Tetra Company
Encyclopedia
Tetra or the Tetra Werke (Company) is a world leading fish food manufacturing company founded by a young German scientist, Dr. Ulrich Baensch.
.
The invention of Tetramin flakes, in its trademark yellow tin and brown lid, dramatically changed the fishkeeping hobby from a minor aquatic specialty into a favorite of millions of enthusiasts all over the world, thus making Tetramin a notable brand of fish food and Tetra Werke as globally recognized company in the industry, earning international affiliate.
The Tetra group employs over 700 colleagues, has representatives in more than 90 countries worldwide and is the largest manufacturer of aquaristic and pond
products in the world. Apart from pet food, Tetra supplies fish keepers and pond owners with a complete range of other products such as water conditioners, plant conditioners, technical equipment and medicinal product
s.
It was once a part of Warner-Lambert and was later acquired by Pfizer
.
In December 2002, Pfizer
sold the Tetra aquaristic and pond business to the "Triton Fund", a private independent European investment fund. Investors in the Triton Fund include European insurances and banks as well as significant American institutions. The Triton Fund paid $238.5 million US for the Tetra business. Three years later, on April 29, 2005, Tetra Holding GmbH was acquired by Spectrum Brands
, a global consumer products company.
in which it claimed that one of its kits, a 10 gallon (37.3 liters) aquarium and filter, could support the fish from Finding Nemo
(a Regal Tang and Ocellaris Clownfish). Most hobbyists pointed out that the Tang alone needs a much larger aquarium (at least 4' in length) and that it would die in such conditions.
History and profile
In the 1950s, there were only about 50,000 fish keepers in Germany and the hobby was, at the time, considered as traditionally very time-consuming, rare, difficult and complicated because it required routine collection of live food from streams and river beds, until the invention of dried flake food (Tetramin) for tropical fish by Dr. Ulrich Baensch. Baensch's Tetramin fish food consisted of four different type of flakes and vitamins. The brand name Tetramin was derived from the Greek word Tetra (meaning four) and the third syllable of the word, vitaminVitamin
A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. In other words, an organic chemical compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is conditional both on...
.
The invention of Tetramin flakes, in its trademark yellow tin and brown lid, dramatically changed the fishkeeping hobby from a minor aquatic specialty into a favorite of millions of enthusiasts all over the world, thus making Tetramin a notable brand of fish food and Tetra Werke as globally recognized company in the industry, earning international affiliate.
The Tetra group employs over 700 colleagues, has representatives in more than 90 countries worldwide and is the largest manufacturer of aquaristic and pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
products in the world. Apart from pet food, Tetra supplies fish keepers and pond owners with a complete range of other products such as water conditioners, plant conditioners, technical equipment and medicinal product
Medicinal product
A medicinal product is defined in the European Union as any substance or combination of substances presented for treating or preventing disease in human beings...
s.
It was once a part of Warner-Lambert and was later acquired by Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
.
In December 2002, Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
sold the Tetra aquaristic and pond business to the "Triton Fund", a private independent European investment fund. Investors in the Triton Fund include European insurances and banks as well as significant American institutions. The Triton Fund paid $238.5 million US for the Tetra business. Three years later, on April 29, 2005, Tetra Holding GmbH was acquired by Spectrum Brands
Spectrum Brands
Spectrum Brands is a diversified company established in 2005 as the successor company to Rayovac Corporation. Rayovac had been located in Wisconsin since its conception as The French Battery Company in 1906, but then in 2004, as Spectrum Brands, located its Corporate headquarters just north of...
, a global consumer products company.
Criticisms
The Tetra Company was heavily criticized by the marine fishkeeping community after its appearance on Good Morning AmericaGood Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
in which it claimed that one of its kits, a 10 gallon (37.3 liters) aquarium and filter, could support the fish from Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
(a Regal Tang and Ocellaris Clownfish). Most hobbyists pointed out that the Tang alone needs a much larger aquarium (at least 4' in length) and that it would die in such conditions.