They aren’t aggressive at all which is great when you start considering tank mates (details on that in the section below). As long as you take care of your Ember Tetras and feed them a suitably diverse diet, they won’t need any other supplementations than what you are already feeding them. Both the females and males look alike, so it can be challenging when you are trying to distinguish between them. This makes it quite enjoyable to watch them swim around because of their bright colors. You can feed them small portions either two or three times daily. Watching them is truly a treat, and they add so much character to your tank, you’ll be glad you got them. A lot of the larger fish will eat anything that is small enough to fit inside their mouth, even if they are non-aggressive fish. The very base of the fin is the same color as the rest of their body (sometimes even brighter). Both of these fins have a little bit of a black or grey gradient. Despite their small size, they tend to be healthy and are not particularly prone to diseases. This is something we’ve touched on a little bit in this guide already but it’s important enough to deserve its own section. Also, during the breeding period, the female’s abdomen will get a little bigger than the male’s abdomen. These are very non-aggressive fish who don’t compete with the other fish either. Variation is important if you want to ensure that they get the necessary vitamins and nutrients to keep their systems running smoothly. The more you have, the more comfortable they will feel in your tank, which will decrease any possible stress significantly. For example, the Ember Tetra is approximately 0.8 inches. They’re very low-maintenance in this regard! Whether you’re just getting started or simply want a pretty and low-maintenance freshwater fish, the Ember Tetra is a great choice. Although the Ember Tetras are a peaceful fish, they are also quite active. However, similar to other freshwater fish, the Ember Tetra is sensitive to fluctuations in the water acidity and temperature, as well as changes in lighting. If you do not keep up with the regular cleaning, water renewal, and filtration, you will end up with a tank full of bacteria and algae. They may be small, but they are definitely active fish that love to school together and dart around the tank. In its natural habitat, the Ember Tetra’s diet consists mainly of various zooplankton and small invertebrates. Scarlet Badis Guide: Is This Bright Colorful Fish For You. The more Embers you have in your tank, the larger and more brilliant and beautiful their school will be as they dart around playfully in your tank. The Ember Tetra is almost entirely orangeish-red and the brightness of their color holds true wherever it’s present on their body. Their tiny size often baits aquarists into dropping in more food than necessary. This means a mixed diet of flake fish food and frozen or freeze-dried food is a great place to start. Keep an eye on their behavior, and if they start acting strange or lethargic, re-evaluate their food, and possibly consider buying a higher quality of food. You should also consider upping their diet to live foods for two weeks before you want spawning to occur. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When she's not writing about fish you can find her hiking, swimming, and doing yoga. These friendly fishes enjoy moving in big groups, even when kept in an aquarium. Because they spend most of their time in the middle of the water column, they don’t usually pick food off the floor of the tank, making pygmy catfish the perfect tankmate. You will want to have at least eight Embers in your tank to encourage them to school together. To duplicate the slow-moving waters that they prefer, you will want a water filtration system that is gentle, not too strong. For live food, we recommend Daphnia and brine shrimp as a great source of protein and nutrients. We recommend that you keep at least 10-15 of these together to ensure that they feel comfortable and enriched by their buddies. Once spawning has occurred the parents will leave the fry to fend for themselves. We’re always learning, figuring stuff out, taking advantage of the enormous smarts of our friends and our on-line community, and trying to give some of that back in turn. With one exception – when they have just been introduced to a new tank, you’ll notice that they can be a bit cautious until they become used to their new tank environment. For happy Ember Tetras, you want to mimic those characteristics in their tank. They have an elongated, semi-transparent body. Welcome. It’s quite addicting to watch these fish swim around and explore the tank. The ideal tank size for Ember Tetras is 10 gallons at a minimum. This really makes them stand out in most freshwater nano aquariums and means this fish will likely be a popular choice for years to come. By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll be fully prepared! The female Ember Tetras usually have a larger air bladder than the male. Size: 0.6–0.8 inch Diet: Omnivore Family: Characidae Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons Tank Set-Up: Freshwater, Heavily Planted Compatibility: Peaceful Community Fish Temperature: 23–29 C (73–84 F) pH: 6.5-7.5. When you notice these changes in the females and males, you can transfer them to a breeding tank for spawning. The plants are there to provide a place to hide and rest, nothing more. With small fish, you always need to be careful not to overfeed them because it could cause them digestive system problems. Towards the back of their bodies, they look slightly compressed, but this actually allows them to swim around more smoothly. Both are a fiery red color, sometimes with a saturated orange gradient coloring. This can have a seriously negative impact on their physical and mental health. The size of these fish is often not visibly impacted by the quality of their care. You can feed them Grindal worms, Daphnia, or Artemia. All of the plants above and in the water tend to block the sunlight, which causes the lighting to be dim. You will want to put the fatter females that are carrying eggs into the breeding tank and place the brightest, most vibrant males in the breeding tank with the females. These plants can also serve as shelter, breeding grounds, and food.