Albino pristella

<em>Pristella maxillaris</em>, commonly called the X-ray tetra or pristella tetra, is a small characid belonging to the family Characidae. The albino form is a selectively bred colour variant lacking typical pigmentation and displaying pink or reddish eyes. Native to the Orinoco and Amazon River basins of South America, the wild form inhabits slow-moving, heavily vegetated coastal streams, floodplains, and areas with soft, acidic, often tannin-stained water. It attains a maximum recorded length of approximately 4.5 cm. The species is highly popular in the aquarium hobby due to its peaceful temperament, hardiness, and the translucent body that allows internal organs and a striking dorsal fin pattern to show through the skin. <em>P. maxillaris</em> is a schooling species and thrives in groups of six or more individuals, where it displays its most natural behavior. An aquarium with soft to moderately hard water, gentle filtration, and dense planting is recommended. Temperature in the range of 24–28 °C suits this species well. It readily accepts high-quality flake foods, micro pellets, and small live or frozen invertebrates. The albino variant, like the wild type, is an excellent community fish compatible with other peaceful small tetras, rasboras, and corydoras catfish.