New Guinea tiger perch

Care at a glance

Overview

This is the New Guinea member of the tiger perch group, a slow, deliberate predator best kept singly or with large, robust tankmates it cannot swallow. Treat companions with caution, since anything small enough to fit in its mouth is food, and give it a well-decorated tank with driftwood and roots to shelter among, because it is naturally shy. It cruises the middle water and produces a lot of waste, so strong external filtration is essential. Feed meaty foods such as river shrimp, prawn, and chunks of fish. A large tank of around 600 liters or more suits an adult.

In the wild

The New Guinea tiger perch lives in the rivers and tidal estuaries of southern New Guinea, often in the brackish lower reaches but also well upstream in pure fresh water. It tolerates a little salt but does not need it, so hard, slightly alkaline fresh water is fine. Give it wood and roots for cover in warm water of 24 to 29 C at a pH of 7.0 to 8.0.

Good to know

Datnioides campbelli belongs to Datnioididae, the tiger perches or datnoids, and reaches around 32 centimeters. It is a gold-bodied fish crossed by bold dark bars, and the only tiger perch native to New Guinea, which makes it the most rarely imported of the group. Breeding is of moderate difficulty and seldom recorded, as these large predators are challenging to spawn in aquaria.

Did you know

It is the least often seen of all the tiger perches, and a single import can be talked about among datnoid keepers for a long time. Being the only member of the group from New Guinea only adds to its scarcity.

Common questions

Related species

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