All fish / Gasteropelecidae

Marbled Hatchetfish

Carnegiella strigata

Also known as marble hatchetfish, marbled hatchet fish, hatchetfish, striped hatchetfish, マーブル・ハチェット, 大理石燕子鱼, 斧鱼

A small hatchetfish with a deep, keel-shaped belly and a silvery body crossed by dark marbled bands. Keepers like it as a calm surface-dweller that brings life to the top layer of soft-water community tanks, especially blackwater and Amazon-style set-ups.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3.5 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

5.5 to 7

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Carnivore: small floating foods such as flakes, fruit flies, daphnia and bloodworm

Swims

Top of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Amazon basin in Peru, Colombia and Brazil, plus the Guianas

Breeding

It scatters eggs among fine-leaved or floating plants, and the parents give no care. Captive spawning is rarely reported and is considered difficult, so most fish in the trade are wild caught.

Good to know

It is an excellent jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential. Wild-caught fish can be delicate when first imported and are prone to whitespot, so quarantine them carefully.