The head and tail light fish has been in our hobby for a very long time, and was probably one of the first tetras to be spawned because it spawns easily. The fish is available from both aquacultured and wild-caught sources. While it is difficult to specify which source your local fish store obtains, it is worthwhile to try and obtain wild-caught specimens, because what we now have from aquaculture sources are pale imitations compared to the real thing.

With that said, head and tail light tetra is a very good fish for both beginning and advanced hobbyists. This fish is undemanding about water conditions, temperature and feeding. Although the fish does best in soft acid water, you can keep it in water above 7.0 pH and of moderate to high hardness. As with most tetras, the head and tail light shows its best in a heavily planted tank, and if there are enough plants some babies may survive. Spawning the head and tail light is easy, as it spawns in the typical tetra fashion.