Lemon Tetra

Glassily transparent, the lemon tetra (hyphessobrycon
pulchripinnis) could appear to be just a sunbeam flashing
through your community tank if not for background elements like
plants and driftwood. Another member of the large characin clan,
the lemon tetra has a fairly elongated body like its smaller
relative the neon tetra and like neons and other characins, the
lemon tetra does best if kept in small schools of six to eight
fish.

One of the most distinguishing features of the lemon tetra is
their large eyes. The upper part of the lemon tetra’s eye is
brilliant red, which is a sharp contrast to the yellow pastels
it displays in its body colors. Actually, though, the lemon
tetra is quite colorful on close inspection. Body coloring is a
delicate pale yellow, flanks are silver, and the leading edge of
the anal fin is shiny-bright-yellow and sharply divided from the
other rays, which are black. In the male, the rest of the anal
fin is broad and fringed in black, a characteristic that is
missing in the plumper female. As many male characins do, the
male lemon tetras also have tiny hooks on their anal fins. Both
males and females have the tetras’ characteristic adipose fin,
which is also pale yellow in color.

Although omnivorous and able to exist on a diet of flaked food,
the pale yellow color of the lemon tetra displays best if the
fish’s standard diet is well supplemented with live treats. The
lemon tetra is an egg-scatterer. However, breeding can be tricky
since females often have a problem expelling their eggs and
after spawning, the lemon tetra like many others of its species,
is quick to cannibalize its eggs if not removed from the
breeding tank. However, eggs will hatch in about 24 hours after
spawning. Fry should be fed a live diet and if they survive,
they’ll be about two inches long as adults.