Chocolate Bushfish

About

The Chocolate Bushfish (Ctenopoma ocellatum) is one of the more characterful labyrinth fish you can keep, hailing from the Congo River basin in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo, with some records from the Niger delta in Nigeria. Like its relatives, it's an obligate air-breather, meaning it must have access to the water surface at all times. A straightforward requirement that nonetheless needs to be planned around when setting up the tank. The common name refers to the rich brown tones that run across its body, while the "eyespot" or "bullseye" names point to the bold ocellated marking near the tail that helps deter would-be predators in the wild. In the aquarium, this fish is a sit-and-wait predator by nature. Deliberate, unhurried, and prone to targeting anything small enough to fit in its mouth. Tankmates should be chosen carefully with that in mind. It won't hassle fish it can't eat, but smaller species are genuinely at risk. Given some driftwood, dense planting, and a bit of patience, this is a rewarding species for an intermediate keeper who appreciates a fish that does things on its own terms.