Lemon tetra
Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis
easy careOverview
The lemon tetra (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) is an understated classic — a semi-translucent pale-yellow body, a bright red eye and fins edged in black and lemon that males flash when displaying. It won’t shout for attention like a cardinal, but a settled shoal in a planted tank has a soft, elegant glow, and few tetras are hardier or longer-lived. That toughness and its wide tolerance of water conditions make it a great easy community fish.
Tank & water
A forgiving shoaling fish that still needs room and numbers:
- A cycled tank of at least 75 litres — cycle the aquarium before stocking and check how many fish in an aquarium.
- Temperature 23–28 °C with a reliable heater.
- Soft to hard water (pH 5.5–8.0) — their broad tolerance is a real advantage for beginners. Gentle filtration suits them.
- A planted layout with a dark substrate — plants and subdued lighting deepen their yellow.
Feeding
Lemon tetras are easy omnivores. A staple of quality tropical flake or micro-pellet, plus frozen or live daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm, keeps them bright and healthy. Feed small amounts once or twice a day. See the fish food hub and best fish food picks for suitable foods.
Tankmates
Peaceful and adaptable, lemon tetras mix well with most calm community fish — other tetras like glowlight, black neon and congo tetras, corydoras, rasboras, peaceful gouramis and dwarf shrimp. Avoid large, aggressive or persistently nippy species. A shoal of lemons is a gentle, long-lived backbone for a mixed tank.
For a stable, planted community, our best aquarium for beginners guide covers the essentials — lemon tetras are one of the most durable and easy-going shoals in the hobby.
Lemon tetra — frequently asked questions
Are lemon tetras easy to keep?
Yes, they're one of the more forgiving tetras. Lemon tetras tolerate a wide pH range, adapt well to community tanks and are long-lived once settled. A cycled, planted aquarium and a shoal of six or more keeps them healthy and colourful.
Why are my lemon tetras pale?
Lemon tetras naturally show fairly subtle colour, but a washed-out look usually means stress, a bright bare tank, poor diet or too small a group. A dark substrate, planting, good varied food and a proper shoal bring out their yellow and the red eye.
How many lemon tetras should I keep together?
At least six, and eight to twelve is better. They're shoaling fish that display and colour up in numbers; males also flare and spar attractively within a larger group, which you rarely see with just a few fish.
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