Home / Fishes / Tetras, piranhas and pacus / Tucan fish
No federal permit to keepTucan fish
Chalceus erythrurus
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Chalceidae (Chalceus tetras)
The tucan fish (Chalceus erythrurus), also called the yellowfin chalceus or sardinha, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Chalceidae.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 60 in long and 18 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 9.6 in / 24.5 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
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 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–79 °F, pH 6–7, 5–15 dGH.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “It requires a lot of swimming space, so decor is not really critical, although a sandy substrate with some beech branches and floating plants looks very effective, and mimics many of its natural biotopes.”
- Diet: “Feeds primarily on insects and aquatic crustaceans in nature.”
- Tankmates: “It does best when kept either as a single specimen, or in a group with more than 6 fish.”
- Breeding: “Not achieved in the hobby to date.”
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
This fish is found in northern South America.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Tucan fish” (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. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
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 91°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 70°F (down to 66°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 79–80°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 83–85% on average (driest month about 81%) |
| Rainfall | about 2510 mm a year, spread fairly evenly |
Measured at 71 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 tucan fish (Chalceus erythrurus), also called the yellowfin chalceus or sardinha, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Chalceidae. This fish is found in northern South America. — 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 others in the genus Chalceus, the tucan fish is primarily a carnivore, targeting aquatic invertebrates (such as insects and crustaceans). It is known to be somewhat skittish, and may jump out of the water on occasion. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Appearance and size | The tucan fish has a pale-silver body, with bright-yellow ventral fins (hence its other common name); the rest of its fins are some mixture of yellow and red, usually with a reddish tail fin. In terms of size, it reaches 21.4 cm SL. This makes it one of the larger members of the genus Chalceus, outsized only by the pinktail chalceus. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| History and naming | Upon being described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1870, the tucan fish was placed in the new genus Plethodectes with the full name Plethodectes erythrurus. However, Cope switched it over to the genus Chalceus in 1872. It was briefly classified as Chalceus macrolepidotus iquitensis, a subspecies of the pinktail chalceus C. macrolepidotus, by Shoji Nakashima in 1941. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
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
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 × 18 in (about 64 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.
