Home / Fishes / Tetras, piranhas and pacus / Swordtail characin
No federal permit to keepSwordtail characin
Corynopoma riisei
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Characidae (Tetras)
Corynopoma is a monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Stevardiidae.
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 1.9 in / 4.82 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–7.8.
- Hardness: 0–25 dGH.
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
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 30 × 15 in (roughly 23 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–82 °F, pH 6–7, 1–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Diet: “The upturned mouth and keeled body shape suggest that this species feeds primarily on small invertebrates taken from the water surface in nature.”
- Tankmates: “Generally a very peaceable species, although males can sometimes squabble amongst themsleves.”
- Breeding: “This species has a particularly intriguing method of reproduction.”
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
The only species in the genus is Corynopoma riisei, the sword-tail characin, a species of characin found in Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Corynopoma” (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. Aquarium species reach 7.0 cm. TL. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–82 °F (22–28 °C), pH 6–7.8, hardness 25 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, 72–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 89°F (up to 93°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 69°F (down to 60°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 69–80°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 76–78% on average (driest month about 69%) |
| Rainfall | about 2187 mm a year |
Measured at 51 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 | Corynopoma is a monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Stevardiidae. The only species in the genus is Corynopoma riisei, the sword-tail characin, a species of characin found in Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. — 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 |
| Reproduction | Males deposit sperm capsules in the oviduct. Fertilization takes place at spawning without the male being present. — FishBase |
| Biology | Aquarium species reach 7.0 cm. — FishBase |
| History and naming | Corynopoma was first proposed as a genus in 1858 by the American biologist Theodore Gill when he described Corynopoma riisei. The type locality of C. riisei was given as Trinidad in Trinidad and Tobago. Gill named a number of species in the same publication, including species he classified in the genera Nematopoma and Stevardia; these are now regarded as synonyms of Corynopoma. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
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 30 × 15 in (about 23 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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