Home / Fishes / Tetras, piranhas and pacus / Bleeding heart tetra
No federal permit to keepBleeding heart tetra
Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Characidae (Tetras)
The bleeding heart tetra (Megalamphodus erythrostigma) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acestrorhamphidae.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.4 in / 6.06 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 5.6–7.2.
- Hardness: 0–12 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 35 × 12 in (roughly 21 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 70–82 °F, pH 4–7.5, 1–12 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Choice of décor is not especially critical although it tends to show better colouration when maintained in a well-furnished set-up with live plants and a dark substrate.”
- Diet: “This species is an opportunistic omnivore by nature.”
- Tankmates: “Generally peaceful making it an ideal resident of the well-researched community aquarium, although adult males are territorial to an extent, and this behaviour may sometimes extend to similarly-shaped species.”
- Breeding: “Egg scatterer exhibiting no parental care.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Tetras
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: The covered characids include South American river and tributary fishes, from vegetation-shaded bloodfin habitats to sandy flowing rivers occupied by Exodon. [fg156-bloodfin, fg156-exodon]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For glass bloodfins, use at least 60 × 38 × 30 cm (24 × 15 × 12 in), retaining open upper-water swimming space.
- Provide planted margins and floating vegetation for bloodfins; fit a tight lid for Aphyocharax anisitsi.
- For bucktooth tetras use at least 120 × 45 × 45 cm (48 × 18 × 18 in), efficient filtration and planted refuges from bullying.
- For glass bloodfins maintain pH 6.0–7.5; for Exodon, pH 5.5–7.5.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 73.4–80.6°F |
Diet
- Small dried foods for glass and ordinary bloodfins.
- Daphnia, Cyclops and bloodworms for glass bloodfins.
- For Exodon, chopped prawns, mussels, earthworms and fish rather than live feeder fish.
Social life
- Glass bloodfins need 6–8 or more; ordinary bloodfins at least six. Exodon requires a species aquarium and at least 12 introduced together; small groups can kill one another.
Health watch
- Freshwater ich (white spot disease), a general aquarium risk.
- Bacterial infections associated with stress and poor water quality.
- Fin and scale damage from aggression, especially Exodon.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
As many other species of the family, it is native to South America and is popular in the aquarium trade.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Bleeding heart tetra” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Feeds on worms, crustaceans and plants. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–82 °F (23–28 °C), pH 5.6–7.2, hardness 12 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 89°F (up to 91°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 71°F (down to 68°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 79–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 83–85% on average (driest month about 82%) |
| Rainfall | about 2600 mm a year, spread fairly evenly |
Measured at 27 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The bleeding heart tetra (Megalamphodus erythrostigma) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acestrorhamphidae. As many other species of the family, it is native to South America and is popular in the aquarium trade. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Social life and communication | No information was available regarding communication in bleeding heart tetras. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Wild diet | In captivity, bleeding heart tetras eat a variety of foods. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Behavior | Bleeding heart tetras, in the aquarium environment, do best in small schools of at least five individuals. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Reproduction | Information describing the reproduction of bleeding heart tetras comes mostly from studies in aquaria. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Lifespan | Information regarding the lifespan of bleeding heart tetras in the wild is not available. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Appearance and size | The disc-shaped body of bleeding heart tetras is strongly compressed and relatively deep in males and females. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Biology | Feeds on worms, crustaceans and plants. Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; minimum aquarium size 80 cm. — FishBase |
| History and naming | The bleeding heart tetra was first formally described as Hemigrammus erythrostigma in 1943 by the American zoologist Henry Weed Fowler, with its type locality given as "probably" the border area between Brazil and Peru. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | Bleeding heart tetras are presumed to be stable in the wild, although population status and natural history of wild populations is poorly known. — Animal Diversity Web |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 35 × 12 in (about 21 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Prionobrama filigera Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Exodon paradoxus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Aphyocharax anisitsi Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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