Luciocephalus pulcher

{{Short description|Species of fish}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Luciocephalus pulcher (Gray, 1830).jpg

| image_caption =

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Low, B.W. |date=2019 |title=Luciocephalus pulcher |volume=2019 |page=e.T89808937A89808945 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T89808937A89808945.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}

| genus = Luciocephalus

| species = pulcher

| authority = (J. E. Gray, 1830)

| range_map = Luciocephalus pulcher map.jpg

| range_map_caption = Red:extant, light red: possibly extant

| synonyms = *Diplopterus pulcher J. E. Gray, 1830

}}

Luciocephalus pulcher, the pikehead, giant pikehead or crocodile pikehead, is a species of gourami native to the Malaya Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. It is a yellowish-brown fish with dark brown longitudinal bands and stripes, and can reach a length of {{convert|20|cm|in}} SL.

It can also be found in the aquarium trade,{{FishBase species|genus=Luciocephalus|species=pulcher|month=February|year=2014}} where it is notoriously difficult to keep; they require extremely soft, acidic water and seldom eat dead foods.{{cite web |title=Luciocephalus pulcher (Giant Pikehead) — Seriously Fish |url=https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/luciocephalus-pulcher/}}

Habitat

It can be found in a variety of habitats like flooded forests, streams, and peat swamps, especially in areas with plentiful vegetation.

Behavior

Compared to most gouramies, it is a highly specialized ambush predator that spends most of its time lying motionless near plants or other cover for potential prey to approach; when it does attack a potential meal (usually a smaller fish), it is able to extend its jaw to about one-third of its body length, allowing it to successfully prey upon fishes almost half of its own length.

Like several closely related genera (such as Sphaerichthys), it is a mouthbrooder (in this case a paternal mouthbrooder).

References