Congo Tetra

COMMON NAMES: Congo Tetra or (rarely)Congo Salmon

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Micralestes zrzterruptus

SYNONYM: Phenacogramnzus interrupt

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Central Africa, particularly Zaire

SIZE: Up to around 9 cm (c. 31/2 in)

WATER PREFERENCES: Soft, acid water is preferred. Temperature range - around 24°C (75°F).

DIET: Will take all foods, particularly aquatic live foods. Some plants are also eaten, so a vegetable dietary component is desirable.

BREEDING: Not an easy species. Adults need to be well conditioned. Chances of success may be enhanced if shoal, rather than single-pair, spawning is attempted. Egg laying maybe spread out over a number of days and consists of scattering the eggs among fine-leaved vegetation.

DESCRIPTION: This is one of the relatively few Tetras to come from Africa and almost the only one from that continent to be found with any regularity in the hobby. The Congo Tetra is well known to aquarists both as Phenacogrammus and Micralestes.

There still appears to be some debate over its precise name but, in keeping with recent trends, I have chosen Micralestes as the current scientific name, relegating Phenacogrammus to the level of synonym.

Congo Tetra Information

• The fish should be kept in a tank having a ph level of pH 6.0 and 7.5 and the GH between 5 and 19. The temperature of the water would be in between 23 to 27 degree Celsius. Since most of the fish of this variety are captive bred, they have grown hardy enough to tolerate the alkaline chemical content of the water.
• The fish is ideal for large sized tanks. They are of shoaling variety and must be kept along with few of its companions belonging to the same breed. The minimum size of a tank should at least be 90 x 30 x 30cm. This size is ideal for a small group of adults of moderate size.
• One can be easily able to identify the sex of the fish. The female fish is smaller and less brightly pigmented that the male fish. As the male fish get matured they develop hues of iridescent blue coloration. The male fish also develops filaments located at the dorsal and caudal fins.
• The fish is of the egg scattering type. It is quite difficult to breed them in captivity. Even if they are captive bred the eggs laid are often eaten by the fish themselves. So, in order to initiate successful breeding one should arrange for another tank where the eggs are to be transferred immediately after they are laid by the parent fish. The water of the tank in which the fish should be kept must be of soft water variety having a comparatively lower ph level.