Lemon Tetra

The Lemon Tetra is a charming and underrated freshwater schooling fish named for its lovely translucent yellow coloration. Native to South America, these peaceful tetras have a subtle beauty with their pale yellow bodies, red-orange eyes, and yellow fins that can show a black edge on the dorsal fin. They are active, mid-water swimmers that bring gentle movement and color to community aquariums. Lemon Tetras are hardy, undemanding, and excellent for beginners. Their peaceful nature and modest size make them perfect for community tanks with other non-aggressive fish.

Care Requirements

Tank Setup

Lemon Tetras are active schooling fish:

• Minimum 15 gallons (20+ recommended for schools)
• Keep in groups of 6 or more - essential for their well-being
• Dark substrate to enhance their colors
• Moderate lighting
• Gentle filter (they prefer calm to moderate flow)
• Heater to maintain 72-78°F
• Plants: Amazon Swords, Java Fern, Cryptocoryne

Important: They are schooling fish that must be kept in groups. Isolated individuals become stressed and lose color.

Water Quality

• Temperature: 72-78°F (22-25.5°C)
• pH: 6.0-7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
• Water Hardness: Soft to moderate (2-15 dGH)
• Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm
• Nitrate: <20 ppm

Maintenance:

• Weekly 25% water changes
• They are adaptable to various water conditions
• Stable parameters more important than exact numbers

Feeding

Lemon Tetras are omnivores with small mouths:

• High-quality micro flakes or pellets
• Frozen foods: daphnia, brine shrimp, cyclops
• Live foods: micro worms, baby brine shrimp (occasional treat)
• Vegetable matter: spirulina flakes

Feeding Schedule: Small amounts 2-3 times daily. Feed only what they can consume in 2-3 minutes.

Note: They have small mouths, so provide appropriately sized food.

Behavior & Compatibility

Lemon Tetras are peaceful community fish:

• Good Tank Mates:

  • Other small tetras (Neon, Cardinal, Ember)
  • Rasboras (Harlequin, Espei’s)
  • Corydoras Catfish
  • Small Gouramis (Dwarf, Honey)
  • Peaceful livebearers (Guppies, Platies, smaller Mollies)
  • Otocinclus
  • Dwarf shrimp (in larger tanks)

• Avoid Housing With:

  • Large or aggressive fish (Oscars, Angelfish)
  • Fin-nippers
  • Betta Fish (may view as food due to bright colors)

Schooling Behavior: They swim in loose schools in the middle water column, creating a lovely display when kept in groups of 8 or more.

Color Enhancement

Their yellow coloration intensifies with:

• Dark substrate
• Good water quality
• Varied diet with carotenoids
• Proper group size (6+ individuals)
• Dimmed lighting

Health Considerations

Lemon Tetras are generally hardy:

• Ich: Quarantine new fish; watch for white spots
• Stress: Will lose color if stressed or kept in small groups
• Fin rot: Usually due to poor water quality

Prevention: Maintain good water quality, keep in proper schools, and quarantine new additions.