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Blacktail Dartfish
Dartfish

Blacktail Dartfish

Ptereleotris heteroptera

A slender, pale blue dartfish with a yellow-marked tail that hovers gracefully in open water above the sand, darting for a rock crevice at the first sign of trouble. Completely peaceful and reef-safe — it ignores corals and inverts — and looks best in a small group cruising the mid-water together. It is a champion jumper, so a tightly fitted lid is essential, and it wants open swimming room alongside plenty of bolt-holes.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
4.7"
Min tank
30 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Planktivore
Zone
Mid-water, Open water, Sand bed
Best in a group of 3+.
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Tankmates

How Blacktail Dartfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Purple TangPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Six-Line SoapfishSix-Line Soapfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Painted FrogfishPainted Frogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Dogface PufferDogface Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Porcupine PufferPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.Lunare WrasseLunare Wrasse (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Spanish HogfishSpanish Hogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blacktail Dartfish.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Sailfin TangSailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Red Coris WrasseRed Coris Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Emperor AngelfishEmperor Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Queen AngelfishQueen Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Blueface AngelfishBlueface Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Niger TriggerfishNiger Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Blonde Naso TangBlonde Naso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.Desjardini Sailfin TangDesjardini Sailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blacktail Dartfish and may harass it.