Characin (Alestes dentex)

Scientific name: Alestes dentex Linnaeus, 1758

The Characin (Alestes dentex) is a freshwater fish of the family Alestidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 24–27°C (75–81°F).

Characin care at a glance

Temperature: 24–27°C (75–81°F)

Biology

Two subspecies: Alestes dentex dentex in the Nile and Alestes dentex sethente (Valenciennes, 1849) in Sudanian basins of West Africa. Omnivorous, stomachs examined contained seeds, zooplankton, insects or fish fry.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Alestes dentex
Family: Alestidae (African tetras)
Order: Characiformes (Characins)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 55.0
Environment: Freshwater;; pH range: 6.0 - 6.5; dH range: 4 - 18 pelagic; potamodromous
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Africa: Chad, Niger, Volta, Gambia, Senegal, Nile, Lake Mobutu Sese Seko, Lake Omo, Lake Turkana. Also known from the White Nile, Murchinson Nile, and Blue Nile,.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=7; tm=2; K=0.43-.075)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026