Narrow hatchetfish
Triportheus angulatus
Also known as Elongate hatchet tetra, Longfin hatchet tetra, Dusky narrow hatchetfish
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–82°F
- 23–28°C
- pH
- 5.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 9.8 in
- 25 cm
- Minimum tank
- 79 gal
- 300 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Top
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Triportheidae
- Origin
- Widespread across the Amazon, Orinoco, and Paraguay river basins in South America.
Overview
This is a fast, restless schooling fish that needs a long tank of at least 300 liters and a firm lid, since it is a strong jumper. Keep it in a group of 6 or more so the shoal feels secure and stays out in the open. It is peaceful with fish it cannot eat but will take very small tankmates.
In the wild
Cruises the open upper water of rivers, lakes, and flooded areas in large, active shoals. The deep, keeled chest and long lower pectoral fins are adaptations for life near the surface. It feeds on insects and other small prey taken from the top.
Good to know
Triportheus angulatus has a pronounced keel like breast and enlarged pectoral fins, and it reaches around 25 cm. It belongs to the family Triportheidae, a group of open water, surface feeding characins. The silvery body carries a faint dark stripe along the side.
Did you know
The deep chest and oversized fins let it move in fast, coordinated shoals along the surface, snapping up insects that hit the water.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Narrow hatchetfish is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the top. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Whitespot eartheater
Satanoperca leucosticta
Freshwater7.1 in (18 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)
Pale chub
Zacco platypus
Freshwater7.9 in (20 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)54–75°F (12–24°C)
Largescale four-eyed fish
Anableps anableps
FreshwaterBrackish11.8 in (30 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)77–88°F (25–31°C)
Circular whiptail
Planiloricaria cryptodon
Freshwater8.7 in (22 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Van Heurn's rainbowfish
Melanotaenia vanheurni
Freshwater7.3 in (18.5 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Asian glass hatchetfish
Parachela oxygastroides
Freshwater7.9 in (20 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Narrow hatchetfish need?
A Narrow hatchetfish needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the top.
What temperature and pH does a Narrow hatchetfish need?
A Narrow hatchetfish is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.
How big does a Narrow hatchetfish get?
An adult Narrow hatchetfish reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).
Does a Narrow hatchetfish need a group?
Yes. A Narrow hatchetfish is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
9.8 in (25 cm)79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Giant river hatchetfish
Triportheus rotundatus
9.8 in (25 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)53 gal (200 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)Blue spotted hill trout
Barilius bakeri
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8.7 in (22 cm)66 gal (250 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)Sultan pleco (L264)
Leporacanthicus joselimai
8.7 in (22 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)
11.8 in (30 cm)100 gal (380 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Red tail barracuda
Acestrorhynchus falcatus
11.8 in (30 cm) · 100 gal (380 L)
11.8 in (30 cm)58 gal (220 L)72–84°F (22–29°C)Spotted severum
Heros notatus
11.8 in (30 cm) · 58 gal (220 L)
8.1 in (20.5 cm)119 gal (450 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Ericotaenia hap
Mylochromis ericotaenia
8.1 in (20.5 cm) · 119 gal (450 L)