Mixed Variety

Mixed variety, when applied to the x-ray tetra, usually means an aquarium group containing more than one color form rather than a formal strain. The fish is Pristella maxillaris, a small South American characin also sold as the pristella tetra or golden pristella. Wild-type fish have a translucent body, a reddish tail, and black, white, and yellow markings on the dorsal and anal fins. Gold or pale-bodied forms may appear in the same lot, so the label is most useful as a practical store, import, or record-keeping term.

Mixed groups are cared for like other x-ray tetras: keep them in a shoal, give them open swimming room with plants or cover at the edges, and house them with peaceful community fish. They accept prepared and frozen foods and are more tolerant of moderate hardness than many small tetras. Breeders who want a stable wild-type or gold line should separate selected fish, because mixed tanks can obscure parentage and color inheritance.

Colors: Gold, Wild Type