Rummy Nose Tetra
Hemigrammus rhodostomus
Min Tank Size
75L
Adult Size
5 cm
Lifespan
5 years
School Size
8+
About
Native to the Orinoco and Amazon river basins in South America, rummy nose tetras are one of the most visually striking schooling fish in the hobby. That vivid crimson flush across the nose and face, paired with a bold black-and-white striped tail, makes them instantly recognizable. What really sells them, though, is the behavior. A large school of rummies moving in near-perfect synchrony through a planted tank is genuinely one of the best sights in freshwater fishkeeping.
They come from warm, dark, acidic blackwater rivers, and that background matters for how you keep them. Soft, slightly acidic water is not optional here. A pH between 5.5 and 7.0 and low general hardness will keep them healthy long-term. Trying to acclimate them to hard, alkaline tap water is a common reason people struggle with this species. Temperature stability is equally important. They're not a fish that forgives swings.
Diet is straightforward. They accept high-quality flake and micro pellets readily, and relish frozen foods like bloodworm, daphnia, and micro worms. A varied diet keeps their coloration vivid and supports immune health.
The red nose acts almost like a mood ring. Bright red means the fish is healthy and comfortable. A pale or washed-out nose is a signal to test your water immediately. It fades with stress, poor parameters, and illness, sometimes before you notice any other symptoms. Many experienced keepers use rummy noses as a canary for tank health.
They're completely peaceful and won't bother tankmates or plants. Mature, well-planted setups suit them best, especially tanks with dark substrate and subdued lighting that mimic their natural habitat. Check out real tank builds featuring this species to see how other hobbyists have set things up.
Water Parameters
Temperature
°CpH
GH
dGHKH
dKHSwimming Level
Flow Preference
Keeping multiple Rummy Nose Tetra together
Rummy Nose Tetra are shoaling fish and need company of their own kind. Keep a group of at least 8. Smaller groups leave them stressed, washed-out in color, and prone to hiding.
Compatibility
Rummy noses pair well with almost any peaceful community fish that shares their water chemistry needs. Cardinals, ember tetras, and other soft-water tetras are natural fits. Small corydoras like sterbai or adolfoi work well at the bottom, and peaceful dwarf cichlids like apistogrammas can coexist if the tank is large enough and well-planted. Avoid anything nippy like tiger barbs or serpae tetras, which will shred their fins. Also steer clear of aggressive or boisterous species that will stress them out. Dwarf shrimp are a sometimes risk since rummies may snack on very small juvenile shrimp or shrimplets, though adults are usually left alone.
Commonly kept with
Species this one is most often paired withCommonly tried but avoid
Often paired, but shouldn't beCare Notes
The biggest beginner mistake is putting rummy noses into a new or uncycled tank. They're genuinely sensitive to ammonia spikes and unstable parameters, and they'll die fast in immature setups. Hard tap water is the other major failure point. If your tap runs above 10 dGH or above pH 7.2, you'll need to cut it with RO water before this species is a realistic option. They also need a group of at least eight to behave naturally. Smaller groups stay stressed, hide constantly, and color up poorly. Get the water right, get the numbers up, and they're one of the most rewarding fish you can keep.
Behavior & Aggression
Rummy nose tetras show virtually no aggression toward other species or toward each other. There are no real triggers to speak of. They don't defend territory, don't harass smaller fish, and aren't known to nip fins even occasionally. The closest thing to a behavioral concern is that small schools, say fewer than six fish, can become skittish and erratic rather than aggressive. They're wired to school tightly, and without enough group members they're just stressed. Keep eight or more and aggression becomes a non-issue by every measure.
Things to Know
- Require very stable, soft, acidic water. Do not attempt in hard tap water.
- Red nose fading is an early stress/water quality warning sign.
- Need a group of 8+ to school tightly. Smaller groups become skittish.
- Sensitive to new tank syndrome. Only add to mature, cycled tanks.
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