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No federal permit to keepYellow-tailed African tetra
Alestopetersius caudalis
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Alestidae (African tetras)
The yellow-tailed African tetra (Alestopetersius caudalis) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the African tetra family Alestidae.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.4 in / 6.2 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6.5–7.8.
- Hardness: 0–20 dGH.
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
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 × 12 in (roughly 29 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–79 °F, pH 5–7.5, 2–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Décor is relatively unimportant and this species will do well in planted aquaria but ideally the aquarium should be designed to resemble a flowing stream or river with a substrate of variably-sized rocks, sand, fine gravel, and some larger water-worn boulders.”
- Diet: “Wild fish are probably foragers feeding on small insects, crustaceans, fallen fruit, etc.”
- Tankmates: “Lively and somewhat skittish but generally peaceful making it an ideal resident of the well-researched, larger community aquarium.”
- Breeding: “Does not appear to be bred with any regularity in the aquarium hobby since few details are available.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
African tetras
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: African freshwater habitats range from the Congo drainage occupied by Congo tetras to large rivers and lakes inhabited by giant tigerfish. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Adult Congo tetras need at least 120 × 30 × 30 cm (about 48 × 12 × 12 inches).
- For Congo tetras, combine plants, floating vegetation and driftwood with open swimming space and good circulation.
- Congo-tetra source parameters are pH 6.0–7.5 and hardness 3–18 dGH; maintain consistently high water quality.
- Hydrocynus goliath needs a facility-scale system: the source suggests roughly 15,000 litres rather than a home aquarium.
- For giant tigerfish, prioritize oxygenation, clean water and open swimming space with minimal hard decor.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 73.4–82.4°F |
Diet
- For Congo tetras: suitable dried omnivore foods including algae-based foods.
- For Congo tetras: small live or frozen worms, insects and crustaceans.
- For tigerfish: appropriately sized dead fish such as whitebait.
Social life
- Congo tetras suit mixed-sex shoals with peaceful companions; fin-nippers damage male fins. Adult giant tigerfish should be kept alone and may attack smaller fish without warning.
Handling
- Giant tigerfish require professional separation and maintenance procedures because adults pose a serious bite hazard.
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity.
- Nutritional deficiencies.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This species is found in the Congo River basin, in both the DRC and the Republic of the Congo (via an unsubstantiated report).
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Yellow-tailed African tetra” (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. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C), pH 6.5–7.8, hardness 20 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–79 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 88°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 65°F (down to 62°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 75–78°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 77–82% on average (driest month about 76%) |
| Rainfall | about 1712 mm a year |
Measured at 35 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 yellow-tailed African tetra (Alestopetersius caudalis) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the African tetra family Alestidae. This species is found in the Congo River basin, in both the DRC and the Republic of the Congo (via an unsubstantiated report). — 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 |
| Reproduction | The yellow-tailed African tetra is an egg scatterer and exhibits no parental care. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | The IUCN Red List includes the yellow-tailed African tetra as a Least Concern species, and trends in its wild population have not been identified. — 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.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 12 in (about 29 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.
- Seriously Fish — Phenacogrammus interruptus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Hydrocynus goliath Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- 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.
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