Cardinal Tetra

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Cardinal Tetras (Paracheirodon axelrodi) are a species of Tetra native to the Upper Orinoco and Negro River Basins in South America.

They are often mistaken for their cousins, the Neon Tetra, but Cardinal Tetras grow slightly larger and their red stripe continues the entire length of their body.

Habitat

In the wild, Cardinal Tetras make their homes in the Upper Orinoco and Negro River Basins in South America.

These fish inhabit soft waters and are a gregarious shoaling fish. 

Male specimens of this species tend to be more slender than Females when reaching maturity, with the Females being rounder and more full bodied.

A comfortable temperature for these fish is between 23°C - 27°C.

Size

Our specimens currently measure approx. 2cm - 3cm

This species' maximum size typically reaches approx. 4cm

Aquarium

We recommend an aquarium with a minimum capacity of 55 Litres. The more fish you have, the more space they will require in which to thrive.

These are very peaceful fish that do well in a community aquarium with other fish of similar size and temperament. 

Cardinal Tetras thrive when in a group of at least 6 fish as they are a schooling fish, and more members of the shoal make them feeler safer and behave with more confidence.

The aquarium should have some floating plants for them to hide in. They also enjoy leaf litter and bog wood. This will better replicate their natural environment.

They tend to look best in a properly aquascaped tank, where their shoaling behaviour and vibrant colours make a beautiful centre piece. Different lighting accentuates their colours differently, with brighter lights making their red streak stand out more prominently.

The tank should be well established to avoid any surprise changes in water parameters that may upset or be otherwise detrimental to the fish.

Feed with small flake, granule, or small frozen meaty foods such as daphnia and mosquito larvae.

pH levels should fall between the 4 - 7 range.
Hardness should fall between 5 - 12 dGH

Behaviour

This peaceful fish gets along with most species of similar size. As with most tetras, they look more impressive the bigger their shoal is. They tend to break into smaller groups when foraging, coming back together into the larger shoal for travelling and to feel safe.

This is a freshwater species - Do not put them in a marine / saltwater aquarium.