Banded Archerfish

Toxotes jaculatrix

The Banded Archerfish (*Toxotes jaculatrix*) is one of the absolute wonders of the animal kingdom, a prodigy of aquatic evolution that has become a legend even in nature documentaries. It is distinguished by the solid silver body interrupted by 4-5 thick vertical black bands (wedge-shaped) along the upper back, and a mouth and eyes conformation extremely oriented upwards. Its worldwide fame comes from the extraordinary and calculated ballistic capability: it possesses a mouth that acts as a rifle barrel, capable of expelling a very powerful and highly accurate jet of water into the air to shoot down insects (spiders, flies, crickets) perched on leaves or branches out of the water up to almost 2 meters (6 feet) in height. This large pelagic predator (25-30 cm / 10-12 inches) is a true living treasure for specialized setups (Paludariums).

Family: Toxotidae
Origin: Indo-Pacifico (Estuari e foreste di mangrovie salmastre dall'India all'Australia nord-occidentale e Filippine)
Tank use: Used in 0 tanks

Temperature

25 °C - 30 °C

7 - 8

Water type

Brackish

Tank level

Zona superiore. Passano il 95% del loro tempo attaccati al pelo dell'acqua (superficie), pattugliando instancabilmente la barriera visiva aria-acqua in cerca di insetti posati o caduti.

Adult size

30 cm

Description

Ballistic Aggression between Companions:

Keeping only two or three means certain death for the most submissive, not because they physically fight, but due to psychological and food bullying. The fastest hunter and shooter will literally not leave any insect (neither in the air nor in the water) to the shyest one, making it starve to death. For this reason they must be kept alone (a master specimen) or in a huge school (more than 5 fish) where competition is insanely high.

Care and observations

It is not a Fish, it is a Sniper Rifle (Paludarium Mandatory):

If you want to buy the Archer and keep it in a normal aquarium filled with water to the brim giving it tablets, do not buy it. It would be a humiliating prison for him. To enjoy its unique behavior in the world, you must set up a Paludarium (an aquarium filled with water only halfway). In the other half there must be real mangrove branches coming out of the water. If you place a live cricket on a branch out of the water, the fish, framing it like a sniper (correcting the refraction of the water) will shoot a very powerful water jet at it, knocking it down into the tank and devouring it.

The Second Victim of Fresh Water:

Like the Moony Fish (Mono), the Banded Archer is deceptively sold as a tropical freshwater fish. FALSE. It is a fish of the Asian mangroves. Once past the juvenile stage, it obligatorily requires the transition to a brackish water aquarium (half marine salinity) with the use of oceanic salts. In permanent fresh water it will fill up with bacterial skin wounds, fungi and will die intoxicated.

The Surface is Their Exclusive Kingdom:

Their mouth, huge eyes and straight belly serve a single purpose: to swim continuously skimming the water surface. Any fly that falls in, or any small fish (Guppies) that passes near the surface, will end up dismembered in their large predatory mouth without mercy.

Fish profile

Temperament: Relativamente pacifico con pesci di taglia compatibile, ma è un predatore opportunista spietato. Estremamente rissoso a livello gerarchico e competitivo (spesso brutalmente) con i membri della propria specie durante l'alimentazione.
Diet: Carnivoro / Insettivoro di Superficie. Sebbene accettino granulati e gamberetti surgelati, nutrirli SOLO a pelo d'acqua è uno spreco criminale del loro istinto naturale. Necessitano di una fornitura settimanale di insetti vivi (grilli, mosche carnarie, locuste) appoggiati sul vetro superiore, sulle foglie emerse o tenuti con una pinzetta fuori dall'acqua per farli esibire nel tiro a segno.
Tank level: Zona superiore. Passano il 95% del loro tempo attaccati al pelo dell'acqua (superficie), pattugliando instancabilmente la barriera visiva aria-acqua in cerca di insetti posati o caduti.
Minimum group: 4
Adult size: 30 cm
Minimum tank: 500 L
GH: 15 dGH - 30 dGH
KH: n/a
TDS: n/a
Conductivity: n/a
Sex ratio: Gruppo consigliato (minimo 4-5 esemplari) per limitare le aggressioni intra-specifiche da dominio isolato, ma richiedono spazi colossali. Dimorfismo sessuale totalmente assente ad occhio nudo.
Feeding frequency: 1 volta al giorno (insetti vivi per stimolare l'istinto venatorio). I più grossi e dominanti tenderanno a mangiare prima dei sottomessi.
Bioload: Alto (Taglia notevole e dieta massicciamente proteica)
Flow: Corrente da Moderata a Lieve in superficie (per non increspare l'acqua rovinando la loro mira ottica). Fortissima filtrazione di fondo necessaria in salmastro.
Jump risk: Covered tank required
Reproduction: Rigorosamente inesistente negli acquari domestici. In natura sono riproduttori pelagici che sfruttano l'oceano corallino per rilasciare milioni di uova. Le importazioni provengono esclusivamente da catture selvatiche negli estuari asiatici.
Compatibility: Mantenimento ottimale esclusivamente in grandi biótopi d'estuario asiatico salmastri. Perfetti compagni (occupanti la zona medio/bassa della vasca) sono i Monodactylus, gli Scatophagus e i Tetraodon d'acqua salmastra. Qualsiasi pesce sufficientemente piccolo da superare l'apertura boccale (anche i pesci palla nani o i molly) verrà divorato senza pietà in superficie.

Image gallery

Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.