Page 188 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

186 FRESHWATER FISH DIRECTORY

OTHER AFRICAN SPECIES

Africa is home to a wide range of unique and fascinating
fish. The fossil record shows that some of these, notably
the African lungfish (see opposite), have altered relatively
little over millions of years. Lungfish and similar species,
such as Cuvier’s Bichir, are most likely to be seen in
specialist aquatic stores, partly because they can be
difficult to keep. The long-snouted mormyrids, or
“elephant fish,” rank among the most popular of
the other African groups, thanks to their bizarre
appearance. They also have the ability to
generate weak electrical currents.

Like the lungfish, Africa’s Reed Fish
(Erpetoichthys calabaricus) can breathe out of
water thanks to its swim bladder, which takes
over the job of oxygenating the blood when
the gills cannot function as normal.

Gnathonemus petersii Campylomormyrus rhynchophorus Pantodon buchholzi
Peter’s Elephant-Nose Down Poker Butterflyfish

ORIGINS Western and central parts of Africa, ranging ORIGINS West Africa, in Angola and the Congo basin, ORIGINS West Africa, where it occurs in parts of Nigeria,
from Nigeria and Cameroon to Zaire. especially around Kinshasa. Cameroon, and Zaire.
SIZE 9 in (23 cm). SIZE 8 ⁄2 in (22 cm). SIZE 4 in (10 cm).
1
DIET Mainly live foods. DIET Mainly live foods. DIET Mainly live foods.
WATER Temperature 72–82°F (22–28°C); soft WATER Temperature 72–75°F (22–24°C); soft WATER Temperature 73–86°F (23–30°C); soft
(50–100 mg/l) and neutral (pH 7.0). (50–100 mg/l) and acidic (pH 5.0). (50–100 mg/l) and acidic (pH 6.5).
TEMPERAMENT Territorial. TEMPERAMENT Territorial. TEMPERAMENT Will not mix with other surface dwellers.
The elongated lower jaw of this mormyrid fish With its elegant pectoral fins, this fish resembles a
resembles an elephant’s trunk. In the wild, it is butterfly in flight. The straight back and upturned
used to dig for food in the muddy substrate. Mainly mouth indicate that it spends much of its time at
nocturnal in habit, these fish can be identified by the surface. A tank for Butterflyfish needs to be
two vertical white stripes extending down each shallow and covered, with floating plants over part
side of the body from the dorsal fin. Elephant-Noses of the surface. Butterflyfish congregate beneath
can generate electrical impulses, which help them vegetation, darting out to obtain food. Their eggs,
to navigate in murky water. They do not get along numbering up to 200, also float on the surface.
well with their own kind, and their breeding behavior
in home aquariums has yet to be documented.
The Down Poker has a speckled body and a long,
thick proboscis formed by its elongated jaws. This
mormyrid requires subdued lighting, along
with a fine substrate in which it can dig for
invertebrates, such as small worms. It is
difficult to wean off live foods, but in
time this fish may eat flaked food as well. Down
Long, narrow Brownish-black Pokers should not be kept together, but they can be
caudal peduncle coloration
housed singly with other nonaggressive species.

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