Lemon tetra (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Lemon, Albino lemon tetra (bred form)
Family
Acestrorhamphidae (American tetras; formerly Characidae)
Origin
Central Brazil, mainly the Rio Tapajós basin in Pará state, and also recorded from the lower Rio Xingu. Trade fish are commercially bred; wild collection is rare.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
4 cm
Temperature
22–28°C
pH
5–7.5
Hardness
Soft to medium, 1–12 dGH
Minimum tank
72 litres
Care level
beginner
Temperament
peaceful
Lifespan
6–8 years years

Care

A very peaceful, easy-going tetra whose colours are subtle in a shop tank but glow once they settle. Buy at least 8–10: males form temporary pecking orders while competing for females, and in a group they colour up and behave much more interestingly. A tank with a base of at least 80 × 30 cm (about 72 litres) suits a group. A sandy substrate with driftwood, plants and some dried leaf litter looks natural and shows them off well; the leaves also release tannins and grow microbes that young fry can graze on. They are adaptable but do best in warm, soft to moderately hard water that is acidic to neutral: around 22–28 °C, pH 5–7.5. Nearly all stock is farmed in several countries, so they settle into most well-kept community tanks without trouble. Keep up regular partial water changes. Lemon tetras often look pale in bare dealers' tanks but colour up well in a planted aquarium; they have been in the hobby since 1932. Sources: Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/hyphessobrycon-pulchripinnis/); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Hyphessobrycon-pulchripinnis.html); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemontetra). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Probably omnivorous in the wild, eating small invertebrates and plant matter. Feed a varied menu: good flake or small granules, plus live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, mosquito larvae and Daphnia to bring out the yellow and red colouring.

Breeding

An egg-scattering free spawner with no parental care, which often spawns in mature tanks. Males are slimmer, slightly smaller and more intensely coloured, especially in the dorsal and anal fins. For a planned spawning, use a small, dimly lit tank of mature water, slightly acidic to neutral and at the warm end of the range, with mesh, plastic grass matting or marbles on the base, or fine-leaved plants or spawning mops, and a gentle air-driven sponge filter. Add a conditioned pair, or one or two males with several females, and remove them once eggs are seen, usually the next morning. Feed the fry Paramecium or a 5–50 micron dry food first, then brine shrimp nauplii and microworm.

Compatibility and tank mates

Very peaceful and an excellent community fish. Good companions include similarly sized tetras, hatchetfish, pencilfish, Corydoras, small plecos and peaceful small-to-medium cichlids. Avoid large or predatory fish.

Last updated 4 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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