Silver Hatchet Without The Hatchet Belly?

[irodri25]

Help!!! So I got a bunch of hatchet fish that are currently in my quarantine tank until they are ready to be put in the show tank but when I got them there was one that looked really similar to a hatchet fish but didn't have the big belly that they normally do is it still a hatchet its same color and same form of fins that are used to swim except they are a little shorter his mouth is also pointing upwards like a hatchet. Any ideas?

 

[Lunar Jetman]

It is a bit difficult to tell from just a description so can you post up a photo of the fish in question?

 

[irodri25]

yes i will try because it is very fast


Any idea on how I can attach a Photo?

 

[irodri25]

http/s1225.photobucket.com/user/dark_angel_itsel/media/20130320_030940-1.mp4.html


Posted a video instead I'll post some photos but they aren't very clear. The mystery hatchetfish is the one swimming around really fast I tried following it as best I could towards the end you can see a clearer image of him/her.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

A bit too blurred to make out clearly what it is, but its definitely not a Hatchetfish. From what I can see on that video it looks the size and shape of some sort of danio. Can you describe the markings on it or have another go with the camera?

It certainly looks like a danio so i'd either return it or get some more as its a shoaling fish and will be happier with 4-5 similar friends.

 

[irodri25]

I have some danios and they dont look the same maybe a different type and yes I will try again see if its better

 

[MBOU]

My first thought was a species of Chela. Very similar to hatchets but not so deep in body and a lot faster. The main similarities being the upturned mouth and the upturned pectoral (side) fins... couldn't see if the fins pointed upwards like the hatchets...
 
If they do... could be what is known as Indian Hatchet fish..
 
http/www.atlasaqm.net/images/uploads/INDIAN_HATCHET_FISH.jpg

 

[irodri25]

omg it looks exactly like the indian hatchetfish even with the black dot by the tail

 

[irodri25]

http/s1225.photobucket.com/user/dark_angel_itsel/media/VID00098.mp4.html
 
Here is a clearer video but its the best I got sorry it might just be my bad lighting and my quarantine tank is so scratched up sorry about that lol years of cleaning it. It was my first tank ever.


As for markings he really has no markings except a very silver body and one light black dot by its tail. You can also see his tummy a little.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

That's a clearer video. It does look very like MBOUs photo doesn't it. I've never seen that type before as well so you learn something new every day! So your others look like common hatchetfish and this seems to be an Indian hatchetfish. The next question I guess is whether you get any more to go with it as it seems to be darting around on its own or return it to swop for a common one.