Family: Characidae
Distribution: The Paraguay River basin in Paraguay, South America is where Hyphessobrycon elachys choses to make its home. Reports also suggest it can be found somewhere in Brazil.
PH: 6.5 – 7.0 pH
Temperature: 24 – 27°C (75 – 81°F)
Hardness: 5 – 8 dH
Description: Like its Hyphessobrycon relatives, Hyphessobrycon elachys is a peaceful, calm, shoaling fish who does well in community tanks. It is also lively, adding streaks of colour and action to any dull tank.
Hyphessobrycon elachys will grow to around 5cm in length.
Diet: Although flakes and pellets will be accepted by Hyphessobrycon elachys, they require a high live food content in their diet. This can be supplemented by frozen food most of the time (with live as an occasional treat).
Breeding: There is little information available regarding breeding methodology for Hyphessobrycon elachys, so the general method used for the family has been included.
Transfer a year-old male and a year-old female to separate conditioning tanks. Use insect larvae and Drosophila to condition the duo for two-to-three weeks, before introducing them to one another in a breeding tank (at least 40L). The breeding tank should have many fine-leaved plants and a soft filtration system, but do not use substrate. Use water with a pH of 5.5 – 6.5, a dH of 2 – 4, and a temperature of 24 – 26°C (75 – 79°F). It is unknown if the eggs are light-sensitive, so it is best to keep them out of direct sunlight just in case.
It should take three days for the pair to spawn. If no eggs appear, recondition them. The eggs will appear in the leaves of the plants and the parents should be removed immediately after spawning (cannibalistic). A little over twenty-four hours after being laid, the eggs will hatch. The fry will appear few days later and should be fed on an initial diet of micro-organisms and baby Brine, and crushed flake ten days later.
The eggs and fry require partial water changes on a weekly basis as they are susceptible to illness in poor water conditions.
Comments: Plantation is key to establishing a tank for your Hyphessobrycon elachys: the sides and back should have dense plantation, and floating plants should be utilised to dim the lighting. They will enjoy a large area of free swimming space in the middle of the tank; as well as a slow to moderate current.
Article/Books:
Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio) and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.
Originally posted 2010-04-21 02:10:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
