TankBud

Black darter tetra

Poecilocharax weitzmani

Also known as Black morpho tetra

FreshwaterFish

Black darter tetra (Poecilocharax weitzmani)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
4.0–6.0
Adult size
1.9 in
4.7 cm
Minimum tank
14 gal
54 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Crenuchidae
Origin
Upper Negro and Orinoco blackwaters

Overview

The black darter tetra is a demanding little blackwater fish for a dedicated tank. It is for experienced keepers only.

Did you know

The black darter tetra behaves like an Apistogramma built from a tetra kit. It holds caves and flares its fins, yet it sits a whole family away from the cichlids it imitates.

Caring for the black darter tetra

Keep the black darter tetra in a dedicated tank of at least 14 gal (54 L), with deep leaf litter, wood and low light. Give males enough structure to hold separate territories, since they will not tolerate each other in the open.

Keep the water very soft and acidic, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) with a pH of 4.0 to 6.0. It takes live and frozen micro foods and usually refuses dry food entirely, at least at first. Feeding it takes patience.

Black darter tetras are mostly peaceful toward other fish. Males develop tall, flag-like dorsal and anal fins and a deep blue-black body when displaying, which they do at each other constantly.

Unusually for a characin, it is a cave spawner rather than an egg scatterer. The male guards the eggs, and breeding it is hard.

Good to know

Poecilocharax weitzmani is a characin in the family Crenuchidae. It is also sold as the black morpho tetra.

In the wild

The black darter tetra lives in shallow blackwater streams of the upper Negro and Orinoco. The water there is extremely soft, acidic and dark, with thick leaf litter on the bottom.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The black darter tetra is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a black darter tetra need?

A black darter tetra needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a black darter tetra need?

A black darter tetra is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 4.0–6.0.

What does a black darter tetra eat?

A black darter tetra takes live and frozen micro foods. It usually refuses dry food entirely, at least at first, so feeding it takes patience.

How big does a black darter tetra get?

An adult black darter tetra reaches about 1.9 in (4.7 cm).

How can you tell a male black darter tetra from a female?

Males develop tall, flag-like dorsal and anal fins, and their bodies turn a deep blue-black when they display.

How does a black darter tetra breed?

A black darter tetra spawns in caves rather than scattering its eggs, which is unusual for a characin. The male guards the eggs, and breeding it is hard.

Related species