Indonesian Tigerfish

With thick black bands crossing its golden-yellow body, the Indonesian tigerfish resembles a tiger. It is a deep-bodied, large-mouthed perch-like fish and an ambush predator that swallows any fish fitting in its mouth in an instant. It reaches 40 cm in the aquarium.

Despite its appearance it is a shy fish; bright light and a busy setting stress it, and its colors fade or darken. In a calm, dim aquarium it eventually recognizes its owner and takes food from the hand. It is the best-known companion in arowana aquariums.

It lives in the large rivers, lakes and flooded forests of Sumatra and Borneo, in areas with plenty of sunken trees and roots. The bands on its body camouflage it in the light filtering through the branches; it waits for its prey in these shadows.

It is often confused with similar-looking relatives: the Siamese tigerfish (Datnioides pulcher) has become very rare in the wild, and some tigerfish species live in brackish water. Ask for the species name and origin when buying.

• Volume: at least 600 liters for an adult; a 180 × 70 cm footprint.
• Light and decor: dim light, a dark background, large roots and branches; a fish with places to hide becomes bolder.
• Water: clean and stable; strong filtration and a 30% water change weekly. No salt is needed.

Carnivorous. Shrimp, fish fillet, mussels, worms; over time, large sinking pellets. Wild-caught fish may at first accept only live food; wean them gradually onto frozen foods. Live feeder fish carry a risk of disease.

It eats any fish that fits in its mouth. It is territorial toward its own kind; if two are kept, the dominant one wears down the other.

Good companions: large, calm species too big for its mouth: arowanas, bichirs, clown knifefish, large plecos and catfish, large gouramis.

Avoid: small and medium-sized fish, shrimp, very active and aggressive large cichlids.

Alone, or 3 or more in a large aquarium. When kept as a group, aggression is spread out; two individuals are not recommended.

Aquarium breeding is unknown; those sold are wild-caught.

• Stress and color loss: in bright light, without hiding places and in a busy setting.
• Skin and fin infections: with poor water quality.
• Diseases from live food: feeder fish carry parasites.

There is no reliable external way to tell the sexes apart.