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11-25-13 Hillstream Loach from Ron’s Freshwater Series

Filed under: FRESH WATER FISHES — Leave a comment
November 25, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Cypriniformes ( carps, minnows, loaches and relatives)
Family: Balitoridae (hillstream river loaches)

Genus/species: Sewellia lineolata

Hillstream Loach IMG_0740

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Sewellia spp. are perhaps the most dominant of the ‘sucker belly’ group of loaches. Sides of body with 3-5 bold longitudinal stripes. Pectoral fin with bold submarginal stripe, otherwise with reticulated marks. Pelvic fin with 3 bold stripes. Females plumper than males. Males have raised areas like small “fences” on first few rays of pectoral fins, and when viewed from above are noticeably “squarer” in the area of the front leading edge of the pectoral fins. Maximum size: 2.5 inches

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: China, Viet Nam, Cambodia. Known from the Mekong basin. Found in shallow, fast-flowing rivers, highly oxygenated headwaters and tributaries with substrates of composed of bedrock, sand and gravel.

Hillstream Loach IMG_0739

DIET: Algae plus associated micro-organisms although insect larvae are probably taken on an opportunistic basis.

CONSERVATION: IUCN; V.ulnerable (VU)

REMARKS: Paired fins are orientated horizontally, head and body flattened and the last two pelvic-fin rays combine with a fleshy flap on the base of the fin to form a ‘pelvic valve’ forming a powerful sucking cup which allowing the fish to cling tightly to solid surfaces in rapid moving streams.

Waterplanet, senses cluster
11-25-13

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Ref: fish base, EOL, Seriously Fish.

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11-21-13 Peach Fairy Basslet aka Redfin Anthias from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
November 21, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)

Genus/species: Pseudanthias dispar

Peach Fairy Basslet aka Redfin Anthias 2989036131_c7b264ace3_b

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Sexes dichromatic. Male: orange to yellow body, lavender to pink head and bright red dorsal fin. Female: orange to peach upper head, body, and fins; pink line from the tip of the snout angling down, passing through the lower part of the eye .. Max. size: 9.5 cm (3.75 inches).

DISTRIBUTION: East Indo-Pacific along upper edge of steep reef slopes 1 – 15 m (3.25 – 50 feet) .

DIET IN THE WILD: Zooplankton. Occur in large feeding aggregations.

REPRODUCTION: Protogynous hermaphrodites. If a dominant male dies, the largest female of the group will change sex to take its place.   Males erect dorsal fin as courtship display.
Anthias gather in huge schools of hundreds. Schools are made up of smaller “harems” consisting of a single dominant male, a few less dominant males, and many females.

PREDATORS: Taken by many larger predators.

CONSERVATION: Not evaluated.

Philippine Coral Reef PR04 5-22-13

Animal Attractions SP14 3-15-12

Ref: Fishbase , EOL.

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11-4-13 Bicolor Chromis from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
November 4, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes) 
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)

Genus/species Chromis margaritifer

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Dark brown, almost black, with white rear body including tail and rear dorsal and anal fins. Caudal fin lobes end in two filaments. Black spot at base of pectoral fin. Spine tips of the dorsal fin are blue. Max length: 9 cm or 3.5 in.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Pacific Ocean: Christmas Island and northwestern Australia in the eastern Indian Ocean on exposed seaward reefs; less abundant in lagoons and channels.

DIET IN THE WILD: Zooplankton, algae. Feeds in large groups.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding with the males guarding and aerating the eggs.

Commensalism Cluster PR34, Philippine Coral Reef PR04

Ref. fishbase, EOL, Reef Fish ID Tropical Pacific, Allen et al, 2003.

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10-31-13 Goldbelly Damselfish From Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
October 31, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)

Genus/species Pomacentrus auriventris

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Neon-blue head and upper body, yellow lower and rear body, anal and tail fins. Length to 5.5 cm ( 2 inches).

Goldbelly Damselfish 4770698270_7ccdac2124_b

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Western Central Pacific: Found on inner coral reef slopes with mixed rubble, coral and algae. depth range 6 – 35 feet (2 – 11 m).

DIET IN THE WILD: Omnivore.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding. Eggs are demersal (just above the sea bed) and adhere to the substrate.. Males guard and aerate the eggs

CONSERVATION: Not evaluated.

Ref. fishbase, EOL. Reef Fish Identification, Tropical Pacific, Allen et at.2003.

Philippine Coral Reef PR04

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10-30-13 Yellow-tail Blue Damselfish From Ron’s Tropical Reef Series

Filed under: INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
October 30, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfish)

Genus/species: Chrysiptera parasema

GENERAL APPEARANCES:: Small, blue-bodied fish with a yellow tail; 7–9 cm (2.75 – 3.5 inches) long. Colors become less contrasting with age.

Yellow-tail Blue Damselfish 4533756786_58d0151ab2_o

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Western Pacific in coral-rich areas of sheltered lagoon and inshore coral reefs. Inhabits rubble beds on lagoon reefs to 16 meters (52 feet) deep. Occurs in small groups on Acropora patches.

DIET IN THE WILD: Omnivore.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding. Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate.

Ref: fishbase, EOL, Reef Fish Identification, Tropical pacific, Allen et al. 2003

Philippine Coral Reef PR04

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10-18-13 Diptail Pencilfish aka Brown Pencilfish from Ron’s Freshwater Series

Filed under: FRESH WATER FISHES — Leave a comment
October 20, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Characiformes (Characins)
Family: Lebiasinidae (Pencilfishes)

Genus/species: Nannostomus eques

Diptail Pencilfish aka Brown Pencilfish 10286393965_fe0600ac47_b

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Small elongate fish with a brown lateral stripe extending from snout to caudal-fin base. Above the dark brown stripe a silver-grey stripe. A dark brown spot on each body scale except those forming part of the silver stripe. . Latin, nannus = small + Greek, stoma = mouth. Adult males have an enlarged anal fin. Max Length 5 cm

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: South America: central and upper Amazon. Found in sluggish tributaries, small rivers, and swampy zones, ofter where vegetation grows densely with submerged woody structures and leaf litter.

DIET IN THE WILD: Micropredator feeding on worms, crustaceans, insects and zooplankton.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous.

REMARKS: Has an interesting oblique swimming-style.

Flooded Amazon, Cardinal tetra exhibit

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Ref. Fishbase, Seriouslyfish.com

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10-16-13 Altum Angelfish from Ron’s Freshwater Series

Filed under: FRESH WATER FISHES — Leave a comment
October 16, 2013

TAXONOMY 
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Subfamily: Cichlasomatinae

Genus/species: Pterophyllum altum

Altum Angelfish 4689972848_189e460e8f_b

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Extremely compressed silvery body with two broad dark vertical bands. Remarkably long trailing pelvic fins. Altum refers to the dramatic height of their dorsal and anal fins. Length to 18 cm (7 inches). Max height 20 cm (7.87 inches). Orbital indentation differentiates from Pterophyllum scalare.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: South America: Amazon basin, in the upper Rio Negro drainage; Orinoco River basin.

DIET IN THE WILD: Carnivore

REPRODUCTION and DEVELOPMENT: External fertilization. Monogamous; pairs persist until partner dies or is separated. Clutch-tending guarders.

Altum Angelfish 3787890518_a572b4929f_b

MORTALITY/LONGEVITY: Preyed upon by other fishes. Subject to bacterial diseases and protozoan, fungal and worm infestations.

CONSERVATION: IUCN: Not evaluated.

Flooded Amazon AM05

Ref. fishbase, EOL

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10-15-13 Bucktooth Tetra from Ron’s Freshwater Series

Filed under: FRESH WATER FISHES — Leave a comment
October 15, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Characiformes (Characins)
Family: Characidae (Characins)

Genus/species: Exodon paradoxus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Light tan with two distinct black spots (one before the tail and another on the flank.) Common name comes from the large protruding teeth. Length : 4 inches (10 cm) to 6 inches (15 cm) .

Bucktooth Tetra 8353979147_bb878d0337_o

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: South America: Amazon and Tocantins River basins with sandy bottoms. Also found in Guyana.

DIET IN THE WILD: Insects and the scales of other fish.

REMARKS: Eating scales of other fishes (lepidophage) is a behavior common to a variety of species. (Some species of Piranha eat only scales) Scales are nutritional, offering a source of calcium carbonate and other minerals, as well as a layer of protein-rich mucus. A reliable resource, scales are plentiful, available year round, and readily regrown.

Bucktooth Tetra 5230993504_efa63ce423_b

Flooded Amazon, electric eel exhibit. AM11

Ref. fishbase, EOL, Seriously Fish

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10-11-13 Earth-eater Cichlid from Ron’s Freshwater Series

Filed under: FRESH WATER FISHES — Leave a comment
October 11, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes  (Perch-likes)
Family: Cichlidae  (Cichlids)Genus/species: Geophagus altifrons

Earth eating cichlid 2975336785_c7f6e17516_o

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Protruding mouth. Head has red weblike markings. Spiky fins.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: South America: Amazon basin in freshwater rivers.

DIET IN THE WILD: Common name derived from this fish’s almost constant digging in the sand for prey.

REPRODUCTION: Fish in this genus are mouth brooders. The parents take turns brooding and spit the fry into the partner’s mouth when their shift is over.

CONSERVATION: Not evaluated.

REMARKS: Genus name translates as “eartheater.” This common name applies to many species. A small, but popular food fish.

Flooded Amazon

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9-25-13 Harlequin Rasbora from Ron’s Freshwater Series

Filed under: FRESH WATER FISHES, RAINFOREST BORNEO — Leave a comment
September 25, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae (carps, true minnows, and their relatives (as the barbs and barbels).

Genus/species: Trigonostigma heteromorpha

Harlequin Rasbora 5170276087_941e511e05_b-2

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Length to 5 cm (2 inches). Color pattern reddish, pinkish or orange body with a conspicuous black stripe from below dorsal-fin origin to middle of caudal fin base and usually broadened anteriorly so as to have a triangular or hatchet shape.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Thailand to Sumatra, Indonesia in forest streams.

DIET IN THE WILD: Micropredator feeding on small insects, worms, crustaceans and other zooplankton.

CONSERVATION: IUCN: Least concern.

Harlequin Rasbora 3505693009_e11af4c62b_b

Rainforest Borneo Exhibit, Southeast Asia Community display BO09

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