Humphead Glassfish
Parambassis pulcinella
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Minimum tank
- 81 litres
- Temperature
- 23–27 °C
Species profile
Four-banded Tigerfish
Datnioides polota
Common names: Four-banded Tigerfish, Silver Tiger Perch, Barred Tigerfish, Four Barred Tiger Fish
Recognized speciesOddballs
Adult size
Up to 30 cm
Up to 30 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A keeper with room for a large aquarium
Think carefully if
- You keep smaller fish, which it may eat
- You cannot provide about 648 litres for a fully grown fish
- You keep shrimp you want to protect
A silver and black banded fish that lives mostly in brackish rivers, also called the Silver Tiger Perch. Keep alone or in a small group in 648 litres or more.
Appearance and Identification
A silver and black banded fish that lives mostly in brackish rivers, also called the Silver Tiger Perch. It grows to about 30 cm, and it eats any fish that fits in its mouth.
Check the scientific name when buying, as common names vary between sellers and countries.
Sexes are usually hard to tell apart.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 2,590–3,240 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 650–975 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 648 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 180 cm
- Minimum group size
- 1
- Recommended group size
- 1
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Low to moderate
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Moderate
Allow plenty of room, use a very secure lid and fit strong filtration. Predators produce a lot of waste, and many are strong jumpers.
Behaviour and Tankmates
A predator that spends much of its time watching and waiting for prey.
Usually best alone, or in a very large tank with others of its size.
Many are intolerant of their own kind.
It will eat any fish that fits in its mouth, so keep it with fish too big to swallow, or alone. It is likely to eat shrimp. Choose its tankmates with care.
Water Parameters
Fairly tolerant of different water, if it is clean and stable. Adults do best in brackish water, with marine salt added.
Parameter caveat
Keep up regular water changes, and acclimatise new fish slowly.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Carnivore, Predator
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Quality carnivore pelletsWorth training it onto these, as they are balanced and clean.
- Frozen prawn, mussel and fishUse a variety. Avoid a diet of feeder fish, which can bring in disease.
- EarthwormsA good food, and most predators take them readily.
A predator that eats crustaceans and small fish. Feed frozen prawns, mysis and krill.
Feed small amounts, and remove anything left after a few minutes.
Breeding
- Breeding difficulty
- Not commonly bred
- Parental care
- Unknown
Not commonly bred in aquariums, and little has been recorded about how it spawns.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Vietnam
- Natural habitat
- Brackish Water, Estuary, River
- Aquarium contexts
- Brackish Aquarium, Large Freshwater Aquarium, Needs Brackish Water, Planted Aquarium
- Audience level
- Advanced
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Datnioides
- Family
- Lobotidae
- Species group
- Fish, Oddballs
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Indian Glass Fish
Parambassis ranga
- Care level
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 72 litres
- Temperature
- 20–30 °C
Leopard Bush Fish
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- Care level
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Minimum tank
- 108 litres
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
Longsnout distichodus
Distichodus lusosso
- Care level
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 37.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 275 litres
- Temperature
- 22–26 °C