Building a community aquarium is something that should be a lot of fun. It’s interesting to find fish that are compatible with each other and make a fish tank that is appealing to look at.
You might be considering hatchetfish right now. These fish are fairly popular, and many people like to keep these fish in community fish tanks.
With a name like hatchetfish, you might be concerned that these fish will be aggressive. Are hatchetfish aggressive, or are they peaceful fish?
Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about hatchetfish aggression levels. This will help you to make good choices when putting together your community fish tank.
Hatchetfish Are Peaceful
You don’t need to worry about hatchetfish being aggressive in community tanks. These fish are peaceful, and they’re also quite shy.
It’s more likely that you’ll need to worry about hatchetfish getting bullied in a community tank. They’re so peaceful that they can be bothered by aggressive fish in community aquariums.
When you’re picking tank mates for these fish, it’s imperative to go with other peaceful fish. Aggressive fish will pick on them, and this will cause substantial stress.
You want to take a bit of time to research good tank mates for these fish. This will ensure that everything will go well.
Hatchetfish are great community fish, so you shouldn’t shy away from buying them. You simply need to choose their tank mates wisely so they won’t get stressed.
There Are Many Types of Hatchetfish
Of course, hatchetfish come in different varieties. There are other types of hatchetfish out there to consider.
So what about other hatchetfish? Are they also peaceful?
Marbled hatchetfish are known for being very peaceful and shy as well. They’re somewhat nervous fish when they’re not kept in large enough groups, but they’re certainly not aggressive in any way.
Black-winged hatchetfish are also known for being peaceful fish. They don’t act aggressively toward their tank mates in community aquariums.
When you look at other hatchetfish, such as giant hatchetfish and silver hatchetfish, you’ll see that they’re similar. Generally, hatchetfish are so peaceful that they will never bother their tank mates.
It’s more common for these fish to be shy and hide in community tanks. They feel more confident when kept in larger numbers, but they’re still not going to be aggressive.
Hatchetfish Will Jump to Escape Bullying
Bullying can be a real problem for hatchetfish. Since these fish are shy and have a peaceful temperament, they don’t handle being bullied well.
It’s extremely stressful for these fish to be placed in community tanks with aggressive fish. They usually try to escape the tank to get away from the aggressors.
Sometimes the fish will hide if you have enough hiding spots in the tank. When things get bad, the fish might try to jump out of the tank.
The fish don’t realize that they’re jumping to their deaths. A fish doesn’t know that there isn’t water outside the tank.
They’re trying to escape to safe waters. So there are a few things to keep in mind now that you know this.
You should try to avoid putting hatchetfish in tanks with bully fish. It could eventually cause the fish to die.
Also, it’s best to keep a lid on the tank so the fish can’t jump out. Since hatchetfish are known to jump when stressed, it’s something to be aware of.
Of course, you should try to prevent issues like this from happening. You don’t want your fish to ever become so stressed.
Do Hatchetfish Eat Other Fish?
Now you know that hatchetfish aren’t aggressive, but will they eat other fish? They might not be aggressive fish, but you still might be worried about them eating smaller fish.
You don’t typically have to worry about this because hatchetfish have rather small mouths. It’s difficult for these fish to eat things that are too large.
Since they have small mouths, they can usually only eat newborn fish. So they could eat something like a guppy fry, but they wouldn’t be able to eat an adult guppy.
Most omnivorous fish will eat baby fish so long as they’re small enough to fit in their mouths. This is also true for hatchetfish.
So if some fish breed in the community tank, the babies that hatch could be eaten by the hatchetfish. The other fish in the tank will likely also eat the baby fish, so it’s not something to be that concerned with.
You can always breed fish in a separate tank if you’re interested in doing so. It’s not the best idea to try to breed fish in a community tank since even the eggs can be eaten by the fish.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to worry about hatchetfish being aggressive. They’re so peaceful that it’s possible they will be bullied if you put them in a fish tank with aggressive fish.
There are many types of hatchetfish, but all of them are peaceful. Some are even a bit shy and will hide in the tank.
These fish often do best when kept in larger numbers in fish tanks. It helps them to feel more confident, and they might hide less when they’re in groups.
Always pick appropriate tank mates for hatchetfish. This allows you to avoid putting them in a dangerous situation where they could be harmed.
You will love keeping hatchetfish in a community fish tank if you research things and set up the tank properly. They’re great fish that are fun to watch, and they will get along with many other gentle types of fish.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.