Red-bellied piranha
pygocentrus nattereri

For more information on Characins click here.

Cost:
Before I tell you how much the Red-bellied piranha cost let me just lay down a few facts. The price will vary on these factors; specimen size, maturity and supplier. Now that you understand the variable the common price for the Red-bellied piranha is $7-15.

Short Bio:
The popular opinion about the Red-bellied piranha is the they are bloodthirsty beasts, well this is not the normal case. The Red-bellied piranha is actually a very timid fish when kept in small numbers in the home aquarium, with the younger specimens are actually spooked rather easily. The bloodthirsty beast side of the Red-bellied piranha is only applied to the large school found in the wild and that side is still greatly exaggerated. Even though I just tried to make you think twice about the ruthless nature that is so commonly associated with Red-bellied piranha think carefully before purchasing any.

Origin:
South Brazil, Amazon River Basin.

Sexual Distinctions:
The male Red-bellied piranha will be slightly more slender and while in breeding condition will darken greatly.

Tank conditions:
Your tank should measure at least 60 x 24 x 24 inches (150 x 60 x 60 cm).
The temperature should be between 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit (22-28 Celsius).
Red-bellied piranhas are able to thrive in many different types of water conditions, just avoid very hard and alkaline water. The tank should be decorated with hidings spot amongst large pieces of bogwood. If you have a desire to use plants in that tank be sure to use more robust species the Red-bellied piranha may eat more delicate species.

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The Red-bellied piranha should be housed in groups of at least four, try to keep an eye out for weaker ones in the group since you may need to remove the weaker one if fighting or bullying occur or it may end up as lunch.
The Red-bellied piranha prefers to occupy the middle of the tank and is best kept in a species tank.

Food:
There diet for the Red-bellied piranha should be split up into two parts.
First you have the frozen meaty foods, which includes but is not limited to, cockles, mussels, and fish. You can also feed the Red-bellied piranha larger live foods such as shrimp or fish, just make sure the live fish are not diseased.
The second part of the diet should consist of dried pellet foods. Almost all typed of dried food will work, the reason they need this type of food is that it contains many vitamins and minerals that may be lacking in their other foods.

Behavior:
Here’s the section that I’m sure many have been waiting for. The Red-bellied piranha is rather scatty when younger, and actually slow-moving and quite timid when mature. But none the less may still take bites out of tanks mates. With adequate feeding and hardy, larger sized tankmates the Red-bellied piranha can make a great addition to your home aquarium.

Breeding:
When breeding the Red-bellied piranha you will need a very large aquarium and the spawning will usually take place after a water change. The parents will protect their young.

Silver Dollar
mytnnis argenteus

For more information on Characins click here.

Cost:
The price I am going to tell you is for younger Silver Dollars, the price for more mature/larger specimens varies considerably. So with you understanding that the younger one are cheaper then you should be able to find young Silver Dollars for sale for about $4-7.

Short Bio:
The Silver Dollar is closely related to the Piranha but unlike its cousin is almost entirely a vegetarian. When young the Silver Dollar is quite timid so make sure the tank is place in an area where the outside world activities will not spook the young Silver Dollar. The roundness shape of the Silver Dollar give the it a strong presence in the fish tank. The Silver Dollar is a great addition to any tank that has other large, peaceful fish. The Silver Dollar can also be tankmates with some larger species of cichlids.

Origin:
South America in rivers where vegetation is found both above and below the water.

Sexual Distinctions:
To sex the Silver Dollar look at the anal fins. The male Silver Dollar will have a slightly larger, more colorful anal fin then the female.

Tank Conditions:
The minimum tank size dimensions for housing the Silver Dollar are as follows:
48 x 18 x 18 inches (120 x 45 x 45 cm).
The temperature should be in the range of 75-82 degrees Fahrenheit (24-28 Celsius). The Silver Dollar will adapt well to most water conditions.

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In the wild though the Silver Dollar is found in water that is acidic to neutral. There are no special needs that the Silver Dollar has as far as decorations in the tank goes, but it does like to have a few large hiding places under some rocks or bogwood. Like its cousin the Silver Dollar should be kept in groups of at least four or more. The Silver Dollar tends to occupy the middle and lower parts of the tank.

Food:
In the wild it feeds almost solely on vegetation and seeds, which its diet should reflect in the aquarium as well. Feed the Silver Dollars pellet foods, and for younger/smaller Silver Dollars who can not fit pellets into its mouth feed herbivorous flakes, algae wafers, lettuce, cucumber, and plant matter. Even though I named these foods off for smaller Silver Dollars you should feed all of this the the adults as well.

Behavior:
The Silver Dollar is very peaceful and active, but will eat almost all plant aquarium plants.

Breeding:
The Silver Dollar will breed in the aquarium but it needs a vary large aquarium and will also need soft water. When the male Silver Dollar is in spawning condition his colors will intensify greatly and various patterns will appear.

Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra
gymnocorymbus ternetzi

For more information on Characins click here.

Cost:
The Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra is a common aquarium fish and its price remains pretty consistently between $2-4.

Short Bio:
The Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra is a fish that is very hardy and will be able to tolerate many different types of water conditions. When younger the Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra has black bands and like to school. As it ages the black fades to a washed-out gray, and it prefers to have its own space and no longer likes to school. The Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra is a very peaceful fish that will get along with almost all types of fish, but it will nip at long finned tankmates such as the guppy and the Betta a.k.a Siamese fight fish.

Origin:
South America in Paraguay and Guapore River Basins in the varied river environments.

Sexual Distinctions:
To tell the different sexes with the Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra you must look at the dorsal and anal fins. The males will have a pointed and narrow dorsal fin and a broader anal fin then the females.

Tank Conditions:
A community tank with no fancy tailed/finned fish. It will nip the fins and tails.
The Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra requires a minimum tank size of 24 x 12 x 12 inches (60 x 30 x 30 cm).

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The temperature should be in the range of 68-79 degrees Fahrenheit (20-26 Celsius). The Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra originates from soft-water areas and so prefers medium to soft, acidic water. Although it prefers this type of water it will however, adapt to, and live quite happily in harder water. To bring out the best of the Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra have a darker substrate and shaded areas. The Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra also likes areas that are planted with either real of fake vegetation. Even though at a younger age the Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra will school tightly together and as it ages will prefer to have its own space but no matter the age you should house about four Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra together in any one tank. Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra will stay in the middle to upper part of the tank.

Food:
In the wild the Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra eats small aquatic animals, seeds, and insect, and being omnivorous and opportunistic feed the Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra a variety of floating and sinking foods in the fish tank.

Behavior:
Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra is a peaceful fish that will school in groups with the males sparing every now and then but this is still normal behavior.

Breeding:
The Black Widow Tetra a.k.a Black Skirt Tetra will breed in the aquarium. It just needs soft, acidic water with tannins from bogwood and or with blackwater which will all help to encourage breeding.

Bleeding Heart Tetra
hyphessobrycon rubrostigma

It belongs to the family Characidae

For more information on Characins click here.

Cost: $4-7

Origin:
Columbia

Description:
Deep bodied, has a shape similar to say, a lemon tetra. Gets up to 2 ¼ inches (6 cm).

Color:
Looks transparent, the dorsal fin is black with a white tip.

Sexual distinctions:

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Females bulkier and the males have a larger, more elongated dorsal fin.

Tank conditions:
Temperature 77 degrees (25 Celsius). Ph and hardness, no specific levels determined. Needs plenty of swimming space, lots of vegetation and pretty good lighting.

Food:
Different types of live food, every now and then a high quality dried food.

Behavior:
Lively and a good swimmer.

Breeding:
Seldom will breed.

Compatibility:
Does very well in a community tank, peaceable schooling fish.

Black Neon Tetra
hyphessobrycon scholzei

It belongs to the family Characidae

For more information on Characins click here.

Origin:
South America: Paraguay River Basin. Most are now captive-bred.

Description:
Very elongated, but is still only about 2 inches (5cm) long.

Color:
It’s back is a greenish or sometimes brownish color. It has silver sides, with a blue to brassy sheen, and has a silver belly. A thick black band runs from the gill cover to the back of the base of the caudal fin, which it then forms a large diamond shape patch. On top of the black band there is a thin gleaming metallic line. It has colorless pelvic fins, but all it’s other fins are pale reddish with the anal fin edged with black at the front.

Sexual distinctions:

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The males are slimmer then the females and more deeply cleft caudal fins.

Tank conditions:
Temperature 75-81 degrees Fahrenheit (24-27 Celsius) For the proper Ph and hardness ratings use old water, not too hard with a Ph of slightly hard to acid. For the most part a very easy species to care for.

Food:
Live, high quality dried food, and some form of vegetable flake. (spirulina is good)

Behavior:
Schooling type, it’s lively and does well in a community tank.

Cardinal Tetra
cheirodon axelrodi

It belongs to the family Characidae

For more information on Characins click here.

Cost: $4-15

Origin:
Tributaries of the Rio Negro and the Orinoco

Description:
Long and thin. Smaller fish, getting to only about 1 ½ inches (4cm)

Color:
Magnificent red lateral stripe that begins at the front of the snout and reaching back to the base of the tail fin, extends over the belly and throat. Luminous blue lateral stripe. And on the top by the dorsal fin, just a sliver of gray.

Sexual distinction:

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The female will have a fuller looking belly and will be slightly bigger than the male.

Tank conditions:
Temperature 73-75 degrees Fahrenheit (23-24 Celsius). A Ph rating of 5.5-6.5 would be best when accompanied with medium lighting, plenty of free space for swimming, a background picture of mixed water plants that are light and dark and a black tank bottom.

Food:
Omnivorous, small live food such as fruit flies.

Behavior:
Very lively and active schooling fish.

Breeding:
Difficult to breed in captivity, but the temperature should be raised to 79-82 degrees Fahrenheit (26-28 Celsius). The adults should be removed after the eggs have been laid. Water should be slightly acidic for the breeding period.

Compatibility:
Gets along well in a community tank. Can be mixed with other species of similar habits.