Silver tetra ???

[indy412]

Is this fish a silver tetra? My lfs was selling them as "shadow tetras" and I can't find any info under that name. I have 3 in my community tank and they have a narrow profile when you look at them head on. They are pretty fish, but a bit skittish. Any other info on them would be appreciated. My one Buenos Aires tetra schools with them, but he's a bit of a bully.
Thanks!

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[Kaga's Kritters]

they don't look light enough to be a white skirt tetra, but not dark enough to be a black skirt tetra, lol, but either way thats what they are, some sort of skirt tetra

[smaug]

I think it is a black skirt,I have some that look much like that.

[cocoa_pleco]

looks like a pale black skirt

[Dave66]

That's Gymnocorymbus thayeri, which is closely related to G. ternetzi, the Black or Black Widow Tetra. Thayeri likes to be in groups of its fellows, and prefers water pH 6.5 to 7.0, moderately soft and 75 to 78 degrees. Great fish, they, and they don't suffer from the aggression problems ternetzi develops when they mature.

Dave

[NickFish]

Yep, black widow, sometimes called black skirt although black skirts and black widows are separate species.

They like to be in groups of at least 6-8. They will probably get darker in color as they get used to the tank. If you put them into a larger school they will also get a darker color. Usually their entire skirt and parts of their body turns a nice black color with age.

[indy412]

Thanks for the replies! I was thrown off by their color - they are almost totally silver in color. I'll add a few more so I can have a proper school of these fish.

[fraggle]

I've seen the "silver tetras", found them when I was looking for more black widows to go with mine. They aren't actually black skirt or black widow tetras or the white skirts, they are actually a silver strain, just like Dave had said in his post, (except I didn't know the proper name for them, lol) so if they are the proper silver tetras, they won't get the black black skirt like the widows.
They still like the same conditions though, and look great in a school! Have fun!

[mitcore]

it does look like a skirt, though it looks a little like a phantom as well