A living-fossil surface predator from West Africa with broad, wing-like pectoral fins that let it glide above the water to escape danger or snatch insects. The sole member of its family, it hangs motionless at the surface, an upward-pointing mouth ready to ambush prey.
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Slow waters of West and Central Africa (Niger, Congo, Zambezi basins)
Origin
Old World
Climate
🌴 Tropical
Water type
💧 Freshwater
Family
Pantodontidae
Genus
Pantodon
Part of the Freshwater oddballs
Unusual, conversation-piece freshwater fish — knifefish, elephantnoses, bichirs, butterflyfish and other novelties prized for strange shapes, behaviors or electric senses rather than schooling color.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Single specimen surface tank
30 gal / 114 L long tank
Pantodon buchholzi is a surface predator that almost never leaves the top inch. Needs a 30-gallon long with a tight-fitting lid (they jump), gentle filtration, and floating plants for cover. Soft acidic water (pH 6.0–7.0) and temps 24–28 °C.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Planted blackwater tank
40 gal / 151 L long, blackwater
A longer footprint gives more surface area, which is what actually matters for this fish. Dense floating cover (frogbit, Salvinia), driftwood, and very slow flow. Feed live or frozen surface prey — crickets, mealworms, small fish are typical.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Biotope species tank
55 gal+ / 208 L+ West African biotope
A wide, shallow West African biotope with thick floating plant mat, leaf litter, soft acidic blackwater, and only peaceful mid/bottom tankmates. The huge surface area lets them glide and hunt naturally.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg
Fish eggs are small, translucent spheres, often laid in clutches on plants, substrate, or in a nest — or carried/brooded by a parent in livebearing and mouth-brooding species. A dark eye spot and the curled embryo become visible inside as development progresses.
Photo coming soon
Fry
Newly hatched fry are tiny and semi-transparent, frequently still carrying a yolk sac that fuels them before they feed freely. They lack full fin structure and adult coloration, staying near cover until they can swim and forage on their own.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
Juveniles look like miniature adults but with developing fins and muted or different markings; many species shift pattern and color as they mature. Growth is rapid at this stage given clean water and steady feeding.
Adult
Adults show the species' full size, finnage, and mature coloration, and are sexually mature. Many fish develop sex-specific differences in size, color, or fin shape, which can intensify during breeding.
Habitat & enclosure
A 75 L (20 gal) long, wide-footprint tank suits one fish; surface area matters far more than depth. Soft, acidic, warm water is ideal: pH 6.0-7.0, temperature 26-30 C (79-86 F), with very still or gentle flow.
Floating plants are essential — they provide cover, break the surface, and make this skittish fish feel secure. Dim lighting and a calm surface mimic its slow-moving creek habitat.
Substrate
Substrate choice is unimportant to this surface dweller; dark sand or fine gravel looks natural and reduces glare. Focus aquascaping on floating and emergent plants rather than the bottom.
Equipment & setup
Use gentle filtration that keeps the surface calm (a sponge filter or baffled outflow), a reliable heater for warm water, and dim lighting with heavy floating cover. A completely tight-fitting lid with no gaps is critical, since the fish jumps and glides.
Diet
Surface-feeding carnivore. Relishes live and frozen insects — crickets, mealworms, flies, blackworms — plus floating carnivore pellets and frozen bloodworms. Strongly prefers food at the surface and may ignore items that sink.
Behavior & temperament
Peaceful toward fish it cannot eat but a determined ambush predator of anything small near the surface, including small tetras and fry. Can be territorial toward other butterflyfish; keep one per tank unless the surface is large. House with mid- and bottom-dwelling tankmates (corydoras, peaceful larger tetras, congo tetras) and avoid fin-nippers that target its trailing fins.
Health
Hardy if water is soft, warm, and clean, but sensitive to high nitrate and chilling at the surface. Watch for fin damage from nippy tankmates and for ich. Jumping is the single biggest cause of loss — a tight lid is non-negotiable.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Cover every opening — these fish leap through the smallest gap, so seal around filters and heaters. Feed live or floating foods in the evening and keep a warm air gap above the water, as a chilled surface can cause illness. Floating plants like water sprite or frogbit dramatically reduce skittishness.
