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Big-Scaled African Characin

By Gary Bolton

Family: Characidae

Species: Arnoldichthy spilopterus

Size: 7cm (2 three quarter inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: All

Habitat: Streams in Nigeria

Remarks: It needs plenty of swimming space and plants in which to hide.

Other Names: Arnold’s Red-eye Characin, Red-eye Characin, Red-eye Tetra

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Blind Cave Fish

By Gary Bolton

Blind Cave

Fish Family: Characidae

Species: Astyanax fasciatus mexicanus

Size: 9cm (3 half inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: All

Habitat: Underground cave waters in Mexico

Remarks: The eyes of this species have become superfluous as it navigates in totally dark underground waters using its lateral line system. It is content in a community tank, and rocky caves make appropriate additions.

Other Names: Formerly classified as Anoptichthys jordani

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Black-Winged Hatchetfish

By Gary Bolton

Family: Gasteropelecidae

Species: Carnegiella marthae

Size: 4cm (1 half inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: Upper

Habitat: Forest streams in the Orinoco region

Remarks: The aquarium should be spacious with a secure hood as these fish can leap through the air for some distance, gliding with their wing-like pectoral fins.

Comments: The shape of this hatchetfish is typically very deep with a virtually flat dorsal contour. Light creamy yellow above the lateral line shades down to grey-silver, and a dark outline follows the ventral edge and terminates beneath the eye. The entire body is covered with tiny dark speckles. Pectoral fins are well developed for leaping and gliding above water. This has to be one of the more stranger hatchetfish in the species.

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Marbled Hatchetfish

By Gary Bolton

Family: Gasteropelecidae

Species: Carnegiella strigata strigata

Size: 4.5cm (1 three quarter inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: Upper

Habitat: Streams and rivers throughout Amazonia and Guyana

Remarks: Floating plants will provide the shade required for this subspecies.

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Myer’s Hatchetfish

By Gary Bolton

Family: Gasteropelecidae

Species: Carnegiella myersi

Size: 2.5cm (1 inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: Upper

Habitat: Streams and rivers of Peru and Bolivia

Remarks: This is the smallest hatchetfish in the family.

Comments: The dorsal contour of this typically deep-bodied hatchetfish is almost flat. Body colouration is light greenish yellow above a dark line that runs from the eye to the caudal peduncle; below the line it is silver. The pectoral fins are well developed and reach back to the dorsal fin which carries a dark spot. Pelvic fins are hardly noticeable. If you ask me these are a rather strange lokking fish, but fun to keep none the less. I’d say these are well worth having as a s they look nice in a well planted tank setup.

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Pink-Tailed Chalceus

By Gary Bolton

Family: Chalceidae

Species: Chalceus macrolepidotus

Size: 25cm (10 inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: Upper and middle

Habitat: Streams and rivers of Amazonia and Guyana

Remarks: This large, active species needs plenty of room and food; it can become quite predatory towards smaller fish.

Comments: This fish species takes its popular name from the bright pink caudal fin that is seen on prime specimens. Body coloration is golden olive on the dorsal surface, with silvery flanks. Scales are large and well defined, particularly above the level of the lateral line. The head is fairly short, and the mouth has a rather prominent upper lip. Not really a good fish for the novice keeper as it can need watching at times.

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Ternetz’s Anostomus

By Gary Bolton

Family: Anostomidae

Species: Anostomus termetzi

Size: 16cm (6 one quarter inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: All

Habitat: Streams and rivers of the Orinoco and Amazon systems

Remarks: This fish requires green food and lots of space.

Comments: This fish’s yellow-gold body is marked by three dark bands. The head is flattened, with a long, tapered snout, and the upturned mouth has a red tip. The caudal fin contains yellow, and is red around the caudal peduncle. The small adipose fin may also contain red. This is a large sized fish and as such, care should be taken when added other small species of fish to you aquarium. Not a species for the novice.

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Pacu

By Gary Bolton

Family: Serrasalmidae

Species: Colossoma bidens

Size: 40cm (16 inch)

Diet: Herbivorous

Tank levels: Upper and middle

Habitat: Guapore River, on the borders of Bolivia and Brazil

Remarks: The Pacu’s diet consists of fruit and vegetable matter, This species of fish can be confused with Colossoma brachipomum.

Comments: The shape of this fish resembles that of the Piranha. The chest area, the lower edge of the gill-cover, and the pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins are red. The rest of the body is silver with faint dark spots above the lateral line. There are teeth in the mouth, but the head is not as large as those of its carnivorous relatives. Anal and caudal fins have black edges.

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Bloodfin

By Gary Bolton

Family: Characidae

Species: Sphyocharax anisitsi

Size: 5.5cm (2 one quarter inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: All

Habitat: Streams and rivers of Argentina and Paraguay

Remarks: Bloodfins should be kept in shoals. They breed freely but eat their own eggs.

Other Names: Argentine Bloodfin, Red-finned Characin, Red-finned Tetra. Formerly classified as Aphyocharax rubripinnis.

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Black Ruby Barb

By Gary Bolton

Black Ruby Barb

Family: Cyprinidae

Species: Barbus nigrofasciatus

Size: 6cm (2 half inch)

Diet: Omnivorous

Tank levels: Middle and lower

Habitat: Streams in Sri Lanka

Remarks: This fish spawns easily but is prone to White Spot Disease.

Comments: This barb has a stocky body with a high back and deep belly. The basic colour is a pale golden yellow with some iridescences. Three broad, black vertical bars cross the body, rather faintly on this juvenile specimen. A short, often indistinct, black bar lies between the eyes, and a thin, dark line marks the rear edge of the caudal peduncle. In breeding males, the whole body becomes suffused with a sooty, deep red-pink, and the head turns deep red-purple to black.

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