Red Tetra Fish Ideas

Big List of 9 Red Tetra Fish Ideas for Your Aquarium

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Tetras are the ultimate fish for beginners. Their hardy, omnivorous nature makes them super convenient for recreational aquarists.

Tetras can also be the favorite of savvy aquarists who are searching for brilliant colors to step up their aquarium. But this very benefit can also be a con. It’s quite hard to sort through all of the tetra colors without missing a species or two.

That’s why I decided to introduce various tetra species in articles based on their color. In this post, we’ll take a look at the best red Tetra Fish.

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Suggested Equipment For Your Red Tetras

Here Are 9 Red Tetra Fish Ideas for Your Aquarium

Finding red Tetra fish is pretty easy; however, we’ve managed to narrow it down to a few of the best.

1. Flame Tetras (Hyphessobrycon Flammeus)

  • Care level: easy
  • Size: 1 inch
  • Temperature range: 72 – 82 °F
  • PH range: 5.5 – 7.5
  • Social behavior: schooling fish
  • Tank size: 10-gallon

As the name implies, Flame Tetras are characterized by the bright fiery red that colors their rear halves. Toward the front, however, the tone gets somewhat lighter with the presence of two dark vertical stripes.

My most favorite attribute about Flame tetras lies in their fins. Their pectoral and anal fins are usually colored in bright red, while the rest are transparent. This arrangement makes this tetra look like it’s burning with a flame deeply situated inside the body.

It’s better to use dark river sand as the substrate to show their color at its best. Also, spread around driftwood and dried leaves to mimic their natural South American habitat.

2. Ruby Tetras (Axelrodia Riesei)

  • Care level: easy
  • Size: 1 inch
  • Temperature range: 68 – 82 °F
  • PH range: 4.0 – 6.5
  • Social behavior: schooling fish
  • Tank size: 10-gallon

Just like the precious ruby stones, the tiny Ruby tetras would transform your aquarium into a priceless masterpiece. With a maximum size of 1 inch, a 6-tetra school would look marvelous in a 10-gallon tank.

When preparing their tank, remember to pay extra attention to the vegetation. Because of their small size, they like to seek hideouts under live and dried leaves. These leaves would also help in growing microbe colonies to passively feed your tetras.

When it comes to the diet, they can primarily depend on small flakes. You can also serve live food like brine shrimp, Daphnia, Moina, and Grindal worms.

3. Ember Tetras (Hyphessobrycon Amandae)

Ember Tetras (Hyphessobrycon Amandae)

  • Care level: easy
  • Size: 1 inch
  • Temperature range: 73 – 84 °F
  • PH range: 5.5 – 7
  • Social behavior: schooling fish
  • Tank size: 10-gallon

Small fish are usually timid. They have to behave likewise to escape the dangers of wildlife. However, Ember tetras are among the most prominent exceptions. Although they can be smaller than 1 inch, they keep floating around the tank at all times.

That said, they can be safely placed in a community tank with other species. But make sure the size difference isn’t significant, or else they might get nipped. Neon tetras can be good, peaceful tankmates.

You’re free to feed your Embers flakes and pellets of suitable size. But make sure to serve brine shrimp on an occasional basis since it enhances their red tone.

4. Rummy-Nose Tetras (Hemigrammus Rhodostomus)

Rummy-Nose Tetras (Hemigrammus Rhodostomus)

  • Care level: intermediate
  • Size: 2 inches
  • Temperature range: 75 – 81 °F
  • PH range: 6.5 – 7.0
  • Social behavior: highly timid, shoaling fish
  • Tank size: 20-gallon

Rummy-Nose tetras are probably the cutest species I’ve ever seen. Their main body is usually colored in silver with a faint red undertone. But the head has a unique red shade that might extend onto the gills. Tail fins also stand out with a zebra-like pattern of black and white.

It’s better to use a fine-grain substrate to mimic their natural habitat. Placing medium vegetation would fit their regular activity.

Generally speaking, Rummy-Noses won’t mind tankmates as long as they’re not overactive. With a broad omnivorous nature, a beginner aquarist shouldn’t face problems with their diet.

5. Serpae Tetras (Hyphessobrycon Eques)

Serpae Tetras (Hyphessobrycon Eques)

  • Care level: easy
  • Size: 2 inches
  • Temperature range: 72 – 79 °F
  • PH range: 5.5 – 7.5
  • Social behavior: quite aggressive schooling fish
  • Tank size: 20-gallon

Serpae Tetras share the same unique colors of Flame tetras. They have a rich fiery-red tone scattered all over their bodies alongside deep-red fins. But with the plump, wide shape of Serpaes, beginners shouldn’t face problems in telling them apart.

If you’re lucky, you could find Serpaes with black and long fins that resemble hair! These would look stunning in any tank setup.

On the downside, Serpaes are more likely to show signs of aggression when placed in schools smaller than six tetras. That’s why it’s better to avoid putting other species inside the same tank.

6. Cardinal Tetras (Paracheirodon Axelrodi)

Cardinal Tetras (Paracheirodon Axelrodi)

  • Care level: easy to moderate
  • Size: 2 inches
  • Temperature range: 72 – 82 °F
  • PH range: 5.3 – 7.8
  • Social behavior: schooling fish
  • Tank size: 20-gallon

Don’t want strictly-red tetras? If so, you should consider Cardinal tetras. These species have a rich-red tone covering their lower halves. Over the top, a shiny blue stripe runs throughout the whole body. Fins, on the other hand, are mesmerizingly transparent.

Despite their voracious, omnivorous appetite, I wouldn’t recommend them for rookie aquarists. Cardinals have a higher sensitivity to water conditions when compared with other tetras. Changing the temperature, pH, or hardness can cause serious harmful effects.

Cardinals enjoy medium-dense vegetation where they can swim and hide at the same time.

7. Neon Tetras (Paracheirodon Innesi)

Neon Tetra

  • Care level: easy
  • Size: up to 1.5 inches
  • Temperature range: 69 – 80 °F
  • PH range: 6.0 – 6.5
  • Social behavior: schooling fish
  • Tank size: 15-gallon

Simply put, Neon tetras are the beginner-friendly counterparts of Cardinal tetras. They share an amazingly-similar color configuration that might confuse many aquarists.

Looking at the red coloration can help you in telling them apart. Neon tetras have a red stripe restricted to the posterior half of the body. Oppositely, Cardinals have a much bigger red area that takes over the whole lower body.

Neons can be a lot more forgiving for unstable water conditions. But don’t stray off too far because they’re still delicate.

8. Bloodfin Tetras (Aphyocharax Anisitsi)

  • Care level: easy
  • Size: 2 inches
  • Temperature range: 64 – 83 °F
  • PH range: 6.0 to 8.0
  • Social behavior: schooling fish
  • Tank size: 20-gallon

Don’t let the name intimidate you. Bloodfin tetras are adorable species that suit inexperienced aquarists. They tend to be pretty active around the day. They can even play around by lightly nipping each other.

Although they’re mostly colored in silver, their red fins can create a stunning appearance, especially in large schools.

However, when kept with boisterous species, the playful nipping might become destructive. That’s why it’s better to pair them only with other peaceful tetras.

9. Blue-Red Colombian Tetras (Hyphessobrycon Columbianus)

Red-Blue Colombian Tetras

  • Care level: easy to moderate
  • Size: 2 inches
  • Temperature range: 72 – 82 °F
  • PH range: 5.3 – 7.8
  • Social behavior: schooling fish
  • Tank size: 30-gallon

The last recommendation in my list are tetras quite similar to Bloodfins. Their blueish-silver body and deep-red fins often characterize Colombian tetras.

Interestingly, their red fins might turn completely transparent during the night. Several aquarists believe that they learned this behavior when larger fish kept hunting them in the wild.

Thanks to their hardy nature, Columbian tetras can accept mild changes in water conditions. Most importantly, make sure to pick a large tank that suits their large, plump bodies.

They can be fed with regular flakes and pellets. But adding worms and brine shrimp would make them healthier.

To Sum Up

As you saw, red is a pretty standard color between tetras. If you want to fill your tank with the most vibrant tones, you should love Flame, Ruby, Ember, and Serpae tetras.

Consider Cardinal, Neon, Red-Blue Colombian, Bloodfin, and Rummy-Nose Tetra if you want to spice things up with other colors.

You can always pair any of these species together as long as they don’t differ a lot in behavior. Also, it’s crucial to add enough tetras of each species for proper schooling.

Looking For More Colorful Tetra Ideas Check Out These Articles:

List of Red Tetra Fish Ideas for Your Aquarium

Jack Dempsey
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