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| Distichodus and African Pike Characins |
| 05 May 2012 |
Various small African characins are traded on a regular basis, such as the popular Congo Tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus) and the handsome African Red-Eye Tetra (Arnoldichthys spilopterus), both of which make outstanding community fish. Less often seen are the bigger species, most notably two or three species of Distichodus together with the impressive, if somewhat difficult to maintain, African Pike Characin, Hepsetus odoe.
None of these big characins would be recommended to beginners, if only because of their rapid growth and eventual large size. Realistically, we're talking about fish that will need aquaria at least 750 litres in capacity, and besides the large tank, these fish will need a powerful filtration system able to deal with the considerable volume of waste they produce. But on the plus side, none of these characins is finicky about water chemistry, and as herbivores, feeding Distichodus couldn't be easier. Because they prefer live foods such as earthworms and river shrimps, African Pike Characins are a bit more difficult to feed, but skilled aquarists can usually wean them onto frozen foods before too long.
Habitat and distribution
The African Pike Characin Hepsetus odoe is very widely distributed, and may be found across much of west and central Africa, from Guinea in the west through Nigeria and the Congo region as far south as Namibia and Zimbabwe. It's a generalist species that may be found in both still water habitats (for example lakes) as well as rivers. Like most other pike-shaped fish, it prefers to lurk in shady areas close to vegetation.
Distichodus are not quite so widely distributed. Distichodus sexfasciatus for example can be found throughout the Congo river area from Cameroon to Tanzania. This species is also found in Lake Tanganyika. In the wild at least this species swims about in schools, feeding on plants and small prey such as insect larvae.
General care
The key thing with all of these fish is an appreciation of their large adult size. In the wild Hepsetus odoe is said to reach 70 cm in length, but aquarium specimens seem to get to less than half that size, 30 cm being typical. Distichodus sexfasciatus and Distichodus lusosso both get to around 35-40 cm in length under aquarium conditions, but they are much more deep bodied than Hepsetus odoe. The bottom line is that even if juveniles might be maintained in smaller aquaria for a while, ultimately these fish will need aquaria upwards of 750 litres.
Filtration is a major issue when keeping any large fish, and these big African characins are no exception. Heavy-duty external canister filters are probably essential, with turnover rates of at least 6 times the volume of the tank being necessary, and ideally substantially more than that. In other words, a 750-litre aquarium would need a filtration system rated at not less than 4,500 litres/hour. To put this into perspective, a single Eheim 2217 canister filter offers a turnover rate of only 1,000 litres/hour, and even the massive Fluval FX5 is still only rated at 2,300 litres/hour.
On the other hand, water chemistry isn't a big issue here, and all these characins will adapt to a broad range of values provided extremes are avoided. Anything from 2-20 degrees dH, pH 6-8 seems to be acceptable, though the ideal would be around 5-10 degrees dH, pH 6.5-7.5. Distichodus are also pretty adaptable when it comes to water temperature, and seem happy at anything from 22-28 degrees C, but African Pike Characins do enjoy a bit of extra warmth, so should be kept no cooler than 25 degrees C.
Compatibility
African Pike Characin are nervous fish when small, but even as adults will throw themselves around the aquarium if alarmed. So while they might be kept successfully with fish that stay at the bottom of the tank, such as stingrays or large L-number catfish, it's not a good idea to combine them with boisterous midwater fish like cichlids. That said, some people have kept them with peaceful, deep-bodied South American cichlids such as Oscars and Severums, so ultimately it may depend on the size of the aquarium and the personalities of the individual fish. Of course, any fish small enough to be swallowed whole will be treated as prey, and they can also be rather aggressive towards their own kind. Some success has been had keeping them in groups of six or more specimens, especially if reared together as juveniles, but African Pike Characins are probably easier to keep singly.
Distichodus are notoriously unpredictable community residents. In this regard they're a lot like the larger Labeo species, with which they share quite a lot in terms of size, diet and habits. Juveniles are basically peaceful though occasionally nippy, and work fine with barbs, catfish and other community species of similar size. As they mature they become more territorial, and despite being sociable fish in the wild, it is not possible to keep more than one Distichodus in home aquarium. Some adult specimens get along fairly well with dissimilar fish, and may be kept with any robust fish of similar size. Popular companions for an African-themed aquarium include big bichir species and the larger Synodontis. But other specimens are very vicious, and Distichodus are equipped with a very strong "beak" that allows them to make nasty bites at anything that comes into range, even heavily armoured loricariid catfish.
Distichodus
All Distichodus are herbivores. They will eat just about every aquarium plant, so aren't suitable for planted tanks. Apart from aquarium plants, they also enjoy lettuce, peas and spinach, as well as Spirulina flake, so giving them the green foods they need shouldn't be difficult. As well as greens, Distichodus enjoy all sorts of small meaty foods, from brine shrimps and bloodworms through to chunks of prawn and mussel.
The commonest species in the trade is Distichodus sexfasciatus. Juveniles have a barb-like shape with orangey-red fins, and orange body, and six green vertical bands. As they mature their colours fade by varying degrees, in some cases to a uniform greenish-grey. A small but obvious adipose fin can be seen between the dorsal fin and the deeply-forked tail fin. There are no known differences between the males and females. Distichodus sexfasciatus gets to well over 70 cm in the wild, but aquarium specimens usually stay substantially smaller, typically 35-40 cm. Juvenile Distichodus sexfasciatus are quite commonly sold, and as mentioned earlier, can work quite well in rough-and-tumble community tanks. But as they mature some specimens become quite aggressive and waspish, and being strong, powerful fish their potential to cause harm should not be underestimated, despite being herbivores.
Distichodus lusosso is similar to Distichodus sexfasciatus but has a longer snout and juveniles bear seven rather than six vertical bands. Again, it is most colourful when small and as it grows its colours fade significantly. It is marginally less aggressive than Distichodus sexfasciatus but otherwise very similar in terms of habitats and care.
Hepsetus odoe
The African Pike Characin is in a large, shady aquarium with a secure cover (these fish are notoriously jumpy) and away from any tankmates likely to scare them. If kept on their own it is relatively straightforward to wean them onto frozen foods, but newly imported specimens will probably need live foods such as earthworms and river shrimps. Once settled and feeding well, they can be gradually trained to take frozen foods, perhaps wiggled enticingly by using a pair of forceps. Do take great care not put your hands near to their jaws: these fish are equipped with extremely strong jaws, sharp teeth, and lightning fast reflexes! Some specimens learn to take floating pellets such as Hikari Cichlid Gold, and such foods provide a good, balanced staple that should ensure excellent health.
The best tankmate for the African Pike Characin is something that stays close to the bottom, such as a stingray or L-number plec. Some aquarists have kept African Pike Characins in groups, but if there aren't enough specimens bullying is very likely to occur. You'll certainly need at least 6 specimens for a group to settle down, and this assumes all the African Pike Characins in the group are of roughly equal size and health.
Maximum length under aquarium conditions is about 40 cm. There are no known differences between the sexes. |
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Distichodus maculatus |
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