African Butterflyfish

The African butterflyfish gets its name from its large pectoral fins, which spread out to both sides and look like butterfly wings when viewed from above. Its back is flat and its mouth is large and upturned; long, thin rays hang down from the pelvic fins. Its brown-gray mottled coloring hides it among floating leaves.

It is the only species in its family and belongs to the same order of primitive fish as the arowanas. It spends almost its entire life just below the water surface, waiting motionless and catching insects that fall into the water. It can leap out of the water when threatened or chasing prey.

It lives in still and slow-flowing waters, lakes and swamps of West and Central Africa, along shaded banks with plenty of floating plants.

• Volume: at least 100 liters for a single fish; a large surface area matters, not depth.
• Lid: a tight lid is essential; it escapes by jumping or hits the lid. Leave a few centimeters of space between the water surface and the lid.
• Surface: still water, weak flow. Floating plants and roots reaching the surface provide cover, but part of the surface should remain open.
• Water: warm, soft and slightly acidic.

Carnivorous and takes food only from the surface. Live or frozen flies and crickets, mosquito larvae, bloodworms, floating sticks and pellets. It does not take food that sinks to the bottom.

Usually calm toward other species, but it eats small fish that fit in its mouth (especially those swimming near the surface). It is territorial toward species that share the surface and toward its own kind.

Good companions: calm mid- and bottom-dwelling species too large to fit in its mouth: Congo tetras, Corydoras, elephantnose fish, Senegal bichirs, calm dwarf cichlids.

Avoid: surface-dwelling species (hatchetfish, killifish), small fish, fin-nipping barbs and aggressive cichlids.

Usually kept alone. Several individuals can live together in an aquarium with a large surface area, but males chase each other.

It breeds with difficulty in the aquarium. The eggs float on the water surface; they are collected and moved to a separate container. The fry live at the surface and need very small live food.

• Jumping injuries: in an uncovered or noisy setting.
• Fin injuries: from fin-nipping tankmates.
• Nutritional deficiency: in fish fed a single type of food; vary the diet.

The rear edge of the male's anal fin is convex and its central rays are thickened like a tube; the female's anal fin edge is straight.