African Pike or Hepsetus odoe Anyone Keep them?

[HandsomeDevil]

Does anyone keep Hepsetus odoe or the African Pike?

If so what can you tell me about them? I tried google but I don't see much on their care and water param's etc. How big do they max out at? tank mates?

Thanks!

 

[channarox]

they usually max out around less than 2 feet in captivity.
they live short lives.
no tankmates that look like them or silvery in color.
not too fussy about water.
just keep it clean.

 

[Norbert]

Mine is very calm and mellow unless someone gets in her bubble she gets a little pissy then.

I keep her with my polypterus and she leaves them alone, some are bigger than her, some are smaller.

Eats massivore pellets, silver sides and chunks of shrimp.

I've heard they can be spooky and crash into tank walls etc but have never had her do that.

I don't remember exactly when I got her but it was less then a year ago she has only grown from 5 to 10" in that time and she is well fed. I've never seen a pic of one in captivity over 14" (would love to though)

Here is a recent pic of her at about 10"

 

[softturtle]

I seen a 18-20"(the guy who owned it said 24"... fish story) that was just beautiful. I have kept many at the store, but only for a few months. Really, like everyone else said, just keep up on your waterchanges and keep them well fed. I kept one in an african cichlid tank for a while. It ate many fish that should have been way to big(atleast half the length of the fish itself)

 

[HandsomeDevil]

Thanks for the info guys, think I will pass on one for now seeing how big they get. But in the future it's on my must have list.

 

[killerfish]

can get a little over 24'' in the wild but usually not much more then 12'' in captivity

Some are pretty aggressive but most are relatively calm said to hate other silver fish or fish shape they same way

Also said to be short lived in captivity around 4-5 years but i don't know if this is true never kept one personally but would really like to

 

[FLESHY]

I have had one now for going on a year. Does well. Vigorous eater, although only on live for me.

He loves flow in his tank, and vertical decoration (tall plants, tall driftwood) adding these three elements to his tank calmed him down considerably.

Has grown at least two inches since I got him.

 

[Archer33389]

I actually have a school of 3 jueveniles in a 125. I was worried they would quarrel but there haven't been any major quarrels and they seem to get along fine. One major thing I read was if kept in groups they need to be roughly the same size. Mine are eating chunks of silversides. I have them in with some decent sized catfish and they leave everything alone. Really cool fish!

 

[isde02]

I seen a 18-20"(the guy who owned it said 24"... fish story) that was just beautiful. I have kept many at the store, but only for a few months. Really, like everyone else said, just keep up on your waterchanges and keep them well fed. I kept one in an african cichlid tank for a while. It ate many fish that should have been way to big(atleast half the length of the fish itself)

A few years ago I seen 3 16-18in odoes at a lfs, seeing them at that size is incredible.

 

[djaalix]

i had one for about a year, cool and pretty fish ... we called him fragglerock cause when you look at him head on he has a big bulbous muppet looking nose. He, unfortunately had to go because he loved chasing and beating on my GATF's. I kept taking him out of the big tank, and putting him in solitary in my 40 gallon breeder, and try again, but he always went after them, and caused damage too ... the pike have a nice set of teeth on them. He grew faster than the ATF's, making the problem worse, and it killed me to get rid of him, but had to make a choice, and although he was doing fine, the 40 gallon breeder was way too small for a 9-10 inch pike. He was eating anything i put in the tank, pellets, krill dry and frozen, silversides, and feeders when he was younger. They are very fast, and if startled will leap out of the tank so be careful. It was kinda funny, he beat up my ATF's, but was scared to death of my little 3 inch golby at the time. Kinda like the elephant and the mouse. All in all, a very pretty fish, but i'd agree that other silvery fish that look like him could be a problem.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App