Home / Fishes / Archerfish and barracudas / Banded archerfish
No federal permit to keepBanded archerfish
Toxotes jaculatrix
Fishes › Archerfish and barracudas (Carangaria) › Toxotidae (Archerfish)
The banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix) is a perciform fish of the archerfish genus Toxotes.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 48 in long and 15 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 7.9 in / 20 cm; the largest recorded was 11.8 in).
- Water: Freshwater (tolerates brackish).
- Temperature: 77–86°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: An open-water coastal swimmer: needs long, open swimming space.
- Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 24 in (roughly 114 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 77–86 °F, pH 7–8, 20–30 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Two types of setup may be considered for archerfish.”
- Diet: “Wild fish mostly feed on both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates of various types, although small fish are also taken occasionally.”
- Tankmates: “Generally peaceful although may eat much smaller fish.”
- Breeding: “No reports of breeding in the hobby.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Fishes
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Varies. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Cycle the aquarium before adding fish so beneficial bacteria can handle ammonia and nitrite.
- Size filtration and partial water changes to stocking and measured water quality. Topping up evaporated water does not replace a water change; treat incoming tap water appropriately.
- Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH regularly.
Diet
- A varied diet of quality prepared foods plus frozen or live foods suited to the species; feed only what's eaten in a few minutes.
Health watch
- Quarantine new fish for at least 30 days; longer may be needed. Use a separate system and dedicated nets, buckets and siphons.
- Never release aquarium fish or plants into the wild.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
Found in brackish water, it is silvery in colour and has a dorsal fin towards the posterior end. It has distinctive, semi-triangular markings along its sides.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Banded archerfish” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater and brackish water, in estuaries, mangroves. Swims in open water near the coast. Occurs primarily in brackish mangrove estuaries, but also penetrates rivers and small streams. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater / brackish water, 77–86 °F (25–30 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 77–86 °F.
- It tolerates or needs brackish water; check salinity needs before setup.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 89°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 71°F (down to 67°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 79–84% on average (driest month about 78%) |
| Rainfall | about 2246 mm a year |
Measured at 147 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix) is a perciform fish of the archerfish genus Toxotes. Found in brackish water, it is silvery in colour and has a dorsal fin towards the posterior end. It has distinctive, semi-triangular markings along its sides. It is best known for its ability to spit a jet of water to "shoot down" prey. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Wild diet | T. jaculatrix feeds mainly on terrestrial insects by spitting water at them, thus knocking them out of the air and into the water. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Behavior | T. jaculatrix is a usually peaceful schooling fish, but if left alone or in relatively solitary conditions (e.g. not in a school) it will become violent and attack other fishes. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Reproduction | Reproductive habits of T. jaculatrix have not been formally studied at this time. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Appearance and size | Banded archerfish have four dorsal spines, 11 to 13 dorsal soft rays, three anal spines (of which the third is longest) and 15 to 17 anal soft rays. The first spine is always the shortest; the rays become shorter toward the posterior end. There are about 23 scales between the first dorsal spine and the posterior nostrils. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Occurs primarily in brackish mangrove estuaries, but also penetrates rivers and small streams (, 44894 ). Reported to occur near overhanging vegetation on reefs (, 48636 ). Usually in small aggregations. — FishBase |
| History and naming | Toxotes jaculatrix were originally described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1767. Since then, several synonyms (such as Labrus jaculatrix and Sciaena jaculatrix) and misspellings (Toxotes jaculator) have come into use. Toxotes is Greek for "bowman" or "archer", and specifically refers to Sagittarius. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | Information on this species is sparse but because it is a very popular aquarium fish one could assume it is not endangered. — Animal Diversity Web |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Common length to maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 24 in (about 114 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
