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How to look after
Paracheirodon axelrodi
Cardinal Tetra
Schultz, 1956

Paracheirodon axelrodi - Cardinal Tetra - One of the most well known and widely kept of all aquarium fish, due to its peaceful temperament and beautiful colouration.
One of the most well known and widely kept of all aquarium fish, due to its peaceful temperament and beautiful colouration.
more images here

(Other members of the genus Paracheirodon)

ADULT SIZE: 5 cm

WATER CONDITIONS: Moderately soft and acidic

TEMPERATURE RANGE: 22-28 C

FOOD: Feed Paracheirodon axelrodi live and dried foods

DISTRIBUTION: This species comes from Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

SEXUAL DIFFERENCES: Sexing cardinal tetras is not all that easy. Females tend to be fuller bodied than the slightly slimmer males

AQUARIUM CARE: A very common fish both in the wild and aquariums. It is probably one of the most attractive of all aquarium species. It is an ideal community species, however does prefer a shaded area of the tank, so provide floating plants. Cardinals (like neon tetras) look their best in a dark, well planted tank, in a large shoal (10-30 fish). Almost all aquarium-available fish are wild caught in Amazonia.

BREEDING: Breeding can be accomplished in soft acidic water at 24 deg C; a typical plant spawner, that requires quite specific conditions. This is a difficult fish to breed, hence their continued capture in the wild.

Have you bred Paracheirodon axelrodi? Why not fill in a breeding questionaire?, or examine existing Paracheirodon axelrodi breeding reports

Similar species to Paracheirodon axelrodi

Other members of the genus Paracheirodon

Other characin species

Other species from Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela

Paracheirodon axelrodi
Cardinal Tetra

One of the most well known and widely kept of all aquarium fish, due to its peaceful temperament and beautiful colouration.

One of the most well known and widely kept of all aquarium fish, due to its peaceful temperament and beautiful colouration.

This species should be kept in a shoal of 6 or more individuals

This species should be kept in a shoal of 6 or more individuals

The effect of a large group of cardinals can be quite stunning in a moderately dark, well planted tank

The effect of a large group of cardinals can be quite stunning in a moderately dark, well planted tank


Paracheirodon axelrodi
Cardinal Tetra
breeding notes

BREEDING: Breeding can be accomplished in soft acidic water at 24 deg C; a typical plant spawner, that requires quite specific conditions. This is a difficult fish to breed, hence their continued capture in the wild.

Have you bred Paracheirodon axelrodi? Why not fill in a breeding questionaire?

Sorry no records.


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