Who is hatchet fish?
The deep sea hatchetfish gets its name from the distinct hatchet-like shape of its body. It is a member of the Sternoptychidae family of deep sea fishes. This giant of the family grows to an impressive six inches (12 centimeters) in length. Most of the smaller hatchetfish species are covered in delicate silvery scales.
Are silver Hatchetfish schooling fish?
In the home aquarium, it will readily accept most meaty frozen foods as well as gut-loaded live fruit flies near the water surface. The Silver Hatchetfish is a schooling fish that will typically only settle into an aquarium when it is in a school of at least 6 fish.
What color is a hatchet fish?
In the marbled hatchetfish, the basic coloration is brownish to golden yellow with a silver sheen; the back is dark green with black dots of varying size. The flanks are covered with a pattern of spots typically of a pink to brown color, changing to light blue.
Are silver Hatchetfish aggressive?
These fish tend to be highly timid, although this can be somewhat alleviated by adding floating plants to their aquarium. Because of their skittish nature, they tend to do best in a species only tank, and they will often have difficultly competing for food with other aggressive species of fish.
What do silver Hatchetfish eat?
A carnivore, the Silver Hatchet will eat floating foods such as freeze dried bloodworms and tubifex, high quality flake food, mosquito larvae, small flies, and some other meaty live or frozen foods.
What do you feed hatchet fish?
Common hatchetfish are devout carnivores; vegetative matter does not, to any appreciable measure, factor into their natural dietary regimen. Feed protein-rich flakes, brine shrimp, tubifex, bloodworms, or small, floating, carnivore pellets.
What ocean zone do hatchet fish live in?
Found in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, marine hatchetfishes range in size from Polyipnus danae at 2.8 cm (1.1 in) to the c. 12 cm (4.7 in)-long giant hatchetfish (Argyropelecus gigas).
What kind of fish is a silver hatchetfish?
The name Silver Hatchetfish, however, is somewhat of a misnomer for this fish as a couple of other species are also known by this common name. In the same genera is the Silver Hatchetfish Gasteropelecus levi s and another species of Silver Hatchetfish, Thoracocharax securis, which is also called the Greater Hatchetfish.
What kind of fish looks like a hatchet?
The Common Hatchetfish Gasteropelecus sternicla is a most unusually shaped fish. Its body looks like the head of a hatchet, thus the common name “hatchetfish.”. The term Gasteropelecus actually means “hatchet-shaped belly.”.
Can a common hatchetfish fly in an aquarium?
The ability for the freshwater hatchetfish to fly is really astounding, but it is somewhat of a problem in the aquarium. The tank needs a tight fitting lid to keep these fish from leaping out of the tank to their demise. Common Hatchetfish are very peaceful, even timid fish, so they make good community tankmates.
Is the hatchetfish Gasteropelecus Levi’s the same species?
In the same genera is the Silver Hatchetfish Gasteropelecus levi s and another species of Silver Hatchetfish, Thoracocharax securis, which is also called the Greater Hatchetfish. These hatchetfish are all very similar in appearance, but they do differ in size.
The name Silver Hatchetfish, however, is somewhat of a misnomer for this fish as a couple of other species are also known by this common name. In the same genera is the Silver Hatchetfish Gasteropelecus levi s and another species of Silver Hatchetfish, Thoracocharax securis, which is also called the Greater Hatchetfish.
The Common Hatchetfish Gasteropelecus sternicla is a most unusually shaped fish. Its body looks like the head of a hatchet, thus the common name “hatchetfish.”. The term Gasteropelecus actually means “hatchet-shaped belly.”.
The ability for the freshwater hatchetfish to fly is really astounding, but it is somewhat of a problem in the aquarium. The tank needs a tight fitting lid to keep these fish from leaping out of the tank to their demise. Common Hatchetfish are very peaceful, even timid fish, so they make good community tankmates.
What kind of habitat does a hatchet fish live in?
Other common names they are known by are River Hatchetfish and Silver Hatchetfish. In the wild, they prefer areas with an abundance of surface vegetation. The Common Hatchetfish can be found at the surface most of the time but will retreat occasionally if they feel threatened or when feeding.
