Family: Characidae
Distribution: Hyphessobrycon megalopterus makes its home in the Guapore River and the upper region of the Paraguay River system in Bolivia and Brazil. They prefer the dense plantation in clear water rivers.
PH: 6.0 – 7.5pH
Temperature: 22 – 28°C (72 – 82°F)
Hardness: 2 – 15 dH
Description: Hyphessobrycon megalopterus is one of the most elegant of their species. Their bodies are a dark blue-grey colour, with the scales have a dark edging. Sitting just behind the gills is a large, elongated somewhat-diamond-shaped spot. This spot is edged by a light silver-blue colour. The eyes of the Black Phantom Tetra are remarkable, with a single black line running vertically through it.
The finnage of the Black Phantom Tetra is what makes it most distinct amongst the Hyphessobrycon species. All the fins have black pigmentation (the caudal fins being darkest). The dorsal fins are fantastic, looking almost like large, flat sea-shells. They have an iridescent sheen to them, and a somewhat metallic-looking edging. The anal fin is extended and elongated. The males will develop a pointed dorsal fin when they have matured; whereas the females finally get an edge in colouration with red or orange edging to their adipose, anal and ventral fins. The females are, of course, plumper than the males.
When mature, Hyphessobrycon megalopterus will reach 4.5cm. It should be kept in schools of no less than five.
Diet: A flake-and-pellet staple diet is suitable, with some frozen or live foods (such as brine shrimp or bloodworm) to encourage the best colouration. Phantom Tetras are remarkably easy to feed as they will accept almost anything you give them.
Breeding: Two conditioning tanks should be established to house a one-year-old male and a one-year-old female. These should be conditioned on Drosophila and insect larvae for two-to-three weeks, before the duo can be introduced into a 45L breeding tank. To set up a breeding tank, include 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 as they are 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. Do not introduce the fry into the community tank until they are large enough to not be a meal.
Hemigrammus loretoensis may be spawned in groups (half a dozen of each sex) or in pairs. If using groups, follow the same conditioning process only have a tank of six females and a tank of six males. Then pick the plumpest female and most colourful male.
Comments: This is an easy fish to care for and breed and is therefore suitable for beginners. It is widely available commercially, but this is only because those specimens are bred in captivity. The wild-bred varieties are difficult to find.
Because it is commercially-bred, it is best suited a (40L) normal Hyphessobrycon tank that is well-planted, dimly lit and has some room to swim about. It can also thrive in an Amazonian biotope tank.
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 06:40:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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