• Scientific name: Arnoldichthys spilopterus
• Synonyms: Petersius spilopterus
• Common name: African red-eyed characin, Niger tetra
• Group: Characins
• Habitat: West-Africa
• Size: 8-10 cm
• Biotope: From Lagos to the Niger Delta
• Social behavior: A peaceful, schooling fish
• Diet: Omnivorous, give them live food or large flakes
• Breeding: Quite easy
• Tank: Minimum 100 litres
• Population: 6-8 fishes for 100 litres
• Decoration: Needs a roomy, shallow tank not more than 12 inches in height. You can add a light planting, but leave room for swimming. The gravel bed should be dark and the water well filtered through peat. Partial water changes should be made every three or four weeks.
• Temperature: 24-28 °C
• pH: 6-8
• Hardness: 5-19 NK°
• Lifespan: 5-10 years

Description: While African red-eyed characin is requires a larger tank, this is one of the finest of African characins and a species everyone should try at least once. They are characterized by two lateral bands, the upper one red or orange, and the lower blue-green. The upper half of eye is red, giving this species one of their common names. The Niger tetra has huge scales. The anal fin is convex with red, yellow and black stripes on male, and nearly straight with a black point on female. For breeding use soft, slightly acid water.

One pair has laid more than one thousand eggs in a sigle small tank. Those fry hatched after 30 to 35 hours, surfaced on the fifth day and were swimming by the seventh. The fry are especially timid and when frightened flee head-first to the tank bottom - so this should be soft, of peat or very fine sand. The fry grow rapidly and are nearly 2 inches long within seven weeks. They should be first fed finely ground food then, from the second week, brine shrimp, finely ground flake, egg-yolk, Liquifry and Cyclops - all foods easily obtained.