Identity and search names

Common name
Head-and-tail-light tetra
Scientific name
Holopristis ocellifera
Other names
Hemigrammus ocellifer, Tetragonopterus ocellifer, Head-and-taillight tetra, Beacon tetra, Holopristis ocellifer
Category
Freshwater fish
Group
Tetras and characins
Origin
Amazon basin and coastal drainages of the Guianas; exact identity must be separated from Holopristis falsa
Review outcome
PASSED

Environment and housing

Environment
Freshwater
Care level
Beginner to intermediate
Adult size
Usually 4.5–5 cm total length
Expected lifespan
About 4–6 years
Minimum housing
At least 90 L with a proper school and open mid-water space
Temperature
23–28 °C
pH
5.5–7.5
Hardness or minerals
Soft to moderately hard
Salinity
Freshwater
Lighting
Subdued to normal lighting with planted or wooded margins
Social structure
Keep at least 10 in a stable school
Placement or swimming zone
Middle water
Temperament
Peaceful schooling characin
Compatibility
Use peaceful similarly sized fish and avoid fast aggressive feeders that leave the school underfed
Habitat structure
Mature filtered aquarium with open swimming room, leaf litter or wood, plant cover and stable warm water

Feeding and nutrition

Diet
Small invertebrates and varied fine prepared foods
Feeding frequency
Offer small meals once or twice daily and spread food across the school

Breeding and reproduction

Breeding or reproduction
Free-spawning egg scatterer among fine plants or mops; adults provide no care and may consume eggs
Parental care
No parental care

System demands

Filtration
Use mature biological filtration sized for the full adult group and feeding load, with intake protection where juveniles, long fins or small fish are present. Provide steady turnover without preventing normal swimming or resting.
Aeration
Maintain strong surface gas exchange and stable dissolved oxygen. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, breeding crowding or any ammonia or nitrite event.
Maintenance
Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, remove waste from feeding and shelter zones, and perform regular temperature- and chemistry-matched water changes before nitrate or dissolved organics accumulate.

Detailed husbandry

Identity scope
This profile follows the current combination Holopristis ocellifera. Holopristis ocellifer and Hemigrammus ocellifer are familiar former or alternate spellings/combinations; Holopristis falsa is a distinct species.
Adult size and space
Usually 4.5–5 cm total length. At least 90 L with a proper school and open mid-water space. Plan around adult dimensions, activity, social structure, aggression and waste production rather than sale size.
Social structure
Keep at least 10 in a stable school
Placement or swimming zone
Primary zone: Middle water. Keep that zone usable for movement, feeding and refuge.
Feeding ecology
Small invertebrates and varied fine prepared foods
Feeding plan
Offer small meals once or twice daily and spread food across the school
Water stability
Maintain 23–28 °C; pH 5.5–7.5; hardness/minerals: Soft to moderately hard. Stable oxygenation and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing one exact number.
Adult projected load
Plan capacity for Keep at least 10 in a stable school at the documented adult size (Usually 4.5–5 cm total length) in At least 90 L with a proper school and open mid-water space. Include feeding intensity, territorial behaviour and breeding growth rather than counting sale-size juveniles.
Filtration
Use mature biological filtration sized for the full adult group and feeding load, with intake protection where juveniles, long fins or small fish are present. Provide steady turnover without preventing normal swimming or resting.
Aeration
Maintain strong surface gas exchange and stable dissolved oxygen. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, breeding crowding or any ammonia or nitrite event.
Maintenance
Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, remove waste from feeding and shelter zones, and perform regular temperature- and chemistry-matched water changes before nitrate or dissolved organics accumulate.
Habitat structure
Mature filtered aquarium with open swimming room, leaf litter or wood, plant cover and stable warm water
Compatibility plan
Use peaceful similarly sized fish and avoid fast aggressive feeders that leave the school underfed
Breeding plan
Free-spawning egg scatterer among fine plants or mops; adults provide no care and may consume eggs Parental care: No parental care.
Quarantine
Quarantine new fish in a separate cycled aquarium with dedicated equipment. Match temperature and mineral chemistry gradually, confirm feeding and normal respiration, 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. The accepted combination is now Holopristis ocellifer. Holopristis falsa is a separate species, so old “falsus” labels must not be silently folded into this profile.
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
The current accepted combination is Holopristis ocellifera. Holopristis falsa is a separate species, so old “falsus” or mixed head-and-tail-light labels must not be silently merged.
Overridable warnings
The current accepted combination is Holopristis ocellifera. Holopristis falsa is a separate species, so old “falsus” or mixed head-and-tail-light labels must not be silently merged. Any override must still preserve adult space, social welfare, stable chemistry, oxygen and filter capacity.

Welfare and risk

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. The accepted combination is now Holopristis ocellifer. Holopristis falsa is a separate species, so old “falsus” labels must not be silently folded into this profile.
Main warning
The current accepted combination is Holopristis ocellifera. Holopristis falsa is a separate species, so old “falsus” or mixed head-and-tail-light labels must not be silently merged.
Biosecurity
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.

Sources

Source note

Current identity or scope, husbandry, system-demand, welfare and Australian biosecurity evidence checked; active retired-source links removed; all AquaNexus wording is original.

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