What tank size does a Glowlight Tetra need?

A Glowlight Tetra needs an aquarium of at least 60 litres (15.9 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.

What water parameters does a Glowlight Tetra need?

Glowlight Tetra does best at 24–28 °C (75.2–82.4 °F), pH 5.5–7.5 and a general hardness of 2–15 °dGH.

What group size does a Glowlight Tetra need?

Glowlight Tetra is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Glowlight Tetra suitable for beginners?

Yes — Glowlight Tetra is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.

Species library

Glowlight Tetra

Hemigrammus erythrozonus

Characidae

FishDifficulty: ●●○○○Data: well-established

📷 gonzalovalenzuela / Kyknos · CC BY 2.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

Glowlight Tetra — Hemigrammus erythrozonus — 📷 gonzalovalenzuela / Kyknos · CC BY 2.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

About

The glowlight tetra is a small, slender characin native to the forested blackwater tributaries of the Essequibo River in Guyana, where it drifts through soft, tannin-stained water in loose shoals. A translucent silver body is bisected by a single luminous orange-red stripe that glows like a filament, an effect that intensifies over dark substrate and dim, planted surroundings. Hardy, peaceful and long popular with beginners, it makes an outstanding centrepiece for calm nano and community aquariums.

Care

Keep a shoal of at least 6 (ideally 10+) in a well-planted tank with soft, slightly acidic water, gentle flow and dark substrate. Pair only with equally peaceful, similarly sized tankmates.

Diet

Micro-omnivore that grazes small invertebrates and organic particles in the wild; feed small dry foods supplemented with regular frozen or live micro-foods.

Tankmate compatibility

Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.

Telling males from females

What works for this species, most reliable first.

Belly depthA hint only · only on well-fed adults, and only as a comparison
For most tetras, barbs and rasboras this is all there is: a conditioned female is deeper through the belly than a male of the same length.

All the methods, with diagrams

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Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Glowlight Tetra need?: A Glowlight Tetra needs an aquarium of at least 60 litres (15.9 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
What water parameters does a Glowlight Tetra need?: Glowlight Tetra does best at 24–28 °C (75.2–82.4 °F), pH 5.5–7.5 and a general hardness of 2–15 °dGH.
What group size does a Glowlight Tetra need?: Glowlight Tetra is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
Is the Glowlight Tetra suitable for beginners?: Yes — Glowlight Tetra is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.

Sources

Water & tank

Temperature24–28°C

Optimal temp.25–27°C

pH5.5–7.5

Hardness (GH)2–15°d

Carbonate (KH)0–8°d

Adult size4 cm

Min. volume≥ 60 L

Min. tank length≥ 60 cm

Group size≥ 6

Swimming zoneMid

TemperamentPeaceful

Water typeFreshwater

FlowLow

Lifespan~4 yrs

Try in the calculator