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Moenkhausia pittieri
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Overview:
While often overlooked in stores, the diamond tetra, once settled into
your aquarium, is a striking fish. Its silver body is punctuated with
shimmering scales that can take on a variety of colors under the right
light.
Quick stats:
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Listed tank sizes are the minimum
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| Size: |
Usually under 3 inches (7.5 cm) |
| Tank: |
20 gallon long for a proper school |
| Strata: |
Will go everywhere but predominantly Lower to Middle level. |
| PH: |
5.5 - 7.5 |
| Hardness: |
Soft to medium: dh range 0.0 - 12.0 |
| Temperature: |
75°F to 82°F (24°-28° C) |
Classification:
| Order: |
Characiformes |
| Family: |
Characidae |
| Genera: |
(Incertae sedis) Moenkhausia |
| Species: |
pittieri |
Common name:
Diamond tetra
Image gallery:
Additional
species photographs
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Distribution
South America: In and around Lake Valencia in Venezuela.
General Body Form:
The diamond tetra is heavily built. The dorsal fin is sickle shaped
trailing toward the tail. Males’ dorsal fins are longer, reaching almost
to the tail.
Coloration:
The diamond tetra’s overall coloration is silver with a green or blue
shine. The eye has a red spot at the top. The diamond tetra gets its
name from the numerous scales that shimmer with orange, green, or gold.
While young the shimmer isn’t apparent. Once they reach adulthood, they
are quite beautiful.
Maintenance:
The diamond tetra can adapt to a wide range of water conditions. It
is best kept in soft, slightly acidic water. The diamond tetras habitat
is slow moving, heavily vegetated areas of lakes and streams. Thus,
a planted tank is appreciated. A 20 gallon tank is suitable for a small
school of 6+ tetras; however, the large group you can get the better.
This is a very active fish that shouldn’t be combined with fish that
spook easily. It needs plenty of swimming space. The diamond tetra is
omnivorous and will accept a wide variety of flake, frozen, or freeze
dried food. In the wild, they eat larvae and small crustaceans so live
food will be devoured in short order.
 Female |
 Male |
Diet:
In the wild these will eat small crustaceans, worms and daphnia. In
the aquarium they will eat most anything offered to them. Such as, Daphnia,
freeze dried blood worms, Brine shrimp as well as flakes and granules.
Breeding:
The Diamond tetra is easily bred. In fact, they can be bred in a community
aquarium if enough cover is given, such as java moss, for fry to hide.
Condition the tetras on high quality food. Start with a dark tank, gradually
increasing light until spawning occurs.
Biotope:
Found in lakes and slow moving South American streams.
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