Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Glowlight Tetra (Hemigrammus erythrozonus) - Uncertain Risk

Species that are considered uncertain risk need a more in-depth assessment beyond the Risk Summary to better define the species’ risk to U.S. environments.

Glowlight Tetra (Hemigrammus erythrozonus) is a fish native to the Essequibo River basin in South America. It is susceptible to several bacterial infections and parasites. Some information about the species is available for review, although it is limited in quantity and scope. Most of the existing information focuses on the species’ biology and its use as a popular aquarium fish. There are no reports of introductions of H. erythrozonus beyond its native range, therefore there is uncertainty about its ability to establish in nonnative settings. Certainty of assessment is low. H. erythrozonus is currently available within the contiguous United States as an ornamental fish, but the climate match is low overall. Further, all states demonstrated low matches overall. There are areas of medium match in southeastern Florida and far southern Louisiana. Given the limited scope of existing information, the species uncertain history of invasiveness, and low climate match, overall risk for Hemigrammus erythrozonus is uncertain.