Synonyms: Doras pectinfrons Physical description: The body is black in color with an irregular pattern of white spots. The back has 6-8 ridges of spines that run from the gill cover to the caudal fin. The mouth is large and has three pairs of barbels-one on the upper jaw and two on the lower. The dorsal fin stands erect, and like all the fins, are body color. Size/Length: To 6" (15 cm) Similar species: None H: Shallow flood ponds. South America; in Eastern Peru and Ecuador A: bottom Aquarium: 36" (91 cm) or 35-45 gallons (132-170 L) is sufficient. The tank should be well-planted with a cover of floating plants to diffuse the light. Use a fine gravel bottom and provide hiding places with caves, rocks, wood, and roots. Water chemistry: pH 5.8-7.5 (7.0), 2-20 dH (10), 66-82°F (19-28°C) FOOD: Live; Tubifex , insect larvae, Brine Shrimp, fish fry; tablets Social behavior: A calm, peaceful fish that is recommended for a community tank. It can be kept with medium to large fish, but not with fish under 1.6" (4 cm), as they may be eaten. A nocturnal species. Social behavior: South and Central American cichlids, larger characins, Pimelodus, Trichogaster. Suggested companions: Females are plumper than males. Breeding techniques: Spawning success has been reported, although it is usually accidental. Eggs are laid among floating plants. Breeding potential: 10. The White Spotted Dorydid has rarely been bred in captivity. Little information is available. Remarks: Has the ability to make an audible "growling" sound by rotating its pectoral fins. This sound is amplified by the swim bladder. No two individuals have the identical color or pattern. Like other fish of this family, the White Spotted Doradid becomes easily entangled in a net, so a glass jar or plastic bag should be used. Difficulty of care: 3. A robust catfish suggested for a community tank. Recent articles about fish Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees (2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health. Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees (10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine. Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater (12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina. |
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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2009 The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me. |
