Matt Clarke looks at the stunning Coffee bean tetra, Hyphessobrycon takasei.
Common name: Coffee bean tetra
Scientific name: Hyphessobrycon takasei
Origin: Found in the Rio Oyapock and Rio Araguari river systems in Brazil and French Guina.
Size: Around 3-4cm, but quite chunky.
Water: Not data but these ones were living happily in harder water after a period of acclimatisation. You'll definitely need to provide soft, acidic conditions if you want to try a potentially lucrative breeding project.
Diet: Flakes, bloodworms, brineshrimp and daphnia should be taken readily.
Aquarium: This appears to be quite a peaceful tetra and should mix well with most other peaceful South American species. If you can afford to, go for a group of six fish and keep them in a biotope tank alongside other species from the same region.
Breeding: Not known to have been bred in captivity.
Notes: Little has been written about H. takasei because it's so rarely kept. Like many tetras, this one is considered incertae sedis, which means it's of uncertain taxonomic position and, as such, the genus may change later.
Availability: This is a rare tetra in the shops and is usually very expensive when it is available. These ones were imported by wholesaler Tom Halvorsen Ltd (07977 098127).
Price: Highly sought after. 7.50-10.00.