Aquarium enthusiasts love Serpas Tetra, also called Minora or Hyphessobrycon eques, which are popular freshwater fish. This fish gives a lively touch to any aquarium with its vivid red color and distinct black markings. It is well-known for being jovial and is frequently observed swimming briskly around the tank.
These fish are a fantastic option for both novice and seasoned fish keepers due to their comparatively simple care requirements. They get along well with other peaceful species in a community tank setting, where they flourish. But because of their sometimes flirtatious and playful nature, it’s important to choose your tank mates carefully.
Apart from their remarkable look, Serpas Tetras are resilient fish that can easily adjust to different kinds of water. Their ideal habitat is a densely planted tank with lots of swimming room. These colorful fish will remain active and healthy in your aquarium if you feed them a balanced diet and keep the water clean.
- Habitat and Range
- Description
- Size:
- Behavior and compatibility
- Aquarium
- Water parameters:
- Feeding
- Sexual Dimorphism
- Breeding
- Video on the topic
- Serpas, Minor. Aquarium maintenance, breeding, feeding
- Hyphessobrycon minor
- VEIL SERPAS (HYPHESSOBRYCON EQUES, SERPAE TETRA) 2-2.5 cm
- Veil serpas (hyphessobrycon eques)
- Serpae Tetra Fish – Tetra Minor Red Fish (Hyphessobrycon eques)
Habitat and Range
South America: River basins of the Amazon, Guaporé, and Paraguay.
Spread over the majority of the Rio Paraguay basin, which includes Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, as well as the Amazon basin, which includes Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil.
Most frequently found in ponds, small lakes, streams, and tributaries of creeks with slow moving or standing water, where it aggregations around areas of marginal vegetation or submerged tree roots.
The color of wild populations varies according to where they came from, particularly in the fins and the size and form of the shoulder patch. Some of these populations have even been classified as distinct species in the past.
Description
Their body is red, and they have a black spot, giving them a very unique coloration.
The species has a symphony of black, red, and white coloring. Its body has a tomato-red color throughout, with a faint brownish tinge, and a blackish tint on the back of its head.
The abdomen is reddish-white, the head, gill covers, and the iris of the eyes are blood-red, and the lower portion of the sides is somewhat lighter. Large, densely black, oval- or comma-shaped spots on the sides contrast sharply with the primary color, though they can occasionally fade or disappear entirely as they age.
Only the base, edges, or very tip of the dorsal fin—a crucial characteristic of this species—can be a pale white color. The anal fin has a blood-red color, blackish to deep black anterior rays and edges that gradually enlarge to cover the entire fin’s back, and a milky white anterior tip. The pectoral fins have a softer red color, while the ventral fins are likewise bright red with white tips.
Males clearly have a richer coloring than females, which can be identified by the latter’s larger abdomen.
Size:
40–50 mm is the maximum standard length.
Bright and resilient, the Serpas Tetra, also known as the Minora (Hyphessobrycon eques), is a wonderful addition to community aquariums. These fish, which are distinguished by their vibrant red hue and vigorous swimming, are relatively simple to maintain and do best in well-planted aquariums with lots of swimming room. Since they are gregarious animals, groups are where they perform best and exhibit their typical schooling behavior. A balanced diet and stable water conditions are essential for their health and happiness.
Behavior and compatibility
Having a reputation for biting other fish’s fins, this socially engaged fish is especially noticeable when it is bought in small quantities or with restricted space.
This is a schooling species that establishes hierarchies, with competing males always vying for the attention of females and the right place in the group.
It’s best to start with a minimum of 8–10 specimens because this will make it more likely that the fish will be more interested in each other than in their tankmates, which will make them look more showy and behave more naturally. When there are rivals around, males will show off their superior coloring.
For fish that are veil-type, slow, or extremely shy, it is not the best companion.
It is advised to keep them in an aquarium dedicated to their species, and there are good reasons for this: in the community, they are known for being abrasive and occasionally displaying animosity toward fish of other species by biting their fins.
They lurk among the plants in a mixed aquarium, but when the opportunity arises, they leap out and attack their neighbors. It appears that they are particularly drawn to the fins of erythrozonus and neons. Once the enemy has been bitten, the robber swiftly runs away into its cover. Select more active neighbors for them if you still want to keep them with other species.
Aquarium
An aquarium should have the bare minimum of 80 * 30 cm or the same measurements.
Strongly planted plants, such as feathery leaf, cabomba, and ludwigia (though you are free to use other species), should encircle the perimeter of the aquarium. Since they require room to swim, the middle of the aquarium should be left open. However, to keep the center from appearing overly empty, decorate it with driftwood or stones that don’t contain calcium.
It is preferable to shade the open area of the aquarium with some floating plants because the color fades in the intense light of lamps. These plants have peculiar, beard-like roots that are not only highly ornamental but also provide a haven for these fish, who enjoy drawing graceful circles around them.
They require adequate filtration and aeration to maintain the water in the aquarium clean, as they are found in clear streams and rivers in the wild.
Water parameters:
In the range of 23 to 28 °C pH range: 5.0 to 7.5 Hardness: 10–25 degrees dGH
Continual water changes should replenish 20–25% of the aquarium’s capacity.
Feeding
Being omnivores, they typically consume fallen fruits, crustaceans, tiny invertebrates, and filamentous algae.
They can live on dry food in aquariums, but like most fish, it’s best to provide a varied menu. In this case, the food should include frozen and live items like bloodworms, corethra, daphnia, brine shrimp, tubifex, etc.
Sexual Dimorphism
Females who have reached sexual maturity are notably rounder and slightly larger than males.
Breeding
Instead of purchasing adult specimens, grow the breeders yourself under the previously mentioned conditions for successful breeding. For breeding, use a 20-liter aquarium with a suitable-sized spawning net, though glass beads can also be used to line the bottom. Good results were obtained in soft water with a pH of 6 to 6.5 and 3–4 degrees hardness. Harder water caused the eggs to turn white every time, and they would eventually die within a few hours.
Raise the water temperature to 26 °C and use a big bunch of Java moss as a spawning substrate, placing it in the middle of the aquarium. Once the fish have been separated by spawning, use cardboard sheets to darken the aquarium from above and all other sides, leaving the top half of one of the narrow sidewalls open. The lighting conditions in this instance are ideal for raising children. One day ahead of the female, place the male in the spawning tank. The male parades in front of the female, circles her, swims to the spawning site, and then swims back. This is how the mating process starts.
The fish then push against one another, occasionally with the male submerging the female’s body with his tail fin, and they simultaneously release milt and eggs. The fish scatter right away, and the eggs either sink to the bottom or get absorbed by the Java moss. About twenty of these processes take place over the course of two to four hours, moving at a speed that is nearly impossible to follow. As soon as the female fish runs out of eggs, move the mating pair to a different container (the fish eat their own eggs), take out the spawning grid, completely darken the aquarium, and turn on a low-power blower.
After about thirty hours, depending on the temperature, the larvae hatch and remain lying on the bottom of the aquarium, resembling small shards of glass. In low light, they move along the entire bottom, trying to hide from irritating rays, and very quickly disappear in the darkest corner. On the fifth day, remove half of the cardboard sheets, and after 24 hours, using a 5-millimeter glass tube, collect all the larvae and transfer them to an 8-liter container. In this case, firstly, the spawning tank is freed up, where you can immediately place other producers, and, secondly, it is much easier to observe the larvae in a small aquarium, where they quickly find food. Having transferred the larvae to the rearing aquarium, try to feed them correctly. They are large enough and can immediately feed on Artemia nauplii. The fry absorb small and delicate nauplii without any difficulty, and yet at this time it is worth observing them through a powerful magnifying glass. If after 15 minutes the babies still look skinny and hungry, then the nauplii are too large for them, but if their bellies are full and pink, then they ate with appetite.
Now you can aerate the aquarium, evenly illuminate it, and on the third day install a foam filter. Thanks to this, the water stays clean for a long time, since it is so enriched with oxygen that the Artemia nauplii remain alive for four hours. In addition, the growth of the young is activated in such water. Rinse the filter twice a week. When cleaning the rearing aquarium daily, do not forget to remove the remains of food using a siphon and add water of the same quality. In the fourth or fifth week, the young begin to acquire color, and therefore it is time to transfer them to a more spacious aquarium. If the quality of the water is little different from the previous one, the “move” will take place without losses and very soon you will enjoy a spectacle that pleases everyone: a full aquarium of these charming fish.
A person’s lifespan is typically seven years.
Aspect | Description |
Scientific Name | Hyphessobrycon eques |
Common Names | Minora, Serpae Tetra |
Origin | South America, mainly found in the Amazon Basin |
Size | Up to 4 cm (1.6 inches) |
Temperament | Generally peaceful, can be fin nippers |
Tank Size | Minimum of 60 liters (15 gallons) |
Water Conditions | pH 5.0-7.5, temperature 22- |
Any freshwater aquarium would benefit from having the colorful and active Serpae Tetra, also known as Minora. It stands out from other fish in your tank due to its vivid red color and distinctive black markings, which add beauty and intrigue. Because Serpae Tetras require little maintenance, they are an excellent option for both beginning and seasoned aquarists.
These fish prefer swimming in the middle levels of the aquarium and do best in groups. Encouraging them to attend schools with a minimum of six students helps lessen aggressive conduct while enabling them to display their innate tendencies. They are perfect for community tanks because they get along well with most other fish.
Your Serpae Tetras will remain healthy and lively if you give them a varied diet and a well-planted tank with lots of hiding places. These fish can live for several years in your aquarium, adding color and vitality with the right care. Take pleasure in the vibrant presence of Serpae Tetras and witness their transformation into a beloved member of your aquatic family.