Cute Marbled Hatchet Fish.

[PlecMama]

Why have I never seen/heard anyone talk about these on the boards before? Did I just miss it?

They are WAY cute. They have little fins like wings and they jump out of the water! Beautiful.

Anyone have them/had them and want to add anything about them? apart from the fact their most common cause of death is suicide I'll watch out for that when opening the lid.....

I only got 2 since that was all they had, but I have ordered another 4 to go with them since I read they should be kept in at least sixes to increase their life expectancy.

 

[itsmedeanna64]

I have a rehomed hatchet, mine is the silver but I've seen the marbled like you have. I plan to get more to go with mine next week because I hear they are shoaling fish. They evidently are very calm other than when I do a WC he seems to get real excited and that's where I can see he could easily jump. Mine stays toward the mid/top of the tank.

I think you'll like them! I want to get some marbled to go in my 55.

 

[Lateral Line]

Hatchet fish are characins, so this is the right place.

Why have I never seen/heard anyone talk about these on the boards before?

If you search the board for "hatchet" for example, you will find quite a few threads. We were talking about hatchets just a week ago in this thread.

The jumping is a frequent cause of their demise. If the tank is not well covered, they will find the holes. Jumping and crashing into the tank walls is also a frequent death cause. Interesting little group of fish.

 

[karlp]

Hatchets are way cool!

Just be aware that the marbles are quite vulnerable to being fin nipped from beneath and don't last long once that starts, so don't keep any fish with them that are likely to nip them (it's why I now keep common hatchets, because they're bigger and hardier).

Also, although they take flake, they really like frozen blood worm. dangle a few from some pincers at a time at the surface and you get a feeding frenzy as they try to get it.

Enjoy!