What tank size does a Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra need?

A Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra needs an aquarium of at least 70 litres (18.5 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 Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra need?

Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 5.5–7.5 and a general hardness of 2–18 °dGH.

What group size does a Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra need?

Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra suitable for beginners?

Yes — Head-and-Tail-Light 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

Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra

Hemigrammus ocellifer

Characidae

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

📷 Axel Zarske · CC BY 4.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra — Hemigrammus ocellifer — 📷 Axel Zarske · CC BY 4.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

About

The head-and-tail-light tetra is a 4.5 cm characin from Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and the Amazon basin in Brazil and Peru. It is named for two gleaming gold spots, one in the upper part of the eye and one at the base of the tail, which catch the light like a pair of lamps and also earn it the name beacon tetra. Seriously Fish rates it one of the best tetras for a general community setup: peaceful, lively, tough and undemanding, and almost all stock on sale is commercially bred.

Care

Keep at least 8, ideally 10 or more, in 70 L with a 60 cm base, in soft, slightly acidic water with gentle flow. It does not nip and suits most calm tankmates - livebearers, danios, rasboras, Corydoras and dwarf cichlids. Avoid angelfish and other larger predators, which treat a 4.5 cm tetra as food.

Diet

Easy omnivore; flakes and micro-granules are the staple, with frozen bloodworm and Daphnia to intensify the gold spots.

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 Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra need?: A Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra needs an aquarium of at least 70 litres (18.5 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 Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra need?: Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 5.5–7.5 and a general hardness of 2–18 °dGH.
What group size does a Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra need?: Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
Is the Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra suitable for beginners?: Yes — Head-and-Tail-Light 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

Temperature22–28°C

Optimal temp.24–26°C

pH5.5–7.5

Hardness (GH)2–18°d

Carbonate (KH)0–10°d

Adult size4.5 cm

Min. volume≥ 70 L

Min. tank length≥ 60 cm

Group size≥ 8

Swimming zoneMid

TemperamentPeaceful

Water typeFreshwater

FlowLow

Lifespan~5 yrs

Try in the calculator