black skirt tetra question

[Lady G]

A while back my son had brought home 5 black skirt tetras, well one of them is a little different then the rest. They all have long white tails and long black top and bottom fins exept one the one has short tail (still white) and short top and bottom fins (still black). My question is, is this a different type of tetra and if so is it ok for him to be the only of his kind in the tank? I know tetras like to school in groups and need several of their own kind to be around, but there is no way I can go and get more fish as I am already overstocked. He does seem to mostly stay with the others and "seems" to be happy, he swims with the others and eats (greedily) just like the others, (they kinda remind me of pherona when they eat!). Also is there anyway to tell if a tetra is male or female and how often if ever do they have babys in an aqurium?

Thank you

Gin

 

[Holly9937]

Not sure about the breeding, my blackskirts never have that I know of, but I think there are different kinds of blackskirts. Try a google search for long finned ones and/or white skirts. I think I have seen fish at my LFS labeled like that and they look pretty similar. If he seems to hang out with the others and doesn't seem stressed, I wouldn't worry about him

 

[Lady G]

He looks exactly the same as the the others exept for his fins are short instead of long, but he does stay with the others and seems happy as far as I can tell anyway.

Thanks I will look them up and see what I find out!

 

[Lady G]

I added a post with some pics of them because when I looked up long finned I got pictures of a white tetra that looked nothing like them but then the black skirts I looked up looked just like the one I thought was odd, I did see something about "veiltail" tetra so I looked them up and they looked just like an angel fish so that wasn't them either. They must just be another type of black skirt because they are identical just fins are a little different.

 

[Xielos]

Well theres Blackskirt testras and Longfin Blackskirt Tetras. I'd just say that a regular got mixed in with the longfins. Besides the fins, I think they are exactly the same species.

 

[Lady G]

Ok that must be it, I was looking up long finned but I kept getting photos of these small white tetras I couldn't find any that looked like mine, BTW do you have any idea how to tell male/female?
Thanks a whole, whole bunch at least I don't feel so crazy now!!