Freshwater Fish
Buenos Aires Tetra.
A big, hardy, silver tetra with red fins and a tireless appetite for swimming. Beginner-tough and great for a lively group, but it can nip fins and nibble soft plants — keep it in a school with sturdy tankmates in a 20-gallon-plus tank.
We keep this species at our Erie store. Come and see it in the tanks, or call (814) 456-9445 and ask what we have in right now.
Sea Cave keeps this species. You will find these in the tanks at 660 East 14th Street in Erie. We never ship live animals.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
We never ship fish, coral, or invertebrates — every animal here is one you meet in person. Each one is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it goes out into the display tanks. This is a species we keep, and what is swimming on any given day changes with the deliveries, so please call (814) 456-9445 before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Care level
- Beginner
- Temperament
- Semi aggressive
- Community
- Semi community
- Adult size
- 2.75"
- Min tank size
- 20 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Hemigrammus caudovittatus
Good tank mates
Semi-aggressive and a fin-nipper that also nibbles soft plants, so it needs similarly-sized, not-timid tankmates and isn't for a peaceful nano community. Keep it in a school of six or more (a bigger group spreads out the nipping) alongside sturdy fish such as larger barbs, bigger danios, or sturdy rainbowfish. Avoid long-finned or slow fish like bettas, angelfish, and fancy guppies, plus anything small enough to bully. Not sure about a specific mix? Call us and we'll help.
Good to know
The Buenos Aires tetra comes from the cooler waters of the Rio de la Plata basin in South America and tolerates lower temperatures than most tropical tetras.
What is in the tanks and each animal's temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. What is in the tanks and each animal’s temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for advice on pairing.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
Bronze Cory
Peaceful bottom-dwellers that occupy the substrate level while Buenos Aires Tetras school mid-column, eliminating direct competition and fin-nipping vectors. Confirmed compatible across multiple care sources; in the wild tetras and corydoras co-occur naturally.
Zebra Danio
Fast, agile schoolers with compatible water parameters (65–77 °F) and similar size. Their speed makes them a poor fin-nipping target for Buenos Aires Tetras, and both species thrive in active, well-oxygenated community setups.
- R
Rosy Barb
Robust, similarly-sized fish with overlapping cooler water preferences (64–77 °F) that can hold its own against Buenos Aires Tetra energy. Neither species has extreme flowing fins, so the mild nipping tendency of Rosy Barbs does not compound dangerously when kept in proper schools.
- B
Bolivian Ram
Bottom-dwelling South American cichlid with a workable temperature overlap at 75–78 °F. Bolivian Rams have shorter fins than German Blue Rams, reducing fin-nipping appeal, and tetras are widely documented as compatible tankmates. Tank should be held at 76–78 °F to keep both species comfortable.
- R
Rainbowfish
Active, similarly-sized fish with a peaceful yet energetic temperament that matches Buenos Aires Tetra tank energy. Fast swimmers that are not easily harassed, and multiple care sources confirm compatibility in community setups.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.