The Marbled Hatchetfish (Carnegiella strigata) is a unique looking and quite peaceful fish. He usually spends most of his time swimming in the upper region of tanks.
The species, which resembles a leaf floating in water, is very attractive and can attract the attention of all aquarists levels, although it’s not recommended for beginners as it’s very shy and can catch Ich quite easily. In general, the Marbled Hatchetfish is a shy fish and needs to be in the company of others of its kind to feel comfortable and calm.
Below, check out a complete Marbled Hatchetfish care guide. Learn about water parameters, food and feeding, appearance, behavior, tank mates, reproduction and aquarium setup.
Marbled Hatchetfish- Complete Care Guide
Technical Details
Name: Marbled Hatchetfish, River Hatchetfish;
Scientific Name: Carnegiella Strigata (Günther, 1864);
Family: Gasteropelecidae;
Species Origin: South America (Amazon and Caqueta rivers basins in Colombia);
Length: Up to 1,37inches;
Life Span: Between 2 and 5 years;
Care Level: Moderate;
Water Parameters
pH: 5.0 – 8.0;
Water Hardness: Between 5 – 19;
Temperature: Must be kept between 24 – 28°C;
Distribution / Habitat
In the wild, the Marbled Hatchetfish can be found throughout the Amazon River basin, as well as the Caquetá River in Colombia. It inhabits streams and tributaries with abundant vegetation, where it usually lives in the company of others of its kind. In addition, the fish spend most of their time on the water surface, feeding on insects and crustaceans.
Description
About the appearance, the Marbled Hatchetfish is usually small and shaped like an axe. He has white colors with black marble patterns, which look like stripes running across his body. Its mouth is situated near the top of its head to facilitate feeding at the surface of the water.
See Also:
Foods and Feeding
Omnivorous. The Marbled Hatcheftfish has its mouth at the top of the head and therefore feeds on the surface. Therefore, whatever falls below it, he will set aside. In nature, for example, it feeds on small flies and mosquito larvae.
In an tank, he will accept virtually all types of food, as long as they are always on the surface. Their base diet should be high quality flake food, but should also contain mosquito larvae, bloodworms and brine shrimp.
Temperament / Behavior
With a peaceful and quite shy behavior, the Marbled Hatchetfish needs to be in the company of at least six fish or more to feel comfortable and adapt to life in a closed environment. Also, in large groups, the species will be much more active and live longer.
Butterflyfish live close to the surface and will be very difficult to see them swimming in other regions of the tank.
Tank Mates
Because it’s a very shy fish, the Marbled Hatchetfish should live only with other more peaceful and quiet species. Some good tank mates include, for example:
- Tetras;
- Dwarf cichlids;
- Corydoras;
Sexual Differences
Differentiating between the male and female Marbled Hatchetfish is a difficult task, but when viewed from above, the female appears larger and more plump in appearance compared to the male. Also, it’s possible to see the eggs when she is ready to spawn.
Reproduction
Breeding Marbled Hatchetfish in an tank can be a bit difficult, but still possible. The water should be soft and slightly acidic, and the fish should be fed a diet that includes fruit flies, small crustaceans, and other types of protein-rich foods.
Also, the breeding tank should be dimly lit and contain lots of floating plants. Plants will help to further reduce the light entering the tank and will act as spawning grounds for these fish.
You can raise them in pairs, but the ideal is to create a small group formed with at least 4 fish.
Once spawning has been achieved, remove the parents from the tank as they will likely eat the eggs. Hatching occurs between 30 and 36 hours, and the fry will be swimming freely around the tank in 1 to 2 days. However, the fry are very small and should be fed infusoria for the first week, until they are big enough to accept brine shrimp nauplii.
After 20 days of hatching, the fry assume the body shape of the adult fish and swim in all regions of the tank.
Aquarium Setup
The Marbled Hatchetfish tank needs to have at least 15 gallons to hold six fish of the species.
You must create an environment with dark water, as well as soft and acidic, adding driftwood and floating plants to create the ideal setting and replicate the species’ natural habitat a little.
Regarding filtration, try to add a filter with a moderate flow of water, as they like slightly choppy water. Also, remember to add a tight-fitting lid to the tank, as these fish are excellent jumpers.
Finally, the butterfly fish is an animal susceptible to Ich, especially when it has just been introduced into a new tank. So try to acclimatize him very carefully for two or three weeks before adding it to the main tank.
References
Géry, J., 1977. Characoids of the world. Neptune City ; Reigate : T.F.H. [etc.]; 672 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 23 cm. (Ref. 598);
Joseph S. Nelson, Fishes of the World, Wiley, 2006;
Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod, Aquarium Fishes of the World, TFH Publications, 1998;
Glen S. Axelrod, Brian M. Scott, Neal Pronek, Encyclopedia Of Exotic Tropical Fishes For Freshwater Aquariums, TFH Publications, 2005;
