Tetras and Characids
Blind tetra
Astyanax mexicanus
Photo: Mattia Nocciola · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Temperature20–25 °C
- pH6.5–8
- Minimum tank100 l
- Adult size9 cm
- Difficulty★☆☆☆☆
- Lives in a groupof 5 or more
- TemperamentSemi-aggressive
- WaterFresh
Full profile
- Family
- Characidae
- Origin
- Caves in San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas (Mexico); a form with eyes found in rivers in Mexico and Texas
- Size
- 9 cm
- Temperature
- 20 – 25°C
- pH
- 6.5 – 8.0
- GH
- 5 – 25 °dGH
- Difficulty
- ★☆☆☆☆
- Water type
- subtropical freshwater
- Swimming level
- middle – bottom
- Behavior
- semi-aggressive (may nip at slow-moving fish)
- Minimum number of individuals
- 5
- Minimum aquarium size
- 100 L
- Diet
- omnivore
- Reproduction
- oviparous
Notes: The cave form has no eyes or pigment and navigates using its lateral line, without bumping into anything. It does not require special lighting; it tolerates normal aquarium lighting well.
