Freshwater
River hatchetfish
Gasteropelecus sternicla
Gasteropelecidae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 3.9 cm
- Body shape
- Deep-bodied
Care
- Group
- At least 6 together
- Smallest aquarium
- 24 liters
- Diet
- Missing
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Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
Native
Lives wild in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
More about the species
Description
Gregarious, can sometimes be aggressive or calm. Frequents slow-flowing waters of creeks and swamps. Lives in groups at the surface. It is capable of capturing small aerial insects. The females are bigger than the males. Feeds on worms, crustaceans and insects. Has not been bred in captivity. Aquarium specimens reach 6.5 cm TL. Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; may jump out of the aquarium; minimum aquarium size 80 cm.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Clupea sternicla
- Gasteropelecus argenteus
- Gasteropelecus coronatus
- Gasteropelecus sternicla marowini
- Gasteropelecus sternicla morae
- Salmo gasteropelecus
In other languages
- Sølvøksefisk
- Almindelig øksefisk
- Tapparakala
- Common hatchetfish, Silver hatchet fish, Silver hatchetfish
Articles
All articles
How many fish can I keep?4 min read
Why "one cm of fish per liter" falls short, and what adult size, schools, territory and swimming zones mean for how many fish a tank can hold.
How to set up a South American aquarium4 min read
Soft, acidic water, subdued light, sand, roots and fallen leaves: how to set up a biotope aquarium from the Amazon and the rivers around it.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.