The ‘tet from Rio’ is only 1.5 inch in length but has such a delicate beauty that it is in continual demand. The body colouring is silver with a decided flush of pink deepening in density, as it approaches the tail, into a delicate rose red which entirely covers the anal fin and gives rise to the name ‘flammeus,’ meaning flame-like. The adipose (in is apparent as with most Characins, but it is Fairly little. Given lots of room and fed well with occasional variations of daphnia, the ‘tet’ will show itself to benefit.
Sexing could be done by a number of techniques. The males have the typical hook to the anal in. The hook is situated on the rear end of the anal fin, but it is very challenging to see it with the naked eye. For this reason you should be careful when netting, as the anal fin tends to turn out to be caught in the mesh of the net. The anal fin is also fuller in the male.
They breed nearly in the standard manner. A thick clump of Myriophyllum or comparable fine-leafed plant should be placed in one end of the aquarium.
The courtship consists of lively chasing by the male, which ends in the pair lying in a parallel position among the plants. About ten eggs are then dropped and fertilised. This is repeated until a hundred eggs or much more have been dropped. These little, translucent, slightly adhesive eggs will remain among the plants if not disturbed. Those which fall off have about a fifty-fifty chance of hatching. A higher percentage of fertilised eggs could be expected if two males are utilized to one female. Instantly upon completion of the spawning, the tetras should be removed, for it is then that they’re most likely to eat the eggs.
Most fish prefer live daphnia to their own eggs, so a little quantity should be given whilst the spawning is taking place.
Green water is a great initial food, followed by infusoria or egg water.