Bleeding Heart

Bleeding heart tetras are also known by the scientific names Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma and H. callistus rubrostigma. They also are referred to by the common name spotfin tetras.

Bleeding heart tetras are sensitive to water pollutants and susceptible to diseases like velvet disease and “Ich.”

No information was available regarding communication in bleeding heart tetras. Their coloration suggests they may use vision in communication.

Communication Channels: visual

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; chemical

Bleeding heart tetras are presumed to be stable in the wild, although population status and natural history of wild populations is poorly known.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

After the eggs are laid they hatch after 30 hours. Once they have hatched, it is five to six days until the fry are able to swim freely.

There are no known adverse effects of bleeding heart tetras on humans.

Since 1943 bleeding heart tetras have been a part of the pet industry as an aquarium fish. Most people find bleeding heart tetras desirable because of their peaceful nature and striking colors.

Positive Impacts: pet trade

Bleeding heart tetras probably act as important prey for larger fish and other small, aquatic predators in the ecosystems they inhabit. They are also predators of small invertebrates and plankton.

In captivity, bleeding heart tetras eat a variety of foods. It is likely that their wild diet is similar, being made up of small crustaceans, insects, zooplankton, and other organic matter.

Animal Foods: eggs; insects; aquatic or marine worms; aquatic crustaceans

Plant Foods: phytoplankton

Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats non-insect arthropods); planktivore

Bleeding heart tetras are native to the neotropical region. The distribution is described as the Upper Amazon River basin. Bleeding heart tetras are found in the Rio Negro of Brazil as well as other regional rivers. Aquarists have known about this species since 1943 and they have since become a popular aquarium fish.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Introduced ); neotropical (Native )

The native habitat of Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma is inland, tropical freshwater rivers and streams, including the Amazon, Rio Negro, and other rivers. These fish are commonly found in small creeks and river bends where vegetation is dense.

Habitat Regions: tropical ; freshwater

Aquatic Biomes: rivers and streams

Information regarding the lifespan of bleeding heart tetras in the wild is not available. The usual lifespan for this species in aquarium habitats is about three years but they have been known to live as long as five years.

Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 5 (high) years.

Typical lifespan
Status: captivity: 3 (high) years.

The disc-shaped body of bleeding heart tetras is strongly compressed and relatively deep in males and females. Male body length ranges from 29.1 to 60.6 mm (n=6), female body length ranges from 29.0 to 53.3 mm (n=7). Males and females also differ somewhat in color and fin characteristics.

Dorsally, bleeding heart tetras are a delicate shade of grey-green to brown but with a light red bloom. A reddish silver color shades the bottom half of the body while the throat and belly region are orange. They bear a vivid red mark resembling a heart behind their gill cover, giving them their common name. Males are known for having more color and elaborate fins. Dorsal fins of males are sickle-shaped, longer, and more pointed whereas dorsal fins of females are shorter with a rounded tip. Dorsal fins in both males and females are black, pink, purple, and white. Males have a longer anal fin that is white in color. The anal fins of females are shorter and not as white. Other fins are pink to grey in color. As bleeding heart tetras age they develop a more pronounced arch to their spine.

Range length: 29 to 60.6 mm.

Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; sexes colored or patterned differently; male more colorful

There is a lack of information on predation of Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma in their natural habitat because of their popularity in aquaria.

Information describing the reproduction of bleeding heart tetras comes mostly from studies in aquaria. Reproduction is through external fertilization. Females often reject or do not respond to mating attempts of males in captivity. Spawning begins with vigorous swimming among dense vegetation and is followed by mates pressing their sides together. Eggs are released after brief quivering. Eggs then attach to vegetation or fall to the bottom.

Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)

Little is known about reproduction in bleeding heart tetras in wild habitats.

Average gestation period: 30 hours.

Average time to independence: 5-6 days.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (External ); oviparous

There does not seem to be parental involvement with the young after the eggs are laid.

Parental Investment: no parental involvement; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female)

The bleeding heart tetra, Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma is a freshwater tropical fish from the large and much systematically revised family Characidae. It is native to the upper Amazon river basin in South America, especially in creeks and small streams with dense vegetation. They are a light silver-green in color and their common name comes from the red spot found behind their gill cover. In 1943 these fish were first brought into the aquarium trade and have become a popular aquarium fish, partly because they are not aggressive to other species and they do especially well in schools of five or more. Little is know about them in their native habitat, but studies in the aquarium have revealed some information about their reproduction (they reproduce externally, fertilized eggs sink to the bottom and hatch after 30 days, and the hatchlings get no parental attention once they are born) and that their feeding habits are diverse, made up of small invertebrates, zooplankton, and organic matter. (Eng 2006; Wikipedia 2011)

Nematode Infection (general). Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Columnaris Disease (l.). Bacterial diseases

White spot Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Fin Rot (early stage). Bacterial diseases

Nematode Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Livoneca Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Turbidity of the Skin (Freshwater fish). Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Fin-rot Disease (late stage). Bacterial diseases

Bacterial Infections (general). Bacterial diseases

Feeds on worms, crustaceans and plants.

Feeds on worms, crustaceans and plants (Ref. 7020). Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; minimum aquarium size 80 cm (Ref. 51539).

aquarium: highly commercial

The bleeding heart tetra, Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma, is a freshwater tropical fish native to the Upper Amazon River basin. It grows to the size of 64mm and lives for around five years.

Igarapé Ubim afluente do lago Amanã que por sua vez deságua na margem esquerda do rio Japurá, Bacia do rio Solimões, Amazonas.