Lemon Tetra: Subtle Yellow With a Sharp Red Eye

In this guide

Overview

The lemon tetra, Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis, carries a pale lemon-yellow wash across its body and fins, most vivid along the front edge of the dorsal and anal fins, paired with a striking red upper iris that gives the fish a surprisingly expressive look. It comes from the Amazon basin and grows to around four to five centimetres.

Its colour is famously dependent on mood, tank conditions and diet, appearing washed out and pale in a stressed or poorly kept tank and considerably richer in a calm, well-maintained one.

Tank and water requirements

A group of six or more does well in a tank of sixty litres upwards, since lemon tetras are a touch more active and appreciate more swimming room than smaller tetras like embers. They adapt reasonably well to Indian tap water once settled.

A well-planted tank with some open swimming space and gentle filtration flow suits them, and they tend to colour up best in a tank that has been running steadily for a while rather than a newly set up one.

Diet and behaviour

A varied diet including quality flakes, micro pellets and occasional live or frozen food such as daphnia helps bring out their best colour. They are peaceful but can show mild fin-nipping tendencies if kept in too small a group or an understocked tank, so keeping a proper shoal size matters more here than with some other tetras.

They mix well with similarly sized, calm community fish and do best avoiding very slow-moving, long-finned tankmates that could tempt occasional nipping.

Buying tips

• Priced around twenty five to sixty rupees per fish in most Indian shops
• Look for fish with a strong red eye and visible yellow wash rather than pale, washed-out individuals, a sign of a well-kept shop tank
• Keep in a group of at least six to reduce any tendency towards fin nipping

Article content © Ravi Teja. All rights reserved.