All fish / Apogonidae

Mouth almighty

Glossamia aprion

Also known as mouth almighty, mouthalmighty, queensland mouthbrooder, northern mouthbrooder, gobbleguts, gulper, mouth almighty cardinalfish

This freshwater cardinalfish has a stocky body, two separate dorsal fins and a very large mouth, with mottled brown to olive colouring that often has a yellowish sheen and dark lines running from the eye. It lurks motionless among plants and roots before ambushing passing prey, which makes it an interesting predator for Australian native fish tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

20 to 30 °C

pH

6.5 to 8

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a pair; can be kept in a group in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: live and frozen foods such as shrimp, earthworms, bloodworm and small fish; some learn to take pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Northern and eastern Australia and southern New Guinea

Breeding

The male broods the eggs in his mouth for around two to three weeks until the young are released. It has been bred in aquariums when a compatible pair is given space and good feeding, but this is not routine.

Good to know

It will swallow any fish small enough to fit in its mouth, so keep it only with similarly sized or larger tankmates. Export and import of Australian natives may be restricted in some places, so check local rules.