worms, or perhaps wyrms. it was a fairly common practice to rear them in artificial ponds and marshes back in the day, but keeping them in the home aquaria has only really kicked off in recent years. wyrms especially seem to be fairly tolerant of abysmal conditions, and both worms and wyrms are often much more lethargic than fish and naturally fond of cramped spaces, making them ideal for smallish display aquariums. fish are, after all, expensive to import and difficult to keep alive. there is also a sense of pride in cultivating rival beauty within the native fauna, however disregarded it may be.
although in most worms and wyrms the females dwarf the males, the species depicted has mature males as the larger of the two, with enlarged, reddish-colored rostrums to aid in their writhing scuffles for mates and territory. older males tend to develop a brightly colored swelling on their rostrum, which is an enlargement of certain glands used for territorial purposes. as a whole, the species are omnivorous, foraging similar to sturgeon but with a broader diet. adults average a meter in length and are considered good eating.
