Home / Fishes / Tetras, piranhas and pacus / Pinktail chalceus
No federal permit to keepPinktail chalceus
Chalceus macrolepidotus
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Chalceidae (Chalceus tetras)
The pinktail chalceus (Chalceus macrolepidotus), also called the pinktail characin, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Chalceidae, the tucan fishes.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 60 in long and 21 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 9.8 in / 25 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Availability: Mostly kept by public aquariums; private keeping is uncommon.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 73–82 °F, pH 6–7.5, 5–18 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament territorial.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “It requires a lot of swimming space, so decor is not really critical, although a sandy substrate with some beech branches and floating plants looks very effective, and mimics many of its natural biotopes.”
- Diet: “Feeds primarily on insects and aquatic crustaceans in nature.”
- Tankmates: “It does best when kept either as a single specimen, or in a group with more than 6 fish.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Fishes
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Varies. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Cycle the aquarium before adding fish so beneficial bacteria can handle ammonia and nitrite.
- Size filtration and partial water changes to stocking and measured water quality. Topping up evaporated water does not replace a water change; treat incoming tap water appropriately.
- Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH regularly.
Diet
- A varied diet of quality prepared foods plus frozen or live foods suited to the species; feed only what's eaten in a few minutes.
Health watch
- Quarantine new fish for at least 30 days; longer may be needed. Use a separate system and dedicated nets, buckets and siphons.
- Never release aquarium fish or plants into the wild.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This fish is found in South America. It is one of five fish in the genus Chalceus, and is the type species of the genus.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Pinktail chalceus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Is very active and is always moving. Frequently found in well oxygenated waters. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–82 °F (23–28 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 95°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 70°F (down to 67°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 78–83% on average (driest month about 74%) |
| Rainfall | about 2328 mm a year |
Measured at 178 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The pinktail chalceus (Chalceus macrolepidotus), also called the pinktail characin, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Chalceidae, the tucan fishes. This fish is found in South America. It is one of five fish in the genus Chalceus, and is the type species of the genus. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Wild diet | The pinktail chalceus is a fast-moving and active fish that stays near the river's surface. It tends to cluster together in schools. Its diet generally consists of small invertebrates; when searching for food, it may leap out of the water to target a bug above the surface. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Appearance and size | The pinktail chalceus is a small, light-colored freshwater fish with a tail that is usually dark red to pink and is much more intensely colored than the rest of the animal. It has large, noticeable scales and reaches 24.5 cm SL, making it the largest known member of Chalceus. The smallest is Chalceus epakros. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Is very active and is always moving. Frequently found in well oxygenated waters. Occurs mainly near the surface and at times jumps out of the water. — FishBase |
| History and naming | Upon description by French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1818, the pinktail chalceus was placed into the new genus Chalceus. By way of monotypy, it ended up as the type species therein. Since then, several additions and retractions have occurred, as well as a redescription of the genus in the year 2004, and there are now five accepted species in total, C. macrolepidotus included. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 64 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
