Seven-spot Archerfish

The seven-spot archerfish is the largest of the archerfish and can reach 40 cm in the wild. The upper part of its silvery-yellowish body carries alternating large and small black spots. Like its relative Toxotes jaculatrix, it knocks insects off branches by shooting water from its mouth. Unlike that species, it also often moves into the freshwater stretches of rivers; in the aquarium it can live in fresh water and also adapts to slightly salty water.

• At least 500 liters for a group of 3–5; a long tank with a large surface.
• Fresh or slightly brackish water (specific gravity up to 1.005); values must be kept stable.
• You can keep the water level a little below the rim and create a shooting area with overhanging plants above; a tight-fitting lid is essential.
• Roots and plenty of open swimming space.

Carnivorous and feeds from the surface. Insects such as crickets, flies and mealworms, floating sticks, frozen krill and mysis.

It establishes a hierarchy within the group; if two individuals are kept, the dominant one wears the other down. It eats small fish that fit in its mouth.

Good companions: large species that live in the middle and bottom layers and are too big to fit in its mouth: silver mono, scat, large gouramis, tigerfish, bichirs.

Avoid: small fish, other predators that compete at the surface.