Stats

Lifespan: 5-10 yrs
Size: Tiny
Diet: Omnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: School
Biome: Tropical freshwater stream
Range: South America
Movement: Swimming
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Herd Safety
Status: Rare

About

A small freshwater fish from the western Amazon basin, prized in aquariums for the iridescent blue-green stripe and red flank that catch and refract light. The blue stripe is structural — it dims when the fish sleeps because the reflective platelets in its skin physically realign.

Life cycle

1.
hatchling fry
A tiny fry hatches with a yolk sac and begins free-swimming once the sac is absorbed.
2.
juvenile
A juvenile takes on adult body shape and feeds on small prey, often in nursery waters.
3.
adult
Fully grown at adult size and coloration.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Characiformes
Family: Acestrorhamphidae
Genus: Paracheirodon
Species: Paracheirodon innesi