Description
Hyphessobrycon amapaensis, the Amapá tetra, is a small characid, of about 3 cm, from the Preto and Maracá river drainages, in the Brazilian state of Amapá. It is also called the «red line» or «scarlet tetra»: it closely resembles the flag tetra, H. heterorhabdus, but has a broader red stripe and a white or cream central stripe. Its name is that of the state where it lives.
It is a very peaceful, easy fish, ideal for a well-researched community tank. It comes from savanna streams of clear, light brown water, over sand and gravel.
Behavior
Very peaceful: an ideal resident of a well-planned community tank. It is a shoaling fish: a mixed-sex group of at least eight or ten and other shoaling fish to give it security are best; it looks more natural that way.
It lives well with characids of similar size, hatchetfish, lebiasinids, small catfish (callichthyids or loricariids) and small non-predatory cichlids.
Avoid housing it with large fish or predators.
Habitat
Hyphessobrycon amapaensis is known only from a small area of the Preto and Maracá river drainages, in Amapá, in northeastern Brazil. The type locality is a savanna brook on the road from Camaipi to Santa Clara, about 45 km north of Macapá. It lives in small streams flowing through savanna grassland, with clear, light brown water, a bottom of sand and gravel and little submerged or marginal vegetation.
Hyphessobrycon amapaensis is a schooling species, which means that in the wild it lives and moves in large, coordinated groups.
Keep at least 8 individuals so they feel comfortable and their stress level stays low.
Details
🌊 Water parameters
🐠 Minimum tank size
Breeding
It is a free spawner that scatters its eggs, with no parental care. In good condition it spawns often, and in a mature tank a few fry may appear without intervention. To get more, a separate, very dimly lit tank is set up with a mesh on the bottom through which the eggs fall out of the adults' reach.
Diet
Probably an omnivore, of small invertebrates, crustaceans, filamentous algae and fallen fruit.
- Staple: quality dry food, in flakes or granules.
- Supplement: bloodworm, daphnia and moina, live or frozen.
What about your tank?
Enter your tank's values to see only the compatible species that fit them. Litres apply to fish.
Compatible fish
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–25 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–25 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 27–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 5–6.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–26 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.6–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5–6.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–27 °C.
Compatible invertebrates
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–25 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.8–6.8 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.8–6.8 and 23–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7 and 23–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–24 °C.
Sources
- FishBaseFroese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2026. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
- Seriously FishSeriously Fish. Hyphessobrycon amapaensis. Ficha de especie; consultada 2026-10.
Water: FishBase gives no pH, hardness or temperature (only the climate class, tropical); the ranges are those of Seriously Fish (pH 5-7, 1-8 dGH and 23-28 °C). Seriously Fish adds that at the type locality the pH was 5.8 to 6.3, the hardness below 1° and the water was at 24.7-27.2 °C. Size: 3.0 cm SL in FishBase and 30 mm SL in Seriously Fish. Tank: Seriously Fish asks for a base of 60 × 30 cm. Names «Amapá tetra», «red line tetra» and «scarlet tetra»: those recorded by Seriously Fish. Family: GBIF keeps it in Characidae and FishBase in Acestrorhamphidae; the profile follows GBIF.
Litres per fish and minimum tank height and depth: the profile's own judgement. Seriously Fish gives only the tank base and FishBase gives no tank sizes.
Lifespan: the profile's own estimate; the sources consulted do not give it.
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