EMPEROR TETRA

These fish are native to the freshwater Atrato and San Juan River basins of Colombia in South America. They frequent areas that are slow-moving, such as small tributaries and streams, where the temperature ranges from 73 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Though the emperor tetra is distributed over a narrow range in the wild, it has become a favorite aquarium pet and is farmed for sale around the world. As of 2014, the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) has insufficient data to determine the status of this species in its natural habitat in the wild; more research is needed. In captivity, the species breeds readily. The attractive coloration and elegant fins of the regal emperor tetra leave little doubt why the emperor tetra was given its name. Introduced to home aquaria in 1960, it has become one of the more popular of the tetra family of fishes. Fins of both sexes have a yellow hue and are edged in black on the outer periphery; they are red where the fin meets the body. The body of the fish is blue-gray with mauve tones, and it displays an almost iridescent sheen. A dark stripe runs horizontally from head to tail, and the body is lighter in color below the stripe.