Boehlkea fredcochui – Cochu’s Blue Tetra

Boehlkea fredcochui – Cochu’s Blue Tetra

Boehlkea fredcochui is not often offered in stores, but if it is available, it is probably under the name Cochu’s Blue Tetra . Like most other characins, it is a real schooling fish that should be kept with at least 6 of its kind, but preferably with more. If the fish are kept in groups that are too small, they will become stressed and shy. They will also show little color.

The difference between males and females is difficult to see. The females are slightly fuller than the males, where the males have a little more color, but it takes a trained eye to see.

This fish is transparent in color with usually a blue glow over its body. The back is generally grayer than the rest of the body and the fins are often colorless. The fish has the shape of a ”normal” tetra.

Synonyms: Microbrycon fredcochui

The Aquarium

When the aquarium has a lot of light, the blue glow of the fish disappears a bit. To bring out its colors beautifully, it is best to keep the Cochu’s Blue Tetra in a not-too-brightly lit aquarium with some floating plants and a dark substrate. This way the blue color shows best.

It is an active swimmer, so in addition to some hiding places in the form of sufficient plants, it also needs sufficient swimming space. Due to their active behavior, they should therefore not be combined with delicate species or species that like calm tank mates. The aquarium does not have to be very large. You can keep a school in an aquarium from 60 centimeters. A little current is desirable.

Diet

The active behavior also shows during feeding. They are very active eaters so make sure to leave some for the other species. The Cochu’s Blue Tetra takes all types of food, both flake food and frozen. In any case, ensure there is sufficient variety in the diet.

In nature, fish have to deal with fluctuating temperatures. Keeping fish at the minimum or maximum temperature for a long time is not always desirable and can shorten the average lifespan of the animals.

Breeding

Breeding Boehlkea fredcochui is not easy. The eggs are laid on the underside of broad leaves. It is important to remove the parents immediately after spawning, as they slowly start eating their own eggs after spawning. Breeding works best at a slightly lower pH (softly acidic) using filtration over peat. The newly hatched young are very small and can be fed with infusoria and brine shrimp nauplii.

Video

Author

Rickpad – J. de Lange

Copyright images

Gerry Verrier