Genus

Anableps

Species: 1
Photographed: 1 of 1
Difficulty rated: 1 of 1

Where the name comes fromEdit

from the Greek ana- (Gr. ᾰ̓νᾰ-), a prefix meaning 'up, upwards' and blépsis (Gr. βλέψις) meaning 'sight', in reference to the split eye structure of genus members (see 'Notes').

Female of A. anableps. The pale stripe running down the dorsal surface is an identifying feature for this species.

Anableps anablepsFour-Eyed Fish

Linnaeus, 1758

The four-eyed fish, Anableps anableps, is a viviparous fish of brackish mangrove coasts in north-eastern South America, from Venezuela to Brazil. Each eye is split horizontally, with two corneas and two pupils, so it can see above and below the water at the same time. It moves in and out with the tides, and in aquaria it needs brackish water, shallow depth and a large surface area, with a group of at least six in a tank no smaller than 150 x 45 cm.

Moderate