🐠 Flame Tetra – Sub-adult

Hyphessobrycon flammeus | Brilliant ruby-red schooling tetra with peaceful temperament and timeless aquarium charm

Bring warmth, color, and graceful movement to your aquarium with the Flame Tetra. Renowned for its glowing red-orange body and elegant black-edged fins, Hyphessobrycon flammeus has remained one of the most beloved South American tetras for generations.

Its vibrant coloration and peaceful schooling nature make it a perfect addition to planted aquariums, community tanks, and natural aquascapes.

✨ Why aquarists love Flame Tetras

✔️ Brilliant ruby-red coloration — creates a stunning visual display under aquarium lighting
✔️ Elegant black-edged fins — adds striking contrast to its fiery body
✔️ Peaceful schooling species — thrives when kept in groups
✔️ Hardy and adaptable — suitable for a wide range of freshwater aquariums
✔️ Classic aquarium favorite — admired by hobbyists for decades

🌍 About the species

Hyphessobrycon flammeus is native to the coastal river systems of southeastern Brazil, where it inhabits slow-moving streams, ponds, and densely vegetated waterways.

These fish are known for:

• Brilliant red to orange body coloration
• Subtle metallic sheen along the flanks
• Black-tipped dorsal and anal fins
• Graceful schooling behavior
• Calm, peaceful temperament

When maintained in groups and under optimal conditions, their fiery coloration becomes even more vibrant, creating an eye-catching display in any aquarium.

🏡 Ideal aquarium setup

Flame Tetras thrive best in:

• Planted aquariums
• Community tanks
• Nature aquascapes
• South American biotope aquariums
• Well-maintained freshwater systems

Recommended setup:

• 60 liters or larger
• Dense aquatic plants with open swimming areas
• Dark substrate to enhance coloration
• Stable water parameters
• Efficient biological filtration

⚠️ Compatibility notes

Flame Tetras are peaceful schooling fish and are well suited to community aquariums with similarly sized species.

Not ideal with:

• Large predatory fish
• Aggressive cichlids
• Highly territorial species
• Fish that may intimidate small schooling species

Best suited for:

✔️ Community aquariums
✔️ Planted tanks
✔️ South American biotope setups
✔️ Beginner and experienced aquarists alike

🚚 Professionally packed for live arrival

Every shipment is treated as a live biological transport, not a standard parcel.

Your fish are packed using:

• Oxygen-filled fish bags
• Temperature-insulated packaging
• Shock-absorbing thermocol protection
• Fastest safe transport routes available

This minimizes transit stress and improves live arrival success.

🛡️ Live Arrival Guaranteed*

Instant Refund for DoAs in accordance with our Refund Policy.

👉 You are not taking the risk alone.

🧭 Is this right for you?

✔️ You want a vibrant and peaceful schooling fish
✔️ You maintain a planted or community aquarium
✔️ You appreciate classic South American tetra species
✔️ You enjoy colorful fish that become even more impressive in groups

⚠️ Not ideal if:

• You keep large predatory fish
• Your aquarium contains highly aggressive species
• You prefer solitary centerpiece fish
• You maintain very small or overcrowded aquariums

🔬 Nero Labs Standard

These fish are maintained with:

• Controlled batch monitoring
• Observation-based selection
• Stress-aware handling
• Survival-focused transport preparation

We prioritize long-term health, coloration quality, and behavioral stability over bulk-volume movement.

👉 Add a fiery splash of color to your aquarium

Experience the vibrant beauty, peaceful nature, and timeless appeal of the Flame Tetra from Nero Labs.

Flame Tetra (Hyphessobrycon flammeus)

Description

The Flame Tetra (Hyphessobrycon flammeus), offered by Nero Labs, is a selectively maintained ornamental characin recognized for its brilliant red-orange coloration, elegant black finnage accents, and peaceful schooling behaviour. Native to coastal river systems of southeastern Brazil, this species naturally inhabits slow-moving streams, floodplain waters, and densely vegetated freshwater environments with subdued lighting and stable water conditions.

Body coloration typically presents as metallic silver on the anterior body, gradually transitioning into vibrant orange-red to deep crimson across the posterior half. Mature males often exhibit more intense red pigmentation and elongated finnage, while females display a fuller body profile with comparatively softer colouration. The dorsal and anal fins are accented with contrasting black margins, enhancing the species' refined ornamental appearance. Colour intensity develops progressively with maturity and is strongly influenced by nutrition, environmental stability, and social dynamics.

Behaviour is peaceful, active, and strongly schooling-oriented. Individuals display coordinated midwater swimming and establish stable group hierarchies when maintained in appropriate shoals. The species integrates exceptionally well into community aquaria and demonstrates improved confidence, activity, and colour expression in densely planted environments with subdued lighting.

Specimens supplied are lab-reared and system-acclimated within controlled, closed-system environments, minimizing early-life stress and supporting reliable long-term adaptation to aquarium conditions. This lineage represents domesticated ornamental stock maintained for colour consistency, behavioural stability, and aquarium suitability rather than wild ecological function or conservation deployment.

System & Rearing Notes

Origin: In-house, Nero Labs
Rearing environment: Controlled, closed system
Line status: Selectively maintained ornamental characin
Behaviour: Peaceful, active, schooling
Swimming profile: Midwater, synchronized group movement
Feeding behaviour: Omnivorous; accepts prepared, frozen, and live feeds
Habitat preference: Planted aquaria with subdued lighting, open swimming areas, and gentle water movement
Colour development: Progressive; red-orange pigmentation and fin contrast intensify with maturity and environmental stability
Sexual dimorphism: Moderate; males typically exhibit brighter coloration and more refined finnage

Minor variation in red intensity, black fin markings, and body proportions may occur between individuals and reflects normal biological diversity within maintained ornamental populations.

Availability & Use

Availability of Flame Tetras is cycle-dependent and determined by biological readiness rather than inventory-driven targets. This species is suitable for beginner to advanced aquarists seeking a peaceful and visually striking schooling fish.

Best suited for planted community aquaria, South American-inspired freshwater systems, and mixed-species displays emphasizing natural schooling behaviour, vibrant colouration, and graceful midwater activity.

Important Note

Flame Tetras should be maintained in groups to support natural schooling behaviour and maximize colour expression. Stable water quality, subdued lighting, and a varied diet contribute significantly to their long-term health and the development of their characteristic vibrant red coloration.

Ethical & Operational Context

Distribution of Flame Tetras through Nero Labs prioritizes organism welfare, lineage integrity, and responsible propagation of ornamental schooling species. Proceeds support refinement of characin husbandry protocols, behavioural observation programs, and applied ornamental aquaculture initiatives.