Any of numerous attractively coloured freshwater South American and African fishes (family Characidae), often kept in home aquariums.
Tetras are small, lively, hardy, and unaggressive. The slender neon tetra ( Paracheirodon , or Hyphessobrycon, innesi ) has gleaming red hind parts and a neonlike blue-green stripe on its sides. The glowlight tetra ( Hemigrammus erythrozonus ) has a shining red stripe along each side. The body of the silver tetra ( Ctenobrycon spilurus ) is flattened sidewise.
Glowlight tetras ( Hemigrammus erythrozonus )
Jane Burton
Bruce Coleman Ltd.