Animal-World > Aquarium Tropical Fish > Characins > Colored Skirt Tetra

Colored Skirt Tetra

Colored White Skirt Tetra

Family: CharacidaeGymnocorymbus ternetziPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   With its naturally occurring colors the Colored Skirt Tetra is a beauty, developed by breeders to bring out the best of its soft pastels!

   A commonly available and popular fish, the Colored Skirt Tetra is a strain of fish developed from the White Tetra that have a natural pink or blue coloration. The White Tetra itself was developed from the Blackskirt Tetra. Like its predecessor, this fish also makes a very good fish for the beginner. It is very active and fast moving, but does have a tendency towards fin nipping. Because of this it should not be kept with smaller fishes, but will do very well in a community tank with larger fishes. These fish are a bit more difficult to breed than the White Tetra, probably because of their being highly inbred already.

   The Colored Skirt Tetras like a well lit tank with dense areas of bunched low vegetation, which leaves lots of open areas for swimming. Being a schooling fish they will appreciate the company of their own kind, a standard school is made up of about 7 fish. They are hardy at 70° F to 90° F, but are prone to develop ick if kept in colder temperatures.

   White Skirt Tetras are often dyed in various pastels colors. Both natural and artificially dyed specimens are sold under various colored names like the Blueberry Tetra, Strawberry Tetra, or Rainbow Tetra.  Be sure to inquire about which type of specimen you are obtaining.

Learn more about Artificial Colored Fish below.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Habitat: Distribution / Background

   The BlackSkirt Tetra was described by Boulenger in 1895. They are found in South America in Paraguay and Guapore Basins where they inhabit the upper layers of the water feeding on worms, small crustaceans and insects. Many of the skirt tetras are captive bred for the aquarium industry and the Colored Skirt Tetra is a captive bred color morph.

• Scientific Name: Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
• Social Grouping: Groups
• IUCN Red List: - There are no wild populations of this color morph.

Description

The Colored Skirt Tetra is a deep-bodied species and laterally compressed. It is distinguished by what appears to be overly developed dorsal and anal fins. These make it appear as if though it has a "skirt", with most of its mass on the bottom half of the body. It is very light, almost transparent looking with a natural pink or blue coloration, and it lacks the black stripes of its parentage.

About Artificially Colored Fish:

  Many albino and transparent type fishes make an ideal 'canvas' for applying color to an otherwise rather plain specimen. For quite sometime, artificially dyed specimens were thought of as an intriguing and eye-catching addition to the home aquarium. Today however, as more has been learned of the processes involved, there are some serious concerns about the practice. Concerns are over the initial stress and possible pain to the fish, followed by a possibly higher susceptibility to infection during the process.

Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Jackie Murphy

   Color is added to fish by various methods:

• One method is by feeding them dyed food to make them colorful. This method is of very little concern, and of course the color is not permanent.
• Another method is by injecting dyes into the fish, as seen in the painted glassfish. This method puts the color onto specific areas of the fish's body.
• And still another method is by inducing the fish to release its natural slime coat, then placing the fish into a dye colored water that is absorbed onto the surface of its body, and then finally putting the fish into water with medication that encourages the redevelopment of the slime coat. This method provides a more over all coloration, an example is the colored Red-tail Botia.

  Those fish that survive the injection processes reportedly go on to live fairly normal lives, though the dyes usually fade with time. This may be true for fish subjected to the overall dying process as well. There have been reports with the colored botias, of the fish possibly having shortened lives and possibly developing other abnormalities. As a consumer you will want to be aware of these concerns. The combined buying power of aquarists makes a difference on what is made available

• Maximum Size: 2.3 inches (5.72 cm) - These fish get up to 2.25 inches (5.5 cm). Will breed at 1.5 inches.

Fish Keeping Difficulty

• Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
• Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Foods and Feeding

   Since they are omnivorous the Colored Skirt Tetra will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat.

• Diet Type: Omnivore
• Flake Food: Yes
• Tablet Pellet: Yes
• Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Some of Diet
• Vegetable Food: Some of Diet
• Meaty Food: Some of Diet
• Feeding Frequency: Several feedings per day

Aquarium Care

• Water Changes: Bi-weekly

Aquarium Setup

• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gal (57 L) - This fish should be kept in a small school of its own kind.
• Substrate Type: Any
• Lighting Needs: Moderate - normal lighting
• Temperature: 70.0 - 79.0° F (21.1 - 26.1° C)
• Range ph: 5.8-8.5
• Hardness Range: 3 - 30 dGH
• Brackish: No
• Water Movement: Moderate
• Water Region: All

Social Behaviors

   They are active and can be semi-aggressive fin nippers. They should be kept in a community aquarium with fish the same size or larger. With age they become a more sedentary fish.

• Venomous: No
• Temperament: Peaceful - These fish can be fin nippers but not to the point of being termed aggressive.
• Same species - conspecifics: Yes
• Peaceful fish (): Safe
• Semi-Aggressive (): Monitor
• Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Safe - not aggressive
• Plants: Safe

Sex: Sexual differences

   The male's dorsal fin is more narrowed and more pointed. Also, the male's frontal portion of the "skirt" or anal fin is noticeably broad while the female's "skirt" tends to run parallel to the stomach line. A mature female is also more plump.

Breeding / Reproduction

   The Colored Skirt Tetra are egg layers. See the description of how to breed these fish in Breeding Freshwater Fish.

• Ease of Breeding: Easy

Availability

   The Colored Skirt Tetra is readily available and is inexpensive. Both these and the artificially dyed specimens are sold under the names Blueberry Tetra, Strawberry Tetra, or Rainbow Tetra. Be sure to inquire which type of specimen you are obtaining.

References

Animal-World References
Freshwater Fish and Plants Tropical Fish ~ Freshwater Fish ~ Aquatic Plants

Author: Clarice Brough, CFS

Lastest Comments on Colored Skirt Tetra View all 18 comments on Colored Skirt Tetra Add Your Comment

Melody - 2012-05-12 Hi I have two blue skirt tetra's and one has something wrong with it's one eye,since i got them this has bin a problem with my one tera now. It started by looking like pop eye then the eye is still poped out and blood filled?? Can anyone give me an idea as to what i'm dealing with?! Jeremy Roche - 2012-05-13 Could be from an injury or water conditions. Did he come from the pet store like this? Reply

nm123 - 2012-02-02 So what do you guys think of slowing down the production of dyed white skirt tetras in your area plz get back to me asap Reply

nm123 - 2012-01-30 i would buy as much of these fish as you can and breed them so they dont get a chance of being dyed again by another fish store lisen to me no one has a chance of stoping tetras glofish exc from being dyed but you can make the fish hapier by only bredding it with non painted white skirt tetras that will eventually cause the colored skirt tetra to be less and less populer in your area Reply

sean - 2011-11-01 I bought four of these fish because they looked cool. I've heard of fish being injected with dye but never dawned on me that this breed could be one that they do this two. I have a green, blue, and pink ones. My fish seem to be healthy but I would have never bought them had I known that. I guess I'll do the research before I buy anymore fish. This is truely horrible Charlie Roche - 2011-11-01 Yes, I was a little shocked too. Doesn't sound great to me. However, it is done and you have your fish so just enjoy them. Maybe the coloring came about through the foods. Reply

Eric Dancel - 2011-08-12 I can't get it. My tetra just looks like it's original form plain white. But my aunt have her tetra fish now look like a balk skirt tetra. How did that happene? Reply please. My aunt is annoying me please reply ASAP as soon as posible Charlie Roche - 2011-08-12 Attached is article from Animal World and it will tell you more about the colored skirt tetra - including color additives for the fish. The link is http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/characins/ColoredSkirtTetra.php Hope that helps Reply

stephanie - 2011-07-28 Not all of the color tetra are dyed using syringes and dye. I have a pink one and it simply gains its color from the food its fed. I use Tetra Color plus. Its specialized food for fish hat have colors. It enchaces their color naturaly. Charlie Roche - 2011-07-28 Didn't know you could do that - thanks Reply

Add your comment!

View all 18 comments on Colored Skirt Tetra

Back to Characins