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Characins
/ Gasteropelecidae / Marbled Hatchetfish
Marbled Hatchetfish
Carnegiella strigata strigata | Pictures
Synonyms: Carnegiella
strigatus, Gasteropelecus strigata, G. fasciata, G. vesca
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.
Depending on the angle of light, the colors can change from iridescent
green to iridescent violet.
A horizontal stripe, yellow in color, extends along the top of the fish.
Size/Length: To 2" (5 cm)
Similar species: Carnegiella
strigata fasciata is a commonly seen sub-species of
C. strigata,
that comes from small bodies of water in the Guyanas.
Habitat: South America; shaded, still or slow-moving water near Iquitos, Peru
S: Top
Aquarium: 24" (60 cm) or 10-20 gallons (38-75 L) is sufficient, although larger tanks
are preferred. The tank should be set-up like other Hatchetfish.
See the Hatchetfish family introduction.
Water chemistry: pH 5.0-7.5 (6.5); 5-18 dH (8); 75-84°F (24-29°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful fish, recommended for community tanks with other calm fish, that swim in
the lower water levels.
Suggested companions: See family description.
FOOD: Live; mosquito larvae, bloodworms, glassworms,
Drosophila ,
Daphnia , Brine Shrimp,
Tubifex ;
flake foods
Sexual differences: Only distinguishable during spawning, when white eggs can be seen in the female's
body
Breeding techniques: The fish will spawn frequently if fed the proper diet of small flying insects.
The
water should be peat filtered to darken it and to make the water soft.
The fish will spawn after lengthy courtship
and the eggs will be laid on floating plants.
The eggs will fall to the bottom, at which time the parents should
be removed. The fry hatch after 30 hours and will be free swimming after five days.
After seven days, the fry can be fed
Paramecium and Brine Shrimp nauplii.
The young begin to take adults shape after 20 days, and swim at all
tank levels.
Breeding potential: 7.
Breeding is not difficult under the right conditions.
Remarks: The Marbled Hatchetfish can leave the water and "fly" for up to 10 feet (3.05
m).
Difficulty of care: 5.
The Marbled Hatchetfish is the best suited Hatchetfish to life in aquaria.
Even
though the Marbled Hatchet is the hardiest Hatchetfish, it is still not recommended for beginning aquariasts.
C. strigata fasciata is slightly hardier.
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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