Fire Ant Tetra Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Fire Ant Tetra is a small, vividly marked characin named for its fiery red and orange coloration. Its compact, silvery-gold body is usually complemented by a strong red wash across the head and front half of the body, while darker markings and translucent fins add contrast. Well-conditioned specimens can develop an especially intense, ember-like appearance.

Fire Ant Tetras are native to Brazil in South America, where Hyphessobrycon myrmex occurs in the upper Rio Araguaia drainage. They come from warm, relatively clear freshwater streams and smaller tributaries in the central Brazilian cerrado region.

A group should be housed in an aquarium of at least 60 litres, with a footprint around 60 by 30 cm or larger. Use gentle filtration, subdued lighting and plenty of open swimming space alongside dense planting, driftwood and shaded areas that provide cover. A dark, fine-grained substrate helps bring out their colours, while leaf litter or botanicals can create a natural stream-like feel; keep the aquarium mature, stable and securely covered.

Up to about 3.5 cm (1.4 in) standard length. Females are typically slightly larger and deeper-bodied than males.

Fire Ant Tetras are omnivores and should receive a varied diet of quality micro-pellets or small flakes supplemented with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, mosquito larvae and newly hatched brine shrimp. Small portions offered once or twice daily help ensure that every fish gets food, particularly in a group where more dominant individuals may feed first.

Fire Ant Tetras are generally peaceful and suit a community aquarium containing other similarly sized, calm South American fish. Good companions include small rasboras, peaceful tetras, pencilfish, dwarf corydoras and other non-aggressive catfish. Avoid large predatory fish, boisterous barbs, fin-nippers and highly aggressive species, which may intimidate them or treat them as prey.

Fire Ant Tetras are egg-scattering characins that can be bred in a separate, dimly lit spawning aquarium with soft, slightly acidic water and fine-leaved plants or a spawning mop. Condition a group with plenty of small live or frozen foods, then allow spawning after a temperature increase or a partial water change. The adults should be removed promptly because they may eat the eggs. The eggs hatch in roughly a day, and the tiny fry become free-swimming after several more days; feed them infusoria or another suitably fine first food before moving on to newly hatched brine shrimp.

Females are usually fuller-bodied, particularly when carrying eggs, while males tend to be slimmer and may show stronger colour intensity and more extended fin development. Differences can be subtle in young or poorly conditioned fish.