The Bloodfin Tetra is a good schooling fish and likes to be active. These fish appreciate plants like valisneria and sagittaria to be planted around the inside perimeter of the aquarium leaving lots of open room to swim. The Bloodfin Tetra makes a great addition to a community aquarium as it is peaceful with its tankmates. It is also very hardy and easy to breed.

Because the Bloodfin Tetras are very active fish, they need lots of food. A rule of thumb here is to feed them 3 or 4 times a day as much as they will eat in about 3 minutes. When well tended, they have been known to live for 10 years or more. This hardy fish can even be kept in an unheated aquarium, though its' coloring will fade under these conditions