| Common Name | Congo Tetra
|
| Species/genus | Phenacogrammus interruptus
|
| Keeping | Very colourful and peaceful fish. These
are schooling fish and better kept in groups of 6 or more. They can be a beginner's
fish provided you have a large tank with plenty of plants and soft water. They
can also adopt to neutral water.
They are shy but if kept in a shoal they will do better. They can accept
all foods but supplement their diet with live foods. The male is larger with more
color. Also the tail fin and dorsal fin are more extended.
|
| Breeding | They are not so easy to breed.
You need a 20G long tank. Condition the male and female by introducing them into
the breeding tank with a glass partition. Water has to be kept soft. Breeding tank
should have plants. Feed them well with live foods for three or four days. Then one
morning before dawn remove the partition, spawning takes place with in a day or two.
Female scatters the eggs among the plants. You may also have a net at the bottom
so that eggs can drop below the net and parents do not eat them.
Spawning may last 2 days, after which remove the male and female from the breeding
tank. Increased lighting after the partition is removed will induce the spawning.
You may also have pebbles at the bottom so that eggs can drop beneath the pebbles.
The fry hatch after a week and tiny fry need can take freshly hatched brine
shrimps. Filtration is not required during the first two weeks, but water must be
changed partly using the small air tube as hose with a nylon mesh net at the end.
Hatching is a bit longer than the other tetras and you need to wait for 5 to 7 days.
|
| Origin | Temp | Water | Temper
| Size | Tank | Food | Breeding
|
| Congo | 73-86 °F | Neutral to Soft
| Peaceful, Community | 2-3 inch | 30 Gallon
| All, Worms | Egg scatterer, not easy
|
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