Kafue pike (Hepsetus odoe)

Scientific name: Hepsetus odoe Bloch, 1794

The Kafue pike (Hepsetus odoe) is a freshwater fish of the family Hepsetidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 26–28°C (79–82°F).

Kafue pike care at a glance

Temperature: 26–28°C (79–82°F)

Biology

Adults occur in most coastal rivers, lakes and swamps. Prefer quiet, deep water, like channels and lagoons of large floodplains. Juveniles and fry inhabit well-vegetated marginal habitats. Adults feed on fish, juveniles feed on small invertebrates and fish. Multiple spawner; breeds over the summer months. Relatively short-lived, only 4-5 years. Also caught with drawnets.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Hepsetus odoe
Family: Hepsetidae (African pikes)
Order: Characiformes (Characins)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 70.0
Environment: Freshwater;; pH range: 6.0 - 7.5; dH range: ? - 18 demersal; potamodromous
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Africa: widespread from Senegal to Angola including Niger, Volta, Chad, Ogowe, Democratic Republic of the Congo and upper Zambezi Rivers; as well as in the Cunene, Okavango, and Kafue systems. Widespread in central and west Africa. Absent in the Nile River; Zambian Congo and the Great Lakes.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.27; tmax=5; Fec