Species learning profile
Cardinal tetra
Paracheirodon axelrodi
Cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) is a freshwater fish associated with river habitat in South America. Its red stripe runs the full body length, unlike the neon tetra's shorter stripe.
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At a glance
- المياه
- مياه عذبة
- Habitat
- نهر
- أقصى طول
- 5 cm
- النطاق
- أمريكا الجنوبية
- الفصيلة
- Characidae
- الرتبة
- Characiformes
Observe
How to identify Cardinal tetra
- Its red stripe runs the full body length, unlike the neon tetra's shorter stripe.
- Guide context: river habitat in South America.
- Reported maximum length: 5 cm — about hand-length or smaller. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with river habitat across South America. Flow, seasonal floods, connected side channels, and access to spawning reaches all shape its river habitat.
Behavior
Schools in acidic blackwater
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Tiny crustaceans, worms, and organic particles.
Ecological role
Consumes tiny prey and feeds larger floodplain fish.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
قد يصل طول Cardinal tetra إلى نحو 5 سم، ويوجد غالبًا قرب نهر.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
River fish depend on connected water. Dams, blocked migrations, pollution, and altered flow can matter even when the channel still looks wet.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Cardinal tetra in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections