Freshwater Fish
Congo Tetra.
A shimmering, iridescent tetra with long, flowing fins that catch the light as a school moves together. Peaceful and beginner-friendly; they look their best in a group in a planted 30-gallon-plus tank with gentle lighting.
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
- Peaceful
- Community
- Community safe
- Adult size
- 3"
- Min tank size
- 30 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Phenacogrammus interruptus
Good tank mates
The Congo tetra is peaceful and community-safe, so it pairs well with other calm community fish of roughly its size: other medium tetras, rasboras, corydoras, peaceful gouramis, and livebearers like mollies or swordtails. Avoid persistent fin-nippers, much larger or aggressive fish, and anything small enough to fit in its mouth. Keep it in a group of six or more so it feels secure and shows its best color.
Good to know
The Congo tetra is native to the Congo River basin in central Africa, one of relatively few aquarium tetras that come from Africa rather than South America.
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, non-territorial bottom-dwellers with matching soft, slightly acidic water requirements (pH 6.0–7.8). Occupy a completely different depth zone, leaving mid-water free for Congo Tetras to school. No fin-nipping risk and no size mismatch concerns.
Cardinal Tetra
Near-identical soft, acidic water requirements and peaceful temperament. Aquarium Source explicitly lists Cardinals as a compatible Congo Tetra companion. Congo Tetras are not fin-nippers — they are themselves vulnerable to fin-nipping, so the direction of risk is reversed. Aquarists regularly report successful large mixed schools of both species.
Harlequin Rasbora
Excellent water parameter overlap (pH 6.0–7.5, dGH 2–12) and a peaceful, non-aggressive schooling temperament. At 1.75–2" they are proportionally similar to Cardinal Tetras (confirmed safe above), with no documented harassment or predation reports from this pairing. Both Aquarium Source and Aquadiction list them as compatible.
- K
Kribensis
Seriously Fish's Congo Tetra profile explicitly lists Pelvicachromis sp. as a compatible tankmate. Water parameters align well (pH 5.0–7.5, soft to slightly hard). Stays near the substrate. Congo Tetras at 3–3.5" are large enough to absorb any temporary territorial behavior from a breeding pair in a properly sized (4ft+) tank.
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.