Tiger Teddy

Tiger Teddy or Neoheterandria, scientific name Neoheterandria elegans, belongs to the Poeciliidae family. An extremely tiny beautiful and shy fish. Unpretentious in content, suitable for beginner aquarists. However, it is relatively rare in free sale, but is sometimes available in specialized pet stores and breeders.

Habitat

An endemic species that lives in the river system of the Rio Atrato, a left tributary of the Magdelana River in northwestern Colombia in the states of Antioch (Antioquia) and Cauca (Cauca). The exact distribution area has not been established, it is not safe for scientists and researchers to work in territory controlled by Colombian rebel groups.

Requirements and conditions:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 10 liters.
• Temperature – 24 – 30°C
• Value pH — 7.0–8.0
• Water hardness – soft to very hard (5-25 dGH)
• Substrate type – any
• Lighting – moderate
• Brackish water – no
• Water movement – weak or stagnant
• Size – up to 2,5 cm
• Food – any small

Description

One of the smallest species of freshwater viviparous fish, adults reach only 2,5 cm in length. Males look slimmer than females and somewhat smaller. Females are larger with a rounded abdomen. The coloration is predominantly in gray tones, vertical dark stripes interspersed with orange are visible on the body. Thanks to this coloring, the Tiger Teddy received one of its names.

Food

An unpretentious and omnivorous fish, it will accept all types of dry food (flakes, granules). However, the most natural form of food is various crustaceans such as brine shrimp and daphnia, so an optimal diet combines live and dry food in approximately equal proportions. Feed two or three times a day in the amount eaten in 5 minutes.

Maintenance and care

Such miniature fish do not require serious expenses for their maintenance. For one pair, a three-liter jar will be enough, but Neoheterandria will feel most comfortable in a tank of at least 10 liters. The design welcomes a large number of root and floating plants with shelters in the form of snags and tree roots. Any soil, optimal for the selected plants.

A suitable water composition is in a fairly wide range of GH and filter pH values, but given that it should not create a strong movement of water, Teddy prefers a weak flow. Other equipment includes a heater and a lighting system. Additional aeration is set at the discretion of the aquarist.

Behavior

Peaceful species, preferably kept in a small group. You should be extremely careful about the selection of neighbors, for such small fish, any larger fish will be a potential danger. It is permissible to combine with Dwarf parsing, Hengel Rasbora and other small species.

Breeding / breeding

Unlike most viviparous species, Neoheterandria has a slightly different way of reproducing fry. In the body of the female, fry at different stages of development can simultaneously be located. In one case, fertilization occurred earlier, in the other later, so the juveniles do not appear at the same time, the process stretches for a week or more.

Spawning takes place throughout the year with a balanced diet and good water quality. The main problem is that fry reach a length of only 2-3 mm. and unable to take even micro-feed, the only way out is feeding with infusoria. They grow very quickly, already in the third month the fish become sexually mature

Fish diseases

Health problems begin only in adverse conditions (dirty water, poor quality food). Otherwise, the risk of diseases is low, more about the symptoms and methods of treatment in the section “Diseases of aquarium fish”.