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Characins
/ Lebiasinidae / Splash Tetra
Splash Tetra, Jumping Characin, Spraying Tetra
Copella arnoldi | Pictures
Synonyms: Copeina
arnoldi
Physical description: The Splash Tetra has an elongated body.
The body color is olive green to brown
and the belly is white.
A stripe, slightly darker than the body color, extends from the gill cover to the caudal
fin. A
thin copper-colored line runs right above the darker band.
A black band extends from the snout, through
the eye, and to the gill cover.
In favorable water conditions, the upper half of the iris will develop an iridescent
orange
color.
Size/Length: Males to 3.5" (9 cm), females to 2.8" (7 cm)
Similar species: Plain Copella (
Copella nattereri), Half-striped Pyrrhulina (
Pyrrhulina laeta
)
Habitat: Near the banks of slow-moving rivers with heavy vegetation.
South America; in Guyana, and the Rio
Para.
S: middle, top
Aquarium: 20" (60 cm) or 10 gallons (38 L).
The tank should be well-planted and
have a cover of floating plants.
Position the tank in
a place where it will receive morning sunlight.
Use a tight-fitting cover as this fish
is a jumper.
Water chemistry: pH 6.5-7.5 (6.8), 2-12 dH (6), 77-84°F (25-29°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful fish that can be kept in pairs or schools.
Does well in a community tank.
Suggested companions: Tetras, Corydoras,
Loricarids, Killifish,
Apistogramma.
FOOD: Live, small flying insects, insect larvae, Brine Shrimp; flakes.
SEX: The males are more colorful, larger, and have more elaborate fins.
Breeding techniques: This species is popular because of its peculiar spawning habits.
This fish can be bred in small tanks
(16" or 5 gallons).
The water should be soft and slightly acidic, with the water level several inches lower
than normal (4-8").
The pair should be fed live foods, such as those suggested in the introduction of this
genus.
The pair will jump against an overhanging leaf or the tank glass, and press their bodies together.
About
8-10 eggs are laid on the object.
This process is repeated until 150-200 eggs are laid.
The male engage in brood care by splashing
water on the eggs every 10-15 minutes.
After 30-40 hours the eggs hatch and the fry drop into the water.
The
parents should be removed at this time. The fry are very small and should be fed small live foods.
This
spawning habit most likely developed from a large amount of predators that can be found in this fish's natural
habitat.
The eggs are sometimes laid on the underside of the tank lid.
Breeding potential: 6. Breeding is fairly easy in a properly, set-up breeding tank.
Remarks: Does best when regular water changes are performed.
Difficulty of care: 3.
A hardy fish whose colors will only fully develop in a well-maintained 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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