Results for “filament”

Dicrossus Maculatus are not commonly available in the trade. Sometimes they are mistaken for the more common and popular Dicrossus Filamentosa. The Spadetailed Checkerboards are an absolutely fascinating species to keep. They are a challenge to breed, requiring such acidic and soft water, but when it does happen it is a very rewarding experience. Reports maintain that the pH and temperature of the water when conceived, eggs laid, eggs hatched and in the first month of the fry's life c...

This species is generally rare in the aquarium hobby though oddly appears to be one of the commoner species in Australia where it's often referred to by the vernacular name 'black-throated eartheater'. It's a member of the nominal G. surinamensis 'group' of closely-related species within the genus and can be identified by a combination of characters including: presence of dark preopercular markings; no vertical bars on the flanks even when stressed/preserved; base of filaments on the first gill arch mostly covered by a flap of skin; exposed part of bra...

The most essential item of décor is a soft, sandy substrate so that the fish can browse naturally (see 'Diet'). Coarser materials such as gravel or small pebbles can inhibit feeding, damage gill filaments and even be ingested with the potential of internal damage or blockages. Additional furnishings ar...

M. ocellatus can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: caudal-fin rounded; eye stripe not connecting spot on posterior projection of opercle with eye; dorsal-fin rays filamentous posterior to a vertical through the posterior anal-fin rays in adults; 16-19 spinous dorsal-fin rays; 6-13 rakers on ceratobranchial of first gill arch; posterior tip or margin of body scales not darker than scales.

Still relatively rare in the hobby, this fish was only described to science in the early 1990s. It's not yet being mass-produced in any great numbers, and demand is high, so it's quite pricey when it is available. It's a stunning fish when adult, developing bright red fin edges with filamentous extensions, and a body colour varying between blue-green and almost black. It makes a great pet as it can develop real personality and learn to recognise its owner....

This species is not traded commercially at present and the specimen pictured above was brought back from northern Papua New Guinea by private collectors in 2008. It's diagnosable from other members in the genus by possession of 10 segmented rays in the second dorsal fin, males with filamentous spines in the firstandusually with 14 rays. Colour patterning in males is also distinctive (see 'Sexual Dimorphism'). The Gobiidae is the most speciose vert...

M. opercularis is a classic aquarium fish, having been introduced to the hobby by a French soldier named Gerault in 1869. Of the initial 100 specimens shipped, 22 survived and were successfully bred later that same year by another Frenchman, the Parisian Pierre Carbonnier. This gives the species the distinction of being one of the very first ornamental fish imported to Europe. It is also known as 'Chinese fighting fish', 'paradise gourami', and 'blue paradise fish'.