Opsaridium christyi

Opsaridium christyi is a large and rarely kept African cyprinid from the Congo River Basin, belonging to a genus of active, predatory danionid relatives distributed across sub-Saharan Africa. It is an impressive fish, reaching up to 20 cm, with a highly streamlined body, brilliant silver scaling, and vivid red pectoral fins that create a striking colour contrast when the fish is in full display or high-speed pursuit.

In the aquarium it requires a very large, powerfully filtered setup with substantial open swimming space and strong water movement. It is not a community fish in the conventional sense — its predatory nature means it will consume any fish small enough to fit in its mouth, and it should be housed with similarly large, robust species. A group of four or more of its own kind provides the best environment.

Opsaridium christyi is a genuine specialist species suited to advanced aquarists with the infrastructure to house it appropriately. Its rarity in the trade makes acquisition an event in itself, and maintaining it successfully is a noteworthy achievement.

Water: Temperature 22–26°C, pH 6.5–7.5, GH 5–15; very strong filtration and high oxygenation essential for this large active fish. Tank: Minimum 400 L; long tank; powerful sump or canister filtration; open water essential; robust or absent planting. Feeding: Large predatory fish food, whole prawns, lance fish, earthworms, and large sinking pellets; avoid live feeder fish. Breeding: No documented captive breeding; wild-caught or specialist farm specimens only. Compatibility: Predatory toward small fish; house with large African cichlids, large catfish, or other robust species of similar size.