Boulengerella lucius

A unique predatory characin known from the Orinoco Basin and parts of the middle Amazon, the Mottled Pike Characin is commonly found in small groups at the surface of shallow water in the wild, where they hunt for shoals of smaller fish and insects. In the aquarium, they can be skittish fish, especially at first, and will do best with some cover in the form of floating plants or driftwood close to the surface. They are best kept in groups of 3 or more, and will school with other larger characins. Primarily a live fish eater, they will usually require live food but can be weaned onto frozen or prepared diets over time.