The "Splashing Tetra", "Copella arnoldi",
is like many of the more peaceful tetras to keep, but its breeding
behavior is extraordinary. This is described near the end of this article.
This lovely fish comes from South America, including the lower
Amazon and Paru rivers. It grows to a length of about 3 inches (7cm)
and will live for 3 years.
Other
common names it has been called include "Splash Tetra", "Jumping
Characin", "Spraying Tetra", "Arnolds Splashing Tetra" and "Spraying
Characin". Some other scientific names that have been used for this
fish are "Copeina arnoldi", "Copeina callolepis", "Copeina eigenmanni", "Pyrrhulina filamentosa" and "Pyrrhulina rachoviana".
Water Conditions
The Splashing Tetra's natural habitat is warm tropical. Unlike some of the fish of the upper Amazon
which is sometimes fed by melted show and can have some temperature
drop, Splashing Tetras cannot take lower temperatures very well.
The Splashing Tetra can take the 24
degrees C (75 degrees F) I usually recommend for a mixed tank of
tropicals, but this is the lowest temperature I would suggest for this
fish.
Neutral Ph is suitable, and a moderate amount of hardness does not seem to harm this fish.
Food
The
preferred food of the Splashing Tetra is small live food, including
aquatic insect larvae and Daphnia. They will also eat most normal
aquarium fish foods and frozen bloodworms.
Companions
The Splashing
Tetra is happy with other small peaceful fish like Neon Tetras,
Cardinal Tetras, Green Neon Tetras, White Cloud Mountain Minnows, Cherry
Barbs, Penguin Tetras, Pristella Tetras and Glowlight Tetras. They would
probably also be OK with Siamese Fighting Fish.
I would be a little more cautious about putting them with
slightly more aggressive fish like Red EyeTetras, Silvertip Tetras,
Gold Barbs, Rummy Nose Tetras , Scissortail Rasboras, Lemon Tetras,
Emperor Tetras, Head and Tail Light Tetras, Glass Bloodfin Tetras,
Swordtails, Platies, Mollies, Black Widow Tetras, Rosy
Barbs, Tiger Barbs, Paraguay Tetras, Buenos Aires Tetras and Colombian
Tetras although these may well be alright with Splashing Tetras.
Sexing
The
males grow a little bigger than the females. The female, when inbreeding condition, is plumper than the males. Some people believe they
can see the actual eggs inside a female with eggs although I have never
actually seen this myself.
Breeding
The Breeding
behavior of the Splashing Tetra is extraordinary. They do not even lay
the eggs in the water. A pair of Splashing Tetras will be together
underneath vegetation which has a leaf a few centimeters above the
water surface. Once they are ready they will jump onto the leaf,
holding on for a few seconds. The female lays some eggs while the male
fertilizes them. The fish drop off. This is repeated until the female
has laid all her eggs. This could be up to 200 although it is usually
less.
The male chases the female away and for the next day and a
half he regularly splashes the eggs on the leaf, keeping them moist.
The eggs hatch and the babies are washed off by the splashing and
quickly find hiding places amongst the plants in the water.
The
babies are small and will eat infusoria (protozoa) at first. A good
supply of small live foods is a major factor in successfully raising
the babies.
If you can set up the rather specialized breeding
tank, with plenty of plants, including ones with good sized leaves out
of the water, this fish is a ready breeder.
