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No federal permit to keepKafue Pike
Hepsetus odoe
Fishes › Tetras, piranhas and pacus (Characiformes) › Hepsetidae (African pikes)
Hepsetus odoe, the African pike characin, is a predatory freshwater characin belonging to the family Hepsetidae.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 72 in long and 36 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 17.4 in / 44.2 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 79–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–7.5.
- Hardness: 0–18 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
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, 77–82 °F, pH 6–7.5, 8–18 dGH.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Virtually all fish imported are juvenile and these require plenty of cover.”
- Diet: “It is a piscivore in nature but most aquarium specimens can be weaned onto dead foods.”
- Tankmates: “It is usually ok with fish too large to be considered food, although it should not be combined with any aggressive species such as territorial cichlids.”
- Breeding: “Has not been achieved in aquaria but may be possible in a truly enormous tank.”
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
It was formerly considered that there was a single species of Hepsetus pike characin but recent studies have led to the species being split and Hepsetus odoe sensu stricto is the west African representative of the group.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Hepsetus odoe” (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, in rivers and streams, mangroves. Stays near the bottom. This species seems to prefer upper river courses or small rivers where Hydrocynus species are absent or scarce. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 79–82 °F (26–28 °C), pH 6–7.5, hardness 18 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: nesters. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 79–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 88°F (up to 94°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 66°F (down to 60°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 74–80°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 75–83% on average (driest month about 76%) |
| Rainfall | about 1634 mm a year |
Measured at 280 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 | Hepsetus odoe, the African pike characin, is a predatory freshwater characin belonging to the family Hepsetidae. It was formerly considered that there was a single species of Hepsetus pike characin but recent studies have led to the species being split and Hepsetus odoe sensu stricto is the west African representative of the group. — 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 | H. odoe is piscivorous, feeding on several species of smaller fish. — Animal Diversity Web |
| Reproduction | Builds a free-floating bubblenest. — FishBase |
| Lifespan | Hepsetus odoe are known to live 4-5 years in the wild (Montambault, 2000). — Animal Diversity Web |
| Appearance and size | Maximum length 44.2 cm sl male/unsexed. — FishBase |
| Biology | This species seems to prefer upper river courses or small rivers where Hydrocynus species are absent or scarce. — FishBase |
| History and naming | Hepsetus odoe was first formally described as Salmo odoe in 1794 by the German naturalist Marcus Elieser Bloch with its type locality given as the "coast of Guinea", likely Togo or southeastern Ghana. — 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.
Maximum recorded lifespan
Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter.
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.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 71 × 24 in (about 171 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Field observations of fish species susceptible to epizootic ulcerative syndrome in the Zambezi River basin in Sesheke District of Zambia Songe MM et al., Tropical animal health and production 2012
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
- 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.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- 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.