Silvertip Tetra Care Guide

The silvertip tetra is an active, hardy, copper-bodied tetra with bright white-tipped fins and a genuine Jekyll-and-Hyde streak: in a big tight shoal it is electric and well-behaved, but kept in too few it turns into a bully that nips the fins of slow, delicate neighbours. Unusually for a tetra it is not a soft-water specialist — it tolerates neutral-to-hard water comfortably — so the whole care plan really comes down to keeping the group large.

Silvertip Tetra at a glance

The sourced figures the welfare engine uses to judge Silvertip Tetra — the parseable key facts.

Where it comes from

It comes from the São Francisco River basin in Minas Gerais, Brazil, from creeks and tributaries away from the main channels — and, tellingly, from both white-water and black-water environments rather than blackwater alone. That mixed origin is why it is far more adaptable to water chemistry than the cardinal or neon, happily handling neutral-to-slightly-alkaline, moderately hard tap water. As a creek and tributary fish it is a lively open-water swimmer that wants length and an open central lane with planting around the edges, and its colour deepens over dark substrate and under the subdued, tannin-tinted light of its native streams.

Did you know?

• The same fish is a calm, dazzling schooler in a big group and a fin-nipping bully in a small one — a vivid, true illustration that group size is a welfare issue, not a preference.
• It lacks an adipose fin, a trait shared by only a few characid genera, which makes it an instant ID against nearly all the common Hyphessobrycon and Hemigrammus tetras.
• It is named for the white-to-silver tips on its dorsal, anal and both tail lobes, set over a copper-gold body — the white tips can look almost luminous under good light.
• Males literally turn copper in breeding condition, earning the alternate trade name "Copper Tetra," while females stay silver-gold — making it one of the easier tetras to sex.
• The species name nana means "dwarf" (Lütken, 1875), for its small size, and despite that it is long-lived, reaching five to eight years or more.

Tank size — and why

Around 20 US gallons (roughly 75 litres) is the sensible floor — not because the fish is messy (it is small and low-waste) but because the welfare-correct group is eight to ten or more, and the bigger footprint is exactly what lets the school spread out and stops the nipping. A 60 cm base is the minimum length; a longer tank is better for such an active swimmer. Prioritise footprint over height and treat a nano or short tank as a non-starter, because cramping the school concentrates the aggression.

As a guide, a 20-gallon tank comfortably suits about 8–11 Silvertip Tetra as a single-species display, leaving room for tankmates.

How big does it really get?

Full-grown Silvertip Tetra reach about 5 cm (2 in) long, but they are usually sold at only about 2.5 cm (1 in) — a typical shop size (estimate). At full size, Silvertip Tetra needs roughly a 20-gallon tank, about 76 cm long; a common 10-gallon starter kit is only about 51 cm.

Adult size is sourced; the shop size is a typical-juvenile estimate; tank length is approximate for a standard 20-gallon aquarium.

Water parameters in practice

Comfortable across 22–28 °C, with a stable 24–27 °C ideal. The key point — and the contrast with the soft-water tetras — is that the silvertip is happy across pH 6.0 to 8.0 and up to around 19–20 dGH, so it tolerates harder, neutral-to-slightly-alkaline water far better than a cardinal or neon. That adaptability is a real beginner advantage: there is no need to chase soft, acidic water for day-to-day keeping. It still wants a cycled, stable, well-maintained tank. Breeding is the one exception, where softer and more acidic water is the trigger.

Diet & feeding

An unfussy omnivore and micropredator that readily takes good-quality flake and nano pellets as a base. Small live and frozen foods — bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp, cyclops and tubifex — bring out dramatically better copper colour and condition the fish for spawning. Feed small amounts once or twice a day. These are fast, eager mid- and upper-water feeders that dart for food and will out-compete shyer tankmates, so make sure slower fish get their share.

Gear & setup

A heater, a filter giving gentle-to-moderate flow, and a layout with planting around the edges and back leaving an open central swimming lane. Dark substrate intensifies the copper and lowers stress, while driftwood, roots and leaf litter suit the biotope and break sight-lines. These are active, surface-oriented fish that can jump, so keep the tank covered.

Temperament & behaviour

An active, lively shoaler whose temperament is entirely a function of group size. The defining trait is conditional fin-nipping: in a small group the competitive, dominance energy is aimed outward at slow or long-finned tankmates — "in a small group, they are bullies" — while in a large school that same energy is absorbed in-group as harmless chasing. More fish genuinely means less aggression toward others. Kept properly it is a confident, shimmering, well-behaved display fish; kept in ones and twos it becomes a stressed, washed-out nipper. This is the clearest illustration in the hobby of why group size is a welfare issue, not a preference.

Group & social needs

Keep a large, tight shoal: six is the bare floor, but eight to ten is the genuine recommendation and ten to twelve is ideal — and the number is tied directly to the fin-nipping risk, because only a big school dilutes it. Males turn an intense coppery-orange in a settled group, so a proper shoal is also when the colour comes alive. Do not be tempted to keep a token few.

Compatible tank mates (preview)

A short, engine-cleared shortlist — the species TankStocking's welfare engine clears with Silvertip Tetra and that suit its size and temperament best. Tap any to load the pairing in the planner.

• Black Neon Tetra — Peaceful temperament, similar adult size.
• Black Phantom Tetra — Peaceful temperament, similar adult size.
• Boesemani Rainbowfish — Peaceful temperament, similar adult size.

This engine-cleared shortlist is Silvertip Tetra's tankmate surface for now — a dedicated tank-mates guide can follow for high-demand species.

Breeding & sexing

Sexing is reliable for a tetra: males are intensely coppery-orange and slimmer, females paler lemon-yellow to silver and rounder-bodied. Breeding is easy by tetra standards. Use a separate, dimly lit spawning tank with fine-leaved plants or spawning mops, condition the fish on live foods first, and trigger spawning with warmer, softer and more acidic water than the display — roughly 26–30 °C, low pH (around 6.0–6.2) and soft (GH 2–4). They are egg-scatterers and the adults eat the eggs, so remove them after spawning. Eggs hatch in about 24–36 hours and the fry are free-swimming three to four days later; start them on infusoria, then microworm and baby brine shrimp.

Lifespan

Five to eight years is the common figure, with up to about ten on excellent care — strikingly long for such a small tetra. What shortens it is chronic stress from too small a group (constant in-fighting), unstable or poor water, overfeeding, and injury or competition from unsuitable tankmates.

Common mistakes

• Buying too few. The single biggest error: a group of one to five turns nippy and stressed. Buy eight to ten or more, with ten to twelve ideal, and tie the number to the nipping risk.
• Mixing it with slow or long-finned fish. Its fin-nipping targets them, so avoid bettas — including the peaceful Betta imbellis — fancy guppies, angelfish and slow long-finned gouramis such as the pearl gourami.
• Assuming it is delicate like a cardinal. The opposite is true — it is hardy and tolerates harder, neutral water, so engineering soft acidic water for day-to-day keeping is unnecessary (only breeding wants it softer).
• Keeping it in a tiny or short tank. An active open-water swimmer needs length; a nano tank cramps the school and concentrates the aggression.
• Keeping it with dwarf shrimp or fry you want to protect. Adults will hunt and eat small shrimp and fry.

Signs of trouble

• Loss of the copper colour and a washed-out look — usually stress from under-grouping or poor water.
• Fins being nipped on tankmates, or constant outward chasing — the shoal is too small; raise the numbers to redirect the energy in-group.
• Clamped fins, hiding and isolation from the school — general stress or a water-quality problem.
• Erratic swimming or flicking against décor — early irritation or the onset of white spot, typically stress-driven.

Is this fish right for you?

Do not buy silvertips if you cannot keep a group of at least eight, because an under-grouped shoal becomes a fin-nipping problem. Skip them if your tank houses bettas, angelfish, fancy guppies, slow long-finned gouramis or any other slow or long-finned fish whose fins they will target, or if you only have a nano or short tank for an active open-water swimmer. They will also eat dwarf shrimp and fry. There are no widespread dyed or balloon morphs to worry about — just pick active, well-coloured stock (coppery males, full silver-gold females) and avoid faded or clamped fish.

Bringing one home

Because it is hardy and chemistry-tolerant, the silvertip acclimates easily, but still settle it gently into a mature, cycled tank — float to match temperature, then add tank water gradually over fifteen to twenty minutes before netting it across. The bigger welfare lever is the group: add the whole shoal of eight or more at once so the school forms immediately and the competitive energy stays in-group from day one.

Common questions

Are silvertip tetras aggressive or fin-nippers?

They are conditional nippers. Kept in too few they become bullies that nip the fins of slow or long-finned tankmates; kept in a large school of eight to ten or more, that energy turns into harmless in-group chasing. The fix is simply more fish — never keep just a handful, and avoid slow long-finned tankmates.

How many silvertip tetras should I keep?

Six is the bare minimum, eight to ten is the real recommendation and ten to twelve is ideal. The number matters more than for most tetras because a large shoal is what dilutes the fin-nipping and brings out the copper colour.

Can silvertip tetras live with bettas, guppies or angelfish?

No. Bettas, fancy long-finned guppies, angelfish and other slow or long-finned fish (including slow gouramis like the pearl gourami) are the classic targets of silvertip fin-nipping. Keep them instead with active, robust, similarly-sized fish such as barbs, danios and rasboras.

Do silvertip tetras need soft, acidic water?

No — and this is the key difference from cardinals and neons. Silvertips come from both white and black water and tolerate pH 6.0 to 8.0 and moderately hard water, so there is no need to soften your tap water for everyday keeping. Only breeding wants it softer and more acidic.

How do you tell male from female silvertip tetras?

Males turn an intense coppery-orange and are slimmer; females and juveniles are paler — lemon-yellow to silver — and rounder-bodied. The copper colour deepens in a settled group and in breeding condition, which is why the fish is also called the Copper Tetra.

Sources & confidence

Sources & confidence (9 species)

These back the Silvertip Tetra figures and the previewed tank mates above. Each figure is read from the TankStocking species database (v2026.06); below is the care reference behind it and how confident we are in that data. Confidence reflects the source quality, not whether any pairing is safe. Full source list and the welfare model are on the methodology page.

• Silvertip Tetra Hasemania nana — Seriously Fish / Aquarium Co-Op (Hasemania nana) high confidence
• Black Neon Tetra Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi — Seriously Fish / Aqua-Fish (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) high confidence
• Black Phantom Tetra Hyphessobrycon megalopterus — Seriously Fish (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus) high confidence
• Boesemani Rainbowfish Melanotaenia boesemani — Seriously Fish; Aquarium Co-Op Boesemani guide high confidence
• Bolivian Ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/mikrogeophagus-altispinosus) high confidence
• Brilliant Rasbora Rasbora einthovenii — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/rasbora-einthovenii) high confidence
• Bronze Corydoras Corydoras aeneus — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-aeneus) high confidence
• Cardinal Tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/paracheirodon-axelrodi) high confidence
• Checker Barb Oliotius oligolepis — Seriously Fish — Oliotius oligolepis (https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/oliotius-oligolepis/) high confidence

Care-guide sources (6)

This guide synthesises the references below; where they disagree, the range and the disagreement are noted in the text above. The figures in the key-facts box are read from the TankStocking species database (v2026.06). Full welfare model on the methodology page.

• Seriously Fish — Hasemania nana — family Characidae, São Francisco basin, creek/tributary biotope (white and black water), 5 cm, temp 23–28 °C, pH 6.0–8.0, GH 5–20, 60×37.5×30 cm tank, group min 6 / preferably 10+, "a little nippy if kept alone", avoid angelfish, sexing, easy egg-scatter breeding, no adipose fin genus trait, subdued-light colour
• FishBase — Hasemania nana — Lütken 1875, family Acestrorhamphidae, max 3.8 cm SL, temp 22–28 °C, pH 6.0–8.0, dH 5–19, São Francisco/Minas Gerais range, trophic level 3.2, IUCN Least Concern (2018), groups of 5+/60 cm, high resilience
• Aquarium Co-Op — Silver Tip Tetras — temp 23–28 °C, pH 6–8, ~3–5 cm, 20 gal for 8–10, 5–10 yr lifespan (7–8 common), white-tipped fins, fin-nipping tied to small groups, avoid slow/long-finned mates (bettas, guppies), versatile diet, sexing (coppery male vs pale female)
• AquariumStoreDepot — Silvertip Tetra Care Guide — 5 cm, 74–82 °F, pH 6–8, "soft to hard water tolerated", 20 gal for 8–10, "big school… electric / small group… bullies", fin-nipping correlates to group size, avoid bettas/slow/long-finned, eats shrimp and fry, coppery-orange males vs lemon-yellow females, forked tail, highly active mid-water
• Fish Laboratory — Silvertip Tetra Care Guide — 3 cm avg / 5 cm max, lifespan 5–8 years, 22–28 °C, pH 6.0–8.0, GH 5–19, 10–12 ideal group / min 6, fin-nipping reduced (not eliminated) in groups, active swimmers, sexing, lacks adipose fin, breeding pH 6–6.2 / GH 2–4 / 82–86 °F, São Francisco distribution
• GBIF / ETYFish — Hasemania nana taxonomy & etymology — authority Lütken 1875 (as Tetragonopterus nanus, type locality Lagoa Santa), genus Hasemania (Ellis 1911), synonyms (Tetragonopterus/Hemigrammus nanus, Hasemania marginata Meinken 1938), nana = "dwarf"

More on Silvertip Tetra

Related guides on TankStocking — each scored by the same welfare engine as the planner.

This care guide is a sourced planning reference, not veterinary advice — individual fish, filtration and maintenance all matter. Cycle the tank, test your water, and observe your fish. How TankStocking works →