What kind of fish

Question
QUESTION: I have a 125 gallon freshwater tank that has been set up for about a year and a few days ago a guy gave me two silver scaly fish with a black sword like thing in the middle of their tale. He had them for about 3 years and they are about 5-7 inches. I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of fish these are?

ANSWER: Hi Cristy;

I can't think of any fish that get that large fitting the description. Could you attach a photo in a followup?

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Silver fish   QUESTION: This is both of them.

Answer
Hi Cristy!

We finally found your fish! My friend couldn't help us so I posted your picture on the Practical Fishkeeping message board based in the UK. After many people searched through their books and online fish indexes, a forum  moderator finally came up with;

Triportheus angulatus, also called the "Giant Hatchet", from the Amazon River Basin.

There aren't very many good references to them on the internet but here are a couple of links to profiles and pictures;

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=12976

http://www.aquarium-berlin.de/uploads/pics/bild4x_01.jpg
  
Thanks for the challenge!

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins




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Hi Cristy;

Those guys are very unique! I can't identify them except that they are probably in the characin family. I have enlisted the help of another expert from a forum I frequent and he doesn't know what they are either. He has forwarded your photo to friends of his too so hopefully someone can help us very soon. I will get back to you as soon as I get word...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins