Genus · Tetras

Hyphessobrycon

Hyphessobrycon is a genus with 143 species in this atlas, catalogued in the Tetras section, recorded from Brazil, Colombia, Peru and 17 more countries. Adult sizes run from 0.5 in to 4 in. Every species below links to a full researched profile.

Species in atlas: 143
Adult sizes: 0.5–4 in
IUCN assessed: 143 of 143 · 16 threatened
Recorded from: 20 countries

About the genus

Hyphessobrycon is one of the aquarium hobby's most important tetra genera, a large group of small, often brightly colored characins native to river and stream systems across South America. The atlas covers 143 species concentrated in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Guyana and Paraguay, spanning blackwater tributaries of the Amazon and Orinoco as well as smaller coastal drainages. Species are typically diminutive, with the atlas size range running from about 0.5 in up to 4 in, with a slim, laterally compressed body and, in many species, red, orange or yellow finnage that made the genus a hobby staple long before most of it was well studied scientifically.

This is one of the few genera on the atlas where the aquarium trade, not scientific interest, has driven most public attention: the ember tetra (H. amandae), Colombian tetra (H. columbianus), flame tetra (H. flammeus) and ornate or rosy tetra (H. bentosi) are all well-established community fish, generally peaceful, schooling, and easy to keep in soft, slightly acidic water reflecting their blackwater origins. Conservation status varies by species and region; the tally includes 9 Vulnerable and 7 Endangered species alongside a large Not Evaluated share, a reminder that even hobby-familiar genera include many species whose wild populations have never been formally assessed.

IUCN Red List: Endangered · 7 Vulnerable · 9 Near Threatened · 4 Least Concern · 64 Data Deficient · 22 Not Evaluated · 37

The 143 species

Every Hyphessobrycon recorded in this atlas. Each card links to a full researched profile — distribution, water parameters, and aquarium care, cited to primary sources.

Hyphessobrycon acaciae

García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Prada-Pedreros, 2010

1 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon agulha

Fowler, 1913

Red-tailed Flag Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon albolineatum

Fernández-Yépez, 1950

Whitestriped Tetra, Whiteline Tetra

1 in SL · DD

Hyphessobrycon amandae

Géry & Uj, 1987

Ember tetra, Fire tetra

1 in TL · NE

Hyphessobrycon amapaensis

Zarski & Géry, 1998

Amapá three-banded flag tetra, Red line tetra, Amapá tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

2 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon bentosi

(Durbin, 1908)

Ornate Tetra, Rosy Tetra, Bentos Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus

Ellis, 1911

Yellow Tetra

2 in TL · LC

2 in SL · NE

3 in TL · DD

Hyphessobrycon comodoro

Dagosta, Seren, Ferreira & Marinho, 2022

Emerald Green Tetra

1.5 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon compressus

(Meek, 1904)

Mayan Tetra

1.5 in TL · LC

Hyphessobrycon condotensis

Regan, 1913

1.5 in TL · DD

Hyphessobrycon copelandi

(Durbin, 1908)

Copeland's Tetra, Rosy Tetra (variant)

2 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon cyanotaenia

Zarski & Géry, 2006

Lapis Tetra, Blue Lapis Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon diancistrus

Weitzman, 1977

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon dorsalis

Zarski, 2014

Mini Rosy Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon duragenys

Ellis, 1911

2.5 in TL · EN

Hyphessobrycon ecuadorensis

(Eigenmann, 1915)

Ecuador Tetra

1 in TL · NT

Hyphessobrycon ecuadoriensis

Eigenmann & Henn, 1914

Ecuador Tetra

1 in TL · NT

Hyphessobrycon eilyos

Lima & Moreira, 2003

Ely's Tetra, Eilyos Tetra

1 in SL · NT

Hyphessobrycon elachys

Weitzman, 1984

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon eos

Durbin, 1909

Dawn Tetra

1.5 in TL · LC

1 in SL · EN

Hyphessobrycon frankei

Zarski & Géry, 1997

Franke's Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon georgettae

Géry, 1961

Georgett's Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon gracilior

Géry, 1964

Gracile Tetra

1 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon griemi

Hoedeman, 1957

Griem's tetra, Goldspotted tetra

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon haraldschultzi

Travassos, 1960

Crystal Red Tetra, Harald's Tetra

1 in TL · LC

Hyphessobrycon hasemani

Fowler, 1913

1 in SL · DD

Hyphessobrycon heliacus

Moreira, Landim & Costa, 2002

Kitty Tetra

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

Géry, 1961

Black Neon Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon heteresthes

(Ulrey, 1894)

0.5 in TL · DD

Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus

(Ulrey, 1894)

Flag Tetra, Belgian Flag Tetra

1.5 in TL · LC

Hyphessobrycon hexastichos

Bertaco & Carvalho, 2005

Six-line Tetra, Zig-zag Tetra

1.5 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon hildae

Fernández-Yépez, 1950

Hilda's Tetra

0.5 in SL · VU

Hyphessobrycon igneus

Miquelarena, Menni, López & Casciotta, 1980

Firefin Tetra

2 in TL · LC

Hyphessobrycon iheringi

Fowler, 1941

Piaba

1.5 in SL · DD

1.5 in SL · NE

2.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon latus

Fowler, 1941

Piaba

1.5 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon loretoensis

Ladiges, 1938

Loreto Tetra

1 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon loweae

Costa & Géry, 1994

Lowe's Tetra, Kitty Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

1.5 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon mavro

García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Prada-Pedreros, 2010

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon melanostichos

Carvalho & Bertaco, 2006

Blue black-banded tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon minimus

Durbin, 1909

Dwarf Tetra, Minute Tetra

1 in TL · DD

Hyphessobrycon minor

Durbin, 1909

Minor Tetra

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon moniliger

Moreira, Lima & Costa, 2002

Golden Tetra

1 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon montagi

Lima, Coutinho & Wosiacki, 2014

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon mutabilis

Costa & Géry, 1994

Changeable Tetra, Variable Tetra

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon nigricinctus

Zarske & Géry, 2004

Imperial Tetra, Morado Tetra

2.5 in SL · VU

Hyphessobrycon notidanos

Carvalho & Bertaco, 2006

Red Devil Tetra

1 in SL · DD

1.5 in SL · DD

Hyphessobrycon panamensis

Durbin, 1908

Panama Tetra

4 in TL · VU

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon peugeoti

Ingenito, Lima & Buckup, 2013

Peugeot Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon piabinhas

Fowler, 1941

Piabinha

1.5 in SL · DD

1.5 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon proteus

Eigenmann, 1913

3 in TL · LC

Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Ahl, 1937

Lemon tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon pyrrhonotus

Burgess, 1993

Bleeding Heart Tetra variant, Fireback Tetra

2 in SL · LC

1.5 in TL · LC

Hyphessobrycon rosaceus

Durbin, 1909

Rosy Tetra, Rosaceus Tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon roseus

(Géry, 1960)

Yellow Phantom Tetra, Gold phantom tetra

0.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon rutiliflavidus

Carvalho, Langeani, Miyazawa & Troy, 2008

2.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon saizi

Géry, 1964

Colombian Gold Tetra

1 in SL · LC

2 in SL · DD

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon socolofi

Weitzman, 1977

Lesser Bleeding Heart Tetra

2 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon sovichthys

Schultz, 1944

tetra sinamajská

1 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon stegemanni

Géry, 1961

Savanna Tetra, Phoenix Tetra

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon stramineus

Durbin, 1918

Straw Tetra

1.5 in TL · DD

Hyphessobrycon taguae

García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Taphorn, 2010

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon takasei

Géry, 1964

Coffee-bean tetra

1.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon taphorni

García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Ortega, 2013

1 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon taurocephalus

Ellis, 1911

Bull-headed Tetra

1 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon tenuis

Géry, 1964

mojarita

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon tortuguerae

Böhlke, 1958

Tortuguero Tetra, Sardinita

1.5 in SL · LC

1 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon vinaceus

Bertaco, Malabarba & Dergam, 2007

2.5 in SL · LC

Hyphessobrycon wadai

Marinho, Dagosta, Camelier & Oyakawa, 2016

Blueberry Tetra

1.5 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon wajat

Almirón & Casciotta, 1999

1.5 in SL · NE

Hyphessobrycon weitzmanorum

Lima & Moreira, 2003

Steel Blue Tetra

1 in SL · DD

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How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Genus Hyphessobrycon. Aquarist Atlas. https://www.aquaristatlas.com/hyphessobrycon/

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