Page 160 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

158 FRESHWATER FISH DIRECTORY

Girardinus metallicus Dermogenys pusilla Belonesox belizanus
Girardinus Malayan Halfbeak Pike-Top Minnow

ORIGINS The Caribbean, where it is widely distributed in ORIGINS Southeast Asia, ranging from Thailand and the ORIGINS Central America, ranging from southeastern
Cuba, except in the extreme east. Malay Peninsula down to parts of Indonesia. Mexico down to Honduras.
SIZE 3 ⁄2 in (9 cm). SIZE 3 in (7.5 cm). SIZE 8 in (20 cm).
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DIET Prepared foods, plant matter, and small live foods. DIET Mainly small live foods. DIET Smaller live foods and fish.
WATER Temperature 72–77°F (22–25°C); hard WATER Temperature 77–86°F (25–30°C); hard WATER Temperature 79–90°F (26–32°C); hard
(100–150 mg/l) and alkaline (pH 7.1). (100–150 mg/l) and neutral (pH 7.0). (200–300 mg/l) and alkaline (pH 7.5).
TEMPERAMENT Placid. TEMPERAMENT Males are quarrelsome. TEMPERAMENT Aggressive.
Both sexes have a metallic sheen, but the This fish not only has a body shaped like a pike
female (foreground of picture) is much larger but also has similar predatory habits and hunts by
than the male, which averages just 2 in (5 cm). ambushing its prey. Females are the larger sex and
A mature male can also be distinguished by his Bluish Jaw adapted to display yellowish or even orange coloration at the
black gonopodium. Females can give birth every patches surface feeding base of their anal fin. Pike-Top Minnows hide
three weeks, with the average brood comprising away in vegetation and may prefer brackish
around 50 fry. A densely planted tank will help water. Their young are about 1 in (2.5 cm)
to prevent the young from being cannibalized. long at birth and are rarely eaten by the female.
Long, slim body
Known as Halfbeaks because the upper jaw is much
shorter than the lower, these livebearers often
occur in brackish water. Insects, such as wingless
fruit flies (Drosophila sp.) and mosquito larvae, can
be bred as food for them. These fish can jump well,
so cover their tank. Raising the water temperature
encourages breeding, but stillbirths are not
uncommon. The broods, consisting of about 30
young each, are produced at eight-week intervals.

Phallichthys amates Skiffia multipunctata
Merry Widow Spotted Skiffia less apparent in this species than in some
livebearers, but males can be distinguished easily
ORIGINS Central America, found in Guatemala and from ORIGINS Central America, restricted to the Mexican by their notched anal fin and the yellow edging on
Honduras to Panama. states of Jalisco and Michoacán. the dorsal fin. This fin is also irregularly notched,
SIZE 2 in (5 cm). SIZE 2 ⁄2 in (6 cm). which explains why these fish are also referred to
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DIET Prepared foods, plant matter, and small live foods. DIET Prepared foods, plant matter, and small live foods. as Sawfins. It is important not to allow the water
WATER Temperature 72–82°F (22–28°C); hard WATER Temperature 68–77°F (20–25°C); hard in their aquarium to become too warm, because
(150–200 mg/l) and neutral (pH 7.0). (100–150 mg/l) and alkaline (pH 7.1). this may reduce the likelihood of successful
TEMPERAMENT Placid. TEMPERAMENT Placid. breeding. The period between mating and birth
can extend for up to 60 days, and there are often
A random pattern of black spots and blotches fewer than 20 fry in a brood. The young, which
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is evident on the body of the Spotted Skiffia. measure just under ⁄2 in (about 1 cm) at birth,
The difference in size between the sexes is much attain maturity at the age of about two months.

A black stripe through the eye, a black spot near
the vent, and black edging on the dorsal fin typify
this fish; males are significantly smaller in size.
The Orange Dorsal Livebearer (P. a. pittieri) is a
related but slightly larger form, with different-
colored edging on the dorsal fin. Females give
birth every month, producing around 50 fry on
each occasion—or sometimes as many as 150.

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