Silver Tip Tetras originate from Brazil.  They are known by the scientific names Hasemania nana, Hasemania melanura and Memigrammus nanus.  They are a hardy, very active and colorful fish.  The body varies from silver in females to yellow/copper in males.  The tail has a broad black line.  The fins are yellow and tipped in white.  Silver Tips don't have an adipose fin (the small one, on top, just before the tail).  Their colors become enhanced when well fed, unstressed and ready to breed.

Tetras prefer dim lighting, which can be achieved through plant cover.  Opens spaces and hiding places are both desired.  Silver Tip Tetras are a typical schooling tetra and should be kept in groups of at least 6.  They are one of the more active, aggressive tetras and can have a tendency to nip fins, including other Silver Tips when their numbers are low.  They should be kept with aggressive larger tetras, such as the Blind Cave Tetra, the Colombian Tetra, the Serpae Tetra and the Buenos Aires Tetra.  They are definitely not good companions for smaller tetras and guppies.  Silver Tips eat flake foods, freeze dried bloodworms and brine shrimp.

The female is easy to distinguish by its paler color and the broadness of the body when laden with eggs.  Soft, slightly acidic water is best for breeding and lighting should be greatly dimmed.  Pairs should be separated for more than a week before breeding and fed a variety of foods.  Tetras have adhesive eggs, so fine leaved plants should be used to catch the eggs.  The parents should be removed after spawning.  The fry will hatch within 2 days and will survive several days on their yolk sac.  The fry should be fed brine shrimp and then finely ground flake foods.

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