Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi)

Paracheirodon axelrodi looks like a neon tetra that never stopped coloring in, that red stripe runs the entire body length instead of stopping at mid-body, a genuine taxonomic tell separating the two species at a glance. Wild-caught cardinals still make up a huge share of the ornamental fish trade out of the Rio Negro, an economically important fishery for blackwater communities in Brazil and Venezuela. We sell these in groups of 12 or more since a cardinal shoal below that size just doesn't read the way the species is built to look.

Care level: Easy · Temperament: Peaceful, shoaling · Max size: ~2" · Min tank: 20 gal · Diet: Omnivore, flake/micro-pellet