Are Silvertip Tetras fin nippers?

They can be. While not aggressively vicious, they are very active and prone to nipping the fins of slow-moving or long-finned fish. Keeping them in a larger shoal of 8 or more helps direct this boisterous energy towards each other rather than their tankmates.

Why are my Silvertip Tetras chasing each other around the tank?

This is entirely normal behaviour. The males regularly engage in mock-battles and chasing to establish a social hierarchy and impress the females. As long as the tank is large enough and the shoal is suitably sized, no real damage will be done.

How can I tell the difference between male and female Silvertip Tetras?

Males are slimmer and develop a striking, deep copper or golden-brown colour. Females have a noticeably plumper, rounder belly and are paler, typically exhibiting a yellowish-silver hue.

Do Silvertip Tetras require a heavily planted aquarium?

While not strictly required, they highly benefit from live plants. A heavily planted tank with floating foliage subdues the lighting, makes them feel secure, and encourages them to display their deepest, most vibrant colours.

Why are my Silvertip Tetras looking pale and washed out?

Faded colours are usually a sign of stress. This can be caused by poor water quality, bullying from larger fish, keeping them in too small a shoal, or housing them in a brightly lit tank with light-coloured substrate and inadequate cover.

FreshwaterTropicalBeginner

Silvertip Tetra

Hasemania nana

A lively and strikingly coloured shoaling fish, the Silvertip Tetra is renowned for the bright, silvery-white tips on its fins and active community presence.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 23 – 28 °C
pH range: 6 – 8
Hardness: 5 – 20 dGH
Adult size: 3 – 5 cm
Min. volume: 60 litres+
Lifespan: 3 – 5 years
Diet: Omnivore
Water flow: Moderate
Preferred setup: Planted aquarium with a dark substrate, leaving ample open swimming space in the centre.

About the Silvertip Tetra

Native to the tributaries of the São Francisco basin in Brazil, the Silvertip Tetra (Hasemania nana) is a bustling, active characin. Unusually for tetras, this species entirely lacks a small adipose fin between the dorsal and tail fins. Males boast a rich, deep coppery hue, while females present a paler, yellowish-silver colouration. Their distinctive white-tipped fins flash brilliantly as they dart around the aquarium, making them a captivating focal point in a carefully planned community setup.

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Where Silvertip Tetra comes from

Native range

South America, São Francisco River basin

Countries / regions

Brazil

Habitat

Clearwater and blackwater tributaries, often flowing through shaded gallery forests with leaf-litter substrates.

They are predominantly found in smaller streams and creeks feeding into the main river.

Similar species

Lemon Tetra
Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis
Ember Tetra
Hyphessobrycon amandae
Glowlight Tetra
Hemigrammus erythrozonus

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

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Bronze Corydoras
Corydoras aeneus
Peaceful, robust bottom dwellers that occupy a completely different water zone to the mid-swimming tetras.
Great
Harlequin Rasbora
Trigonostigma heteromorpha
Similarly sized, active schooling fish with short fins that will not provoke the slightly boisterous nature of the Silvertip Tetra.
Great
Bristlenose Pleco
Ancistrus sp.
A well-armoured, bottom-dwelling algae eater that remains completely unbothered by the energetic tetras above.
Great
Dwarf Gourami
Trichogaster lalius
Slower-moving with modified, thread-like pelvic fins that can present an irresistible temptation for nippy tetras.
Compatible with caution
Angelfish
Pterophyllum scalare
Adult angelfish may prey upon small tetras, while the tetras are liable to nip at the long, trailing fins of the angelfish.
Compatible with caution
Siamese Fighting Fish
Betta splendens
The slow swimming speed and flowing fins of a Betta make it a prime target for severe fin nipping and stress.
Not recommended
Fancy Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
Male guppies have delicate, long tails and swim too slowly to escape the harassment of an active Silvertip shoal.
Not recommended

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