Raiamas senegalus

Raiamas senegalus, the African Torpedo Minnow or Silver Torpedo, is one of the few members of the danionid family native to Africa, distributed across West African river systems including the Senegal and Niger basins. It is a streamlined, powerful fish with a bright silver body and a subtle dark mid-lateral marking, built for speed in open, flowing water.

In the aquarium it requires a large, well-oxygenated setup with minimal clutter to accommodate its constant high-speed swimming. Like other Raiamas it is predatory toward small fish and should be housed with species of comparable size. Its West African origin makes it a fascinating representative of the danionid family outside its typical Asian range.

Raiamas senegalus is encountered only occasionally in the hobby and is typically available through specialist importers. Its care is similar to other large Raiamas but it is adapted to the softer, slightly more acidic waters typical of West African river systems.

Water: Temperature 22–28°C, pH 6.5–7.5, GH 4–12; good oxygenation and moderate to strong flow essential. Tank: Minimum 300 L; long, open tank; powerful filtration; robust or absent planting. Feeding: Predatory; large pellets, whole fish foods, krill, and earthworms; avoid very small prey items that are nutritionally inadequate. Breeding: Not bred in home aquariums; wild-collected or farm-bred specimens only available in trade. Compatibility: Predatory toward small fish; house with large West African cichlids, large catfish, or other robust species of similar size.