Congo Tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus)

Congo Tetra Care Guide

Tank Setup

• Tank Size: Minimum 150 liters (40 gallons) for a small school.

• Substrate: Dark sand or fine gravel, which helps highlight their shimmering colors.

• Décor: Provide driftwood, rocks, and dense planting with open swimming areas. Floating plants are useful to soften lighting.

• Lighting: Moderate – enhances their iridescent scales and flowing fins.

Water Parameters

• Temperature: 23–28°C (74–82°F)

• pH: 6.0–7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

• Hardness: 3–18 dGH

• Filtration: Gentle to moderate flow with excellent water quality.

Diet

• Omnivorous – feed high-quality flakes or pellets, along with live/frozen foods such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, and daphnia.

• They appreciate some vegetable matter, like spirulina-based foods.

• A varied diet brings out their strongest coloration.

Tank Mates

• Peaceful schooling fish; should be kept in groups of at least 6–8.

• Ideal companions include rainbowfish, larger rasboras, peaceful cichlids (like Kribensis), and Corydoras catfish.

• Avoid fin-nippers, as Congo Tetras have long, flowing fins.

Behavior

• Active mid-water swimmers that display best in groups.

• Males are larger and more colorful, with extended fin rays.

• Females are smaller and less intensely colored.

• Grow up to 8–9 cm (3–3.5 inches).

Breeding

• Egg scatterers.

• Provide fine-leaved plants or spawning mops.

• Adults may eat the eggs, so remove them after spawning.

• Fry hatch in about 6 days and should be fed infusoria or liquid fry food before moving on to baby brine shrimp.

Interesting Fact

Congo Tetras are native to the Congo River Basin in Central Africa, and their shimmering rainbow-like scales reflect blues, greens, and golds, making them one of the most colorful freshwater tetras in the aquarium hobby.