Lemon Tetra

About

The lemon tetra (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) is a small, peaceful characid with a greenish-yellow body, a distinctive black-tipped dorsal fin, and a bold splash of orange-red in the upper eye that becomes more vivid in well-kept fish. The anal fin carries a similar pattern, with yellowish anterior rays edged in black along the rear border. It's one of those fish that looks noticeably better the larger your group is, so while five is often cited as a minimum, a group of eight to ten really brings out the best coloration and behavior, since males establish loose dominance hierarchies and actively display to females. Those social dynamics are genuinely fun to watch in a roomy, well-planted tank. In the wild, this species is linked to the Tapajós River basin in South America, though the exact distribution of the commercially produced aquarium strain is somewhat murky, and an orange-red form of uncertain relationship to the common lemon also circulates in the hobby. Virtually all fish sold today are commercially farmed, including a selectively bred albino variant. As far as community tankmates go, similarly sized characins, smaller catfishes, and non-aggressive cichlids all make good companions. It's an omnivore that readily accepts a wide range of prepared and live foods, and overall it's a forgiving choice for newer fishkeepers willing to invest in a decent-sized school.