Red Cherry Tetra 'Muzel' (Hyphessobrycon sp. Muzel)

Common Name

Red Cherry Tetra, Muzel Red Cherry Tetra

Origin and Habitat

This striking red tetra is an undescribed Hyphessobrycon circulating in the trade as “Muzel.” Most export notes and dealer sheets place it in Brazil, likely Mato Grosso, where small forest streams and vegetated river margins run warm, soft, and clear to tea tinted. Expect calm to gentle flow over fine sand with leaf litter, submerged roots, and plenty of cover from marginal grasses and plants. It is a classic blackwater edge fish that thrives where light is filtered and tannins are present. Collection appears to be from a small geographic footprint, which is a major reason it remains rare in the hobby. Export batches are seasonal and sporadic, and shipments are often limited to a few specialty suppliers.

Temperature and Water Conditions

Preferred temperature is 74 to 80 F, which is 23 to 27 C. Wild waters for similar Hyphessobrycon are typically soft and slightly acidic, about the mid sixes to near neutral. Stable parameters are far more important than chasing exact numbers, except for specific breeding projects. Provide excellent filtration with gentle, steady flow, abundant oxygen, and regular small water changes. A touch of leaf litter or botanicals is welcomed.

Appearance and Size

Adults show a rich cherry red body with deeper red in the fins, often with a subtle darker midline and a bit of sheen toward the shoulder. Body shape is the deep, laterally compressed rosy tetra silhouette that Hyphessobrycon fans know well. Males usually color a little brighter and carry slightly sharper fin edges, while females are a touch fuller through the belly when ripe with eggs. Maximum size is about 4 to 5 cm, which is roughly 1.5 to 2.0 inches. Because this fish is rare, expect some variation in color intensity between shipments and within a group, especially as fish settle and mature.

Diet in the Wild

A small water column and surface micro predator that nips at tiny insects and their larvae, micro crustaceans, and drifting invertebrates. In calm edges it will also graze biofilm and take soft plant bits as it forages.

Feeding in Captivity

Keep them glowing with frequent small meals. Offer quality micro pellets, crushed flakes, and frozen or live fare sized to their mouths, including baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops, and finely chopped bloodworms. A varied diet rich in natural color boosters helps sustain the red tones, and planted tanks with natural microfauna keep fish busy between feedings.

Behavior and Tank Setup

This is a peaceful schooling fish that looks and behaves best in a large group. Aim for ten or more so color, confidence, and shoaling displays really show. A 20 long or larger planted tank with open swimming lanes, shaded thickets, and dark substrate will make the reds pop. Provide gentle current, dim to moderate light filtered through floating plants, and cover from wood and leaves. Good tank mates include other small peaceful characins, pencilfish, hatchetfish, Corydoras, dwarf cichlids that ignore midwater swimmers, and small surface livebearers that do not nip. Given their rarity, plan a careful quarantine and a calm acclimation so the group settles quickly and you protect your investment.

Breeding

Conditioning: Breeding is achievable with planning and patience, and it is especially worthwhile for a rare fish like this. Condition a group with heavy live and frozen foods while keeping water very clean and on the soft, slightly acidic side. Use dim lighting, floating plants, and a quiet room so the fish feel secure.

Spawning setup: Use a separate breeding tank with a fine mesh or marbles over the base so eggs fall out of reach. Alternatively, densely pack fine leaved plants and spawning mops. Introduce a well conditioned pair or small group at dusk, then remove adults the next morning.

Triggers: A cool, fresh water change and a gentle sunrise often trigger spawning. Keep light subdued and avoid disturbances during the night and early morning.

Egg and fry care: Eggs are light sensitive. Keep the tank dim. At 76 to 78 F, hatching usually occurs in about a day, and fry become free swimming a few days later. Start with infusoria or cultured Paramecium for the first couple of days, then transition to freshly hatched brine shrimp and fine powdered foods as the fry grow. Maintain immaculate water quality with tiny daily changes and gentle aeration, and keep light subdued so fry feed confidently near cover. Line breeding a healthy tank raised strain helps reduce pressure on the limited wild source and keeps the look consistent for customers.

Quick Facts

• Scientific name: Hyphessobrycon sp. “Muzel”
• Common name: Red Cherry Tetra, Muzel Red Cherry Tetra
• Origin: likely Mato Grosso, Brazil, small forest streams and vegetated margins
• Adult size: about 4 to 5 cm, roughly 1.5 to 2.0 inches
• Temperature: 74 to 80 F preferred
• Wild pH: typically slightly acidic to near neutral, soft water
• Temperament: peaceful schooling tetra, best in a large group
• Diet: micro invertebrates, accepts high quality prepared, frozen, and live foods
• Breeding type: egg scatterer with no parental care, fry need very small live foods at first

Tropical Fish Co. Notes

Red Cherry Tetra “Muzel” is still uncommon enough that people stop and ask what it is. That rarity is part of the charm and a good reason to treat new arrivals with extra care. We recommend buying a proper school, giving them a quiet landing in a planted tank, and letting them color up on live and frozen foods during quarantine. If you have the space, set aside a small breeding tank to establish your own line. Captive reared juveniles are durable, consistent in color, and help keep pressure off a small wild source. Keep parameters steady, keep the water very clean, and enjoy the moment when the school glides through the plants like a handful of cherries in slow motion.