Alternative species (click on the thumbnail to see the card)
Names
Scientific name
Carnegiella strigata
Common name
Marbled Hatchetfish
Origin
Origin: South America, Brazil, Peru, Colombia
Biotope: Amazonian
Dimorphism
None
Group
Gasteropelecidae
Volume
120 L / 26 imp gal / 32 US gal
Parameters
T°: 24 to 28°C or 75 to 82°F
pH: 6 to 7
Hardness: 1 to 10°dGH
Difficulty
Average
Size
4 cm (1.58")
Longevity
3 to 6 years
Living zone
Top
Individuals
10 or more
Food
How to feed the Hatchetfish?
Food
How to feed the Hatchetfish?
Carnivorous with insectivorous tendency (attention to the size of prey, quite small): zooplankton, drosophila, ants, mosquito larvae, small cockroaches, crickets, chironomids, daphnia.
It only eats at the surface.
Behavior
What kind of behavior does the Hatchetfish have?
Behavior
What kind of behavior does the Hatchetfish have?
Peaceful and calm, it likes to stay in the surface stream. It is gregarious and must imperatively be kept in a shoal.
Cohabitation
Who can live with the Hatchetfish?
Cohabitation
Who can live with the Hatchetfish?
Even if a specific bin is preferable, you can keep it in a community aquarium. Indeed, it lives in a place neglected by many fish (just below the surface). It can easily be associated with many species (not too big) without land disputes.
Nevertheless, because of its timid nature, it will prefer calm and peaceful species. Cohabitation is possible with dwarf Cichlids, small Characidae (Tetra, blue neon...) or Corydoras.
Breeding
How to breed the Hatchetfish?
Breeding
How to breed the Hatchetfish?
Pretty difficult, plan a large breeding group. The breeding tank (100 L or 26 gal) will be equipped with a protective grid, a lid and floating plants. Also install a good flow of water. Temperature 25°C or 77F and pH bellow 6, Gh bellow 5, without carbonates and diffuse lighting. Peat filtration would be a plus. Remove the parents after the appearance of the eggs. The incubation lasts 36 hours.
Feeding fry: infusoria, rotifers, artemia and cyclops nauplies.
Its aquarium
Which aquarium for the Hatchetfish?
Its aquarium
Which aquarium for the Hatchetfish?
Specific aquarium preferable with good length. Set up a free-swimming space under the surface and plant strongly on the sides. Ideally, you will also opt for a dark substrate. Peat filtration is recommended and must be powerful enough (good oxygenation and nitrates at the lowest).
Finally, you can add quite a few dried leaves for more naturalness (moreover, these leaves make excellent bacterial media and improve water chemistry).
Cover your aquarium well because, like most insectivores, the hatchet fish is an excellent jumper (be careful when changing your water, and protect the light rail with a fine mesh net). Another solution is to fill the aquarium only partially and to leave 25/30 cm (10/12 inches) between the surface of the water and the lid.
Be careful not to make too much current on the surface.
Good To know
Find all additional information!
Good To know
Find all additional information!
Quite sensitive to pests and diseases, it will be necessary to quarentine each new arrival before the introduction in the main tray and avoid stress (mild and careful acclimation).
It can make leaps of more than 1 meter long!
Yours photos!
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