This month were taking a closer look at Hyphessobrycon anisitsi or more commonly known as the Buenos Aries Tetra. Originating from the inland soft water systems of South America, this tetra gets its name from the capital of Argentina where it’s found in high abundance. Due to its hardiness and easy of care, the Buenos Aries tetra makes for a great addition to almost any freshwater aquarium. 

     

     This tetra like most others will accept a wide range of water conditions but may prefer a slightly acidic environment. A temperature of 64 to 82 F, a pH between 5.5 and 8 as well as a total water hardness in the ball park of 3 to 18 can be well tolerated by this fish. A true omnivore, the Buenos Aires tetra will accept a wide variety of foods ranging from your standard flake to blood worms and live cultured daphnia. As a natural shoaling fish, this tetra again like most all, will appreciate and behave best if part of a medium to large size school, any number above 5 or 6 of them.

 

     One of the larger species of tetra, the Buenos Aries has a shiny metallic body with bright red fins, growing to a max size of about 2.5 to 3 inches in the home aquarium making a small school of them perfect for tanks 20 gallons and up.  Males will generally be more colorful, while females are slightly larger with a fuller abdomen