Congo tetra

Congo tetra
Congo Tetra
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Alestidae
Genus: Phenacogrammus
Species: P. interruptus
Binomial name
Phenacogrammus interruptus
(Boulenger, 1899)

Described by Boulenger in 1899, the Congo Tetra is found in the upper Congo Basin in slightly acidic, murky waters similar to those that tetras from South America inhabit.

Contents

Aquarium Keeping

In the aquarium, mimic the natural habitat. The Congo tetra requires soft, peat filtered water and a darker substrate. They are most comfortable in an aquarium with lower light levels. The beautiful rainbow colors of this fish will also show best in lower light levels. These fish are easily frightened by aggressive tank mates and loud noises and may wait for you to leave the aquarium before they will feed. It is a peaceful schooling fish and needs a large aquarium to thrive and develop its full beauty. Any aquarium of less than 30 gallons will not be suitable for a proper school of these fish. Hardness: 4-18 ° dGH Ph: 6.2 Temperatue: (75-81 ° F) 24-27 ° C

Description

The Congo Tetra has a typical full-bodied tetra shape with rather large scales. When mature, the iridescent colors of the Congo Tetra run through the fish from front to back, starting with blue on top changing to red through the middle, to yellow-gold, and back to blue just above the belly. It is not its fluorescent colors that make this Tetra so distinct, but rather its tail fin, which develops into a most beautiful grayish violet feathery appendage with white edges. The males get up to 3.0 inches (8.5 cm). Females up to 2.75 inches (6 cm).

Nutrition

Since they are omnivorous the Congo tetra will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat.


Social Behavior

    They are generally a good community fish but they may try to bite smaller fish. Also, watch that they don't eat your smaller plants. They sometimes like to nibble on softer plants and young shoots.

Sexual Differences

The male is larger with more color, also the tail fin and dorsal fin are more extended. If you look at the picture above, you can see the extension at the center of the tail fin. A mature female will be more rounded.

Breeding/Reproduction

The Congo Tetras are egg layers. Some keys to breeding them is a large aquarium, peat filtered water, and bright lighting to initiate spawning. They will lay up to 300 eggs that will drop to the bottom. The fry are large enough to eat freshly hatched brine shrimp.

Conservation Status

The IUCN lists the Congo tetra as a species of least concern.

Sources

  • Ultrastructural Examination of Spermiogenesis and Spermatozoon Ultrastructure in Congo tetra Phenacogrammus interruptus Boulenger, 1899 (Ostariophysi: Characiformes: Alestidae)

Author: Pecio, Anna Folia Biologica, Volume 57, Numbers 1-2, December 2008 , pp. 13-21(9) Publisher: Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences

External Links

See also


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Congo tetra — konginė vaivorykštinė tetra statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Phenacogrammus interruptus angl. Congo tetra rus. радужная тетра; радужный конгосалмлер ryšiai: platesnis terminas – afrikinės spalvotosios… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • Tetra — Taxobox name = Tetra image width = 250px image caption = Black neon tetra, Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Actinopterygii ordo = Characiformes familia = Alestiidae Characidae Lebiasinidae familia… …   Wikipedia

  • Tétra africain — Alestidae Alestidés …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tetra (poisson) — Tétra (poisson) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Tétra. Nom vernaculaire ou nom normalisé ambigu : Le terme « Tétra » s applique, en français, à plusieurs taxons distincts …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tétra (poisson) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Tétra. Nom vernaculaire ou nom normalisé ambigu : Le terme « Tétra » s applique en français à plusieurs taxons distincts …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tétra bleu du Congo — Phenacogrammus interruptus Tétra du Congo …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tétra du Congo — Phenacogrammus interruptus Tétra du Congo …   Wikipédia en Français

  • konginė vaivorykštinė tetra — statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Phenacogrammus interruptus angl. Congo tetra rus. радужная тетра; радужный конгосалмлер ryšiai: platesnis terminas – afrikinės spalvotosios tetros …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • Alestidae — Alestidés …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Alestidé — Alestidae Alestidés …   Wikipédia en Français

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