Firehead Tetra - Hemigrammus bleheri
Habitat:
Blackwater rivers and tributaries. These waters are usually brown in color due to tannins released from decaying organic material. This process increases the acidity of the water, which the fish prefer.
Range:
Amazon Basin in Brazil and Peru
Activity Cycle:
Diurnal
Features:
The body of the firehead tetra is elongated with a red spot on its head extending beyond the gill covers. The caudal fin is forked with black and white stripes. Females are generally rounder than males.
Size:
1-1.5 inches, on average.
Social Structure:
Schools
Diet:
Omnivorous
Reproduction:
Spawn in groups, eggs hatch within 24-36 hours
Status:
This species is currently not listed in the IUCN database.
Interesting Facts:
– Often confused with two similar species sold in pet shops, the “true” rummy-nose, (Hemigrammus rhodostomus), and the ‘false’ rummy-nose, (Petitella georgiae). In healthy fish, only the Firehead Tetra will have red coloration extending past the gill covers. Many different coloration varieties are artificially selected and sold in pet shops
– The intensity of the red coloration is an indicator of the overall health of the fish.
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