Photo: Haplochromis (CC0) — via Wikimedia Commons
Yellow Phantom Tetra (Hyphessobrycon roseus)
A shimmering, pale-yellow schooling tetra with a bold black dorsal spot — delicate looking but surprisingly easy to keep.
Will it live with a Yellow Phantom Tetra?
We compare each fish against your yellow phantom 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, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °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 Yellow Phantom 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; 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 Yellow Phantom 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; 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 Yellow Phantom 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)
- 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 Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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)
- 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 Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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, 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 Yellow Phantom 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; 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 Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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; 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 Yellow Phantom 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; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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; 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 Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; 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 Yellow Phantom 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 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 Yellow Phantom 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.
- Rosy Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °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 Yellow Phantom Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rummy Nose Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °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 Yellow Phantom 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)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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; 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 Yellow Phantom 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 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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.
- Black Darter Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Hard care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
- Expect Black Darter Tetra to harass Yellow Phantom Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Adult Cherry Shrimp might survive with Yellow Phantom Tetra, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add yellow phantom tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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)
- Adult Ghost Shrimp might survive with Yellow Phantom Tetra, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Humpbacked Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Yellow Phantom Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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)
- Serpae Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Yellow Phantom Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Expect Silvertip Tetra to harass Yellow Phantom Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Yellow Phantom Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom Tetra are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add yellow phantom tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add yellow phantom tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Adult Tiger Shrimp might survive with Yellow Phantom Tetra, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom Tetra are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add yellow phantom tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Yellow Phantom Tetra is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
- Expect Alligator Gar to harass Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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)
- Yellow Phantom Tetra is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory clown knifefish — it will be eaten.
- Expect Clown Knifefish to harass Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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)
- Yellow Phantom Tetra is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
- Expect Fire Eel to harass Yellow Phantom Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom Tetra whole.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Yellow Phantom Tetra is bite-sized to a 120 cm predatory redtail catfish — it will be eaten.
- Redtail Catfish clearly outsizes Yellow Phantom Tetra and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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 cm): Spotted Gar will treat Yellow Phantom Tetra as food.
- Spotted Gar is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Yellow Phantom Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Yellow Phantom 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)
- Size gap is too large (300 vs 4 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Yellow Phantom Tetra as food.
- Expect Wels Catfish to harass Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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)
- Yellow Phantom Tetra is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.
- Expect Wolf Cichlid to harass Yellow Phantom 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 Yellow Phantom 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.
Yellow Phantom Tetra care specs
- Care level
- Easy
- Breeding
- Hard
- Max size
- 4 cm (1.6 in)
- Min tank size
- 60 L (15.9 gal)
- Temperature
- 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- pH
- 6–7.8
- Hardness
- 2–12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Swim level
- Middle
- Group size
- 6+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- South America — Suriname and Guyana river drainages
What is a Yellow Phantom Tetra?
The Yellow Phantom Tetra (Hyphessobrycon roseus) is a small, schooling characid from northern South America — a fish whose translucent, pale gold body seems almost lit from within. Adults top out at about 4 cm (1.6 in), putting them firmly in nano-fish territory, but a tight school of eight or more moving together through a planted tank is genuinely striking. Males are the showpieces: a bold black blotch on the dorsal fin, fringed with white tips, contrasts sharply against the golden body. The shoulder spot shared by both sexes completes the look.
Despite its refined appearance the Yellow Phantom Tetra is a robust, adaptable fish. It tolerates a wider pH range than many soft-water tetras, feeds readily on dried foods, and is calm enough for almost any community. If you want a schooling fish that rewards you with natural behaviour and real colour without demanding specialist water chemistry, this is an excellent choice.
Where does the Yellow Phantom Tetra come from?
Wild Yellow Phantom Tetras inhabit the river drainages of Suriname and Guyana in northeastern South America. These are lowland tropical rivers with warm, soft, tannin-stained water — slow to moderately flowing, densely vegetated, and shaded by overhanging forest. The dark water filters light and gives the fish’s golden transparency its best visual effect.
Most specimens sold today are commercially bred, but the species’ care requirements still reflect those origins: warmth, gentle flow, some shade or tannins, and the safety of a group.
What size tank does a Yellow Phantom Tetra need?
The minimum is 60 litres (about 16 gal) — enough to house a school of six comfortably and keep water parameters stable between water changes. A longer tank serves schooling fish better than a tall one: the Yellow Phantom Tetra occupies the middle water column and needs swimming room across the length of the tank, not height.
A 75–90 L (20–24 gal) tank is a practical sweet spot for a colony of eight to ten alongside a few compatible bottom-dwellers. Provide open midwater space for schooling alongside patches of dense planting (Java fern, Cryptocoryne, fine-leaved stem plants) and some floating cover to diffuse light. Dark substrate and a few pieces of driftwood or leaf litter will show the fish’s gold-and-black colouration at its best. Filtration should be gentle — a sponge filter or spray-bar output works well; strong surface agitation is not needed and heavy flow can stress the school.
What water parameters does the Yellow Phantom Tetra need?
- Temperature: 23–27 °C (73–81 °F). Comfortable across a broad tropical range; avoid sustained temperatures at the edges.
- pH: 6.0–7.8. One of the wider tolerances in the tetra family — the species adapts well to moderately hard tap water, though softer, slightly acidic water brings out the richest colour.
- Hardness: 2–12 dGH. Soft to moderately hard.
Stability matters most. Cycle the tank fully before stocking, maintain a weekly partial water change of roughly 25–30%, and avoid sudden temperature or chemistry swings. The species is not fragile, but like any small tetra it handles steady moderate conditions better than erratic extreme ones.
What do Yellow Phantom Tetras eat?
Yellow Phantom Tetras are omnivores with a healthy appetite and little fussiness. A quality micro-pellet or fine-grade flake forms a reliable staple. Supplement two or three times a week with small live or frozen foods — daphnia, micro-worms, baby brine shrimp, or finely chopped bloodworm — and you will see improved colour and noticeably livelier behaviour.
Feed small amounts once or twice daily and remove uneaten food promptly. These are not aggressive feeders; a tank with faster or more competitive species may need target feeding or a brief period of separation at mealtimes to ensure the tetras get their share.
Are Yellow Phantom Tetras peaceful — and what fish can live with them?
Yellow Phantom Tetras are reliably peaceful and present no threat to tank-mates of comparable size. They spend most of their time schooling in the middle zone, so pairing them with fish that occupy other levels of the tank makes for an elegant, well-used aquarium. Classic companions include Corydoras catfish and other small bottom-dwellers, Apistogramma or German Blue Ram dwarf cichlids, and other peaceful mid-level tetras such as Ember Tetras or Cardinal Tetras — provided water parameters overlap.
Avoid large, predatory, or fin-nipping species. Long-finned or slow-moving fish may be harassed by the group’s activity, and anything large enough to see a 4 cm tetra as a meal is obviously unsuitable. Within the school itself, a group of fewer than six tends to produce a stressed, skittish fish that hides rather than displaying; six is the minimum and eight to ten is noticeably better.
For a detailed, filterable list of compatible and incompatible species, see Yellow Phantom Tetra tank mates.
How do you tell a male Yellow Phantom Tetra from a female?
Sexing is straightforward in mature fish. Males are slightly slimmer overall and carry a more intensely pigmented black blotch on the dorsal fin, often framed by brighter white fin tips; the dorsal fin itself is more elongated. In display or spawning condition, males deepen in gold and the dorsal contrast becomes very pronounced.
Females are fuller-bodied and noticeably rounder in the belly, especially when carrying eggs. Their dorsal blotch is present but typically softer in intensity, and the fin is shorter. In a mixed group, this body-profile difference is often the quickest tell even when fish are moving.
How do Yellow Phantom Tetras breed?
Breeding is possible but rated hard — not because the fish are delicate, but because raising the fry requires specific conditions and attentive management. Condition a pair or small group with live and frozen foods for a week or two, and raise temperature slightly toward the upper end of the range.
The species is an egg-scatterer. Spawning occurs over fine-leaved plants or Java moss during early morning light. Remove adults immediately after spawning — they will eat the eggs. Fry hatch within 24–36 hours and are free-swimming after a further two to three days. First foods must be infusoria or commercial fry food of equivalent size; baby brine shrimp is too large for the first few days. Small, frequent water changes with conditioned water of identical temperature are essential through the fry stage.
What diseases are common in Yellow Phantom Tetras?
The Yellow Phantom Tetra shares the usual vulnerabilities of small tetras. Ich (white-spot disease) is the most common, triggered by temperature drops or stress from new-fish introductions. Fin rot — ragged or receding fin edges — is almost always a water quality problem. Neon tetra disease (a microsporidian infection causing colour loss and wasting) can affect any small characid, though it is less prevalent in this species than in true neons; there is no effective treatment, so prevention through quarantine matters. Velvet (a fine gold or rust-coloured dust on the body) occasionally appears in stressed fish.
Prevention follows a simple pattern: a fully cycled tank, stable temperature, regular water changes, and a 4-week quarantine for any new arrivals before they enter the display tank.
Health note: disease diagnosis and medication dosing are beyond the scope of a care profile. For a sick fish, confirm symptoms against a reputable veterinary or fish-health source before treating.
How long do Yellow Phantom Tetras live?
With good care, Yellow Phantom Tetras live 3–5 years. Like most small tetras they are not long-lived by aquarium standards, but a well-maintained colony at the upper end of that range will reward you with full colour, tight schooling behaviour, and — if conditions are right — occasional spontaneous spawning activity. Consistent water quality and a varied diet are the primary drivers of reaching that upper figure.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Yellow Phantom Tetra the same as the Rosy Tetra?
No — they are closely related but distinct species. The Rosy Tetra is Hyphessobrycon rosaceus, while the Yellow Phantom Tetra is Hyphessobrycon roseus. The Yellow Phantom is paler gold overall, with a more transparent body and a notably vivid black-and-white dorsal fin in males.
How many Yellow Phantom Tetras should I keep together?
Keep at least six, and ideally eight to ten. A larger school produces the tightest shoaling behaviour and reduces any individual fish's stress — the group spends more time in open water and shows better colour.
What you need to keep a yellow phantom tetra
The baseline is a heated, filtered 60 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 23–27 °C (73–81 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a yellow phantom tetra in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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