AquaNexus verified profile
Buenos Aires tetra
Psalidodon anisitsi
Buenos Aires tetra is an active, cool-tolerant schooling fish that needs a large group and long swimming space. It can nip fins and eat soft plants.
Outcome: PASSED Permanent ID: 136
Profile overview
- Scientific Name
- Psalidodon anisitsi
- Identity and search names
- Hyphessobrycon anisitsi, Hemigrammus caudovittatus
- Category
- Freshwater fish
- Subgroup
- Tetras
- Environment
- Cool to warm freshwater aquarium with a long open footprint, strong filtration and robust planting
- Origin
- Río de la Plata basin in southern South America, including Paraná and Uruguay river systems
- Care
- Easy to intermediate
- Adult Size
- Up to about 7.5 cm total length
- Lifespan
- About 5–8 years; records vary
- Tank
- At least 150 L with a 100 cm or longer footprint for a group of ten or more
- Temp
- 18–26 °C
- pH
- 6.0–8.0
- Hardness
- Soft to hard; acclimate gradually and keep minerals stable
- Salinity
- Freshwater, 0 ppt; routine salt addition is not recommended
- Lighting
- Moderate; use hardy plants or protected planting
- Placement
- Middle and upper water
- Diet
- Omnivore taking insects, crustaceans, plant matter and prepared foods
- Compatibility
- Use active similarly robust fish; avoid slow, long-finned species and delicate planted layouts
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the adult stock and feeding load, with guarded intakes and a flow pattern the species can use without continual effort.
- Aeration
- Maintain strong gas exchange and stable dissolved oxygen, especially overnight, during warm weather, medication, crowding or any interruption to filtration.
- Maintenance
- Test ammonia and nitrite after changes or abnormal behaviour; remove waste from the occupied zone and perform regular water changes matched to temperature and mineral chemistry.
- Welfare
- Maintain the full adult social plan and permanent space, stable oxygenated water and direct feeding access. Check group distribution, fin damage, body condition, feeding access, jumping attempts and nitrate control Main risk: This is not a tiny peaceful tetra. Too few fish, cramped space or slow long-finned companions increase fin nipping, and soft plants may be eaten.
- Biosecurity
- Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Check the exact accepted identity in current BICON and applicable South Australian rules before import, sale or movement; import eligibility does not authorise release or wild collection.
- Review Status
- PASSED
- Source Status
- CURRENT — accepted identity or explicitly bounded species profile; husbandry, welfare, sources and Australian/South Australian biosecurity rechecked. CURRENT
App-ready care, welfare and biosecurity details
Identity Scope
Single-species profile for Psalidodon anisitsi. Hyphessobrycon anisitsi is retained as the long-used former combination.
Adult Size And Space
Up to about 7.5 cm total length. At least 150 L with a 100 cm or longer footprint for a group of ten or more. Adult dimensions, activity and social structure matter more than sale size.
Social Structure
Active shoal of at least ten; a larger group helps spread chasing
Swimming Zone
Primary zone: Middle and upper water. Keep that zone usable and provide escape routes, feeding access and uninterrupted movement appropriate to the species.
Feeding Ecology
Omnivore taking insects, crustaceans, plant matter and prepared foods
Feeding Plan
Offer varied foods once or twice daily, including a meaningful plant component
Water Stability
Maintain 18–26 °C; pH: 6.0–8.0; hardness/minerals: Soft to hard; acclimate gradually and keep minerals stable. Stable temperature, oxygen and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing unsupported exact numbers.
Habitat Structure
Long open swimming lanes, strong filtration, secure lid, wood or rock and hardy plants
Compatibility Plan
Use active similarly robust fish; avoid slow, long-finned species and delicate planted layouts
Breeding Plan
Pairs or groups scatter many eggs among plants or spawning media; adults provide no care and may eat eggs. Parental care: None. Do not trigger reproduction without capacity for aggression, eggs or fry and lawful rehoming.
Quarantine
Quarantine in a separate cycled aquarium with dedicated nets, containers and siphons. Match temperature and mineral chemistry gradually, confirm normal feeding, respiration, skin, fins and waste, and never pour transport water into the established aquarium.
Welfare Checks
Check group distribution, fin damage, body condition, feeding access, jumping attempts and nitrate control
Biosecurity And Release
Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Check the exact accepted identity in current BICON and applicable South Australian rules before import, sale or movement; import eligibility does not authorise release or wild collection.
Main Risk
This is not a tiny peaceful tetra. Too few fish, cramped space or slow long-finned companions increase fin nipping, and soft plants may be eaten.
Adult Projected Load
Plan biological load around Up to about 7.5 cm total length, adult activity, Active shoal of at least ten; a larger group helps spread chasing, feeding and waste production rather than the size of juveniles offered for sale.
Filtration
Provide mature biological capacity for the full adult group, keep intakes safe, and direct return flow so shelter, feeding and swimming areas remain usable.
Aeration
Provide continuous surface movement or supplementary aeration sufficient for the full adult group; increase oxygen support during heat, treatment, spawning or filter disruption.
Maintenance
Use measured water changes, substrate cleaning appropriate to the habitat, filter servicing without destroying the biofilm, and routine checks of nitrate, temperature and mineral stability.
Overridable Warnings
Override only with documented adult-capacity filtration, oxygen measurements and a tested maintenance plan. The warning remains active when the trigger is present: This is not a tiny peaceful tetra. Too few fish, cramped space or slow long-finned companions increase fin nipping, and soft plants may be eaten.
Sources and review basis
- Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes — Psalidodon anisitsi: Accepted name, synonym and taxonomic placement
- IUCN Red List search — Psalidodon anisitsi: Conservation and provenance cross-check
- Australian Government — importing live ornamental fish: Australian import pathway and biosecurity requirements
- PIRSA — South Australian noxious fish list: South Australian possession, trade and release context
AquaNexus uses original editorial synthesis. Exact import, possession, movement and disposal requirements must be rechecked with the current authority before acquisition or transfer.