Edit Gasteropelecus sternicla
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Name
Scientific name
Gasteropelecus sternicla
Described by
Authority Linnaeus, Year 1758, Bracketed
Family
Gasteropelecidae
Common names
Common Hatchetfish, Silver Hatchetfish
Photograph credits
All 3 credited
Summary
The common hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus sternicla) is a freshwater hatchetfish from South America, described from Suriname. Its distribution…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
40mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Minimum length 120 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 20–28°C, pH 5–7.5
Hardness
1–12dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Peaceful
Social needs
A shoal or group
Community suitability
Community-safe
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela, Amazon
Writing
Etymology
Gasteropelecus: Greek gaster [= stomach] and pelecus [=hatchet, axe] sternicla: Latin for breast, referring to the deeply extended thorax.
Distribution
This species has a questionable distribution having been recorded from the middle Amazon basin in Peru and Brazil, plus rivers of Venezuela, Guyana, and French…
Habitat
Slow-moving forest streams, tributaries and swamps. The fish are most often found in areas with an abundance of surface vegetation.
Aquarium size
An aquarium with a surface area measuring a minimum of 120 ∗ 30 cm or equivalent is required.
Maintenance
Cover a good portion of the water surface with floating plants, which will help to make this flighty species less skittish. Other décor is not particularly cri…
Water conditions
Not written yet
Diet
Naturally feeds on insects on and probably above the surface, crustaceans, worms. A study carried out on Thoracocharax stellatus (Netto-Ferreira et al, 2007)[3…
Behaviour and compatibility
Very peaceful but it can be nervous and shy, and will not compete well with boisterous species for food. Good tankmates include other small fishes that inhabit…
Sexual dimorphism
Females are noticeably rounder-bodied than males when full of eggs.
Reproduction
Unknown. Probably breeds in a similar fashion to the marbled hatchetfish, Carnegiella strigata.
Notes
This species spends almost all of its time at or just below the water surface, although it will sometimes retreat into midwater if threatened or feeding. Like …
References
References
8 on this profile