Platinum Rummynose Tetra – Expert Care Guide for This Shimmering Schooling Fish

Introduction: The Platinum Twist on a Classic Favorite

The Platinum Rummynose Tetra is a rare and breathtaking variation of the traditional Rummynose Tetra (Hemigrammus bleheri). Featuring a solid silver-white body with a bright red face and distinctive tail markings, this fish is prized by aquarists for its vibrant appearance and ultra-tight schooling behavior.

This guide covers everything hobbyists need to provide optimal care—from tank setup and water parameters to dietary needs and behavioral insights.

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🔍 Species Overview

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🏠 Ideal Tank Setup

🧱 Tank Size

• Minimum: 15–20 gallons (for group of 6)

• Ideal: 30–40 gallons+ for larger schools (10–15 fish)

Platinum Rummynose Tetras must be kept in groups of at least 6, but the more, the better—this brings out their best behavior and color.

🪨 Decor & Aquascape

• Dark substrate enhances their bright, silvery sheen

• Dense planting along the sides and back (Amazon swords, crypts, floating plants)

• Open swimming space in the center is essential

• Driftwood and leaf litter help replicate a blackwater environment

🌊 Filtration & Flow

• Moderate flow mimicking their native rivers

• Use sponge filters or gentle HOBs with surface agitation

• Maintain high oxygenation

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💧 Water Parameters

Rummynose Tetras are sensitive to water quality, especially nitrates. Weekly water changes of 25–40% are a must.

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🍽️ Diet & Feeding

Platinum Rummynose Tetras are omnivores with a preference for small, high-protein foods.

✅ Recommended Foods:

• Micro pellets

• High-quality flake food (color-enhancing formula)

• Frozen daphnia, cyclops, and baby brine shrimp

• Occasional blanched spinach or spirulina flakes for fiber

🕒 Feed 1–2 times daily in small portions they can eat in 1–2 minutes.

💡 Pro Tip: Feed with lights off if other fish outcompete them for food.

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🧠 Behavior & Schooling Dynamics

• Known for exceptionally tight schooling

• Best kept in groups of 10 or more

• Sensitive to stress—will lose red coloration when conditions are poor

• Calm, non-aggressive, and always moving in unison

• Ideal for planted or blackwater-style aquariums

The more comfortable they are, the more vibrant their red facial markings become—a natural indicator of health and water quality.

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👫 Tank Mates

Platinum Rummynose Tetras thrive in peaceful, soft-water community tanks.

✅ Compatible Species:

• Neon and Cardinal Tetras

• Apistogrammas

• Corydoras Catfish

• Hatchetfish

• Otocinclus

• Pencilfish

• Dwarf Gouramis

• Peaceful Rasboras

❌ Avoid:

• Aggressive or fast-chasing species

• Barbs, large cichlids, or predatory fish

• Shrimp fry (may be nibbled)

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🧬 Breeding Information

Breeding Rummynose Tetras is challenging but possible.

Breeding Tips:

• Use a separate 10–15 gallon tank

• Soft, acidic water (pH 5.5–6.2), temp ~80°F

• Dense fine-leaved plants or spawning mops

• Remove adults after spawning

• Fry hatch in 24–36 hours and require infusoria or liquid fry food

Color intensity in the fry gradually builds with proper diet and lighting.

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🌟 Educational Insight: Using Rummynose Tetras as a Health Indicator

One unique feature of Platinum Rummynose Tetras is their ability to signal water quality issues:

• A bright red nose = good health and excellent water

• A faded or pale nose = stress, ammonia spike, low oxygen, or high nitrate

They’re like a living pH strip, especially useful in planted or sensitive tanks.

This makes them valuable not just for beauty, but for aquarium balance monitoring.

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💲 Why Buy from RobsAquatics.com?

RobsAquatics.com offers premium-quality Platinum Rummynose Tetras that are:

• Properly quarantined and feeding before shipment

• Sourced from ethical breeders

• Shipped overnight with heat packs and professional packaging

• Guaranteed with 100% Live Arrival Assurance

• Handled by aquarists who truly care

You won’t find pale, stressed-out fish here—just glowing red-faced beauties, ready for their new home.

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🧠 Final Thoughts

The Platinum Rummynose Tetra is more than just another schooling fish — it’s a moving jewel that brings grace and cohesion to your aquarium.

Its reflective sheen, natural color-changing ability, and sensitivity to tank conditions make it a fantastic fish for beginner and advanced hobbyists alike.

If you're looking for a low-maintenance but high-reward community fish that behaves beautifully and adds elegance, this is it.

👉 Order a 6-pack of Platinum Rummynose Tetras from RobsAquatics.com and give your tank the shimmer and unity it deserves.