#toothcarps

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

The Amazon Molly might not be a true Amazonian warrior, but they do carry on the tradition of being an all-female group! This species reproduces via gynogenisis, in which they mate with a male from a closely related species to trigger the release of eggs but the sperm is destroyed before they can fertilize them. Instead, the eggs develop into identical clones of their mother.

(Image: an Amazon Molly (Poecilia formosa) by Dr. Manfred Schartl)

[aquariuminfobureau]

The name of lampeye is attached to a number of African killifishes, which are not necessarily close phylogenetic sisters within that grouping. Usually the species traded as a 'lampeye' is Norman's lampeye, Poropanchax (or Aplocheilichthys) normani, a successful species reported from West Africa to as far as the White Nile. This fish grows to a length of 4.5 centimeters, or under 2 inches, but more usually the adult fishes are around 2.5 centimeters or 1 inch long.

Of late it has been repeated as though it were fact, that the lampeye killifishes of Africa, despite their location, are basal poecilids related to familiar aquarium livebearers. In fact the molecular evidence is unconvincing, other than demonstrating that all these fishes belong to a wider subgrouping of the killifishes, which are named the toothcarps or cyprinodontoids. Although Procatopus are not livebearers, they share with poecilids the trait of internal insemination, a necessary precursor to viviparity in the toothcarps and their kin.

P. normani is a savannah associated species, found around vegetation in lakes, small rivers, brooks, swampland, and paddyfields. In flowing waters they adhere to marginal areas with minimal flow, and they are open water swimmers. They must be kept in numbers together because they are schooling killifishes, and they are peaceful enough to be very suitable denizens, when they are inhabiting a non-boisterous and planted community aquarium. P. normani can be categorized as insectivorous fishes because they feed on aquatic insect larvae, and other small arthropods.

As a miniature predator this species, which swims close to the surface, helps to control mosquito numbers. In the aquarium they are willing to consume many dried and frozen preparations. Data about these fishes in the wild, specifically the River Gambia, indicates their preferences for water with a temperature of 25 to 31 degrees centigrade, and a pH value that is quite approximate to neutral.

Reports are inconsistent from waters where temperatures swing widely during the day and vary according to the month, for example during the where dry season temperatures may be as high as 40 degrees, and nighttime temperatures as low as 15 degrees. I would suggest a temperature range from the middle twenties to lower thirties degrees centigrade only for P. normani. These are not at all a difficult fish,and they are thus appropriate for the novice aquarist.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

During the dry season, most fish are in grave danger of being left stranded on land- but not the mangrove rivulus! When their natural brackish pools dry up, members of this species simply burrow into the cavities of wet, rotting wood where they can wait for up to 2 months for the rains to replenish their water supply!

(Image: a mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus) by Andy Turko)

[aquariuminfobureau]

A forgotten gem from Florida

The American or Florida flagfish, Jordanella floridae, is a toothcarps endemic to Florida, a southern state of the USA, bordering the Caribbean Sea. It grows to 6.5 centimeters, or approximately 2 and a 1/2 inches length, and the adult males are more colorful, than are the drab juveniles and mature females, which also have less prominent dorsal and anal fins.

The habitat of J. floridae is shallow, richly vegetated freshwaters, including natural marshes and backwaters, as well as man-made canals and ditches. Near the coast, these habitats may be slightly brackish, sonetimes with fluctuating salinities, and it has been shown that at least temporary exposure of J. floridae, to specific gravities as high as 1.015, seemingly does these fish no harm. However, it is primarily a freshwater species by nature.

J. floridae requires a pH of 6.7 to 8.2, and a vegetated freshwater (or mildly brackish) environment, that is similar to its wild habitat requirements. It is a subtropical fish, from a part of North America with warm, rainy summers, and dry, mild winters from the middle of December through to the middle of April. The air temperture during the summer months may temporarily rise above 30 degrees centigrade, though probably, permanent exposure to such a temperture could be harmful, to the long term health of these fish. Whereas in the dry or winter season, air tempertures may drop to almost 11 degrees. The freshwaters of the Everglades are also described, as having a neutral pH.

Flagfishes are micropredators of zooplankton and small benthos, such as insect larvae. They also include algal or other plant material in their natural diet, although their primary reason for nipping at leaves, is to graze biofilms and their infauna. This species can be feed easily on proprietory aquarium foods, such as flake preparations. Unfortunately, some individuals may be boisterous, especially the males, who may even harass females of their own species.