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No federal permit to keepSpotted archerfish
Toxotes chatareus
Fishes › Archerfish and barracudas (Carangaria) › Toxotidae (Archerfish)
Toxotes chatareus, sometimes known by the common names common archerfish, seven-spot archerfish or largescale archerfish, is a species of perciform fish in the archerfish genus Toxotes. They are usually no larger than 20 centimetres (7.9 in) but may…
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 60 in long and 21 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 9.8 in / 25 cm; the largest recorded was 15.7 in).
- Water: Freshwater (tolerates brackish).
- Temperature: 77–86°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
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.”
- Tankmates: “Generally peaceful although may eat much smaller fish.”
- Breeding: “No breeding recorded in captivity.”
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
Unlike most archerfish, T. chatareus are sooty rather than silvery in colour.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Toxotes chatareus” (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 rivers and streams, lakes, estuaries, mangroves. Occurs mainly in brackish mangrove estuaries, but also penetrates freshwater rivers and small streams. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater / brackish water, 77–86 °F (25–30 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
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 96°F (up to 101°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 59°F (down to 53°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 75–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 51–71% on average (driest month about 48%) |
| Rainfall | about 1048 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 254 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 | Toxotes chatareus, sometimes known by the common names common archerfish, seven-spot archerfish or largescale archerfish, is a species of perciform fish in the archerfish genus Toxotes. They are usually no larger than 20 cm but may grow up to 40 cm. Unlike most archerfish, T. chatareus are sooty rather than silvery in colour. They are omnivorous, feeding on insects, fish, and vegetative matter at the surface of the water. — 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 | Like other archerfish, Toxotes chatareus are able to spit streams of water to knock prey into the water. Despite lacking a neocortex, T. chatareus has well-developed visual cognition and pattern-recognition abilities which allow it to hit prey at distances of up to 150 cm against complex backgrounds. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Reproduction | Toxotes chatareus reproduce by spawning. Spawning in T. chatareus are homochronal (females only spawn once per season) and iteroparous (spawning occurs more than once in a fish's lifespan). Breeding in Toxotes chatareus occurs in the wet season. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Appearance and size | Maximum length 40.0 cm sl male/unsexed; maximum published weight 750.00 g. — FishBase |
| Biology | Occurs mainly in brackish mangrove estuaries, but also penetrates freshwater rivers and small streams (, 44894 ). Inhabits coastal waters. Found along the shores of flowing and standing waters. — 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.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Common length to 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 × 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.
