- Common name
- Adonis tetra
- Scientific name
- Lepidarchus adonis
- Category
- Freshwater fish
- Group
- African tetras
- Environment
- Freshwater aquarium
- Origin
- Small coastal basins in southern Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire
- Care level
- Advanced
- Adult size
- Up to 2.1 cm standard length
- Expected lifespan
- A dependable species-specific maximum was not located; plan for 3–5 years and manage it as a sensitive small shoaling fish.
- Minimum housing
- At least 60 L with a 60 cm footprint for twelve or more
- Temperature
- 22–26 °C
- pH
- 5.8–6.5
- Hardness / minerals
- Up to 4 dGH; dependable lower limit unknown
- Salinity
- Freshwater; 0 ppt routine salinity
- Lighting
- Subdued, preferably with floating cover
- Placement / zone
- Middle water
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the full adult group, with accessible mechanical prefiltration and guarded intakes. Flow must suit the species while ammonia and nitrite remain undetectable.
- Aeration
- Maintain reliable surface agitation and oxygen exchange at all times. Increase aeration during hot weather, medication, transport recovery or any rise in stocking load.
- Maintenance
- Change water regularly according to measured nitrate and waste, siphon trapped food and detritus, rinse mechanical media in removed aquarium water and verify that every fish is feeding and maintaining condition.
Identity and search names
Single-species profile for Lepidarchus adonis. Preserve permanent AquaNexus ID 1320, slug adonis-tetra and route species/adonis-tetra/index.html; retain former combinations, locality labels and trade names only as searchable aliases.
Search names: Adonis tetra, Jellybean tetra
Environment and housing
Provide a mature, quiet, densely planted or leaf-littered aquarium with subdued light, gentle flow and tiny peaceful companions.
Social structure: Keep at least twelve; use a species-focused or very gentle nano community
Feeding and nutrition
Feeding ecology: Minute live and frozen invertebrates plus appropriately fine prepared foods
Feeding routine: Two or three very small feeds daily
Breeding, reproduction or spread
Unknown — no dependable species-specific home-aquarium protocol was located
Parental care: Unknown
Detailed care and app-ready planning
- Identity scope
- Single-species profile for Lepidarchus adonis. Preserve permanent AquaNexus ID 1320, slug adonis-tetra and route species/adonis-tetra/index.html; retain former combinations, locality labels and trade names only as searchable aliases.
- Adult size and space
- Expected adult size: Up to 2.1 cm standard length. Minimum permanent housing: At least 60 L with a 60 cm footprint for twelve or more. Plan around adult dimensions, activity, social structure, aggression, oxygen demand and waste production rather than sale size.
- Social structure
- Keep at least twelve; use a species-focused or very gentle nano community
- Swimming zone or placement
- Primary zone: Middle water. Keep that zone usable for movement, feeding, refuge and escape.
- Feeding ecology
- Minute live and frozen invertebrates plus appropriately fine prepared foods
- Feeding plan
- Two or three very small feeds daily
- Water stability
- Maintain 22–26 °C; pH 5.8–6.5; hardness or minerals: Up to 4 dGH; dependable lower limit unknown; salinity: Freshwater; 0 ppt routine salinity. Stable oxygenation and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing one exact value.
- Habitat structure
- Provide a mature, quiet, densely planted or leaf-littered aquarium with subdued light, gentle flow and tiny peaceful companions.
- Compatibility plan
- Best in a species-focused or carefully selected nano community; avoid large, boisterous or predatory fish.
- Breeding or reproduction plan
- Unknown — no dependable species-specific home-aquarium protocol was located Parental care: Unknown.
- Quarantine
- Quarantine new livestock in a separate cycled system for at least 30 days. Observe appetite, respiration, waste, skin, fins and behaviour; use dedicated equipment and never add transport water to the established aquarium.
- Welfare checks
- Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding, and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. At barely over 2 cm standard length, this fish is easily starved, filtered, chilled or eaten. Mature stable water and minute food are essential.
- Biosecurity and release
- Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.
- Main risk
- At barely over 2 cm standard length, this fish is easily starved, filtered, chilled or eaten. Mature stable water and minute food are essential.
- Adult projected load
- The individual body load is low, but the required shoal, frequent tiny foods and sensitivity to organic deterioration make system stability more important than litres alone.
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the full adult group, with accessible mechanical prefiltration and guarded intakes. Flow must suit the species while ammonia and nitrite remain undetectable.
- Aeration
- Maintain reliable surface agitation and oxygen exchange at all times. Increase aeration during hot weather, medication, transport recovery or any rise in stocking load.
- Maintenance
- Change water regularly according to measured nitrate and waste, siphon trapped food and detritus, rinse mechanical media in removed aquarium water and verify that every fish is feeding and maintaining condition.
- Overridable warnings
- Non-overridable: do not accept persistent ammonia or nitrite, oxygen distress, chronic bullying or inadequate adult space. A knowledgeable user may choose different equipment or water-change intervals only when measured water quality, oxygenation and fish condition remain consistently safe.
Compatibility, welfare and risk
Compatibility: Not applicable
Welfare: Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding, and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. At barely over 2 cm standard length, this fish is easily starved, filtered, chilled or eaten. Mature stable water and minute food are essential.
Main warning: At barely over 2 cm standard length, this fish is easily starved, filtered, chilled or eaten. Mature stable water and minute food are essential.
Biosecurity and release
Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.