My biotope aquarium

Common names: Striped African tetra

Settlement: Rivers in West Africa - from Gambia to Congo - Benin, Congo, Cameroon, Gambia, Volta, Niger delta, Orashi, Ogun, ..., ...

This tetra is widespread throughout the Atlantic coastline, from the Gambia to the Congo. The species originates from the western forest massif. It is commonly found in the upper and lower river streams, but can even occur in the salt waters of deltas. It is the only genus species that also inhabits smaller watercourses, but specimens from these streams are always smaller than those found in large rivers.

Size: up to 10.5 cm

Water chemistry: Fresh water, tolerates lower salt concentrations. Temperature 22 to 26 ° C, pH 6-7.5 (6.5), 5-19 kH (8)

Difficulty: Slightly demanding (4/10)

Aquarium: 150 liters is enough for fish. It is a shoal fish (8+) and loves a medium current with a swimming area as it is extremely active. The container should contain roots, plants and not too light a base, preferably dark water. It needs good water quality and lots of oxygen.

Feeding: Insects, flies, spiders, worms, mosquito larvae, briquettes, dry food. It needs a strong protein diet!

Breeding: Challenging for breeding. She becomes sexually mature when she turns one year old. A good pair should be placed in a separate aquarium set with soft, acidic water and plenty of plant mass. Spawning is likely to be quite active, so the aquarium should be as long as possible. The temperature should be set at the top of the desired area and filtration should be provided by a gentle sponge filter driven by air. In principle, spawning begins when the first rays of the morning sun shine into the aquarium (although the act has not yet been recorded to date), leaving hundreds of orange eggs scattered. The pair should be removed as soon as possible after spawning. From this point on, the eggs need to be well ventilated, as a high level of oxygenation seems crucial in the early stages of development. After 4-6 days (depending on the water temperature), the eggs hatch into young, to which we can offer an infusoria, and after a further few days, artemia and microworms.

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Description of fish

It has a completely silver-green body, but as it grows up it develops a very noticeable iridescent coloration, it has a black stripe on the caudal stalk. The upper part of the eye is yellow-orange. Males in adulthood also develop very elegant extensions on the dorsal fin. The ventral fins in an adult male glow reddish-purple, while in females they are pale orange. The spot on the eye is also red in males and orange in females. This tetra grows larger than many other known species of tetra, but it is still very peaceful and is a wonderful fish for larger layouts. Flocks of adults will definitely be the focal point of the aquarium!

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Notes

Striped African tetra is present along the African continent from the Gambia to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it is often observed in the upper and lower reaches of large rivers, as well as in estuaries of mixed waters. They are also found in smaller tributaries and streams, but such specimens never grow as large as those coming from larger rivers. These fish are a good size and are energetic swimmers, so the aquarium needs to be very spacious. The striped African tetra is a naturally friendly species, always in groups of 8 or more. The dark substrate and background, along with dense planting areas (including floating plants for diffused lighting), will contribute to the well-being of these fish. The aquarium should be well filtered with a high oxygen content, ideally by external filtration. Partial water changes often also need to be implemented because these fish do not tolerate the generation of nitrogenous waste. These fish are quite noisy and can scare away more vulnerable species, so watch carefully. The ideal companions could be larger African fish such as lightflies (Phenacogrammus interruptus) or African red-eyed tetras (Arnoldichthys spilopterus), adult perch Pelvicachromis and catfish Synodontis ...

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