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Okeedokee, so I just got some marbled hatchet fish for my 55 gallon tank. I did the research, I know what size they get, that they jump, etc. However, the guy at the LFS said that they are picky eaters and don't usually take flake food. He suggested I get some brine shrimp so I did. I was just wondering what everyone else fed there hatchet fish and if they seem as picky as the guy at the LFS said. TIA
Jen

IME, they will eat just about anything that hits the top of the tank.

I have marbled hatchets as well great little guys.
Mine are only about 1 inch in length. I dont know if they get much bigger than that. Mine eat flake food, brine shrimp flake, tubifex worms, freeze dried and frozen bloodworms. I havent noticed them to be picky at all.
Great little fish.


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They usually get a little bigger than 1". And they aren't TOO picky, like COL said, anything that stays on the top of the tank is fair game usually. I've seen them eat flakes, but live food makes a good treat for any fish. GL with them. HTH

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Another pet store idiot. They will try/eat almost anything as do most tetras. There range is soly the top of the tank usally not venturing to far to the bottom.

all of them died. They slowly started to die off the day after I put them in the tank. The guy at the petstore had told me they weren't very hardy. My tank perameters were good...Ph 7.0-7.5, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 5.
I was just wondering if anyone else has had problems with them and if you guys think I should try to get another school and try acclimating them much much longer. This is the first time I've had an entire school die and it was super sad.
TIA
Jen

I also purchased 7 marbled hatchets and am down to 3, however, I would argue that they arent hardy fish. They are sensitive, but once happy in their home, are tough as nails.
I lost 3 to my betta (he murdered them in about 3 hours, I found the corpses later), and 1 jumped out of the tank during a water change and became a little dried fishy.
I would say try again, just aclimate them longer.
Also, make sure the water in your tank is soft enough- these fish dont do very well in hard water.
If you want hatchets, but the marbles seem too much work, try the silvers. I have heard they are much much more tough.


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From what I've heard about these hatchetfish, they are similar to German rams in terms of hardiness. They are fairly hardy once they've gotten used to a new tank, but can be tricky to acclimate.
I think that if you like these fish, try them again. This time, make sure you give them a drip acclimation (probably the best kind), and give the fish at least a few hours to get used to your water.

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Thanks for the help guys. I like the fish alot, I am just hesistant to get anymore because I hate bringing home fish just to kill them off...accidentally or not. I think I will wait a week or so and maybe try them again with the drip method of acclimating like you guys suggested. I would have felt alot better if at least one survived...but I guess that's the way it goes. Thanks again!
Jen

jen, you'll also find that they don't like to be few in number, and will almost 'pine away' once their numbers get below 3 - 4...i've never had any success with numbers lower than 6. i currently have 21, and they rock - but regarding food, i also found you need to make sure they are eating, ie, that food is floating for them. i put live blackworms on the banana lily leaves, and they slowly edge their way into the water to be picked off by the hatchets.

Thanks jase
I had eight because I was hoping to get a decent size of them and another school of fish the same size. Maybe they felt lonely in the tank because it really doesn't have to much in it except bottom dwellers as of yet. I don't know. Maybe I'll try 10 next time. I just really hate to spend the money on a school that big if they are all going to die again. Who knows
Oh, and if I do try it again, I'll try your method of feeding. Suprisingly, even though the guy at the LFS said they were finicky, I didn't have any problem with them eating whatever I gave them (before they died).
Jen

Last edited by jenbabe256 at 29-Dec-2004 10:31

Last edited by jenbabe256 at 29-Dec-2004 10:33

Also, when one takes the leap, they ALL will follow in suit, meaning that you'll need to cover your tank tightly.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 29-Dec-2004 12:56