
Silver hatchetfish
Gasteropelecus sternicla
It hangs motionless just under the surface, then bolts in an instant.
The Silver hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus sternicla) is a tropical freshwater fish of the family Gasteropelecidae. Adults grow to about 6 cm. In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 120 cm long and water at 23–28 °C.
- Size
- 6 cm
- Smallest tank
- 120 cm
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C
- Care
- Moderate
In the aquarium
Temperature23–28 °C
pH5.5–7.5
Hardness1–12 °dGH
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Activity
- Calm
- Water layer
- Surface
- Group
- Happiest in a group of 6 or more
- Plants
- Plant safe
These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.
Which tank it fits
- Nano60 cm · 65 litresToo small
- Standard90 cm · 180 litresToo small
- Wide120 cm · 300 litres75 of them
- Living room180 cm · 650 litres162 of them
- Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres300 of them
- Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres360 of them
Who it lives with
Gets along80 species
- Black skirt tetra
- Diamond tetra
- Pearl danio
- Tiger barb
- Bronze corydoras
- Dwarf chain loach
- Emperor tetra
- Zebra danio
- Cherry barb
- Platy
- Cardinal tetra
- Lemon tetra
- Penguin tetra
- Harlequin rasbora
- Dwarf gourami
- Black neon tetra
- Serpae tetra
- Glowlight tetra
- Guppy
- Molly
- Neon tetra
- Congo tetra
- Glowlight danio
- Green neon tetra
Caution10 species
Narrow shared temperature range
Not together9 species
Aggressive with peaceful
Water temperatures do not overlap
In the wild
- Water type
- Freshwater
- Climate zone
- Tropical
- Aquarium trade
- Traded commercially
Conservation status
Classification
- OrderCharaciformes
- FamilyGasteropelecidae
- GenusGasteropelecus
- SpeciesGasteropelecus sternicla
In other languages
- English
- Common Hatchetfish
- German
- Silberbeilbauchfisch
- Spanish
- Pechito plateado de raya negra
- French
- Poisson hachette argenté
- Russian
- Обыкновенная клинобрюшка
- Chinese
- 胸斧魚
Quick answers
- Silver hatchetfish size: how big does it get?
- Adults reach about 6 cm.
- Silver hatchetfish tank size: what is the minimum?
- A tank at least 120 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Wide tank or larger.
- Silver hatchetfish water parameters: what does it need?
- Temperature 23–28 °C, pH 5.5–7.5, hardness 1–12 °dGH.
- Silver hatchetfish tank mates: what can it live with?
- It gets along with 80 of the 99 freshwater species in the catalogue, such as Black skirt tetra, Diamond tetra, and Pearl danio.
- Silver hatchetfish: alone or in a group?
- Keep at least 6 together.
- Silver hatchetfish and plants: is it plant safe?
- Yes, it leaves plants alone.
Similar species
Sources
Silver hatchetfish: compiled from these references.









