Black Skirt Tetra Size

The first thing you want to learn when you get Black Skirt Tetra is their lifespan, and the second comes how big they will get. How big do black skirt tetra get? How can you make Black Skirt tetra grows faster in size?

Among all the tetras, the black skirt tetra is quite bigger comparatively. The average length these tetras attain is around 2 inches, although black skirt tetra can reach up to 3 inches under the right circumstances.

The diet, water condition, aquarium size, proper care, and other factors determine the size of your Black Skirt Tetra.

You ought to do certain things appropriately, or else you will get an under-developed, ill tetra. So, let us dive in to know what to do and what not to do.

Most of Black Skirt Tetra’s nature reflects other tetras, but the size is quite contradictory. However, these tetras are comparatively larger than most of the other tetras.

The size, however, does not stop them to swim around and fill up the whole aquarium. The personality of the black skirt tetra quite compensates for their size in an aquarium.

Learn more about Black Skirt Tetra Profile: Care, Size, Life Span, Tank Mates, Breeding from here.

How Big Does Black Skirt Tetra Get?

If you are talking about captivity then the case is slightly different than that of their natural habitat. Likewise, Black skirt tetras can grow up to 3 inches in the wild but the length shortens in the aquarium.

Most of these tetras will reach around 2 inches in length, in other words, 5 cm. The female, however, tends to grow a little larger than the male and reach nearly 6 cm in length i.e. 2.5 inches.

Growth Cycle Of Black Skirt Tetra

The growth of these tetras is determined right from the moment the female lays the eggs. Moreover, the egg will begin to hatch after or within 24 to 36 hours.

You need to make sure that these newly born fries are in a breeding tank without the parent fish. These larger fish tend to eat their own offspring.

Learn more about Tetra Fry Care – How to Care for Baby Tetras?

These fries start swimming around after 2 to 3 days. And after 7 days, your fries will start to eat, so make sure you feed them freshly hatched Artemia salina.

If you want to know more, How To Feed Tetra Fish Fry Properly | Dos and Don’ts With Alternative Fry Food will give you some idea.

Then after a certain interval or after 10 days, you can move them to the tank with ideal water conditions. The fries when provided in ideal condition grow up to 2.36 inches, to be exact, as adults.

What Are The Factors That Affects The Black Skirt Tetra Size?

When you get a fish like Black Skirt Tetra, it is wise to look into factors that may affect the fish in the forthcoming future. Here are the list of factors that determine the future of your tetra:

Diet

Feed them in the same movements every day as they are sensitive to even the subtle change like noise, distractions.

You need to feed both meaty and vegetable pieces of stuff along with brine and larvae shrimp once or twice a week.

Some of the food that I would suggest are:

Tank Mates

Never keep larger fish with black skirt tetra as they can eat up these small fish. And also make sure, the fish they live with have the same temperament and water requirements as black skirt tetra.

I have written more on 12 Best Tetra Fish Tank Mates And Fish To Avoid.

Water Quality

The water pH should be about 7 or can vary from slightly acidic to alkaline, but the presence of ammonia and nitrite should be zero. The hardness can vary from 5 to 19 dGH and temperature should be between 68-79°F.

The temperature of the breeding tank should slightly more than the normal tetra tank.

You can learn more about Water Parameters for Tetra Fish: Stable Water Condition.

Tank Conditions

The aquarium size should be more than 10-gallons as these tetras are schooling fish and have more than 6 members in a school.

The aquarium location, with no exception, should be kept in a room with no direct sunlight, and with a constant temperature.

Learn how to Maintain the Tetra Fish Tank Temperature Without Heater | Power Outage.

Diseases

Any kind of disease present in the tetra can slow down their growth. Make sure you look carefully at your fish for symptoms.

Quarantine the new fish before introducing them to the tank with Black skirt tetra.

Increase the horizon of your knowledge about Tetra Fish Diseases and Treatments.

How Can You Make You Black Skirt Tetra Grow Faster?

You can not win over the competition of growth with the natural process. But here are things you can do to make sure your fish grows properly:

Use Of Heater

No room gives the ideal temperature to the tetra tank. So, you can use a heater to make sure the ideal temperature is met. This is the first step to provide an ideal condition for a black skirt tetra to grow.

AQQA Mini Submersible Aquarium Heater is the best in the market for tetras at an affordable price.

Use Of Filter

Clean water with no ammonia, no nitrite, and an appropriate amount of nitrate along with no physical pollutants helps the tetra to have healthy water quality.

Moreover, you can use a good filter with mechanical and biological filter media to attain the proper water quality. I would suggest EHEIM Substrat Pro Biological Filter Media (Sintered Pearl-Shaped Glass) for your black skirt tetra tank.

Plants

Plants, as we know, are the biological filter and also give space for these small fish to hide. Whenever the fish is bored or scared, plants can provide them hiding places.

A less stressed fish grows faster and healthier in a well-planted tank.

Here are the 10 best aquarium plants for your tetra tank if you are looking for some.

Ornaments

Most people use ornaments to decorate the tank, but it does more than that. They provide a substrate to algae and also give additional hiding space to the scared fish.

Diet

Never overfeed or underfeed your Black Skirt Tetra. Besides, be sure you are feeding them the right amount of food at the proper time.

So, it comes down to you as you need to feed them good food that can boost their immune system. A healthy and well-fed fish grows faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Black Skirt Tetras Hardy?

To be honest, black skirt tetras are one of the hardiest fish you can get. Besides, these tetras adapt well in a various range of water conditions and are the easiest ones to keep.

Are Black Skirt Tetras Fin Nippers?

Yes, Black skirt tetras are fin nippers, so it is wise to keep fish with longer fins like bettas far from these tetras. You can learn more from ‘Are Tetras Fin Nippers? Are They Aggressive?’.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the black skirt tetra is quite larger than other famous tetras. Certain things, if done right, can give you healthy, happy, and well-developed fish. These quick swimmers swim around like a school making your aquarium delightful and full of life.

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