Hatchet Tetras

[DebraAustin]

Hi,

Was wondering if anyone has any experience with hatchet tetras (I'm pretty sure they were tetras). I was just at a lfs and they had the most beautiful marble hatchets. I was totally fascinated. I am still waiting for my cycling to finish, but was wondering if they are pretty hardy fish. They are definitely placid creatures (just floated without moving hardly at all), but absolutely gorgeous.

Debra

 

[chrismr]

They are a little sensitive as fish go, but in my experience not nearly as much as people make out. However, I would recommend them for a mature tank... maybe a 6 month old tank..

They do spend the majority of their time just hanging around under the surface, but also have their hyper moments where you will see them wizzing around and dancing with each other.

They need space, despite their size and the fact that they do spend a lot of time just hovering. I would not have them in anything less than a 3 foot tank.

They are beautiful little things, and I would recommend you one day get some, but let your tank run a while before adding them....

 

[karlp]

Hatchets are amongst my favourite fish and I've always kept marbles or recently common hatchets.

As Chris said, they are sensitive to water quality so don't put them in until you've got an established cycled tank (I don't think you need to wait as long as 6 months though, more like 8 weeks).

But floating at the surface, they are vulnerable to being fin nipped and bullied from beneath, so don't put them in with larger fish or fin nippers, because you will see the population steadily decline.

Also they are shoaling fish and get very nervous on their own, so must be bought in schools of at least 6.

And... they get easily startled and are one of the only true flying fish, so will readily jump out of the aquarium, so the tank must have a tightly fitting lid and to make them feel really secure put some floating plants in there.

Try not to startle them otherwise they could injure themselves as they hit their heads on the tank lid.

If you want to keep larger fish, then get the common hatchets (silver ones that are larger) because they are more hardy and less vulnerable.

 

[jkrekord]

as already said you must have a tight fitting lid
p.s they ain't tetras