Bleeding Heart Tetra (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma)

The Bleeding Heart Tetra (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma) is a peaceful, beginner-to-intermediate community fish instantly recognizable by the vivid red "bleeding heart" spot on its silver-pink flank and the trailing fins of mature males. Native to the slow, shaded blackwaters of the upper Amazon basin, these tetras thrive in well-planted tanks with soft lighting and gentle flow, where their bold coloration really pops.

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Care Guide

• Tank size: 30 gallons minimum — they need horizontal swimming room and grow larger than most tetras.
• Shoaling: Keep in groups of 6 or more. Lone or paired bleeding hearts become shy, stressed, and lose color.
• Water parameters: 72–82°F, pH 6.0–7.5, soft to moderately hard (GH 4–10). Tolerant of typical community values once acclimated.
• Aquascape: Dim lighting, driftwood, leaf litter, and dense planting along the back and sides bring out the brightest reds. Leave open swimming lanes in the middle.
• Diet: Omnivore. Offer a quality tropical flake or brine shrimp flake as the staple, supplemented with frozen bloodworms, daphnia, and brine shrimp 2–3 times per week.
• Maintenance: Weekly 20–25% water changes. Use Seachem Prime to neutralize chlorine, chloramine, and ammonia.

Specifications

Compatibility & Tank Mates

Temperament: Peaceful and shoaling. Occasional mild fin-nipping can occur when kept in groups smaller than six or when housed with very long-finned, slow-moving fish.

Great with:

• Other peaceful tetras like Black Skirt Tetras
• Bottom-dwelling community catfish such as Panda Corys or Orange Laser Corydoras
• Algae-eating snails such as Nerite Snails
• Peaceful rasboras, hatchetfish, dwarf cichlids (rams), and small loaches

Avoid: bettas and angelfish with long flowing fins, aggressive cichlids, very large or boisterous tank mates, and any fish small enough to be mistaken for food.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Ocean Nutrition Brine Shrimp Plus Flake — high-protein staple flake
• Seachem Prime — complete water conditioner for every water change
• Browse all freshwater foods
• Water care & treatments
• Shop all freshwater livestock & supplies

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Bleeding Heart Tetras should I keep together?
A minimum of six. Larger groups (8–10+) show stronger color, more natural shoaling behavior, and less fin nipping.

Are Bleeding Heart Tetras fin nippers?
They're considered peaceful but can occasionally nip slow, long-finned tank mates if under-shoaled or stressed. A proper group size and plenty of swimming room virtually eliminate the issue.

What size tank do they need?
30 gallons is the practical minimum. Bleeding hearts grow larger and swim more actively than neons or ember tetras, so a longer footprint is far better than a tall, narrow tank.

Will the "bleeding heart" spot fade?
The red spot stays for life, but its intensity depends on diet, water quality, and stress. Dim lighting, dark substrate, and a varied diet keep it brightest.