African Moon Tetra

About

The African Moon Tetra (Bathyaethiops caudomaculatus) takes its name from the luminous crescent-shaped marking near the base of its tail. A small but distinctive feature that sets it apart from most other African tetras. In the wild, this fish is found across a broad stretch of central Africa, including the Congo River basin, the Sangha River drainage spanning the Republic of Congo and Cameroon, Pool Malebo, and Lake Tumba. That wide natural range hints at a fish that is reasonably adaptable, though it does best when water conditions lean toward the softer and slightly acidic side. In the aquarium, African Moon Tetras are gentle, undemanding fish that spend most of their time near the upper levels of the water column. Like most schooling species, they really come into their own in larger groups. Six is a workable minimum, but a dozen or more will show much more confident, natural behavior and look considerably better for it. They coexist well with other peaceful community fish of similar size. Diet is straightforward; they accept a wide range of prepared and live foods without fuss. This is an intermediate-level species more because of its water quality preferences than any particular difficulty in keeping it day to day.