Red Phantom vs. Serpae

**ameliaaahx** · 09-01-2012, 01:17 AM

Are these different or are they actually the same species? They look the same to me.

**Azurescriber** · 09-01-2012, 02:44 AM

They are different, but if you are getting them from an LFS, they could easily be mislabeled.

I bought "red phantoms" at my LFS only to figure out that they were just female black phantoms (females have red on them).

**Honey Badger 1** · 09-01-2012, 03:07 AM

They do look very similar but have some distinct differences.
This is the red phantom tetra, scientific name; hyphessobrycon sweglesi

And here is the serpae tetra, scientific name; hyphessobrycon eques.

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-01-2012, 05:50 AM

Gee. I like the red phantom tetra. My store is loaded with the Serpae but their reputation makes me not want to buy them.

**pjaldave** · 09-01-2012, 06:42 AM

Red phantoms are really "red". While serpaes are more of an orange than red.

**ameliaaahx** · 09-01-2012, 09:59 AM

Ohh thanks guys. Although I'm not sure if I'll be able to remember without the pictures.

I'm with you Hobbs, I like the Serpaes but the reputation is off-putting...

**steeler1** · 09-05-2012, 04:29 AM

Go with the Red Phantom's, I only kept them once but they fit in well in my 65 gal tetra tank. I've read that you can keep them at lower tempatures than the Black's but need lower PH.

**hydra01** · 09-05-2012, 02:57 PM

A friend of mine has Serpae's. He says they act like a typical tetra. As for the red phantom, I have never seen it for sale by me. I assume most of these tetras behave similar. I keep H511 tetras which haven't been classified yet and look like red phantoms without the spot. They are very interesting, and each fish looks different from the next.

**steeler1** · 09-07-2012, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by hydra01

A friend of mine has Serpae's. He says they act like a typical tetra. As for the red phantom, I have never seen it for sale by me. I assume most of these tetras behave similar. I keep H511 tetras which haven't been classified yet and look like red phantoms without the spot. They are very interesting, and each fish looks different from the next.

I have thought about purchusing the H511, is thier behavior simler to Rosy Tetras? They seem to resemble Rosy's and Benito's Tetras.

**hydra01** · 09-13-2012, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by steeler1

I have thought about purchusing the H511, is thier behavior simler to Rosy Tetras? They seem to resemble Rosy's and Benito's Tetras.

yes they behave similar. They are a bit more active than the average tetra, at least mine seem to be, and can make a good dither fish if you have more than one type of tetra in a tank.