South America. Glowlights like all tetra are a
member of family Characidae. They received the name glowlight tetra
because of the highly reflective red stripe that runs from their
mid-body to their tails. This stripe appears to glow under aquarium
lighting.
Tetras are
shoaling fish.
Shoaling fish
are extremely social fish
that instinctively travel in a group.
They tend not to fare well
in an
aquarium devoid of other members of their species.
Depending on how
strong the instinct runs in an individual species, some shoaling fish
can not survive at all in an isolated environment. It is always
advisable to have at least four of any given shoaling fish in a
community fish tank.
The glowlight
tetra is a
small freshwater fish variety, reaching an
adult length of only about an inch and a half. They have a mild
disposition and make wonderful additions to community tanks provide
they are in the presence of similarly natured fish whose size is not
big enough to view them as a source of nutrition.
Glowlights,
like all
tetras, are hiders. They take readily to
heavily planted aquariums. Giving them plenty of places to hide will
increase these rather small fishes’ chances of long-term
survival in a
community setting. Glowlights are mid-tanks swimmers. So you want
vegetation large enough to be present in the middle of your aquarium.
Most
freshwater species
native to South America thrive in slightly
acidic water. Glowlights are no exception. Glowlights are accustomed to
a pH level of around 6.8 with a water temperature between 75-83
°F.
Tetras are
omnivores by
nature. They can survive perfectly well on
a diet of garden variety tropical fish food flakes. They will also eat
frozen and freeze dried products and live food such as brine shrimp.
Male and
female glowlights
have an identical color palette. You can
generally distinguish between sexes by the shape of their bodies.
Female have a fuller, more rounded body than males. This trait is more
pronounced when they are carrying eggs.
Glowlight Tetra Breeding
Glowlight
tetras
are more
apt to breed in an environment that
closely mimics their native waters. Filtering the aquarium water
through peat or adding a thin layer to the substrate will help make
them feel at home and help to induce breeding. Make sure the
peat doesn’t contain
chemical
additives or fertilizers. A breeding tank should always be used.
Provide the tank with plenty of fine leafed foliage. Hornwort will work
well for
this purpose.
The glowlight
tetra is an
egg layer. Egg layers are notorious for
eating their un-hatched eggs. Tetras will scatter their eggs among the
plants instinctively. Promptly remove the adults from the breeding tank
after spawning. The fry will be much more likely to survive
without the adults present.
Fry will hatch
in about 24
hours. Newly hatched fry can be feed a
liquid fry food formulated for egg laying fish. In a few days their
diet can be switched over to newly hatched brine shrimp. Powdered eggs
are an acceptable substitute. In a week or so they can be fed finely
crushed tropical fish flakes.
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Tropical
Freshwater
Aquarium
Fish Care
&
Breeding Guide
from
Exotic-Aquariums.com
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