Taxonomy & naming
Ctenopoma pellegrini was described by George Albert Boulenger in 1902 under the name Anabas pellegrini, reflecting the practice of the period of grouping African climbing perches into the broadly conceived genus Anabas. The type locality is the Yembe River at Banzyville — present-day Mobayi-Mbongo, in north-western DRC, at approximately 4°18' N, 21°11' E — and the species is recorded across the middle Congo River basin of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (CAS) treats the current valid name as Ctenopoma pellegrini (Boulenger, 1902), with parenthetical authority acknowledging the original placement in Anabas.
The genus Ctenopoma, established by Peters in 1844, encompasses the larger-bodied African bushfishes of the family Anabantidae, a group that remains phylogenetically understudied relative to their Southeast Asian counterparts. Ctenopoma pellegrini is one of several mid-sized Congo-basin species in the genus, and its systematic relationships within Ctenopoma have not been revised in a modern phylogenetic framework. The specific epithet pellegrini honours the French ichthyologist Jacques Pellegrin (1873–1944), a prolific describer of African freshwater fishes who contributed substantially to knowledge of the Congo ichthyofauna in the early twentieth century.
Morphology
Ctenopoma pellegrini reaches approximately 4.5 in total length, making it a medium-bodied member of its genus, larger than the dwarf species in Microctenopoma but not among the very largest Ctenopoma. The body is laterally compressed and moderately deep, typical of anabantoid fishes adapted to vegetated, slow-water environments. The dorsal and anal fins are long-based, extending well towards the caudal fin, and the caudal fin is rounded. The operculum bears spines or denticulations along its posterior edge — a feature that defines the genus name Ctenopoma, from the Greek for 'comb cover' — which can interlock with those of rivals or tangle in nets.
Coloration in life has not been described in detail in the primary literature available, but the genus tends to show cryptic mottled or spotted patterning against a brownish or olive base, often with a variable dark lateral band or spot, helping the fish blend into leaf litter and woody debris on the forest floor. Juveniles may display more contrasting banding that fades with maturity. Sexual dimorphism is reported to be present: males may develop more pronounced opercular spination and, in many Ctenopoma, a rougher body texture contributed by ctenii (comb-like scales), though the degree of these differences in pellegrini specifically is not well documented.
Habitat
Ctenopoma pellegrini inhabits the freshwaters of the middle Congo River basin in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Records from the Lake Tumba region — a large shallow lake embedded in Congolian flooded-forest landscapes — indicate the species occupies flooded forests, marshes, and inundated areas characteristic of this vast lowland basin. Lake Tumba itself is part of the Congo River's extensive floodplain system, and the water chemistry recorded from ichthyological surveys of the lake reflects the acidic, ion-poor character of Congolian blackwaters: pH values around 3.6 have been measured, and the temperature data from surveys (with means around 54–55 °F) likely represent cooler-season or deep-water readings rather than the ambient tropical surface temperature the species actually experiences in shallow, sun-warmed habitats.
FishBase records the species as tropical and lists temperature preferences of 72–81 °F, which aligns with the warm, still or sluggish waters of Congolian floodplains and forest pools. Like all Ctenopoma, this species is an obligate air-breather, and its labyrinth organ enables it to survive in the poorly aerated, tannin-stained waters of flooded-forest margins where gill-dependent fishes would struggle. Floating vegetation, submerged roots, and leaf-litter accumulations are the microhabitats in which the genus is typically most abundant.
Feeding
Ctenopoma pellegrini is a predatory species, as is typical for the genus. African bushfishes are ambush hunters that use their cryptic coloration and the cover of vegetation and debris to approach prey; the diet in the wild consists primarily of small invertebrates — aquatic insect larvae, small crustaceans, and worms — supplemented by small fishes where these are available. Larger Ctenopoma in particular will consume fish prey readily, and the size of Ctenopoma pellegrini (over 4.5 in) implies that small tankmates are at risk.
In the aquarium, the species can be accustomed to meaty prepared and live foods: large bloodworm, earthworm pieces, small prawns, and frozen Mysis are all accepted, as are sinking pellets formulated for carnivores once the fish is settled. Live food is often the key to feeding newly imported or wild-caught individuals. Feeding response may be most active at dusk or in dim light, consistent with the crepuscular-to-nocturnal foraging habits typical of larger Ctenopoma.
Mating
Breeding biology for Ctenopoma pellegrini has not been described in detail in the primary ichthyological literature. The reproductive mode of the genus Ctenopoma as a whole, and Anabantidae generally outside the bubble-nesting Anabas, is variable: some species are open-water spawners producing buoyant eggs, while others have been observed to deposit eggs in a manner that relies on the eggs' buoyancy rather than any nest structure. There is no evidence that Ctenopoma pellegrini constructs a bubble nest; the available hobby literature (Baensch Aquarium Atlas Vol. 3) notes that breeding is possible under 'average water values' without specifying mode.
In the field, the Tate et al. (2017) study on labyrinth organ diversity and mating behaviour across Ctenopoma and related genera confirms the broader ecological and behavioural framework for the genus but does not provide species-specific mating data for pellegrini. Males of larger Ctenopoma species are typically territorial and may show aggression toward rivals and sometimes toward females outside breeding condition; this is consistent with the WetWebMedia note that the species is 'a bit rough' relative to smaller Microctenopoma.
Breeding
Specific breeding accounts for Ctenopoma pellegrini in captivity are sparse. The Baensch Aquarium Atlas records that breeding has been accomplished under average water conditions, but no clutch size, incubation period, or detailed spawning observations are documented in accessible sources. Based on the genus and family, the eggs of Ctenopoma pellegrini are expected to be buoyant and released into open water, drifting at or near the surface; parental care is not expected, and the adults should be separated from eggs once spawning has occurred.
For hobbyists attempting to breed the species, conditioning adults on high-quality live and frozen foods, providing a well-covered and dimly lit aquarium, and using soft, slightly acidic water consistent with the Congo blackwater environment is a reasonable starting point. The species' size and assertive temperament mean that care should be taken with the female's safety during courtship; providing ample space and visual barriers is advisable. Data on fry requirements are not available in current sources.
In the aquarium
Ctenopoma pellegrini is an uncommon species in the hobby, occasionally appearing as an import from the Democratic Republic of Congo alongside other Congo-basin anabantoids. It is best suited to a species-only aquarium or a carefully selected community of larger, robust Congo-basin fishes such as larger tetras, medium-sized cichlids, or other Congo endemics of comparable size — any fish small enough to fit in the mouth of an 4.5 in ambush predator should be considered at risk. WetWebMedia notes its temperament as 'a bit rough' by comparison with smaller Microctenopoma species, and intraspecific aggression between males is likely.
Aquarium conditions should reflect the soft, acidic, warm blackwaters of the Congo basin: temperature 72–81 °F, pH on the acidic to neutral side, dim lighting with floating plants or surface cover, and plentiful hiding places in the form of driftwood, leaf litter (Indian almond or oak leaves), and dense marginal planting. As a labyrinth fish, the species must have unobstructed access to the water surface to breathe atmospheric air; a tight-fitting lid is also advisable to prevent escape. Filtration should provide good water quality without strong flow. The species is not demanding about diet once established on meaty foods, but live food is often necessary to trigger a feeding response in newly imported fish.
Conservation
Ctenopoma pellegrini has not been evaluated by the IUCN Red List and carries a status of Not Evaluated (NE). No dedicated conservation assessment has been published for this species, and it is not known to be subject to particular trade pressure or targeted collection, in contrast to more commercially sought Congo-basin fishes. Its distribution across the middle Congo basin — one of the world's most extensive intact tropical forest-river systems — means it is not obviously at immediate range-wide risk, though the Congo basin as a whole faces increasing pressure from deforestation, artisanal and industrial mining, and expanding subsistence fishing.
The Lake Tumba system, from which the species is recorded, lies within the broader Lac Tumba–Lac Maindombe wetland landscape, parts of which fall within protected areas and Ramsar sites, providing some degree of habitat protection. Without a formal IUCN assessment, the true conservation status of Ctenopoma pellegrini remains unknown. Given the general data deficiency for many Congo-basin anabantoids, a precautionary approach to sourcing — preferring captive-bred or responsibly collected specimens when available — is advisable for aquarists.