Hyphessobrycon amandae
Excellent nano-tank fish. Glowing orange colour pops against green plants and dark wood. Tolerates a wide pH range once acclimated.
Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae) reaches 2 cm as an adult and needs a minimum tank of 40 L. Native to Rio das Mortes basin, Brazil, it lives in the mid water column with a peaceful temperament. Aim for 23–29 °C, pH 5.5–7.0, and 1–10 dGH hardness. Lifespan is 2–4 years with good care. Keep ember tetra in groups of 8+, yes schoolers need numbers to display natural behaviour. Diet: omnivore, Micro pellets, crushed flake, baby brine shrimp. Small mouth, keep food fine. Plant-safe: Yes. Shrimp-safe: Yes (adults safe with adult shrimp).
Care at a glance
Excellent nano-tank fish. Glowing orange colour pops against green plants and dark wood. Tolerates a wide pH range once acclimated.
Updated 2 min read
Part of our complete guide to aquarium fish for the planted tank.
Something looking off? Spot and treat it in our fish and shrimp health guide.
The parameters that decide whether ember tetra fits in your tank.
Mid
Yes
Group of 8+
Characidae
Omnivore
Micro pellets, crushed flake, baby brine shrimp. Small mouth, keep food fine.
2–4 yrs
Medium
Quiet leaf-littered forest pools of the Araguaia basin
Rio das Mortes basin, Brazil
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Chili rasboras, celestial pearl danios, pygmy corydoras, cherry shrimp (adults), sparkling gouramis. Most peaceful nano species.
Anything large enough to eat them (~6 cm+). Fin-nippers like tiger barbs.
Weighing it against something similar? Compare Ember Tetra head to head:
Hard-won lessons from the tank.
Colour pops most against black substrate, dark wood, and dim warm lighting. Feed colour-enhancing foods (krill, paprika-based) to maintain saturation. A group of 12+ in a 40 L tank looks better than 6 in a 75 L.
Species 'amandae' honours Amanda Bleher, mother of Heiko Bleher (who collected the type specimens).
What can go wrong and how to spot it.
Failure modes, in order of how dramatic the fix is.
Hardy when acclimated. Watch for stress-induced ich after transport.
Often mistaken for 'orange neons' — they're a different genus (Hyphessobrycon). The colour is fluorescent orange-red rather than gem-toned.
The practical routine, read top to bottom.
30 L nano upwards. Heavy planting (mosses, crypts, floating plants), driftwood, tannins. Sand substrate. Sponge filter or gentle canister — strong flow stresses them.
2–3 weeks in a planted QT tank. They settle in faster than most tetras.
Where it comes from, how it behaves, and the variants you'll see at retail.
Where it lived before it came home.
See where the Ember Tetra and every other species comes from on the species world map.
Rio das Mortes basin and floodplain pools in central Brazil. Shallow, slow-moving, tannin-stained, often heavily vegetated.
Tiny crustaceans, mosquito larvae, micro-invertebrates, biofilm.
Not threatened. Almost entirely captive-bred for the trade now.
How they pair, reproduce, and grow.
Females are fuller-bodied; males more brightly coloured and slimmer.
Egg scatterers; relatively easy among nano tetras. Soft water (<5 dGH), pH 5.5–6.5, 25–27 °C, dim light. Java moss or spawning mop. Eggs hatch in 24–36 hours; fry need infusoria/microworms.
The named cultivars and the lookalikes worth flagging.
Wild type only.
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae) needs a minimum tank of 40 L. They live in the mid water column and should be kept in groups of 8+, so a longer footprint matters more than depth.
Target 23–29 °C, pH 5.5–7.0, and 1–10 dGH hardness. Acclimate slowly when moving them between water sources.
Shrimp safety: Yes (adults safe with adult shrimp). Plant safety: Yes.
Ember Tetra are omnivore. Micro pellets, crushed flake, baby brine shrimp. Small mouth, keep food fine.
On Fin & Stem's 1–5 difficulty scale this species rates 2/5. Forgiving, beginner-friendly once the tank is cycled. Breeding difficulty: medium.
Typical lifespan in a well-maintained tank is 2–4 years.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this fish with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
