KITTY TETRA

Common name: Lowe's tetra; Kitty tetra

Scientific name: Hyphessobrycon cf. loweae

Origin: The headwaters of the Xingu drainage, Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Size: Around 3-4cm/1.2-1.6", females a bit smaller.

Water: Like most tetras these will do best in soft, acidic water but can usually be acclimatised to harder conditions.

Aquarium: Said to be quite a peaceful tetra which mixes well with other fish when kept in a small group. Male Hyphessobrycon display their best colours (and behaviour) when kept in mixed sex groups alongside plenty of females.

Diet: Daphnia, Cyclops, flakes etc.

Sexing: These pretty characins are both sexual dichromatic and dimorphic, so they're easy to sex once mature. Both sexes turn yellow when adult, but the males have much more orange and red on their flanks and fins. Males are also bigger and have a flag dorsal fin. Their anal and pelvic fins are also longer and redder than those of the female.