Mixing tetras

[swifty]

I have a small school of black skirt tetras in my 29g with a firemouth, and wanted to increase the size to a dozen or so.

My question is, can I add white skirts or black phantoms? Will adding either of them start a "war" between the tetras or would they tolerate each other? Also, any difference between the hi-fin/long-finned variety?

[Mumma.of.two]

I would add more skirts. White or black, long or short finned is fine. They are all the same fish.

[Canary bird]

I also have a mix of black and white skirts all adopted I might add from different homes, and they get along great

[swifty]

I see, I was concerned the white were somehow less "hardy" from a few articles and that my current black skirts would nip at the long skirt variety. That's good to know, thanks.

[Mumma.of.two]

There is always a possibility of nipping but a good sized school (8+) usually helps to curb this behavior. I have heard of the white skirts being more sensitive than the blacks but this was because they where dyed. Dying of fish causes them to become weaker.

[swifty]

Yeah that was something similar to what I read. The long-finned are natural right? They were bred that way? I think I'm leaning towards those so they're just as hardy as my black skirt short fins, and wont stick out from the school too much.

[Mumma.of.two]

The longed finned where bred that way through selective breeding. As for hardiness I'd imagine they might be a bit more sensitive than the normal ones but I've never heard anything.

[swifty]

Ok, that makes sense. Looks like I'll try to finish the school off with those long-fins, not really into the white or colored ones if they're artificial.

[Mumma.of.two]

Yes the coloured ones are dyed. Avoid those.