Hyphessobrycon bentosi

Hyphessobrycon bentosi, the Bentos tetra, ornate tetra or candy cane tetra, is a species of characin fish found in sluggish tributaries at the Amazon Basin in Brazil and Peru. Occasionally, it makes its way into the aquarium trade. It has often been confused with the rosy tetra.

Ornate tetra
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Characidae
Genus: Hyphessobrycon
Species:
H. bentosi
Binomial name
Hyphessobrycon bentosi
Durbin, 1908

Named in memory of a Colonel Bentos, who was a volunteer on the Thayer Expedition to Brazil (1865-1866), during which the type specimen was collected.[1]

Description

The ornate tetra can grow up to 4 cm (1.6"). It is silvery pink, and has a dark spot around the gills, which distinguishes it from the rosy tetra.[2] Its dorsal fin is black and has a white tip on it. Males have longer dorsal and anal fins and appear slightly larger than females.[3]

Distribution and habitat

The ornate tetra lives in sluggish tributaries of the Amazon River, associated flood plain lakes. It is a benthopelagic fish and is often found in creeks and around submerged vegetation.[4]

Diet

It is an omnivorous fish that feeds on small invertebrates.

In the aquarium

Ornate tetras are kept in the aquarium hobby. Most individuals in the aquarium trade are bred commercially over collecting them in the wild.[4] They have been sold as bentos tetras, white tip tetras, or false rosy tetras in certain stores.[5]

References
  1. Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 September 2018). "Order CHARACIFORMES: Family CHARACIDAE: Subfamily STETHAPRIONINAE (h-t)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  2. http://www.inaquarium.com/hyphessobrycon-bentosi.php
  3. Hyphessobrycon bentosi (Ornate Tetra) — Seriously Fish
  4. Hyphessobrycon bentosi The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016
  5. Animal World


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