page_title: Zenarchopteridae
section_title: In the aquarium
hierarchical_section_title: Zenarchopteridae / Breeding / In the aquarium
caption_attribution_description: English: Nomorhamphus liemi liemi halfbeaks ready for introduction to a new aquarium.
context_page_description: Zenarchopteridae, the viviparous halfbeaks, is a family in the order Beloniformes. The Zenarchopteridae exhibit strong sexual dimorphism, practicing internal fertilisation, and in some cases ovoviviparous or viviparous. The members in the family are mainly found in fresh and brackish water of tropical Asia and New Guinea, but the genus Zenarchopterus also includes marine species from the Indo-Pacific. Several, such as the wrestling halfbeak, have become commonly traded aquarium fish.
context_section_description: Some of the fresh and brackish water species are kept as ornamental aquarium fish, particularly genera Dermogenys and Nomorhamphus, but also Hemirhamphodon and Zenarchopterus, less commonly.
  To be kept successfully, halfbeaks require an aquarium with plenty of space at the surface. Depth is not critical, so a wide tank is better than a deep one. They are sensitive to low oxygen levels but are otherwise relatively hardy, except that they are intolerant of sudden changes in salinity, pH, hardness, or temperature. Consequently, they must be introduced to a new aquarium gently, and small but frequent water changes are best, so the water chemistry does not change suddenly. A few species, most notably Dermogenys pusillius, have traditionally been kept in slightly brackish water, though some authors aver that those found in brackish water are estuarine juveniles. Most traded species of Nomorhamphus and Hemirhamphodon prefer soft, neutral to slightly acidic, fresh water conditions.
  Halfbeaks are sensitive and shocks like sudden changes in illumination can evoke frantic swimming activity. They may crash into the glass, injuring their beaks, or jump out of the tank. Such beak injuries usually heal within a few weeks. They will eat insect larvae such as bloodworms readily, as well as crustacean eggs, shrimp, fruit flies, and small pieces of chopped white fish. Halfbeaks sometimes eat flake foods as well. Some aquarists also offer them tiny pieces of algae wafer on the basis that most species are omnivorous in the wild, and so plant food probably suits them.
  Halfbeaks breed in captivity, but despite being livebearers not easily. Miscarriages are common, particularly if the females are stressed (for example, by being moved to another aquarium). Once the fry have been born, the large babies eat newly hatched brine shrimp, small live foods such as daphnia, and powdered flake.
caption: Nomorhamphus liemi liemi halfbeaks ready for introduction to a new aquarium.
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "", "Image Make": "NIKON", "Image Model": "E3200", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop 7.0", "Image DateTime": "2006:09:03 21:38:24", "Image HostComputer": "Mac OS X 10.3.9", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ExifOffset": "256", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "962", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "3098", "EXIF ExposureTime": "10/601", "EXIF FNumber": "28/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "50", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2005:05:17 12:17:06", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2005:05:17 12:17:06", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "2", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "3", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash fired, auto mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "29/5", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "400", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "300", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "0", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "38", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal", "EXIF SubjectDistanceRange": "0"}