Celebes Halfbeak Care Guide

The Celebes Halfbeak, Nomorhamphus liemi, is a distinctive and visually appealing species of livebearing fish, native to the freshwater streams and lakes of Sulawesi (formerly known as Celebes), Indonesia. This species is part of the Hemiramphidae family, commonly known for their unique body shape, with the lower jaw extending into a long "beak," while the upper jaw remains short and stout. The Celebes Halfbeak is particularly noted for its striking sexual dimorphism; males display vibrant coloration with a black and red caudal fin and an anal fin modified into an andropodium, a structure used in internal fertilization, while females are larger and more subdued in color but still elegantly shaped.

Setting up an aquarium for Nomorhamphus liemi should mimic their natural habitat as closely as possible, emphasizing soft, slightly acidic to neutral water conditions, with plenty of vegetation and open swimming spaces. These fish thrive in well-planted tanks that provide both hiding spots and areas for the display of their natural behaviors. A gentle water flow and a lid or cover are also essential, as Halfbeaks are known to jump, especially if startled or during breeding displays.

The diet of the Celebes Halfbeak is omnivorous but with a strong preference for live foods in captivity. They feed on small insects, larvae, and zooplankton in the wild, so offering a variety of live or frozen foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, and mosquito larvae, in addition to high-quality flake foods, will help ensure they receive adequate nutrition. This varied diet is crucial for maintaining their health and vibrant coloration, especially in males.

Breeding Nomorhamphus liemi can be a rewarding experience, as they are livebearers, with the female giving birth to fully developed fry. The breeding process can be encouraged by maintaining optimal water conditions and providing a rich diet of live foods. Care should be taken to separate the fry from adult fish, as they may be predated upon. The fry are relatively large and well-developed at birth, capable of eating finely crushed flake food or small live foods.

Caring for the Celebes Halfbeak involves maintaining clean water conditions with regular water changes and careful monitoring of water parameters to ensure a stable environment that supports their well-being. Their peaceful nature makes them suitable for community tanks with other similarly sized and tempered species, though care should be taken to avoid housing them with aggressive or fin-nipping fish that may stress or injure the Halfbeaks.

In summary, the Celebes Halfbeak, Nomorhamphus liemi, offers aquarists the chance to keep a unique and engaging species that adds both beauty and intrigue to the freshwater aquarium. While their care requires attention to dietary and environmental needs, the rewards of keeping Celebes Halfbeaks include the enrichment of the aquarium with their distinctive appearance and fascinating behaviors, providing a slice of the biodiverse aquatic life of Indonesia's Sulawesi Island.