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Livebearers
/ Hemirhamphidae / Celebes Halfbeak
Celebes Halfbeak, Beakless Halfbeak
Nomorhamphus liemi liemi | Pictures
Synonyms: None
Physical description: An elongated species with moderate lateral compression.
The dorsal fin is set far back on the
body, near the caudal fin.
The Celebes Halfbeak possess an immovable lower jaw that curls around, so that the tip
faces towards the rear of the fish.
The upper jaw, which can be moved up and down, is smaller and shorter.
The
coloration varies, depending on where the specimen is found.
Usually the body is silvery-green to silvery-brown.
The fins are red with a black fringe around them. The iris may be bright green in color.
A red and green line extends across
the lower jaw back through the body.
Size/Length: Females to 4" (10 cm), males to 2.7" (7 cm)
Similar species: N.
liemi snijdersi
Habitat: Shallow areas of fast-flowing fresh water streams with elevations from 2,000 to 4,000
feet (615-1230 m) in Southeast Asia; Celebes (Sulawesi) in Indonesia.
S: top
Aquarium: A tank measuring 36" (91 cm) with a volume of 35-40 gallons (132-151 L) is recommended.
Follow
suggestions for D. pusillu
s.
Water chemistry: pH 6.5-8 (7.3), 4-12 (8), 75-81°F (24-27°C)
Social behavior: A fairly good community fish to be combined with peaceful fish of the lower swimming
levels.
Combine one male with two or three females.
Keep in groups of five or more.
Suggested companions: Colisa
, Corydoras
, Celebes Rainbowfish (
T. ladigesi ), other livebearers.
FOOD: Live; insects, mosquito larvae, small crustaceans, worms; flakes.
Sexual differences: Male is slimmer, smaller, and more colorful with an andropodium
Breeding techniques: Condition the fish with
Artemia, Drosophila , and mosquito larvae.
A water
temperature of 75-79°F (24-26°C), a water hardness of 4-6 dH, and a pH of 6.5 is recommended.
Pregnancy
lasts anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks. From 9 to 15 young are born, each measuring about 1.5 cm (0.6").
The
young or parents should be removed, for the parents will eat brood.
Start feeding with
Artemia and powdered foods.
Breeding potential: 6.
Breeding is easiest in soft water.
Remarks: A sub-species, Nomorhamphus
liemi snijdersi,
has been identified. It is found in central Celebes and differs from
Nomorhamphus liemi liemi
in that it has more black on all
flanks and less red on its body.
Difficulty of care: 6.
This species requires well maintained water and a diet of live foods.
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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