What tank size does a X-ray Tetra need?

A X-ray 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 X-ray Tetra need?

X-ray Tetra does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 2–20 °dGH.

What group size does a X-ray Tetra need?

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

Is the X-ray Tetra suitable for beginners?

Yes — X-ray 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

X-ray Tetra

Pristella maxillaris

Characidae

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

📷 Debivort · CC BY-SA 3.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

X-ray Tetra — Pristella maxillaris — 📷 Debivort · CC BY-SA 3.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

About

The X-ray tetra, or pristella tetra, is a small, translucent shoaling characin from the clearwater streams, coastal drainages and seasonally flooded savannahs of the Amazon, Orinoco and the Guianas. Its glass-like body reveals the silvery swim-bladder capsule, while the dorsal and anal fins carry a striking black, white and lemon-yellow flag. Exceptionally hardy and adaptable, it tolerates a wide span of pH and hardness that defeats many softer-water tetras, which makes it one of the finest beginner shoaling fish and a lively, peaceful centrepiece for planted community tanks.

Care

Keep in a shoal of 6+ (ideally 10+) in a well-planted tank with gentle flow. Very hardy across pH and hardness; pair only with similarly peaceful, similarly sized tankmates.

Diet

Omnivorous micropredator; feed small dry foods daily and rotate in frozen or live daphnia, artemia and cyclops for colour and vigour.

Tankmate compatibility

Gets along with (87)

African Butterfly Cichlid Agassiz's Cory Amano Shrimp Assassin Snail Bamboo Shrimp Banjo Catfish Black Neon Tetra Black Phantom Tetra Black Ruby Barb Black Skirt Tetra Blackline Rasbora Bladder Snail Bleeding Heart Tetra Blood Parrot Cichlid Bloodfin Tetra Blue Velvet Shrimp Boesemani Rainbowfish Bolivian Ram Bristlenose Pleco Bronze Corydoras Cherry Barb Cherry Shrimp Chinese Algae Eater Clown Pleco Cochu's Blue Tetra Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid Congo Tetra Diamond Tetra Dwarf Chain Loach Dwarf Flag Cichlid Dwarf Gourami Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish Dwarf Orange Crayfish Dwarf Pea Puffer Emerald Cory Emperor Tetra Flame Tetra Forktail Rainbowfish Freshwater Clam Ghost Shrimp Glass Catfish Glowlight Tetra Golden Dwarf Cichlid Golden Pencilfish Golden Tetra Golden Wonder Killifish Guppy Harlequin Rasbora Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra Honey Gourami Julii Cory Keyhole Cichlid Kribensis Lemon Tetra Little Corydoras Malaysian Trumpet Snail Mystery Snail Otocinclus Peaceful Betta Penguin Tetra Platy Purple Emperor Tetra Pygmy Corydoras Rainbow Shark Ramshorn Snail Red Whiptail Catfish Red-Tail Shark Rosy Tetra Salt and Pepper Cory Scarlet Badis Scissortail Rasbora Serpae Tetra Siamese Algae Eater Silver Tip Tetra Skunk Cory Sparkling Gourami Sterbai Corydoras Striped Kribensis Thai Micro Crab Thick-lipped Gourami Threadfin Rainbowfish Tiger Barb Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid Upside-down Catfish Vampire Shrimp Venezuelan Cory Wrestling Halfbeak

Possible with care (131)

Acei Cichlid Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid Altum Angelfish Auratus Cichlid Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Blue Acara Blue Dolphin Cichlid Blue Tiger Shrimp Borleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo Sucker Brevis Shell Dweller Brichard's Teleogramma Brichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Buenos Aires Tetra Buffalohead Cichlid Bumblebee Cichlid Bumblebee Goby Butterfly Hillstream Loach Calvus Cichlid Cardinal Tetra Celebes Rainbowfish Celestial Pearl Danio Checkerboard Cichlid Checkered Barb Chili Rasbora Chocolate Cichlid Chocolate Gourami Clown Killifish Cobalt Blue Zebra Colombian Ramshorn Snail Congo Dwarf Cichlid Convict Cichlid Crystal Red Shrimp Cylindricus Cichlid Cyprichromis Demasoni Cichlid Denison Barb Discus Doctor Fish Dogtooth Cichlid Dojo (Weather) Loach Dwarf Petricola Catfish Dwarf Rasbora Electric Yellow Lab Elephantnose Fish Ellioti Cichlid Elongate Mbuna Ember Tetra Endler's Livebearer Even-spotted Synodontis Festivum (Flag Cichlid)Figure-8 Puffer Firemouth Cichlid Five-bar Cichlid German Blue Ram Glowlight Danio Gold Barb Golden Julie Green Discus Green Neon Tetra Heckel Discus Hongi Cichlid Japanese Trapdoor Snail Johanni Cichlid Kenyi Cichlid Kissing Gourami Kuhli Loach Lambchop Rasbora Least Killifish Lemon Cichlid Leopard Danio Macmasteri Dwarf Cichlid Maingano Cichlid Marble Hatchetfish Marlieri Cichlid Masked Julie Medaka Ricefish Molly Moonlight Gourami Multifasciatus Shell Dweller Neon Tetra Nerite Snail Ocellatus Shell Dweller Odessa Barb Panda Corydoras Paradise Fish Paraguay Eartheater Peacock Cichlid Pearl Danio Pearl Gourami Peppered Corydoras Pictus Catfish Polka Dot Loach Port Cichlid Powder Blue Cichlid Rabbit Snail Rainbow Cichlid Red Empress Red Rainbowfish Red Zebra Cichlid Redhead Cichlid Regan's Julie Reticulated Hillstream Loach Rosy Barb Rubber Lip Pleco Rummynose Tetra Rusty Cichlid Sailfin Molly Sand-sifting Xenotilapia Saulosi Cichlid Severum Similis Shell Dweller Spotted Hoplo Star Sapphire Strawberry Rasbora Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp Sunshine Peacock Sveni Eartheater Swordtail T-Bar Cichlid Taiwan Reef Cichlid Threadfin Acara Threadfin Petrochromis Three-spot Gourami Turquoise Rainbowfish Uaru (Triangle Cichlid)White Cloud Mountain Minnow Yoyo Loach Zebra Danio Zebra Mbuna Zebra Pleco

Avoid (53)

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

Also in these lists

Shrimp-safe fish Fish for a first aquarium Peaceful community fish Fish for a 112 litre tank

Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a X-ray Tetra need?: A X-ray 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 X-ray Tetra need?: X-ray Tetra does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 2–20 °dGH.
What group size does a X-ray Tetra need?: X-ray Tetra is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
Is the X-ray Tetra suitable for beginners?: Yes — X-ray 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

pH6–8

Hardness (GH)2–20°d

Carbonate (KH)1–12°d

Adult size4.5 cm

Min. volume≥ 60 L

Min. tank length≥ 60 cm

Group size≥ 6

Swimming zoneMid

TemperamentPeaceful

Water typeFreshwater

FlowLow

Lifespan~5 yrs

Try in the calculator