Long Fin White Skirt Tetra Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Long Fin White Skirt Tetra is a selectively bred form of the Black Skirt Tetra, Gymnocorymbus ternetzi. Its silvery-white to pale body is marked by the species’ characteristic deep-bodied shape, while extended fins give it a graceful appearance compared with the standard short-finned form. Some specimens may show faint vertical shading or translucent grey in the fins.

These are active, social characins that spend much of their time in the middle levels of the aquarium. In a group they display a lively but generally peaceful hierarchy, often swimming together before spreading out to explore their surroundings. Their long fins can make them more vulnerable to fin-nipping than the standard variety.

In the wild, the species inhabits slow-moving tributaries, flooded margins and forested streams associated with the Paraguay River system. Such waters may contain submerged roots, fallen leaves and aquatic vegetation, creating a broken, shaded environment rather than an entirely open channel.

The White Skirt Tetra is not a naturally occurring wild colour form. It is produced through selective breeding from the Black Skirt Tetra, and commercially available long-finned fish have been bred for their pale colouration and flowing fins. With a suitable social group, they make an active and attractive addition to a peaceful community aquarium.

Gymnocorymbus ternetzi is native to the central parts of South America, particularly the Paraguay River basin and nearby waters of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. The aquarium white and long-finned forms are selectively bred colour and fin varieties of this naturally darker species.

A group of Long Fin White Skirt Tetras should have at least 75 litres, with an aquarium around 80 cm long preferred to provide useful swimming space. Use an open central area for shoaling, with dense plants, driftwood and shaded corners around the edges. A dark sand or fine-gravel substrate helps the pale fish stand out and creates a natural-looking backdrop, while floating plants can soften the lighting without eliminating open swimming areas. Gentle to moderate water movement and a secure lid are recommended.

Up to 5 cm (2 in) in adult length. Females are often slightly larger and deeper-bodied than males, while males tend to remain slimmer.

These omnivorous tetras accept a varied diet of quality small flakes, micro-pellets and granules. Regular additions of frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworm and mosquito larvae provide valuable variety and help maintain condition. Offer only small portions that the group can consume quickly, with food sized appropriately for their relatively small mouths.

Long Fin White Skirt Tetras suit peaceful community aquariums and can be kept with similarly sized tetras, rasboras, danios, peaceful barbs, corydoras, small peaceful loaches and non-aggressive dwarf cichlids. Avoid housing them with tiger barbs, serpae tetras, larger fin-nipping species or aggressive cichlids, as their extended fins may be damaged. Very large predatory fish are also unsuitable tankmates.

Long Fin White Skirt Tetras are egg-scattering fish that can be bred in a separate, softly lit breeding aquarium with fine-leaved plants or spawning mops. Condition the adults with plentiful live or frozen foods, then introduce a well-matched pair or small group. Spawning usually occurs among the plants, with the eggs scattered freely. Remove the adults after spawning, as they may eat the eggs. The eggs typically hatch within 24 to 36 hours, and the tiny fry can be fed infusoria or a suitable liquid fry food before moving on to freshly hatched brine shrimp.

Females are usually fuller through the belly and may be slightly larger overall. Males are generally more slender, with a narrower body profile; the long fins can make sexing difficult in young or selectively bred specimens.