All fish / Nandidae

Dwarf Leaf Fish

Nandus nebulosus

Also known as dwarf leaffish, nebulous leaf fish, borneo leaf fish, malayan leaf fish, nandus, ปลาเสือดำ, ikan patong, ナンダス・ネブロサス, ikan patung, 暗色叶鲈

A small, leaf-like predator with a deep, compressed body and mottled brown camouflage that lets it drift almost unseen among plants and leaf litter. Keepers value it for its unusual stalking behaviour and its suitability for dimly lit, tannin-stained blackwater setups.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

5 to 7

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Singly, in a pair or a small group

Diet

Carnivore: live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae and small earthworms

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southeast Asia: Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, Sumatra and Borneo

Breeding

It spawns in caves or on leaves, and the male guards the adhesive eggs. Captive breeding has been achieved occasionally in soft, acidic water but is not common.

Good to know

It will eat any fish small enough to fit in its surprisingly large mouth, so keep it only with similar-sized, calm tankmates. It often refuses dried foods and is shy in bright, busy tanks.