Scientific Name: Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae
Common Name: Lamp Eye Tetra, Yellow-banded Moenkhausia, Red Eye Tetra
Adult Size: 2.8 inches
Life Expectancy: 5 years
Habitat: South America
Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F
- pH Range: 6 - 8
- Water Hardness: 5 - 19
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet & Nutrition: Omnivore; will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance, give them a high quality flake food every day. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat. Vegetables should be offered regularly to bring out the best of its color and appearance. Spinach is a great choice for this fish.
Breeding & Spawning: Egg layers and easy to breed. The female releases about a dozen eggs at time and the male fertilizes them. A separate breeding tank will help to get the best number of fry. A 20 gallon spawning tank is fine, with a temperature of 80 to 84° F. Keep the tank dimly lit with clumps of spawning mops or java moss so the female has a place to deposit the eggs. A layer of mesh also works as long as the spaces are wide enough for the eggs to pass through and small enough to keep the parents out.
Gender: The only truly distinguishing feature to differentiate the sexes is the more rounded stomach of a mature female.
