While not the most common fish out there, the four spot splash tetra is a project well worth tracking down, writes Chris Wilson.
CHRIS WILSON Chris works at Porton Aquatics and Pets and is passionate about all things fishy.
WHEN WE THINK about tetras, our minds often turn to the likes of neons or cardinals (Parachierodon innesi and Parachierodon axelrodi, respectively) and other ‘mainstream’ tetras. But there's another, more obscure group that often gets overlooked—the splash tetras. These little South American fishes have some of the most interesting behaviours of any fish, from laying their eggs on leaves above the water’s surface, to males looking after their young, much like certain labyrinth fish.
It's one of these fantastic dads that this piece is all about. The four spot splash tetras, Pyrrhulina spilota, are one of those fabulous fish that aquarists should be keeping, though the seldom do. They’re not seen in abundance in the hobby, but by no means are they rare in the wild. Still, finding this fish in the trade can be tricky. When they are available they'll typically set you back between £5-£15 a head, depending on the shop.
I suspect that their distinct lack in the trade could be a ‘fear of the unknown’. Because they aren’t frequently collected, they aren't often available, and as a result no one seems to know what they are. You can speak to any avid characin enthusiast, and while they'll reel off a long list of their beloved fish from Peru, very few of them will mention the four spot splash. And to only add to the scarcity confusion, the waters they are found in surround the largest metropolis in the Peruvian Amazon.
A home in Peru
Native to the upper Amazon basin in Peru, P. spilota are found in the soft acidic waters surrounding the Peruvian city of Iquitos, a city famous for the export of ornamental fish for the aquarium trade. It’s worth me mentioning that specimens have also supposedly been collected from Bolivia but with only seven such instances recorded since 1979, it's likely this was another species.
In the wild, you would find these fish in open water above and around heavy plant growth, likely towards the outer edges of the rivers, lakes and pools they reside in. A major draw of these places is the abundance of their favourite snack; small invertebrates (especially mosquito larvae) that live amongst the thick vegetation. Looking at pictures of the wilderness surrounding the city you very quickly realise that their natural habitat is diverse, from small streams to pools and ponds to wide expanses of flooded wetlands.
