Albino Buenos Aires Tetra: The Ultimate Care Guide
Albino Buenos Aires Tetras are known for their peaceful, shoaling nature and stunning white coloration.
They make a great choice for beginners as they are hardy and easy to care for, but they still require some special attention.
In this guide, I’ll cover all the basics of caring for your Albino Buenos Aires Tetras from tank size, to water conditions, how to maintain their health, and even some tips on feeding.
Albino Buenos Aires Tetra Overview
| Common Names | Albino Buenos Aires Tetra, Albino Tetra, White Tetra, and Silver Tetra |
| Scientific Name | Gymnocorymbus ternetzi |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Characiformes |
| Family | Characidae |
| Genus | Gymnocorymbus |
| Species | Gymnocorymbus ternetzi |
| Origin | South America |
| Habitat | Slow-moving or still waters that are densely planted with vegetation |
| Color | Silvery-white coloration |
| Size | 3 inches (7.5 cm) |
| Lifespan | Up to 5 years |
| pH Level | 6.0 to 7.5 |
| Water Temperature | 72°F to 82°F |
| Water Hardness | 5-15 dGH |
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| Minimum Tank Size | 20 gallons |
| Community Tank | A small school of 6-8 tetras |
| Care Level | Easy |
| Compatibility | Peaceful |
Albino Buenos Aires Tetra History
Selective breeding of the Buenos Aires Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) began in captivity in the early 20th century, resulting in the development of the Albino Buenos Aires Tetra we all know today.
They aimed to create a new variety of this popular fish by selectively breeding specimens with lighter pigmentation, ultimately resulting in the Albino Buenos Aires Tetra.
And due to its unique appearance and color, this species became very popular in the aquarium hobby.
Over time, they become available in many pet stores, allowing hobbyists to purchase them easily.
Nowadays, Albino Buenos Aires Tetras are being bred in captivity and their genetic composition is thoroughly understood.
Their durability, gentle demeanor, and pleasing aesthetics make them a favored selection for fish enthusiasts whether they’re experienced aquarists or just starting out.
Albino Buenos Aires Tetra Origin & Habitat
The original wild Bueno Aires Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) is native to the freshwater streams, rivers, and ponds of South America.
You can find these guys in various river systems throughout Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, where they thrive in warm, slow-moving waters.
They also prefer densely planted areas to hide and spawn in, as well as plenty of natural structure to dart around.
Albino Buenos Aires Tetra Behavior
The Albino Buenos Aires Tetra is an active and peaceful fish that generally gets along with other tankmates and does well in a community setup.
These fish are shoaling and should be kept in groups of at least 6-8 for their optimal health and overall happiness.
In the wild, the Buenos Aires Tetra live in large schools and they need to feel secure in the presence of other like species.
I’ve been breeding and keeping these fish for 3 years now, and I can tell you they never made other tankmates feel threatened.
In fact, they are always the first to enjoy feeding time and they love to explore their environment.
Albino Buenos Aires Tetra Features
a.Appearance
The Albino Buenos Aires Tetra has a striking appearance due to its silvery-white coloration and red eyes.
This is a result of genetic mutation during selective breeding with other light-colored specimens, and it’s one of the main reasons why this species is so popular.
Their fins are clear or pale in color, and it has an elongated, slightly curved body with a forked tail fin.
The small, upturned mouth is adapted for feeding on small insects and plant matter in the wild which helps them catch food more easily.
b.Body Size
Both males and females of the Albino Buenos Aires Tetra are around 3 inches (7.5 cm) in length when fully grown and as long as they get regular feedings and a healthy aquarium environment.
c.Lifespan
Albino Buenos Aires Tetras have a lifespan of between 5 years in captivity, depending on the quality of care they receive.
But if they don’t get the nutrition they need, as well as a clean and healthy aquarium environment, their lifespan may be shorter.
Albino Buenos Aires Tetra Life Cycle
The life cycle of Albino Buenos Aires Tetra starts with the female laying her eggs, which are usually scattered over vegetation and take between 2-3 days to hatch.
Once hatched, the larvae will emerge from the eggs after 3-5 days. At this stage, the fry is very fragile, and should eat small amounts of infusoria or liquid fry food.
After a week, they can be fed with newly hatched brine shrimp or crushed flakes.
At around 3-4 weeks, the fry will start to develop its characteristic pinkish hue and red fins, looking like miniature versions of their adult counterparts.
They will also start to swim more actively and become less reliant on their yolk sacs.
At this point, they will be able to eat small live foods and finely crushed flakes.
As they grow older, Albino Buenos Aires Tetra will become more active and social. They will start to display their characteristic shoaling behavior, where they can be seen swimming in large groups and darting around the tank.
Their colors also become more vivid as they reach adulthood.
Is Albino Buenos Aires Tetra Hardy?
The Albino Buenos Aires Tetra is a robust fish that can handle various water conditions. However, its level of hardiness is influenced by factors such as age, size, and overall health.
For example, young and small Albino Buenos Aires Tetra are more vulnerable than their adult counterparts.
They are also more susceptible to disease and require more attention and care.
Additionally, if you kept them in poor water conditions, they can become stressed and their health will suffer.
How to Care Albino Buenos Aires Tetra?
a.Water Requirements
1. Water Quality
Although these tetras are hardy, they still need a clean and stable environment to thrive.
Typically, you should make water changes of 10-20% every week to keep the toxins levels at bay.
Every time you make a water change you should also remove any uneaten food, decaying plants, and other debris from the tank.
Otherwise, the nitrite and ammonia levels will start to rise, causing serious health issues for your fish.
In case you’re using tap water, make sure to use a water conditioner that removes chlorine and chloramine.
High levels of chlorine can be toxic to these fish, so it’s important to keep an eye on this.
To control the water quality, you can use a high-quality aquarium filter with a slow-moving current and low splashing.
An aquarium filter will not only keep the water clean but will also circulate oxygen and help to aerate the tank.
2. pH Level
These species need pH levels between 6.0 and 7.5 to replicate their natural habitat.
Any sudden changes in pH can cause stress and weaken the immune system, making them more prone to diseases.
This is why you should always keep track of the water’s pH by using a reliable pH test kit.
You can use the API pH Test Kit to measure the pH levels of the tank. This kit is easy to use and it can provide accurate results.
3. Water Temperature
Albino Buenos Aires Tetras come from the warm waters of the South American rivers, so they need temperatures between 72°F to 82°F (22°C to 28°C).
Too low or too high temperatures can stress your fish out, leading to health issues, such as fin rot or white spot disease.
To avoid any issues, you should use an aquarium thermometer to keep track of the temperature.
In case you live in a cold climate and your room gets cold during winter, you should use an aquarium heater to keep the temperatures stable.
Make sure to set the heater to the recommended temperature and check it regularly to avoid over or underheating.
4. Water Hardness
These fish need soft to medium water with a general hardness between 5 and 15.
You can use a water hardness test kit to measure the levels of calcium and magnesium in your tank.
b.Tank Requirements
1. Tank Size
These tetras come from large rivers so they need plenty of space to swim and display their shoaling behaviors.
For a group of 6 to 8 individuals, you should have at least 20 gallons of water.
And the more fish you keep, the bigger tank you’ll need.
I actually prefer to be on the safe side and get 5-10 gallons more than the recommended size.
This will give them enough space to swim and display their natural behaviors while keeping water parameters more stable.
Also, this gives me the freedom to add more fish or to add some decorations without overcrowding the tank.
2. Decorations
To mimic their natural environment, you should include plenty of hiding spots, such as plants, driftwood, and rocks.
Adding plants will provide natural filtration and give your fish a sense of security.
This will also help to keep nitrate levels low, and you won’t need to change the water as frequently.
You can include live or artificial plants such as Amazon Sword, Java Fern, and Anubias.
Other decorations you can include are driftwood, rocks, and caves.
These will add more depth to the tank and give your fish plenty of hiding spots that protect them from predators.
When it comes to the substrate, you should use a soft substrate, such as sand or fine gravel, which is ideal for the Albino Buenos Aires Tetra as they like to forage for food in the substrate.
But make sure that all the decorations don’t have any sharp edges or points as this can injure your fish.
3. Lighting
While the Albino Buenos Aires Tetra doesn’t necessarily need bright lighting, it’s still important to provide some level of ambient light to mimic their natural day and night cycle.
To grow live plants in the aquarium and provide enough lighting for the fish, moderate intensity of about 2-3 watts per gallon is enough.
But at night, you should turn off the lights as these species are used to completely dark nights in their natural habitat.
This will help them rest and sleep during nighttime.
And it’s always good to provide some visual cues for them with a light timer.
4. Tank Lid
Albino Buenos Aires Tetras are active jumpers, so you need to make sure that the tank has a tight lid to avoid any accidents.
Also, this will help keep the humidity in the tank stable and it will prevent other pests from getting into the aquarium.
But ensure that the lid is suitable for the size of the tank and that it fits properly so your fish can’t escape.
Albino Buenos Aires Tetra Compatibilty
Albino Buenos Aires Tetras are peaceful fish that get along well with other community species.
They usually prefer to stay in large groups and should be kept in a school of at least 6 individuals of their own kind.
This will give them enough space to swim around and display their natural shoaling behaviors.
The table below shows the good and bad tank mates for Albino Buenos Aires Tetras:
| Good Tank Mates | Bad Tank Mates |
| Other Tetras | Large or aggressive Cichlids |
| Rasboras | Betta fish |
| Danios | Gouramis |
| Corydoras | Some Barbs |
| Otocinclus | Oscars |
| Dwarf Corydoras | Arowanas |
| Kuhli Loaches | Pike cichlids |
| Cherry Shrimp | Tiger Barbs |
| Amano Shrimp | Serpae Tetras |
| Nerite Snails | Some species of Rainbowfish |
Albino Buenos Aires Tetra Diet & Feeding
The Albino Buenos Aires Tetra is an omnivorous fish and will readily accept a variety of foods in captivity. In the wild, they feed on small insects, crustaceans, and plant matter.
In captivity, they need a balanced diet that includes:
- High-quality flakes
- Pellet food
- Freeze-dried
- Frozen foods
- Brine shrimp
- Bloodworms
- Daphnia
To avoid the possibility of introducing harmful bacteria or parasites to the aquarium, you should feed your fish live foods as a treat.
When it comes to feeding frequency, you should only feed your fish 2-3 times per day, only feeding what they can consume within 2-3 minutes to prevent overfeeding and maintain good water quality.
Albino Buenos Aires Tetra Breeding
1. Setting up a Breeding Tank
When breeding Albino Buenos Aires Tetras, you’ll need to set up a separate breeding tank.
This will allow you to control the breeding environment and ensure that the fish have the best possible chance of reproducing.
You should provide a separate breeding tank with at least 20 gallons in size in addition to adding a heater, filter, and appropriate lighting.
You’ll also need to add plants, rocks, and other decorations to spread a sort of feeling of security and create spawning areas.
2. Introducing the Breeding Pair
Once you have your breeding tank set up, it’s time to introduce your breeding pair.
It’s best to choose a male and female that are healthy and have a similar body size.
You can tell the difference between males and females by looking at their fins – males have longer and more pointed fins, while females have shorter and rounder fins.
It’s also important to acclimate the fish to their new environment slowly.
Start by placing the male and female in separate tanks next to each other so that they can see and smell each other.
After a few days, you can introduce them into the breeding tank.
3. Breeding Behavior
Albino Buenos Aires Tetras are egg-layers, which means that the female will lay eggs that the male will then fertilize.
Breeding usually takes place in the morning, and the female can lay up to 300 eggs at a time.
After the new mommy lays the eggs, the male will fertilize them by releasing sperm over them.
Depending on the water temperature, the eggs will then hatch in about 24-36 hours.
4. Caring for the Fry
Once the eggs hatch, the fry will emerge.
At first, they will survive on their yolk sacs, but after a few days, they will need to be fed.
You can feed the fry specialized fry food or crushed flakes in small portions to avoid overfeeding these little guys.
During this time, It’s important to keep the water clean and free of debris to avoid any health issues for your new baby fish.
You may also add a sponge filter to the tank to prevent the fry from getting sucked up into the filter as it produces a gentle water flow, unlike other filters.
FAQs
How Many Buenos Aires Tetras Should Be Kept Together?
6-8 Buenos Aires Tetras should be kept together in an aquarium to ensure that they are able to display their natural shoaling behaviors.
What Temperature Do Albino Buenos Aires Tetras Like?
Albino Buenos Aires Tetras prefer a temperature of 72-82°F (22-28°C).
How Big Do Albino Buenos Aires Tetras Get?
Albino Buenos Aires Tetras reach a maximum size of 3 inches (7.5 cm).
How Long Do Albino Buenos Aires Tetras Live?
Albino Buenos Aires Tetras can live up to 5 years in the proper environment.
Conclusion
As promised, we’ve covered everything you need to know about Albino Buenos Aires Tetras.
From learning the basics of their care and feeding requirements to understanding how to breed them, you now know all the basics of keeping Albino Buenos Aires Tetras in your aquarium.
Just remember to provide them with a clean and well-maintained environment, proper nutrition, and plenty of places to hide for the best chance of success.
I hope this article has been helpful. If you still have questions, feel free to drop a comment below.
