Hyphessobrycon cf. heliacus. Shows up so rarely it almost feels mythical. Most people only know it from photos, and even when it appears, IDs get messy fast because specimens vary so much. Availability, pricing, even legitimacy frequently seem questionable. - Erkut Akyildiz, 2026, FB.
Aquarium Glaser writes: "Hyphessobrycon melanostichos has a striking bright skyblue dorsal coloration. The species has been described scientifically in 2006 from the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil; here H. melanostichos is found in the upper reaches of the Rio Tapajós basin. The species is distinguished from all other species of Hyphessobrycon by the comobination of the following characters: „a conspicuous longitudinal broad black band, beginning on the posterior margin of orbit and reaching the distal tip of middle caudal fin rays; humeral spot vertically elongate and distinct from lateral band; and 16 to 18 branched anal-fin rays.“ (Carvalho & Bertaco, 2006)".
The dwarf phantom group tetra that's colors almost look like a cross between a red phantom and black phantom tetra. Sometimes sold under the previous genus name "Megalamphodus sp. Pantanal"Megalamphodus sp. Pantanal
