Chalceus macrolepidotus

[andywg]

Image is for reference:

I am looking for any knowledge and (preferably) experience of this fish as a lfs has a couple

Things I seem to have discovered thus far:

Max size: 10"

Don't keep with smaller fish

pH, GH and KH are not too important (so long as extremes are avoided).

Keep with larger tankmates (due to predatory nature).

With regards to more than one I read keep one or 8+ at one site, but 1 or 3+ at another...(This is the area I am most concerned about. If a school of 3 is ok then I will probably go for it if not I may just keep one...)

The fish are very skittish and jumpers (similar to bala sharks) with a mouthful of teeth.

Does anyone have anything to add?

 

[CFC]

Ive got a couple of their cousins Chalceus erythrurus and everything youve said before is spot on apart from they seem to do just fine in a pair, although i would like to add a few more in the future. They are incredibly greedy fish with huge appetites and will eat just about anything from lettuce and flakes to whole whitebait and live crickets.

 

[digital_run]

Great looking fish....I've never seen those before but they look appealing. If you do get some make sure you post some pics

DR

 

[andywg]

Thanks CFC

Well, the LFS has 2 (they had a load in a tank but seperated the last two just in case of aggression though there hadn't been up to then).

If I can source one more then I think I will definately look into these, but not until the smaller fish in the community have been removed to their own safe little tank.

Then, once the 150 gallon is in I think I may purchase a trio. I have heard that they will school with Balas which would look quite cool. There is nothing quite as cool as their mouth of teeth.

Andy

 

[CFC]

If its teeth you want then why not look into some of the Acestrorynchus species? Most of them will top out at around 10 inches in captivity and they have some serious hardware in their mouths(hense the comon name of FW baracudas), plus they will school with other large Characins like the Chalceus. Theyre not the easiest of fish to find but most of the better quality shops like wildwoods or wharf aquatics will usually have two or three species in stock during collecting season.

 

[Lateral Line]

A mate had some of these in a 6 foot tank. Skittish is not the half of it, 2 of them killed themselves by rushing at full speed into the end wall of the tank.

They were not, otherwise, a big problem.

 

[andywg]

Hmm, I wonder if I could get hold of some torpedo nets...

CFC, would the Acestrorynchus species and Chalceus be ok with fish from around 4inches (Butterfly Fish) or should I remove them to the safety of the calm community?

Also, your bonus for 10 points...Will both the above fish be ok with Pim Pictus and rainbow shark? (If necessary the rainbow shark can be transported to the calmer community as well)

Answers on a postcard to...

Andy

 

[CFC]

There shouldnt be a problem keeping Aces or Chalceus with any of the above mentioned fish, though i would be wary of the butterflies finage in any tank with Characins in, those sharp teeth in the front of the mouth can decimate fancy finned fish in seconds should the mood take them.

 

[andywg]

That was my fear. Well, I'll probably put them into the other community. I've reserved two Chalceus today and will look into getting another (another lfs has some though I'm not a fan of getting fish from there - it's the only lfs I know that feeds all the tanks chicken on baone and things like that).

Then when I can find an Ace species I'll grab it.

Thanks again for all the help. One last question though...When is collecting season for the Aces?

Andy