Results for “pre-”

Distributed throughout coastal regions north and westwards from Gabon through Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin and Togo as far as Ghana although some consider it restricted to northwestern Gabon and Equatorial Guinea with the remaining populations representing various subspecies (see 'Notes'). Type locality is 'Gaboon River', which presumably refe...

Erromyzon spp. are obligate dwellers of shallow, fast-flowing, highly-oxygenated headwaters/minor tributaries characterised by stretches of riffles and runs broken up by pools or cascades in some cases. Substrates are normally composed of smaller rocks, sand and gravel with jumbles of boulders, and while riparian/stream-side vegetation and patches of submerged leaf litter are common features aquatic plants aren't usually present.

Found in various types of habitat but shows a marked preference for shallow, slow-moving and standing waters such as rice paddies and other temporally-inundated environments with dense aquatic vegetation.

The genus Exodon is currently monotypic, with this single species having uniquely designed teeth. These allow it to rip the scales from other species. It's an ideal choice for those wishing to keep a large shoal of a predatory species without possessing the massive amount of tank space needed for a shoal of piranha or similar. A tank full of these makes for a very colourful and active display....

There exist many different populations of this species in nature, some of which are now threatened or extinct, due to rapid human development in Ghana and the Ivory Coast in recent years. It is not a common fish in the hobby. Interestingly, it appears that F. walkeri occurs as both an annual and non-annual fish. This adaptation allows it to inhabit many different habitats, as it is able to breed in both permananent and temporary bodies of water. Note that this fish prefers cooler temperatures t...

The preciose function of the secondary rostrum remains unknown; some have suggested it may have some hydro-mechanical purpose but it's perhaps more likely related to reproductiion and/or social interactions. Only males develop prominent rostra...

Following Rainboth (1996) distinguishing characters for G. fuliginosa include: presence of rostral and maxillary barbels; a well-developed, trilobed rostrum; possession of 10 gill rakers on the lower portion of the first gill arch; no mid-lateral body stripe; 32-34 lateral line scales; body dark with random lighter scales in places. Kottelat (2001) states that the species can be told apart from other Garra occurring in Laos by a combination of: snout with a secondary rostrum, proboscis about twice as wide...

This species is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: body moderate sized; head squarish; no proboscis or transverse groove on snout; mental disc length 96.9% its own width; pre...

A putatively undescribed species often imported and sold as G. sp. 'burmanicus'. It first appeared in the trade during 2005 and has since been available on a sporadic basis, usually with a relatively high price tag. As well as its unique colour pattern, a primary diagnostic character is the presence of a proboscis-like rostral process between the eyes.

This species spends almost all of its time at or just below the water surface, although it will sometimes retreat into midwater if threatened or feeding. Like other freshwater hatchetfishes, it is renowned for its ability to leap from the water surface and glide for distances of several metres. This behaviour is used both to catch flying insects, and to escape potential predators.

It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: gill slit angular; presence of subopercular groove, running continuous to origin of pectoral-fin; body black with numerous, small, evenly-spaced light brown spots; head dorsum black with numerous cream spots; pectoral and pelvic fins with cream spots; caudal-fin with iridescen...

This species is rare in the hobby though it's name is often attached to shipments of other Geophagus species. 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: possession of dark preopercular marking; no vertical bars on the flanks; relatively large, roughly oblong-shaped dark midlateral marking; caudal fin brownish with 3-5 light stripes on upper lobe and less well-defined stripes or mottled pattern of light spots with narrow dark interspaces on lower lobe.

This species was originally classified in the genus Limnochromis. There are a couple of colour morphs available and these should not be mixed in aquaria, as they may hybridise. In nature, this fish feeds in a similar way to Geophagus species, in that it will sift sand through its gills to extract invertebrates hidden in the substrate. It is a deep water fish and has been recorded foraging at depths of up to 200 metres. These movements seem to be related to the presence of the plankton on which...

This species is also known by the vernacular 'jungle perch' or 'sidebar barb' and should not be considered an aquarium subject in all but the most extreme circumstances since it can grow to over 2 feet in length, weigh in excess of 5 kg and is a powerful, pelagic predator. It's also a popular sport fish with a reputation for striking hard.

A real bruiser of a cichlid, H. elongatus is not seen for sale very often, and with good reason. Pound for pound it must rank as one of the most aggressive cichlids available in the hobby. It is such an efficient predator that, in some of its native countries, it is used to control populations of Tilapia. As a result it's definitely not recommended for the inexperienced aquarist. The common name is derived from the row of 5 dark markings that run laterally along the flanks of the fish. I...

Hemiodus species can be very nervous when first introduced to the aquarium but usually settle down over time, especially if a large number are being kept together. All of them look superficially similar, but can be distinguished by differences in patterning. None are particularly common in the hobby, but H. gracilis is probably the most often seen. It is sometimes sold as the red or red-tailed hemiodus and was previously considered a member of the now defunct genus Hemiodopsis....

There is some confusion as to where this species should be placed taxonomically. It is currently the only species in the genus Hemisynodontis but it has been regularly moved between Synodontis, Hemisynodontis and Brachysynodontis. The main morphological differences that set it apart are the presence of additional gill rakers in this species and the fact it has relatively few mandibular teeth compared to Synodontis species. It also possesses the chracteristic "moustache", which is in fa...

The only species in the genus, and a popular game fish in its native range, H. odoe superficially resembles our native European Pike. It is an ambush predator with a fearsome set of teeth, and should be handled very carefully, particularly when maintaining its tank. Although juvenile specimens have become relatively common in the trade in the last few years, this is strictly a species for the specialist who is able to provide it with a suitably large aquarium and the correct conditions. In sm...

The reason that the paired fins are orientated vertically, as opposed to horizontally in other members of the genus, is unclear but Roberts (1989) suggest it may be an adaptation to this species' ecology, in that it displays a preference for submerged vegetation or woody structures as opposed to rocky environments. They're certainly adapted for a rea...

The genus Homalopteroides was revalidated by Randall and Page (2012) and is told apart from the related Homaloptera by the following character combination: dorsal-fin origin above pelvic-fin; ≤ 60 lateral-line scales; ≤ 30 predorsal scales; oral morphology consisting of two thin and widely separated rostral barbels on each side of the mouth, thin crescent-shaped lips, the absence of any structure such as a mental pad or lobes between the lateral portions of the lower lip, and a chin that extends anterior to the lateral portions of the lower lip.