7 Rare South American Tetras - 2 inches or under

Hi, I’m Ryan from Hoon Aquatics, and in today’s video, I’m introducing some of my favorite new and rare South American tetra species that I’ve had the pleasure of keeping and photographing. This video is less informational and more so just to show you a few highlights of each species. These tetras have proven to be hardy, vibrant additions to my tanks, and they don’t require any special care. While some of these species start off with a high price tag, they often become more affordable once tank-bred specimens are available. I wanted to showcase some of these fish, so you can see what they look like as they become more available.

I’ll be talking about species like the glowing Hyphessobrycon peugeoti (Peugeot tetra), which is by far one of my favorites, and the fiery Hyphessobrycon infernalis (Infernal tetra), known for its volcanic red color. I’ll also cover the stunning Hyphessobrycon procyon (Racoon tetra), which shows off beautiful golden hues when fired up, and the Inpaichthys paraupiranga (Scratched tetra), with its subtle blue flashes and golden dotted pattern. There’s also the Imperial Lapis tetra, a beautiful new species with brilliant colors, and the lesser-known Hyphessobrycon piranga, also called the Non-Red Devil Tetra, which is a tight schooler that shows off some lovely blues and reds. Lastly, I’ll mention the small but colorful Hyphessobrycon eilyos, a dainty tetra that turns jet black with bright red fins when fully settled in.

This video is meant to give you a quick introduction to these rare and uncommon tetras, with the hope that more hobbyists will become aware of them as they become more readily available. All footage and images are from my own personal collection, and I hope it inspires you to check out these species for your own aquariums!