TankBud

Silver hatchetfish

Gasteropelecus levis

Also known as Clear hatchetfish, Gastropelecus leavis, Smooth hatchetfish

FreshwaterFish

Silver hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus levis)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.2
Adult size
1.4 in
3.5 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
112 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Top
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Gasteropelecidae
Origin
Lower Amazon basin, Brazil

Overview

The silver hatchetfish is a small, peaceful fish that lives in schools at the top of a calm community tank. It needs a little more care than the easiest community fish.

Did you know

Hatchetfish are strong surface jumpers. When something startles a silver hatchetfish, it beats its wing-like pectoral fins to skitter across the water and launch into short leaps.

Caring for the silver hatchetfish

Give silver hatchetfish a wide tank of 30 gal (112 L) or more, with plenty of open water at the top. They hang just under the surface almost all the time. Floating plants, overhanging roots and a dark substrate make them feel secure and encourage them to stay out in the open. Fit a tight lid, because a startled school will leap clean out of the water.

Keep the water calm, warm and soft, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C). A gently acidic to neutral pH of 5.5 to 7.2 suits them. They feed almost entirely from the surface film, so offer floating and surface foods. Small flakes, tiny frozen foods and insects such as fruit flies all work.

Keep at least six, and preferably more, since lone silver hatchetfish are nervous and fade quickly. They are completely harmless to tank mates and mix well with other calm fish, such as small tetras, rasboras and corydoras. They are not known to have been bred in the aquarium.

Good to know

Gasteropelecus levis is a freshwater hatchetfish in the family Gasteropelecidae, and one of the smaller silver species. Its deep, keeled chest houses the enlarged muscles that power its pectoral fins, and its body is plain, glassy silver. The name levis means smooth. Most shops sell the common hatchetfish, Gasteropelecus sternicla, under the same name, and its care is the same. Gasteropelecus levis itself is rarely offered for sale, and it often turns up mixed in with the more common fish.

In the wild

The silver hatchetfish comes from the lower Amazon basin in Brazil. It lives in quiet backwaters, creeks and flooded margins where the surface is shaded and still, and the water is soft and slightly acidic.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The silver hatchetfish is a 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a silver hatchetfish need?

A silver hatchetfish needs at least 30 gal (112 L). It spends most of its time in the top.

What temperature and pH does a silver hatchetfish need?

A silver hatchetfish is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.

What does a silver hatchetfish eat?

A silver hatchetfish feeds almost entirely from the surface film. Offer it floating and surface foods such as small flakes, tiny frozen foods and insects like fruit flies.

How big does a silver hatchetfish get?

An adult silver hatchetfish reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).

Does a silver hatchetfish need a group?

Yes. A silver hatchetfish is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Related species