Species · Tetras & rasboras
Ember Tetra
Hyphessobrycon amandae
A tiny ember-orange nano schooler — peaceful, easy, and perfect for a small planted tank. Keep a decent group and it glows.
Difficulty: BeginnerTropical community tank✓ Fact-checked care guide
Quick facts
| Adult size | ~2 cm / 0.8 in |
|---|---|
| Minimum tank | ~30 L / 8 US gal for a shoal — SeriouslyFish recommends a 45 × 30 cm base |
| Temperature | 23–27 °C / 73–81 °F (within the species range of 20–28 °C / 68–82 °F) |
| pH | 5.0–7.0 (soft, acidic to neutral) |
| Hardness | 1–10 dGH (soft water) |
| Filtration & flow | Cycled, gentle filtration — this is a tiny, delicate-mouthed nano fish |
| Diet | Micro-omnivore — very small/crushed flake and tiny live/frozen foods |
| Social | Shoaling — keep at least 8–10 |
| Temperament | Very peaceful |
| Lifespan | 2–4 years |
Overview
The ember tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae) is a jewel of a nano fish — barely 2 cm of glowing ember-orange. In a planted tank a shoal of them looks like drifting embers.
It is peaceful and easy in a mature, soft-water tank, asking mainly for a proper group and food small enough for its tiny mouth.
Water & tank
Embers like soft, acidic-to-neutral water (pH 5.0–7.0, 1–10 dGH) at 23–27 °C / 73–81 °F, in a calm, planted nano tank. Add them to a cycled, settled aquarium.
A small shoal is happy in ~30 L / 8 US gal (SeriouslyFish recommends a 45 × 30 cm base) — an ideal planted-nano centrepiece.
Feeding
A tiny mouth means tiny food — finely crushed flake, micro-pellets, and small live/frozen foods (baby brine shrimp, cyclops, daphnia). Feed small amounts once or twice a day.
Behaviour & tankmates
Utterly peaceful — ideal with other tiny, calm species and dwarf shrimp (with cover). Keep a real group of 8–10+; a few embers are shy and washed-out.
Avoid larger or boisterous tankmates that will out-compete or eat such a tiny fish.
What to expect
A confident shoal drifts mid-water and glows warm orange; shy, pale, hiding embers usually just need a bigger group and calmer tankmates.
Myths, kindly busted
“Tiny nano fish are easy to feed anything.”
Their mouths are minute — food must be small (crushed flake, micro-pellet, baby brine shrimp) or they can't eat it.
“A trio of embers is fine.”
They are shoaling fish; keep 8–10+ for colour, confidence and natural behaviour.
When to act
We triage, not diagnose — but these are worth a closer look (starting with a water test):
- A thin, hollow-bellied ember — often it can't get food small enough, or is out-competed; offer tiny foods and check tankmates.
- Pale colour, hiding, clamped fins — test the water and check the group size.
Sources & further reading
- SeriouslyFish — Hyphessobrycon amandae — Adult ~20 mm SL; recommended 45 × 30 cm base; temperature 20–28 °C / 68–82 °F; pH 5.0–7.0; hardness 1–10 dGH (soft); very peaceful shoaling nano fish.
Written & fact-checked by The Finfern Team against the sources above — kind, general guidance, not a diagnosis. If something looks wrong, test your water and, if it persists, contact a fish-savvy vet.
Join the shoal
Honest freshwater care, the occasional myth kindly busted, and new guides — straight to your inbox. No spam, no gatekeeping.
Water-first tips and new guides the moment they land. No spam — unsubscribe anytime.