Longfin Black Widow Tetra 3.5cm

Longfin Black Widow Tetra 

The black widow tetra is an often overlooked species because of the monotone colouration however these fish are one of the best schooling tetras available in the aquarium hobby. They are incredibly hardy, can be kept in a Coldwater environment, are very peaceful, and now come in a longfin variant that looks stunning. These fish are only truly appreciated when kept in a community aquarium as they add so much life and get fairly sizeable for a tetra. Longfin black widow tetras have a characteristic coin-like body shape which makes them look similar to the larger growing silver dollar species or pacu.

Whilst the latter fish may get far too big for most aquarists the black widow tetra stays at a maximum size of 6cm which makes them great for smaller aquariums. They also have a simple but great array of silvers and the jet black colour they sport as stripes across the body. What makes these tetras even better is the presence of the longfin genetic trait which as the name suggests causes all the fins to be much longer than normal. This gives the black widow tetra an angelic appearance and makes them look like they are wearing a dress which gives them their other common name the black skirt tetra.

Breeding these fish in captivity is somewhat easy where females tend to be rounder-bellied than males. Females will scatter eggs through the aquarium and males follow by fertilising, for the best success it is recommended to put these fish in a spawning tank where there is a lot of plant cover or spawning mops for the eggs to collect in. From there the parents can be taken out after a few days which allows the eggs to hatch and survive without the threat of predation by the parents. The wild origin of the black widow tetras is South America.

Tank Recommendations for your Longfin Black Widow Tetra
Being a small and relatively easy to care for fish the longfin black widow tetra can be kept in smaller aquariums with the minimum being 75 litres. This aquarium size allows for a decent school of at least 6 along with other community fish if required. A sand or gravel substrate would be fine for these fish as well as a lot of plant growth which not only makes them contrast well but also makes them more comfortable in the aquarium.

Suitable Tank Buddies
The longfin black widow tetra is an extremely peaceful fish that displays no aggression, they can be kept with a wide range of fish being top, bottom, and mid dweller fish. The only fish to avoid are any heavy fin nippers.

Usually Compatible
Discus, the Angelfish, glow light tetras, neon tetras, Apistogramma, rams, and a range of dwarf/nano peaceful fish.

Sometimes Compatible
Longfin black widow tetra does have large fins and can be quite slow at times which means fin-nipping species should be avoided such as tiger barbs.

Rarely Compatible
Large and aggressive species such as black sharks, synodontis catfish, and larger-mouthed community fish may prey on the tetras.

Feeding your Longfin Black Widow Tetra
Longfin black widow tetras are a very easy fish to feed. They will take a wide range of pellets, flakes, and frozen foods. Just like any fish though they should be fed a varied diet with a mix of different foods. The ideal diet would be a good quality micro slow-sinking pellet supplemented with frozen bloodworms or even live foods like baby brine shrimp. .