Flying Fox – Epalzeorhynchos Kalopterus

Common name: Flying Fox

Scientific name: Epalzeorhynchos Kalopterus

Average Adult Fish Size: 15 cm / 6 inches

Place of Origin: Thailand

Typical Tank setup: Asian riverine biotope with rocks, plants, bogwood and driftwood with a lot of hiding places.

Recommended Minimum Aquarium Capacity: 40 gallon / 160 litre

Compatibility: A slightly better choice for the community tank than Epalzeorhynchos Bicolor but tank mates must still be chosen with care. While small specimens tend to hide away much of the time they become increasingly territorial as they grow and can display particularly high levels of aggression towards similar-looking species.

Temperature: 72 – 79 Deg F / 22 – 26 Deg C

Water chemistry: pH 6.5 – 7.5

Feeding: Primarily an aufwuchs grazer feeding on algae, small crustaceans, insect larvae, etc., and for it to develop its best colours and condition it should be offered regular meals of small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, Daphnia and Artemia along with good quality dried flakes, granules and fresh plant material.

Sexing: Sexually mature females are noticeably thicker-bodied than males but it’s impossible to sex juveniles accurately.

Breeding: As far as we know it’s not been bred in private aquaria but large numbers are farmed for the ornamental trade in with the aid of hormones.

Additional Information:

Despite its popularity as an aquarium fish this species is rarely maintained in ideal conditions. Juveniles are typically being offered for sale with little to no information regarding temperament, eventual size, and potential age in excess of 15 years.

It’s also often sold as an algae-eater and while it does browse on algae it does not do so with the same efficacy as some Crossocheilus species, for example, and there’s little worth in purchasing it with that purpose in mind.