Long Snout Halfbeak Care

Fish Name:  Long Snout Halfbeak , also sometimes referred to as Forest Halfbeak

Scientific Name: Hemirhamphodon pogonognathus

Origin:  Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia


Size:  Up to four inches.  Males get slightly longer than females

Temperature:  72-82 degrees F

Food:  In the wild, long snout halfbeaks eat insects, primarily mosquitos and spiders that land on the water.  They prowl the surface of the water in between plants watching for the insects to drop.  These fish can also be carnivorous.  Feed them flake food, frozen and live bloodworms, and brine shrimp.

Breeding:  Long snout halfbeaks are livebearers.  They have about 30-40 fry and lay them a few at a time for a period of about two weeks.

Interesting fact:  Long Snout Halfbeaks are aggressive fish, especially towards each other.  In some Asian countries people gamble on fights between male fish, similar to Siamese fighting fish (bettas).

Do Fish Sleep?

Fish do not sleep like we do, but they do exhibit behavior that is sleep-like.  Fish don't have eyelids that close so they do not close their eyes.  However, at night you will notice that their movement slows and also their breathing slows.  They pick a spot, usually out of the current, and remain relatively stationery.  Fish never completely zone out of their environment though.  They can sense movement in the water and remain guarded and on the lookout for predators.  Fish also use their keen sense of smell and taste at night.