Marbled Hatchet Tetra
Quick Stats
| Size | 1.5" (5cm) |
|---|---|
| Tank | 60 litres + for a small school |
| Swimming Area | Top |
| Ph | 5.5 to 7.5 |
| Temperature | 75ºF to 82ºF (24-28°C) |
| Food | Flakes and Frozen Foods as well as live. |
Common Name:
Marbled Hatchet Tetra
Distribution:
Found mostly in small forest streams in Guyana and the Amazon River basin.
Colouration:
The base color of the fish is Silver with hints of Yellow, Green and sometimes Purple. The belly area has three Black or Brown Jagged Diagonal bars which really have no linear shape and can be broken into spots. Near the back (top) a Pale longitudinal stripe runs from the start of the tail to the edge of the gill covers. The back itself is a dark Black or Brown color. The fins are transparent with a slight Golden hue to them.
Lifespan:
5 + years.
Maintenance:
10% weekly water changes. These Hatchets must be kept in schools of at least six or they seem to decline and have a much shorter lifespan. They are excellent jumpers so make sure you have a tight fitting cover with as few gaps as possible.
Feeding:
Their diet should ideally consist of live mosquito larvae and fruit flies although the freeze dried kind are also taken. They will also eat the standard flake food.
Substrate:
Sandy substrate.
Tank Decor:
They will do well in a community aquarium that has good filtration and a current that runs the length of the tank to simulate a stream. Floating plants as well as driftwood and open areas for swimming are needed.
Filtration:
Standard filtration for the size of the tank. The addition of a small power head will create sufficient current to make them feel comfortable.
Biotype:
Shaded, slow moving or still Black water in Northern South America.
Breeding:
No external differences between the sexes are apparent, although the females are generally more rounded in the body and sometimes the eggs can be seen in the body cavity. They have been bred in soft water of about 5 ° and a pH. around 6.0. The prospective pair should be well conditioned with a diet of Black mosquito larvae and other small Crustaceans. They deposit their eggs on the floating plants and they hatch in about thirty hours. The fry are very small and have to be feed very fine foods like Infusoria, baby brine and crushed flakes.