Cave Tetra

Blind Cave Tetra
Scientific Name: Astyanax mexicanus
Family: Characidae, Astyanax Clade
About the Blind Cave Tetra
Species Type: Freshwater Fish
Category: Characins ...

Blind Cave Tetra Species Profile
The blind cave tetra is a schooling species that is a little too aggressive for the normal tetra community.

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Latin name:
Astyanax fasciatus mexicanus
Common name:
Blind cave tetra ...

Blind Cave Tetra (Astyanax jordani)
These are curious fish- as their name suggests they are completely blind, having no eyes at all! They live in caves in the wild and have no pigmentation so are a light pink colour.

cave tetra is the blind cave form of the Mexican tetra. The blind cave tetra is easy to care for and is hardy. The fish is born with eyes, but they quickly deteriorate leaving behind two scars where the eyes once were.

Blind Cave Tetra
These fish live in deep caves in the wild. They range from Texas to Mexico, with the sighted version from Mexico to Panama. There is no need for eye sight in the pitch black caves, so they have evolved to adapt to these conditions.

Blind Cavefish, Blind Cave Characin, Blind Cave Tetra [Pictures]
Astyanax fasciatus mexicanus
SYN: Anoptichthys jordani, A. hubbsi
PD: The body is flesh colored with a silvery iridescence. The fins are colorless and transparent.

These include the Moenkhausia Tetras (Glass Tetra, Red-eyed Tetra, and Diamond Tetra), the Serpae Tetra, Slender Hemiodus, Silver Tetra, and the Blind Cave Tetra.

Central American Fishes
(Central American cichlids, livebearers, cave tetras, catfish, etc.)
7.0 to 8.0
moderate to hard ...

However some fish like the Blind cave tetra do not have eyes as their name suggests as they have grown accustomed to the darkness and so have no need for eyes but have a more sensitive lateral line system to help them navigate.

See also: Fish, Species, Blind Cave Tetra, Water, Characin