Spotted African Leaf Fish

[severum boy]

Its not a Ctenopoma sp. from the picture provided. The fish could be a Ctenopoma, but the one in the picture is not.
It is a Polycentropsis abbreviata, The African leaf-fish, family Nandidae. The LFS was right, it will get to around three inches, maby a bit larger. They dont really need large tanks, the 10gal would do for life. They will eat live foods and can be weaned onto frozen, even pelleted foods! They do like warm water though, so keep it at around 28*C. They are peaceful with fish bigger than them that also ignore them, so plec and other inactive catfish are fine. You should be able to keep a pair of them, they dont tend to attack other ALF. They also may get lost in a large tank and feel intimidaded and not really move from one corner.

I saw some of these fish in the pet store the other day. They are very interesting. The pet store had them housed with Dwarf Puffer Fish. Would this work on a long term basis?? Or was that just a quick fix for the pet store?

No. They should really not be housed with them ever. Dwarf puffers are to out going and agressive for the leaf fish, and they would be toataly out competed for food. That is , if the puffers managed to survive for that long.

 

[Fruitbat]

Having kept (and currently keeping) both Ctenopoma acutirostre and Polycentropsis abbreviata I can authoritatively say that C. acutirostre is a MUCH easier proposition than the 'true' African Leaf Fish. In my experience, while a rare few P. abbreviata will take frozen foods, the vast majority of them will starve to death before they eat anything other than live food. I've never had or seen one that would eat pellets or other prepared foods of any kind.

The African anabantids - Ctenopoma, Microctenopoma and Sandelia are my second favorite group of fish after the Polypterids and I currently have 5 species of Ctenopoma/Microctenopoma in my tanks. I've also got three Polycentropsis abbreviata which are thriving on a diet of well-quarantined live guppies.

There is an additional genus of 'African Leaf Fish' - Afronandus - but they are so rare in captivity as to be virtually impossible to acquire.

BTW....most of what are being sold as 'Spotted African Leaf Fish' are indeed young Ctenopoma acutirostre.

-Joe

 

[severum boy]

Ive not heard any info on Afronandus, as you say they are rare.

In my experience, while a rare few P. abbreviata will take frozen foods, the vast majority of them will starve to death before they eat anything other than live food.

In a lfs they had an adult that was taking pellets and I would have brought it, but dident have anywhere to keep it. What live foods is yours feeding on?

 

[aaandyyy]

So as this an old thread, did you get it in the end?

For what it's worth in my opinion (I've got most leaf fish varieties), that is definitely not a Ctenopoma but a Nandus, probably Nandus nandus. Not sure how to add pictures of mine here but they are pretty much identical. Nandus are also different to Ctenopoma in that the Ctenopoma's are Labyrinth fish with an auxillary breathing organ - basically an African gourami - whereas Nandus are gill dependant from the Perciformes family.

Assuming it is a Nandus, then potentially it will reach 20cm + although in reality I've never seen more than 15cm and they are slow growers but have incredible appetites and all-consuming mouths.

 

[kittykitty]

I also work at a fs and have one of these. It is accurately labeled as an african spotted leaf fish, of course that being the common name. Usually these max out at 4." They do well in pairs, and mine isn't shy at all. He frequently meets me at the glass and loves bloodworms and plankton. I feed him flake food also which he does eat. I don't have pictures at the moment, but he is all white with black fins and black spots, and about 1" currently. He was unusually tiny at purchase, which prompted me to "rescue" him. There doesn't seem to be much info about them on the web.

 

[Eigdoog]

Well i have two of these Polycentropsis abbreviata and i think i am going to take them back *ill try them a week more* as i cant feed them any thing other than live, but i have been told to just feed all my fish as i do and let them fight for flake! as they will live for up to 3 months without food and they are not dumb and will eat atfer a little while but if you do not have the time or room do not buy these fish!

There cheap but very hard to keep! alot of others have let them die as they cant do the job right.

 

[Feral123]

will a Leopard Ctenopoma eat bloddworms.....srry for being random but they look life the one you've shown and i was just wondering

lol, never mind, i did some reading and found my answer

 

[Fruitbat]

The leopard bush fish (Ctenopoma acutirostre) will eat almost anything 'meaty'. Mine are currently feeding (heavily) on a variety of foods including: Hikari sinking carnivore pellets, flake food, frozen 'krill', frozen bloodworms, frozen beef heart (rarely) and small frozen 'silversides'. This is why they're a much easier fish to keep than any of the 'true' leaf fishes.

-Joe

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Most stores label the Cpetenoma Acoustrie ambigously as spotted african leaf fish. Thats a very broad term. When they say that, theres a 90 percent chance they mean the fish in the last picture posted. It's probably the most common leaf fish now and I have four of them. Places like petsmart sell them at amazing sizes of less than .25 inches.

I also work at a fs and have one of these. It is accurately labeled as an african spotted leaf fish, of course that being the common name. Usually these max out at 4." They do well in pairs, and mine isn't shy at all.

Actually mine are 6 inches long and are only 3 years old.

Also they can be shy, but normally will be the first out to get food. They have large eyes and are nocturnal. A lot fo their "shyness" can be due to bright lights hurting their eyes. Dimming the lights during feeding time will often encourage them to feed. I have 4, and 3 of them eat out of my hand, the other one is very shy. They love live food, but will be great on frozen and flake. I give them live though because frozen foods get expensive. They especially love beefheart so give them that, especially as they grow larger, because they will start to ignore small flakes and anything but live, beefheart, and very large flakes at around 6 inches.

 

[AshleySpatula]

which ones stay small would the Ctenopoma acutirostre be ok with tetras? i saw some in a fish store the other day that had longer side fins that were really round, they kinda reminded me of the saltwater clown fish side fins with how they were shaped and the way they moved them, and they were about an inch long (fish not fins) what are those? i would like one but would they work with tetras?

 

[AshleySpatula]

anyone? i read they are peaceful would they do ok with smaller tetras?(black neons, glowlights those sorts) the Ctenopama i mean

 

[Fruitbat]

AshleySpatula...

Any smaller fish that will fit into the surprisingly large mouth of a Ctenopoma acutirostre will likely become a snack. Black neons and glowlight tetras will not be safe in an aquarium with an adult-sized C. acutirostre.

-Joe

 

[fshlvr4life]

THANK YOU so much! This is the best web-site. I also have had trouble finding any information on any kind of "leaf fish". I now know that I have two Leopard Ctenopoma acuitirlostre. However you say that. Is there a common name a little easier to say because it is obviously NOT an African Leaf Fish.

My two are approximately 2", they do take air from the top like a gourami at times (but mostly when they are looking for food). And boy do these two EAT. Mine are in no way shy and I have them almost eating from my hand. They will eat all forms of frozen foods such as brine & blood worms. But they go nuts over live earth worms and are now also eating Dainichi color supreme baby pellets.

They are housed with a 10" black ghost knife (who is also not shy), a 2" datnoid, 2 1" green tiger barbs, 1 Burmese Border Loach, 2 3" butterfly fishes, 3 really cool pleco's, a 4" zig zag eel and 1 orange finned mono. They are in a 65 gallon show tank and I am looking to double that size very soon.

I love the leaf fish a lot, they remind me of a pug dog, a little bossy (mostly with each other), the first to the front to eat and full of personality. They do well with confident fish of the same size or larger, but not aggressive. Due to the fact I was feeding earth worms they did give the eel a good look but he faced them and whipped his tail at them a few times and everyone is happy now.

 

[DarkEntity]

which ones stay small would the Ctenopoma acutirostre be ok with tetras? i saw some in a fish store the other day that had longer side fins that were really round, they kinda reminded me of the saltwater clown fish side fins with how they were shaped and the way they moved them, and they were about an inch long (fish not fins) what are those? i would like one but would they work with tetras?

Ctenopoma Acutirostre would be very happy with Tetras for the 5-10 minutes there were any in the tank....These are predatory fish and have rather large mouths to boot

 

[jourdy288]

Well i have two of these Polycentropsis abbreviata and i think i am going to take them back *ill try them a week more* as i cant feed them any thing other than live, but i have been told to just feed all my fish as i do and let them fight for flake! as they will live for up to 3 months without food and they are not dumb and will eat atfer a little while but if you do not have the time or room do not buy these fish!

There cheap but very hard to keep! alot of others have let them die as they cant do the job right.

I have one of those, I had no idea I could get him to eat flake though...