Arowana tetra

Gnathocharax steindachneri

Also known as Steindachner's tetra

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 4.5–6.8
Adult size: 2 in (5 cm)
Minimum tank: 21 gal (80 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Top
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Blackwater creeks of the Amazon and Orinoco
Family: Acestrorhynchidae

Overview

The arowana tetra is a small, surface-hunting characin with a sharply upturned mouth for taking food off the top of the water. It is a schooling fish, so keep it in a group of six or more; it is far bolder and more settled in numbers. It patrols the upper water and rarely comes down, so cover the surface with floating plants and fit a tight lid, as it will jump. It is peaceful with fish it cannot eat, but its whole design is built for hunting tiny prey, so skip very small tankmates and shrimp. Feed small floating and frozen foods, insect-based foods, and the occasional live item. A group suits a tank of around 80 liters or more.

In the wild

The arowana tetra hunts the surface film of soft, acidic blackwater creeks in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, under overhanging growth and floating cover. Recreate that with dark, soft water, floating plants, driftwood, and dim light. Keep it warm, from about 23 to 28 C, with an acidic pH between 4.5 and 6.8. Tannin-stained water and shade at the surface let it feel secure and feed naturally.

Good to know

Gnathocharax steindachneri is a predatory characin in the family Acestrorhynchidae, the group of biting tetras and freshwater barracudas, and reaches only about 5 centimeters. Its mouth turns sharply upward and is set with small teeth, the equipment of a surface ambusher. It is a micro-predator that picks insects and tiny prey from the top of the water. There is no record of it spawning in aquaria.

Did you know

It is called the arowana tetra because its upturned mouth mirrors the surface-feeding jaw of a true arowana, only shrunk to five centimeters. The same hunting design turns up at wildly different sizes.