Hatchetfish and gouramis

K

KLGFCG

AC Members
Feb 2, 2006
97
0
0
Two questions for the price of one...

First, I'm interested in adding 6 marble hatchetfish to my 37 gallon tank, but I'm wondering about their behavior. At the LFS, they just seem to hang out at the top, not doing much at all. Once they're settled in a tank do they liven up at all or is that just the way they are? I don't need frenetic fish, but some movement wouldn't be all bad. Current tank residents are angelfish, rummynoses, panda cories, and otos... any problems there? The top of the tank just seems a wee bit empty.

Secondly, could I keep a male dwarf gourami and a male pearl gourami together in my 55 gallon? Other residents are guppies and cories.

Thanks for any advice.
 
I've never kept the marble hatchets, but I did have a school of silver hatchets at one time. When they got settled into my tank, which was a 55 gallon, they did become more active, but they tend to stay at the surface nearly all the time. If you're looking for a fish that will cruise the different strata in your tank, then hatchets may not be what you want.

A word of caution: they jump. Like crazy. My 55 had a glass hood on it with the plastic strip on the back, and I lost several hatchets to jumping. They ended up jumping out of the spaces around the equipment that weren't covered by the plastic strip.
 
I'd like to second the jumping on the hatchets. Mine slowly started disappearing over the course of a few months. Otherwise, IME, they're moderately active. They're really pretty too, once you get them home and settled in.
 
I decided to be content with what I have in both tanks. They're both doing really well and I don't want to mess up a good thing. Thanks for all the advice anyway. :)
 
eveliens said:
I'd like to second the jumping on the hatchets. Mine slowly started disappearing over the course of a few months. Otherwise, IME, they're moderately active. They're really pretty too, once you get them home and settled in.
Click to expand...

Yea, they are jumpers. I lost 6 overnight when I upgraded tanks. My eggcrate was not ready yet and they all jumped out. I have since replaced them and they are almost always swimming at the top, but they are active!
 
I keep a blue gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus), an African Ctenopoma acutirostre, and a red flame gourami (Colisa lalia) in the same tank with no trouble. It really depends on the temperment of the individuals you get. I also have 2 silver hatchetfish. Lost one to jumping during a tank cleaning. They will spend the majority of their time near the surface, only occasionally traveling further down. Good addition to a tank that needs something near the surface.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom