All fish / Gasteropelecidae

Silver Hatchetfish

Gasteropelecus sternicla

Also known as common hatchetfish, river hatchetfish, silver hatchet, hatchet fish, hatchetfish, シルバーハチェット, 银斧鱼, 银燕子

Tankmates, for sale near you Identify a fish from a photo

A small fish with a deep, keel-shaped silvery belly, a flat back and a thin dark line along each side. It lives right at the surface and is kept for its unusual shape and for adding life to the top layer of a calm community tank.

Care at a glance

Care level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Adult size: 5 cm
Temperature: 23 to 27 °C
pH: 5.5 to 7.5
Smallest tank: 100 litres
Keep as: Shoal of 6 or more
Diet: Carnivore: floating flakes, small insects such as fruit flies, bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia
Swims: Top of the tank
Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
Water: Freshwater
Wild range: South America: Amazon and Orinoco basins, Guianas

Breeding

It scatters eggs among fine-leaved or floating plants, but captive spawning is rare and seldom planned. Soft, acidic water and a diet of live insects may help bring fish into condition.

Good to know

Hatchetfish can jump very well, so the tank needs a tight-fitting lid. They are nervous and easily stressed by boisterous tankmates or poor water.