Description
Remarks: Bleeding heart tetras (Megalamphodus erythrostigmus) are tall-bodied tetras from the Amazon. As they age, their pale bodies turn more pink, and the red heart-shaped spot on their flank darkens in color. Males have long dorsal fins that extend to the caudal fin, and watching males display to one another makes for an incredible sight. Because of their size, they do well with larger cichlids such as Geophagus, angelfish, and severums.
The scientific name for the bleeding heart tetra used to be Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma. However, it was reclassified as Megalamphodus erythrostigmus after the completion of an intensive phylogenic study on species in the family Characidae. Many other species were reclassified as well as a result of this study which can be read here:
The following article also provides a good breakdown of the results of the study and does not have a paywall:
Scientific Name: Megalamphodus erythrostigmus
Common Name: Bleeding Heart Tetra
Max Size: 3″
pH: 5.0-7.0
Hardness: Soft
Temperature: 70-82°
Aggressiveness: Peaceful
Region of Origin: South America
Captive Bred or Wild: Wild Caught
Diet: Small flake or pellet, small frozen or live foods
