Bleeding Heart Tetra

The Bleeding Heart Tetra is a deep-bodied characin native to the upper Amazon basin, named for the small, bright red spot on its flank just behind the gill cover that resembles a drop of blood near the heart. The body is silvery-pink overall, deep and laterally compressed, with a subtle rosy wash that intensifies toward the head. A distinctive black bar often crosses the dorsal fin, which in mature males extends into an elongated, sickle-shaped point trailing well beyond the fin's base. This exaggerated dorsal fin, combined with the vivid red 'heart' marking, makes the species one of the more visually dramatic tetras in the aquarium trade.

• Deep, laterally compressed silvery-pink body
• Small, bright red spot on the flank behind the gill cover, the 'bleeding heart' mark
• Black bar crossing the dorsal fin, most pronounced in males
• Elongated, sickle-shaped dorsal fin extension in mature males
• Reddish tint often present on the caudal fin
• Rounded body profile compared to slimmer tetra relatives

The combination of the red flank spot and the elongated black-marked dorsal fin in males reliably separates this species from similarly deep-bodied tetras, none of which combine both features in the same striking arrangement.

Bleeding Heart Tetras are native to slow-moving streams, tributaries, and flooded forest habitats within the upper Amazon basin, spanning parts of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil. These waters are typically warm, softly acidic, and often tannin-stained from decomposing leaf litter beneath dense rainforest canopy, resulting in dim, filtered lighting conditions. The species favors shaded, vegetated margins and slower side channels over open, fast-flowing water, shoaling near submerged roots, branches, and leaf litter for cover. Seasonal flooding across the upper Amazon periodically expands available habitat into inundated forest areas, providing temporary access to additional foraging grounds rich in invertebrate prey.

Bleeding Heart Tetras are calm, moderately active fish that shoal loosely rather than forming the tight schools typical of smaller tetra species, often spreading out to forage individually. Males can display mild territorial behavior toward one another, using their elongated dorsal fin in ritualized posturing to establish dominance or attract females. They are omnivorous, feeding on small invertebrates, insect larvae, and organic material drifting through their stream habitat. Reproduction follows the typical scatter-spawning characin pattern, with adhesive eggs deposited among fine vegetation and no parental care provided afterward. Their relatively large size and deliberate swimming style make them a calming presence in mixed shoals compared to more frenetic tetra species.