Serpae tetra

The serpae tetra is a deep-bodied characin of the family Characidae, native to the Amazon and Paraguay river basins of South America. It is a rich brick-red to orange color with a comma-shaped dark shoulder mark and black-and-red fins, making it a popular and colorful community fish. It is an active, boisterous shoaling species with a reputation for fin-nipping, especially when kept in too-small a group. Keeping it in a shoal of eight or more directs aggression among themselves and reduces harassment of tankmates; slow-moving or long-finned fish make poor companions. It is hardy and adaptable, thriving in a planted tank with soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic water and some open swimming space. It readily eats flakes, micro-pellets, and frozen foods. It is an egg-scattering spawner that will breed in soft, acidic water, though the adults will eat their own eggs if not removed.