Pristella Tetra – Pristella Maxillaris

Common name: Pristella Tetra, Xray Tetra, X-Ray Tetra

Scientific name: Pristella Maxillaris

Average Adult Fish Size:  1.8 inches  /  4.5 cm

Place of Origin: South America, specifically Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and northern Brazil.

Typical Tank setup: Well planted with rocks and driftwood/bogwood. They love playing in a moderate to strong current.

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.

Temperature: 72 – 82 Deg F / 22 – 28 Deg C

Water chemistry: pH 6.0 – 7.5

Feeding: Normal tropical flake will be more than sufficient food for these non-fussy eaters although the Pristella Tetra would also welcome small live foods such as Artemia and Daphnia.

Sexing:  The female Pristella Tetra is noticeably larger and bulkier than the male when they reach adult size.

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 very 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.