Darter tetra

[genes]

Very interesting fish from a member's collection. Don't get to see it often in our LFS. Its like a little puppy under water.

[tetroid]

Nice. I saw a group of those at at an LFS in my city once. I should have bought some, because I haven't seen any since then. They look a bit like juvenile SAEs.

[hwchoy]

we do get them occassionally, more noted for behaviour than looks. hard to identify to specific species though.

[tetroid]

Got one! He's in my quarantine tank now. That was a funny coincidence - I haven't been to the LFS in weeks, but my toddler wanted to see the shark they have on display, so we went. Literally the second tank I looked at had a juvenile darter tetra in it. It was labelled "black hopper tetra." I don't know where they got that name, but it was a real characidium.

The price was $3.99 for one, and $3.69 each if you bought five. They must have had quite a few at one point. I wanted three, but I looked and the clerk looked and we could only find the one fish.

His gills were quite red when I brought him home. I hope he lives. He looks like the picture above, but with a trace of yellow around his belly.

[apistomaster]

My photo can't compare but I buy and keep these every 5 or so years when I can find some. They behave a bit like the Hawkfish seen in reef tanks but are not colorful. They are very interesting in behaviors they exhibit and I am sad they are not more popular. People don't realize what they are missing.

[apistomaster]

Darter Tetras have long been among my favorite fish because of their interesting behaviors such as bottom hopping and perching at the tip of a high leaf when the want a better view. The remind me of reef Hawk Fish in these regards. My pho isn't very good but neither is my camera. I had these last about 5 years ago but replacements are always hard to find in my part of the world.