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Pristella maxillaris - An Old Favourite That Deserves Some TLC

One of the staple Characins of the aquarium hobby for many years has been the X-Ray Fish or Pristella Tetra, a species long known to aquarists as Pristella riddlei, but which underwent a name change in the 1970s when it was discovered that it had actually been described twice, and in accordance with the Rule Of Priority, was renamed Pristella maxillaris.

The venerable Innes book devotes quite a fair amount of space to this fish, remarking even back in his day on the longevity of the species (he claimed that 4 years was a long lifespan for a small Tetra - what would he make of my 7-year-old Lemons?) and I suspect that aquarists who devote care and attention to this fish may see it live even longer than my Lemons - a 10-year lifespan, while unusually long among most small Characins, is considered a definite possibility with the Pristella. Likewise, the Braz Walker pocket book devotes a good deal of space to this fish, and it is evidently one of that author's favourite small Characins.

For years, the fish has been described as hardy, a good beginner's Tetra, almost as forgiving as the Black Widow, and a lot prettier into the bargain. At this point, I have to issue a WARNING, which I've highlighted in bold for good reason. Because of the steady demand for this species, captive breeding on a commercial scale became an important aim soon after its aquarium debut, and after some initial problems, said commercial breeding became a reality. But, and this is a BIG but, somewhere along the line, someone has seriously screwed up with this fish. Some specimens that have reached my LFS in the recent past have been inbred to the point of self-destruction, so that he is now extremely wary of taking the species on, despite its popularity. And, for once, Singapore breeders are not, it would seem, the worst offenders. I've seen some hideous deformities among specimens of this fish, really cringe-making spinal curvatures, missing gill plates, weird stony eyeballs and scrawny body shapes that are the tell-tale signs of careless inbreeding carried through to the point where the poor fish is better off dead than alive. If you are smitten by this fish, and prime specimens are wonderful to behold, then CHECK THE PROVENANCE OF YOUR INTENDED STOCK. Examine them carefully for any signs that they've been carelessly inbred, and if there are any runts, deformed specimens or other horrors lurking among them, LEAVE THEM ALONE.

After issuing that warning, now let's look at the happy side of this fish. You've checked your provenance, and have acquired decent quality stock. What can you expect?

Well, the fish possesses a translucency of body that led early on in the game to it being called the X-Ray Fish, a name that did much to enhance the popularity of an already attractive small Tetra. Tip-top specimens have lovely black and yellow markings in the dorsal and anal fins that are reminiscent of several other Tetra species such as Lemons or Hemigrammus unilineatus. This is contrasted with a bright red caudal fin. Innes devotes quite a bit of space to considering the kind of decor that these fishes should be housed with, because different parts of the fish are highlighted by different furnishings. Light green plant foliage highlights the darker markings, while the bright yellow stands out against dark-leaved Cryptocoryne or pieces of dark bogwood. So, planning your aquarium for this species requires more than usual attention to colour scheme detail if you are to see the fish at its best. Mixing light and dark furnishings carefully will allow the fish to show off its own light and dark features accordingly. The typical Characin furnishing mixture of plant thickets and open water areas is appropriate for this sprighly yet mild-mannered little fish.

Next, the fish is a relatively typical shoaling Characin. This is not one of those species in which I've ever witnessed the infamous 'part time territoriality' so familiar in my Lemons, even though it has the fin markings of a fish that should be so disposed. However, I shall await the results of any Pristella keepers on this Board, and if they see 'jousting' males among their Pristellas, let me know so I can add them to the database accordingly! Needless to say, it is a species that looks at its best in numbers. The usual 'six bare minimum, twelve is better' rule applies. And, like my Lemons, Pristellas are compatible with a wide range of other fish species from the stereotypical 'community' fish selection. For a fish whose home waters include the lower Amazon, as well as rainforest streams and rivers in places such as Guyana, its tolerance of a wide range of pH and hardness values (ridiculous extremes apart) is excellent, and if your stock comes with the 'certificate of approval' that it hasn't been inbred to the point of genetic implosion, then it is, indeed, a hardy little fish that will forgive many beginner mistakes (although not catastrophic ones, obviously!) and be a source of delight to the Characin lover in particular in exchange for relatively little effort. Expend the extra effort, however, and once again, this little fish will appreciate this, and repay in kind.

Feeding is an issue that Innes considers at length in the ancient tome: his advice is to feed live foods periodically for best results, and suggests that this is more important than usual with this fish, especially where conditioning for breeding is concerned. However, thanks to its long domestication since Innes first put pen to paper, Pristellas with a decent pedigree will accept flake foods quite happily. This is, however, a species in which regular live feedings will make a ounced and readily noticeable difference: apart from being healthier, live-fed Pristellas make far better breeders. Innes also suggests that occasional treats of something such as tuna flesh will go a long way toward building up a stock of prime breeding fish.

Now for the news that Pristella fans have not been waiting to hear, namely spawning. The fish is not as problematic by any stretch of the imagination as, for example, the Cardinal Tetra. But the bad news for beginners, who find the fish easy to keep, is that breeding the little fellows requires some skill. Not least because some Pristellas can be fussy about their choice of mates. Some apparently perfect 'pairs' simply will not pair at all, for reasons that are known only to the would-be nuptial couple. This is another reason for acquiring a decent sized shoal right from the start: if breeding is on the aquarist's list of ambitions, then having a good number of individuals to select from helps overcome this still-unexplained fussiness on the Pristella's part.

Once the parents are conditioned and ready to breed, however, the next hurdle to overcome is raising the fry. And there will be a LOT of fry. Pristellas can produce between 200 and 400 eggs per spawn, and the fertility rate is usually excellent, which makes the inbreeding abuse of this species all the more unforgiveable. The fry are tiny, and will need infusoria and liquid fry food for around 10 days after becoming free-swimming. Weaning the fry onto newly hatched Brine Shrimp should be done with care: some fry will readily take to them, others will be more hesitant. Until all the fry have moved on, infusoria feeding should be continued, otherwise early losses will result. Once the fry are all weaned onto Brine Shrimp or sifted Daphnia, growth is relatively rapid.

Remember my warning at the beginning, however. This species has been subject of late to some horrific inbreeding abuse, so check your stock before purchasing. And, I am among those who would love to take a very large stick to those responsible. For many years, the Pristella has served the aquarist faithfully, as a charming, well-mannered and long-lived fish that takes to aquarium life readily, and provides the breeder with enough of a challenge to be interesting without being frustrating. All the more lamentable then that some suppliers should be turning out some of the obscenely crippled stock I've seen in circulation recently. This fish really deserves a LOT better than this: I know, all fish deserve decent TLC and humane treatment, but it quite frankly makes me spit to see a sterling servant of long standing such as this crucified on the altar of the lowest commercial common denominator. So, if you ARE going to hunt down some Pristellas of your own, look out for ones with a healthy pedigree. Give them the home they deserve, and make up for some of the shocking maltreatment that this lovely little fish has suffered of late.




Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I have a school of 10 and I have never had problems with them.I have also known many people that have had them without problems.They are pretty hardy fish and just mine alone have gone through a move and some harsh water conditions at my old apartment.Any fish that is not properly taken care of has a high risk of complications.I don't really know if you meant it or not but it sounds like you are trying to discourage people from buying these beautiful fish.I agree in part that you do need to check closely before buying any fish.But please try not to give them a bad name.They are really good fish and very beautiful when in a good school and with proper care.

I wasn't discouraging people from obtaining them far from it - I was issuing a warning to be on your toes if you DO like these fish (and they are adorable!) because just lately, some suppliers have regally dumped all over this species with bad practices.

As I said, an old favourite that deserves some TLC. And a LOT more compassion than it's getting in some quarters.



Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002