African Snook
Lates niloticus
One of the world's most destructive invasive species, and genuinely unsuitable for home aquaria.
About
The African snook (Lates niloticus) is a fish that has absolutely no place in a home aquarium, and very few places even in public ones. Native to a vast stretch of sub-Saharan Africa, it ranges across major river systems from the Senegal and Niger to the Nile, where adults patrol deep channels and lake basins while juveniles occupy shallower water closer to shore. It is a powerful, highly efficient predator that shifts from plankton as a fry to crustaceans and insects as a juvenile, and then to fish, particularly clupeids and characins, as an adult. The species is famous, or rather infamous, for the ecological havoc it caused after being introduced into Lake Victoria, where it is widely held responsible for the extinction of more than 200 endemic cichlid species through direct predation and resource competition. The IUCN lists it among the world's top 100 invasive species. In captivity, juveniles are occasionally sold and do cohabit peacefully with large tankmates like arowana or oversized catfish. Because they cannot yet swallow them. That changes fast. Adults can exceed five feet and weigh well over 100 kg. The 1,000-gallon minimum tank figure here is not pessimism; it is optimistic. Please do not buy this fish.
Similar species
Other fish you might consider
Good tank mates
Species that tend to coexist peacefully with African Snook
From the same region
Share the same natural habitat. Great for a biotope-themed tank
Frequently asked questions
- How big does the African Snook get?
- The African Snook reaches about 60–78" as an adult.
- What size tank does the African Snook need?
- A minimum of 1000 gallons is recommended for the African Snook.
- What water parameters does the African Snook need?
- The African Snook does best with a temperature of 72–82°F, a pH of 7–8.5, hardness around 10–30 dGH.
- Is the African Snook aggressive?
- The African Snook is aggressive and is best kept alone or with robust tankmates that can hold their own.
- What does the African Snook eat?
- The African Snook is a carnivore. It needs a meaty, protein-rich diet of frozen or live foods.
- How long does the African Snook live?
- With good care, the African Snook typically lives 5-25 years.