Black Phantom Tetra Fact Sheet
For other Fish Fact Sheets, See Index
The Black Phantom Tetra, Hyphessobrycon megalopterus or Megalamphodus megalopterus, is a beautiful and
peaceful little fish. It comes from
several river basins in
Bolivia
and
Brazil. These rivers include the Río Beni and
the Río Mamore in
Bolivia,
and the Río Mamore and the Río Guaporé in
Brazil. It has also been reported from the Brazilian
part of the Río Paraguay. As far as I
know it is not found in the lower part of the Río Paraguay in
Paraguay.
The Black Phantom Tetra grows to about one and a half inches
long. (About 3.8 cm.) Its life span is about 5 years.
Water Conditions
The Black Phantom Tetra is a tropical fish. Note that the
places it is found in the wild are all in the tropics, and it does not appear
to be found in the sub tropical part of the Río Paraguay. It is unsuitable for a cold water aquarium
although it will take temperatures down to about 22 degrees C (72 degrees F),
and is comfortable up to about 28 degrees C (82 degrees F). It will survive a little above this for a
short time. In its natural habitat, this
fish comes from soft acid water, but will adjust to slightly alkaline
conditions with a moderate degree of hardness.
It is suitable for a mixed tank with a temperature of 24
degrees C (75 degrees F) with neutral pH and moderate hardness.
Food
The Black Phantom Tetra is an omnivore. In the wild it has a preference for live
food, and in an aquarium will relish such foods as wrigglers, blood worms and
Daphnia. Frozen blood worms are also eaten
readily. Although it likes these foods,
it is easily fed and will eat any good
quality fish food.
The Black Phantom Tetra will eat at all levels, but favours
the lower half of the aquarium more than many tetras. With a mixed community of fish it is a good
idea to use a variety of food, including some that sinks before all the food
gets eaten by the surface feeders. Do
not over feed.
This fish comes from waterways with plenty of plants and a
well planted aquarium is recommended for them.
Companions
Like most tetras, the Black Phantom Tetra likes to be in a
school, but unlike most, it is also happy in a pair. Males will have “Mock Battles” with each
other which rarely result in serious injuries. Note that males and female may also push each other around.
They are basically peaceful fish and are suitable companions
for other small peaceful little fish, including all the tetras, the more peaceful
of the barbs as well as Swordtails, Platies, etc.
Sexing
The male Black Phantom Tetras have longer fins than the
females and when in breeding condition, the females become plumper, but the
biggest difference is in their colour. The males have almost no red, while the smaller fins of the female both
on the top and underneath them are red. The adipose fin, on the top of the body behind the larger dorsal fin is
much more noticeable in the females than the males, because in females it is
red while in the males it is grey.
When the fish are in breeding condition, the colours of both
sexes become more distinct, with the male showing its black fins more obviously.
Breeding
Condition the fish well before attempting the get them to
spawn. If possible, live foods should be
included in the conditioning period.
The Black Phantom Tetra is an egg scattering species. To stimulate breeding, lower the pH to about
5.5-6, and decrease the general hardness of the water the below 4 degrees. The breeding tank should have plants, both
rooted and floating, and low light.
A female Black Phantom tetra will produce about 300 eggs. These fish will eat their own eggs and fry,
so the parents are usually removed after spawning.
The babies will need infusoria (protozoa) at first. Commercial fry foods of suitable sizes can be
used, but at all stages the young fish benefit from live food of the right
size.
Pest Fish
With any pet fish, make sure it cannot get into natural
waterways it is not native to.
Sources
I gratefully acknowledge the valuable information I have got
from the following sources:
http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/tetras/p/blackphanom.htm,http://www.fishlore.com/profile-blackphantomtetra.htm,http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_phantom.php,http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/characins/phantom.php and http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/tetrafish/blackphantomtetra.php.
This fact sheet also appears on the international version of our website at bettatrading.com |
