Care
The Blotched Pyrrhulina is a robust tetra relative that is perfectly adapted to life in the small creeks and tangled debris of the flooded forest.
The aquarium should be spacious, as mature males will claim a spawning territory from which they can court females - provide discreet spots within the aquarium where males can avoid one another and tight-fitting coverslides to prevent them from accidentally jumping out. The aquarium can be planted with robust species (such as Anubias spp. and Java Fern) at the sides and back, leaving a generously-sized open swimming area in the centre. Some floating vegetation can also be grown over the calmer areas of the aquarium and will provide natural surface cover.Alternatively they will be equally at home in a layout using dead leaves and waterlogged wood. Gregarious by nature, this species should always be kept in groups of 6 or more for their continued wellbeing. Tankmates can be very diverse, as these fish are fairly sizeable for a Characin and non-predatory. Good companions could include large but fairly peaceable cichlids e.g. Geophagus or Satanoperca, pimelodid and loricariid catfish, or they could be kept alongside smaller community species in a tank large enough to take their occasional paternal territorial behaviour into account.
May also be seen as the Four spot tetra, or even Splash tetra as they tend to be imported accidentally and misidentified - often as Copella when small.
Feeding
Flake, granules, small pellets, frozen foods such as bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, Spirulina/vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, Mysis shrimp etc. Live foods are also eagerly consumed.
Breeding
This species has been bred in the home aquarium and exhibits fascinating behaviour. Males will select a suitable surface in midwater and court ripe females, who lay 300 hundred or more eggs which he fertilises and guards. Multiple females may lay a clutch for him to nurture and fry are easily reared on appropriately sized live foods.
