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Characins
/ Characinae / Head and Tail Light
Head and Tail Light, Beacon Fish
Hemigrammus ocellifer ocellifer | Pictures
SYN:
Holopristis
ocellifer, Tetragonopterus ocellifer
PD: The body is oval-shaped and silver in color. The back is arched and the dorsal fin
stands tall. There are two black spots; one just behind the gill cover and the other at the base of the tail. A
silvery-white line runs from the eye to the tail. The upper part of the iris is bright red and there is an orange
to copper spot right above the black one at the base of the tail. The fins are transparent.
SIZE: To 2" (5 cm)
SS: Much confusion has been created by the close resemblance of
Hemigrammus ocellifer falsus to this fish.
Hemigrammus ocellifer
falsus
is found in the tropical rivers of Northwestern Argentina and is
more colorful and common in the hobby.
HAB: South America; in coastal regions of French Guyana and widespread throughout the Amazon
and Orinoco rivers.
S: middle
TANK: 16" (40 cm) or 5 gallons (19 L) is adequate.
The tank must be arranged in dark colors
for this fish's iridescent orange spots to show.
Provide open swimming areas and have a cover of floating plants to
diffuse the light.
Have well-planted areas for hiding.
WATER: pH 6-7.5 (6.8), 4-25 dH (8), 72-82°F (22-28°C)
SB: A peaceful, schooling fish recommended for community tanks.
SC: Tetras, Loricarids,
Corydoras, Apistogramma, Discus, Livebearers, Gouramis
FOOD: Flake; live; insect larvae, Brine Shrimp,
Tubifex, small aquatic insects.
SEX: The pointed swim bladder of male fish can be clearly seen when viewed in a glass against
the light.
Only part of the rounded swim bladder is visible in females.
Females are also plumper.
B: A prolific fish.
Spawning is stimulated by morning sun and a warm temperature (82°F).
200-1000 eggs are laid and hatch in 20-24 hours.
The parents should be removed after eggs are laid.
The fry are free swimming after 1-2
days and should be fed egg yolk the first 2-5 days, and small live foods thereafter.
BP: 5.
Breeding is fairly easy for an egg-layer.
R:
DC: 2.
A hardy fish that does well in a community 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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