Teleostei (teleosts) >
Characiformes (Characins) >
Alestidae (African tetras)
Etymology: Phenacogrammus: Greek, phenax, -akos = deceptive + Greek, gramma = letter, signal (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Boulenger.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19. Tropical; 23°C - 26°C (Ref. 30491)
Africa: lower and middle Congo River basin in Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ref. 42032) and Republic of Congo (Ref. 44840).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7020); 6.0 cm (female)
Feeds on worms, small insects, crustaceans and plant matter (Ref. 7020). Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; minimum aquarium size 100 cm (Ref. 51150).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
In tank, after vigorous driving by the male, the female lays up to 300 eggs, sometimes more, which sink to the bottom. Eggs hatch after about 6 days (Ref. 7020).
Paugy, D., 1984. Characidae. p. 140-183. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. Vol. 1. (Ref. 5331)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5020 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01072 (0.00484 - 0.02371), b=3.02 (2.84 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.0 ±0.33 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).