Order Characiformes ( Characiformes )
Family Lebiasinidae ( Lebiasinidae )
Subfamily ( Pyrrhulininae )
Genus Copeina — Copeina.
— Red Spotted Copeina — Copeina guttata [Steindachner, 1876]. Synonym: Pyrrhulina guttata, argyrops. (Engl.- Red Spotted Copeina, Characin). Amazon River basin. 8-10 cm. The Red Spotted Copeina is considered one of the largest species in the entire family. It draws attention with its large scales and rich blue coloration. Also interesting are its red speckles on the scales and the same-colored fin borders in the lower part of the body.
The coloration varies quite strongly among different specimens and changes very sharply depending on keeping conditions and the fish’s condition. Usually, it is reddish-brown with a silvery tint, the back is yellowish-brown, and the flanks shine from blue to greenish-blue. The scales on the body have a dark edge. At the base of each scale, there is a spot ranging from rich red to purple-violet.
The fins are yellow with an orange border. A black spot is located on the lower part of the dorsal fin. The ventral, anal, and caudal fins are partially colored in a pale red color. The male is larger, colored much more intensely — beige-blue with red speckles on the scales. The upper lobe of the caudal fin is elongated, the dorsal fin is transparent, elongated with a dark spot, and there is a tender pink, sometimes bright scarlet pigment on the anal and caudal fins. Females lack red dots on their lateral scales and are less brightly colored.
The fish are peaceful, schooling, very active, like to jump out of the water, and keep to the upper and middle water layers. They like to live in fairly large schools; they can be kept in a general, top-covered aquarium with occasional thickets. The substrate must be dark in color, otherwise, the fish become timid. Floating plants are a must. Water is soft. Food (any) is taken from the surface. In addition to regular food, flies should be given.
They mature at 1.5 years. They spawn on a sandy or gravel substrate. During reproduction, the male digs a wide and long groove in the sand, where the female lays eggs, and the male buries them to a depth of 1 cm. The male guards the eggs laid on the bottom. pH 6.0-7.0; dH 4-12°; T 24-26°C.
Identification: Red Spotted Copeina — Copeina guttata.
Genus Copella — Copella.
1. Copella nattereri.
2. Copella nigrofasciata.
3. Copella meinkeni sp.
4. Copella spec. aff. meinkeni.
5. Copella spec. aff. meinkeni.
Previously, these fish were assigned to the genus Copeina (Copeina). The genus was formed after a revision of the genera Copeina and Pyrrhulina. They inhabit the Amazon basin. The body is narrow, significantly elongated, with large shiny scales. The head is flattened from top to bottom, the mouth is superior. There is no adipose fin, the upper lobe of the caudal fin is noticeably longer than the lower one, especially in males. The fish keep to the surface water layers. A significant part of their food consists of various insects falling onto the water surface. Males are larger and brighter than females.
To keep copeinas, aquariums with a large water surface area are usually used. They swim at the upper and middle levels. In addition to plants normally used in an aquarium when keeping characins, large-leaved plants floating on the water surface are also desirable. The substrate is dark. The water in the aquarium should be soft (4-6°), peat-filtered, very slightly acidic (pH 6.6-7). In addition to regular food, live flies and small insects should be given. Bloodworms, phantom midge larvae (corethra), or daphnia can be dried on paper so that they float on the surface for some time. They live 3-5 years. dH up to 8°; pH 6.5-7.0; T 24-26°C.
— Splashing Tetra, Jumping Characin — Copella arnoldi [Regan, 1912]. Synonym: Copeina arnoldi. (Engl.- Jumping Characin, Splash Tetra, Splashing Tetra, Spraying Characin). Guyana, French Guiana, Venezuela, Suriname, Brazil. Lower Amazon basin, Para and Orinoco rivers. Male 5-7 cm, female 4-5 cm. The body is elongated in length, slightly compressed laterally, back and belly profiles almost straight. The dorsal fin is narrow, shifted far back, with dark and light spots at the base of the dorsal fin. The deeply notched caudal fin has an upper lobe longer than the lower one.
Body coloration varies greatly — from beige-blue with a silvery tint to reddish-brown with a yellowish belly, with small red specks on the sides. The body is narrow, creamy-yellow in color with large shiny scales. The back color is chocolate brown, the flanks are red-brown with a greenish to yellowish-green sheen. The dark edging of the scales forms a longitudinal stripe on the body. A black stripe runs from the mouth through the eye to the edge of the gill covers, which feature a greenish-golden spot.
At the base of the dorsal fin, there is a white spot, and above it two spots — reddish and black. The ventral and anal fins are orange at the base, the caudal fin is dark orange with blood-red tips, and the male’s upper lobe has a black border. The front edge of the anal fin is edged with a black line. Males are larger and brighter than females, have elongated fins, and bright red dots are visible on the body.
Females are shorter and stockier in build, have a large black spot on the dorsal fin, and their fins are shorter and less colored than those of males. The belly is full, as if “highlighted” from the inside with a delicate pinkish-peach shade. The male has longer and more pointed fins, especially the dorsal and caudal ones. When excited, a blurred horizontal black stripe runs along the front part of the male’s body. A sign of the male’s readiness for spawning is his intense dark-brown coloration.
But there is another difference that appears quite early. This is an inconspicuous white spot in the male at the base ofielsen’s dorsal fin. Following this sign, the sex of the fish can be accurately determined at an early age.
Peaceful, but males fight among themselves without causing injury to each other. Males are territorial; they choose an area of the aquarium and defend it from the intrusion of strangers. Therefore, despite the small length of representatives of this species, they require a spacious aquarium with a large water surface area.
A schooling fish inhabiting the middle and upper water layers. As a rule, they move slowly near the surface or hover like airships in favorite places. It is better to keep a group of 6-8 fish with a predominance of females. They get along wonderfully with other fish. They do not like the company of active and aggressive fish.
Copeinas are very timid; at the slightest noise, they dart sharply to the sides and at that moment can easily jump out of the aquarium, so it must be covered with a lid. Floating plants and dense vegetation with free swimming space are needed. Dark gravel can be used as a substrate. Bright lighting with twilight zones is required for the fish. The distance to the cover glass should be 5-8 cm.
Monitor water cleanliness. Filtration and aeration of the water are required, as well as its weekly partial change. When kept in hard water for a long time, the fish’s coloration becomes faded, growths appear on the gills, and the spine curves. If the fish become sluggish or hide all the time, this usually indicates some deterioration in water quality; a partial water change will correct the situation.
It is best to feed them corethra and mosquito pupae, which they do not have to dive to the very bottom for. The fish also readily eat artificial foods from the water surface. The most demanded food will be that which floats on the water surface. In addition to traditional foods, small insects must be included in the diet.
They reach sexual maturity by 6-8 months of age. Spawning of representatives of this species is unique, and in fact, copeinas are often kept in the aquarium just to witness this unusual process. Spawning is in pairs and can take place in a general aquarium. There should be floating plants in the aquarium. The cover glass should be located at a height of 7-8 cm from the water level.
During spawning, the female’s belly enlarges, and a darkish spot appears near the anal fin. Females spawn not in the water, but on large plant leaves located above the water surface. Close the aquarium tightly with glass, and attach a green plastic leaf to its inner side. The distance between it and the water surface should be about 4-7 cm.
A matured pair of breeders ready for spawning circles near the very surface of the water for some time, while both breeders, adopting a characteristic “embrace” pose, beat their tails and almost simultaneously jump out of the water, at which point egg-laying and fertilization take place.
Having turned over in the air with their bellies toward the leaf, the females lay several eggs. The male, jumping together with the female, immediately fertilizes the eggs. The spawning pair jumps out of the water many times into the area of the inner side of the cover glass or leaf and glues the eggs to it. In one jump, the female lays 8-12 sticky eggs that adhere to the leaf and are simultaneously fertilized by the male.
Immediately after spawning, the female swims away into shelter, while the male guards the offspring and regularly sprinkles the eggs with water using his caudal fin to prevent them from drying out. Larvae hatch in 24-48 hours. On the 5th-6th day, fry begin to swim in a drop of water. The drop in which they swim falls down, and the fry dart away into the thickets. If the eggs were on a vertical wall, they slide down along with the flowing water drops.
Ideally suited for a paludarium where plants can be placed above the water, which is suitable for their reproduction. Lifespan is about 4 years. High temperature shortens lifespan. pH 5.5-7.0; dH up to 12°; T 23-27°C.
Identification: Splashing Tetra — Copella arnoldi.
Copella compta, eigenmanni, meinkeni, metae, nattereri, nigrofasciata, vilmae.
Genus Derhamia, Genus Lebiasina, Genus Piabucina. 
