Any info on Indonesian Leaf Fish? (Pristolepis grootii)

[AnomalocarisAquatics]

I wanted to do an Indonesian biotope, and doing research on fish for this biotope, I found the Indonesian Leaf Fish (Pristolepis grootii). I only found a single fishkeeping care guide on this fish from Maidenhead Aquatics, and besides that I found nothing. From that care guide, the information I can get is that this is a predatory yet peaceful fish that lives in highly vegetated areas. There are about a dozen observations on INaturalist, and from there I can deduct that this fish usually lives on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

Anybody got more info?

 

[SourAngelfish]

I wanted to do an Indonesian biotope, and doing research on fish for this biotope, I found the Indonesian Leaf Fish (Pristolepis grootii). I only found a single fishkeeping care guide on this fish from Maidenhead Aquatics, and besides that I found nothing. From that care guide, the information I can get is that this is a predatory yet peaceful fish that lives in highly vegetated areas. There are about a dozen observations on INaturalist, and from there I can deduct that this fish usually lives on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

Anybody got more info?

Think damselfish but in freshwater. Very territorial with similarly bodied fish and will eat smaller fish. I had to move mine out of one tank into another because it kept harassing my knifefish and juvenile giant gourami

 

[AnomalocarisAquatics]

Think damselfish but in freshwater. Very territorial with similarly bodied fish and will eat smaller fish.

I thought they were fairly peaceful and I was gonna keep them with shadow catfish, thanks.

 

[SourAngelfish]

I thought they were fairly peaceful and I was gonna keep them with shadow catfish, thanks.

if you mean hyalobagrus, they will eat them. I didn’t have any real success with pristolepis until keeping them in a 6 foot tank where aggression is less of an issue

 

[AnomalocarisAquatics]

if you mean hyalobagrus, they will eat them. I didn’t have any real success with pristolepis until keeping them in a 6 foot tank

Indeed I do refer to Hyalobagrus. Say, would Kryptopterus bichirrhis and Glowlight Rasboras work? Those were my 2 original options for tankmates. Then what about a Borneo Loach and Climbing Perch? For Climbing Perch, I just need to hop down to my local creek to catch one, there's plentiful in there. You said you had to keep your Pristolepis grooti in a 6ft tank to avoid aggression, but my original plan was an 80gal. Would that work with some of these tankmates?

 

[SourAngelfish]

Indeed I do refer to Hyalobagrus. Say, would Kryptopterus bichirrhis and Glowlight Rasboras work? Those were my 2 original options for tankmates. Then what about a Borneo Loach and Climbing Perch? For Climbing Perch, I just need to hop down to my local creek to catch one, there's plentiful in there. You said you had to keep your Pristolepis grooti in a 6ft tank to avoid aggression, but my original plan was an 80gal. Would that work with some of these tankmates?

I think they’ll be okay with anabas, I keep mine with anabas. The other species listed other than the loaches they will likely feed on. A lot of the max sizes listed for this genus are lower end estimates, they will get quite large. Mine has already broke the supposed “max size”.


here’s a photo of a larger specimen found online. If you wouldn’t keep the fish with a more generalist cichlid like an oscar, then I wouldn’t keep it with pristolepis.

mine ended up cramming down some pretty large siamese algae eaters/garra + some large rosy barbs

 

[AnomalocarisAquatics]

If you wouldn’t keep the fish with a more generalist cichlid like an oscar, then I wouldn’t keep it with pristolepis.

Well how do I create an Indonesian biotope then? Do you know any cichlid-like fish native or endemic to Indonesia?

 

[SourAngelfish]

Well how do I create an Indonesian biotope then? Do you know any cichlid-like fish native or endemic to Indonesia?

I think they’d do quite well with belontia+anabas+ other gouramis in the size aquarium you have. Possibly notopterus as well if you have enough cover

 

[SourAngelfish]

Well how do I create an Indonesian biotope then? Do you know any cichlid-like fish native or endemic to Indonesia?

larger barbs will work with them too, things in the 3-4 inch + range that aren’t very thin in the long term

 

[AnomalocarisAquatics]

I think they’d do quite well with belontia+anabas+ other gouramis in the size aquarium you have.

I've actually been considering buying Belontia hasselti and now I have a reason too. Do you think a borneo biotope with Pristolepis grooti, Anabas testudineus, Belontia hasselti, Borneo loach, and a school of five/six banded barbs would work? I'll probably need a really large tank for that, might upgrade to 100 gallon.