Freshwater

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Part II: Fish and How to Care for Them
Cardinal tetras will eat almost any food including flake, live, and frozen.
Rummy-nose tetra (Hemigrammus bleheri)
The rummy-nose tetra is a peaceful fish that should be kept with other small
tetras of equal size. Its name comes from the fact that it has a red splotch of
color around its nose and eyes.
This species will eat almost any food offered and should be kept in water that
is between 72–79 degrees F and softly acidic, with a pH between 6 and 6.8.
Unusual characins
There are many different types of characins. The following sections give
examples of some that are quite unusual in physical form. Unusual is cool!
Blindcave fish (Astyanax fasciatus mexicanus)
The blindcave fish has no eyes and navigates in dark, underground caves in
the wild using its lateral line (see Chapter 7). The body is pink in color overall
with a red gill area. This is an amazing little fish that should not be overlooked
as a great asset to any aquarium with compatible species.
This fish grows up to 3 inches in captivity and is an egglayer. A school consisting
of five members makes a great addition to the community tank. The
blindcave fish is omnivorous and should be kept in waters that are near 72
degrees F with a pH of 7.4. If you are going to keep blindcave fish, make sure
you provide them with small caves built out of rocks (or pre-manufactured
aquarium caves) so they can feel secure.
Silver hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus sternicla)
The body of the silver hatchetfish body resembles the blade of a large ax.
This peaceful South American fish eats live insects and should be kept in
schools (of at least three), which will stay near the top of the tank.
This very active species requires excellent water conditions to survive and
will not do well in a dirty tank with little oxygen. The water temperature
should be kept between 72–79 degrees, with a pH between 6–7. They require
an aquarium that has plenty of swimming room and do best if provided with
current created by powerheads or other equipment.
Good tankmates include tetras, loaches, livebearers, angelfish, and rasporas.
Hatchetfish are good with plants (not eating or tearing them up), so provide
them with plenty. Feed them plenty of frozen foods that include insect larvae,
as they feed on them in the wild.