Silver Tip Tetra

1) Where they come from

Silver Tip Tetras (Hasemania nana) come from Brazil, mostly in the São Francisco river basin. Think smaller streams and side waters with plants, leaf litter, and that slightly “tea-stained” look in places. They’re not super fussy, but they definitely act more confident in a tank that feels a bit sheltered rather than wide open and bright.

2) Setting up their tank

These are beginner-friendly fish, but they reward you for giving them a little structure. A planted tank (or at least clumps of plants) makes them calmer, more colorful, and less nippy. I’ve had the best luck keeping them in groups where they can sort themselves out without picking on one unlucky tankmate.

• Tank size: 20 gallons is a nice starting point for a proper group; you can do smaller, but they look and act better with space
• Group size: aim for 8–12+ if you can (smaller groups can get a bit spicy)
• Decor: plants (live or fake), driftwood, and some open swimming room in the middle
• Filtration: any decent filter is fine; they don’t need crazy flow, just clean water
• Lighting: moderate works well; floating plants help if they seem skittish
• Water: mid-70s°F is a comfortable zone; they handle a range, but don’t swing it around a lot

3) What to feed them

Silver Tips eat like little piranhas (minus the drama). They’re easy to feed, but they really pop when you rotate foods instead of doing the same flake every day. They’re small-mouthed, so keep foods on the smaller side.

• Daily staple: a good quality flake or small micro pellet
• Color/condition boosters: frozen (or live) baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops
• Occasional treat: bloodworms (not too often—rich food can bloat small tetras)
• Feeding rhythm: small portions 1–2 times a day; they’ll beg like they’re starving

4) Behavior and tankmates

They’re active, mid-water schoolers with a bit of attitude. Not “aggressive,” but they can be fin-checkers if they’re bored or under-stocked as a group. In a solid school, they spend more time sparring with each other and less time annoying everyone else.

• Great tankmates: other quick, similarly-sized community fish (other tetras, rasboras, danios), Corydoras, small plecos, otos
• Usually fine: dwarf cichlids with calm temperaments (watch during spawning), most peaceful bottom dwellers
• I’d avoid: bettas, fancy guppies, angelfish, and anything slow with long fins (they’re basically a moving target)

5) Breeding tips (if you want to try it)

They’re egg scatterers. Breeding isn’t hard, but raising the fry takes a little planning because the adults will snack on eggs and babies like it’s a buffet. If you’ve ever bred other small tetras, it’s that same general playbook.

• Set up a separate breeding tank (10 gallons works) with a sponge filter
• Add a spawning mop or a thick mat of fine plants (java moss is perfect)
• Dim the light; they’re less shy that way
• Condition adults with frozen/live foods for a week
• Move a pair or a small group in, let them spawn, then pull the adults back out
• First foods for fry: infusoria / liquid fry food, then baby brine shrimp once they can take it

6) Common problems to watch for

Most issues I’ve seen with Silver Tips come down to stress and social dynamics. Once they’re settled and the tank is stable, they’re pretty hardy little fish.

• Fin nipping: usually small group size, too-bright/empty tank, or long-finned tankmates
• Ich after purchase: common with new tetras if they’ve been shipped/held a while—quarantine helps a ton
• Faded color: stress, too much light with no cover, or just not enough quality food variety
• Skinny fish in the group: can be internal parasites or simply getting outcompeted at feeding time
• Sudden losses: check ammonia/nitrite first, then look for big temperature swings or a filter that got clogged