This isn’t a especially colourful aquarium fish. Its main charm lies in its hardiness, and also the reality that it is one of the easiest Characins to breed.

It is a silvery fish, darkening to olive along the upper body; occasionally specimens are discovered that reflect very pale yellow from the body scales. A wide bluish band of colour extends from the upper edge of the gill covers to the base of the tail. It is marked with a dark sloping bar behind the head, along with a dark spot at the root of the tail. Adult aquarium species will grow to about three inch, their wild relatives to about 4 inch. These fish present no feeding issues; they’ll eat nearly any food.

The Mexican astyanax breeds in the manner of most Gharacins, but it is especially comparable to Htmigratntnus caudovittatus. A. bitnaculatus is a comparable species that’s slightly larger, but it is not fairly so simple to breed.

The bloodfin is a most pleasing fish, and it is shown to its greatest benefit when its silvery-green body is caught by a streak of daylight, which gives it a metallic sheen. The fins, as might be expected, are red. Bloodfins are effortlessly fed, well behaved, and very active, which are all very desirable qualities.

Breeding is as in the standard description. The eggs are non-adhesive. Sexing is by means of a white tip to the ventral and anal fins of the male.
The red in the fins is generally a slightly darker tint in the male also, but this isn’t a very dependable indication. The breeding temperature should be 75° – 80° F and these fish seem to have a preference for alkaline water.

The body colour of the male is yellow to yellow-green. The female is comparable in colour, but maybe slightly much more brown and lighter in tone. The body of the male is well marked with rows of red spots which extend into the dorsal, caudal and anal fins. The caudal and anal fins have a red and black edge. Fins of the male are brownish or yellow, and clear in the female except for a dark spot on her dorsal.

A most distinctive feature of this species is the protruding scales along the front dorsal surface of the body; these scales stand out from the body like the teeth of a saw.

It is not a great community fish as’ it is somewhat pugnacious and carnivorous; it’ll also attempt to leap out of its tank.

This species also appears to like just a little salt in the water and one teaspoonful of sea-salt to every gallon of water is approximately the correct proportion.

Adult fish attain a length of three.5 – 4 inch. They spawn at 75°F and will eat their own eggs and young, as a result the plants in the breeding tank should be dense and include floating plants, and also the adults should be removed as soon as feasible after spawning.

The name flag fish was bestowed upon this species simply because of its resemblance to the American flag. The scale edging is red in colour, corresponding in some degree to the stars on the American flag. In appearance and habit it is rather like a sunfish.

The flag fish will eat live foods, but it is much more of a vegetarian, and to maintain it in condition conducive to breeding, algae should usually be accessible. If this is challenging to obtain, boiled spinach is a great substitute. It is the lack of the correct foods which will be responsible for any failure in breeding.

The species is rather aggressive and is truly much better in a tank by itself, but individuals will settle down in a communal tank providing the other members are somewhat comparable in size.

For breeding, the tank should be planted according to the standard description and also the temperature raised to 75°F. Spawn is deposited either in shallow depressions in the sand, or among the plant roots, and hatches in about a week. Remove the female instantly after spawning, but don’t disturb the male, who will protect the eggs (he will do this even from the female) and guard the young when they’re born.

It is a stunning and interesting fish with a preference for alkaline water.

It is rather surprising that this fish isn’t much more well-liked in the country, for it is effortlessly fed, very pretty, and provides fairly interesting breeding habits.

The male is the most handsome, with diffused vertical bars along the side of body, and dark edging to the anal fin and base of the caudal fin. The throat and lower lip, greatest seen from the front, are a fiery red. A peculiarity that makes the sexes effortlessly distinguishable is the pointed extension to the caudal fin of the male.

For breeding E. chaperi, a loose-floating plant like Riccia is needed in addition to regular plants. The aquarium should be placed in a position where it’ll not get too a lot sunlight. The very best outcomes are obtained if two females are utilized to one male. The temperature should be raised to 77°F and also the females introduced a couple of days in advance of the male.

The female will most likely be just a little shy at initial, but this soon disappears when the male drives her into the masses of Riccia, where they remain side by side along with a single egg is dropped and fertilised. The females drop only one egg at a time, 15 to 20 being an average for a day. After about a week the spawning ends.

The eggs are about the size of a pin head, and even though they’re not generally eaten by the parents at this stage, it is advisable to remove the plants with eggs attached, or the parents prior to the young hatch. Put them into a big jar and stand in the aquarium to maintain the temperature.

It is essential for the eggs to be kept in subdued light, as strong light is harmful. The eggs hatch in about two weeks. Keep in mind that there will probably be a distinction in ages of one week, so the young will probably be correspondingly various in sizes. They should be transferred to a tank with only 5 inch of water in depth, until strong sufficient for a greater depth, generally about a month.

Mild aeration helps at this stage. Infusoria require only be fed for a short time; graduation on to brine shrimps ensures rapid growth.

Rivulus cylindraceus and Pane It ax line a I us are also species which breed in this manner. E. chaperi prefer slightly alkaline water about pH 7.1.