Black skirt tetra care
Gymnocorymbus ternetzi · Paraguay and Guaporé river basins
Black skirt tetras are hardy, deep-bodied tetras with a flowing black anal fin.
- Tank size
- 20 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 3 in
- pH
- 6 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 4 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 20 gallon long
30¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep black skirt tetras
Black skirt tetras are hardy, deep-bodied tetras with a flowing black anal fin. Six or more in a 20 gallon or larger tank suit most beginner community tanks, as long as tankmates have short fins.
Also sold as the GloFish tetra, a color form with the same care.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, pellets, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Black skirt tetra tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
German blue ram
3 in · 20+ gal · 78–85 °F
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
3 in · 20+ gal · 75–84 °F
Reticulated hillstream loach
3 in · 20+ gal · 68–75 °F
Emerald corydoras
3 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Celebes rainbowfish
3 in · 29+ gal · 68–82 °F
Peacock gudgeon
3 in · 15+ gal · 72–79 °F
Bamboo shrimp
3 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
DrawingRabbit snail
3 in · 20+ gal · 76–84 °F
Keep apart
Guppy: Black skirt tetras nip long fins like those of guppies.
Betta: Black skirt tetras nip long fins like those of bettas.
Angelfish: Black skirt tetras nip long fins like those of angelfish.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Fancy goldfish: Black skirt tetras nip long fins like those of fancy goldfish.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as black skirt tetras.
What a black skirt tetra tank needs
A tank of 20 US gallons or more (such as the 20 gallon long) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 10
Rated by the maker for up to 20 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon black skirt tetra tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon black skirt tetra tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Black skirt tetras need 72 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding black skirt tetras.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 20 gallon tank · Heaters for a 20 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common black skirt tetra problems
- They nip long fins, especially in small groups.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Gymnocorymbus ternetzi. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Black skirt tetra emptyvi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Reticulated hillstream loach Spiketooth, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Emerald corydoras NonstickRon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celebes rainbowfish Brent Tibbatts, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peacock gudgeon Dirk Godlinski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bamboo shrimp Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Guppy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Betta ivabalk (Pixabay), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
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