Amazing Vampire Tetra Fish Predator from Peru

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Known as Chambira in its native country of Peru, The Vampire Tetra is one of freshwater fish with very impressive teeth. Also known as Saber tooth barracudas, Dracula Fish, saber tooth dogfish, water wolf, tiger characin and payara these amazing fish use their dracula like teeth to chop their prey without a chance of escaping.

In Peru, anglers tend to use piranhas as bait to lure and catch Vampire Tetras which can reach lengths of up to three (3') to four (4') feet. However if kept in captivity, or in a home aquarium a rough size of about one foot is all you'll get. Why? you may ask, well it's simple, these amazing creatures need plenty of room to swim and need a constant supply of piranhas. 

Hydrolycus scomberoides
The more room you you give your Water Wolf the faster and larger it will grow.

The above is a good example of the maginificent teeth these guys have. Compare them to a piranha, there is simply no competition.

Rhaphiodon vulpinus


Overall the Vampire Tetra fish is a very uncommon fish to find in any fish store. However large local fish stores will get a few batches from time to time. Ideally I recommend having a school of tetras anywhere from 5 to 6 of them at a time. As far as mixing them with other fish, I wouldn't recommend placing them in tanks with slow swimming or slow moving fish as they tend to bite off the tails of all slow moving lurkers within the aquarium. Bottom line, this is an extremely beautiful and exotic fish. Like mentioned, this is a very uncommon fish to find and if you're lucky enough to find one on sale, take my advice and take it.

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