Buenos Aires tetra care guide

Plan a tank with buenos Aires tetrasSee all tank mates

Buenos Aires tetra quick facts

• Known jumper: keep a tight-fitting lid.
• Notorious fin nipper: avoid long-finned tank mates.

Tank setup

A group of eight needs at least a 29 gallon (110 L) tank about 36 in (90 cm) long, and extra space cuts down on nipping. Use tough plants such as java fern and anubias, or artificial ones, because soft plants get eaten. Fit a lid, since these fast swimmers can jump.

How many buenos Aires tetras in a tank?

The smallest common tank that suits buenos Aires tetras is a 40 gallon. Here is roughly how many fit in each size when they are the only fish, based on adult size and waste output. Leave room if you want tank mates.

Water parameters

This subtropical fish does best at 18–25 °C (64–77 °F). It accepts a wide range of water, about pH 6.0–8.0 and 3–18 dGH. A warm room may hold it without a heater, but long spells near 28 °C (82 °F) shorten its life.

Best tank mates for buenos Aires tetras

These popular species share buenos Aires tetras' water needs and temperament. See the full list of 25 good matches.

• Nerite snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Bristlenose pleco

  12 cm (4.7 in) · 22–26°C (72–79°F)

• Tiger barb

  7 cm (2.8 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Assassin snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Ramshorn snail

  2 cm (0.8 in) · 21–27°C (70–81°F)

• Malaysian trumpet snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 20–27°C (68–81°F)

• Mystery snail

  5 cm (2 in) · 21–26°C (70–79°F)

• Electric blue acara

  15 cm (5.9 in) · 23–27°C (73–81°F)

Avoid keeping buenos Aires tetras with

• Angelfish: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of angelfish.
• Betta fish: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of bettas.
• Cherry shrimp: Buenos Aires tetra eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
• Dwarf gourami: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of dwarf gouramis.
• Fancy goldfish: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of fancy goldfish.
• Guppy: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of guppies.

Feeding

A greedy omnivore that eats insects, worms, plant matter and debris in the wild. Feed a good flake or granule with plant content, plus blanched spinach, peas or algae wafers. Add frozen or live bloodworm and daphnia. Well-fed fish nip and graze on plants less.

Behavior

Active and boisterous, it mostly uses the middle of the tank. It is a known fin nipper, especially in small groups or cramped tanks. Keep it with fast, sturdy fish of similar size, such as robust tetras, barbs, danios, rainbowfish and armored catfish. Avoid bettas, angelfish, fancy guppies, tiny shy fish and dwarf shrimp.

Breeding

Mature males are slimmer, slightly smaller and more brightly colored than females. A pair or group scatters a large number of eggs over fine-leaved plants or spawning mops. Remove the adults right after, because they eat the eggs. Eggs hatch in about a day; feed the fry infusoria first, then baby brine shrimp.

Tips from experienced keepers

• Expect them to eat soft plants. Java fern, anubias and floating plants usually survive.
• Keep eight or more and give lots of swimming room to reduce fin nipping.
• They suit tanks kept near room temperature better than most tetras.
• Add some vegetable food to their diet every day.

Sources

We checked these references when writing this page. Values are for healthy long-term keeping, not survival limits. Last reviewed 2026-10-13. See our editorial policy.

• seriouslyfish.com
• fishbase.se
• aquariumglaser.de
• fishkeepingworld.com
• researcharchive.calacademy.org