Spotted African Leaf Fish

[fish_fetish65]

so... i was at the LFS today and saw a tank with 'spotted african leaf fish' in it. they were listed as semi-aggressive tropical fish. they're very small (though it says they can grow to be about 3 inches), and it said that they need a 10gal tank. now, i have tried to research this species, but it seems that EVERYTHING i pull up on google is about an amazon leaf fish, a south american leaf fish, or something else. i haven't found any pictures that look like this fish, and i am positive i have the name right.

what i want to know is: can i keep one in a 10gal planted tank, do they need to be in groups or are they fine solo, and are there any special requirements for them?

if any of you have ever heard of/owned an african leaf fish, please let me know. i'm quite baffled at the lack of info on them.

EDIT: it looks a bit similar to this... but smoother.

 

[Synirr]

Do they perhaps mean a leopard ctenopoma?
If it's really an African leaf fish, the species name is Polycentropsis abbreviata... hope that helps

 

[fish_fetish65]

no, i don't believe so... it was clearly labelled "spotted african leaf fish". do you know anything more about the species?

thanks for the info!

 

[vancouver]

It's probably the ctenepoma.. I have a similar type ctenepoma that I absolutely love...

The african spotted leaf ones are probably semi aggressive, and will probably stay under 5''... I don't know if I'd keep one in a 10g.. seems too small to me.. A 29g would probably be a lot better, or at least a 20... but I personally wouldn't stick one in a 10g.

 

[fish_fetish65]

i think i may go ahead and do it anyway. i plan to get a larger (20 or 29 G at least) tank fairly soon, so i will be able to move him in plenty of time. the ones at the LFS are less than an inch long right now... so they would take a good while to grow. so then an african leaf fish it is... along with two small cories and an african dwarf frog. hopefully i will be able to upgrade very soon. i'm quite excited about this planted tank!

but are they okay by themselves??

 

[andywg]

Just because an lfs has a fish labelled up as something, doesn't mean it is that.

If it truly is a leaf fish, however, then you will be buying a heavily piscivorous fish that is notoriously hard to get to eat anything other than live fish.

CFC had some I seem to recall, and he had no luck getting them off live fish.

If you do get one, you will want a good source of fry to feed it, such as breeding livebearers, snakeheads or convicts. Also they are a species fish, due to the massive mouth they have compared to their body size.

The profile is here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=58484

If it is a Ctenopama then life is a lot easier.

 

[Fella]

And here is a picture of a leaf fish's mouth -

 

[fish_fetish65]

perhaps it is a ctenopama, then...
i talked to my manager (i work at the lfs) and he said that they're not too hard to manage as long as you have at least a 10 gal and heavy planting. which fits my plan! they aren't carnivorous fish (whatever they are), and they eat fish flakes.

EDIT: just did a google search for ctenopoma, and realized that it IS one! thanks very much, guys- you have been extremely helpful... leaf fish indeed, hah.

 

[nmonks]

If it is Ctenopoma acutirostre, that's a very nice fish. In the wild, as well as in captivity, it eats primarily mosquito larvae and bloodworms. While it will eat small fish, it neither needs them, nor expects them. All in all, this is an easy fish to care for. Earthworms and river shrimps make good extras.

One thing I will say about Ctenopoma acutirostre is that they are very shy, especially in small tanks. I had one for ~10 years before giving it away, so they are also very long lived. Keep either a single specimen or a group of three or more as they can be a little territorial. I'd suggest keeping them in the largest tank possible, plant it thickly with things like giant vallis, and add a few dither fish (Congo tetras are ideal) so that the fish settle in quickly.

Ctenopoma should usually not be kept with cichlids; while Ctenopoma can be territorial, they simply aren't in the same league as aggressive cichlids. Even a pair of kribs will terrify an adult Ctenopoma acutirostre!

I've kept 3 or 4 species of Ctenopoma over the years, and consider them good aquarium fish even though they have a bad reputation in some quarters. I've written a little primer on them for Tropical Fish Finder you might find useful.

Cheers,

Neale

Incidentally, you may see some Ctenopoma under the Microctenopoma name. These names are misleading; Microctenopoma doesn't mean these are "micro" versions, smaller than regular Ctenopoma. The name refers to anatomical structures, not body size. There are Microctenopoma species that are bigger than Ctenopoma species, e.g., Ctenopoma ashbysmithi is less than 4 cm long, so is less than half the size of Microctenopoma congicum.

 

[fish_fetish65]

thankyou for the info, nmonks! it is quite helpful.

 

[andywg]

It may just be my experience, but I have never experienced shyness with my two C. acutirostre. They are always out for food, often racing the snakehead to be first to the food.

I would agree to be very careful with housing them in smaller tanks, as mine exhibit some territorial aggressiveness, though as they are in a 6x2x2 they have enough space to not get overly serious.

Mine feed on floating sticks, prawns, river shrimp, and whitebait. I have not noticed them particularly eating the bloodworms now that they are large (around 4" or so)

 

[nmonks]

Andy,

Yes, you're right, I should have phrased that better. They are shy when cramped, but outgoing in big aquaria. They don't like hurly burly they can't escape from. I kept mine (initially) in a 20 gallon tank, and they were much more reserved than when moved to a much bigger aquarium.

Cheers,

Neale

I would agree to be very careful with housing them in smaller tanks, as mine exhibit some territorial aggressiveness, though as they are in a 6x2x2 they have enough space to not get overly serious.

 

[fish_fetish65]

i plan to only get one to avoid any potential territorial issues. thankyou for the help, guys!

 

[Dwarfs]

Which does the fish look closer to?
This (Polycentrus schomburgki , Schomburgk's leaf fish)

Or this (Ctenopoma acutirostre)

The Ctenopoma are usually more commonly found, and are all around better fish to keep for feeding and viewing purposes.

A leaf fish will only eat live food (brine shrimp works IME) and will be rarely seen. Also, leaf fish should not be kept with other fish, other fish may be too intimidating, meaning that the leaf fish will not leave it's hiding place to feed.

 

[bymauldin]

I saw some of these fish in the pet store the other day. They are very interesting. The pet store had them housed with Dwarf Puffer Fish. Would this work on a long term basis?? Or was that just a quick fix for the pet store?