Bleeding Heart Tetra

COMMON NAME: Bleeding Heart Tetra.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma.

SYNONYM: Hyphessobrycon rubrostignza

DESIGNATION: Tropical.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Upper Amazonbasin.

SIZE: Up to 8 cm (c. 3.2 in), usually smaller.

WATER PREFERENCES: Soft, slightly acid conditions between 23-27°C (c. 74-80T) are preferred.

DIET: All foods – live foods in particular.

BREEDING: Not an easy species. Spawning is in typical Characin fashion.

As its common name implies, H. erythrostigma has a pronounced spot in the `heart' region of the body. For best effect, this species should be kept in sizeable shoals in a roomy aquarium. There are a few similarly shaped and similarly colored fish available to hobbyists.

Classification of these can be very difficult as a result of interbreeding, synonyms, poorly understood relationships and the development of long-finned varieties. Some of the most common species of this type are: Serpae Tetra (Hyphessobrycon serpae) with a black heart spot.

Rosy Tetra (H. rosaceus) without a heart spot. Other species with spots are often wrongly referred to as H. rosaceus, including H. callistus and H. serpae. Griem's Tetra (H. griemi) with two darkish heart spots, the posterior one is very prominent. Flame Tetra (H. flammeus) very similar toH. griemi but with dark, rather than light edges to anal and pelvic fins.

H. callistus is very similar to H. bentosi but has a more oval or lozenge-shaped heart spot. Some authorities believe these two fish to besubspecies of H. callistus, along with

H. minor which has a tiny heart spot and, even,H. rosaceus itself. Classification, as this show, is in a somewhat difficult, confused and debatable state.

Bleeding Heart Tetra Information

• The bleeding heart fish grow very large in size. So it would be ideal for the fish to be grown in a large sized tank. The fish is very lively in nature and is also very active. It requires ample free open space to swim around.
• The fish has an elegant look. It has a wonderful shape and develops a wonderful color after few months when kept in captivity and properly fed. It should be given food for at least 3 days a week. It would be ideal for the health of the fish if it is given frozen brine shrimp to eat.
• The male fish can be identified by the long and flowing dorsal fin. Both the male and the female are beautifully colored and they are so named because of the bright red speck toward the heart region of the fish.
• The fish should be kept in a group of 4 or 5. It would more welcoming for the fish in case it is kept in a group of more than 5 individuals.
• The fish breed is very hardy in nature. They are also very peaceful and prefer to stay in groups. The fish is brilliantly colored and is also not found to be very shy.