King tetra - Inpaichthys kerri EU-NZ

The king tetra (Inpaichthys kerri) is a beautiful ornamental fish from the tetra family and comes from the South American tropics. With a length of 3 to a maximum of 5 cm, this pretty aquarium fish is a relatively small representative of the tetras and is super suitable for the aquarium. Males and females have a broad black longitudinal stripe fairly centrally on the body. Above the black stripe the males shimmer light steel-blue, the females are somewhat brighter here. In females the adipose fin is reddish, in males  it is blue.

Inpaichthys kerri feels as a peaceful and rather quiet group fish only from a shoal strength of about 10 fish in the aquarium really well. However, king tetras only form a real shoal when they are under a lot of stress. Relaxed fish of this species are more likely to live individually or in loose groups in the aquarium.

Breeding Inpaichthys kerri is not so easy, but King Tetras can be bred in the hobby. This tetra needs a breeding aquarium, in which the fish are set in pairs. For breeding, Inpaichthys kerri needs a very soft and slightly acidic water with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 and a water temperature of 24-27 °C. The parents predate on spawn and fry, so it is good to put a spawning grate under the free-spawning fish or at least add thick moss cushions to the aquarium where the eggs can fall. In addition, the adult fish should be removed from the aquarium relatively quickly after spawning. Young king tetras are raised on artemia euplii and other very fine live foods.

In the biotope the King Tetra lives in more or less completely plantless waters, in which there is a lot of driftwood. Also in the aquarium the small schooling fish like to stand between fine root branches or also in dense plant stands. Free space for swimming should also be offered. Inpaichthys kerri reacts to an aquarium with too few hiding places with pale, washed out colors. In soft to medium hard water with a pH up to 7 this beautiful looking small ornamental fish feels well, the water temperature in the aquarium should be approx. 24-27 °C.

The King Tetra is an omnivore. It likes live food and frozen food, but can also be fed additionally with a high-quality flake food or granulated food for aquarium fish.

The King Tetra has a small mouth and therefore cannot harm larger shrimp. However, offspring will be eaten. The fish are relatively reserved and therefore need quiet aquarium mates. The beautiful blue Inpaichthys kerri from South America can be easily socialized with Neocaridina, Sulawesi shrimp or Amano shrimp, as well as with dwarf crabs.

Our feed recommendation: The NatureHolic Cichfeed has a grain size of 1.5 mm and is therefore also suitable for larger fish. The NH Cichfeed is a soft granulate for mainly carnivorous fish. It has the same consistency as small crustaceans and insect larvae that fish naturally eat, and the soft granules protect the fish's mouth from micro-injuries that can result from hard feed granules.

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 for fish keeping 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.