Unknown Variety

An unknown variety bleeding heart tetra is a Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma whose exact color form is not known. It may be a normal wild-type fish with the species' red flank spot and rosy body, an albino or pale form, or an individual that cannot be judged from old photos or faded store coloration. Because bleeding heart tetras change intensity with mood and environment, a dull fish is not always a different variety.

For owners, the practical approach is to keep the fish like any bleeding heart tetra: in a social group, in warm stable water, and with tankmates that will not outcompete or harass it. These tetras appreciate cover but still need open space for midwater schooling. Breeders should wait until the fish is mature and conditioned before deciding whether it belongs in a wild-type or albino project, since mixed ancestry can show up in later fry.

Colors: Albino, Wild Type