May 31, 2011

STRIPED SUCKERMOUTH CATFISH

Hemiancistrus vittatus

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Family Loricariidae. Distribution Tropical South America. Description Shape: characteristic for a bottom-living fish: low-set sucking mouth, surrounded by fleshy lips; pectoral and pelvic fins broad and flat. Dorsal fin long, high and bannerlike. The adipose fin and caudal fin have an elongated lower lobe. Nasal openings have pipelike extensions; mouth has barbels. Color: see illustration; variable as with all Loricariidae. S/ze: about 4 in (1 Ocm). Sexual differences: the males probably have whiskerlike appendages on the head.

Environment Temperature: 70-77 °F (21-25 °C). pH: neutral to slightly acid. Water hardness: soft to medium-hard water. Illumination : medium to strong lighting. Substrate: sandy bottom with hiding places made from roots, etc. Furnishings: thick vegetation, but plants not too feathery.

Feeding Eats algae and other vegetable matter in its native habitat. Easily accustomed to commercial foodstuffs, but must have plenty of plant matter and food with bulk.

Biology Behavior: lives on the bottom, in running water; territorial. Reproduction : unknown. Social life: aggressive toward members of its own species. Compatibility: very peaceable and harmless toward other species, even the smallest fishes.

 

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May 31, 2011

GYMNOCHANDA FILAMENTOSA

Gymnochanda filamentosa

Family Centropomidae. Distribution Malayan peninsula. Description Shape: similar to the ordinary glass perch (cf. Chanda ranga). Moderately long, very compressed in profile. Large eyes (one-third of head length). No scales. Color: transparent. Male, when h good color, honey yellow to delicate yellowish brown. Body cavity covered with a silvery membrane. Six to ten delicate vertical bars. Reddish mouth. Yellowish, trans parent fins. Dark rays to dorsal and anal fins. Female much less

brightly colored. Size: up to 2 in (5cm). Sexual differences: males have blackish membrane between the extremely elongated rays of the second dorsal and anal fins.

Environment In shallow, brackish waters. The fish is very similar to Chanda ranga, but even more sensitive to conditions.

Feeding Only small living food. Biology Comparable to the ordinary glass perch, and has even been bred in the same way, though the young fish never grow the splendidly elongated fin rays.

 

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May 31, 2011

MOSQUITO FISH

Gambusia affinis Family Poeciliidae.

Distribution From New Jersey to Florida, from Alabama to East Texas (U.S.A.).

Description Shape: females resemble the guppy (Poecilia reticulata): males somewhat more robust. Color: male is transparent gray with a bluish shimmer on the sides, olive-brownish back, silvery belly. A black vertical bar through the eye. The original form has numerous loosely distributed black spots. Size: male up to 1 f in (3.5 cm), female up to 2|in (6 cm). Sexual differences: size, shape and male gonopodium. Environment Medium-fast-flowing and still waters; brackish water also tolerated. Temperature: room temperature. In the wild, survives temperatures from 37 °F (3 °C) to 86 °F (30 °C). pH and water hardness: not important. Furnishings: ample vegetation and a certain amount of swimming space. Feeding A hearty eater, consuming up to its own body weight of foodstuff per day. Mosquito larvae are particularly popular.

Biology Behavior: lively, somewhat quarrelsome schooling fish. Reproduction: very simple, as long as they are well fed. Will eat their own young. Social life best kept in single-species schools, in a large, shallow tank. Compatibility: unsuitable for community aquaria.

 

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May 31, 2011

INDIAN GLASSFISH; GLASS PERCH

Chanda ranga

Family Centropomidae. Distribution India, Burma, Thailand. Description Shape: rhomboid body shape, deep profile, flattish sides; large eyes; two separate dorsal fins set very close together, the second rounded. The spine and swim bladder can be recognized through the muscles, together with the gut, pigmented with particles of guanine. Sexual differences: the mature male is much more brightly colored, and the fins bigger. The male’s swim bladder is pointed at the rear; the female’s is rounded.

Environment All types of water, even brackish. Temperature: 64-77°F (18-25′C). pH: 7-8. Water hardness and density: medium to extremely hard water The fish’s condition will be enhanced by a small addition of salt (preferably sea salt), 3-6 teaspoons to 2 gallons (10 liters) of water. Substrate and furnishings: ampU vegetation, dark bottom material.

Feeding Only small, well-chopped-up live food will be taken. Plenty of small crabs and enchytraeids. Biology Behavior: strictly territorial. Reproduction breeding is relatively simple. One pair of fish can

Chanda ranga

Family Centropomidae. Distribution India, Burma, Thailand. Description Shape: rhomboid body shape, deep profile, flattish sides; large eyes; two separate dorsal fins set very close together, the second rounded. The spine and swim bladder can be recognized through the muscles, together with the gut, pigmented with particles of guanine. Sexual differences: the mature male is much more brightly colored, and the fins bigger. The male’s swim bladder is pointed at the rear; the female’s is rounded.

Environment All types of water, even brackish. Temperature: 64-77°F (18-25′C). pH: 7-8. Water hardness and density: medium to extremely hard water The fish’s condition will be enhanced by a small addition of salt (preferably sea salt), 3-6 teaspoons to 2 gallons (10 liters) of water. Substrate and furnishings: ampU vegetation, dark bottom material.

Feeding Only small, well-chopped-up live food will be taken. Plenty of small crabs and enchytraeids. Biology Behavior: strictly territorial. Reproduction breeding is relatively simple. One pair of fish canproduc–about 200 young. They should be fed on rotifers and Artemia nauplii three times a day. Compatibility unsuitable company for lively schooling fishes.

 

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May 31, 2011

CLOWN LOACH

Botia macracantha

Family Cobitidae. Distribution Sumatra and Borneo. Description Shape: the body is thickset. The sides are somewhat compressed, the belly profile almost straight. The dorsal fin arises in front of the ventral fin four pairs of barbels. Color: basic color a bright oranoe-red. marked with three wedge-shaped velvety-black vertical bars. Typically, all fins at least partly blood red Size: upto 11|in (30cm). Sexual differences: unknown Environment In flowing and still waters; a bottom fish. Temperature: 75-86 °F (24-30 °C). pH and water hardness: no special requirements. Illumination, substrate. furnishings: subdued lighting. Deep, soft sandy bottom, with two-thirds to three-quarters of tank planted, the rest as swimming space. Provide plenty of cover. Regular addition of fresh water necessary. Feeding Omnivorous.

Biology Behavior: a lively schooling fish, although older specimens in particular are often solitary; clicking noises are made as a territorial signal. Reproduction: unknown. Compatibility: easily kept with peaceable schooling fishes.

 

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May 31, 2011

RAMIREZ’ DWARF CICHLID

Apistogramma ramirezi

Family Cichlidae. Distribution Venezuela and Bolivia. Description Shape: typical dwarf cichlid. Characteristic deep, flat body and great compression. The dorsal fin is high, the first three spines black and the second, in males, elongated. Color: base color in fine specimens pale purplish red. A vertical bar through the eye; a black spot under the spiny part of the dorsal fin, surrounded by spots of blue (or some other metallic color). Size: 2|in (7cm). Sexual differences: male more brightly colored, with elongated second ray on dorsal fin. Environment Temperature: 73—77 °F (23-25 3C); 81-82 “F (27-28 °C) for breeding. pH: slightly acid; filter through peat. Water hardness: soft water. Illumi-nation, substrate, furnishings: ample vegetation (three-fourths of tank area), medium lighting, numerous hiding places.

Feeding Preferably not too coarse or large live food Biology Behavior: territorial and living in pairs. Reproduction: not very easy. Breeds in cavities. A good spawning produces 150-200 eggs, which are laid n stones or in hollows in the bottom. Both partners look after the eggs; the young hatch out after 48 hours and swim free after 5-6 days. The shoal is cared for largely by the male. Social life: as with nearly all cichlids, the shoal of young fish is broken up by the formation of pairs.

 

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May 31, 2011

STRIPED ANOSTOMUS

Anostomus anostomus

Family Anostomidae.

Distribution Amazon and Orinoco river systems-rivers of the Guyanas.

Description Shape: a long, slightly flat-sided fjSh with a high-set mouth. Color: mature fish have three horizontal stripes (brown to brownish black), with a dark green sheen. Size: up to 7 in (18 cm). Sexual differences: minimal.

Environment Temperature: 75-80 °F (24-27 C) pH and water hardness: medium soft, neutral to slightly acid water. Illumination, substrate, furnishings: a large tank with large, sparsely planted vegetation and hiding places provided by stones, pieces of bog wood and flowerpots; dark bottom and medium lighting. Feeding Omnivorous, feeding on both animal ^nd vegetable matter (bryozoans and algae); they will take soft and decaying leaves, also swimming and crawiing aquatic invertebrates.

Biology Behavior: a schooling fish, which spends most of its time “on its head” but streaks away horizontally when disturbed. Reproduction: bree’ ng has been carried out successfully a number of times jut little reliable information is available. Social life and compatibility: best mixed only with members of its own species; generally peaceable, but often given to chasing other fishes.

 

 

 

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May 31, 2011

BLUEACARA

Aequidens pulcher Family Cichlidae.

Distribution Trinidad, Panama, northern Venezuela, Colombia.

Description Shape: relatively deep body; compressed, particularly at the caudal peduncle. Color at spawning time, takes on a magnificent iridescence, and six to eight gleaming greenish-gold horizontal lines of spots appear on the sides. Size: up to 62 in (17cm). Sexually mature from 3in (7-8cm). Sexual differences: d’fficult to distinguish: The males have elongated tips to dorsal and anal fins, which sometimes extend farther than the caudal fin itself.

Environment Temperature: 72-79uF (22-26 C); frequently replace about one-third of the water with fresh water. pH and water hardness: no special requirements Illumination, substrate, furnishings good lighting; deep bottom matter with thickly planted vegetation in places, stones and roots as hiding places, also plenty of free swimming space. Feeding Many types of live food. Biology Behavior: A very peaceful cichlid which causes no damage to plants Reproduction: very ea-;y. An open breeder which spawns many times a year in other respects like other cichlids. Social life: territorial, but peaceable Compatibility. good with other cichhds.

 

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May 31, 2011

COOLIE LOACH

Acanthophthalmus kuhlii Family Cobitidae.

Distribution From the southern part of the Malayan peninsula to Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Description Shape: eel-shaped, elongated, slightly compressed sides, very small fins. The dorsal fin starts behind the middle of the body, the anal fin well behind this. Eyes covered with transparent skin; a movable spine beneath them; four pairs of barbels; no lateral hne Color: fifteen to twenty dark brown to black vertical bars the gaps between them salmon pink to yellowish Underside light. Size: 3 in (8cm). Sexual differences-unknown for nonbreeding fish; females often become monstrously fat before spawning. Environment A bottom dweller which burrows into soft places. Temperature: 75-86 °F (24-30 °C) p/y-slightly acid or neutral. Water hardness: soft wate-^ below 103 general hardness. Illumination: subduec! at bottom of tank. Substrate and furnishings: a thick layer of soft sand, with additional cover in the form of st ne cavities, flowerpots or coconut shells. Thick vegetation; some humus on the bottom Feeding Omnivorous.

Biology Behavior: very active at twilight and nighttime; often buried in the sand by day. Reproductior in the wild, the fish spawn communally in very shallow water. Social life: little known. Compatibility: easily i pt with other nonaggressive fishes.

 

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