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Hey every1! i am getting afew(5-6) black phantom tetras! yay! i have wanted these fro a while then i kinda forgot aboutthem...oops...then i needed dither fish for the blood parrots i will be getting today or tomm. and i was thinking about tiger barbs...but they are a little to nippy so i am prolly gunna get black phantoms...!yay!!!
If my LFS doesnt have them i will probably get ...i dunno maybe some rosy barbs! orrr...some of the bigger tetras!

Phatoms can be fairly nippy, too. Just a heads up.

Well, first, it's RED Phantoms that (like Neons) supposedly prefer somewhat cooler waters than your average tropical fish. (However, I've been keeping large numbers of Red Phantoms for years in a community tank at the usual temperature, and they seem to be having no trouble at all and in fact strike me as a bit tougher than the average fish in that tank.) I've never kept Black Phantoms, but everything I've read says they prefer the usual tropical-fish temperature.

Second, I've also kept Rosy Barbs for years, and they grow very slowly. I don't think you'll have size problems with them for a very long time.

Black Phantoms are a wonderful species of tetra. I have had mine for quite sometime, i have a school of 5, and NIPPY is not a quality of theirs. They have their own fights between their own species... not with others.. Mine thrive well in 78-80 deegree F water, colored up well, nice and black with beautiful red hues. Very easy to keep. Dont be fooled, they are hardy wonderful fish, and the males have beautiful finnage. The females are acctually the more colorful of the species in this group... with the red fins.. while the males are black, with larger dorsal fins. i say go for it!! They are wonderful, and GREAT community fish!
:%)

72 gallon bowfront:Tanganyikan Lake set up
75 gallon: A. Baenschi trio,Cyanotilapia Afra Cobwe(4), copadichromis trewavase, protomelas sp. tangerine tiger(breeding pair)

Tetras generally prefer high 70's temperature, and the phantoms are no exception. I'm pretty sure they aren't very nippy, at least to other fish. Tetras sometimes quarrel amongst themselves, but they're just figuring out the pecking order. I've heard that these tetras have a lot of personality, so I think you've made a good choice.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Phantoms are a bit nippy as they quarrel amongst themselves and will sometimes bug larger, slower moving fish. Great choice though, as it's nearly impossible to kill a black phantom. I'm noT sure where they developed their reputation for preferring cold water, but in the natural fast flowing waters of the francisco (aka sao francis) river, temps can soar to nearly 27 degrees celsius. If other characins of the area such as prochilodus and leporinus can be kept in med-high temp waters, so can phantoms.


[span class="edited"][Edited by Klee 2004-09-05 18:58][/span]

I agree with the nippy statements. I used to own black phantoms and they pestered all my fish. My severum, rummy's, and the 2 otto cats i had. I returned them and i got some more otts. Just maybe stay clear of large groups of phantoms. I had a small school of 6 in my 29 and they were very well behaved and schooled pretty nicely but when i moved them to the 55 and uped the numbers they schooled very sloppily and nipped my other fish.

[span class="edited"][Edited by Tetra Fan 2004-09-05 19:58][/span]

I have 3 Black Phantoms in a community tank and have no problem with them nipping, the temp of my tank is 27 degrees celsius and they love it, they play in the outflow of the filter, great fish

I sure haven't had any trouble with RED Phantoms nipping -- in fact, they're among the timider of the tetras (along with Glowlights).

I have a small school of 10 black phantoms (2 male) and I guess I've been lucky as they are perfect citizens. They chase amongst themselves, but that's mostly because the males like to display their extended fins which is very cool. I've never seen them bother any of the other (peaceful) residents.

has anyone ever bred them?

has anyone ever bred them?

I tried, but I kept banging my head on the tank lid!



Seriously, I would be interested in hearing anybody's tales of breeding the very under-rated tetra. I have a school of 6, w/ 2 males, and I agree they are great little characins.