Product Details

Rummynose Tetra – Petitella bleheri

The Rummynose Tetra is a classic South American shoaling fish with a bright red head, silver body and striking black-and-white tail pattern. Correctly listed as Petitella bleheri, but still widely sold under the older name Hemigrammus bleheri, this is one of the best schooling tetras for peaceful planted aquariums. Its red head colour is also a useful indicator of condition, often becoming paler if the fish is stressed, newly introduced or kept in poor water quality.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Rummynose Tetra
Other Names: Rummy Nose Tetra, Bleher’s Rummynose Tetra, Brilliant Rummynose Tetra, Firehead Tetra, Red Nose Tetra
Scientific Name: Petitella bleheri
Older / Trade Name: Hemigrammus bleheri
Fish Type: Tetra / Characin
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:

Petitella bleheri is native to South America, particularly the Rio Negro basin in Brazil and the Rio Meta drainage in Colombia. These habitats are typically soft, acidic and often stained with tannins from leaf litter, wood and flooded forest material.

In the aquarium, Rummynose Tetras do best in mature, stable setups with clean water, plant cover, shaded areas and open swimming room. They are especially well suited to planted aquariums, blackwater-inspired displays and peaceful Amazon-style communities.

Appearance & Adult Size:

Rummynose Tetras have a slender silver to translucent body, a bright red head and a bold black-and-white barred tail. In Petitella bleheri, the red colour usually spreads farther back across the head and towards the shoulder than in some other rummy nose species. Healthy, settled fish show the strongest red colour.

Adults usually reach around 3.5–4.5 cm. Females are often slightly fuller-bodied than males, especially when mature, but sexing is not always obvious in shop conditions.

Aquarium Suitability:

This is an excellent peaceful shoaling fish for mature tropical community aquariums. Rummynose Tetras are active swimmers and look best in larger groups, where they move together in a more coordinated school than many other small tetras. They suit planted layouts with open front swimming space, darker décor and gentle to moderate flow.

They are not suitable for new aquariums, aggressive communities, hard-water livebearer setups, large predators or very boisterous tank mates that may outcompete or stress them.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 90 litres for a group, with a tank length of at least 75 cm recommended. Larger aquariums of 120 litres or more are preferred for bigger shoals and more natural schooling behaviour.

Keep in a group of at least 8, with 10 or more strongly preferred. Larger groups are more confident, show better colour and display more natural movement.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 22–28°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Hardness: Soft to moderately hard
Additional Notes: Rummynose Tetras prefer soft, acidic water and are sensitive to poor water quality. Captive-bred or well-acclimatised fish may adapt to moderately hard water, but they should not be exposed to sudden changes. Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero, nitrate low and water conditions stable.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Community Fish

Rummynose Tetras are peaceful community fish. Suitable tank mates include Cardinal Tetras, Neon Tetras, Ember Tetras, peaceful pencilfish, small rasboras, dwarf cichlids, Cory-type catfish, Otocinclus, small peaceful plecs and other calm fish that enjoy similar water conditions.

Avoid aggressive cichlids, fin-nipping barbs, large predators, very hard-water livebearers and fast, boisterous species that may outcompete them. They should not be kept singly, in pairs or in very small groups, as this makes them nervous and reduces schooling behaviour.

Feeding:

Rummynose Tetras are easy-feeding omnivores once settled. Offer quality fine flakes, micro pellets or small soft granules as the staple diet. Supplement with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, cyclops, brineshrimp, mosquito larvae and small bloodworm.

Feed small portions that are eaten quickly. A varied diet helps maintain the red head colour, clear body condition and active schooling behaviour.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

This species is famous for its tight schooling behaviour. A settled group will often move together through the middle levels of the aquarium, especially in open planted layouts. They are peaceful and rarely cause problems with tank mates, but they can become shy if kept in too small a group or with intimidating fish.

Rummynose Tetras are egg scatterers and do not provide parental care. If spawning occurs in a community aquarium, eggs and fry are usually eaten unless a separate breeding setup is used.

Care Notes:

Add Rummynose Tetras only to a mature, fully cycled aquarium. They are more sensitive to water-quality issues than some hardier tetras, so careful acclimation, regular water changes and stable conditions are important. Their red head colour can fade temporarily during transport, stress or poor conditions, then return once the fish are settled and healthy.

Use plants, wood and shaded areas for security, but leave open swimming space for the shoal. Avoid sudden changes in temperature, pH or hardness.

Recommended For:

Intermediate

Availability:

Common to occasional / Often captive-bred or farmed, with imports also seen

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, red head colour, body clarity, tail pattern and markings can occur between individual fish.