Tankwise

A peaceful, unfussy shoaler with a bright stripe — a good first tetra for a planted tank.

  • Temperature22–27 °C
  • pH6–7.5
  • Minimum tank50 L
  • DifficultyBeginner
FoodMicro-pellet / flake
FeedingOnce or twice a day
Water change25% weekly

Behaviour and habits

The glowlight tetra is a gentle, unfussy shoaler with a bright reddish stripe that glows under soft light. It schools loosely in mid-water, is peaceful to a fault, and looks best in a group of six or more among plants, where it drifts calmly and shows its quiet colour. It never nips or bullies, which makes it a reliable community fish that mixes well with other peaceful species.

What to feed, and how often

Micro-pellet or crushed flake plus frozen daphnia and bloodworm; feed one or two light meals a day. It is unfussy and takes food at any level, and a varied diet with soft, stable water keeps the stripe vivid and the fish active.

Water changes and maintenance

Change about 25% weekly in soft-to-neutral water, matched closely. It is a hardy tetra but prefers a mature, settled tank and dislikes sudden swings, so avoid large or cold changes.

Care and how easy it is

One of the easiest tetras and a good beginner choice; keep a group in a planted tank and it stays healthy and colourful.

Lifespan

With good conditions and steady water quality, this species typically lives around 3–5 years in a home aquarium; some individuals live longer.

Common health problems

Healthy; fin rot or ich appear only in poor conditions.

If it gets sick

Keep the water clean, warm and stable, and treat early if spots or clamped fins appear.

Good tank mates

CorydorasBeginner
CorydorasCorydoras paleatus
  • 20–26°C
  • pH 6–7.8
  • 60 L+
Catfish · Peaceful · Omnivore
Black widow tetraBeginner
Black widow tetraGymnocorymbus ternetzi
  • 22–27°C
  • pH 6–7.5
  • 60 L+
Tetras & rasboras · Peaceful · Omnivore
BettaBeginner with a prepared single-fish tank
BettaBetta splendens
  • 24-26 C
  • pH 6.5-7.5
  • 40 L+; 45 x 30 cm base
Bettas & gouramis | Territorial | Carnivore
GuppyBeginner with population planning
GuppyPoecilia reticulata
  • 22-26 C
  • pH 7.0-8.5
  • 60 L+; 60 x 30 cm base
Livebearers | Social; males pursue females | Omnivore

Best avoided with

Similar species

Neon tetraIntermediate; stable group aquarium
Neon tetraParacheirodon innesi
  • 21-25 C
  • pH 6.0-7.5
  • 60 L+; 60 x 30 cm base
Tetras & rasboras | Peaceful shoaler | Omnivore
Cardinal tetraIntermediate
Cardinal tetraParacheirodon axelrodi
  • 23–28°C
  • pH 5–6.8
  • 60 L+
Tetras & rasboras · Peaceful · Omnivore
Black widow tetraBeginner
Black widow tetraGymnocorymbus ternetzi
  • 22–27°C
  • pH 6–7.5
  • 60 L+
Tetras & rasboras · Peaceful · Omnivore
Rummy-nose tetraIntermediate
Rummy-nose tetraHemigrammus rhodostomus
  • 24–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7
  • 60 L+
Tetras & rasboras · Peaceful · Omnivore

Compare at a glance

ParametersGlowlight tetraNeon tetraCardinal tetraBlack widow tetra
Parameters
Temp22–27 °C20–26 °C23–28 °C22–27 °C
pH6–7.55.5–7.55–6.86–7.5
GH4–12 °dGH2–12 °dGH1–8 °dGH4–15 °dGH
Min. tank50 L50 L60 L60 L
Size4 cm3 cm4 cm5 cm
DietOmnivoreOmnivoreOmnivoreOmnivore
TemperamentPeacefulPeacefulPeacefulPeaceful
DifficultyBeginnerIntermediateIntermediateBeginner

Care guides

GuideHow Often Should You Feed Fish?Overfeeding causes more aquarium problems than underfeeding. Here is a realistic feeding routine, and the signs that you are giving too much.GuideHow Often Should You Change Aquarium Water?Water changes remove waste that the filter cannot, and keep minerals topped up. There is no single number, but there is a simple way to find yours.GuideHow to Treat Ich (White Spot Disease)Ich looks alarming but is one of the most treatable fish diseases. Act early, raise the heat, and it clears within a week or two — here is how.GuidepH, GH and KH Explained (Simply)pH, GH and KH confuse a lot of new keepers. Here is what each one actually measures, and why stability matters more than any single number.

New to the words? See the aquarium glossary.

Sources and research notes

Parameters are typical ranges for the species in home aquariums and vary with the individual fish and the water you use.