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Killifish
/ Aplocheilinae / Blue Panchax
Blue Panchax
Aplocheilus panchax | Pictures
Synonyms: Esox
panchax, Haplochilus panchax, Panchax melanopterus, P. panchax
Physical description: An elongated fish with a pointed snout and an up-turned mouth.
The color depends on the age, sex, and
race of the fish.
Generally the Blue Panchax has a dark brown-copper back with a gray-yellow body color.
The
body is marked with eight lateral lines of red spots.
The rear flanks-from the mid-section and back-have a brilliant blue
iridescence, while the frontal parts have a green iridescence.
The dorsal fin is located far back on the body
and has a large, black spot at its base, and a black edge.
The middle parts may be pale blue or bright red
(depending on the variant).
The caudal fin is pale yellow with pale blue outer lobes, and a fine black edging.
The
anal fin has red spots, with a base color of green-yellow.
The outer edge is bright red.
Size/Length: To 3.2" (8 cm)
Similar species: Other Aplocheilus
species.
Habitat: Inhabits stagnate ponds, fields, and canals containing large amounts of vegetation.
Southeast
Asia; Borneo, Burma, Java, India, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Thailand
S: top
Aquarium: A tank measuring 24" (61 cm) with a capacity of 10-20 gallons (38-75 L) is sufficient.
Cover
the tank well.
Follow recommendations for
A. lineatus.
Water chemistry: pH 6-7.5 (6.8), 3-15 dH (7), 68-77°F (20-25°C)
Social behavior: A lively predator of the upper water levels.
This species is peaceful towards similarly
and larger sized fishes.
Suggested companions: Aplocheilus
species, small catfishes, peaceful cichlids
FOOD: Live; fish fry, crustaceans, insect larvae, flying and aquatic insects,
Tubifex;
flakes, pellets, tablets.
Sexual differences: Difficult to distinguish; Males are darker and grayish-yellow in color.
Breeding techniques:
Similar to A.
lineatus, although lower temperatures are acceptable.
A healthy
pair may lay 130-300 eggs daily for a period of several weeks.
Since the Blue Panchax spawns among fine-leafed
plants and Java Moss, it is easy to remove the spawning substrate containing eggs, and replace it.
The
eggs hatch after 11-15 days, and the fry can be fed nauplii and powdered dry foods after their eggs sacs have been
consumed.
Frequently sort the fry by size to prevent cannibalism.
Breeding potential: 5.
An easily bred toothcarp.
Remarks: This lively, colorful species has been kept in the hobby since 1899.
Panchax fill an important ecological
role in nature by feeding on ailing fish.
Several different variations are known, including those selectively
bred by hobbyists.
Difficulty of care: 3.
A robust species that is the most commonly kept Killifish out of Southeast Asia.
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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