The Puffer Forum

Was wondering if anyone could positively ID this archerfish for me -

http://www.thepufferforum.com/ug/main.p ... alNumber=1

Sorry for the poor picture quality, it was taken with a cellphone camera.
I believe it is a T. microlepis due to the fact that it has 2 clearly distinct markings on the dorsal fin and spots between each "wedge" shaped marking on the flanks, but want to make sure, because I don't have room for it if it's a larger species (T. microlepis is the smallest species of archer).

Any input is appreciated,
Thanks!

it looks like Toxotes chatareus to me

Hmm.
I'm going largely by Neale Monks's page on archers, because he is one of the only reliable sources of brackish fish info I know of:
http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Projects/FAQ/3c.html

The archer in question seems to have larger wedge markings on it's flanks, two distinct markings on its dorsal fin (it's fin is down in the photo), and areas of lighter gray where T. chatareus does not.
The pictures I'm going by, for reference:




I tried google image searching various Toxotes spp., and much like puffers, I feel there is a lot of misidentifying on the net, so I don't feel they can be relied on.

Toxotes microlepis usually has two distinct black spots on the dorsal fin; these are normally absent from Toxotes chatareus. Unfortunately, the only 100% sure way to distinguish juveniles of these two species is by doing a scale count; Toxotes microlepis having smaller scales, and consequently rather more of them along the lateral line ("microlepis" itself means "small scales"). Adult Toxotes chatareus are twice the size of adult Toxotes microlepis, so telling full-grown specimens apart isn't difficult. Toxotes jaculatrix has four, not five, spines in the dorsal fin so is usually easy to distinguish from the other two commonly traded species.

The following is take from "Toxotes kimberleyensis, a New Species of Archerfish (Pisces: Toxotidae) from Fresh Waters of Western Australia" by G R Allen, Records of the Australian Museum (2004) Vol. 56: 225–230.

• Toxotes chatareus --
  Lateral-line scales usually 25–38. Colour pattern consisting of a series of 6–7 alternating, large and small black spots.

• Toxotes microlepis --
  Lateral-line scales usually 39–50. Colour pattern consisting of 4–5 vertically elongate, black bars or triangular saddles interspersed with smaller black spots on upper back; soft portion of dorsal fin with pair of large black spots.

Looking at your specimen, I suspect it is Toxotes microlepis, the species that Frank Schaefer says is the most frequently imported. It's a freshwater fish with some tolerance for brackish water, though low salinity is preferred.

Cheers, Neale

Thanks a ton Neale!
I'm thinking I'm going to go for it, and assume it is a T. microlepis, as that's where all the evidence seems to point; if it turns out to a larger species (if I can further ID it, or it grows larger than it should), I'll just use it as an excuse to upgrade to a larger tank I'm sure my Figure 8's wouldn't mind.

Now I get to set up a QT...

ha! yeah thanks now i know mine is T. microlepis, i always thought the black spots on the dorsal fin meant they were chatareus,

The pattern on my archer looks like this. Toxotes jaculatrix

jmbishop - The archerfish in that photo has the classic markings of Toxotes jaculatrix; specifically, the two blotches on the dorsal fin merge with the last two vertical bars on the body. Although that species is the one usually mentioned in aquarium books, it's not at all certain that its the most common species in the trade. Frank Schaefer argues that T. microlepis the most commonly traded species, and at least looking around the UK in the last few years I'd tend to agree.

Cheers, Neale