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Contents
Overview
The glowlight tetra is a small characin with a nearly see-through body and a vivid orange stripe that looks lit from within, especially under soft light against a dark background. It comes from quiet, slow-moving creeks in the Essequibo River basin of Guyana, but the fish you find in stores have been farm-bred for decades.
Hobbyists love it for its understated beauty, very peaceful nature and toughness that is unusual for such a small tetra. It is an excellent pick for beginners setting up a planted community tank, and a sturdier alternative to the neon tetra when your tap water is not particularly soft. In a large school its color deepens and it swims with far more confidence.
Care and tank setup
A tank of about 16 gallons (60 L) with open swimming room works for a small school, but they really shine in 20-30 gallons (75-110 L). Only add them to a fully cycled tank with gentle filtration and a heater.
- Decor: dense planting, driftwood and dark substrate make the orange stripe pop. A few floating plants to diffuse the light help them feel secure.
- Water: they adapt to moderate tap water; stability matters more than exact numbers. Change 20-30% weekly and avoid sudden temperature swings.
- Tank mates: other small tetras, rasboras, corydoras, otocinclus, shrimp and calm dwarf cichlids. Avoid any fish big enough to swallow them.
The classic mistake is keeping just three or four: they hide, lose color and stay stressed. With eight or more you see real schooling behavior.
Feeding
Glowlights are undemanding omnivores. A quality micro pellet or fine flake makes a good staple, ideally supplemented a few times a week with small live or frozen foods such as baby brine shrimp, daphnia or mosquito larvae. Feed small portions once or twice a day, only what they finish in a couple of minutes. A varied diet keeps that orange stripe bright.
Breeding
This is an egg scatterer that drops its eggs among fine-leaved plants and shows no parental care; in fact, adults eat the eggs. To breed it, set up a separate tank with soft, acidic water, dim lighting and moss or a mesh over the bottom. Remove the parents after spawning. Fry hatch in about 36 hours and need infusoria at first. It is one of the easier tetras to spawn.
Compatible tank mates
Species from our database that share water parameters, size and temperament with the Glowlight tetra. Calculated from the data in each profile.
Bristlenose pleco Ancistrus sp. 26 gal (100 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Betta fish Betta splendens 7 gal (25 L) · 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) 
Bronze cory Corydoras aeneus 21 gal (80 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Guppy Poecilia reticulata 14 gal (54 L) · 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) 
Cherry barb Puntius titteya 16 gal (60 L) · 73–81 °F (23–27 °C) 
Tiger barb Puntigrus tetrazona 26 gal (100 L) · 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) 
Nerite snail Neritina natalensis 5 gal (20 L) · 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) 
Horned nerite snail Clithon corona 5 gal (20 L) · 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) 
Amano shrimp Caridina multidentata 11 gal (40 L) · 64–82 °F (18–28 °C) 
Cherry shrimp Neocaridina davidi 5 gal (20 L) · 64–81 °F (18–27 °C) 
Dwarf gourami Trichogaster lalius 16 gal (60 L) · 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) 
Otocinclus catfish Otocinclus vestitus 16 gal (60 L) · 70–79 °F (21–26 °C) Check the compatibility of your whole tank →
What not to keep it with
Popular species you shouldn’t house with the Glowlight tetra, and why.
- Common goldfish: incompatible temperatures, one may eat the other due to size
- Angelfish: one may eat the other due to size
- Clown loach: one may eat the other due to size
- Oranda goldfish: incompatible temperatures, one may eat the other due to size
- Oscar: one may eat the other due to size, incompatible temperaments
Recommended equipment
What you need to keep the Glowlight tetra healthy, checked against Amazon stock.
Frequently asked questions
How many liters does a Glowlight tetra need?
At least about 60 liters for a group of at least 8 fish. More space always helps keep the water stable.
What water temperature does the Glowlight tetra need?
Between 24 and 28 °C, with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5.
What fish can live with the Glowlight tetra?
Based on water, size and temperament, it fits with species such as Bristlenose pleco, Betta fish, Bronze cory, Guppy and Cherry barb. Use our compatibility calculator to check your whole tank.
Can the Glowlight tetra be kept with shrimp?
Yes: it usually won’t eat adult shrimp, though some shrimplets may get picked off. A tank with plenty of moss gives the babies cover.
