Largescale Archerfish (Toxotes chatareus) Care Guide

Toxotes chatareus is an archerfish that spits water to knock down prey, tolerating fresh and brackish water and reaching up to about 40 cm.

Overview

Toxotes chatareus, the largescale or seven-spot archerfish, is a fish of the family Toxotidae known for spitting streams of water to knock terrestrial prey into the water. It has a silvery body with a series of dark blotches along the dorsal side and tolerates pure freshwater better than some of its relatives.

Taxonomy

• Family: Toxotidae
• Genus: Toxotes
• Scientific name: Toxotes chatareus
• Common synonym: Common Archerfish

Habitat

The species ranges from India and Myanmar through Indonesia and New Guinea to northern Australia, and up the Mekong into Thailand and Laos. Its main habitat is brackish mangrove swamps, but it also occurs in freshwater rivers and streams, favouring shaded areas with overhanging vegetation.

Tank requirements

• Minimum tank volume: 500 L
• Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
• pH: 7-8.5
• GH: 10-30 °dGH
• Group size: keep in groups of 4 or more
• Lifespan: 6-10 years
• Water type: brackish

Diet

Wikipedia describes the species as omnivorous, taking insects, crustaceans, fish, plant matter and zooplankton, with the diet shifting through life and by location. In the aquarium it readily takes insects and meaty foods at the surface and is fed once daily.

Behavior

Archerfish use precise visual cognition and pattern recognition to spit water and hit prey at distances of up to about 150 cm. They can also leap to seize prey directly from overhanging surfaces.

Compatibility

It is a semi-aggressive, surface-oriented schooling fish best kept in groups. Suitable tankmates include monos and datnoids of similar size; small fish that fit in the mouth should be avoided.

Breeding

Spawning occurs in the wet season; females release large numbers of buoyant eggs (reported in the tens of thousands), with no parental care.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List: Least Concern, although habitat loss and fishing pressure are noted as future risks.