Black Skirt Tetra Identification Guide
Recognize the Black Skirt Tetra by its silvery-gray body, two vertical black bars, and flowing dark fins.
Read the full Black Skirt Tetra encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Tall, disc-shaped, laterally compressed body with a pointed head
- Silvery-gray to smoky body color that darkens toward the rear
- Two bold vertical black bars crossing the head and mid-body
- Large, fan-like, translucent-to-black anal and dorsal fins that trail like a "skirt"
- Fins darken with age, especially in mature males, giving the fish its common name
- Adult length around 2-2.5 inches (5-6 cm)
Common look-alikes
- White Skirt Tetra is the same species selectively bred to remove the black bars and darken pigment, leaving a pale, near-translucent body.
- Black Phantom Tetra has a single rounded black shoulder spot rather than two vertical bars, and a less exaggerated finnage.
- Longfin Black Skirt Tetra is a finnage variant with elongated, flowing dorsal and anal fins but the same bar pattern.
Where you'll see one
Native to the Paraguay, Guaporé, and lower Amazon river basins of South America, where it inhabits slow-flowing rivers, streams, and flooded forest margins, often schooling near submerged vegetation and debris.
Frequently asked questions
How do I distinguish a Black Skirt Tetra from a Black Phantom Tetra?
Count the marks: Black Skirt Tetras show two vertical black bars near the head, while Black Phantom Tetras have a single rounded black spot on the shoulder instead.
How can I tell if a Black Skirt Tetra is fully mature?
Mature adults, especially males, develop noticeably darker, larger fanning dorsal and anal fins compared to the paler, smaller fins seen on juveniles.