One of the classic favourites of the hobby, the Emperor Tetra is a striking, community fish. Reaching a maximum size of under 2", it is an ideal candidate for a small to medium sized community aquarium. Male Emperor Tetras will often develop a purple hue above the body's black stripe, giving a beautiful contrast in the aquarium.
The tail fin of the male will develop a long central spike, while the female will only extend, if at all. Oddly, you can also tell males and females apart with the aid of a flashlight. Shine it in the fish's eyes; males will have a light blue eye, while females have a green or yellow eye. This is apparent even on juvenile fishes.
These charming Characins will mix well with almost any non aggressive fish, and make excellent additions to a planted aquarium. They can be kept with most species of Apistogramma, and make a great dither fish.