Red Pencil Tetra (Nannostomus mortenthaleri)
Freshwater Schooling Community Fish • Active Peaceful Swimmer • Beginner Friendly Aquarium Fish
📋 Description
The Red Pencil Tetra is a freshwater schooling characin valued for its attractive colouration and lively schooling behaviour in a community aquarium.
A slender, active pencilfish (a close relative of tetras) with brilliant red colouration and dark horizontal stripes, native to the upper Rio Nanay of Peru. Best in a well-planted tank with gentle water flow and dim lighting; more timid than typical tetras, so avoid boisterous tank mates.
With a proper-sized school and stable water conditions, it thrives as a Schooling Community Display Fish.
💡 Highlights
🐟 Active Schooling Species: Best kept in a group of 6 or more, ideally 10+

🧠 Hardy & Adaptable: Suits a range of stable community tank conditions

🌿 Excellent Community Fish: Compatible with similarly sized peaceful species

✨ Distinctive Colouration: A standout addition to a planted community tank