Fish Index: August 2008

Tire Track Eel (Mastacembelus armatus)

Tire Track Eel or (Mastacembelus armatus) is not a true eel at all, in fact it is just an elongated freshwater fish. Also known as the Spiny Eel this fish is carnivorous and should be fed bloodworms, earthworms and even some pellet foods. You can even feed these fish right out of your hand! The Tire Track Eel will bury itself so watch out if you have this fish in an aquarium setting, it will dig up your plants. This fish can grow to 90cm and weigh in at about 500 grams.

The Tire Track Eel is often found in highland streams to lowland wetlands in places like India, Pakistan, Sumatra, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and other parts of South East Asia. In some places of the world this fish is eaten and quite tasty from what I have heard. You can check out the Tire Track Eel in an aquarium toying with a Blue Lobster in the video below.

If you have any additional information about the Tire Track Eel please leave us a comment.

The Striped Marlin or Tetrapturus audax is one of the most sought after game fish in the world. The record Striped Marlin ever caught weighed in at 190 kg (419 lbs), and was 420 cm (14') in length! Often confused with the Sword Fish, the Striped Marlin has a long sword like bill which it uses to stun or kill its prey. These fish generally fish on tuna and cephalopods.

Striped Marlin are normally found in between 25 and 200 meters deep in the Indo-Pacific area. They are known for their amazing jumping and fighting abilities, which makes them a favorite among serious anglers. Like many other fish in our oceans though, the Striped Marlin's population has been greatly reduced due to overfishing and changing habitat. Check out the video below to see a crazy man catching a Marlin with his hands from a helicopter...

The Frontosa Cichlid or (Cyphotilapia frontosa) is a small freshwater fish that is considered to be a delicacy in Africa. This carnivorous fish can grow to just over 1' in length and is a popular Cichlid fish to keep as a pet. This is not considered to be a very aggressive fish, but it does require hiding places to live a happy and healthy life. A tank of at least 80 gallons should be used for this large aquarium species. The Frontosa Cichlid should be fed flake food, specially designed Cichlid pellets and freeze-dried ocean plankton or krill.

As these fish grow older they will develop a cranial hump (large knob on its head) which makes them easy to identify. This form of Cichlid is very hardy and can live up to 25 years in the right conditions. The Frontosa Cichlid works well in groups of up to 12.

This fish, like other Cichlids is a mouth brooding fish. This means that the mother fish will protect her young by scooping them into her mouth! To see this in amazing fish in action click here!

The Northern Bluefin Tuna or (Thunnus thynnus) is was one of the most popular forms of tuna. Recent overfishing though has pushed this fish to the brink of extinction. This fish is often used when making sushi, not normally the kind you would find in canned tuna. The Northern Bluefin Tuna can live for about 30 years, but rarely gets to that age due to commercial fishing. Often found in schools these fish are considered to be very easy to catch.

The largest recorded Northern Bluefin Tuna was 4.3 m (14 ft) and weighed a massive 680 kg (1,496 lb)! That is one big Tunafish! One thing that sets this fish apart from other is their unique circulatory system. Northern Bluefin Tuna have some of the highest amount of hemoglobin per unit of blood among fish. Also known as Atlantic Bluefin these fish are homeothermic ("warm-blooded") and are therefore able to thermoregulate. This process keeps their body temperatures higher than the surrounding water, which is why they are able to survive in colder waters. This salt water fish is a carnivore that hunts sardines, herring, mackerel, squid and crustaceans.

If you have any other fishing tips or recipes for Northern Bluefin Tuna you would like to share please leave them in the comments below...

The Ribbon Eel or (Rhinomuraena quaesita) is quite possibles the more bizarre Eels on the planet. This certain kind of Moray Eel will not only change colors throughout its 20 year lifespan, but it will also change sexes! During the beginning of its life the Ribbon Eel is almost all black with a just bit of yellow in its dorsal fin. As they grow older they turn bright blue in color while the lower jaw and nose become a stunning yellow.

Soon after the Ribbon Eel reaches 4' in length the blue male turns yellow and actually changes sexes and becomes a female! Like other Moray Eels this creature is often mistaken for a dangerous creature because it has its mouth open all the time in menacing fashion. Don't worry though this is simply how the eels breath.

These fishl will bury themselves in the sand or even hide in reefs and rocks waiting for their prey to swim by. Then it will lunge out with impressive speed to catch unsuspecting smaller fish. Even though the Ribbon Eel doesn't do very well in an aquarium setting many people still attempt it because of its brilliant coloration. To see the Ribbon Eel in action check out the video below...

The Pigeon Blood Discus or Symphysodon aequifasciatus is colorful, peaceful fresh water fish. A favorite among aquarium enthusiasts this fish can grow to about 8" in length and is suited for an aquarium that is at least 60 gallons. The Pigeon Blood Discus has a round body that has orange and black marbling markings. The fins tend to be brownish with a bit of a turquoise hue. This carnivorous discus fish should be in fresh water between 79-86° F with a pH of 6.1-7.5. This fish can be fed freeze-dried bloodworms, pellet food, specially designed Discus Flake Food, and other meaty frozen foods.

The Pigeon Blood Discus is in the family of Cichlidae, and they are highly developed when it comes to the level of care that both the parents give their young. In fact, the adults produce a secretion right through their skin which the babies feed off of during the first few days, check out the picture above!

The Paedocypris progenetica is officially the world's smallest fish at only 7.9mm long, that is less than 1/3 of an inch! Not only is in the smallest fish in the world, but it is also that smallest vertebrate or backboned animal in the entire world! It was discovered in the swamps on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in water that has a PH level of 3. This is about 100 times more acidic than regular rainwater!

The Paedocypris progenetica is actually partially see-through, they have a reduced head skeleton, which leaves the brain completely unprotected by bone. The previous record for smallest vertebrate was held by an 8mm species of Indo Pacific Goby. This discovery was made in 2006, I wonder if this really will hold up as the world's smallest fish. What do you think? To find out what the world's largest fish is, click here!

The Goblin Shark or Mitsukurina owstoni is a deep sea shark that is rarely seen by human eyes. This shark is said to live in waters over 200 meters below the ocean's surface! The deepest the shark was ever caught was and amazing 1300 meters! This species is the sole living member in the family Mitsukurinidae and was first discovered in Japan. Since then there have been isolated reports all around the world in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.

The Goblin Shark is pinkish in color and is known for its strangely shaped head. It has a very long, snout or rostrum that is much longer than most other sharks out there. Not a lot is known about the reproductive habits or the eating habits of these sharks for that matter, but it is thought that they dine on deep sea squid and other deep sea fish. Since there is absolutely no light at the depths this creatures lives, it relies on electro-sensitive organs in its snout to sense prey. Goblin Sharks have a unique mouth that actually has the ability to project from its mouth!

The largest Goblin sharks recorded was 12.6 feet (384cm) and weighed 463 pounds (210kg). It is thought that up to 25% of this fish's weigh is its liver, no one is quite certain why the liver makes up so much of its body weigh. To see rare footage of this amazing deep sea shark in action watch the video below...

The Banana Wrasse or Thalassoma lutescens is a brilliantly colored aquarium fish. They will grow to a maximum length of 1', so you are thinking of keeping one as a pet you need a tank that is at least 60 gallons. These fish like many other aggressive fish will jump right out of the tank so be sure to have a tight cover. Banana Wrasse prefers temperatures of 72-78° F and a PH level of 8.1-8.4. They are considered to be an easy fish to care for, but should be kept only with other aggressive fish like Triggerfish, Puffers or Tangs.

As the fish matures, it will turn yellow if female and blue if it is a male, but don't worry it will retain its strange facial and fin markings. These fish are found in the Western Pacific ocean and were first discovered in Fiji. In its natural environment it will feed on small fish, crustaceans and worms. In an aquarium setting though, it should be fed flaked foods, feeder shrimp and other frozen meats.

This saltwater fish is also known as the Yellow-brown Wrasse, Sunset Wrasse, Yellow Wrasse or Green Moon Wrasse.

The Big Belly Seahorse or Hippocampus abdominalis is one of the largest Seahorses in the world. It can grow to 35cm (14in) in length and gets its name from its rather large stomach! Believe it or not, each eye of the Big Belly Seahorse moves separately which makes it much easier to find food and avoid potential predators. This Seahorse is monogamist, which means they stay with the same mating partner for life. In fact, every morning the the female travels to her mate and they entwine tails and 'dance' together for six to 10 minutes, they even change color during this strange ritual.

When mating the female will actually deposit the eggs in the male. The male Big Belly Seahorse can then have more than 700 babies at once! This Seahorse feeds on shrimp and small crustaceans. When it is not swimming it will wrap its tail around seaweed and simply wait for its lunch to come by. You can check out the Big Belly Seahorse swimming in the video below.

The Chinese believe that this creature can help cure such ailments as asthma, impotence, high cholesterol, goitre, kidney disorders, and even severe acne! The Big Belly Seahorse is often confused with the Pot Bellied Seahorse. One characteristic that sets them apart is the fact that the Big Belly Seahorse has a slightly shorter snout. If you have any information about the Big Belly Seahorse that you would like to add please do so in the comments below...

The Blacktip Reef Shark or Carcharhinus melanopterus is often confused with the much more aggressive Blacktip Shark. The Blacktip Reef Shark is found in shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific, normally around reefs, hence the name. This shark also gets its name from the fact that the tips of its pectoral and dorsal fins are distinctly black.

The Blacktip Reef Shark is not normally considered to be dangerous because it can only grow up to 2 m (6.5 ft) in length and weigh in at just over 99 lbs (45 kg). Even so, there have been reports of this shark taking a bite out of someone if provoked. This shark like the Great White Shark is one of the few sharks that can jump fully out of the water! This amazing jumping ability is called breaching. For more information about the Blacktip Reef Shark have a look at this video...

The Firefish or Nemateleotris decora is a great colorful salt water aquarium fish for beginners. This fish has a striking variety of purple, red, white, and yellow decorating its body. This fish is very easy to care for and only requires a tank about 10 gallons or more. Although this fish is considered peaceful, it will battle its own kind unless they are a couple. The Firefish is also known as the Decorated Firefish, Purple Dartfish, Decorated Dartfish, or Flame Firefish and can grow up to 3" in size.

This fish prefers 72-78° F water temperature and pH 8.1-8.4. The Firefish is a carnivore and its colors will fade if not fed the proper diet. Watch out these fish also have a tendency to jump so make sure you have a covered tank. This fish also likes to hid sometimes so giving it some cover is recommended. The Firefish can live a bit longer than 3 years. You can check out the Firefish in the video below.

If you would like to buy this Purple Firefish for your aquarium just click the picture directly below...

The Filetail Catshark or (Parmaturus xaniurus) is a small deep sea fish that is normally found at depths of over 500 meters. This shark gets its name from the toothlike projections on its skin. This fish can only grow to lengths of about 100cm and is found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. One thing that makes the Filetail Catshark so unique is that it takes all full two years for catsharks to emerge from their egg cases!

The Filetail Catshark is a carnivore that feeds one small fish and squid. It is just one of the over 110 different species of Cat Sharks. Like some other Deep Sea Fish this shark possesses an enlarged gill region which is an adaptation to areas with low dissolved oxygen levels. Due to its tiny appearance and deep depths this type of shark is not considered a danger to humans. You can check out a Filetail Catshark underwater in the video below.

The Bumble Bee Goby or (Brachygobius doriae) is tiny fish that has the colorations of, you guessed it a Bumble Bee. This fish can only grow up to 1-1/2" in length which makes them a great candidate for an aquarium setting. The Bumble Bee Goby is a brackish fish which simply means that this live in any area where salt water and fresh water meet. Adding fresh water to your tank though can increase the chances of breeding. Otherwise water should be kept at 72-84° F with a pH of 8.0-8.2.

These fish are carnivorous and can be fed frozen foods, flakes, tubifex worms, bloodworms, brine shrimp and daphnia. The Bumble Bee Goby is native to Western Indoneasia, Thailand and South Vietnam. Don't worry this fish aren't unhappy they just look like that because they are frowning all the time.

The Fanfin Seadevil or Caulophryne jordani is a very strange looking deep sea creature from the Anglerfish family. This fish can be distinguished from other Anglerfish because it lacks the escal bulb, which is the bio luminescent lure that comes out of the top of their head. The Fanfin Seadevil has a round body and fan-like dorsal and anal fins. It is almost completely black which makes them very hard to spot in the deep dark depths of the ocean.

Like most other Anglerfish, the male is much smaller than the female. Males can only grow to about 1/2" in length while the females can grow up to about 8". Also, like other Anglerfish the Fanfin Seadevil male will fuse itself to the female like a parasite and share the same bloodstream when mating.

If you have any additional information about the Fanfin Seadevil please leave us a comment below.

The Box Jellyfish or (Chironex fleckeri) is just one of the 28 different species of Box Jellyfish. The Chironex fleckeri is the most infamous of the Box Jellyfish due to its large appearance and deadly sting. The venom from just one of these creatures is strong enough to kill up to 60 humans in as little as 3 minutes from only one of its up to 60 tentacles. This makes it the most venomous jellyfish in the world! This creature's venom is so quick to act that it is also the most venomous creature in the entire world! Quicker than any snake, spider or insect anywhere on planet earth.

The Box Jellyfish's sting is so powerfully painful, human victims have been known to just go into shock and drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore. This is why there is not as many official deaths caused by these creatures. This saltwater fish can reach lengths of just under 16' with its tentacles that can have a total of five billion stinging cells. Its trandulcent blue appearance makes it very difficult to see while swimming in the ocean and all this makes it one extremely dangerous sea creature. These Jellyfish are normally found off the coast of Australia and Southeastern Asia, especially in the summer months.

The Chironex fleckeri like some other Box Jellyfish have 24 eyes! It is debatable how much they use these cluster of eyes due to the fact that they lack a Central Nervous System. They feed on small fish and the only thing that hunts them is a form of sea turtle that is somehow immune to the venom. This creature is also known as the Marine Stinger or Sea Wasp. To get a glimpse of this creature in action check out the video below...

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Green Mandarin (Synchiropus splendidus)

The Green Mandarin or Synchiropus splendidus is one of the most beautiful salt water fish in the world! Its unique shape and bright blue, orange, yellow and green body makes this fish stick right out from the crowd. Although the Green Mandarin is quite popular as an aquarium fish, it is certainly not for beginners. Also known as the Striped Mandarinfish, Mandarin Goby or Green Mandarinfish, they are from the Callionymidae family and can grow to about 4" in length.

This carnivorous fish can be fed brine shrimp or black worms and should be kept in a tank that is at least 40 gallons. These fish are found in the wild in the Western Pacific Ocean normally around reefs. Although this fish can live over 15 years in the wild, they can only survive about 4 years in an aquarium setting. You can check out the Green Mandarinfish out live in the video below...

One weird fact about the Green Mandarin Fish is that they can secrete mucous that has an unpleasant smell and a bitter taste. This toxic substance helps repel potential predators.

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