TankBud

Ornate bushfish

Microctenopoma ansorgii

Also known as Ornate ctenopoma, Orange bushfish

FreshwaterFish

Ornate bushfish (Microctenopoma ansorgii)
Juan Carlos Palau Díaz · CC BY 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Bubble nester · Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Anabantidae
Origin
Congo River basin, central Africa (Republic of Congo and DR Congo)

Overview

The Ornate bushfish is a small African labyrinth fish and a slow ambush hunter for a dim, planted tank. It is a moderate challenge to keep.

Did you know

Like other labyrinth fish, the Ornate bushfish gulps air at the surface and pulls oxygen from it through a special organ behind the gills. That lets it cope in warm, low-oxygen, tannin-stained backwaters where many other fish would struggle.

Caring for the ornate bushfish

Keep Ornate bushfish as a pair or a small group of three to six, in a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L). A group usually means at least one male colors up. Males turn territorial toward each other and during spawning, so break up sight lines with plenty of plants and cover. A tight-fitting lid is essential, since they are notorious escape artists.

Give them a dimly lit, heavily planted tank with floating cover, driftwood and a layer of leaf litter. Keep the water soft and acidic to neutral, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. They are sensitive to poor water quality, so stay on top of water changes.

They rarely touch dry food, so feed small frozen or live foods such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp. Ornate bushfish are mostly peaceful but sit in midwater as slow ambush micro-predators, and they may eat very small fish or shrimp. Keep them only with calm tank mates slightly larger than bite size, never fast, boisterous feeders.

The Ornate bushfish is a bubble-nest builder. Breeding is hard, since it needs very soft, acidic, warm, shaded water to trigger and raise a spawn. Never release them into local waters, and check your local rules on keeping non-native species.

Good to know

The Ornate bushfish, Microctenopoma ansorgii, is a dwarf bushfish in the family Anabantidae. It is also sold as the ornate ctenopoma or orange bushfish.

In the wild

Ornate bushfish come from the Congo River basin in central Africa, across the Republic of Congo and DR Congo. These are dim, slow waters shaded by forest, soft and acidic and stained brown with tannins.

Common questions

What size tank does an ornate bushfish need?

An ornate bushfish needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an ornate bushfish need?

An ornate bushfish is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

What does an ornate bushfish eat?

An Ornate bushfish eats small frozen or live foods, such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp. It rarely touches dry food and may eat very small fish or shrimp.

How big does an ornate bushfish get?

An adult ornate bushfish reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

How does an ornate bushfish breed?

An Ornate bushfish builds a bubble nest. Breeding it is hard, because it needs very soft, acidic, warm, shaded water to trigger and raise a spawn.

Related species