The gold tetra is a species of small freshwater fish in the family Characidae

Characidae

The Characidae, characids or characins are a family of freshwater subtropical and tropical fish, belonging to the order Characiformes. The name "characins" is the historical one, but scientists today tend to prefer "characids" to reflect their status as a by and large monophyletic group at family...

 native to lowland South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

, where they are abundant in coastal floodplains. Their name comes from a powdery golden tint on their body that is thought to be caused by internal parasites.

In the Aquarium

Gold tetras are peaceful and hardy schooling community fish. Gold tetras have been successfully bread in captivity.