Home / Fishes / Ricefish, halfbeaks, needlefish / Freshwater garfish
No federal permit to keepFreshwater garfish
Xenentodon cancila
Fishes › Ricefish, halfbeaks, needlefish (Beloniformes) › Belonidae (Needlefish)
Xenentodon cancila, the freshwater garfish, is a species of needlefish found in freshwater and brackish habitats in South and Southeast Asia.
Intro from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 72 in long and 24 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 11.8 in / 30 cm; the largest recorded was 15.7 in).
- Water: Freshwater (tolerates brackish).
- Temperature: 72–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 7–7.5.
- Layout: An open-water coastal swimmer: needs long, open swimming space.
- Diet: FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Safety: Can injure people (sharp spines, teeth or electric shock): use nets and care when working in the tank.
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 71 × 24 in (roughly 171 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 64–86 °F, pH 6–8, 2–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament predatory; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “This species is a near-exclusive inhabitant of the upper water column and appreciates surface cover in the form of floating or overhanging vegetation.”
- Diet: “An obligate predator feeding mostly on smaller fishes and insects in nature, and can be tricky to wean onto dead alternatives in captivity.”
- Tankmates: “Surprisingly peaceful with anything too large to swallow and can be maintained in a community provided tankmates are chosen with care since it is also a poor competitor.”
- Breeding: “Wild fish spawn between the months of May and September each year (Bano et al., 2012) [2] and captive reproduction is also possible though rarely achieved.”
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
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. Swims in open water near the coast. Adults occur primarily in rivers. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater / brackish water, 72–82 °F (22–28 °C), pH 7–7.5, hardness 20 dH, depth 0–2 m. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–82 °F.
- It tolerates or needs brackish water; check salinity needs before setup.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 94°F (up to 103°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 58°F (down to 48°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 74–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 69–76% on average (driest month about 60%) |
| Rainfall | about 1600 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 268 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 | Xenentodon cancila, the freshwater garfish, is a species of needlefish found in freshwater and brackish habitats in South and Southeast Asia. — 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 | While aquarium books tend to describe this fish as a predator that eats animals such as fish and frogs, its natural diet appears to consist almost entirely of crustaceans. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Reproduction | Male pursues a slow-moving female and upon catching up with the female, will begin shuddering from side to side while the pair is oriented parallel to each other; the pair positions themselves close to submerged vegetation; male assumes a slight head-down position, with his anal fin curled under the female's vent; the pair begins trembling until a single large egg is released; each female produces about a dozen eggs per day; eggs hatch in about a week; no parental care. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | In common with other needlefish, this species has an elongate body with long, beak-like jaws filled with teeth. The dorsal and anal fins are positioned far back along the body close to the tail. The body is silvery-green, darker above and lighter below with a dark band running horizontally along the flank. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Adults occur primarily in rivers; also in ponds, canals, beels, and inundated fields. Often found in slow-flowing pools in rivers with a rock or sand substrate. They inhabit large and medium-sized rivers with adults occurring in areas that lack floating vegetation. — 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
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.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 71 × 24 in (about 171 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.