How to Care For a Lamp Eye Tetra

The lamp eye tetra is a striking tropical fish that adds a pop of color and glamour to a freshwater community tank. Its metallic appearance, dynamic energy, and signature red eyes make it a great choice for beginner fish keepers.

These fish are easy to care for and have relatively lax water requirements, which makes them ideal for a standard tropical aquarium setup. They also tolerate a range of water conditions and temperatures, which helps them adapt to the wide variety of habitats in their natural environment.

In their native river ecosystems, these fish eat insects and small water creatures as well as plant foods grown from the surrounding vegetation. In your tank, you can supplement their diet with a variety of meaty foods including frozen shrimps and bloodworms.

A good rule of thumb is to provide two meals a day for your fish. This will help them maintain their weight and prevent the onset of disease.

It is best to feed your red eye tetra a combination of meaty foods and vegetables. The tetras can be given flakes or granules, but it is better to give them live food such as worms and shrimps.

This tetra is a very peaceful fish and will do well in a community tank with other peaceful freshwater fish. They prefer a group of at least six other tank mates, but they will do fine with five or more.

When selecting tank mates for the red eye tetra, it is important to choose other species that are similar in size, color and activity level. This will keep your red eye tetra happy and healthy, and you will avoid any possible territorial disputes between the fish.

In addition, you should avoid adding aggressive fish as tank mates to your red eye tetra, because they will smother each other in the water and create stress for both. This can cause them to become timid or lose their appetite.

These fish do best when kept in a 20-gallon or larger aquarium, but they can be successfully housed in smaller tanks as long as the temperature is maintained. They are also tolerant of a wide range of water conditions, which can be a bonus for the beginning fish keeper.

They can be bred in captivity, but you must set up a separate tank for breeding and maintain the ideal water parameters to encourage spawning. The water pH should be slightly more acidic than normal, and you must reduce general water hardness to about four dgH or lower.

Females will scatter their eggs throughout the aquarium, and males will fertilize them. The young fry will hatch within a few days after they are born.

The average lifespan of a red eye tetra is around five years. Its lifespan can be shortened by unsuitable living conditions or improper care.

This tetra is easy to care for and a popular choice for beginner fish keepers. They are a beautiful addition to your aquarium and have a relatively long lifespan when properly cared for.