Tankmates: Best with calm midwater and bottom fish that do not compete at the surface (rasboras, small loaches, corydoras). Avoid other surface fish and fast, pushy feeders. Fry and shrimplets are eaten.
Feeding: Insectivorous surface feeders that do not pick food from the bottom; live and floating foods are strongly preferred and help condition breeding females.
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Halfbeaks are slim surface fish with a long, needle-like lower jaw and a short upper one. In Malay they are known as ikan julung-julung, and some species live wild in Malaysian streams, ditches and peat swamps. In the aquarium they patrol just under the waterline, picking off anything that lands on the surface.
They suit hobbyists who already have a little experience and want something different from the usual tetras and guppies, especially in a planted or blackwater tank. FishyHub lists halfbeaks from Malaysian sellers, so you can compare species, sizes and prices in RM in one place.
The most common halfbeak in the hobby. It grows to around 5–7 cm, and males spar with their jaws, which is where the "wrestling" name comes from. Dermogenys are livebearers, so a mixed group may produce fry without any help from you.
A chunkier halfbeak from Sulawesi, often with red or black fin tips. Males have a short, hooked beak flap. They are also livebearers and tend to be calmer than wrestling halfbeaks.
Small, delicate halfbeaks from the soft, tea-coloured blackwater of Southeast Asian peat swamps, including habitats in Malaysia. They are more demanding than Dermogenys and do best in a quiet, species-focused tank with plenty of floating plants.
| Care point | What works |
|---|---|
| Temperature | About 24–30°C. Malaysian room temperature (26–31°C) is usually fine, but avoid tanks that climb above 30°C. |
| Minimum tank | 2 kaki (60 cm, about 55–65 litres). A long, low tank with a big surface area is better than a tall one. |
| Lid | Essential. Halfbeaks jump when startled. |
| Temperament | Peaceful with other fish; males spar with each other. |
| Diet | Floating foods, small insects, fruit flies, mosquito larvae, frozen bloodworm. |
| Beginner-friendly? | Intermediate. Feeding and jumping are the main challenges. |
Halfbeaks feed almost only at the surface, so sinking pellets are wasted on them. Offer floating flakes, small floating pellets and live foods. Many keepers culture fruit flies, which halfbeaks chase eagerly.
Their long jaw is fragile. A startled halfbeak can dart into the glass and damage it, so keep the tank in a calm spot, add floating plants such as salvinia or frogbit for cover, and avoid tapping the glass. Because warm water holds less oxygen, gentle surface movement from a filter or pam udara helps on hot afternoons, but keep the flow mild.
Malaysian tap water is chlorinated, so always treat it with anti klorin before a water change. Wrestling halfbeaks cope with ordinary treated tap water; peat-swamp Hemirhamphodon prefer soft, acidic water, and a few daun ketapang can help recreate that.
Please don't release halfbeaks or their fry into drains or rivers, even species that occur naturally in Malaysia. Fish from a tank can carry disease into wild populations.
Halfbeaks can be stressed by transport, so check each listing carefully before you order:
Look for straight, undamaged jaws and fish that hold position near the surface. If you are in Sabah or Sarawak, ask the seller first, as live fish take longer to reach East Malaysia.
Ikan julung-julung makan di permukaan air. Beri flake terapung, pelet kecil yang terapung, jentik-jentik, lalat buah atau cacing darah beku. Makanan yang tenggelam biasanya tidak dimakan.
Boleh, dengan ikan kecil yang aman seperti rasbora, tetra kecil dan corydoras. Elakkan ikan besar atau ikan yang suka menggigit sirip.
Dermogenys and Nomorhamphus do. Adults may eat newborn fry, so dense floating plants or a separate tank improve survival.
Usually from crashing into the glass or lid after a fright. A quieter location, floating cover and dim lighting at night reduce the risk.
Compare wrestling, Celebes and peat-swamp halfbeaks from Malaysian sellers, with prices in RM and delivery options on every listing. Pair them with peaceful schooling fish from our Rasbora or Pencilfish categories.
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