# Bloodfin Tetra



## jameson_uk (26 Aug 2020)

Does anyone keep bloodfin tetras? (The normal ones not the glass ones)

Just interested in photos of them once they have settled in, what areas of the tank they occupy and how they cope with flow.


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## JeffK (26 Aug 2020)

What's the scientific name? Aphyocharax rathbuni? Common names are confusing.


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## jameson_uk (26 Aug 2020)

JK1991 said:


> What's the scientific name? Aphyocharax rathbuni? Common names are confusing.



Aphyocharax Anisitsi I think


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## alto (26 Aug 2020)

The Seriously Fish profile + Aquarium Glaser comment re variable coloration - and especially the SF profile response - should give a decent idea 

I’d want to keep them in at least a 90cm long tank though, they are active swimmers given space to move


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## jameson_uk (26 Aug 2020)

alto said:


> The Seriously Fish profile + Aquarium Glaser comment re variable coloration - and especially the SF profile response - should give a decent idea


The Seriously Fish profile is a little vague...   I tend to use their parameters over anywhere else but I find there is lots of detail of where they originate from in the wild and reproduction but not a great amount on how they are in the tank (not really sure what they can say though which is why I was looking for experiences of anyone who has kept them )

For Aquarium Glaser the only page I can find is this which just says bred ones are uniform and wilds vary a lot?



> I’d want to keep them in at least a 90cm long tank though, they are active swimmers given space to move


Tank is 1m long so that isn't a problem.  I am down to my last three black neon tetras and I am left with almost all bottom dwellers.  I am looking at some combination of bumping their numbers, adding bloodfin tetras and / or neon dwarf rainbowfish just can't make a decision


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## dw1305 (26 Aug 2020)

Hi all, 





jameson_uk said:


> Aphyocharax anisitsi


They are an "old-fashioned" fish, good all around but don't like it too warm. 

I think they went out of fashion when people had more reliable heating and understood water management better, allowing them to keep more "difficult" and colorful fish.

I've never kept _A. rathbuni, _but they are prettier, and I believe non-problematic.

cheers Darrel


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## alto (27 Aug 2020)

Both “bloodfin species” are pretty standard fare in local shops
(A rathbuni are more suited to community tanks, and must second the “prettier’  )

I find A anisitsi on the large size for the tanks I keep (have seen some substantial specimens that were brought in by moving etc hobbyists), from shop observations, they inhabit the whole tank (even in a 90cm x 60cm x 45cm high)

I suspect shoals of both black neons and bloodfins would be OK, but would keep suitable numbers of each, and establish the black neons first, or begin with juvenile bloodfins

If you want to leave just the 3 black neons, I’d add small juvenile neon rainbows or bloodfins (whichever you choose)
FWIW I don’t see the black neons really shoaling long term with with the A anisitsi or dwarf rainbows (which can vary considerably in temperament - ranging from relatively mild to nasty aggressive to other fish - after a mortality experience with the latter, I don’t recommend them for general community tanks)


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## Conort2 (27 Aug 2020)

Dwarf neon rainbows are lovely fish but you’ll struggle to find decent stock. I have had the same issue in the past as @alto where they only last a few months. If you can get decent stock from a verified bloodline go for it, if not I’d give them a miss.

 The blood fins are pretty much bullet proof and A.Rathbuni would be a good choice. They look great once settled in.

Cheers

Conor


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## Gill (27 Aug 2020)

Have Kept both, and they prefer to swim mid to top levels.
Yes they prefer cooler waters below 22 degrees. Not fussy eaters, will take most foods.
A very fast fish that will dart across the tank quickly as a group. Very fast at feeding time shooting towards the surface to grab the food.


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## jameson_uk (27 Aug 2020)

Conort2 said:


> Dwarf neon rainbows are lovely fish but you’ll struggle to find decent stock. I have had the same issue in the past as @alto where they only last a few months. If you can get decent stock from a verified bloodline go for it, if not I’d give them a miss.


When I started out the tank I had 10 but these dropped off one by one over several months. This is another thing to consider as the rainbows are relatively expensive (since lockdown I think LFS has bumped the price up to something like £15 for two ) but I have seen some better looking stock at a shop about an hour away which are three for £9 but are pretty small. Tempted to order some from Sweet Knowle Aquatics if I do get some( (which look to be £24.75 for six)

I have been looking at the bloodfins as they seem pretty suited to my hard water and look like they school / shoal more than others. (Even when I had a lot more black neons they never really shown any interest in each other). They also seem pretty active fish to add some movement to the tank.

The bloodfins look quite nice when you see pictures like this




But I suspect this isn't typical and is more likely the lighting or Photoshop editing. Other photos seem a bit more silver with red fin tips and others look just silver with very little red (which is how they look in the shop)


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## Driftless (27 Aug 2020)

Interesting, I am considering an online order for bloodfin tetras for  a new tank.


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## JeffK (27 Aug 2020)

I think they can look like that, but perhaps not when they're in hard water. I advise a RO unit or collect rainwater.

I have A. rathbuni and the red in their fins really pops out, especially with the more dominant specimens. I imagine it isn't any different with A. anisitsi.


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## jameson_uk (27 Aug 2020)

JK1991 said:


> I think they can look like that, but perhaps not when they're in hard water. I advise a RO unit or collect rainwater.
> 
> I have A. rathbuni and the red in their fins really pops out, especially with the more dominant specimens. I imagine it isn't any different with A. anisitsi.



I initially started looking at bloodfins as everything I have read suggests they are hard water fish and wouldn't do too well in soft water.


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## Conort2 (27 Aug 2020)

jameson_uk said:


> When I started out the tank I had 10 but these dropped off one by one over several months. This is another thing to consider as the rainbows are relatively expensive (since lockdown I think LFS has bumped the price up to something like £15 for two ) but I have seen some better looking stock at a shop about an hour away which are three for £9 but are pretty small. Tempted to order some from Sweet Knowle Aquatics if I do get some( (which look to be £24.75 for six)
> 
> I have been looking at the bloodfins as they seem pretty suited to my hard water and look like they school / shoal more than others. (Even when I had a lot more black neons they never really shown any interest in each other). They also seem pretty active fish to add some movement to the tank.
> 
> ...


I think they can look like that quite easily, I see some in a lfs the other day and they weren’t far off of that. So once indoors settled in your home aquarium they should look even better.

Cheers

Conor


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## JeffK (28 Aug 2020)

jameson_uk said:


> I initially started looking at bloodfins as everything I have read suggests they are hard water fish and wouldn't do too well in soft water.



Where'd you find such info? 

They are from the Paraná river where the water is relatively soft and slightly acidic.


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## jameson_uk (28 Aug 2020)

JK1991 said:


> Where'd you find such info?
> 
> They are from the Paraná river where the water is relatively soft and slightly acidic.


As these are _classic_ fish I guess they are now probably quite far removed from wild conditions.

https://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/bloodfin-tetra.html
https://meethepet.com/bloodfin-tetra/ (section about breeding)
And various searches (and probably definitive fact sources such as YouTube )

I do wonder how much info is mixed up with Prionobrama filigera (glass bloodfin tetra) which does seem to have more info suggesting that they want GH 10 for breeding (although SeriouslyFish says GH 1-5)

Certainly everything suggests they are happier than other species in hard water.

Ummmm more to think about


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## dw1305 (28 Aug 2020)

Hi all, 





JK1991 said:


> They are from the Paraná river where the water is relatively soft and slightly acidic.


I think most fish from this area are OK at higher pH levels. Some rivers have calcareous input, so it isn't like the central Amazon basin, where the water is very soft.  

_Corydoras hastatus_ and _Apistogramma borelli_ are from this region, I've kept them and they don't need really soft water.

cheers Darrel


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## JeffK (28 Aug 2020)

jameson_uk said:


> As these are _classic_ fish I guess they are now probably quite far removed from wild conditions.
> 
> https://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/bloodfin-tetra.html
> https://meethepet.com/bloodfin-tetra/ (section about breeding)
> ...



Well, I like to keep fish in water as close to their natural conditions as possible. That being said, if they thrive and breed in harder water, I don't see why you should hesitate. 

I didn't mean they are sensitive as blackwater species, I just wasn't sure what you meant with harder water. I don't think you mean Tanganyika/Malawi type of water parameters?



dw1305 said:


> Hi all, I think most fish from this area are OK at higher pH levels. Some rivers have calcareous input, so it isn't like the central Amazon basin, where the water is very soft.
> 
> _Corydoras hastatus_ and _Apistogramma borelli_ are from this region, I've kept them and they don't need really soft water.
> 
> cheers Darrel



Hi Darren,

Yes, these fish are more comfortable at 'higher' water parameters than most blackwater species. Rivers like Paraguay and Paraná run through grassy wetlands and have less wood and leaves that influence parameters. They even have rocks in them and small backwaters a few hundred metres apart can differ a lot. You are right that fish from these waters are much more adaptable.

I wouldn't recommend keeping them in water with pH 7+ and KH/GH 5+, though. 

I have a Paraguay B2 biotope, running on approx. 90% RO water, but I live in a hardwater area. It depends on where you live.


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## jameson_uk (28 Aug 2020)

JK1991 said:


> Well, I like to keep fish in water as close to their natural conditions as possible. That being said, if they thrive and breed in harder water, I don't see why you should hesitate.
> 
> I didn't mean they are sensitive as blackwater species, I just wasn't sure what you meant with harder water. I don't think you mean Tanganyika/Malawi type of water parameters?


Not far off.   Out the tap my GH is 12 and KH is 5.
Almost every reference I have found lists bloodfins says GH up to at least 15 and some say 30.

I know this is the Glass Bloodfins rather than the bloodfins I was looking at but that says their experience of keeping them in acidic conditions was negative. Also has some odd suggestion that neons excrete some acid that kills them so not sure how much I trust that 

I was originally drawn to them on the basis they were hard water fish so I think this does push me back towards the neon dwarf rainbowfish


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## JeffK (28 Aug 2020)

jameson_uk said:


> Not far off.   Out the tap my GH is 12 and KH is 5.
> Almost every reference I have found lists bloodfins says GH up to at least 15 and some say 30.
> 
> I know this is the Glass Bloodfins rather than the bloodfins I was looking at but that says their experience of keeping them in acidic conditions was negative. Also has some odd suggestion that neons excrete some acid that kills them so not sure how much I trust that
> ...



Prionobrama filigera are much different than A. anisitsi, but coming from the Rio Madeira (whiteriver), I also don't expect them to handle harder water and higher pH too well. 

Then again, I'm more of a purist in this regard and I don't want to put you off purchasing these fish. 

I do find it odd that some suggest 15 to 30 GH. I'm not even sure there are fish in the trade that can handle that kind of hardness.


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## Driftless (28 Aug 2020)

There is an online vendor in the US that says that Glass Bloodfins can take up to 30dGH and PH up to 8.  I am not sure that I buy those numbers.


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## hypnogogia (28 Aug 2020)

According to SF.
pH: Quite adaptable and seems to be equally happy whether maintained in slightly alkaline or acidic conditions. A pH anywhere within the range 6.0 – 7.5 should be ok.

Hardness: Up to 30°H.

https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/prionobrama-filigera/


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## Driftless (29 Aug 2020)

I am likely to order some when my new tank is cycled, it is likely to be a planted discus tank.  https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/new-project-water-just-added.62065/#post-611952


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