Luciocephalus pulcher

Luciocephalus pulcher

Luciocephalus pulcher is a real predatory fish that is not really suitable for the aquarium as it attacks and eats any other fish that fits in its mouth. They can therefore only be kept together with fish that are considerably larger than them. They are extremely sensitive to water quality and therefore very difficult to keep. This is certainly not a beginner fish.

They belong to the Gouramis family and can therefore breathe above water. They then use their labyrinth organ to extract oxygen from the air. They can therefore survive in oxygen-poor water.

This species was officially described by Gray in 1830.

Synonym: Diplopterus pulcher

Origin

Asia; Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand. They inhabit peat swamps and other stagnant waters as long as it is black water. The peat and acids make the water very soft and acidic. The pH can drop to as low as pH 3.0.

Diet

Feed them mainly live food in the form of insects picked from the water’s surface and live fish. To prevent contamination with diseases and parasites, it is best to breed the feeder fish yourself.

The Aquarium

This predator can swim fast but usually hangs in the water waiting for prey. As soon as it is within range, the Luciocephalus pulcher shoots forward and swallows its prey with a large bite. Decorate the aquarium with plenty of plants, wood and leaves for them to lurk among. Because they are mainly located on the surface, the bottom does not matter much.

Part of their diet consists of insects. If you provide some space in the hood and allow some twigs to break through the surface, you can place insects on these twigs. Luciocephalus pulcher then eats them off the twig above water. They are excellent jumpers. So make sure you have a closed hood. Even the smallest hole must be closed to prevent them from jumping out of the aquarium.

The water should be soft and acidic. In the aquarium the pH may be between 3.0 and a maximum of 6.0. The temperature between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius is the ideal value. They are very sensitive to fluctuations in water composition and pollution. A strict schedule of changing small amounts very regularly and keeping the water clean is therefore recommended. Filtering over peat is recommended to acidify the water. In addition, the peat releases substances that prevent the fish from becoming ill.

Breeding Luciocephalus pulcher

Little is known about the breeding of the Luciocephalus pulcher in the aquarium. It is a mouthbrooder where the male takes care of the breeding. After about 30 days the male spits out the young fish. He will not eat while breeding.

Video

Authors

Jan Bukkems – Aquavisie
John de Lange

Copyright images

AquariumGlaser.de