Giant/Hart's Rivulus (Anablepsoides hartii)

Overview

The Giant/Hart's Rivulus (Anablepsoides hartii) is a larger non-seasonal rivulid killifish, still widely known in the aquarium trade as Rivulus hartii. That older name matters for search and hobbyist recognition, but FishBase and Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean both place the species under Anablepsoides hartii. This SKU is supplied at about 3-4 cm, with reliable references recording adults around 10 cm total length, so it should not be treated like a tiny nano species.

This is a character fish for a covered, mature aquarium. It is usually calm rather than aggressive, but it is a strong jumper and an opportunistic feeder that will take insects, small fish and small invertebrates if it can. The right buyer is someone who wants a hardy, unusual rivulus-style species and is happy to give it a tight lid, floating cover, clean water and a sensible tank-mate plan.

Quick Facts

• Accepted scientific name: Anablepsoides hartii
• Synonym/trade name: Rivulus hartii
• Common names: Giant Rivulus, Hart's Rivulus, Jumping Guabine
• Supplied size: about 3-4 cm
• Adult size: up to about 10 cm total length
• Origin: Caribbean coastal drainages of northern Venezuela and nearby islands including Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada and Margarita
• Best setup: covered planted aquarium with floating plants, roots, leaf litter and quiet areas
• Routine temperature: 22-26 C
• Diet: insect-led omnivore; live/frozen foods, larger brine shrimp, quality pellets and occasional prepared foods once settled
• Breeding type: non-seasonal plant or mop spawner; eggs do not need annual peat drying

Appearance

The exact Petra source photo for SKU 3175 shows a long, powerful fish rather than a tiny nano species. The body is pale blue to violet-blue with a fine pearly scale pattern, the lower fins show yellow and orange tones, the dorsal and anal fins carry warm orange spotting, and the caudal fin is dark blue with bright yellow edging. Shorefishes describes the species with red-brown spotting in rows along the body and yellow to orange margins on the male tail, which fits the visual direction of the source image.

Settled males are the display animals. They can show blue-green body colour, warm spotted fins and a bold tail edge when kept under floating plants with a darker background. Females are plainer and may show a caudal spot, but both sexes have the alert rivulus posture: hovering near cover, watching movement above the water and dashing quickly when food appears.

Natural Habitat

FishBase records Anablepsoides hartii from Caribbean coastal river basins and lists freshwater and brackish habitats. USGS describes native waters along the Caribbean slope of Venezuela and the islands of Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada and Margarita, with the fish using small pools, ponds, streams and tributaries. FishBase also notes adults at the foot of waterfalls, in swamps, streams and ponds.

This species is famous for behaviour that matters in the aquarium. FishBase and USGS both report jumping behaviour to catch insects from overhanging vegetation, and USGS notes movement over moist ground into isolated waters. In a tank, that translates into one hard rule: keep the aquarium tightly covered. Gaps around filters, cables and feeding holes need attention because this fish is built to exploit them.

Aquarium Care

Use at least 60 litres for a pair or carefully planned small group, and choose more room if combining them with other fish. A longer tank with dense side and rear planting works better than a bare show tank. Use floating plants, Java moss, fine-leaved stems, driftwood and leaf litter to break up sight lines. Gentle filtration is enough; the fish does not need hard current, but it does need clean, oxygenated, stable water.

A routine range of 22-26 C suits this species well. Keep pH close to neutral or mildly acidic where possible, roughly 6.5-7.5, and avoid sudden swings. FishBase lists the fish as freshwater/brackish, but for normal home care a clean freshwater planted aquarium is the better default unless you are deliberately recreating coastal conditions with proper experience.

The old listing made this sound like a small casual community fish in places. That is too casual for the actual species. Anablepsoides hartii is not difficult because it is fragile; it is difficult because it is larger than many killifish, jumps strongly, feeds assertively and can treat very small tank mates as food. Give it a secure lid, steady maintenance and thoughtful company, and it becomes a fascinating, robust display fish.

Feeding

Feed like you would feed a larger predatory-leaning killifish. Frozen bloodworm, mosquito larvae, daphnia, brine shrimp, mysis and chopped meaty foods are useful staples. Good floating or slow-sinking pellets can be accepted once the fish is settled, but live and frozen foods bring out better condition and colour. Because it naturally takes insects from above the water, surface foods and occasional live foods are especially useful enrichment.

Do not keep it with tiny fry, very small shrimp or timid fish that cannot compete. USGS records a diet including insects and juvenile guppies in the wild, so the compatibility advice should be honest. Feed measured portions and remove leftovers, especially in quieter planted tanks where food can hide under leaves.

Compatibility

The safest option is a pair, trio or species-first setup in a covered planted aquarium. If tank mates are used, choose calm fish too large to be swallowed and too peaceful to bully a rivulus. Avoid fin nippers, large cichlids, fast barbs, predatory catfish, crayfish, tiny fry and expensive dwarf shrimp colonies. A peaceful label should not be read as harmless to everything small enough to fit in the mouth.

Because this fish often uses the upper and middle areas and can jump during feeding, avoid open-top aquascapes. A beautiful rimless planted aquarium is not the right home unless it has a fitted lid. Check the cover after maintenance, and keep water changes steady rather than dramatic.

Breeding Notes

This is a non-seasonal rivulus, not an annual peat-spawning killifish. Hobby breeding reports use covered tanks with plants or spawning mops. Eggs are laid over time rather than in one annual burst, and practical reports describe incubation around ten days to two weeks in suitable conditions. A planted breeding tank around 60 litres, stable warm water and heavy feeding with live/frozen foods are the sensible route.

If you are not breeding, the same details still matter because they explain the fish's needs: cover above, cover below, good food and stable water. A mop or dense fine-leaved plant mass can reduce stress even in a display tank.

Delivery, Guarantee and First Order Offer

Your fish is packed for live-animal courier delivery with oxygen, heat support when required and species-aware packing. Use the exact source photo and gallery as a visual guide, but remember that colour can shift with sex, age, stress level and lighting. Newly arrived rivulus often look paler until they settle into cover and begin feeding confidently.

First-time customers can use WELCOME10 for 10% off their first order when the code is available at checkout. Livestock orders are supported by our Live Arrival Guarantee; follow the delivery and acclimation instructions, keep the aquarium covered, and contact us quickly if anything does not look right on arrival.

Care Snapshot

For broader setup planning, compare this listing with our killifish care and shopping guide before choosing tank mates.

Setup Checklist

If you are matching an existing aquarium, our water matcher can help compare your current temperature and pH routine with this species' preferred range.

Feeding Plan

Compatibility Guide

For arrival day, use the acclimation timer and keep the lid closed whenever you step away from the aquarium.

Ordering Notes

Check the current livestock delivery information before ordering, especially during hot, cold or disrupted courier periods.

Best For

Choose Giant/Hart's Rivulus if you want an unusual, source-backed killifish with real behaviour: surface hunting, bold feeding, strong jumping instincts and a larger adult size than many rivulus relatives. Skip it if you need an open-top display fish, a tiny shrimp-safe nano fish or a carefree mixed-community filler. In the right covered planted aquarium, it is a memorable species with far more personality than a generic keyword page can show.