Characins

The name Characins is the common name for the family Characidae. The characins include about 1158 species in 145 genera. The family is still under investigation and many changes are taking place. It cannot be ruled out that the Characin family will be divided into a few families.

Description

Characins are usually somewhat smaller schooling fish, although there are also some larger species that can reach about 25 centimeters in length, such as Chalceus macrolepidotus.

The mouth of characins often shows teeth. Another feature that is often mentioned is the adipose fin. While many species have this adipose fin, it is also lacking in a number of species.

Origin

You can find characins in South and Central America.

The Aquarium

This group of fish is home to some of the most commonly kept fish in the aquarium. Some species that are often kept are:

Cardinal tetra
Firehead Tetra (Not to be confused with the Rummy-nose and false Rummy-nose)