Congo Tetra

Phenacogrammus interruptus

A large, shimmering tetra with rainbow reflections on mature males. Needs a spacious tank and a shoal to display its best colors.

Care Parameters

Adult size

8 cm

Min tank

108 L

Temperature

23–28°C

6–7.5

3–18 dGH

Diet

Omnivore

Temperament

Peaceful

Water zone

Middle

Difficulty

Beginner

Schooling

School of 6 or more; males grow to 8 cm, females to 6 cm.

Suitable Plants

Vallisneria spiralis

Care profile for Vallisneria spiralis: medium light, none CO₂, beginner difficulty.

Pygmy Chain Sword

Care profile for Pygmy Chain Sword: medium light, none CO₂, beginner difficulty.

Ludwigia arcuata

A delicate stem plant with thin, needle-like leaves that turn deep red under high light. Also known as Needle Leaf Ludwigia, it adds fine texture and vibrant color to aquascapes.

Cryptocoryne balansae

Care profile for Cryptocoryne balansae: medium light, low CO₂, intermediate difficulty.

Ambulia

Care profile for Ambulia: medium light, low CO₂, beginner difficulty.

Compatible Invertebrates

Golden Back Yellow Shrimp

A bright yellow color morph of Neocaridina davidi with a distinctive golden back stripe. Hardy, prolific breeder, and excellent algae consumer for planted tanks.

Vampire Crab

A small, semi-terrestrial crab with striking purple coloration and bright yellow eyes. Requires a paludarium setup with both land and water areas.

Mystery Snail

A colorful, active apple snail that cruises the glass for algae and leftover food. Pairs lay their pink egg clutches above the waterline - remove them to avoid overpopulation. Keep hardness at 7-18 dGH and offer calcium-rich foods so the shell stays strong.

Zebra Nerite Snail

A striped, hard-working algae grazer that never overpopulates: its eggs are laid all over the glass but only hatch in brackish water, so they simply stay put. Prefers harder water (GH 6-20 dGH) with calcium for a healthy shell; watch for escapes, as it can climb out of open tanks.