What is your smallest knife fish, or how small was it when you got it? My brother is getting one and he wants it small so the tetras will die before it gets big.
Knives will grow very quickly depending on which one you pick. Black Ghost Knives and African Brown Knives grow pretty slow. Asian species grow fast...about an inch a month. Tetras will probably become a snack with the Asian species. African Knives are probably the most readily available of the small Knives measuring to an average of 8"
it also depends on the type of tetra. fiy uo have neons, my 3 inch african brown knife would eat them, and so would my angels, but if they are something like a black skirt tetra, a bit harder to fit into their mouths....