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Occurs naturally in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina with feral populations in Australia, New Zealand, Ethiopia and Malawi which were purportedly introduced for purposes of mosquito control but are now considered invasive. Following Lucinda (2008) its natural range comprises the Lagoa dos Patos system, lower rio Uruguai, rio Tramandaí, and rio Mampituba in Rio Grande do Sul st...

This species has been traded as 'six-eyed tetra' in reference to its colour pattern comprising two dark spots on each flank plus the eye. Based on the extensive review of the genus by Lucena and Malabarba (2010), in which nine new species were described, P. tegatus can be told apart from congeners by the following combination of characters: lateral line incomplete with 8-13 perforated scales; laterally elongate humera...

P. interruptus are quite sensitive to water quality and if a high standard is not maintained the development of the males' fins may be impaired and the fish will lose colour. They are also quite an easily frightened fish, particularly if they are not maintained in numbers. This species is most often seen for sale as a fairly drab, greyish 1 1/2" fish and is often overlooked. However once they are settled into the aquarium and have begun to mature they develop spectacular colouration. ...

Although this profile has been included for information purposes, we do not recommend keeping this species in the home unless you are one of the select few with the facilities available to house it for life. The aquarium dimensions quoted above should be considered an absolute minimum and in reality this fish requires a phenomenal volume of water if it is to be housed long term. Unfortunately, the price of red-tails has fallen considerably in recent years and "kittens" are readily a...

There are only three species in this little known genus, all of which are rarely seen in the hobby. In 2007 an apparently undescribed Piabucus was seen on sale in the UK under the name "chin tetra", in reference to the black marking on the lower jaw of the fish....

Know as the pirapitinga in its native countries, this is the one of the largest species of scaled fish found in the Amazon basin. This alone should tell you much of what you need to know about its suitability as an aquarium inhabitant. In reality it's debatable as to whether the species should be considered an aquarium subject at all. While pacu rarely reach their maximum size in captivity, they're still easily capable of growing to a couple of feet in length. The myth that fish will o...

There are currently 32 genera and over 80 species included in the family Pimelodidae (including Pimelodus), making it the second largest and one of the most diverse amongst catfish. Most experts agree however, that a full systematic revision of the family is needed, as little information about the phylogenetic (evolutionary relatedness) relationships between the various genera exists. Taxonomy information at the species level is also basic at best. It's therefore likely that at least some o...

There are currently 32 genera included in the family Pimelodidae (including Pimelodus), making it the second largest and one of the most diverse amongst catfish. However most experts agree that a full systematic revision of the family is needed, as little information about the phylogenetic (evolutionary relatedness) relationships between the various genera exists. Taxonomy information at the species level is also basic at best. It's therefore likely that at least some of the Pimelodids will...

There are currently 32 genera and over 80 species included in the family Pimelodidae (including Pimelodus), making it the second largest and one of the most diverse amongst catfish. However most experts agree that a full systematic revision of the family is needed, as little information about the phylogenetic (evolutionary relatedness) relationships between the various genera exists. Taxonomy information at the species level is also basic at best. It's therefore likely that at least some of...

The common name is derived from the fact that it was previously thought to be found only in much deeper water than we now know it inhabits. In nature, P. electra feeds from the surface of the substrate on invertebrates and other morsels stirred up by the action of digging substrate feeders such as Taeniolethrinops praeorbitalis. It is attracted to the clouds of sediment thrown up by these species. Several colour forms exist and these should not be kept together in aquaria as they may hybridis...

Wild caught specimens of this fish possess a truly amazing set of lips! They are massively enlarged and designed for scraping algae and invertebrates from rock surfaces. In nature, these actually develop in direct proportion to the amount of turbidity in a given locality. Fish inhabiting more turbulent waters have larger lips, as the algae in these areas is anchored to the rocks more firmly. In the aquarium, the lips usually recede or, in tank bred fish, do not develop at all, as they are not re...

This popular species is also sold as the striped dora, striped raphael or striped talking catfish. It's often seen as an ideal beginner's cat, being hardy and tolerant of a wide range of water conditions. However its secretive nature, adult size and tendency to snack on smaller tankmates mean it should only be considered for communities of larger fish. The 'talking catfish' moniker is derived from the fish's ability to produce sounds when communicating with conspecif...

Not a particularly good catfish for the general community tank, as it's a largely inactive, secretive species that will only emerge and become active under cover of darkness. It is, nonetheless, an interesting aquarium subject for the enthusiast, exhibiting an incredible degree of camouflage. It's designed to resemble a dead leaf, and usually will not even swim to escape a net. When released into the aquarium will simply drift in the current until it hits the bottom. All members of the...

The wild fish can exhibit several different types of patterning. P. latipinna has been selectively bred into many different colour morphs for the aquarium trade, and has also been crossbred with other molly species, particularly P. sphenops. They will also interbreed readily in the aquarium and in order to avoid this we suggest keeping only one species of molly per tank. There also exists a (in our opinion) grotesque 'balloon' variety of this fish in which the body is malformed and rou...

One of the most popular aquarium fish in the world, the guppy is instantly recognisable to most people. There are many aquarium bred varieties of this species available, most have elongated finnage and gaudy colouration. The wild form is seldom seen for sale. Unfortunately many commercially bred guppies are not very hardy due to inbreeding and over-production and are prone to disease and premature death. We therefore recommend the purchase of quality stock from breeders or society auctions. P. ...

A hugely popular aquarium fish. Many aquarium-bred colour morphs of this species are available, including the ubiquitous black molly. There are also Gold, Green, Lyretail, Silver and Dalmation varieties. Some of these are the results of P. sphenops being crossed with P. latipinnis. The 2 species will also interbreed readily in the aquarium and in order to avoid this we suggest keeping only one of them per tank. There also exists a (in our opinion) grotesque 'balloon' variety of this fi...

Another popular molly in the hobby, and another that has been selectively bred to produce several different varieties, such as albino, black, red etc. Some of these are the result of cross breeding with P.latipinna. There also exists a (in our opinion) grotesque 'balloon' variety of this fish in which the body is malformed and rounded, giving a balloon-like appearance. This condition can cause swimbladder and digestive problems and may bring about premature death. It is difficult to...

Endler's Livebearer was actually discovered in 1937 by Franklyn F. Bond before being rediscovered by John Endler in 1975 in Laguna de Patos, Cumana, northeastern Venezuela. It was found coexisting, but not interbreeding with, a wild form of P. reticulata. Both species are native to this area of Venezuela, but P. reticulata was much less common in areas where P. wingei was thriving. This is thought to be partially related to habitat type, as guppies are usually found in colder, running water...

Quite widely distributed having been recorded from Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela. It's been collected from the upper parts of several major river drainages including the Río Negro, Río Orinoco (including the Río Inírida and Casiquiare canal) and Río Solimões. The type series was collected from 'Igarapé Préto', Brazil, said to be 60 kilometres to the south of the Colombian border city Leticia. Populations from Colombia and Brazil tend to be more intensely-coloured, and the Peruvian populations may apparently represent an undescribed species.

Like the closely related Polycentrus species from South America, with which it is sometimes confused, this fish is camouflaged to mimic a dead leaf, both in body shape and pattern. It can also change colour to match its surroundings. When hunting, it stalks its prey in a head-down stance, appearing to drift towards it like a dead leaf drifting in a current. In reality the fish is propelled by tiny movements of its transparent hind fins. When it strikes at an item of prey, the entire mouth pro...