BRACKISH WATER SPECIES Some species cope well with conditions where there are large variations in salinity. In the case of others, juveniles start their lives in fresh water before descending to estuaries, where they complete their development; once grown to adulthood, they live permanently in the sea. It is vital to keep such fish in […]
CURIOSITY CORNER A DISGRACEFUL PRACTICE The coloration of the back and belly is absent in feral varieties of the glassfish (Chanda ranga). A practice current in South- East Asia consists of injecting the fish with chemical dyes. This is more than questionable - it is downright unacceptable and ought to be stopped. We suggest very […]
FRESHWATER FISH CURIOSITY CORNER Some species, often possessing unique anatomical features or biomechanisms, exist only as a single family in the world of the aquarist - and sometimes also in the wild. For these reasons we have grouped them together on this double page. Notopterus chitala (Notopteridae) The Indian knifefish or clown knifefish lives in […]
BELONTIIDAE Macropodus opercularis The paradise fish has been familiar to aquarists since the mid- 1800s. It is the “black sheep” of the family, but possesses the advantage of withstanding temperatures down to 15%C - sometimes even lower for short periods. The female lays several hundred eggs which hatch in 2 days or so. Size: 10-15 […]
FRESHWATER FISH BELONTIIDAE These fish possess an unusual feature: located in the upper part of the head is a special organ known as the labyrinth - hence their earlier name of Labyrinthidae. They were also formerly known as Anabantidae (meaning “climbers”), since some can scramble out onto land. The labyrinth, in fact, allows them to […]
CICHLIDAE: ASIAN SPECIES Tilapia mariae The tiger tilapia can be extremely aggressive when defending its territory. The female lays up to 400 eggs on a suitable surface and then keeps guard until they hatch 2 days later. Size: 20 cm. Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor The dwarf Egyptian mouthbrooder is a small Cichlid dwelling in the Nile and […]
FRESHWATER FISH Cichlidae: other African species Besides the Cichlids of Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika, a few more interesting species are found in other, lesser-known lakes, and in certain rivers in East and West Africa. Pelvicachromis pulcher The kribensis is a native of Nigeria; it thrives in hard, even brackish waters with abundant vegetation. The […]
MBUNAS Melanochromis johannii Is very agressive - even the females attack each other. This fish readily accepts vegetable supplements. The male is dark with horizontal stripes, the female golden yellow. Size: 8-10 cm. Pseudotropheus zebra The Malawi blue cichlid was one of the first Mbunas known to aquarists. Its diet is mainly herbivorous. […]
FRESHWATER FISH Protomelas annectens A shy and timid species. The male of the annectens prepares a burrow in the sand for the female’s eggs, which he then fertilizes. She incubates them in her mouth for 2-3 weeks; the fry emerge from their refuge when 7-8 mm in size. Size: 15 cm. Protomelas similis The dark […]
CICHLIDAE: LAKE MALAWI SPECIES Cyrtocara moorii The adults of the blue lumphead have a bulging forehead, more prominent in the males. Rather timid, C. moorii seeks out sandy areas of the lake bed with rocks to demarcate its territory. The female incubates the eggs in her mouth for 3 weeks. Size: 20 cm. […]