Congo bushfish

Care at a glance

Overview

The Congo bushfish is a small African labyrinth fish that hunts by drifting quietly up to its prey, so treat it as a calm but predatory community fish rather than a purely peaceful one. It can be kept as a pair or small group, but rival males spar, so give it a well planted tank with wood, caves, and broken sight lines. It is mostly peaceful, though it will eat fish small enough to swallow, so choose tankmates with care and keep it with gentle West Africans of similar size. Feed meaty foods such as bloodworm, small earthworms, and frozen or live items. A shaded, planted tank of around 75 liters suits a pair or trio.

In the wild

Microctenopoma congicum lives in the Congo basin, in slow, shaded, well vegetated stream margins and backwaters. Recreate that with dense planting, driftwood, leaf litter, and dim lighting over a soft, dark bottom. It likes warm, soft to neutral water, about 23 to 27 C at roughly pH 6.0 to 7.5, with gentle filtration. Floating plants that cut the light help it feel secure and encourage it to build a nest.

Good to know

Microctenopoma congicum is an African labyrinth fish in the family Anabantidae, reaching about 7.5 centimeters, and long sold under its old name Ctenopoma congicum. Like others in its genus it breathes air at the surface through a labyrinth organ. Unlike the egg-scattering Ctenopoma, Microctenopoma build a bubble nest, and the male guards the eggs and fry until they swim free, which is why it rates a moderate, medium breeding difficulty.

Did you know

Africa evolved its own line of labyrinth fishes in parallel with the gouramis of Asia. This bushfish blows and tends a raft of bubbles to hold its eggs, the same nest-building trick a gourami uses, worked out on a different continent.

Common questions

Related species

• Dwarf bushfish

  Microctenopoma nanum

  Freshwater

  3 in (7.5 cm)14 gal (54 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Banded bushfish

  Microctenopoma fasciolatum

  Freshwater

  3.1 in (8 cm)24 gal (90 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Ornate bushfish

  Microctenopoma ansorgii

  Freshwater

  3.1 in (8 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Niger Delta bushfish

  Ctenopoma nebulosum

  Freshwater

  4.7 in (12 cm)42 gal (160 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
• Mottled bushfish

  Ctenopoma weeksii

  Freshwater

  4.7 in (12 cm)42 gal (160 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Eyespot bushfish

  Ctenopoma ocellatum

  Freshwater

  5.9 in (15 cm)42 gal (160 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)