So...i Really Want A Leaf Fish.

[petitelupin]

I have a community tank (see below) but i was curious as to what requirements a leaf fish needs and how big they get etc...they just look so darn cute! and i wish i could have some!

also, i saw hatchet fish at lfs today...how many would i need to have together for them to be happy? also, how many more neons should i get?

 

[helterskelter]

10 gallon
1 honey gourami (Kenny)
1 neon tetra (Berkley)
1 BN pleco (Jungle)
14 guppy fry (unnamed..yet, born feb 21st)

Firstly which species are you looking at?

Next 10 gallons is to small for these fish generally.

Lastly the guppy fry would make a nice snack, once fully grown the neon's would also be lunch.
These can be nasty, predatory fish. This is why they look like leafs so small fish don't notice them.

How ever these are great fish and make a stunning treat if you have the space.

 

[bitteraspects]

leaf fish grow very slowly, but even with that said, i would not house one in a 10g tank as a juvie. they are ambush predators, and should no be kept with guppies and the like as named above.
best bet is a planted tank with large leaf plants that the fish can hide in, and they can be kept with similar fish (datnoids, perch, ctenopoma, ect.), or with less aggressive fish that are too big to be eaten.

 

[petitelupin]

right. well i plan on getting a larger tank over summer once my boyfriend gets an appartment..and im not sure which type they were..they were from petsmart and there max size was 4-5 inches.
i didnt want them in the community, i just keep dreaming of all the fish i might get when i get a 55 gallon or more
what kind of theme would you all suggest?

 

[bitteraspects]

I keep nandus nandus, personally. They're awesome.

 

[petitelupin]

actually just realized that the fish from petsmart was a bush fish...they are very cute! but they had them labeled as african leaf fish....stupids!
i'll look nandus up

 

[bitteraspects]

Yeah. Leopard ctenopomas are very cool too. I didn't know pet smart carried them.
I keep them as well. In the same tank as my nandus actually. Lol.

 

[petitelupin]

are they as agressive as leaf fish?
their little tag says they only get to be 4-5 inches which i think would be ok in my upcoming 55 gal

 

[bitteraspects]

They're ambush predators by nature, but can be trained to accept dry food. They're not particularly aggressive, but they are carnivores and will eat whatever fish fit in their mouths.
And they definitely get bigger then 5". Lol. Never trust the pet stores. However, they so grow very slowly.