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No federal permit to keepPikehead
Luciocephalus pulcher
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Osphronemidae (Gouramis and bettas)
Luciocephalus pulcher, the pikehead, giant pikehead or crocodile pikehead, is a species of gourami native to the Malaya Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 42 in long and 15 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 7.9 in / 20 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–7.5.
- Hardness: 0–15 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
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 × 12 in (roughly 29 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: 72–79 °F, 0–10 dGH.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “This ambush predator will often be seen hovering motionless in the mid to upper water levels, and is happiest when maintained in a tank shaded by patches of floating vegetation.”
- Diet: “Highly piscivorous and notoriously difficult to wean off live foods, L.”
- Tankmates: “Although there are a few reports of successfully co-habiting this pikehead with similarly-sized fish that enjoy the same water conditions, it really is best kept in a species tank.”
- Breeding: “It's a paternal mouthbrooder that has been bred successfully in aquaria, although little data is available.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Gouramis and labyrinth fish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Warm, still, vegetated waters. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Planted, calm tanks with floating plants; they breathe air at the surface, so leave a gap under the lid.
Diet
- Food acceptance is species-specific. Parosphromenus deissneri needs tiny live invertebrate foods and commonly refuses dried foods; a pellet/flake staple cannot cover every labyrinth fish.
Health watch
- Males are territorial; dwarf gourami iridovirus.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is a yellowish-brown fish with dark brown longitudinal bands and stripes, and can reach a length of 20 centimetres (7.9 in) SL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade, where it is notoriously difficult to keep; they require extremely soft, acidic water and seldom eat dead foods.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Luciocephalus pulcher” (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. Uses both the bottom and open water. Occurs in streams and flooded forest among dense vegetation. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C), pH 6–7.5, hardness 15 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: external brooders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–79 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 89°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 72°F (down to 70°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 79–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 81–84% on average (driest month about 79%) |
| Rainfall | about 2464 mm a year, spread fairly evenly |
Measured at 44 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 | Luciocephalus pulcher, the pikehead, giant pikehead or crocodile pikehead, is a species of gourami native to the Malaya Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. It is a yellowish-brown fish with dark brown longitudinal bands and stripes, and can reach a length of 20 cm SL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade, where it is notoriously difficult to keep; they require extremely soft, acidic water and seldom eat dead foods. — 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 |
| Behavior | Compared to most gouramies, it is a highly specialized ambush predator that spends most of its time lying motionless near plants or other cover for potential prey to approach; when it does attack a potential meal (usually a smaller fish), it is able to extend its jaw to about one-third of its body length, allowing it to successfully prey upon fishes almost half of its own length. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Reproduction | Males are mouthbrooding for about 30 days. — FishBase |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Occurs in streams and flooded forest among dense vegetation. Found in primary peats swamps. The premaxillae can extend about 1/3 of the head length. — FishBase |
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
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). 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 × 12 in (about 29 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.
- Seriously Fish — Parosphromenus deissneri Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- 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.
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