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Characins
/ Gasteropelecidae / Black-winged Hatchetfish
Black-winged Hatchetfish
Carnegiella marthae | Pictures
Synonyms: None
Physical description: Has a convex body. The ventral fins are very small and the back is fairly straight.
The wing-like pectoral fins are transparent and often measure up to one-half the fish's overall body length. The
coloration is usually silver with black patches and stripes. Depending on the angle of light, the colors can change
from iridescent green to iridescent violet. A horizontal stripe extends from the gill cover to the base of the
tail. It is usually gold in color.
Size/Length: To 1.5" (4 cm)
Similar species: Carnegiella
marthae schereri of the Peruvian Amazon and
C. myersi of the Rio Ucayali.
Habitat: South America; Slow flowing, heavily wooded, rainforest streams and pools of the Rio
Negro and the Rio Orinoco.
S: Top
Aquarium: 20" (50 cm) or 10 gallons (38 L).
The tank should be set-up in a manner
such as that of other Hatchetfish.
See genus description.
Peat filtration is beneficial.
Water chemistry: pH 5.5-7.0 (6.7), 1-8 dH (4), 75-84°F (24-29°C)
Social behavior: A small, peaceful community fish.
Should only be combined with other small, peaceful
fish of lower swimming levels.
Like all Hatchetfish, the Black-winged Hatchet may jump when pursued.
Suggested companions: See genus description.
FOOD: Live; mosquito larvae,
Daphnia ,
Drosophila , small flying insects; flake
foods.
Sexual differences: Only distinguishable during spawning, when white eggs can be seen in female's body
Breeding techniques: Very difficult. Use soft, peat filtered water with a water hardness of 1-4 dH.
The
pair should be keep separately for two or three weeks and conditioned on
Drosophila and black mosquito larvae.
After
that amount of time, the fish should be combined in a 20" (50 cm) or 10 gallons (38 L) tank, that is heavily
planted with floating, bushy plants.
The females lays 2-5 eggs at a time on the floating plants near the
surface.
Remove the parents after spawning.
The fry hatch in 30-36 hours and are free-swimming after 5 days. Start
feeding with paramecia and roftiers.
After a week the young can be fed on Brine Shrimp nauplii and
Daphnia .
The
fry become "hatchet-shaped" after 20 days.
Breeding potential: 9.
Captive spawning of this fish are rare and unusual.
Remarks: This Hatchetfish can leave the water and "fly" for up to 5 feet (1.52 m).
Difficulty of care: 6.
A delicate fish recommended for only experienced aquariasts.
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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