| The Head and Tail Light Tetra, Hemigrammus | | | | The Head and Tail Light Tetra is a schooling fish, and |
| ocellifer, is a beautiful, hardy and peaceful fish. It | | | | I regard six as a minimum suitable number. Other fish |
| come from slow moving waters in the Amazon | | | | that it is compatible with include the other Tetras, |
| system, but it is not a slow moving fish. The | | | | including Neon Tetras, Cardinal Tetras, Black Widow |
| common names The Head and Tail Light Tetra as | | | | Tetras, Emperor Tetras and Glass Bloodfin Tetras. As |
| well as the variations listed next were given because | | | | well the other tetras, it is compatible with the Danios, |
| of the bright pinkish spot round its eye and another | | | | White Cloud Mountain Minnows, Guppies, Endlers |
| one near its tail. Other names for This fis are Beacon | | | | Guppies, Rasboras, and most barbs, as well as other |
| Fish, Beacon Tetra, The Head and Tail Light Fish and | | | | small fish which are not excessively aggressive. |
| The Head and Taillight Tetra. | | | | It is also happy with the Corydoras catfish, including |
| The Head and Tail Light Tetra is a moderately long | | | | Peppered Catfish, and with all the smaller loaches. |
| lived fish, and will sometimes live up to 10 years, | | | | Breeding |
| although the average is less than this. | | | | The Head and Tail Light Tetra is an easy fish to |
| Temperature and Water | | | | breed and will occasionally produce young in a |
| The Head and Tail Light Tetra is a tropical fish | | | | community tank that is not too crowded with fish, |
| unsuitable for unheated aquariums in temperate areas | | | | and is well planted. |
| unless they are in a room that is heated all the time. | | | | If you deliberately want to breed, condition the fish |
| A thermostat setting in the water of 24degrees C | | | | well first, including rich foods and live food if possible. |
| (75 degrees F) is suitable. The ideal water is soft and | | | | Wrigglers, bloodworms and Daphnia are excellent live |
| slightly acid (pH of about 6.8) but it also does well in | | | | foods, but frozen foods, including frozen bloodworms |
| slightly harder water that is a little alkaline. For a | | | | can be used. A separate tank is necessary. Soft, |
| mixed tank of tropical fish, I suggest a pH of 7 | | | | slightly acid water is ideal and a small rise in |
| (Neutral) with a temperature of 24degrees C (75 | | | | temperature will often stimulate breeding. After |
| degrees F). | | | | spawning, remove the parents, and keep the tank in |
| The Head and Tail Light Tetra does better in a well | | | | subdued light. Hatching of the eggs is fast; it takes |
| planted tank. | | | | between half a day and two days. The babies are |
| As with all fish, it is important to remove any Chlorine | | | | slightly bigger than many tetra babies, and will eat the |
| or Chloramine in the water before the fish are put in. | | | | smallest size daphnia or brine shrimp quite soon. |
| Companions | | | | |