Needle Fish??

[canyon_rayne]

I was at the LPS a few days ago and they had a fish in a tank labled as a "needle fish." It looked exactly like it's name....Long and pointy with a snout type nose. I've looked all over the internet for info on this fish as I thought it looked really cool...To no avail. All the info is for an oceanic fish or for recipes or what not...Is this the same fish as what the pet store was selling?? Has anyone ever had one before?? Any experience?? I'd really like to know..

 

[CFC]

Needle fish are not difficult to keep but you must be prepared to feed them live feeder fish, they are pure piscavors and will refuse to take anything else. They are best kept in a group of at least 3 and need a reasonably large tank, in a tank of less than 55g they will smash their snouts on the glass and starve to death. They grow to around a foot long and are capable of swallowing fish half that size so tankmates need to be the same size or larger, tall bodied fish like cichlids and disk shaped characins (silver dollars etc) will not be bothered.

 

[canyon_rayne]

Wow...Thanks...You're so smart!!

 

[surfer3]

Needle fish will outgrow a 55 gallon tank. They grow to at least 12 inches and can be taught to eat frozen krill. It is easiest to start out with live food for about a week feeding them the same way everytime or at the same place in the tank. Then feed them in the same place but instead of live food feed them defrosted krill. They then will usually readily acept it.

 

[canyon_rayne]

Wow..Big fish..Never thought they would get that big..Sheesh..This fish store has some really odd fish though..Some of them scare me..

 

[unforgiven]

I kept some of these...I trained them to take guppies from the net if I held it just underwater for them. Top water fish, very fun to watch eat, they coil their bodies up and then take off like a spring through the tank to get their prey...look under needle nosed gar they are also called that. They are jumping fish, so heavy tank lids....and they have been responsible for the death of a fisherman or 2, by jumping out of the water and impaling them, though not this particular species.
needlefish1