Ocellated Shell-dweller
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
A charming little cichlid with real character, L. ocellatus is a deservedly popular hobbyists' fish. It has an endearing habit of burying its shell and defending it against all-comers. Many an unsuspecting hobbyist has recieved a sharp nip from an ocellatus who feels its territory is being invaded. Neighbouring shells may also be buried to prevent other fish moving in. Koning has hypothesisesd that the burying of the shell and the resultant pile of sand around it not only provides additiona…
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Lemaire's Lamprologus
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
A highly piscivorous, predatory species unsuited to the general aquarium. It is an ambush predator in nature, often being seen hanging motionless around rocky structures or on the floor of the lake. It is a sedentary species and does not move around a lot. This is a behavioural adaptation known as thanatosis, or 'playing dead'. This strategy is usually used as a defensive means in other animals, but in L. lemairii it is adapted for offensive means. The fish has a mottled colour pattern…
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Ocellated Shell-dweller
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
L. kungweensis can be distinguished from similar species such as L. hecqui by the gold colour on the top of the eye. It also has a distinctive black spot towards the back of the dorsal fin.
It is not often seen in the hobby….
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Congo Lamprologus
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
An interesting species which resembles the popular Steatocranus species, both physically and in lifestyle. It has several physiological adaptations to allow it to live in rapids and fast-moving waters. The body is very streamlined, with strong pectoral fins. The swimbladder is also modified, being much reduced in size. This makes the fish less buoyant and thus less likely to be swept away by strong currents. In the aquarium it spends most of its time on the substrate, where it swims in a comical…
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Purple Emperor Tetra
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
This pretty little species can be seen for sale with various common names, including the 'blue emperor', 'regal' or 'royal' tetra. It's sometimes confused with the emperor tetra, Nematobrycon palmeri but can be easily distinguished as it possesses an adipose fin, whilst Nematobrycon species do not.
The genus Inpaichthys is currently monotypic (contains only one species), and like other related genera such as Hyphessobrycon its taxonomic status is Incertae s…
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Lemon Tetra
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
This species is a popular aquarium fish and is bred on a commercial basis in several countries, with a selectively-bred albino form also available.
Wild specimens are rarely collected due to the low price of the farmed fish, but the origin of the commercial strain is questionable. The species was considered endemic to the rio Tapajós basin, but in the early 1990s fish appearing identical to the aquarium form were photographed in the…
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Purple Tetra
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
A beautiful species that's not often seen for sale in the hobby, and is usually a little more expensive than other tetras when available. This is mainly due to the wild caught nature of most specimens entering the trade. It can be a little delicate when initially imported, and is sensitive to deteriorating water conditions in general. As a result, it's not a good choice for the beginner, and should only be added to well-matured tanks.
As with the closely related Hemigrammus, the ta…
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Flag Tetra
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
Its name appears to have been misapplied to similar-looking fishes occurring throughout much of the middle and lower Amazon in Brazil and Colombia, plus the rio Orinoco drainage in Colombia and Venezuela, and coastal systems of the Guianas. Some of these have been described as distinct species (e.g. Hyphessobrycon amapaensis Zarske & Géry 1998; H. eschwartzae García-Alzate, Román-Valencia & Ortega 2013; H. montagi Lima, Couthino & Woziacki 2014), whereas the identity of others remains un…
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Black Neon Tetra
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
This species has been a ubiquitous aquarium fish since its discovery, and is produced on a commercial basis in several countries, therefore wild fish are no longer collected. An ornamental albino form is sometimes available.
Apart from its distinctive colour pattern, it can be identified from related species via the following combination of charac…
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Lesser Bleeding Heart Tetra
March 13th, 2012 — 1:20pm
This species is an opportunistic omnivore by nature.
The stomach contents of wild specimens from the rio Padauari were composed of fruit remains and aquatic insects with the former constituting 99% and latter 1% of all items consumed.
Stomachs of individuals from igarapé Água Boa cont…
Comment » | Category: Characiformes, Tetras
Product reviewers wanted
Hello! Very much interested in writing for you, please include me in the info. Thank you for the opportunity!
6th Sep 2020
Product reviewers wanted
I would be interested in reviewing products. Before retiring I was a technical writer and managed a Quality Management Program.
30th Aug 2020
Product reviewers wanted
I'm interested and can write reviews from the perspective of someone new to the hobby. I'm only 3-4 months in, but hopefully I can help someone that's...
23rd Aug 2020
Product reviewers wanted
I’m interested in doing this if there is still availability, it sounds like fun! Thanks
19th Aug 2020
Barbodes semifasciolatus – Golden Barb* (Barbus sachsii, Puntius schuberti)
I simply had a question (please forgive if this is not allowed, I read the FAQ but I was not sure). I was wondering if there is any evidence of offsp...
12th Aug 2020