Serpae Tetra

[skywalker525]

Can anyone fill me in on any personal experiences with the Serpae Tetra. I get very conflicting information on the internet and in books. Some say it is a peaceful fish and some say it will terrorize everything in the tank until they die. I was hoping someone with personal experience could shed some light on the situation. Thanks

 

[Adrahel]

Thought that this might help...

The Serpae Tetra originates from Guyana and the Amazon River basin in South America. It is known by the scientific Hyphessobrycon serpae and also by the name Hyphessobrycon eques and Hyphessobrycon callistus. The body varies between a light red/brown to darker reddish shades. The dorsal fin is predominantly black. The lower fins are red and can be tipped in white. There is usually, but not always, a black spot behind the gills. Their colors become greatly enhanced when they dispute territories among themselves and they will dance around each other in a beautiful display of motion and color.

Serpaes like the surface area of the tank and appreciate long stemmed plants. Dimmed lighting is also preferred, which can be achieved through plant cover. They are a typical schooling tetra and should be kept in groups of at least 6. They are one of the more aggressive tetras and can have a tendency to nip fins, especially with other serpaes. They should be kept with aggressive larger tetras, such as the Blind Cave Tetra, the Buenos Aires Tetra, the Colombian Tetra and the Silver Tip Tetra. They are definitely not good companions for smaller tetras and guppies. They eat flake foods, freeze dried bloodworms and brine shrimp.

The female is larger, paler and broader, especially when laden with eggs. Soft, slightly acidic water is best for breeding and lighting should be greatly dimmed. Pairs should be separated for more than a week before breeding and fed a variety of foods. Tetras have adhesive eggs, so fine leaved plants should be used to catch the eggs. The parents should be removed after spawning. The fry will hatch within 2 days and will survive several days on their yolk sac. The fry should be fed brine shrimp and then finely ground flake foods.

 

[Holly9937]

I think it depends on the size of the tank, and luck really. I've had 5 with a couple of guppys and neons for quite some time and never even seen them acknowledge the other fish or really even each other (they school, but do not nip each other, there is an occasional chase though)... They used to be in a 35g and are now in a 180g. I would not keep them in anything less than a 20g.

 

[firefly]

Definitely tank size, and tank mates etc. play a role in the aggressiveness of the serpaes. (also called red minors.) I find that they don't do well with long finned fish, as they can be a bit nippy. I also find that the larger a shcool of serpaes you have, the less likely they are to bother other fish, but will instead play (or quarrel) amongst themselves. I wouldn't put them with finnecky fish that might be bothered by their motion, but they usally do well in a community setting.

EMily

 

[WinterWind]

I kept a small group of serpaes with danios and cories before, and they didn't bother the other fish at all. It seems like they bully amongst themselves the most, and I would guess that they would nip the fins of fish like bettas and other fish with long, flowing fins.

 

[Adrahel]

Well you have to remember that temperament is a human invention that we use to classify fish and make an easier sell. But fish have their own personalities and sometimes you'll end up with fish exactly the opposite of their "typical" behavior.

 

[SnakeIce]

my experience with them is that overstocking, low protien diet, and small tanks like 20 gallons all contribute to the fish being a terror. However take those stressors away and the behavior "problems" are like they never exsisted even with the same particular fish.

contrary to the quoted section above about them likeing the top of the tank my serpaes stuck to the bottom unless it is feeding time. I got some feeder danios(quarter to 3/8 inch) to put in the tank and 'raise' with the serpaes and those serpaes ate or killed the majority of them.

They are more preditory than say black phantoms or pristillas and may test other fish occasionally to see if they are healthy and react well to the advance but with a large enough tank they are nice fish.

 

[PurpleSmurf]

I have 3 serpeas in a 20g with 4 cories and a gourami. All is well inside my tank. In fact the serpeas seem to get along with everyone pretty well. One of my cories is a little retarded or something, he was schooling with them last night. Just swam around with them while I fed and changed water. It was really weird.

Personally I'd reccomend them for any community tank 20g and up, just watch your fish and make sure there are a reasonable amount of the fish to disperse agression should it occur. I plan to get my school up to 5 and remove the gourami.

Oh, and mine seem to like the mid-level of the tank but investigate lower areas for food pretty frequently. They rarely venture to the top unless I'm feeding.

 

[PJGirl112]

I agree...I would tag them as moderately agressive, but only if they are not in a school of 5 or more. Although I have found them to be little terrors on the fins of others..in a school they are very pretty and seem to bother each other more than other fish. My very last serpae lived 6 years....so be certain you want these guys as they may just outlive everyother fish in your tank.

 

[ashdavid]

I have never had a problem, although they are in a 400g at the moment. I do believe that tank size dose play a part. Sorry I could not be of more help.