Ornate Dwarf Tetra

Trochilocharax ornatus is a remarkable micro-characin described from the Rio Negro system, where it inhabits the most extreme blackwater environments. At barely 1.5 cm it is one of the smallest characins yet described, and its body is suffused with delicate dark spotting visible through the translucent skin. The effect under dim aquarium lighting is genuinely extraordinary.

This species is strictly for advanced aquarists with established blackwater tanks running at extreme soft, acidic conditions. Any deviation from very low pH, near-zero hardness, and warm temperatures causes rapid stress and fatality. It should be kept in a dedicated species or near-species tank with no competition for food.

Feeding requires the smallest available micro-foods: paramecia, infusoria, Cyclops nauplii, and the finest commercially available nano powdered foods. Patience and precision are the defining qualities required to succeed with this fish.

Water: 26–30°C, pH 4.0–5.5, ultra-soft (GH 0–3, KH 0–1); extreme blackwater conditions required. Tank: 30 L minimum; species tank with zero flow, botanicals, dim lighting, dark substrate. Feeding: Paramecia, infusoria, Cyclops nauplii, nano powdered food — largest mouth is 0.5 mm. Breeding: Essentially undocumented in captivity; presumed egg-scatterer in blackwater fine substrate. Compatibility: Species-only; too small and delicate for any community setup.