The black tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi), also known as the black skirt tetra, petticoat tetra, high-fin black skirt tetra, black widow tetra and blackamoor, is a freshwater fish of the characinfamily (Characidae).
Growing up to 7.5 cm (3.0 in) in length,[3] the black tetra has a roughly tetragonal body shape and is greyish in colour, fading from near black at the tail to light at the nose. Two prominent, black, vertical bars appear just posterior to the gills.[1] It is easily distinguished from all of its congeners by the presence of a dense field of dark chromatophores spread homogeneously over the posterior one half of the body unlike the lack of such pigmentation in all congeners.[4]
The species reaches sexual maturity at about two years of age. Like most characins, this species spawns by intermittently releasing and fertilizing eggs among plants. It frequently eats its own eggs, so keepers remove the fish after spawning.
The lifespan in captivity is 3 to 5 years.
A green Glofish tetra
The black tetra was also used to make genetically modified fish sold as GloFish (fluorescent colored fish), available in a wide variety of colors.
Similar namesedit
The black phantom tetra (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus) is a separate species. The black neon tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) is sometimes also called the black tetra.
black, tetra, confused, with, black, neon, tetra, black, phantom, tetra, black, tetra, gymnocorymbus, ternetzi, also, known, black, skirt, tetra, petticoat, tetra, high, black, skirt, tetra, black, widow, tetra, blackamoor, freshwater, fish, characin, family, . Not to be confused with black neon tetra or black phantom tetra The black tetra Gymnocorymbus ternetzi also known as the black skirt tetra petticoat tetra high fin black skirt tetra black widow tetra and blackamoor is a freshwater fish of the characin family Characidae Black tetra Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Actinopterygii Order Characiformes Family Characidae Genus Gymnocorymbus Species G ternetzi Binomial name Gymnocorymbus ternetzi Boulenger 1895 It is native to the Paraguay River basin of south central Brazil mainly Pantanal region Paraguay and northeast Argentina but there are also populations in the upper Parana and Paraiba do Sul Rivers that likely were introduced 1 It was formerly reported from the Guapore River but this population is part of G flaviolimai which is found throughout the Madeira River basin and was described in 2015 1 The black tetra is often kept in aquariums 2 Growing up to 7 5 cm 3 0 in in length 3 the black tetra has a roughly tetragonal body shape and is greyish in colour fading from near black at the tail to light at the nose Two prominent black vertical bars appear just posterior to the gills 1 It is easily distinguished from all of its congeners by the presence of a dense field of dark chromatophores spread homogeneously over the posterior one half of the body unlike the lack of such pigmentation in all congeners 4 The black widow tetra is a shoaling fish that feeds on small crustaceans insects and worms 3 Contents 1 In the aquarium 2 Similar names 3 See also 4 ReferencesIn the aquarium edit nbsp Black tetras of the leucistic aquarium variant The black skirt tetra is a common fish that is widely available for purchase Hobbyists often provide live foods such as Daphnia and mosquito larvae and frozen foods like bloodworms citation needed nbsp In a home aquarium The species reaches sexual maturity at about two years of age Like most characins this species spawns by intermittently releasing and fertilizing eggs among plants It frequently eats its own eggs so keepers remove the fish after spawning The lifespan in captivity is 3 to 5 years nbsp A green Glofish tetra The black tetra was also used to make genetically modified fish sold as GloFish fluorescent colored fish available in a wide variety of colors Similar names editThe black phantom tetra Hyphessobrycon megalopterus is a separate species The black neon tetra Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi is sometimes also called the black tetra See also editList of freshwater aquarium fish speciesReferences edit a b c Benine R C Melo B F Castro R M C amp Oliveira C 2015 Taxonomic revision and molecular phylogeny of Gymnocorymbus Eigenmann 1908 Teleostei Characiformes Characidae Zootaxa 3956 1 1 28 Innes W T Exotic Aquarium Fishes T H F Publications Inc 1979 a b Froese Rainer Pauly Daniel eds 2017 Gymnocorymbus ternetzi in FishBase January 2017 version Benine Ricardo C Melo Bruno F Castro Ricardo M C Oliveira Claudio 2015 Taxonomic revision and molecular phylogeny of Gymnocorymbus Eigenmann 1908 Teleostei Characiformes Characidae Zootaxa 3956 1 1 28 doi 10 11646 zootaxa 3956 1 1 PMID 26248902 via ResearchGate Gymnocorymbus ternetzi Integrated Taxonomic Information System Retrieved 5 December 2004 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Black tetra amp oldid 1218604330, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
