TankBud

Mottled bushfish

Ctenopoma weeksii

Also known as Weeksii ctenopoma, Mottled ctenopoma

FreshwaterFish

Mottled bushfish (Ctenopoma weeksii)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
4.7 in
12 cm
Minimum tank
42 gal
160 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer
Rarity
Rare
Family
Anabantidae
Origin
Congo basin

Overview

The mottled bushfish is a middleweight African labyrinth fish for a dim, well-structured tank of tougher species. It suits an intermediate keeper.

Did you know

The mottled bushfish's species name, weeksii, honors John Henry Weeks, a Baptist missionary who spent decades on the Congo River in the late 1800s. He collected the first specimen near his mission station. It is one of many African fishes gathered by such travelers.

Caring for the mottled bushfish

Give the mottled bushfish a dimly lit tank of at least 42 gal (160 L) with plenty of cover. Use driftwood, caves, leaf litter and shade-giving plants over a soft, dark bottom. It needs a lot of structure to hide in and hunt from.

Keep the water warm and soft to neutral, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, with gentle filtration. Feed it earthworm, prawn, mussel and frozen foods of a size it can manage.

The mottled bushfish is mostly peaceful but a patient ambush predator. It needs tank mates too big to swallow, so keep a careful eye when adding anything small. Tougher species such as synodontis catfish and larger tetras make a good Congo-themed community. It is not a shoaling fish, but you can keep one or a small group in a roomy tank.

As a true Ctenopoma, it scatters floating eggs and gives no parental care. It has no established aquarium breeding record.

Good to know

Ctenopoma weeksii is an African labyrinth fish of the family Anabantidae, with dark mottling and scrawl over a bronze body. It takes air at the surface through a labyrinth organ, the same organ that lets its relatives survive in low-oxygen water. It is also sold as the mottled or weeksii ctenopoma.

In the wild

The mottled bushfish comes from the middle Congo basin, in slow, tannin-shaded backwaters among leaves and root tangles.

Common questions

What size tank does a mottled bushfish need?

A mottled bushfish needs at least 42 gal (160 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a mottled bushfish need?

A mottled bushfish is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a mottled bushfish eat?

A mottled bushfish eats earthworm, prawn, mussel and frozen foods of a size it can manage. It is an ambush predator and will swallow small tank mates.

How big does a mottled bushfish get?

An adult mottled bushfish reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).

How does a mottled bushfish breed?

A mottled bushfish scatters floating eggs and gives no parental care, like other true Ctenopoma. It has no established breeding record in aquariums.

Related species