Needle Nose Gar (Xenentodon cancila)

A unique predatory needlefish found throughout fresh and brackish waters across Southeast Asia, The Needle Nose Gar inhabits shallow, quiet streams and smaller rivers, usually in areas with overhanging vegetation. As a highly adapted surface-dwelling predator, they use their long jaws and lightning fast reflexes to capture small fish and insects at the water’s surface. In the aquarium, they require plenty of open space for swimming, floating plants or similar surface cover, and are best kept in groups. Although they can easily adapt to brackish and almost full strength marine conditions, most collected for the trade originate in areas of pure freshwater.