Flying Fox

 Genus name: Epalzeorhynchos Kalopterus

Distribution:  Sumatra and Borneo

Length: up to 5.5″ (14cm)

Minimum Tank Length:  24″ (60cm)

Water Temperature: 72-81F (22-27C)

Diet: Worms, crustaceans, plant matter, dried food, insects

Water: Fairly soft and slightly acidic water preferred

Breeding:  Not known to have been bred in home aquariums

Community Tank: however may be aggressive to other fish or nibble fins, so care should be taken

The Flying Fox is a member of the Barb family. The Flying Fox is aptly named as it will swim through the aquarium at great speed, and almost has a ‘fox-like’ appearance.  When resting at the bottom of the aquarium, it will balance on its pectoral fins.

The Flying Fox has an elongated and only slightly compressed body, a mouth that faces downwards, and two pairs of barbels.  The back of the Flying Fox is brown to olive-green, and the underparts are white.  Below the back of the Flying Fox there is a broad golden-yellow longitudinal band, which reaches from the tip of the snout to the caudal peduncle.

Immediately below the golden band is a blackish stripe, which runs from the snout to the central rays of the caudal fin.  The iris of the eye of the Flying Fox is bright red.

The Flying Fox is often bought as a algae eater, and is often mistaken for the Siamese Algae Eater.  Unfortunately, although it does eat algae, it does not do a good enough job to warrant being bought for this purpose, and also as it gets older the Flying Fox stops eating algae altogether.

The Flying Fox is a hardy fish that should be kept in an aquarium with dense vegetation and scattered rocks and roots.  The Flying Fox is very territorial and will fight with other members of its own kind because each individual likes to have its own territory near the bottom of the aquarium, usually among dead branches and tree roots.