The Rummy Nose Tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus complex) is a strikingly beautiful freshwater fish, instantly recognizable by its bright red head and distinctive black-and-white striped tail. Famous for its tight schooling behavior, this tetra is a favorite for aquascaped community tanks.
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The Rummy Nose Tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus complex) is a strikingly beautiful freshwater fish, instantly recognizable by its bright red head and distinctive black-and-white striped tail. Famous for its tight schooling behavior, this tetra is a favorite for aquascaped community tanks.
Slender, silver-transparent body with a deep red nose that extends beyond the gill plates. Tail fin marked with bold black and white horizontal stripes. Grows up to 2 inches (5 cm).
5–8 years with excellent care
Omnivorous — enjoys high-quality flakes, micro-pellets, and thrives on live or frozen foods such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, and daphnia.
The Rummy Nose Tetra is not only beautiful but also unique in its synchronized swimming and color-changing nose, which acts as a health barometer. Ideal for aquascaped tanks, they are best kept in large groups to display their true charm.
Moderate — more sensitive to water conditions compared to other tetras.
20 gallons (for a school of 8–10+)
5.5 to 7.0
1–8 dGH
75–82°F (24–28°C)
2 inches (5 cm)
Compatible with neon tetras, cardinal tetras, corydoras, rasboras, guppies, peaceful dwarf cichlids (like Apistogramma), gouramis, shrimp, and snails.
Avoid aggressive or fin-nipping species like tiger barbs, larger cichlids, or bettas that may harass or stress them.
Hemigrammus rhodostomus (also includes H. bleheri & H. roseus, often sold interchangeably)
Characidae
Amazon Basin, South America (Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela)
Highly social schooling fish. Known for their synchronized swimming, which enhances their beauty and makes them a highlight of community aquariums.
Feed 2–3 times daily in small portions. A staple of flakes and micro-pellets should be supplemented with live or frozen foods to enhance coloration and vitality.
Egg scatterer. Spawning occurs in soft, acidic water with dim lighting. Eggs are scattered among fine-leaved plants or spawning mops. Parents do not guard their eggs and must be removed post-spawning.
Requires a dedicated breeding tank with very soft (1–4 dGH), acidic (pH 5.5–6.5), and warm (82°F / 28°C) water. Dim lighting is essential. Females scatter 5–10 eggs at a time among plants. Eggs hatch within 24–36 hours, and fry are free-swimming in about 5 days. Fry need infusoria initially, followed by micro-worms and baby brine shrimp.
pH: 5.5–7.0, Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C), Hardness: 1–8 dGH, Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm, Nitrate: <20 ppm.
Prone to ich, stress-related diseases, and fungal infections if water quality declines. Their red nose fades quickly when stressed, serving as an early warning sign.
Peaceful, calm schooling fish
Peaceful and very social. Requires large groups of at least 8–10 to feel secure. Best known for their schooling, where all fish move in perfect synchronization.
Rummy Nose Tetras originate from the clear and blackwater rivers of South America, particularly the Amazon basin. They are prized for their vivid red nose and highly synchronized schooling behavior, often swimming in perfect unison. This makes them not only a visual delight but also useful as natural stress indicators — their red noses fade when stressed or sick, alerting aquarists to tank issues. They thrive best in planted aquariums with dark substrates and gentle water flow, where their colors shine most vividly.