The eggs grow in more acidic and soft water, but later juveniles may get ill.The alpha male is kept apart from a female for several weeks before spawning. Prefers tanks with a lot of plants and soft lighting, because it lives in rivers of Columbia with the same conditions. 2 artificial plants, no gravels or pebbles and no live plant. Some owners have reported lengths closer to three inches, but that’s typically only possible when kept … The tank must be closed, because the fish can jump out. Female has shorter fins and its iris isn’t that bright. Also quite noticeable in the male is an extended ray in the middle of the caudal fin that gives the tail the appearance of a trident. The fish doesn’t have a flash fin. Therefore keeping tetras in a school significantly smooths such a behavior and switches them to dealing with species of their kind. Common name: Blue Emperor Tetra, Purple Emperor Tetra, Royal Tetra, Regal Tetra Scientific name: Inpaichthys Kerri Average Adult Fish Size: 1.5 inches / 3.8 cm Place of Origin: Rio Aripuan and upper Rio Madeira basins, Brazil. Upon purchase, the Emperor Tetra is around 3/4 -1.5 inches. Although peat filtration is recommended, they will thrive in even moderately hard water as long as it is changed frequently to maintain purity. You may want to choose species that contrast visually with the colorful emperor tetra to create a palette that pleases the eye. The water should be very soft. Use a sponge filter in the tank to prevent harm to the fry as they are growing. Although the fish is bred a lot and it has adapted to different water parameters, the ideal ones are: water temperature 24-27 C, pH: 5.0 – 7.5, 25 dGH. However, through the years he’s had experience of keeping almost all types of freshwater fish and shrimps. Habitat is Columbia. By using The Spruce Pets, you accept our, Save Money by Collecting Live Food For Your Fish, More Pet Fish Species and Further Research, Harlequin Rasbora (Red Rasbora) Fish Breed Profile, Black Ruby Barb (Purple-Headed Barb) Fish Species Profile, Flame Tetra (Von Rio Tetra) Fish Species Profile. Requirements to emperor tetra care are standard: clean regularly renewed water, peaceful tank mates and diversified feed. Typical Tank setup: Well planted with rocks and driftwood/bogwood. Additive to make the water appear brownish in colour will make the Royal Tetra … A couple can be kept in a tank about 10 gallons capacity, but again, it’s more preferable to keep a school more than 6 fish in a tank not less than 20-40 gallons and the females should prevail. Dark substrate and a heavily planted tank will go far to make them feel at home; these also provide a gorgeous backdrop to this species' brilliant colors. Schools composed of approximately equal numbers of males and females will eventually yield one or more breeding pairs. Minimal length of a spawning tank for 1 male and 2-3 females is 60 cm. Typical Tank setup: Well planted with rocks and driftwood/bogwood. When guarding the territory male swims and leans a bit forward, at that its tail rises 45 degrees up and looks like a crown. In addition to the regular two tone color on the body there is also an all black color morph. Males are brighter colored and their dorsals are longer and sharper, then the ones of the female. The tail outer rays, the string and the first ray on the dorsal are black colored. It contains 4 neon tetras (1 Cms size), 12 bloodfin tetra (1 to 1.5 Cms size), 2 widow tetra (1 Cms size), 6 guppies (1 Cms size) and 2 mollies (2.5 Cms size). Besides, dark bottom substrate of a tank and green plants make the coloring more attractive. Fins of both sexes have a yellow hue and are edged in black on the outer periphery; they are red where the fin meets the body. Has a very expressive color of the eyes – it’s emerald-blue. The males are bigger than the females, but the females are thicker, especially around the belly; these are two of the primary ways to tell apart the male and female Emperor Tetra. Food red pellets and blood worm morning and evening. 1″ Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons Care Level: Moderate Temperament: Peaceful Water Conditions: 72-77° F, KH 4-8, pH 6.0-8.0 Max. The tail outer rays, the string and the first ray on the dorsal are black colored. Separate the male and female from each other for a day or two, and condition with live foods prior to spawning attempts. The body of the fish is blue-gray with mauve tones, and it displays an almost iridescent sheen. The fish isn’t very widely spread in the wild, but you can quite often see it in the amateurs tanks, since all fishes you can see on sale are bred in the farms for commercial purposes. The fish has elongated body a bit flattened from sides, the line of its back is very curved. Emperor Tetra Tropical Fish Learn all about the Emperor Tetra's feeding habits and food types, its behaviour, its origins, its natural habitats, is it male or female, breeding advice and information, suitable tank mates, its sizing and growth range, minimum tank size, water PH and more. At the age of 6 month becomes reproductive. The breeders created black emperor tetra called – Nematobrycon palmeri black. Our free guide can help keep your tank clean and your fish healthy. Male max size is 7.5 cm (3 in) and female – 5 cm (2 in). Each breeding pair should have their own breeding tank, as the males become quite aggressive when spawning. It’s good if there are more than 6 fish in a school, since otherwise they may nip other fishes fins. If you’re interested in similar species, check out: Check out additional fish species profiles for more information on other freshwater fish. In captivity, the species breeds readily. Some compatible species include danios, rasboras, other tetras, and peaceful catfish species such as Corydoras or smaller Loricariids. Emperor Tetra $ 0.60. Emperor tetra breeding can even occur there, especially if the fish are kept in a small school. Average Emperor Tetra Size The average adult Emperor Tetra size is only around two inches in length, making this a rather small freshwater species. A schooling fish, the emperor tetra does best in groups of five or six with a single alpha male, though it can thrive as a mated pair. The attractive coloration and elegant fins of the regal emperor tetra leave little doubt why the emperor tetra was given its name. They frequent areas that are slow-moving, such as small tributaries and streams, where the temperature ranges from 73 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. He’s been fond of aquarium husbandry since his early childhood. Tank mates can be guppies, swordtails, zebra danio, other tetras and peaceful catfish species like Corydoras. Though the emperor tetra is distributed over a narrow range in the wild, it has become a favorite aquarium pet and is farmed for sale around the world. The female lays from 50 to 150 large transparent eggs. Emperors favor dense vegetation and subdued lighting that mimics the Colombian rivers from which they originate. Emperor tetra is a territory dependent fish, so in the school there is only one alpha male, – who has taken the largest territory. These fish are native to the freshwater Atrato and San Juan River basins of Colombia in South America. Keep a tank-size of 15 gallons or more to fit six to seven fish species. It has a semi-transparent body with an orange-red line across its length. The fish has elongated body a bit flattened from sides, the line of its back is very curved. Endemicto the San Juan and Atrato river basins in Colombia with type locality ‘Condoto, Río Condoto and Novita, Río Tamana, southwestern Colombia’. Introduced to home aquaria in 1960, it has become one of the more popular of the tetra family of fishes. Pencil fish and dwarf cichlids are also good choices, especially as they hail from the same general region. Emperor tetras are easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Unlike many of the tetra species that have a unisex appearance, male and female emperor tetras are easy to differentiate.