Copper tetra - Hasemania nana

The copper tetra Hasemania nana, synonym: Hasemania marginata, is a classic representative of the true tetras and has been regularly imported from South America for aquaristics since the end of 1930. Its natural range is in northeastern Brazil, where it inhabits soft water rivers such as the Sao Francisco and the headwaters of the Rio Purus, a tributary of the Amazon. Here it is found in both black and white water.

Both sexes exhibit a metallic sheen, with the name copper tetra being programmatic for the males. Especially in their mating dress or imponation coloration, the males shimmer a glittering copper color, which in combination with the bright red fins is a fantastic sight. These also feature white fin tips, which gives the whole fish a very classy appearance. The females, on the other hand, have a more brassy and much paler base color, which makes it much easier to distinguish between the sexes. Both are fully grown at just under 5 cm and can even live to be 10 years old.

Due to the lively behavior of the animals, tanks from 80-100 cm edge length are recommended. The planting of the aquarium should be aligned in such a way that the fish find enough free swimming space for their imponiergehabe and courtship behavior. Retreat possibilities in the form of, for example, background plants and lateral vegetation should also be available. A somewhat subdued lighting also brings out the shimmering colors of the fish particularly well. Your aquarium water may be quite soft to medium hard with a total hardness (GH) between 2-30 °dGH, ideally up to 15 ° dGH and a pH value of 6-8. At a temperature between 22 and 27 ° C feel these lively comrades most comfortable.

The lively character of the fish should be taken into account when keeping them together. They maintain a pronounced social behavior and a hierarchy that is constantly being clarified. Therefore we recommend keeping these schooling fish in a group size of at least 10 animals. Suitable tankmates would be smaller South American dwarf cichlids or, if the tank size is suitable, angelfish. Various Corydoras and Ancistrus species, which enliven the substrate, are of course also suitable.

Under suitable aquarium conditions the reproduction of the Copper Tetra is not uncommon and can be classified as rather easy, even in community tanks with calmer by-fish occasionally juveniles appear. For a specific reproduction it is recommended to keep the animals in the species tank. In a rearing aquarium with soft water values at a pH between 6-6,5 and a fine spawning substrate, but also with a spawning grid, the free spawners can be induced to lay eggs. At each deposition, the clutch may contain over a hundred small eggs. Afterwards, the parents should be moved again immediately, as they are serious spawn predators. The rearing aquarium should be darkened so that the fry hatch after about two days. At the beginning the larvae feed on their yolk sac and can be fed with infusoria, slipperfish or Artemia nauplii shortly after.

As omnivores, copper tetras can be fed with almost all commercially available granulated food, dry food and flake food, as they are not particularly demanding. However, a balanced and varied diet should be emphasized here as well. Live food and frozen food can be given occasionally, for this purpose mosquito larvae, daphnia, water fleas or artemia are suitable.

Our food recommendation: The NatureHolic Main Feed is a professional staple food for all aquarium fish. We supply Hauptfeed in the form of a soft granulate, which thanks to its grain size of half a millimeter can be easily ingested by small to medium-sized fish. The soft consistency resembles the texture of insect larvae in nature and protects the fish mouth from micro-injuries.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend when keeping fish the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.