[Ebook] 500 freshwater aquarium fish – Characoids – African Pike Characin (Hepsetus odoe)

This species is the only member of its genus and family. It is built like a pike (Esox spp.), as indicated by its common name, and hunts using similar techniques of stealth followed by a lightning-fast strike. Some individuals may be prone to “panic attacks” in the aquarium, crashing into the sides of the tank and anything in it. For this reason, it is advisable to avoid sharp objects on which the fish may injure themselves. This is most definitely a species for the specialist.

Synonym

• Sarcodaces odoe

Family

• Hepsetidae

Distribution

• Across tropical regions of Africa, except the Nile basin.

Size

• Up to 26-28in (65-70cm) in the wild, but usually around half this size.

Behavior

• Solitary predator; can only be kept with tankmates that are too large to swallow.

Diet

• Young specimens can be accustomed to chunky meat- and fish-based foods; adults are more difficult, preferring live fish—a factor that needs to be considered before obtaining a specimen.

Aquarium

• Large, well covered, well filtered, with shelters constructed from bogwood and rounded rocks—sharp objects should be avoided. Water chemistry not critical, but avoid extremes. Temperature range: 79-82 F (26-28 C).

Breeding

• No documented accounts in aquaria. In nature this species is known to build a bubble nest on the surface of the water, into which eggs are deposited; eggs guarded by one or both spawners.