Blind Cave Tetra – Astyanax Jordani

Common name: Blind Cave Tetra

Scientific name: Astyanax Jordani

Average Adult Fish Size: 3.5 inches  /  9 cm

Place of Origin: Texas, USA and Mexico.

Typical Tank setup: They prefer subdued lighting, as it is closer to their natural habitat. A sand or small gravel is preferred.

Recommended Minimum Aquarium Capacity: 15 gallon / 60 litre

Compatibility: It is very common to find tetras with Corydoras as companions, as they are both quite peaceful and other tank mates like Guppies, other Tetras, Rasboras, Mollies & Platies. Anything that will not eat the Blind Cave Tetra is fine as a tank mate.

Temperature: 68 – 77 Deg F / 20 – 25 Deg C

Water chemistry: pH 6.0 – 7.5

Feeding: Omnivore, will accept flakes, granules, pellets, frozen foods and live foods.

Sexing: There are no visible differences between male and female Blind Cave Tetra.

Breeding: Dimly lit tank with some fine leaved plants on the bottom to catch the eggs will encourage breeding. Be sure to remove parents after they have spawned to avoid them eating the eggs.

Additional Information: This tetra is generally peaceful but they are sometimes prone to fin nipping on some of their tank mates. Keeping them in a school of 6 or more may help alleviate this problem. Blind Cave Tetras are a relatively new tetra to the mainstream aquarium keepers. As there name would indicate, the Blind Cave Tetras have no eyes. They are born with eyes as fry, but the eyes degenerate and are reabsorbed back into the body at a few weeks old. There is a form that has eyes, although you do not generally see this version on the market. These Blind Cave Tetras are also completely devoid of pigmentation. They are pink, but will get an iridescent sheen to them as they get older.