Edit Rhaphiodon vulpinus
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Name
Scientific name
Rhaphiodon vulpinus
Described by
Authority Spix & Agassiz, Year 1829
Family
Cynodontidae
Common names
Biara
Photograph credits
All 5 credited
Summary
The biara, Rhaphiodon vulpinus, is a dogtooth characin found from the Orinoco and Amazon basins south to the Río de la Plata in Argentina. …
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
800mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Not recorded
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 24–28°C, pH 6–8
Hardness
2–15dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Not recorded
Social needs
Solitary or specimen
Community suitability
Not for a community
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Amazon, Capim, de la Plata, Essequibo, Negro, Orinoco, Paraguay, Paraná, Rupununi, Solimões, Tocantins, Ucayali, Uruguay, Xingu
Writing
Etymology
Rhaphiodon: from the Greek rhaphis, meaning 'needle', and odous, meaning 'tooth'. vulpinus: from the Latin vulpinus, meaning 'fox'.
Distribution
R. vulpinus is the most widely-distributed member of the family Cynodontidae. Type locality is given simply as 'Brazilian rivers', but this species is currentl…
Habitat
Occurs in both main river channels and some reservoirs, with fluvial populations undergoing annual reproductive migrations.
Aquarium size
Suitable only for public installations or the very largest private aquaria.
Maintenance
The aquarium should ideally be designed to resemble a flowing stream or river with a substrate of variably-sized rocks, sand, fine gravel, and some larger wate…
Water conditions
Not written yet
Diet
An obligate but generalised piscivore capable of consuming surprisingly large prey. Newly-imported specimens often refuse to accept anything but live fishes bu…
Behaviour and compatibility
Best kept alone, or with similarly-sized, non-aggressive fishes it cannot fit into its mouth since it's otherwise quite peaceful and easily-dominated. It can a…
Sexual dimorphism
Not written yet
Reproduction
This species is reproductively active between the months of September/October to January/April, this period coinciding with high water levels across much of it…
Notes
R. vulpinus is currently the only member of its genus and probably should not be considered a home aquarium subject at all given its eventual size and natural …
References
References
3 on this profile