| Kafue Pike | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Characiformes |
| Superfamily: | Erythrinoidea |
| Family: | Hepsetidae |
| Genus: | Hepsetus |
| Species: | H. odoe |
| Binomial name | |
| Hepsetus odoe (Bloch, 1794) |
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The Hepsetus odoe, also known as the African pike or Kafue pike, is a predatory fish belonging to the family Hepsetidae.
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It is an elongate fish with a pike-like body. This species can reach up to about 65 centimetres (26 in) SL.
The Kafue pike inhabits tropical, freshwater lakes, coastal rivers, and swamps in Africa. It is widespread throughout central and west Africa, but is absent from the Nile river.
The species prefers quiet and deep water, and may only live about five years.
Kafue pike spawn in the summer. They are oviparous, and lay their eggs in a nest of floating foam, which they then guard. Fry and juveniles inhabit well-vegetated marginal habitats.
The Kafue pike is a gamefish. It also, on occasion, found as an aquarium fish, though its large size and piscivorous nature make it unsuitable for most aquarists.