Silver Hatchet Fish

Silver Hatchetfish    (Gasteropalecus sternicla)

Grows to:  3"

General:   These fish are peaceful top dwelling fish.

Tank Conditions:  Keep the tank well covered because these fish often jump. Provide some floating plants for coverage. They prefer slightly acid pH.. They can jump and must have a tight cover.  Some floating plants make them feel more secure. It is important to put them with peaceful tank mates. Temperature: 74-80.
Tank Mates: They do well in schools and look good in groups of three or more.  Keep them only in tanks with other small peaceful fish.  Some suitable tank mates can include as moons, mollies, neons, cardinals, other small tetras, guppies, pencilfish, dwarf gouramis, white clouds, kuhli loaches, harlequin rasboras, corydoras catfish, oticinclus catfish.   Silver Hatchetfish grow larger than Marble hatchets, and can be kept with some larger fish such as Pearl gouramis, and Angelfish.    Many of the fish in our Community 1 group are suitable tank-mates..   Do not mix Hatchet fish with aggressive fish.

For Beginners?  Hatchets require specialized tank conditions to thrive. They are not on our list of best beginners fish

Feeding:  They feed from the surface. Feed  flake foods, brine shrimp, tubifex worms,  micro plankton.