Diamond Tetra

Moenkhausia pittieri

Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii›Characidae

📍 Lake Valencia, Venezuela

The Diamond Tetra lives up to its name — under aquarium lighting the large, iridescent scales along its flanks flash with silver, gold, and green like faceted diamonds. Males develop impressive, elongated dorsal and anal fins as they mature. This Venezuelan species is undemanding and peaceful, making it an eye-catching alternative to more common tetras for medium-sized planted community tanks.

Size2.5"

Min Tank15g

School6+

peaceful

Zonemid

Care Guide

Diet

Diamond Tetras are omnivorous and thrive on a varied diet of high-quality flake food and micro pellets as staples, supplemented 2-3 times weekly with frozen foods like bloodworms and daphnia. Feed small amounts once daily, only what they can consume in 2-3 minutes, to maintain water quality and prevent overfeeding.

Behavior

Diamond Tetras are peaceful, active schooling fish that exhibit their best coloration and behavior when kept in groups of 6 or more. Males may display fin-nipping behavior toward long-finned tankmates, though they remain non-aggressive toward similarly-sized fish. They prefer mid-water zones and are most active during daylight hours, displaying their characteristic diamond-like iridescent scales under good lighting.

Breeding

Breeding Diamond Tetras in captivity is moderately difficult and rarely achieved in home aquariums. They require soft, acidic water (pH 5.5–6.5), dense vegetation or spawning mops, and careful separation of males and females to trigger spawning. Fry are extremely small and require infusoria or liquid fry food for the first week before accepting micro pellets.

Tank Mates

Otocinclus

Peaceful bottom-dweller with identical water parameter requirements; will not compete for mid-water space

excellent

Ember Tetra

Similar-sized peaceful tetra with matching temperature and pH preferences; compatible schooling behavior

excellent

Neon Tetra

Classic community tetra with overlapping water requirements; may school together despite size difference

good

Red Cherry Shrimp

Peaceful invertebrate that occupies different ecological niche; Diamond Tetras rarely predate on adult shrimp

good

Dwarf Gourami

Peaceful but territorial; provide adequate space and vegetation to minimize aggression toward tetras

caution

Common Diseases

Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)

Symptoms

White spots on body and fins, flashing against objects, labored breathing, lethargy

Treatment

Raise temperature gradually to 28–30°C, increase aeration, perform daily 25% water changes, and treat with ich medication or salt (if no scaleless fish present); maintain treatment for 10–14 days

Fin Rot

Symptoms

Frayed or deteriorating fin edges, discoloration at fin margins, progressive fin loss

Treatment

Improve water quality with frequent partial water changes, reduce stocking density, remove sharp decorations, and treat with antibacterial medication if infection spreads; ensure temperature stays within 23–28°C

Neon Tetra Disease (Plistophora)

Symptoms

Loss of coloration, curved spine, lethargy, white spots along lateral line, progressive wasting

Treatment

No cure exists; isolate affected fish to prevent spread, maintain pristine water conditions, and consider euthanasia to prevent transmission to healthy fish

Columnaris (Flexibacter columnaris)

Symptoms

White or grayish film on body, mouth, or fins; rapid gill movement; loss of appetite

Treatment

Perform large water changes, improve water quality, raise temperature to 28°C, and treat with antibacterial medication; ensure good filtration and avoid overcrowding