Oddballs Care Guides
Knifefish, bichirs, arowana, eels and other unusual species for the specialist keeper.
Black Ghost Knife Fish
Apteronotus albifrons
A mysterious, velvety-black knifefish that navigates by a weak electric field.
Senegal Bichir
Polypterus senegalus
An ancient, eel-like 'dinosaur fish' that breathes air and is surprisingly hardy.
Tiger Bichir
Polypterus endlicherii
A large, boldly barred prehistoric bichir for the dedicated predator keeper.
Spiny Eel
Mastacembelus armatus
A long, patterned eel-like fish that loves to burrow in soft sand.
Freshwater Moray Eel
Gymnothorax tile
A snowflake-patterned brackish moray that grows large and needs a secure lid.
Axolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum
A captivating coldwater amphibian (not a fish) that keeps its feathery gills for life.
Silver Dollar
Metynnis argenteus
A disc-shaped, peaceful schooling relative of the piranha that eats plants.
Silver Arowana
Osteoglossum bicirrhosum
A magnificent surface predator that grows enormous - for huge tanks only.
Rope Fish
Erpetoichthys calabaricus
A snake-like, air-breathing oddball that needs an escape-proof lid.
African Butterfly Fish
Pantodon buchholzi
A surface ambush predator shaped like a floating leaf, and a real jumper.
Elephant Nose
Gnathonemus petersii
An intelligent, sensitive fish that navigates with a weak electric field.
Clown Knifefish
Chitala ornata
A large, silvery spotted knifefish for very experienced keepers with huge tanks.
Dwarf Snakehead
Channa gachua
A hardy, intelligent air-breathing predator; a determined jumper needing a tight lid.
African Knife Fish
Xenomystus nigri
A nocturnal, air-breathing brown knifefish that glides on a long fin.
Indian Glass Fish
Parambassis ranga
A see-through schooling fish; buy only natural fish, never dyed 'painted' ones.
Rainbow Snakehead
Channa bleheri
A colourful dwarf snakehead, hardy and intelligent, for the dedicated keeper.
Hujeta Gar
Ctenolucius hujeta
A slender surface predator shaped like a freshwater gar; needs a tight lid.