Rhombus spotted tetra - Hemigrammus caudovittatus

The adaptable rhombic spotted tetra (Hyphessobrycon anisitsi, synonym: Hemigrammus caudovittatus) from the catchment area of the La Plata River in Brazil grows up to 7 cm long. In the wild it lives in ponds densely overgrown with aquatic plants.

These easy to keep tetras are silvery and relatively high backed. They have a bright orange-red longitudinal stripe along the lateral line in the middle of the body, becoming slightly darker toward the back, and they display a black diamond-shaped tail patch. Males have a bright red caudal and anal fin. The other fins are transparent. In the slightly more bulky females, all fins are transparent. In the eye, the rhombic spotted tetra shows an iris that is orange-red in the upper half.

Hemigrammus caudovittatus is a lively, but peaceful schooling fish. When stressed, the group joins together to form a shoal; when relaxed, the fish disperse throughout the aquarium. You should not keep less than 10 Rautenfleck tetras as a group. A standard aquarium with 80 cm edge length needs the relatively large and quite swim-joyful Rautenflecksalmler at least.

The adaptable tetra can be kept in soft to hard water Humic substances in the aquarium water are very helpful and help the beautiful ornamental fish to stay healthy. The water temperature can be 18 to 28 °C, 22-26 °C is ideal. In the aquarium, the rhombus spotted tetra likes dense plant groups along the sides and in the background very much; free space for swimming in the center of the aquarium should also be ensured. When planting the aquarium, keep in mind that the rhombic spotted tetra likes to nibble on fine aquarium plants. Plants with thicker leaves are usually spared.

In addition to plant food, the attractive large rhombic spotted tetra likes to eat Live food and Frozen food. A good quality flake food or granular food for all aquarium fish is a good choice. A herbivore food or feeding vegetables can reduce plucking at the plants.

The breeding of the Rautenflecksalmler is not particularly difficult, but should be done in a separate breeding tank from 54 liters. There you put a pair or a small group of one male and two females of Hemigrammus caudovittatus. In soft to medium hard water with a pH up to 7,5 the breeding is quite easy. The courtship runs rough, many plants in the tank spare the females, because they can escape if necessary. Diamond-spotted tetras are free spa wners and will predate on both the spawn and the fry, so a spawning grate can greatly improve the yield. After spawning, return rhombic spotted tetras from the breeding tank to the community tank or species tank. Eggs and larvae are sensitive to light, the breeding aquarium should be darkened. After a few days the larvae swim free. Feed them with dust food and infusoria and then feed them large with artemia euplii, microworms and cyclops.

Diamond spotted tetras will also eat medium sized juvenile shrimp and should only be kept with large species such as Amano shrimp . Hemigrammus caudovittatus / Hyphessobrycon anisitsi are more likely to live in the middle and upper parts of the aquarium and can live with peaceful dwarf shrimp in the aquarium. Other tetra species make good aquarium mates, as do other non-predatory aquarium fish. Diamond spot tetras are ideal candidates for a large community aquarium.

Our feed recommendation NatureHolic Main Feed is a professional staple feed for all aquarium fish. Main feed we supply in the form of soft granules, which thanks to its grain size of half a millimeter can be easily absorbed 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 from 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.