Featherfin Tetra

About

The featherfin tetra (Hemigrammus unilineatus) is a small characin with a wide natural range spanning Trinidad, coastal Venezuela, the Guianas, and parts of the Amazon and Guaporé river basins. In the wild it turns up in a variety of habitats, slow streams, ponds, roadside ditches, both clear and murky, shaded or open, which hints at its adaptability. Despite this broad distribution and apparent abundance, it rarely shows up in fish stores on purpose; when it does appear, it's often mixed in with shipments of other tetras rather than sold in its own right. The species is peaceful and somewhat shy, and genuinely needs the company of its own kind to thrive. A group of six is a bare minimum, but ten or more will bring out much more natural, confident behavior. Because it won't hold its own against boisterous or significantly larger tankmates, it does best alongside similarly sized South American species. Other small tetras, pencilfish, Corydoras, Apistogramma, and compact loricariids are all solid choices. Feeding is uncomplicated since it accepts most meaty foods readily, and it can be bred in the home aquarium with a bit of preparation. The eggs and early fry are light-sensitive, so a dimly lit dedicated spawning setup is worth the effort if you want to raise a decent number of young.