Spotted African Leaf Fish Advice

[Lyra0727]

I have a 60 gallon with 2 senegal bichirs, 2 kissing gouramis 1 oplain gourami, 1 gold gourami, a african brown knife fish and a spotted african leaf fish.

I just got my leaf fish a couple days and and have fallen in love with him! He's only about 2 inches right now.. but I was told they will get much bigger so I will probably be moving him into a bigger tank in the future But I was also told that if there was a group of them together they would hunt together like a pack.. I was wondering if that was true. Also if theres any other interesting facts about them that I should know?

I am considering getting more one day. Not anytime soon though.

 

[Davo86]

These are more commonly known as Leopard Bush fish or Leopard climbing Perch (Ctenopoma acutirostre) sizewise 8" is about max, but 6" is more likely as they can be exceptionally slow growers, And yes in a big enough tank, a group added around the same time can work nicely.

It is quite a shy fish so make sure there is plenty of cover as the likes of Gouramis and Bichirs may prove to be too boisterous, especially for a juvi

 

[Lyra0727]

I did have a gourami issue that I recently solved, but they never bothered him. Now the only fish I have are pretty gentle when it comes to others as long as I dont get them to small. So they dont get as big as I thought, but would still need to be upgraded into a bigger tank eventually.

He has been very shy but he came out a lot yesterday which really surprised me.

 

[nmonks]

They are very much like angelfish, and work much the same way in community tanks. Keep with smallish tankmates, but nothing so small they'll be eaten. Bleeding heart tetras, platies, Corydoras, that sort of thing. Like angelfish, youngsters do like being in groups. As they mature they become somewhat territorial though not terribly aggressive, and pairs will form in aquaria (though as far as I know, they are egg-scatterers and don't guard their fry). Finally, like angels, they mostly feed in small insect larvae and such, and like to lurk about in shady corners where they can find such prey.

Cheers, Neale

I just got my leaf fish a couple days and and have fallen in love with him! He's only about 2 inches right now.. but I was told they will get much bigger so I will probably be moving him into a bigger tank in the future But I was also told that if there was a group of them together they would hunt together like a pack.. I was wondering if that was true. Also if theres any other interesting facts about them that I should know?

 

[Lyra0727]

They are very much like angelfish, and work much the same way in community tanks. Keep with smallish tankmates, but nothing so small they'll be eaten. Bleeding heart tetras, platies, Corydoras, that sort of thing. Like angelfish, youngsters do like being in groups. As they mature they become somewhat territorial though not terribly aggressive, and pairs will form in aquaria (though as far as I know, they are egg-scatterers and don't guard their fry). Finally, like angels, they mostly feed in small insect larvae and such, and like to lurk about in shady corners where they can find such prey.

Cheers, Neale

I just got my leaf fish a couple days and and have fallen in love with him! He's only about 2 inches right now.. but I was told they will get much bigger so I will probably be moving him into a bigger tank in the future But I was also told that if there was a group of them together they would hunt together like a pack.. I was wondering if that was true. Also if theres any other interesting facts about them that I should know?

I've never kept angel fish so that will be a little hard to compare.. But at the moment he is with bigger fish..About the same size as my smallest gourami. But none of them ever bother him. He just now came out to see me again! For a shy fish he sure does come out a lot. Should I only get one more since they get territoral? Or should I stick with only one? I've been feeding him blood worms but he has tried to nibble on the red wigglers I give my bichirs as snacks. I'm not sure if he is either to small to eat them or just scared because they move..

 

[Davo86]

I'm not sure if he is either to small to eat them or just scared because they move..

You will be surprised at how big their mouths are.

They are very inquisitive but will probably need to be slowly weaned onto any new foods that they aren't used to

 

[Lyra0727]

Well he drags them to where he likes to stay but as soon as they start moving he freaks out and leaves them. Could he just be scared of them then?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

My four are currently in a 5-footer, but I may be bringing them into my indoor 4-footer soon, as a long term move. A single specimen could easily stay in a 60 gallon for life, just provide it with areas of moderate and little current (my ones love to current surf in the FX5 output at times); some tall plants to lurk in and some bogwood with intresting caves/nooks/crannies.


Food wise, I recently found mine go nuts for floating Doromin pellets, but they happily eat Tetra Prima plus the bi-weekly treats of defrosted bloodworms etc.

If you want to get more specimens, do it soon and get at least two more, so that aggression in the group will be more evenly spread. I got very lucky introducing a 12cm SL specimen to my trio of 6cm SL specimens, but it probably helped it was a big tank and the new arrival was the largest by far.

 

[Lyra0727]

My four are currently in a 5-footer, but I may be bringing them into my indoor 4-footer soon, as a long term move. A single specimen could easily stay in a 60 gallon for life, just provide it with areas of moderate and little current (my ones love to current surf in the FX5 output at times); some tall plants to lurk in and some bogwood with intresting caves/nooks/crannies.


Food wise, I recently found mine go nuts for floating Doromin pellets, but they happily eat Tetra Prima plus the bi-weekly treats of defrosted bloodworms etc.

If you want to get more specimens, do it soon and get at least two more, so that aggression in the group will be more evenly spread. I got very lucky introducing a 12cm SL specimen to my trio of 6cm SL specimens, but it probably helped it was a big tank and the new arrival was the largest by far.

If I have to get them soon then I may not be able to :\ My tank is currently going under inspection (by me) because nitrate levels were a little high. If I have to get them soon then I'd probably just be better off with stay with one. Only becase I lost a couple fish this week (one in my 60 gallon because a male gourami was to aggressive so I returned him back to the store then one guppy in my 10 gallon) and now am trying to cure my betta that is also sick.

If I am able to get them later.. in a month or so I would get two but if I have to get them now then I guess not :\ any other fish they get along with that I wouldnt have to get right away?

 

[Squidward]

Are these best kept in groups?
Or is one on its own ok?

 

[Lyra0727]

Are these best kept in groups?
Or is one on its own ok?

From what I'm understanding one is ok on its own but if you want more than one to get them at the same time because when they get bigger they become territorial.

 

[algir]

Beautiful fish! Recently saw one at my LFS for $15. I don't have the space for one though.