Hatchet Fish

[botia]

are hatchet fish good starter fish or not?

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

It could be a good starter fish but your tank will have to get a cover because they are known to jump out of fishtanks. I would also suggest getting a bristlenose suckerfish. they are a very hardy fish and are diligent workers at getting rid of algae. remember to feed them algae wafers as a required supplement or else they will become sluggish and possibly die. they are nocturnal so it is okay if you don't see them all the time. Males are territorial so try not to get too many bottomfeeders.

 

[This Old Spouse]

So, back to the hatchetfish ... be sure to get at least 6 of them. They love to shoal. How big is your tank, and are you doing a fishless cycle now?

 

[nmonks]

No, they are not good for beginners, but by all means add them after the tank has been running for six months.

Get your tank up and running with robust, east to keep middle and bottom swimming species that require the same soft, acidic water as hatchetfish; obvious South American choices would include bristlenose catfish, Corydoras spp., x-ray tetras and penguinfish. Learn to maintain the right water chemistry and water quality (hatchets don't live long in hard water and won't tolerate non-zero ammonia and nitrite levels).

If you have hard water, there are much better surface swimmers, for example wrestling halfbeaks.

Cheers, Neale

are hatchet fish good starter fish or not?