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Family: Prochilodontidae

Distribution: Semaprochilodus taeniurus, also known as Silver Prochilodus, is a freshwater species found in the central parts of the Amazon basin, Brazil.  It can be found in floodplain lakes, forest streams and tributaries.

PH: 5.5 – 7.5

Temperature: 23°C – 29C (73 – 84F)

Hardness: 1 – 15 dH

Description: Semaprochilodus taeniurus can reach a maximum length of around 24 cm. This species is very closely related to Semaprochilodus insignis in shape and colour.  It has a silver, large-scaled body and bold black and yellow horizontal bars on its caudal and anal fins.  Its pelvic fins are red coloured and the dorsal is translucent, tall and has yellow elements and white spots; the head and gills have some red colouration.

Diet: Semaprochilodus insignis leans more towards vegetables than live food and requires a vegetarian diet.  Provide it with vegetables – spinach, lettuce, algae wafers and cucumber – and flake food.

Breeding: There is not a great deal of information available on this species regarding tank breeding.  Like Semaprochilodus insignis, this species hasn’t been known to spawn in tanks because of the migratory patterns they have in nature; Semaprochilodus taeniurus migrates twice a year and may travel hundreds of kilometres doing so.

Comments: Semaprochilodus taeniurus should be kept in a tank of at least 540 litres.  Your tank should have a river sand substrate and a few driftwood branches and twisted roots.  You should avoid a densely planted tank as this species will devour soft-leaved species.  This species is very tough to breed and can be quite territorial, making it suitable for hobbyists with some experience.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Semaprochilodus taeniurus should be kept in groups of six or more in large tanks; it can be aggressive towards its own kind if not given enough space in a tank.  You could house it with the same species that Semaprochilodus insignis is compatible with: large characins, Loricariids, peaceful cichlids, knifefish, freshwater stingrays and Doradids.

Originally posted 2010-01-26 11:20:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Aulonocara rostratum cichlids are distributed in Lake Malawi, Africa.  They have been known around Karonga, Vua, and Monkey Bay.

PH: 7.5 – 8.5

Temperature: 24 – 26°C (75 – 79°F)

Hardness: 5 – 30 dH

Description: Reaching up to 18 cm in length, Aulonocara rostratum has the honour of being the largest Aulonocara.  It has a pointed snout which separates it from its Peacock relatives.  The adult male has a light blue throughout its head, fins and body.  There are some yellow speckles visible on its fins and small egg spots on the anal fin.  Females are simply a silver colour.

Diet: The Longnose Aulonocara is a carnivore and will enjoy a diet of flake or pellet food, supplemented with frozen brine, mysis or krill.  In nature, this species feeds specifically on sand-dwelling invertebrates.

Breeding: Female Longnose Aulonocaras are mouthbrooders and should not be stressed during this period of incubation.  Any severe stress to the female may result in her eating the eggs.  There is not a great deal of other information available on this species’ breeding habits, so it is best left to experienced hobbyists.

Comments: Your aquarium – large in size – should also contain rock work and plenty of swimming space along the bottom and mid-tank sections.  This is not a fish for beginners.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: The Longnose Aulonocara suits other Peacock species, but avoid housing this species with Mbuna cichlids.  The Mbuna is far too aggressive and will definitely clash with Aulonocara rostratum.

Originally posted 2009-12-15 09:56:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-04 22:28:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Siganus uspi (Bicolored Foxface)
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Originally posted 2009-11-07 06:25:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 04:03:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Plectorhinchus vittatus (Oriental Sweetlips)
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Originally posted 2009-11-05 20:35:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Aequidens pulcher (Blue Acara Cichlid)
Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 21:11:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Gasteropelecidae

Distribution: Carnegiella schereri, better known as the Marbled Hatchetfish, is distributed in the upper middle levels of South America’s Amazon River basin; Columbia’s Caquetta River; and in Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Brazil.  It prefers to swim in places with plenty of surface vegetation, such as forest streams and tributaries.

PH: 5.0 – 8.0

Temperature: 24°C – 28°C (75 – 84F)

Hardness: 5 – 19 dH

Description: Carnegiella strigata can reach a maximum length of 3.5 cm.  One of the better-known members of the Gasteropelecidae family, the Marbled Hatchetfish displays a gold stripe from its eye down to its caudal fin, and below lies a cream and brown, marbled pattern.  Males and females are difficult to sex unless the female is carrying eggs, at which point they are visible through her body.  The Marbled Hatchetfish has a life expectancy of up to five years.

Diet: This surface dwelling species will enjoy a mostly live-food diet, primarily of insects, brine shrimp, bloodworms and black mosquito larvae.  It will also most likely accept various small, dry foods over time.

Breeding: Like with all Hatchetfish, breeding in an aquarium environment is exceedingly difficult.  In some successful cases the water used was soft and acidic, with the adult pair conditioned with live foods.  It is important to remove the parents as soon as the eggs are laid in case they decide to devour them.

Comments: Carnegiella schereri should be housed in a tank of at least 27 litres in volume.  Make sure you keep a cover on your tank to prevent this species from jumping out onto the kitchen floor, as this is probably the most likely species of Hatchetfish to jump out of your tank.   You might like to provide a slight current for this species to swim against.  It is recommended you cover the water’s surface with floating plants to simulate its natural environment, and perhaps some driftwood and a sand substrate elsewhere in the tank.  Breeding difficulties aside, Carnegiella strigata is a relatively easy species to look after and is recommended to newcomers to the hobby.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Carnegiella strigata is a peaceful – but sometimes nervous – species that will not compete well with others for food.  It is best to tank it with small fish that will stay in different levels of the tank.  They will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gouramiand Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-05 12:29:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Aplocheilidae

Distribution: Common to the Congo River Basin, Gabon, the Congo, Zaire and Cameroon make up the habitat for Epiplatys multifasciatus.  They have a preference for slow-moving or still waters found in streams, small rivers and brooks.  They are also found most commonly under forest cover.

PH: 6.5 – 7.0 pH

Temperature: 22 – 26°C (72 – 79 °F)

Hardness: 5 – 8 dH

Description: Displaying reddish-brown colours and black transverse bars along their bodies, Epiplatys multifasciatus have extended caudal fins and will develop to around 5-7cm.  They also present with spots and radial lines on their fins.

They are surface dwellers; however, they prefer light that has been filtered through plants and leaves, so the tank set-up should include floating plants and densely-planted sides.  Hiding places are required due to the aggressive nature of the males.  Having a dark substrate in the tank will show the colours of Epiplatys multifasciatus to their best.

The tank should also have a tightly-fitted lid as this species are good jumpers.

These are not seasonal killifish.

Diet: Epiplatys multifasciatus prefer a live food diet such as brine shrimp, insects and larvae.  Frozen food is an acceptable substitute.

Breeding: Conflicting reports state that breeding can be either very easy or very difficult.  Epiplatys multifasciatus spawn onto fine-leaved plants in very clean water.  The eggs will be quite large and are extremely susceptible to fungus.

Once the eggs have been spawned, it is best to remove them into a separate breeding tank or dish.  The fry will hatch after two weeks and can be fed on baby brine shrimp.

Comments: Whilst Epiplatys multifasciatusis reportedly easy to keep in aquariums, it is rare and, as such, available information is difficult to come by.  For these purposes, we have included general information pertaining to the killifish species.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Due to the lack of information on this species, it is unknown exactly how Epiplatys multifasciatus will interact with other fish.  They should live happily with Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many other Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-09 08:42:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Aplocheilidae

Distribution: Epiplatys sexfasciatus rathkei is endemic to Cameroon, Africa.

PH: 6.0 – 6.5 pH

Temperature: 22 – 26°C (72 – 79 °F)

Hardness: 3 – 6 dH

Description: Epiplatys sexfasciatus rathkei are lively fish and are well-suited to community tanks.  Although there is a lack of information available, they do not appear to be notably territorial or aggressive except toward smaller fish, thus a tank with a similar temperament and larger body size would be idyllic.

This species are one of the larger species, growing to a length of 8cm.  Being surface feeders, they have an upturned mouth.  They are extremely striking in appearance: a vibrant blue body covered with reddish-orange spots; an anal fin with blue-ish tinge and yellow and brown lines on the border; a caudal fin that is also finished with large yellow and brown streaks along the sides.

It is distinguishable from Epiplatys baroi by the 9-11 transverse bars along its body.

These are not seasonal killifish.

Diet: Information regarding preferred diet is sparse; therefore it is recommended that aquarists experiment with the common Epiplatys diet of high-quality flake and live foods.

Breeding: Due to the south-eastern localisation of Epiplatys sexfasciatus rathkei, they are more difficult to breed.  It takes around 8-9 months for the fry to reach sexual maturity, quite slow in comparison to other Epiplatys species.

An ideal breeding set-up includes a tank of clean water, frequent water changes (encourages spawning), dark, and peat for spawning eggs onto.  Breeders should only use fish that are older than a year old, as younger fish will have extremely low productivity.

Eggs and fry should be separated from adults and put into a breeding tank or dish, as the parents can be cannibalistic towards smaller fish.

Comments: Information on this species is scant due to its rarity.  This may be due to the difficulty of breeding. Owing to the lack of information, general killifish information has been used, specifically that relating to the Epiplatys sexfasciatus sub-species.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Due to the peaceful temperament and liveliness of Epiplatys sexfasciatus rathkei, it is perfect for community tanks.  They should live happily with Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many other Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-17 12:19:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Aplocheilidae

Distribution: Epiplatys mesogramma is endemic to the Central African Republic.  This species prefers still water in clear, non-swampy area.

PH: 7.0 pH

Temperature: 22 – 28°C (72 – 82 °F)

Hardness: 9 gdH

Description: Epiplatys mesogramma will reach around 6cm when fully mature and is identifiable by 6 transverse bars.

This species is extremely shy and prefer shaded areas, thus hiding places (such as PVC pipes and rocks) and floating plants should be included in the tank set-up.  They are peaceful and non-territorial and should only be added to a community tank that includes other non-aggressive species.

These are not seasonal killifish.

Diet: As this fish is rare in captivity, there is no information available on their specific diet.  It is recommended that a general Epiplatys diet consisting of high-quality flakes and live foods is trialled.

Breeding: Clean water and high-quality food are paramount when attempting to breed Epiplatys mesogramma.  They prefer fibrous peat or spawning maps to spawn onto.

Once the adults have spawned onto the plants or peat, remove the eggs from the tank.  When the fry have hatched, they should be separated by size for approximately 2-3 weeks, as they may become cannibalistic towards the smaller fry.

The fry will reach sexual maturity in about 4-5 months, and will be fully-grown in another 3-5 months.

Parents will not attack their eggs or fry.

Comments: Whilst Epiplatys mesogramma is reportedly easy to keep in aquariums, it is rare and, as such, available information is difficult to come by.  For these purposes, we have included general information pertaining to the killifish species.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Other non-aggressive fish species are highly recommended, as Epiplatys mesogramma are peaceful.  They should live happily with Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many other Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-09 08:39:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Characidae

Distribution: The Amazon River basin in South America is where Hyphessobrycon melazonatus calls home.

PH: 6.0 – 7.5 pH

Temperature: 22 – 28 °C (72 – 82 °F)

Hardness: 2 – 15 dH

Description: Hyphessobrycon melazonatus will reach a maximum length just short of 4cm.  This species is generally peaceful, active and non-aggressive.  They are good additions to any community or species-specific tank.  They will thrive when kept in groups no less than six.

Hyphessobrycon melazonatus are rare in the hobby and therefore there is a lack of data such as colouration and specific social behaviours.

Diet: The Hyphessobrycon species thrive on omnivorous diets.  Your Hyphessobrycon melazonatus will enjoy a diet that is primarily flakes or pellets with occasional live foods as treats.

Breeding: Due to its rarity, successful captivity-bred reports have yet to be unearthed.  If you manage to find a pair and want to try it yourself, it is suggested you follow the general Hyphessobrycon method.

First separate a male and a female (at least a year old) into two conditioning tanks.  Feed them live foods such as blood worms and insect larvae for about three weeks before introducing them into the breeding tank.  They should breed within 24 hours, but give them three days and, if no eggs appear, repeat the conditioning process.

Remove the parents once they have spawned or you may find they’ve eaten all the eggs.  They will hatch after 24 hours and the subsequent free-swimming fry should be fed Infusoria.  Once they are big enough, start them on baby brine shrimp.

As it is unknown whether the eggs of the Hyphessobrycon melazonatus are light-sensitive or not, you should err on the side of caution and keep them in as much dark as possible.

Comments: Hyphessobrycon melazonatus is uncommon in the hobby and therefore there is limited information available.  Consequently, information pertaining to the Hyphessobrycon species in general has been included.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: They should live happily with other Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They also should be good tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also should live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish could make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-04-21 07:40:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Information on Corydoras concolor “Slate Cory” will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-12-03 22:02:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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