Description
The pristella tetra, or X-ray fish for its translucent body in which the organs can be glimpsed, is one of those low-key fish that win in a shoal: dorsal, anal and pelvic fins tipped in yellow, black and white that flicker as they swim together.
It is the only member of its genus, measures about 4.5 cm and is so widespread in the trade that almost nobody sees a wild one. It copes well in an ordinary community tank, though in a bare set-up it looks pale.
Behavior
Peaceful and shoaling; in a group of eight or ten it occupies the middle zone and bothers nobody.
It lives well with other tetras of its size, rasboras, corydoras and small bottom feeders.
Avoid housing it with large or voracious fish, which take it for food.
Habitat
Pristella maxillaris lives in the coastal waters of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and northern Brazil. In the dry season it occupies clearwater streams and with the rains it moves up into flooded savannah.
That life between channels and pools explains why it tolerates a wide hardness range: natural water changes a lot over the year.
Tetra pristella is a schooling species, which means that in the wild it lives and moves in large, coordinated groups.
Keep at least 6 individuals so they feel comfortable and their stress level stays low.
Details
🌊 Water parameters
🐠 Minimum tank size
Breeding
An egg scatterer: in the wild it moves into flooded savannah with the rains to spawn among submerged vegetation. At home it is bred in a separate tank with fine plants, the adults removed after spawning.
A semi-albino "golden" line is also sold as a captive-bred variety.
Diet
An undemanding omnivore.
- Staple: quality flake or micropellets.
- Supplement: frozen daphnia or brine shrimp a couple of times a week.
It feeds in the middle and upper zone and does not go down for what sinks to the bottom.
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 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–8 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–25 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 27–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 22 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–8 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °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 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–25 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.8 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.8 and 22–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
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They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
Sources
- FishBaseFroese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2026. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
- Seriously FishSeriously Fish. Pristella maxillaris. Ficha de especie; consultada 2026-10.
Hardness: FishBase gives a maximum of 35 dH with no minimum and Seriously Fish, 2-20 dGH. The profile uses 2-20, the only stretch bounded by both sources. Temperature: 24-28 °C in FishBase and 22-28 in Seriously Fish; the widest range is used.
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.
Plan your next aquarium
Is this fish right for you? Plan a suitable aquarium before setting it up.