Tetras · Gymnocorymbus
Black skirt tetra
Gymnocorymbus ternetzi · Paraguay and Guaporé basins
Photo: emptyvi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
21–27 °C 70–81 °F
pH
6–7.5 neutral water
Adult size
6 cm 2.4 in
Swims
Mid-water mostly in open water
Keep together
6 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Gentle a steady gentle flow
Food
Eats most foods
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
≈ Every value here is an estimate from typical hobby ranges. We're checking them against sources.
Where it comes from
Home water
Paraguay and Guaporé basins
Lives in river habitat.
The dot marks where it's collected. Home from iNaturalist native sightings (12). Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with moderate flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Leopard frog L134
Plecos · 11 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Butterfly hillstream loach
Loaches · 8 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Need different temperatures and will eat the black skirt tetra
-
Have long fins that get nipped
-
Will eat the black skirt tetra
-
Aggressive and will eat the black skirt tetra
-
Need a different pH and will eat the black skirt tetra
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
From keepers
The colour-bred ones glow under the blue night light. Kept in a big group, they leave everyone else alone.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Black skirt tetra get?
About 6 cm (2.4 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Black skirt tetra need?
21–27 °C (70–81 °F).
What pH does a Black skirt tetra need?
pH 6–7.5.
Does a Black skirt tetra need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 6.
Is the Black skirt tetra aggressive?
It can be. It is semi-aggressive, so choose tank mates carefully.
What does a Black skirt tetra eat?
It eats most foods: flakes, small pellets and frozen foods.
Where does the Black skirt tetra come from?
Paraguay and Guaporé basins.
What fish can live with a Black skirt tetra?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Leopard frog (L134), Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, Amano shrimp, Bolivian ram.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 21 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 27 | Estimate |
| pH min | 6 | Estimate |
| pH max | 7.5 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 6 | Estimate |
| Flow | Moderate | Estimate |
| Habitat | river | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 6 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Estimate |
| Diet | Omnivore | Estimate |
| Behaviour tags | fin_nipper | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 3 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 5 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.