All fish / Hepsetidae

African Pike

Hepsetus odoe

Also known as african pike characin, kafue pike, pike characin, hepsetus, アフリカンパイク, 非洲狗鱼

A long, pike-shaped characin with a big mouth full of sharp teeth, a brownish-olive body speckled with dark spots and dark lines radiating from the eye. It is kept by predator enthusiasts for its ambush hunting and unusual looks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

35 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

800 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a group of similar-sized adults in a very large tank

Diet

Carnivore: fish, prawns, earthworms, mussel and large frozen foods once weaned

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

West Africa, from Senegal to Nigeria and Cameroon (Niger, Volta and coastal basins)

Breeding

In the wild the male builds a floating bubble nest among vegetation and guards the eggs and young, which is unusual for a characin. Captive breeding is very rarely achieved because of the space needed.

Good to know

Grows large and will eat any fish it can swallow, so tankmates must be big and robust. It is nervous and can jump or injure itself, so use a tight lid and plenty of cover; similar southern species are now split as Hepsetus cuvieri.