Redspotted Tetra

About

The redspotted tetra (Copeina guttata) is a slender, elongate characin from the middle Amazon River basin, where it hunts worms, insects, and small crustaceans in the shallows. The common name does the fish justice. The body is peppered with reddish spots that become more vivid in well-conditioned males, and there's a noticeable sexual dimorphism at play, with males developing a more pronounced anal fin that figures into their courtship behavior. That courtship leads to one of the more interesting breeding strategies you'll encounter in a South American characin: the male excavates a shallow pit in the substrate, coaxes the female to deposit eggs there, and then stands guard over the clutch himself. For hobbyists who enjoy observing natural behaviors, that paternal care routine alone makes this fish worth keeping. Copeina guttata belongs to the family Lebiasinidae, a group of characiforms characterized by that elongate body plan and a reduced or absent lateral line system. It's not the most commonly available tetra in the hobby, but it's a rewarding find. An intermediate care rating reflects its somewhat specific water preferences rather than any particular fragility, and a spacious tank suits its active, exploratory nature.