Photo: Internet Archive Book Images (Public domain) — via Wikimedia Commons
Rosy Tetra (Hyphessobrycon rosaceus)
A pearlescent pink-and-white tetra with dramatic black-tipped fins — one of the most elegant mid-sized schooling fish for the soft-water community tank.
Will it live with a Rosy Tetra?
We compare each fish against your rosy tetra on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- African Dwarf Frog✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Amapá Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Amapá Tetra 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)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °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 Rosy 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 Danio✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 21–26 °C (70–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Blue Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Blue Emperor Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Blue Emperor Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cardinal Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium 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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Cardinal Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Emperor Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Emperor Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Flame Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Flame Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Glowlight Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Glowlight Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Gold 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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Gold Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Golden Dwarf Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Golden Dwarf Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Jelly Bean Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Jelly Bean Tetra in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Marbled Hatchetfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium 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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Marbled Hatchetfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Otocinclus✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 21–26 °C (70–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Otocinclus in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Phoenix Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Phoenix Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Purple Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Purple Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rainbow Emperor Tetra✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 3.6 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Rainbow Emperor Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Red Phantom Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Red Phantom Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rummy Nose Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Rummy Nose Rasbora in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Sparkling Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 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.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Strawberry Betta✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Threadfin Rainbowfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 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.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Threadfin Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Tiger Otocinclus✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Tiger Otocinclus in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Yellow Phantom Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °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 Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Yellow Phantom Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Darter Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Hard care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
- Expect Black Darter Tetra to harass Rosy Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Rosy 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)
- Black Ruby Barb is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Rosy Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~100 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Rosy 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 Rosy Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Rosy 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.
- Cherry Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Rosy Tetra may eat Cherry Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Cherry Shrimp in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Desert Goby⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Desert Goby and Rosy Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add rosy tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Rosy 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 Rosy 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.
- Ghost Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Rosy Tetra may eat Ghost Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
- Keep Rosy 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.
- Humpbacked Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Humpbacked Tetra to harass Rosy 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 Rosy 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 Rosy 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.
- Serpae Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Expect Serpae Tetra to harass Rosy Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Serpae 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 is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Rosy Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Rosy 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.
- Spotfin Betta⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Spotfin Betta and Rosy Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add rosy tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Rosy 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 Rosy Tetra are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add rosy tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Tiger Badis⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Medium care · 22–24 °C (72–75 °F)
- Tiger Badis and Rosy Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add rosy tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Tiger Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 3 cm · Hard care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- Rosy Tetra may eat Tiger Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Tiger Shrimp 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)
- Wine Red Betta and Rosy Tetra are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add rosy tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Rosy 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)
- Rosy Tetra is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
- Expect Alligator Gar to harass Rosy 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 Rosy 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)
- Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 4 cm Rosy Tetra whole.
- Expect Clown Knifefish to harass Rosy 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 Rosy 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 cm): Fire Eel will treat Rosy Tetra as food.
- Fire Eel is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Rosy 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 Rosy 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)
- Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 4 cm Rosy Tetra whole.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Rosy 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)
- Rosy Tetra is bite-sized to a 120 cm predatory redtail catfish — it will be eaten.
- Redtail Catfish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Rosy Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Rosy 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)
- Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 4 cm Rosy Tetra whole.
- Spotted Gar clearly outsizes Rosy Tetra and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Rosy 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)
- Wels Catfish (300 cm) is big enough to swallow the 4 cm Rosy Tetra whole.
- Wels Catfish clearly outsizes Rosy Tetra and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Rosy 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)
- Size gap is too large (72 vs 4 cm): Wolf Cichlid will treat Rosy Tetra as food.
- Expect Wolf Cichlid to harass Rosy Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Rosy 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.
Rosy Tetra care specs
- Care level
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Max size
- 4 cm (1.6 in)
- Min tank size
- 60 L (15.9 gal)
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- pH
- 5.5–7.5
- Hardness
- 1–12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Swim level
- Middle
- Group size
- 6+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- South America — Guyana and surrounding river drainages of the Guiana Shield
What is a Rosy Tetra?
The Rosy Tetra (Hyphessobrycon rosaceus) is a 4 cm (1.6 in) characin from the soft, blackwater river systems of South America’s Guiana Shield. Its appeal is immediately visual: a translucent, pale-rose body is offset by fins patterned in jet black and crisp white — the dorsal fin in particular carries a white tip edged in black that gives the fish a polished, almost formal look. In a dark-substrate, softwater tank with ambient lighting, a school of six or more Rosy Tetras shimmers with a delicate iridescence that few similarly sized schooling fish can match.
Despite its refined appearance, the Rosy Tetra sits firmly in the easy-care category. It accepts a wide range of prepared foods, keeps the peace with similarly sized tank-mates, and tolerates a useful span of water conditions. It colours up most intensely and breeds most readily in soft, slightly acidic water — but it is forgiving enough to thrive in many community setups without chasing exact numbers.
Where does the Rosy Tetra come from?
Wild Rosy Tetras live in the slow-moving, tannin-rich rivers and streams of Guyana and surrounding Guiana Shield drainages in northern South America. These waters are characteristically dark — stained amber or brown by decomposing leaf litter and driftwood — and are soft, low in minerals, and mildly acidic. Submerged roots, dense riparian vegetation, and deep leaf beds provide cover. There is little current in the stretches Rosy Tetras favour, and light levels are often subdued by the forest canopy overhead.
Understanding this origin informs every aspect of care: replicate the soft water, subdued lighting, dark substrate, and gentle flow, and the fish reward you with their best colour and most relaxed schooling behaviour.
What size tank do Rosy Tetras need?
The practical minimum for a school of six is 60 litres (16 US gal). This gives adequate swimming room and enough water volume to keep parameters stable between water changes. A 80–100 L (21–26 US gal) tank is noticeably more comfortable: it accommodates a larger school, provides more horizontal swimming space, and makes it easier to add compatible tank-mates without overcrowding.
Choose a tank that is longer than it is tall — Rosy Tetras are mid-water swimmers and use horizontal space constantly. Aquascape with a dark fine-grain substrate (black sand is ideal), add driftwood pieces and a scattering of dried Indian almond leaves to naturally soften and tint the water, and plant densely around the back and sides. Leave an open lane through the middle third of the tank so the school can school properly. Lighting at the lower end of moderate suits this species and intensifies their pinkish translucency. A gentle sponge filter or a hang-on-back with a spray-bar turned to break the surface softly keeps flow at the low level these fish prefer.
What water parameters do Rosy Tetras need?
- Temperature: 22–28 °C (72–82 °F). The middle of that range — around 24–26 °C (75–79 °F) — is the sweet spot for long-term health.
- pH: 5.5–7.5. They colour most vibrantly below 7.0 and breed most readily in the 6.0–6.8 range.
- Hardness: 1–12 dGH. Aim for the softer half of that range where possible.
As with most tetras, stability beats perfection. A cycled tank with weekly 25–30 % water changes, a working heater, and a gentle filter is all that is required. If your tap water runs hard and alkaline, reverse-osmosis water blended with tap water can bring values into range affordably. Blackwater conditioners or Indian almond leaves add tannins that nudge the chemistry in the right direction and also provide a mild antibacterial effect.
What do Rosy Tetras eat?
Rosy Tetras are omnivores with no particular food fussiness. A staple of quality micro-pellets or fine-crushed flake provides a nutritional foundation. Rotate in frozen or live daphnia, baby brine shrimp, and micro-worms regularly to maintain condition and intensify colour. They will also accept small pieces of blanched vegetable matter, though this is not a dietary priority.
Feed small amounts once or twice a day — what they can consume within two to three minutes — and remove any uneaten food promptly to keep water quality high. Because they occupy the middle column of the tank, surface-feeding foods such as floating pellets are less efficient; sinking micro-pellets or a gentle broadcast of food that drifts down through the water column suits them better.
Are Rosy Tetras peaceful — and what fish can live with them?
Rosy Tetras are reliably peaceful and one of the better community tetras available. They school cohesively, rarely chase tank-mates, and produce none of the fin-nipping that some closely related species (such as the Serpae Tetra) are known for. Their temperament makes them a safe choice with a wide range of similarly sized peaceful community fish.
Excellent companions include other small peaceful tetras, rasboras, corydoras catfish, small plecos, dwarf gouramis, and peaceful loaches. Avoid large or boisterous fish that will intimidate them, and avoid known fin-nippers that target the Rosy Tetra’s distinctive patterned fins. Because they occupy the middle water column, they pair naturally with bottom-dwellers like corydoras and with surface fish that do not compete for their preferred zone.
For a detailed, filterable list of tested pairings, see Rosy Tetra tank mates.
How do you tell male from female Rosy Tetras?
Sexual dimorphism in this species is clear once the fish reach adulthood. Males carry the more striking dorsal fin: the tip is bright white, cleanly bordered by a black band, giving the fin a crisp, defined look that is noticeably more developed than in females. Males also tend to be slightly slimmer through the body. Females are fuller and more rounded in the belly — this becomes especially pronounced when gravid with eggs — and the white dorsal tip, while present, is less pronounced and the black banding is softer. In a mixed group under good light, the difference is apparent even from across the tank.
How do Rosy Tetras breed?
Rosy Tetras are egg-scatterers and breed with moderate difficulty. A dedicated breeding tank of around 20–40 L (5–10 US gal) produces the best results. Set it up with very soft, acidic water (pH 6.0–6.5, hardness below 4 dGH), a temperature at the warmer end of their range (26–28 °C / 79–82 °F), dim lighting, and a fine-leafed plant or spawning mop to catch eggs. No substrate, or a thin layer of java moss, prevents the parents from eating the eggs off the bottom.
Condition a group of adults with live or frozen foods for one to two weeks before introducing a pair or trio (one female, two males) to the breeding tank. Spawning typically occurs in the morning. The female scatters small, adhesive eggs among the plants; neither parent guards them. Remove the adults after spawning — they will eat the eggs without hesitation. Eggs hatch within 24–36 hours and fry become free-swimming after another two to three days. First foods should be infusoria or commercial fry powder, graduating to baby brine shrimp nauplii as the fry grow.
What diseases affect Rosy Tetras?
Rosy Tetras are not unusually disease-prone, but they are susceptible to the standard freshwater ailments when water quality slips. Ich (white spot disease) is the most common — small white grains appear on the body and fins, often triggered by a sudden temperature drop or the introduction of infected fish. Velvet (a fine gold or rust-coloured dust on the body) is harder to spot on pink fish but responds to early intervention. Fin rot — fraying or darkening fin edges — almost invariably signals poor water quality rather than an intrinsic susceptibility. Neon tetra disease (a microsporidian infection causing pale patches and loss of schooling behaviour) occasionally affects Hyphessobrycon species.
Prevention follows a straightforward protocol: maintain a cycled tank, perform regular water changes, quarantine all new fish for two to four weeks before adding them to the display tank, and avoid sudden swings in temperature or chemistry.
Health note: disease diagnosis and medication dosing are beyond the scope of a care profile. For a fish showing unusual symptoms, confirm identification against a reputable fish-health reference before any treatment.
How long do Rosy Tetras live?
With good care, Rosy Tetras live 3–5 years. That lifespan is achievable in a stable, well-maintained tank — consistent water quality, a varied diet, and the social security of a school of at least six are the main levers. Fish kept in suboptimal conditions (high hardness, fluctuating temperature, or in too-small a group) tend toward the shorter end of that range and show faded colour long before the end. Give them soft water, gentle flow, and compatible company, and a healthy school will remain a showpiece for several years.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Rosy Tetra the same as the Serpae Tetra?
No. Both are red-pink Hyphessobrycon species but they are distinct fish. The Serpae Tetra (H. eques) is a deeper, more saturated red with a bold black shoulder spot and can be nippy; the Rosy Tetra is softer pink with elegant black-and-white fin tips and a more peaceful disposition.
Do Rosy Tetras need soft water?
They strongly prefer it. Coming from the naturally tea-stained, acidic rivers of the Guiana Shield, they thrive in soft, slightly acidic to neutral water (pH 5.5–7.5, 1–12 dGH). They will survive in harder conditions but show their best colour and breed most readily in soft water.
What you need to keep a rosy tetra
The baseline is a heated, filtered 60 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 22–28 °C (72–82 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a rosy tetra in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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