Bleeding Heart Tetra

About

The bleeding heart tetra (Hyphessobrycon socolofi) is one of three closely related species that share the "bleeding heart" name, the others being H. erythrostigma and H. pyrrhonotus. All three carry a distinctive reddish spot on the shoulder, but H. socolofi can be told apart by the shorter white band running along its anal fin and by the fin hook structures found on virtually all fins in mature males. A quirk not seen in the other two. This species hails from the blackwater environments of the Negro River basin in South America, the kind of soft, acidic water typical of that region. In the aquarium it behaves reasonably well in a community setting, though adult males get territorial and will occasionally square off against similarly shaped tankmates. That rivalry is actually one of the more entertaining things about keeping this species. Males flash their best colors when competing for dominance or female attention, and a proper group really brings that out. Aim for a mixed-sex group of eight to ten individuals, and pair them with similarly sized characins, smaller catfishes, or peaceful mid-sized cichlids. Keeping numbers up and adding other schooling species helps settle any tension. A forgiving choice for newer keepers overall, provided the group size is respected.