Family: Characidae
Distribution: Hyphessobrycon fernandezi is endemic to the Yaracuy River basin of South America.
PH: 6 – 7.5 pH
Temperature: 23 – 28°C (74 – 82°F)
Hardness: 2 – 15 dH
Description: Growing to just shy of 4cm, Hyphessobrycon fernandezi (if he’s anything like his relatives) is a peaceful, shoaling fish that is perfectly suited to a community tank. Non-aggressive and with displays of territoriality, this species will thrive when kept in groups of at least six.
Due to the uncommonness in the hobby, there is no available information regarding sexual dimorphism, colouration, or specific behaviours.
Diet: The Hyphessobrycon species are omnivores and should be fed a diet that is mostly flake food, with bi-weekly treats of live or frozen foods.
Breeding: Due to the lack of available information regarding the specifics of Hyphessobrycon fernandezi, the general method of breeding used for the Hyphessobrycon species has been included.
Separate a pair of one year olds into two conditioning tanks. They should be fed with insect larvae and Drosophila for two-to-three weeks, when they can then be introduced into a breeding tank. A 38L tank is sufficient size for the small Hyphessobrycon fernandezi.
The breeding tank should have a temperature of 24 – 26°C (75 – 79°F), a pH of 5.5 – 6.5, and dH of 2 – 4. It must be kept consistently clean and in the dark. It does not require any substrate, simply some fine-leaved plants and soft filtration (such as a foam or sponge).
The pair should spawn within three days – if not, repeat the process. Hypessobrycon fernandezi spawn into the leaves of the plants and should be removed immediately after the eggs are laid. The eggs will hatch within 2 days, and the fry will be free-swimming a few days after that. The fry can be fed on micro-organisms and baby Brine Shrimp for the first ten days, and then on crushed flake foods. The water should be partially changed weekly.
Comments: Hyphessobrycon fernandezi is rare in the hobby and therefore there is limited information available. For this reason, general information pertaining to the Hyphessobrycon family has been included.
The species is, in general, very easy to keep and suitable for an aquarist of any experience level.
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 02:26:49. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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