Congo tetra

The Congo tetra is a striking characin of the family Alestidae, native to the Congo River basin in central Africa. Males develop iridescent bodies that shimmer blue, gold, and orange along the flanks, with flowing, feathery grey-white extensions on the tail and dorsal fin. It is a peaceful, active shoaling fish that should be kept in groups of six or more, where males display their best colors. Because it can be shy and is a fairly large tetra, it does best with calm, similarly sized tankmates rather than fin-nippers. A spacious, well-planted tank with subdued lighting and a dark substrate brings out its iridescence, in soft, slightly acidic water. An omnivore, it accepts flakes, small live foods, and vegetable matter. It is an egg-scatterer that spawns among fine-leaved plants, though the eggs are sensitive to light.