Finescale Tigerfish (Datnioides microlepis)

Intermediate to difficult. The challenge isn't water chemistry (pH 6.5–7.5, 22–26 °C are routine) — it's feeding and temperament. This is a large carnivore reaching 38–55 cm that eats fish in the wild, and many individuals refuse pellets for life, accepting only live fish. Confirm the seller has trained feeding before buying; 'eating' is the make-or-break divide in Datnioides keeping.

Datnioides carry thick dark bars like a tiger, hence the hobby name. D. microlepis comes from the rivers and lakes of Sumatra and Borneo — elongate body, fine dense barring. Thai tigers (D. undecimradiatus group) come from the Mekong with deeper bodies and bolder bars. Care is similar, but Indonesian tigers are cheaper and more available.

Tiger bars are a mood indicator. Fright, stress, and unfamiliar surroundings bleach them in seconds; they return as the fish settles. Chronic fading points to: too-bright background (black background and dark substrate press the pattern), excessive lighting, or poor condition. A fish with jet-black bold bars is a healthy fish — the hobby's standard read.

Juveniles under 15 cm do fine in groups of five or more (reduces fin-nipping); adults turn territorial, so the standard is one or a bonded pair. Solitary is simpler and keeps color stable. Pairs need 800 L+, simultaneous introduction, and multiple hides. Two males in tight quarters fight until one is crippled — adult tigerfish don't bluff.

Carnivore; wild prey is fish. Ideal diet: trained fish eat quality sinking carnivore pellets plus frozen shrimp and fish meat, with live fish as occasional treats. All-live feeding risks: parasites (loaches are pathogen reservoirs), one-note nutrition, cost. Training method: alternate-day hunger feeding (live today, frozen tomorrow or nothing), gradually shifting the ratio; stubborn fish may need weeks.

550 L is the profile floor; 1,000 L+ is the practical recommendation. An adult is a half-meter fish 30 cm tall that travels sideways — tank width matters more than height. It's also an ambush hunter needing open patrol space plus a cave or two; don't over-decorate — a cramped fish shows dull bars.

Ambush instinct plus new-tank stress. Two weeks of hiding is normal — provide caves and minimize disturbance. Chronic hiding signals a condition problem: check water quality, confirm no tankmate bullying (even matched-size fish like giant gouramis and oscars can suppress it), and tempt it out with live feeding. A perpetually hidden fish shows dark color and faded bars — the whole environment needs work.

The classic Asian mix, workable with conditions: matched sizes (a small arowana is food), large water (1,500 L+), generous feeding. Both are big upper-column fish; conflict points are surface and territory. The key to success is growing them up together — combining adults rarely works. Proceed at your own risk: any mix can turn.

The most common killer isn't disease but enteritis-plus-stress: improper feeding (masses of live loaches, spoiled frozen bait) triggers enteritis, then a water-change temperature gap or startle collision finishes the fish within 48 hours. Prevention: fresh, measured food; change water within 2 °C; minimize sudden light and noise. Refusal to eat plus dark color is the critical window — stop feeding, warm slightly, observe.

10–15 years in captivity. Growth is slow — 10 cm juveniles take 3–4 years to reach 40 cm adults — hence the 'raising project' reputation. A tigerfish is a long-term commitment: big tank, stable water, ongoing carnivore budget. For keepers who treat it as the main fish, not an impulse buy.