Freshwater Fish
Serpae Tetra.
The serpae tetra is a deep-red schooling fish with black fin edging that reads well against plants — striking, cheap, and notorious for nipping. Keep six or more in a 20-gallon-plus planted tank and they focus the energy on each other; pair them with armored or fast-moving tankmates, not long-finned fish.
In-store purchase only. Live fish, coral, and invertebrates are sold at our Erie store only. They cannot be bought online, and we do not ship live animals under any circumstances.
Live fish are priced per supplier batch — prices may vary. Call to confirm current pricing.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
Live animals are sold in store only — we do not ship fish, coral, or invertebrates. Every animal is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it reaches the sales floor. This is a species we carry — it's most likely in the tanks around delivery days, but live stock changes daily. Please call (814) 456-9445 to confirm availability before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Temperament
- Semi aggressive
- Adult size
- 1.75"
- Min tank size
- 20 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Hyphessobrycon callistus
Good tank mates
Serpae tetras are notorious fin-nippers, so keep them in a group of six or more to focus their energy on each other rather than their neighbors. Avoid pairing them with long-finned or slow-moving fish such as bettas and angelfish.
Good to know
The serpae tetra (Hyphessobrycon callistus) comes from the Amazon and Paraguay river basins in South America.
Stock and individual temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice before you buy.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. Stock and individual temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 to confirm before you buy.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
Bronze Cory
Well-documented safe pairing. Armored scutes eliminate fin-nipping risk, they occupy the bottom zone while Serpaes stay mid-water, and South American water chemistry overlaps cleanly. Consistently recommended across multiple specialist sources.
Bristlenose Pleco
Heavily armored, exclusively bottom-dwelling, and possesses no flowing fins to attract nippers. Confirmed safe alongside Serpae Tetras across the aquarium community; zone separation is complete and the armoring makes any incidental contact harmless.
Glass Bloodfin Tetra
Fast, active upper-to-mid-water swimmer confirmed compatible with Serpae Tetras by multiple sources. Quick enough to evade aggression, lacks the trailing fins that trigger Serpae nipping, and shares South American water parameters.
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.