“Geek” Fish Corner pt.4
South America
1. Uaru (Uaru amphiacanthoides)
· There are two species but this is the most common
· Found in the Amazon River Basin, likes warm waters around 81-84 degrees
· Normal adult coloration is greenish brown with a black stripe on the side. Spawning makes the colors better. They get almost all black with a little brown and their eyes turn a coppery red like a light has been turned on inside their head
· Found abundantly in the wild but not exported for the hobby because they are more popular for eating
· Are incredibly fast growers
· Fry eat slime off parents but are not dependent on it like Discus fry
2. Carpintis (Hericthys carpintis)
· Native to Mexico
· The Green Texas Cichlid. Closely related to the Texas Cichlid. Will interbreed. This fish has larger spots and does not grow as large, about 8 inches, as the more common Texas Cichlid
· Found in many different types of water conditions so it is highly adaptable
· These fish are great parents
· More of an open water swimmer, so they will not sit in their cave all day
3. Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi)
· Varies in color depending on the geographical location it originated from
· Found in thickets of shallow vegetation in creeks and streams
· Best kept in schools
· Unlike other Pencilfish, these can be kept with more lively fish
· Needs a well-planted tank with some top floating plants to diffuse the light. Fill with dark gravel and dark colors
· PH 6-7.5 and temp 72-81 degrees
Africa
1. Kyoga Flameback (Xystichromis “Kyoga Flameback”)
· Found in Lake Nawampassa, a lake north of Lake Victoria that is part of the Kyoga Basin/ Victorian Nile drainage system
· Males are more colorful with a mix of green, yellow and red
· PH 7.2-8.6 but best at 8
· This fish is on the IUCN list as endangered due to pollution and the introduction of the Nile Perch
· Only get about 5 inches
· Does not mix well with Mbuna or Pundamilla because the Kyoga are not aggressive enough
2. Ropefish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus)
· They do best in groups of 5 or 6
· Gouramis and Pike Cichlids make good tank mates. Smaller fish will get eaten. Faster fish will eat all the food. Aggressive fish will bully the Ropefish
· Nocturnal predator that really likes to spend it’s days in caves
· Has not been bred in captivity yet
· 75-80 degrees is ideal temperature
3. African Butterflyfish (Pantodon buchholzi)
· A predator with a reasonably sized mouth
· A surface dweller so it needs plenty of open space with a little floating vegetation and a tight fitting lid to prevent jumping out
· Eats all manner of floating insects in the wild, and will accept most prepared food
· Reach about 4 inches in size
· The rear edge of the anal fin of the male describes a convex curve and the fin rays form a tube (which is the genital organ). The rear edge of the female anal fin is straight.
Asia
1. Kubotai Botia (Botia kubotai)
· Aka Polka Dot Loach or Angelicus Loach
· Get to be about 5 inches
· A social fish best kept in groups of three or more
· An active loach that can be seen hovering in the upper levels of the tank
· Juveniles look different from the adults. The adults have more black areas. Juveniles have vertical stripes and adults have both horizontal and vertical stripes.
2. Celebese Rainbow (Marosatherina (Telmatherina) ladigesi)
· Get to be about 2.75 inches in length
· Prefer warmer temperatures between 78-82 degrees
· Found in streams in Indonesia
· The second dorsal and anal fin are quite impressive with their colors and length on the male
· Spawn eaters so move the eggs into a rearing tank if you want them to survive
3. Choprae Danio (Danio choprai)
· Found in Asia: Irrawaddy in northern Myanmar
· Very rare fish in the trade
· Also known as the Glow Light Danio which derives its name from the common Glolight Tetra because of their resemblance
· They like a heavily planted aquarium
· Mature males will be more slender, smaller and more colorful than the females
Saltwater
1. Cheetah Rabbitfish (Siganus sp.)
· Venomous dorsal spines
· Inhabit both saltwater and brackish water, some species have even been known to enter freshwater
· Pelagic spawners
· Herbivore-so provide a diet of benthic algae
· Fantastic algae cleaners, help keep the reefs clear of algae that can suffocate the corals (including red and green bubble algae)
· Very peaceful temperament
2. Butter Hamlet (Hypoplectrus unicolor)
· Found in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, along the coast of Florida but NOT in the Gulf of Mexico
· Creamy yellow-white in color, blue markings on the head and black spots on the base of the tail and the snout
· Diet consists of meaty foods including small fish and shrimp
· Are coral safe
· Friendly towards tank mates but may get territorial towards other Hamlets
· Prefer a tank with a lot of rocky hiding places
3. Grammistes Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes)
· From the Indo-West Pacific
· Aka Striped Poison-Fang Blenny (venomous fangs)
· A commonly captive bred fish
· Will most likely ignore tank mates unless closely related
· Prefers to live in a reef tank feeding off the live microfauna
· Gets to be about 4.3 inches in length
4. Lettuce Nudibranch (Tridachia crispate)
· Green with a ruffled back – this allows for more surface area to absorb oxygen
· Found in the Caribbean
· Algae eater
· Grow to 3 inches in length
· Incorporates the algal chloroplast into its tissues and performs photosynthesis to get energy.
5. Staghorn Coral Hermit Crab (Manucomplanus varians)
· Eat algae, but when that is gone will move onto polyps and steal from sessile invertebrates. Will also eat cyanobacteria and other meaty offerings.
· The horns of this coral grow in such a way that if turned upside down the hermit cannot right itself
· Found in the Indo-Pacific
· This species of hermit crab make a home out of Staghorn hydrocoral
· Found in the Gulf of California to Panama
