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CHARACINS
CHARACINAE SUB-FAMILY: Acestrorhynchus sp. [Freshwater Barracuda]
The following pictures are the property of Tom Lorenz who generously allowed me to post them on mongabay.com.
Acestrorhynchus falcatus (three of them)
Copyright Tom Lorenz 2002.
http://pictures.care2.com/view/2/979941326
Acestrorhynchus isalinae
Copyright Tom Lorenz 2002.
http://pictures.care2.com/view/2/327049006
Acestrorhynchus falcirostris
Copyright Tom Lorenz 2002
http://pictures.care2.com/view/2/830545923
Freshwater Barracuda, Spotted Cachorro
Acestrorhynchus falcatus
SYN: Hydrogon
falcatus, Xiphoramphus falcatus, Xiphorhynchus falcatus
PD: A somewhat elongated fish that has a large mouth and eyes. Its body is silver in color.
The dorsal fin is located far back on the body and stands tall. Its tail is forked and has a large black spot at
its base. The other fins are transparent. Sometimes a black horizontal line, that runs from the eye to the tail
spot, develops.
SIZE: To 10" (25 cm)
SS: Other Acestrorhynchus
species.
HAB: South America; found in the Amazon Basin and the Paraguay River watershed.
S: middle, top
TANK: 48" (122 cm) or 55 gallons (209 L) is minimal.
The tank should be spacious with plenty
of open swimming areas.
Provide a cover of floating plants to dim the lighting.
Use a tight-fitting cover as this fish
is known to jump.
The tank should be heavily planted.
WATER: pH 5.8-7.5 (6.9), 4-15 dH (10), 79-86°F (26-30°C)
SB: Will eat smaller fish. A schooling fish that should be either keep singly or in groups
of 6 or more. If kept in groups of 2-5 fish, fighting will occur.
SC: Pimelodids, large Loricarids, Pacus, Piranhas, Silver Dollars, Arawana
FOOD: Live: mostly fish; earthworms, aquatic insects,
Tubifex ; pellets; chopped meat.
SEX: Females are plumper.
B: Unsuccessful in captivity
BP: 10.
This fish has not been bred in captivity.
R: Little is known about these fish, even though they are frequently sold in aquarium stores.
Acestrorhynchus nasutus
is distinguishable from
Acestrorhynchus falcatus
by its more slender body and the absence of a black spot behind the gill cover.
This
species is often referred to as a "Freshwater Barracuda" because of its body form, not because of any relationship
to the true marine Barracuda.
An important food fish in South America.
DC: 6.
A large and aggressive fish that requires a diet including live foods.
Slender Freshwater Barracuda, Big-eyed Cachorro
Acestrorhynchus falcirostris
SYN: Hydrogon
falcirostris, Xiphoramphus falcirostris, Xiphorhynchus falcirostris
PD: A slender, elongated fish that has a large mouth and eyes. It body ranges from yellow
to silver while its belly is white. The dorsal fin is located far back on the body and stands tall. Its tail is
forked with yellow marking and a black spot can be found at its base. The other fins are transparent.
SIZE: To 16" (40 cm)
SS: Other Acestrorhynchus
species.
HAB: South America; northern Amazon Basin
S: middle, top
TANK: 60" (150 cm) or 90-plus gallons (342 L).
See
A. falcatus for other specifications.
WATER: pH 6-7.5 (7.0), 8-16 dH (12), 75-82°F (24-28°C)
SB: As for Acestrorhynchus
falcatus
SC: A.
falcatus
FOOD: Live: mostly fish; earthworms, aquatic insects,
Tubifex ; pellets; chopped meat.
SEX: Females are plumper.
B: Unsuccessful in captivity
BP: 10.
No success in spawning this fish has been reported
R: See Acestrorhynchus
falcatus.
This species is not an aquarium fish.
DC: 7.
A large and aggressive fish that requires a diet including live foods.
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Recent news
Using fish as livestock feed threatens global fisheries
(11/18/2009)
Fish doesn't just feed humans. Millions of tons of fish are fed every year to chickens, pigs, and even farmed fish even in the midst of rising concerns over fish stocks collapses around the world. Finding an alternative to fish as livestock feed would go a long way toward preventing the collapse of fish populations worldwide according to a new paper in Oryx.
ICCAT fails to protect critically endangered tuna—again
(11/15/2009)
The International Commissions for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) ignored the advice of its scientists to end fishing of the Atlantic bluefin tuna. Instead ICAAT set a quota of 13,500 tons of fish. This is not the first time ICCAT has flouted its own researchers' advice: it has repeatedly set quotas well-above its researchers' recommendations.
Governments, public failing to save world's species
(11/04/2009)
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) 2008 report, released yesterday, 36 percent of the total species evaluated by the organization are threatened with extinction. If one adds the species classified as Near Threatened, the percentage jumps to 44 percent—nearly half.
Atlantic bluefin tuna should be banned internationally: ICCAT scientists
(10/29/2009)
Scientists with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) have said in a new report that a global ban on Atlantic bluefin tuna fishing is justified. ICCAT meets in November to decide if they will follow their scientist's recommendations.
The Yangtze River may have lost another inhabitant: the Chinese paddlefish
(10/22/2009)
In December of 2006 it was announced that the Yangtze River dolphin, commonly known as the baiji, had succumbed to extinction. The dolphin had survived on earth for 20 million years, but the species couldn't survive the combined onslaught of pollution, habitat loss, boat traffic, entanglement in fishing hooks, death from illegal electric fishing, and the construction of several massive dams. Now, another flagship species of the Yangtze River appears to have vanished.
Freshwater species worse off than land or marine
(10/15/2009)
Scientists have announced that freshwater species are likely the most threatened on earth. Extinction rates for freshwater inhabitants are currently four to six times the rates for terrestrial and marine species. Yet, these figures have not lead to action on the ground.
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