| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Family: | Characidae |
| Genus: | Gymnocorymbus |
| Species: | G. ternetzi |
| Binomial name | |
| Gymnocorymbus ternetzi (Boulenger, 1895) | |
The black widow tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) is also known as the black skirt tetra, high-fin black skirt tetra or black tetra. It is a freshwater fish of the characin family (family Characidae), of order Characiformes. It is native to the Paraguay and Guaporé River basins of southern Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia.
The Black Tetra grows to about 6 cm (2.5 in) total length, it has a roughly tetragonal body shape and is greyish in colour, fading from light at the nose to near black at the tail. Two prominent black vertical bars appear just posterior of the gills. It is a schooling fish and prefers at least 6 in a group but 3-4 tetras do well in an aquarium.
In the wild the Black Tetra feeds primarily on small crustaceans, worms and insects.
