Black Phantom Tetra Care Guide 101: Look, Diet, & All | 2024

The Black Phantom Tetra is a unique fish in that it has evolved not to be able to make its food. It gets its energy from eating other organisms and absorbing their energy for itself. The most interesting thing about the Black Phantom is how small they are, yet they manage to eat things much larger than themselves.

The Black Phantom Tetra, also known as the Black Skirt Tetra or simply Phantom Tetra, has a black body with a contrasting bright white outline and fins. It’s popular, easy to find at tropical fish stores, and relatively cheap.

This article will cover Black Phantom Tetra, including their care, diet, lifespan, and more!

Black Phantom Tetra: Species Summary

Scientific Name:	Hyphessobrycon megalopterus
Common Name:	Black Phantom Tetra, Black Skirt Tetra, Skirt Tetra, Phantom Tetra
Family:	Characidae
Origin:	Upper Paraguay Basin and Upper Maderia Basin, Brazil
Max Size:	1.4 inches
Water Parameters:	72° to 82° Fahrenheit
Water pH level:	6.0 to 7.5
Water Hardness :	Up to 18 dGH
Minimum Tank Size:	10 gallon
Lifespan:	5 years
Diet:	Omnivore
Tank Mates:	Small peaceful fish.
Social Behaviors:	Peaceful

The Black Phantom Tetra is a prevalent fish. They are small and peaceful yet uncommon in the aquarium trade. This makes them a good choice for people who want to keep a shoal of Tetras without breaking the bank.

The Black Phantom Tetra is part of the large sub-family called Characins. Within this sub-family are small fish, all under thirteen centimeters long, active during the day, and live among plants. To identify if a fish is a member of this sub-family, look for two things: the lack of scales and its long anal fin (the fin on the bottom of a fish).

The Black Phantom Tetra has a dark black body with a white or almost transparent edge along its sides. This contrasting coloration gives them their name, but there are some variations in the shade of Black. Some may be so dark that they appear black; others may be dark grey with very little white along their sides. All Black Phantoms have a bright red iris that can sometimes be seen with the naked eye, giving them an even more unique coloration.

The Black Phantom Tetra is easy to care for and recommended for beginners as long as they match the description above.

Black Phantom Tetra Appearance

The Black Phantom Tetra is a small fish that usually measures around 1.4 inches long. They are very slender and have an almost transparent white edge along their sides.

They also have a dark black body with a bright red iris in the center of the eye (usually visible to the naked eye).

How Long Do Black Phantom Tetra Live In Captivity?

The Black Phantom Tetra lives for five years or more.

Black Phantom Tetra Size & Growth Rate

The Black Phantom will grow to no larger than 1.4 inches long. It is usually around 1 inch long when its owner first purchases it.

Black Phantom Tetra Lifespan

The Black Phantom Tetra lives for about 5 years in the wild.

What Are Their Social Behaviors?

The Black Phantom is a shoaling fish, which means it should be kept with at least six others of its kind if they are to be happy. It is best suited to be kept in schools of 8 or more. This fish is very peaceful and can be housed with most community fish without problems. They are also quite hardy and will adapt to the lifestyle of their owner, who may not have experience keeping fish, making them an all-around good choice for beginners.

Black Phantom Tetra Behavior

The Black Phantom Tetra is a good community fish that only gets 1.4 inches long when fully grown. It will do best in groups of 8 or more and can generally be kept with any other peaceful tropical freshwater fish.

The Black Phantom Tetra is a peaceful fish that will get along with most other tropical community fish. It should only be kept with more extensive, non-aggressive fish such as angelfish or guppies because it may become food for some of the more aggressive tetras, such as tiger barbs.

Black Phantom Tetra care

The Black Phantom Tetra is a very hardy fish and not too difficult to care for. They are fast swimmers and relatively easy to feed.

Black Phantom Tetra Shedding And Body Patterning

The Black Phantom Tetra has no scales. This makes it difficult to tell if your fish is shedding its skin or if the dark black coloration is too dark.

If you notice that your fish loses some colorations or has lighter patches, there are parasites on the fish, and it needs to be taken to a vet as soon as possible.

Origin And Distribution

Black Phantoms are initially from Colombia and Brazil. They can be found throughout the Amazon River basin but aren’t ubiquitous.

Black Phantom Tetra Breeding And Reproduction

Black Phantoms are egg layers and tend to breed in a community tank. The male will build a bubble nest at the water’s surface, where he will try his best to attract a female.

When ready, she will approach the nest and lay her eggs before quickly leaving again. He will then fertilize them and guard the nest until they hatch. The fry is tiny and should be fed Infusoria or brine shrimp nauplii.

How Do You Tell Sex?

There is no way to tell the sex of a Black Phantom Tetra by looking at it. The only way to know if you have male and female Black Phantoms in your tank is to look at their bellies. The female’s belly will be rounded, whereas the male’s are more like triangles.

Breeding Compatibility

The Black Phantom Tetra can be housed with most other community fish. It is best to keep them in groups of 8 or more if they are to live happily together.

How difficult is it to breed?

Breeding the Black Phantom Tetra can be done in a community tank. All that needs to happen is for the male to attract the right female, which isn’t usually too difficult since he makes such a big show of it.

The male will build a bubble nest on the water’s surface, where he makes a show to attract a female. When one is ready, she will lay her eggs, which the male fertilizes before she leaves again. He then guards them until they hatch from their small eggs.

Gestation Period And Pregnancy Symptoms

The Black Phantom Tetra does not need to be pregnant for very long (around five weeks). The female usually has around 100 fries.

The female will not get very big, and she won’t have any of the pregnancy symptoms. If you are keeping your fish with other community members, this is difficult to tell if you don’t know who the mother is.

How do you promote breeding?

Very few things are needed to breed the Black Phantom Tetra successfully. They should not be fed anything for a few days before laying their eggs, but other than this, there is no need to worry about changing their water, adding plants, or spawning mops.

Black Phantom Tetra Eggs And Incubation

The best way to ensure that your Black Phantom Tetra lays its eggs is to ensure there are plenty of hiding places for the female. The male doesn’t usually do an excellent job of keeping her in the nest, and she will often swim away just before she is supposed to lay them.

Once this happens, it becomes much more challenging to guarantee that any of the fries will survive. The female Black Phantom Tetra is a perfect mother who will care for her fry without your help.

The eggs are small and can be seen when they are fertilized. They look like tiny grains of rice and will develop over the next few days before hatching into free-swimming fry.

Feeding The Fry

The fry will hatch from tiny eggs and must be fed various tiny foods. They can eat infusoria or brine shrimp nauplii, but they aren’t picky, so any live food is okay. As they grow, you can feed them microworms and grindal worms or daphnia.

What Is The Cost?

The Black Phantom Tetra is inexpensive and can be purchased online for about $0.15-$0.20 each, depending on the seller. It isn’t rare enough to make it expensive, but not familiar enough to make it dirt cheap. It is a reasonable price for the beginning aquarist.

How Are Black Phantom Tetra Different From Other Tetras?

The Black Phantom Tetra is one of the most beautiful aquarium fish, but it can be hard to find in pet stores. Most people looking for a Black Phantom will have to order them online.

The male has an elongated dorsal fin and an orange-brown color, while the female has a gray-white abdomen with distinct horizontal lines along the side.

The Black Phantom Tetra differs from most tetras because it’s easy to breed. It is also a good community fish and can be kept with other peaceful fish. It isn’t very colorful, but an excellent addition to the right tank.

How Do They Behave Towards Their Owner?

The Black Phantom Tetra is a good community fish that sometimes nips human skin but won’t hurt anything. It will just start to nibble on your fingers once you have been handling it for a few minutes.

Black Phantom Tetra Tank Mates

The Black Phantom Tetra will do well with other community fish if they are not aggressive. It may also be kept with angelfish and guppies but should only be housed with larger fish because it is smaller and could become food for some of the more aggressive tetras, such as tiger barbs.

An ideal tank mate for the Black Phantom Tetra is the Congo tetra, also known as Black Neon Tetra. They are generally peaceful fish and will do well with it. If you need to house them in a larger tank,

Black Phantom Tetra Tank Size

The Black Phantom Tetra can be kept in a 25-gallon tank with other community fish of the same size. The tank should also have an air stone attached to the side with a sponge to create big globs of air bubbles that will fall back into the water. The Black Phantom Tetra does not like bright lighting and prefers a darker tank, so low lighting is best for this fish.

Tank Region

The Black Phantom Tetra will spend most of its time on the mid to bottom levels of the tank and occasionally swim near the top. The Black Phantom Tetra likes to swim in the middle-bottom of the tank.

Tank Decorations

The Black Phantom Tetra prefers not to have any decorations in the tank. This is because it likes to swim along the bottom of the aquarium and will hit its head on decorations if they are too close to the top.

Heater and Thermometer

The Black Phantom Tetra does not need a heater or thermometer in the tank because it can thrive in a wide range of water temperatures. The ideal temperature is about 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

Suggested heaters are:

• Marina submersible heater
• Hydor submersible heater

Lighting

The Black Phantom Tetra likes darker tanks, so low lighting is best for this fish. It can be kept under any light but shouldn’t have too much light on it simultaneously.

Filter and Air Pump

The Black Phantom Tetra does not need a filter or an air pump because it can breathe from the water’s surface.

Suggested Pumps and Filters are:

• Marina Slim S10 Hang-On-Back Filter
• Whisper AP700 Power Filter, 70 GPH
• AquaClear 20 Power Filter

Placement And Decorations

A Black Phantom Tetra should be placed in a tank with gravel substrate and plants. There should also be driftwood and rocks in the tank for decoration. The plants will help provide food for these fish because they love to eat algae from plants and rocks, but it is not necessary to have plants in the aquarium if there are already enough decorations or if you can’t have live plants in your tank.

The Black Phantom Tetra does not need any decorations or plants because it can thrive with or without them. You should add some driftwood and rocks for decoration. If you want live plants, add them after filling the tank with water so they don’t die when the fish is first added.

Decorations should not be placed where the Black Phantom Tetra will swim into them because it could hurt its face or eyes. Keep the decorations around the bottom of the tank away from where it might swim.

Setting Up the Tank

Place about an inch of gravel on the bottom when setting up the fish tank. Once this is done, pour water into the aquarium until it is almost complete, and put some driftwood and rocks for decoration. You should also add ornaments to the tank if you are going to keep live plants. After this, plug in your filter and air pump, turn on your light, and get some Black Phantom Tetras.

Water changes

In the Black Phantom Tetra’s habitat, rainwater from nearby trees slowly filters through the soil, decaying leaves, and debris that have fallen into the stream. This causes a lack of nitrogen and gives the river a darkish color.

The Black Phantom Tetra benefits from once-a-week water changes of about 50% to keep its water clean.

Gravel Vacuuming

The Black Phantom Tetra is a non-disruptive fish, so gravel vacuuming can be done whenever necessary.

Substrate

A Black Phantom Tetra doesn’t like sharp gravel, sand, or dirt. Gravel with small smooth grains is best for this fish.

Water pH level

The Black Phantom Tetra likes slightly acidic water with a pH between 6.0 to 7.5.

Water Temperature

The ideal temperature for the Black Phantom Tetra is about 72° to 82° Fahrenheit. You can keep this range of temperatures in your aquarium by using a heater or a heater and a thermometer tested for this tank.

Water Hardness Level

The Black Phantom Tetra likes water with a hardness level of 2 to 18 dGh. You can measure the water’s hardness using a commercially available testing kit at the pet store or drops from an API freshwater test kit.

Cleaning The Tank

When cleaning a Black Phantom Tetra’s tank, it must be returned to its original state when you bought it. This includes cleaning the inside of the tank and changing the water in it. You should also clean all ornaments in the tank if necessary.

Ammonia levels

The ammonia levels should also be checked every week with a test kit. If the ammonia levels are too high, the tank should be cleaned, or there might be something wrong with your Black Phantom Tetra.

In addition to checking for feces and uneaten food, check the Black Phantom Tetra’s tank for algae because if there are too many algae, you might have to clean the tank more often.

Oxygen Levels

Oxygen levels should also be checked in a Black Phantom Tetra’s tank. If the oxygen level is too low, there might be too much algae or other debris in the tank, which needs cleaning.

Nitrates And Nitrites Level

The Black Phantom Tetra will be most comfortable when the nitrate is 10 to 20 ppm. Nitrite levels should be below 0.1 ppm. If the nitrite levels are too high, the tank will need to be cleaned, or something might be wrong with your Black Phantom Tetra.

Protein Skimmer

If you have a protein skimmer, it should be checked to ensure it works appropriately every three months. If the skimmer isn’t working, something might be wrong with your Black Phantom Tetra.

Maintenance

Caring for a Black Phantom Tetra will require much time and effort. It would be best if you were prepared to spend 30 minutes to three hours every day, or almost every day, working with your tetra. If you have other, larger fish in the tank and the Black Phantom Tetras, you might need even more time for daily maintenance.

Black Phantom Tetras are not the only fish living in the same environment as your own Black Phantom Tetra. It would be best to consider what other kinds of fish you could put into the tank because different kinds of tetras will need to be kept with different kinds of fish. It is always easier to determine if the fish you plan to buy will be compatible with your Black Phantom Tetras if you know what kind of water they prefer.

Black Phantom Tetra Food & Diet

Black Phantom Tetras should be fed about three times a day. You could feed freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex worms, and small, high-protein sinking pellets. It is the only tetra you feed live food to because it is one of its favorite foods.

They are carnivores. When they are young, the larvae eat rotifers and switch to eating brine shrimp when they are older. The adults must be fed aquarium flake food, bloodworms, tubifex worms, or freeze-dried daphnia.

Diet Foods To Avoid: Black Phantom Tetra

Black Phantom Tetras should not be fed live food because it is one of their favorite foods. They should also not be fed beef, eggs, fish flakes, lettuce, parmesan cheese, or whole wheat bread.

Black Phantom Tetra Potential Fish Diseases

• Hole In The Head Disease: It is caused by parasites that cause holes in the head, body, fins, and gills of fish.
• Ich: White spots will appear on the body and fins. It is fatal if not treated.
• Swim Bladder Disease: Caused by a swim bladder not fully developed is the leading cause of this disease. They will dart to the surface of its tank and then sink to the bottom repeatedly.
• Velvet Disease: This is caused by a parasite that attaches itself to the skin and causes white spots on its body.
• Dropsy: causes scales to stand out on the body, swollen eyes, and protruding pelvic and anal fins.
• Hole In The Head Disease: This disease is caused by a parasite that forms holes in the body, fins, and gills.
• Swim Bladder Disease: They will dart to the surface of their tank and then sink to the bottom repeatedly.
• Velvet Disease: a parasite attaches itself to the Black Phantom Tetra’s skin, causing white spots on its body.
• Fin Rot: Black lesions will form on the fins of a Black Phantom Tetra with this disease. Bacteria or fungi can cause it.
• Fungu: White cotton-like growths will appear all over the body.

Black Phantom Tetra Treatment And Medications For Diseases

If you notice any of these symptoms developing in your Black Phantom Tetras, you should take the fish out of the tank and place it into a quarantine tank. You will then need to add one teaspoon of aquarium salt for every gallon the quarantine tank holds.

It may also be treated with a one-half-part mixture of methylene blue and water, added at one drop of this mixture per ounce of water in the tank. This treatment should be repeated every other day for up to three weeks.

They should be treated with two teaspoons of aquarium salt for every five gallons tank is holding. You should also add one drop of methylene blue to every four ounces of water in the tank.

The Black Phantom Tetra should be treated with one drop of aquarium salt added to every gallon of water in the tank or with one drop each of melafix and kanamycin added to every four-ounce cup of water in the tank.

Treat them for a few days after they have recovered to prevent them from getting sick again.

The best way to prevent the Black Phantom Tetra from getting sick is to quarantine new fish before adding them to your tank and do regular water changes.

Advantages Of Having Black Phantom Tetra In Your Tank

• They are lovely and colorful fish.
• Their peaceful and calm demeanor makes them ideal tank mates for other community fish.
• They will school together to form a close-knit group that adds to the beauty of your tank.
• They prefer dark areas and will often be seen hiding in caves.
• They are very adaptable fish, making them easy to keep in the home aquarium.
• If you have multiple Black Phantom Tetras, they can help control parasites that affect your other tank mates by eating them as part of their diet.
• They are very hardy fish that can tolerate various water conditions and temperatures.
• They will eat most types of food, so they are easy to feed, making them easier to care for than other fish species.
• They are social fish, so having multiple Black Phantom Tetras will make your tank more lively.
• They are schooling fish, which makes them even easier to care for since they do better in groups.
• This is one of the most peaceful tetra species, making them perfect for first-time fish owners because they are easy to care for.

Disadvantages Of Having Black Phantom Tetra In Your Tank

• This small fish only grows to about 1.4 inches long, so it will not add much color or beauty to your tank.
• They prefer dark areas; they need filtration and lighting in their tank to provide this environment.
• They do not have a very long lifespan, usually only living to about three years old.
• They are schooling fish that should be kept in groups of six or more because they will become stressed and frightened if kept alone.
• They prefer darker areas like caves in their tank; they need a lot of decoration to make their home.
• It will eat most types of food and, once conditioned to eat flake food, will not eat many live foods, so it can be challenging to get them to eat frozen brine shrimp or bloodworms. The Black Phantom Tetra will eat most types of food, but it can be difficult for new owners to get them to eat frozen brine shrimp or bloodworms.

Conclusion

The Black Phantom Tetra is an excellent addition to the home aquarium because they are beautiful, easy to care for, and peaceful. However, new owners should realize that they need to be kept in groups of six or more if they want them to thrive. The Black Phantom Tetras also need filtration and lighting for their preferred dark areas.

I hope this article has helped you learn more about the Black Phantom Tetra and whether they are the right fish for your tank.

Please remember that choosing a fish is very personal, so it’s essential to do as much research as possible before buying any new fish to ensure that you choose a species of fish that will fit well with your aquarium and your needs.