Rummy nose Tetra Hemigrammus bleheri 1-2cm

The Hemigrammus bleheri, commonly known as the Rummy-nose Tetra or Firehead Tetra, is a stunning and highly sought-after freshwater fish native to the Rio Negro and Rio Meta basins in Brazil and Colombia.

These elegant tetras are instantly recognisable by their striking colouration, featuring a brilliant, deep red head that extends past the gill covers, a translucent silver-green body, and a distinctive black-and-white striped caudal fin.

Growing to a modest 4-5 centimetres in length, Rummy-nose Tetras are renowned for their tight schooling behaviour, often swimming in synchronised formation across the aquarium, creating a mesmerising display of movement and colour.

Their vivid red noses serve as a natural indicator of water quality and stress levels—fading when conditions are poor or the fish are unhappy, and glowing intensely when healthy and settled.

As with all tetras, Rummy-nose Tetras are highly social, shoaling fish that must be kept in groups of at least 6-10 individuals to feel secure and display natural behaviour—solitary specimens become stressed, pale, and reclusive.

In proper schools, they are lively and confident, occupying the middle to lower water levels where their striking patterns catch the eye. These peaceful fish are excellent community inhabitants, compatible with a wide range of similarly sized, non-aggressive species such as rasboras, Corydoras, dwarf cichlids, and other tetras.

Omnivorous by nature, they are unfussy eaters that readily accept quality flake foods and micro-pellets, though their colouration and health are best maintained with regular offerings of small live or frozen foods like daphnia, brine shrimp, and bloodworms.

They appreciate a well-planted aquarium with dimmed lighting or floating plants to replicate their natural blackwater habitat, along with open swimming space.

With proper care including regular water changes and stable, soft, acidic water parameters, Rummy-nose Tetras typically live 3-5 years, making them exquisite, schooling additions to peaceful community setups.