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Others
/ Osteoglossidae / Spotted Arowana
Spotted Barramundi
Scleropages leicharati | Pictures
Synonyms: None
Physical description:
Virtually identical in body shape to
S. jardini.
The back is gray while the flanks are
silver with a silver iridescence.
Each scale is marked with one or two orange spots.
The fins are marked with orange spots.
The
anal, dorsal, and caudal fins are edged in black.
Size/Length: To 32" (80 cm) in nature; rarely larger than 20" (51 cm) in aquaria
Similar species: Scleropages
formosus, S. jardini
Habitat: Fitzroy River in Northern Australia
S: top
Aquarium: A tank measuring 48" (122 cm) or 55 gallons (209 L) is minimum for young individuals.
They
will quickly out-grow an aquarium of this size!
Follow suggestions for
O. bicirrhosum.
Water chemistry: pH 7-8 (7.5), 6-16 dH (12), 77-86°F (25-30°C)
Social behavior: This large, predatory species is aggressive towards its own and similar species.
Combine
only with other robust, large species.
Suggested companions: As for S.
jardini.
FOOD: Live; fish, spiders, large flying insects,
Tubifex; may accept pellets and flakes
Sexual differences:
The females are usually fatter during the spawning season when mature.
Breeding techniques:
Spawning has been observed in nature.
The male mouthbroods the eggs until fry are able
to swim.
Breeding potential: 10.
Breeding has not been successful in captivity.
Remarks:
The Spotted Barramundi is very sensitive to water conditions, more so than
S. jardini.
The
Spotted Barramundi is considered an Endangered Species and cannot be imported.
Difficulty of care: 9.
The Spotted Barramundi grows very large.
This predator is sensitive to water pollutants
and requires frequent partial water changes.
This fish must be fed 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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