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Black Widow Tetra Fact Sheet
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The Black Widow Tetra, Gymnocorymbus ternetzi a
medium sized tetra, growing to about two inches (6 cm). Other names for
this fish are: Black Tetra, Black Skirt Tetra and Petticoat Fish. Some
people find Black Widow tetras aggressive, but this is not my own
observation. However, the possibility needs to be borne in mind when
choosing this fish. It grows to about two inches (five and a half
cm). The Black Widow Tetra is an easily kept fish. It lives about
five years.
Companions
Suitable companions include nearly all the tetras. There is a doubt about putting a big Black Widow Tetra with small Neon Tetras, but
all the larger tetras should be OK. Other suitable companions include
nearly all other small and medium size fish like platies, swordtails,
all the small and medium size barbs, all the common Rasboras, all the
Danios and White Cloud Mountain Minnows. It can also be kept with
small and medium size goldfish and other small coldwater fish inside.
This fish, like most of the tetras is a schooling fish and is best kept
in groups of at least four. It is much more likely to remain its
normal peaceful self in a school than by itself.
Water Conditions
The Black Widow Tetra comes from South American rivers including
the Rio Guapore, in Bolivia and the Rio Paraguay in Paraguay. It is a
tropical fish, but its range extends outside the tropics. This fish
can be acclimatized (slowly!) to slightly colder water than most
tetras, but it will not take very coldwater. In South Australia it is
not suitable for ponds in the winter, but can be kept in indoor
aquariums without a heater as long as the room they are in does not get
very cold. This is more likely to be successful in a larger aquarium
because the water temperature will not change so rapidly.
The water in the Black Widow Tetra’s natural habitat is soft and
acid and this is the ideal water for the fish. However, they will
adapt to harder water and more alkaline conditions. I suggest that for
a mixed community tank including this tetra, a pH of 7(Neutral) should
be aimed for. They can be kept in the tap water of Adelaide and the
Hills as long as the Chlorine or Chloramine is removed and the
pH adjusted to about 7.
The Black Widow Tetra can survive temperatures as high as 34 degrees C ( 93 degrees F), and if its aquarium gets infected with White Spot, one way of eradicating the disease is to heat the tank to 34degrees for two days.
Food
This fish is omnivorous and will happily eat any normal fish food,
either flakes or granules. They relish live food like daphnia
and wrigglers, and benefit from a change in diet like frozen blood
worms.
Sexing
It is not very easy to distinguish the sexes of this fish, but the
males tend to be smaller than the females. The female will normally
have a rounder body than the males. The males often have a broader
anal fin and a narrower, more pointed dorsal fin.
Breeding
They are an egg
scatterer. They tend to spawn among fine leaved plants. They are
fairly easy to breed. The babies can be fed on dried or liquid fry
food. I have known instances where a few babies have survived in a
large, well planted community aquarium which is not too crowded. As
with any fish they benefit enormously from suitable sized live food.
Steve Challis
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