Photo: Daiju Azuma (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons
Gold Tetra (Hemigrammus rodwayi)
A shimmering, golden-bodied schooler whose metallic sheen comes entirely from nature — no selective breeding required.
Will it live with a Gold Tetra?
We compare each fish against your gold tetra on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Amano Shrimp✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Axelrod's Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Axelrod's Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bandit Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bandit Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Phantom Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4.5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Phantom Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Blue Turbo Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Checkered Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Checkered Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cherry Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Chocolate Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Hard care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Chocolate Gourami in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cochu's Blue Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Cochu's Blue Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Firehead Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Firehead Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Five-banded Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Five-banded Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Forktail Blue-eye✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Half-striped Penguin Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Half-striped Penguin Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Harlequin Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Harlequin Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Honey Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Horseman Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Horseman Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Japanese Trapdoor Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 10–28 °C (50–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Julii Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Julii Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Lemon Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4.5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Lemon Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Masked Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Masked Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Mystery Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Panda Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Panda Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- X-ray Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4.5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep X-ray Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Yellow Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4.5 cm · Easy care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–25 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Yellow Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Ruby Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Expect Black Ruby Barb to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~100 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Ruby Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Skirt Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Black Skirt Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Gold Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Skirt Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Desert Goby⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Expect Desert Goby to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Chain Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Dwarf Chain Loach in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Eastern Betta⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Eastern Betta to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Ghost Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Adult Ghost Shrimp might survive with Gold Tetra, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Ghost Shrimp in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- GloFish Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
- GloFish Tetra and Gold Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add gold tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep GloFish Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Humpbacked Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Humpbacked Tetra to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Morse Code Corydoras⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Morse Code Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Odessa Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Odessa Barb and Gold Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add gold tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Odessa Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Peaceful Betta⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Peaceful Betta and Gold Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add gold tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Silvertip Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Silvertip Tetra and Gold Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add gold tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Silvertip Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Smaragd Betta⚠️ With cautionAggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Smaragd Betta is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Gold Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotfin Betta⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Expect Spotfin Betta to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Striped Red-Eye Puffer⚠️ With cautionAggressive · 5 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Striped Red-Eye Puffer and Gold Tetra are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add gold tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wine Red Betta⚠️ With cautionAggressive · 5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Wine Red Betta to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Gold Tetra is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
- Expect Alligator Gar to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Gold Tetra is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory clown knifefish — it will be eaten.
- Expect Clown Knifefish to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (100 vs 4.5 cm): Fire Eel will treat Gold Tetra as food.
- Fire Eel is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Gold Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 4.5 cm): Koi will treat Gold Tetra as food.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Gold Tetra is bite-sized to a 120 cm predatory redtail catfish — it will be eaten.
- Expect Redtail Catfish to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 4.5 cm): Spotted Gar will treat Gold Tetra as food.
- Expect Spotted Gar to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Gold Tetra is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
- Expect Wels Catfish to harass Gold Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Wolf Cichlid (72 cm) is big enough to swallow the 4.5 cm Gold Tetra whole.
- Wolf Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Gold Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Gold Tetra care specs
- Care level
- Easy
- Breeding
- Hard
- Max size
- 4.5 cm (1.8 in)
- Min tank size
- 60 L (15.9 gal)
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Hardness
- 2–12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Swim level
- Middle
- Group size
- 6+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- South America — Guiana region, lower Amazon and Orinoco tributaries
What is a Gold Tetra?
The Gold Tetra (Hemigrammus rodwayi), sometimes sold as the Brass Tetra or Rodway’s Tetra, is a small schooling characid from the rivers and forest streams of the Guiana Shield and the lower Amazon and Orinoco tributaries. Adults reach around 4.5 cm (1.8 in), placing them neatly in the same size bracket as the Glowlight and Ember Tetras, but the colouration is unmistakable: the entire flank is overlaid with an intense metallic-gold iridescence that shimmers and scatters light as the school moves. Unlike colour morphs that are the product of selective breeding or dye injection, the Gold Tetra’s sheen is entirely natural — produced by guanin crystals deposited just beneath the skin. The effect is thought to have evolved in part as a response to larval trematode parasites in wild populations, though captive-raised fish retain the colouration across generations without any parasite exposure.
A well-kept school in a dimly lit, tannin-stained planted tank is one of the more striking sights in the freshwater hobby — genuinely golden rather than simply reflective.
Where do Gold Tetras come from in the wild?
Wild Gold Tetras are distributed across the Guiana region of South America, spanning drainage systems of the lower Amazon and Orinoco in countries including Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and parts of Venezuela and Brazil. They inhabit blackwater forest streams and slow-moving river margins where the water is stained dark brown with leaf tannins, heavily shaded by canopy, and extremely soft and acidic. Temperatures in these environments fluctuate modestly with the seasons, generally sitting in the 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) range.
This origin matters for care: the Gold Tetra is a fish of quiet, warm, very soft water with low mineral content and a slightly acidic pH. Hard, alkaline tap water is outside its comfort zone, and prolonged exposure to it dulls the metallic colouration noticeably.
What size tank do Gold Tetras need, and how should it be set up?
A minimum of 60 L (16 gal) is the practical starting point, and that assumes a group of six — the minimum school size that allows the fish to behave naturally and display proper shoaling behaviour. For a group of ten or more, which is where the schooling effect becomes truly impressive, a tank of 80–100 L (21–26 gal) gives everyone room to move and makes water stability easier to maintain.
Aquascape to mimic the blackwater home environment:
- Dark substrate — fine sand or small gravel in black or natural brown tones reduces light reflection and makes the gold sheen pop by contrast.
- Driftwood and botanicals — spider wood, cholla, and a handful of dried Indian almond leaves release gentle tannins that soften and acidify the water naturally while giving the fish a sense of cover.
- Dense planting — Java fern, Anubias, and floating plants (hornwort or water lettuce) diffuse light and replicate the dappled canopy conditions of their native streams.
- Gentle flow — a sponge filter or a spray-bar-equipped HOB turned to low keeps water oxygenated without battering the fish with a strong current.
Gold Tetras are middle-column swimmers, so leave open swimming lanes in the centre of the tank and use the hardscape around the edges and back.
What water parameters do Gold Tetras need?
| Parameter | Target range |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) |
| pH | 6.0–7.5 |
| Hardness | 2–12 dGH |
The sweet spot for colour and health is the softer, more acidic end of those ranges — pH 6.2–6.8 and hardness below 8 dGH. If your tap water is hard (above 15 dGH) or alkaline (pH above 7.5), consider blending with reverse-osmosis water or using driftwood and peat to buffer it down. As with all tetras, stability is more important than perfection: slow, consistent water changes of around 20–25 % per week are far less stressful than infrequent large changes.
A fully cycled tank is non-negotiable. Gold Tetras are not exceptionally delicate by tetra standards, but they will not tolerate ammonia or nitrite spikes.
What do Gold Tetras eat?
Gold Tetras are omnivores with a preference for small, protein-rich items — consistent with their wild diet of micro-invertebrates, tiny insects and zooplankton. In captivity they adapt readily to a varied commercial diet:
- Staple: quality micro-pellets or fine tropical flake formulated for small fish.
- Variety: small live or frozen foods — baby brine shrimp, daphnia, micro-worms and finely chopped bloodworm — fed two to three times per week.
- Plant matter: they will graze on algae and accept blanched spinach or spirulina flake; this does not need to be a major focus but rounds out the diet.
Feed small amounts once or twice daily and remove any uneaten food within a few minutes. Regular live and frozen food is particularly effective at enhancing the metallic gold colouration and conditioning fish for breeding attempts.
How do Gold Tetras behave, and what are good tank mates?
Gold Tetras are wholly peaceful and pose no threat to any appropriately sized tank mate. They are active, gregarious mid-column swimmers that spend most of their day in a loose school, occasionally breaking apart to investigate the aquascape before regrouping. The larger the school, the bolder and more cohesive the behaviour — a group of six will school when startled; a group of twelve will school more or less continuously.
Good community tank-mates include other small South American characids (Neon Tetras, Cardinal Tetras, Rummy-nose Tetras, Ember Tetras), peaceful Corydoras species on the bottom, small loaches such as Kuhli Loaches, and dwarf cichlids like Apistogramma that will largely ignore fish this size. Otocinclus are another natural fit. Avoid larger cichlids, aggressive barbs (Tiger Barbs in particular), or any fish big enough to view a 4.5 cm tetra as prey.
Because they are small and completely non-aggressive, Gold Tetras can be targeted for fin-nipping by faster, boisterous species — check temperament before mixing.
For a fuller breakdown of pairings, see Gold Tetra tank mates.
How do you tell male Gold Tetras apart from females?
Sexing Gold Tetras follows the typical small-tetra pattern and is easiest when the fish are well-fed and in breeding condition. Females are noticeably rounder and deeper-bodied, especially when gravid with eggs; viewed from above, the abdominal outline curves visibly outward. Males are consistently slimmer and slightly more streamlined in profile. Colour and metallic intensity are similar in both sexes and are not reliable differentiators on their own. The difference is subtle in juveniles and only becomes clear in adults, so buying a group of six or more gives a good chance of having both sexes present.
How do Gold Tetras breed?
Gold Tetras are egg-scatterers — they broadcast adhesive eggs among fine-leaved plants or spawning mops and provide no parental care thereafter. In the aquarium they are rated as hard to breed: while spawning can occur spontaneously in a well-maintained community tank, raising fry to a viable size is genuinely challenging.
A dedicated breeding setup improves the odds significantly:
- Use a small, bare-bottomed tank of around 20–30 L (5–8 gal) lined with java moss or fine spawning mops over a mesh that lets eggs fall through out of reach of the adults.
- Condition a pair or small group with live and frozen foods for one to two weeks before moving them to the breeding tank.
- Soft, warm, slightly acidic water (pH 6.0–6.5, hardness below 5 dGH, temperature 26–28 °C / 79–82 °F) encourages spawning.
- Remove adults immediately after spawning to prevent them eating the eggs.
- Fry are tiny and require infusoria or commercial first-foods for the first week before graduating to baby brine shrimp nauplii. Keep the tank dimly lit and maintain scrupulous water quality — fry are sensitive to any deterioration.
Even with ideal conditions, fertility rates can be inconsistent, which is why the species carries a Hard breeding rating.
What diseases are Gold Tetras prone to, and how do you prevent them?
Gold Tetras are susceptible to the same diseases that affect most small tetras:
- Ich (White Spot): The most common parasitic disease in freshwater fish, presenting as small white grains on the fins and body. Triggered almost always by temperature drops, stress, or introducing infected fish. Quarantine all new arrivals for two to four weeks before adding them to an established tank.
- Velvet (Oodinium): A dusty golden or rust-coloured film on the body. Highly contagious; can be confused with the natural gold sheen initially — look for fish flashing (rubbing) against surfaces and lethargy as early warning signs.
- Fin rot: Bacterial fraying of fin edges, invariably linked to poor water quality. Consistent water changes and a cycled tank are the primary prevention.
- Internal parasites: Wild-caught specimens occasionally carry internal worms. Quarantine and observation before introducing to a display tank catches most cases early.
The best disease prevention for Gold Tetras, as for all small characids, is stable, clean, soft water — the conditions they evolved in. Fish kept in hard, alkaline, or poorly maintained water are chronically stressed and far more susceptible to any pathogen.
Health note: medication dosing and specific disease diagnosis are outside the scope of a care profile. For a fish showing symptoms, cross-reference against a reputable fish-health resource and consult a specialist before medicating — many treatments intended for larger fish are harmful to small tetras at standard doses.
How long do Gold Tetras live?
Gold Tetras have a lifespan of 3–5 years under good aquarium conditions. This is fairly typical for small characids of their size. Fish purchased as adults from stores may already be six to twelve months old, so the practical window of ownership is often three to four years from the point of purchase. Providing consistently soft, warm, clean water; a varied, high-quality diet; and the security of a properly sized school are the main levers for maximising both health and lifespan — and for keeping that remarkable gold sheen at its brightest throughout.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Gold Tetra gold?
The metallic sheen is caused by guanin crystals deposited just under the skin — a natural response to trematode parasite exposure in the wild. Captive-bred fish may show reduced gold intensity compared with wild-caught specimens, but the effect persists across generations.
Can I keep Gold Tetras with Neon or Cardinal Tetras?
Yes — they share near-identical soft, warm, slightly acidic water requirements and a peaceful temperament, making them excellent companions in a South American biotope or standard planted community tank.
What you need to keep a gold tetra
The baseline is a heated, filtered 60 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 23–28 °C (73–82 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a gold tetra in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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