All fish / Cyprinidae

Long Pectoral-fin Minnow

Macrochirichthys macrochirus

Also known as giant sword minnow, sword minnow, giant knifefish minnow, long pectoral fin minnow, sabre-toothed cyprinid, dagger fish, ปลาฝักพร้า, parang-parang, ikan golok, 大鳍鲌

A large, blade-shaped silver cyprinid with a steeply upturned mouth, a sharp keel along the belly and very long pectoral fins. It is a surface-hunting predator of other fish and is kept by enthusiasts of large, unusual river fish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

60 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

2000 litres

Keep as

Singly or a small group in a very large tank

Diet

Carnivore: live and frozen fish, prawns, insects and large pellets

Swims

Top of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Mekong, Chao Phraya and Mae Klong basins, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo

Breeding

It is thought to spawn in flooded areas during the rainy season in its native rivers. There are no reliable reports of captive breeding.

Good to know

Grows to well over 60 cm and will eat any tankmate it can swallow; it is nervous and liable to jump, so a large, tightly covered tank is essential. It is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN because of overfishing and dam building.