image courtesy: John Pitney's Aquariumn Site
Common name: Cardinal Tetra
Scientific name: Paracheirodon axelrodi
Size: 1 1/2 inches
This small specied of fish can be found in the Rio Negro and it's tributaries where they can be found in schools of a thousand or
more. Cardinal tetras live in waters that are very soft and extremely rich in humic acids. This fish breeds during the rainy season
when the rainforest floods. They breed by scattering their eggs among plants. They are a very popular aquarium fish ,though
intensive capturing of these fish for the fish trade has started to deplete their natural populations. Fortunately though, captive
breeding on fish farms is underway.