Physical description: The body is elongated and the dorsal fin is located far back on the body. The fins are rounded and the mouth is upturned. There are several different color variants. In one color variant, the male has a bluish head with a yellow throat and snout. The iris of the eye is blue. The body scales are light blue, surrounded by red. These markings produce a netted appearance. The caudal fin is deep red with a black outer edge. The other fins are yellow. Another variant has more red on the body and the fins. Females are duller in color with darker blue hues. Size/Length: To 2" (5 cm) Similar species: Other Nothobranchus species. Habitat: Inhabits muddy ponds and pools that dry up during the dry months of the year. East Africa; Zanzibar, Mozambique, Kenya, and Tanzania S: bottom, middle Aquarium: A tank measuring 24" (61 cm) with a capacity of 10-20 gallons (38-75 L) is sufficient. Follow suggestions for N. rachovii . Water chemistry: pH 6-7 (6.5), dH 1-10 (3), 66-75°F (19-24°C) Social behavior: A somewhat aggressive fish that can be kept in small groups in a well-planted tank. Males may be territorial especially around spawning times. Suggested companions: Other Nothobranchus species, tetras, hatchetfish, danios, Aphyosemion, Corydoras, Brachydanio, Loricarids, pencilfish. FOOD: Live; insects, insect larvae, small crustaceans, Tubifex; flakes Sexual differences: Males are more colorful and larger. Breeding techniques: Follow suggestions for N. rachovii. Breeding potential: 6. Breeding is moderately difficult. Remarks: Different color variants are known. An annual species. There is an excess of 40 Nothobranchus species. Difficulty of care: 5. A sensitive species that requires regular water changes. 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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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2009 The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me. |
