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Killifish
/ Rivulinae / Agila Rivulus
Agila Rivulus
Rivulus agilae | Pictures
Synonyms: Rivulus
manaensis
Physical description: An elongated fish with an up-turned mouth.
Males have a light olive back with orange
to yellow flanks.
The flanks often are blue-green in areas.
The fins are also orange in color.
Females
are duller orange-brown with transparent fins.
Size/Length: To 2" (5 cm)
Similar species: Rivulus
geayi, R. uroflammeus
Habitat: South America; inhabits shallow areas of small rivers and streams in the coastal plains
of Guyana, French Guyana, and Surinam.
S: middle, top
Aquarium: A tank measuring 16" (40 cm) with a capacity of 5 gallons (19 L).
Provide
a cover of floating plants and arrange the tank in dark colors.
Plant the tank heavily along the rear and sides.
Cover
the tank well.
This species prefers shallow tanks.
Water chemistry: pH 5.5-7.2 (6.9), 2-12 dH (8), 72-81°F (22-27°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful species that should be kept in a ration of one male to two or three females.
More
than one male can be kept in a 28" (71 cm) tank.
Males are territorial towards others.
Suggested companions: Small catfish, small schooling fish (tetras),
Apistogramma
FOOD: Live; insects, insect larvae, crustaceans; flakes
SEX: Males are more colorful.
Breeding techniques: Use a small breeding tank furnished with Java Moss, floating plants, and spawning grass.
The
water should have a temperature from 73-82°F (23-28°C), a pH from 5.5-6.5, and a water hardness from 2-7
dH. The
substrate should be peat moss.
The eggs, which are fairly large, are laid daily for a period of two to four weeks.
The
peat can be removed and stored in a plastic bag for a period of three to five weeks.
Place the peat in a dark, shallow tank
containing soft water.
Start feeding with
Artemia nauplii.
The young are slow-growing.
Breeding potential: 8.
Breeding is difficult.
Remarks: Several color variants exist.
Many
Rivulus species inhabit environments that
dry up at times during the year.
The Rivulus
are able to move to pools by hopping along the ground, using their pectoral fins.
Rivulus marmoratus is a hermaphroditic
Rivulus
, which is capable of self-fertilization.
Difficulty of care: 6.
A sensitive species that requires well-maintained water.
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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