Fish Index: September 2008

African Lungfish (Protopterus Annectens)

The African Lungfish or Protopterus annectens is a fish that can literally survive for years without water! This fish has a special organs that are as close to lungs as any fish in the world. During the dry season the African Lungfish will burrow in the moist ground and then secrete a mucus that covers all of its body except its mouth. This serves as a cocoon of sorts. These African Lungfish will breath through their mouth until the dry season is over and then awakens from its state of hibernation. Native Africans have been known to find the African Lungfishes burrow and dig it up and store it for a meal at a later date!

These fish are quite strange looking with an eel like appearance and skinny fins that look more like tentacles. These fish can grow to a maximum of 200 cm and are considered to be vicious predators. Although rarely kept in aquarium if you encounter one of these fish be careful and don't stick your hand in the tank as they will bite! African Lungfish will normally eat smaller fish and frog in the wild. To learn more about this amazing fish check out the video below...

The Praecox Rainbow Fish or Melanotaenia praecox is a very easy to care for tropical freshwater fish. Also known as the Dwarf Neon Rainbow, Dwarf Blue Rainbowfish, Diamond Rainbowfish, and Peacock Rainbowfish, it is a schooling fish that is quite peaceful and is small at only 3" in maximum length. The Praecox Rainbow fish has very large eyes and is normally blue with red if a male and yellow if a female along its top and bottom. This fish is an omnivore and can be fed a variety of flakes, frozen, and live foods. Water temperatures of 64-72° F and PH Level of 5.8-6.5 is recommended.

The Praecox Rainbow fish becomes very active when feeding so be careful, they have even been known to jump right out of tanks when going for the food! Make sure you have the lid tightly secured to avoid this problem. Other than that a larger tank is best suitable for this type of fish. Also floating plants and other hiding places are recommended.

The American Eel or Anguilla rostrata is commonly found on the East coast of North America. This Eel plays a very important part in keeping our oceans and rivers clean by consuming dead fish, invertebrates, carrion, insects and lots of other "garbage". Although not commonly eaten, these fish are quite good from what I have heard. The largest ever American Eel that was ever caught was 9.25 pounds. The female of this species can lay over 4 million eggs. Apparently that takes a lot out of them, because the female will die after the egg laying process is complete.

These fish have a strange feeding ritual, they hold the food in their mouths and then spin their bodies to break apart their dinner. The American Eel is a catadromous fish which means the fish is born in the ocean, matures in the fresh water and then returns to the ocean to spawn.

The Cuvier Bichir fish or Polypterus senegalus is an evolutionary marvel. Like other Bichir Fish they can actually survive outside of water for short periods of time. It has a lung-like swim bladder and gills which help it accomplish this amazing feat. For this reason it is a popular freshwater aquarium fish. The Cuvier Bichir fish is known for its strange appearance as well. It looks more like a snake or an eel than a fish. Cuvier Bichir fish grow to about 1' in length, so a tank of at least 100 gallons is recommended. This fish is also known as Senegal Bichir, Gray Bichir, or Dragonfin. A carnivore, this fish should be fed brine shrimp or bloodworms, occasionally pellets will work as well.

These fish should only be kept with larger passive fish as they will eat pretty much anything they can fit into their mouths. Also be sure to have a tight lid on the top, because they are prone to jumping and will try if given the opportunity.

The Giant Trevally fish or Caranx ignobilis is a fast growing fish that is found in the warm waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is common to find these fish in Hawaii where they are called the Ulua Fish. In the Marianas it is known as the Mamulan Fish, and in Japan it is known as Rōnin-aji. The Giant Trevally fish is the largest member in the Trevally family Carangidae. These saltwater fish are very solid with powerful muscles that they use for fast swimming and hunting. This fish is silver with black spots along its body.

The Giant Trevally will stun its prey with its large body and then quickly eat them as competition from other Trevally fish are always present. This fish can grow over 5-1/2' in length and weigh in at over 200lbs. These fish reach this size in just 4 or 5 years! Although not considered a commercial fish, it is often caught in third world countries and island nations. Surface popping is the form of fishing that reportedly works best for these fish. Be very careful though this fish does contain a toxin known as ciguatera, and should only be consumed when properly prepared. Thick gloves are recommended when handling the Giant Trevally due to the sharp scutes along its body.

Check out the video below to see the Giant Trevally in action. If you have any additional information you would like to add to this article please do so by leaving a comment below...

The Gulper fish or Eurypharynx pelecanoides is a deep sea fish with a huge mouth. This strange looking deep sea creature is also known as the Umbrellamouth Gulper or the Pelican Eel. It has a hinged jaw that it uses to engulf its prey and then keeps them in a pouch like jaw, much like the Pelican. These fish grow to about 2' in length and are found at depths greater than 6500 feet! Like other deep sea fish, including the Angler fish, the Gulper fish has a luminescent lure built in to its tail.

Gulpers will waves this light in front of its mouth to attract potential prey. When they come close enough it lunges and simply opens its mouth. The water and the meal rush into its enormous mouth. The water then drains out and the fish has its dinner. To see the Gulper Fish in action check out this video below...

The King Of Herrings fish or Regalecus glesne is just one of the four different species of Oarfish. These salt water fish look more like sea serpents than fish. You can just imagine how many mysterious serpent sightings were nothing more than an Oarfish. These amazing fish can grow to 41 feet (12.5 m) in length, and can weigh up to 272 kg (600 lbs.)! This makes the King Of Herrings the longest bony fish in the entire ocean!

The King Of Herrings head and body is silver with bluish streaks. As you can see from the pictures it is slender, and can reach unbelievable lengths. This deep sea fish was first discovered when one washed ashore in Bermuda in 1860. That Oarfish was about 16' long, people at the time thought that it was a sea serpent.

Despite its menacing look, this fish is not at all dangerous to humans. First of all, it is often found very deep in the ocean, so humans rarely have contact with this fish. Secondly, it has no visible teeth, and will often feeds on zooplankton and small crustaceans. To really appreciate this amazing creature though you should have a look at these videos below...

The Hairy Tiger Plecostomus fish or Peckoltia sp. is a great aquarium fish. This fish helps keep your tank clean by eating left over food and algae that gathers up on the bottom of your aquarium. Only growing to about 4" this freshwater fish is also very hardy and gets along well with other fish. Also known as the Hairy Plecostomus, this fish is brown with weird yellow markings covering its entire body and fins. Another thing that is a bit unusual about this fish is the fact that they have small hooks that project off of the end of the scales running down their side.

As with a lot of aquarium fish a few nice hiding spots are always recommended. Also plants are a necessity and good water quality a must. These fish prefer 72-79° F, and a PH level of 6.5-7.4.

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Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy)

The Muskellunge or Esox masquinongy is more commonly called the Muskie. These very large fish are the biggest of the Pike family. Muskies can grow to about 5' in length and weigh in at over 66lbs! These massive monsters are a favorite among anglers for their great fight, impressive size and surprising jumping abilities. The Muskellunge will feed on just about anything that fits into its mouth. It has even been known to prey on unsuspecting ducklings and small muskrats!

Like its close relative the Northern Pike these fish are sit and wait predators. They lay in wait in weeds until their prey comes by then they strike with speed. These freshwater fish can live up to 30 years old with the females growing much more quickly then the males. Muskies are are often silver, light green, or light brown. A muskie has six or more pores on the underside of its jaw, this is a fool proof way to tell the difference between a Muskie and a Pike which has five or fewer pores. Feel free to share your fish stories by leaving a comment. To learn even more about the Muskie and how to catch Muskies have a look at the video below...

The Sterlet or Acipenser ruthenus is a large prehistoric looking fish. This strange looking fish has rows of heavy plates along its sides and dorsal area. It also has a tale that looks more like a shark! This species of Sturgeon, can grow to about 4' in length and can live over 20 years. Despite its large size this fish is a popular aquarium fish due to its hardiness and very peaceful temperament. Recommended temperatures for this fish are 52-72° F, with a pH level of 7.5-8.0. A tank size of about 300 gallons is also suggested for this large freshwater fish.

Like its close relative the Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), the mouth of this fish is actually located on the bottom of the fish. This fish uses its four barbels, located right in front of this strange mouth to find food. The Sterlet can be fed insect larvae, Flake Food, Tubifex Worms and snails. Clean water is a must for this fish and a nice sandy gravel bottom will insure that its sensitive barbels remain intact.

The Spinner Shark or Carcharhinus brevipinna is normally found in the Western Atlantic Ocean and is commonly seen in off the coast of Florida. This shark gets its name because it is often seen jumping out of the water in a spinning motion. When hunting it will just open its mouth and swim right through a school of fish, jumping out of the water! They often feed on sardines, herrings, small sharks and rays. It is often mistaken for the Blacktip Shark, but is distinguished by the dark tip on its anal fin.

The Spinner Shark is gray-bronze in color with a white belly. This shark is often found in schools and grows to about 6' on average. The largest Spinner Shark recorded was 9.8 feet (3 m) and a maximum weight of 198 pounds (89.7 kg). This shark is not considered dangerous to human although there have been a few reported attacks, there haven't been any reported fatalities. To see a Spinner Shark bite in action check out the video below...

Find out why they call them Spinner Sharks in the next video...

The Azure Damselfish or Chrysiptera hemicyanea is a fast fish with a striking appearance. A very popular aquarium fish, it is half bright blue and half yellow. This saltwater fish originates in the Indo-Pacific area and is commonly found in fairly shallow waters around reefs. In an aquarium setting a tank of at least 30 gallons is recommended for just one Azure Damselfish. They do work well in a group, but you need to provide a bigger tank with plenty of hiding spaces.

Also known as the Half-blue Damselfish, this fish is an omnivore that can be fed flakes and meaty foods like shrimp. A temperature of 72-78° F and PH of 8.1-8.4 is recommended for this type of aquarium fish. These fish are great for beginners as they only grow to about 4" in length, are reasonably priced and fairly disease resistant.

There are actually three different kinds of Rock Bass, Ambloplites rupestris, Ambloplites Ariommus and Ambloplites Constellatus. A Rock Bass is often confused as a Smallmouth Bass due to its similar coloration and habitat. They are small, only about 10" in length fully grown. This freshwater fish is found in lakes throughout the United States and Canada and is also referred to as the rock perch or goggle-eye. Living to about 10 years, this fish is often found right under floating docks and seem to have no real fear of humans like most other sensible fish. Rock Bash are edible, but are not considered to be very good when compared to Bluegill or Perch.

The Rock Bass is a carnivore that feeds on smaller fish and insects. They have the unique ability to change their skin tones to blend in with their surroundings, this is one of the reasons why they are so widespread through Canada and The United States. In the spring, Rock Bass moves to very shallow water to spawn. The Males build circular nests of about 8-10 inches in diameter much like the Bluegill by fanning out debris with their fins. A female will then release only a few eggs at a time, which the male fertilizes. Spawning may last as long as an hour. Females leave the nest immediately after spawning, but males remain to guard the eggs. Hatching occurs within about 3-4 days.

Antennata Lionfish or Pterois antennata is just one of the over 20 different species of Lionfish! Also known as the Ragged-finned Firefish or Spotfin Lionfish it has fan-like pectoral fins and very tall porcupine-like dorsal fins. Take great care if ever coming across one of these fish, the spines on the Antennata Lionfish are venomous just like all other Lionfish. Although not deadly to humans, it has been described as much worse than a bee sting. Use extreme caution when cleaning the tank or when rearranging.

This saltwater fish found in the Info-Pacific is a carnivore that prefers a meaty diet of live feeder fish and small shrimp. The Antennata Lionfish should be kept in a fairly large aquarium about 50 gallons with a temperature of 72-78° F and a PH level between 8.1-8.4. This Lionfish can grow to about 7" in length. You should be very careful what fish you put in your tank, because the Lionfish can be aggressive towards other fish. If two or more Antennata Lionfish are put together you should try and make sure there are plenty of hiding spots for them to share. Make sure not to have it with other fish that it can swallow or you might come up with a few missing fish.

Prince Axel’s Wonder Fish or Thaumatichthys axeli is a strange looking deep sea saltwater fish. Much like the Anglerfish, this fish has a bioluminescent organ projecting from its toothy jaws. This serves to light the dark habitat and attract potential meals for this deep sea dweller. Species have been recorded at over 11,700 feet deep! The first species caught was 18" in length, but no one really knows just how big the Prince Axel's Wonder Fish can become.

There is little more known about this strange deep sea creature. If you know more about this species please add it to the comments below...

The Fire Eel or Mastacembelus erthrotaenia is a freshwater fish that is found in places like Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Viet Nam. It is also a fairly popular aquarium eel. The Fire Eel is considered to be quite intelligent and has the ability to distinguish its owner from other people. It can also be taught to eat right out of your hand! Fire eels are carnivorous and should be fed tubifex, fish, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, bloodworms, or mussels. You can check out the Fire Eel feeding from its owners hand in the video below...

These fish will often bury themselves in the sand in the wild so be sure to take this into consideration before purchasing this eel.

They have a tendency to dig up plants and rearrange your tank a bit so be aware. They also require a larger aquarium as they can grow to about 2' in length. The Fire Eel should be in a water temperature of 75-82° F, and a PH level of 6.8-7.2. One last thing to note is that you should make sure you have a tight lid on your aquarium, this fish will try and escape!

The Spotted Wobbegong Shark or Orectolobus maculatus is just one of the eight different kinds of Wobbegong Sharks. This shark can reach about 3 meters or 10 feet in length and is often found blending into the ocean bottom waiting for its prey. This fish is nocturnal, which simply means that it hunts at night. Humans will occasionally be bitten by these sharks, but only when provoked. In fact, most of the bites occur when a human accidental steps on this well camouflaged creature, much like the very dangerous Stonefish.

These salt water fish are a kind of Carpet Shark that is normally found off the Western Coast of Australia, so watch out if you are vacationing in that area. The Spotted Wobbegong Shark is dark back, with light O-shaped markings obscuring darker saddles. This makes it very difficult to spot so be careful and keep your eyes open! The teeth of the spotted wobbegong are described as enlarged fangs; they are long, slender, and sharp. There are two lateral rows in the upper jaw and three lateral rows in the lower jaw. This fish is ovoviviparous with up to 37 pups in a litter. This fish is eaten and from what I understand quite tasty. Also human use this fish's skin as leather for clothing and other items.

The Leopard Ctenopoma or (Ctenopoma acutirostre) is a fairly aggressive freshwater fish. It is a quite popular aquarium fish due to its strange appearance, but should be kept with fish of around the same size to confrontations. Also known as the Spotted Climbing Perch, this fish has a leopard like pattern with very short fins. This fish is a carnivore that should be fed krill or ocean plankton. Occasionally pellet food or flakes is ok as well. The Leopard Ctenopoma is a sit and wait predator like the Lancetfish.

Lots of plant life and other hiding spaces as recommended for this fish. Growing to only 15cm this fish has a surprisingly large mouth for its body which it uses to swallow its prey whole.
Water temperatures of 73-82° F, and a PH 6.5-7.5 is suggested for best results. This fish originates from Africa in the Congo Basin.

The Mekong Giant Catfish or (Pangasianodon gigas) is the largest freshwater fish in the world! This massive Catfish can reach lengths of three meters and weigh up to 300kg! A very fast grower this fish can reach 200kg in just six years! Unfortunately, due to overfishing and general water quality this species is becoming nearly extinct. In fact, scientist believe that 90% of these fish have been eliminated from the face of the earth in just the past decade.

The Mekong Giant Catfish still can be found in small numbers in the Lower Mekong in Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Even though this fish is truly huge, it is no danger to humans. The Mekong Catfish is almost completely vegetarian and eats mostly algae and other small plant life in the rivers that they inhabit. These Catfish don't even have any teeth! They can also be distinguished from other catfish by their lack of whiskers. These fish are believed to live over 60 years in the wild. To see the Mekong Giant Catfish in action check out the video below...

The Clown Loach fish or (Botia macracantha), looks like a person with a bad hangover tends to stay away from bright lights. This freshwater fish is mostly nocturnal, but does move around a bit during the day. Native to Indonesia this fish has become a favorite among aquarium owners due to that fact that they keep away pests such as snails that can invade your aquarium.

Suited for a large tank with a look of cover this fish can grow up to about a foot in length under the right conditions. Waters of 72-86° F and a PH level of 6.0-7.5 is recommended. This fish work well with others, so it can be combined with many different types of fish in an aquarium setting. To see the Clown Loach in action check out the video below...

The Clown Loach is an omnivore that should be fed vegetable flakes or tablets even worms every once and a while work well for this fish. Also known as the Tiger Botia this fish has a large head and the mouth is facing downward with four pairs of barbels, much like a catfish.

There are two types of Lancetfish, the Longnose Lancetfish, Alepisaurus ferox, and the Shortnose Lancetfish, Alepisaurus brevirostris. Both of these species are Deep Sea Fish and have a very large dorsal fin, much like the Sailfish. This slender, but scary looking fish has sharp fangs along with its smaller choppers. Like the freshwater pike, Lancetfish are sit and wait predators, they feed on squid, salps, and other small fish. They are even known to turn cannibalistic and eat their own kind! You can check out a Lancetfish underwater in the video below...

Another strange fact about this relatively rare fish is that Lancetfish are to thought to be an aphrodisiac. These fish can grow up to around 6' in length, but are not considered a threat to human due to the extreme depths they are found. You can find these Lancetfish in every ocean except in the polar areas.

To check out the Lancetfish fish on video watch below...

The Bramble Shark or Echinorhinus brucus gets its names from the thorn-like denticles that cover its body. This fish is normally found near the bottom of the ocean and has been reported in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Bramble Shark can reach a length of 3.94 m (13 ft) and weigh 500 lbs (227 kg). This type of shark can live about 25 years in the wild. The Bramble Shark will feed on smaller sharks, bony fishes, and crabs. This shark is ovoviviparous and can have up to 24 pups per litter.