Product Details

Ember Tetra – Hyphessobrycon amandae

Overview:

The Ember Tetra is a tiny, glowing orange shoaling fish that brings warm colour and gentle movement to planted aquariums. Its small adult size and peaceful temperament make Hyphessobrycon amandae especially popular for nano-style aquascapes, soft-water communities and calm tanks with other small fish. Although often recommended for beginners, it should still be kept in a mature aquarium with stable water, fine foods and a proper group so it feels secure and shows its best colour.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Ember Tetra
Other Names: Fire Tetra, Amanda’s Tetra, Dwarf Red Tetra, Orange Ember Tetra
Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon amandae
Fish Type: Tetra
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:

The Ember Tetra is native to South America, specifically the Araguaia River basin in Brazil. FishBase lists the species as a small tropical freshwater tetra from this drainage, reaching around 2 cm standard length.

In nature, it is associated with quiet, vegetated waters where small fish can shelter among plants, roots, leaf litter and shaded margins. In the aquarium, it looks best in a mature planted setup with fine plants, floating cover, darker décor and gentle flow.

Appearance & Adult Size:

Ember Tetras have a slim, delicate body with a bright orange, amber or flame-red glow. Colour intensity varies with age, diet, lighting, water quality and stress level; settled groups in planted aquariums usually become much richer in colour than newly arrived fish. Adults are very small, usually around 2 cm, making them one of the better choices for peaceful nano and small community aquariums.

Females are often slightly fuller-bodied, while males may appear slimmer and more intensely coloured.

Aquarium Suitability:

This is an excellent fish for peaceful planted aquariums, nano communities and soft-water displays. Ember Tetras suit aquariums with mosses, fine-leaved plants, floating plants, botanicals, bogwood and open midwater swimming areas. They are not suitable for aggressive communities, large predatory fish, boisterous tank mates or brand-new aquariums with unstable water quality.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 40–45 litres for a small group, with 60 litres or more preferred for a larger shoal and better long-term stability. Although they are tiny, Ember Tetras look and behave best in numbers, so it is better to provide room for a group rather than keep only a few fish.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 23–28°C
pH: 5.5–7.2
Hardness: Soft to moderately hard; soft water preferred
Additional Notes: Clean, stable water is more important than chasing exact numbers. FishBase gives a tropical range of 24–28°C, while Seriously Fish recommends slightly acidic to neutral water and a mature, planted aquarium for best results. Avoid sudden parameter swings and high nitrate.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Community Fish

Ember Tetras are peaceful, shy shoaling fish. Suitable tank mates include small rasboras, pencilfish, small peaceful tetras, Otocinclus, small Cory-type catfish, dwarf shrimp with caution, and gentle micro-community fish that will not outcompete them.

Avoid angelfish, large gouramis, aggressive cichlids, fin-nipping barbs, large tetras and very fast feeders. Adult shrimp are usually safe, but tiny shrimplets may be eaten. Keep in a group of at least 8, with 10–20 or more preferred for best confidence, colour and natural shoaling.

Feeding:

Ember Tetras need small foods. Offer fine crushed flakes, micro pellets and tiny granules as the staple diet. Supplement with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, cyclops, baby brineshrimp, microworms and finely chopped bloodworm. Their small mouths mean food must be appropriately sized. Feed small portions that the group can finish quickly.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

This species usually occupies the middle levels of the aquarium, moving in a loose shoal through plants and open spaces. In small numbers it can become shy and washed out, but in a larger group it becomes more confident and colourful. Males may display subtly to one another among plants without causing serious aggression.

Care Notes:

Add Ember Tetras only to a mature, fully cycled aquarium. Provide plant cover, gentle filtration and a secure lid, as small tetras can jump if startled. Avoid keeping them with large or boisterous fish that may cause stress. Their colour improves greatly with low stress, clean water, a varied diet and a decent-sized group. Most Ember Tetras in the trade are captive-bred, making them generally adaptable when acclimated carefully.

Recommended For:

Beginner to intermediate

Availability:

Common / Usually captive-bred

Image Disclaimer:

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Natural variation in size, colour, pattern and markings can occur between individual fish.