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Characins
/ Gasteropelecidae / Common Hatchetfish
Common Hatchetfish
Gasteropelecus sternicla | Pictures
Synonyms: Clupea
sternicla, Thoracocharax sternicla
Physical description: Has a convex body. The ventral fins are very small and the back is fairly straight.
The
wing-like pectoral fins are transparent and often measure up to one-half the fish's overall body length.
The
coloration is silver and the back is olive brown.
The mouth is small and upturned.
Depending on the angle of light, the
colors can change from iridescent green to iridescent blue.
A black vertical stripe extends from the gill
cover to the base of the tail.
Size/Length: To 2.5" (6.4 cm)
Similar species: Silver Hatchetfish (
G. levis ), Silver Hatchetfish (
Thoracocharax securis ).
The Common Hatchetfish is often confused
with these two species.
Habitat: In small streams with heavy vegetation.
South America; in Surinam, Peru, Guyana
S: Top
Aquarium: 28" (70 cm) or 20-25 gallons (75-95 L).
See Hatchetfish family introduction.
Water chemistry: pH 5.8-7.5 (6.8); 4-15 dH (8); 72-81°F (22-27°C)
Social behavior: See Hatchetfish description.
Suggested companions: See the Hatchetfish family introduction
FOOD: Live; mosquito larvae,
Tubifex , crustaceans,
Drosophila; flake
Sexual differences: Only distinguishable during spawning when white eggs can be seen in females body
Breeding techniques: As for C.
strigata strigata .
Breeding potential: 9.
The Common Hatchetfish has been bred only on a few occasions in captivity.
Remarks: This Hatchetfish can leave the water and "fly" for up to 10 feet (3.05 m).
Difficulty of care: 5.
Among the hardiest of Hatchetfish, although not as hardy as
C. strigata strigata
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
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