They’re common fi sh that usually look rubbish in shops. But get them home, and these ugly ducklings become gorgeous swans, writes Keith Naitby.

Congolese rivers are home to this aquarium favourite.

KEITH NAITBY

Keith is a tropical fi sh breeder extraordinaire with a long list of diffi cult spawning successes under his belt.

LAMY

FOR THOSE fi shkeepers that like to keep abreast of new discoveries, you can’t help but notice the myriad of tetras emerging from the Congo in recent years. Each seems to arrive to the pomp and ceremony of social media fanfair, endorsed with eye-catching photos of a male taken moments after collection.

While a couple of these species have gained a tentative foothold in the hobby, most rarely capture the majesty of those freshly caught specimens in the wild. Replicating the ideal conditions for them to produce the same vibrant colours is not a straightforward task and even then, a dominant male may be the only one to reveal the trademark pattern.