|
|
|
Characins
/ Ctenoluciidae / Striped Gar
Striped Pike Characin, Striped Gar
Boulengerella lateristriga | Pictures
Synonyms: Xiphostoma
lateristriga
Physical description: An elongated, slender fish.
The snout and mouth are very long. The tip of the upper jaw hangs over
the lower.
The back light brown to brown.
A white stripe extends along the fish's back, from the tip of the snout
through the eye to the base of the tail.
A dark brown stripe extends from the tip of the snout through the eye
and to the base of the tail.
A third stripe, below the first two, runs from the tip of the lower jaw to the tail.
It
is white in color.
The belly is also white.
The other fins dull brown with some pale markings.
Size/Length: To 16" (40 cm)
Similar species: Spotted Pike Characin (
B. maculata)
Habitat: In still and slow-moving water with reedy or grassy vegetation and submerged wood.
South
America; in the Rio Negro and the Rio Urubu.
S: middle, top
Aquarium: 48" (122 cm) or 55 gallons (209 L) is sufficient for young fish up to 6" (15
cm) in length.
When full grown, a 60" (152 cm) or 90 gallon (342 L) tank should be used.
The
water should be well-aerated and have heavy, dense vegetation.
The surface should have a cover of floating plants.
Plenty
of hiding places should be provided, as should open swimming areas.
The lighting should be dim and roots
and wood should be used for hiding areas.
Use peat filtration for best results.
1/4 to 1/3 of the water should be changed
bimonthly and a good conditioner should be added.
Water chemistry: pH 5-6.8 (6.5), dH 0-10 (4), 73-82°F (23-28°C)
Social behavior: This active predator can be kept singly or in groups.
Do not combine with small or slender
fish for they will be eaten.
The Striped Pike Characin can be kept with calm, large bodied fish like catfish and medium
to large cichlids.
Suggested companions: South American Cichlids (possibly large Angels and Waroo), Loricarids, Pimelodids,
large characins, large Knifefish.
FOOD: Live; fish, Tubifex
, earthworms, mosquito larvae, caterpillars.
SEX: Unknown
Breeding techniques: Unknown
Breeding potential: 10.
Breeding has not been accomplished in aquaria.
Remarks: Before purchasing a Striped Pike Characin, observe it carefully for a period of time.
Often
imported specimen are injured or sick and will not take foods.
This fish is very sensitive to nitrate and nitrite
levels.
This fish is very shy and timid and will not come out from hiding until it has adjusted to the tank.
Do
not turn on the light when it is dark or make sudden, loud noises for these fish are easily frightened and may
resort to frantic swimming around the tank, throwing itself against the tank lid.
After one of these escapades, the fish
is injured or mortally wounded.
Difficulty of care: 7.
This skittish fish is an aggressive predator that must be fed live foods.
This species is sensitive to unfavorable
water conditions.
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.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
|
|
|
