bobbwb22 - 2009-12-11 I have owned 7 hatchet fish in the last year. 3 of them have jumped out of my tank to their death. I am finally putting a net over my tank, good idea :)
karen weither - 2007-02-25 i think they are strange but interesting fish i wouldnt mind taking one to show and tell
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nm123 - 2011-10-21 i would not even think about it or they will die if you do they need a heater all the time that is mostly why you can't take them anywhere
Dorothy - 2018-02-25 I have 2 hatchet fish in a 75 gallon planted tank. After reading this I'm going to get more. I took my heater out after a malfunction where I lost most of my fish. My aquarium has been without a heater for four years with no problems. My water is in perfect balance and the temp stays at the lower end of normal in the winter. With that said my aquarium is heavily planted which may be a factor.
kye turnbull - 2013-05-14 my mum loves these fishes mouths! im going to get her some as present when i get my tetra tank!
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Clarice Brough - 2013-05-14 They are very cool fish, and fairly hardy. Best to make sure you get enough of them though, and have plenty of space so they can get out of each other's way if one decides to be belligerent.
Gary A.MacDonald - 2010-04-21 While I was down collecting in Bolivia last year, I happened upon a large shoal of these in the Rio San Martin. I will have to say, the Wild living relatives of our Aquarium inhabitants can grow to huge proportions! Not only that, they really can skim across the water top to great lengths!
A tight fitting lid -- definitely, and if you have one, a Canopy even better.
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sam - 2012-06-14 How big do they get?! They were breed down alot I guess so they could be sold in stores
sam - 2012-06-14 Hi I was wonering if three hatchet fish and two angelfish would be ok together in a five gallon tank?..............if you have any other suggestions for fish that could live in there that would be GREAT! THANX!
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sam - 2012-06-14 Thank you do you have any suggestions for other fish to live with the hatchet fish?
sam - 2012-06-14 well my mom who raised angels said two would be fine in a five gallon tank with some hatchets
sam - 2012-06-14 Also I would like to add could you possibly keep a discus with them to? THANX!
symbol - 2012-08-30 Keep in mind that hatchet fish are best kept in groups of 8+. You wouldn't have room for 8 of them in a 5 gallon tank. Also, I think that 5 gallons would be very cramped for angelfish. (You must realize that as well, or you would've just taken your mother's word for it rather than asking advice here first.) I would say that you should probably either get a bigger tank or pick different fish. 5 gallons might also make a really cool invert tank. What about planting it and stocking it with a few Malaysian Trumpet Snails and Cherry Shrimp? (Or some other type of dwarf shrimp. There are lots of beautiful species and colour morphs out there!)
Jeremy Roche - 2012-08-31 No. Way too small. Angels get large and let aggressive without enough room.
nature-boy hunter - 2007-05-16 i'm doing a report on these and they are awesome. i don't have one but i do have some room, and i'm thinking about getting one now.
Anonymous - 2010-03-05 Hatchetfish's scientific name is argyropecus gigas.
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Editor's Note - 2010-03-06 Thanks for the information. There is fish with the common name 'hatchetfish' and a scientific name of 'Argyropecus gigas but it is not the fish listed here. To see the difference, you can see a picture of it at fishbase.org: Hatchet Fish
Editor's Note - 2010-03-06 There are a number of different hatchetfish. Different species can be found in both freshwater and in the oceans. Argyropelecus gigas is known as the Greater Silver Hatchetfish. It is a marine hatchetfish of the genus Argyropelecus. It is also called the Giant Hatchetfish or Large Hatchetfish. It was described by Norman in 1930. The one seen here is a freshwater hatchetfish known as the Common Hatchetfish or Silver Hatchet Fish, Gasteropelecus sternicla.
Anonymous - 2010-03-26 Why are they called that?
Anonymous - 2010-08-09 That's the binomial name for the marine species. The South American freshwater species are different altogether.
ronaldo - 2009-02-06 I have 2 hatchet fish in a fully planted 20 gallon tank, my female is silver and male is a common hatchet. I find that the common hatchet is much more bold than the silver one. I am going to move them into my 125 gallon tank with some marble hatchets soon.
ANONIMO - 2006-10-26 [Translated: This is one of the best fish, it pleases me. I have managed to obtain the reproduction and he is not far from easy.]ESTE ES UNO DE LOS MEJORES PECES, EN LO PARTICULAR ME AGRADA DEMACIADO, HE LOGRADO CONSEGUIR LA REPRODUCCI
joe - 2006-08-15 I had 3 hatchetfish. Two of them just flew out when I didn't have the top on my tank! If you have any hatchetfish, keep a lid on your aquarium!
The Common Hatchetfish is not only an interesting-looking fish... but a freshwater fish that can fly!
I have owned 7 hatchet fish in the last year. 3 of them have jumped out of my tank to their death. I am finally putting a net over my tank, good idea :)
i think they are strange but interesting fish i wouldnt mind taking one to show and tell
i would not even think about it or they will die if you do they need a heater all the time that is mostly why you can't take them anywhere
I have 2 hatchet fish in a 75 gallon planted tank. After reading this I'm going to get more. I took my heater out after a malfunction where I lost most of my fish. My aquarium has been without a heater for four years with no problems. My water is in perfect balance and the temp stays at the lower end of normal in the winter. With that said my aquarium is heavily planted which may be a factor.
my mum loves these fishes mouths! im going to get her some as present when i get my tetra tank!
They are very cool fish, and fairly hardy. Best to make sure you get enough of them though, and have plenty of space so they can get out of each other's way if one decides to be belligerent.
While I was down collecting in Bolivia last year, I happened upon a large shoal of these in the Rio San Martin. I will have to say, the Wild living relatives of our Aquarium inhabitants can grow to huge proportions! Not only that, they really can skim across the water top to great lengths!
A tight fitting lid -- definitely, and if you have one, a Canopy even better.
How big do they get?! They were breed down alot I guess so they could be sold in stores
Hi I was wonering if three hatchet fish and two angelfish would be ok together in a five gallon tank?..............if you have any other suggestions for fish that could live in there that would be GREAT! THANX!
Thank you do you have any suggestions for other fish to live with the hatchet fish?
well my mom who raised angels said two would be fine in a five gallon tank with some hatchets
Also I would like to add could you possibly keep a discus with them to? THANX!
Keep in mind that hatchet fish are best kept in groups of 8+. You wouldn't have room for 8 of them in a 5 gallon tank. Also, I think that 5 gallons would be very cramped for angelfish. (You must realize that as well, or you would've just taken your mother's word for it rather than asking advice here first.) I would say that you should probably either get a bigger tank or pick different fish. 5 gallons might also make a really cool invert tank. What about planting it and stocking it with a few Malaysian Trumpet Snails and Cherry Shrimp? (Or some other type of dwarf shrimp. There are lots of beautiful species and colour morphs out there!)
No. Way too small. Angels get large and let aggressive without enough room.
i'm doing a report on these and they are awesome. i don't have one but i do have some room, and i'm thinking about getting one now.
pleased for you
Hatchetfish's scientific name is argyropecus gigas.
Thanks for the information. There is fish with the common name 'hatchetfish' and a scientific name of 'Argyropecus gigas but it is not the fish listed here. To see the difference, you can see a picture of it at fishbase.org: Hatchet Fish
There are a number of different hatchetfish. Different species can be found in both freshwater and in the oceans. Argyropelecus gigas is known as the Greater Silver Hatchetfish. It is a marine hatchetfish of the genus Argyropelecus. It is also called the Giant Hatchetfish or Large Hatchetfish. It was described by Norman in 1930. The one seen here is a freshwater hatchetfish known as the Common Hatchetfish or Silver Hatchet Fish, Gasteropelecus sternicla.
Why are they called that?
That's the binomial name for the marine species. The South American freshwater species are different altogether.
I have 2 hatchet fish in a fully planted 20 gallon tank, my female is silver and male is a common hatchet. I find that the common hatchet is much more bold than the silver one. I am going to move them into my 125 gallon tank with some marble hatchets soon.
[Translated: This is one of the best fish, it pleases me. I have managed to obtain the reproduction and he is not far from easy.]ESTE ES UNO DE LOS MEJORES PECES, EN LO PARTICULAR ME AGRADA DEMACIADO, HE LOGRADO CONSEGUIR LA REPRODUCCI
I had 3 hatchetfish. Two of them just flew out when I didn't have the top on my tank! If you have any hatchetfish, keep a lid on your aquarium!