There are two different kinds of Goliath Groupers the Atlantic Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara) and the Pacific Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus quinquefasciatus). True to their name this type of Grouper can grow over 8' in length and can weigh in and at over 800lbs!. These saltwater fish are gray or brownish yellow with dark spots and found in warm shallow tropical waters around coral reefs normally less than 160 feet deep.When they are young they can be found in brackish areas and mangrove swamps. At these shallow depths these slow growing fish can be quite easy although very exciting to try and spear. Even though some people may consider the Goliath Grouper to be a stupid giant the are actually quite intelligent. They produce a rumbling sound that comes from their swim bladder that helps them communicate with other Goliaths. Groupers are an endangered species due to overfishing and habitat change. To check out the Goliath Grouper in action watch the videos below...
The Oriental Flying Gurnard or Dactyloptena orientalis is an unbelievable salt water fish that actually has a pair of wings and also has the ability to walk on the ocean floor. These fish are often found in the Indo-Pacific Oceans at depths of up to 100 meters. They are quite small only growing to about 40cm in maximum length. The Oriental Flying Gurnard wings are actually massive pectoral fins that flare up when the creature is threatened. These wings have are dark with bright blue on the edges. Also known as the Oriental Flying Sea Robin, their pelvic fins act as legs as they slowly make their way across the bottom in search of food. If that weren't weird enough this fish is also said to be able to make a grunting sound which they use to communicate with one another.
These salt water fish often feed on small bony fish, clams and small crustaceans. Oriental Flying Gurnard are often eaten by Mackerels and Sea Breams. To see the Oriental Flying Gurnard in action check out the video below...
The Spotted Puffer Fish or Canthigaster jactator is just one of the over 120 different species of Puffer Fish. Also known as the White Spotted Sharpnose Puffer and the White Spot Hawaiian Puffer, this fish has an almost reddish coloration with white spots all over its body. These fish are found in places like Hawaii, usually in pairs around corals and only grow to about 5" long. Strangely enough Spotted Puffers don't have any pelvic fins. They make up for this by using their pectoral fins to maneuver around its habitat.
Like all other Puffer Fish the Spotted Puffer has the amazing ability to inflate its body to twice its regular size! This not only makes it appear bigger to potential predators, but also makes it harder to swallow whole if caught. Not to mention parts of this fish are poisonous. Use caution if handling! As if that weren't enough these fish actually have a built in sunscreen like mucus that protects them from the dangerous ultra violet rays of the sun.
The Spotted Puffer fish is often kept as a pet in an aquarium of at least 55 gallons. This salt water fish prefers the following water conditions 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025. This fish is an omnivore that should be fed krill, clams, squid and even hard shelled shrimp to help keep its teeth from growing out of control! They are not considered to be extremely aggressive, but they will nip the fins of tank mates they don't like.
The Cow Shark or Hexanchus griseus is a one of the largest sharks in the world growing to more than 5.4 m (18 ft) in length. This massive creature can appear to be sluggish, but once this fish starts swimming it can easily chase down its prey which includes Hagfish, mollusks and crustaceans. Also known as the Bluntnose Sixgill Shark they are often found at depths of up to 1,875 m (6,150 ft). This deep sea fish is not considered to be a threat to humans simply because they never run into each other in the oceans.Cow Shark have a brownish coloration that sometimes appears to be black. It has six gills which separates them from most other sharks that only have five. This characteristic links them to sharks from the Triassic period.
They have small eyes that are bluish green. Females of this species tend to be larger than the males, but they both grow to an impressive size. Just check out this Cow Shark in close up action below...
The Sleeper Gold Head Goby or Valenciennea strigata is a saltwater fish with a very colorful fish. It is also known as the Pennant Glider, Golden Head Sleeper, Bluestreak, or the Yellowheaded Sleeper Goby. These fish have a white body with a yellow head and a stunning blue stripe directly below it eye. They only grow to about 6" in maximum length.
Their striking appearance makes this species a very popular aquarium fish. Water conditions of 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025 in at least a 60 gallon aquarium is recommended. The Sleeper Gold Head Goby is normally a peaceful fish, but like so many other Gobies they can become aggressive towards other Sleeper Gold Head Gobies.These fish will feed directly off the bottom, sifting through the sandy bottom finding food in the sands. This type of Goby is also said to have the ability to communicate with each other by producing signals with their mouths. Besides this ongoing activity of "chewing" the sand, these gobies can communicate with each other by producing signals with their mouths. In an aquarium setting the Sleeper Gold Head Goby can be fed brine shrimp, black worms, and other meaty food for carnivores. Live sand is highly recommended for these fish as they are constantly sifting the sand looking for their next meal. You can check them out in action in the video below...
In the wild these fish are found in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The Wahoo or Anthocybium Solanderi is one of the fastest fish in the ocean reaching speeds of almost 50 mph! These fish are prized by anglers because they are an illusive, but powerful fish that once hooked are capable of impressive jumps and graceful re-entries into the tropical waters. This saltwater fish is found in temperatures of 70-86°F. Once caught the Wahoo is flat out delicious, it was even Ernest Hemingway's favor game fish.
The Wahoo is known by several different names including Ono in Hawaii and Peto in many other places around the world. They can grow to about 8 feet in length and weigh in over 180lbs! This along with the fact that Wahoos are extremely quick growers makes them quite the coveted trophy fish. Just have a look at this monster fish below... If you are looking to catch Wahoo trying tolling about 7 or so MPH with a spoon or try a rig with pinfish, this seems to work well. If you have any Wahoo fishing tips you would like to share please leave a comment.
The Neon Swordtail or Xiphophorus helleri is a small colorful freshwater fish that is quite easy to care for. A great fish for someone just starting an aquarium. Their body almost has an iridescence look that makes them super colorful. Some have even claimed that this fish almost looks like a prism as it moves about the tank. The male of this species has a protrusion coming out of its tail that looks kinda like a sword, hence the name. The Neon Swordtail is an aquarium fish that is notoriously easy to care for. They have a peaceful temperament and are omnivores that can be fed flaked foods, algae, bloodworms, tubifex, and brine shrimp. They only grow to about 4" in length, so an aquarium of at least 30 gallons with a tight lid to keep them from jumping out is recommended. Water conditions of 64-82° F, pH 7.0-8.3, KH 12-30 are ideal. These fish make great tankmates with most other community fish. One thing to note though is that keeping two males in a small aquarium can lead to arguments between the two.
Neon Swordtails are live bearing fish that can reproduce at only 3 months old and can make almost 100 babies at a time!
The Three-Spined Stickleback or Gasterosteus aculeatus is one of the few fish that were actually honored on a postage stamp. This fish was featured on the 14-franc stamp in Belgium in the year 1990.
There are about 16 different kinds of Stickleback fish that are grouped into five different genera. All of these Sticklebacks, including the Three-Spined Stickleback don't have any scales. They are found in freshwater and saltwater in many places across the world including Northern Europe, Northern Asia and North America. These fish feed on small crustaceans and other fishes larvae. The Three Spined Stickleback gets its name from the three isolated spines that shoot out from its dorsal fin area. These species has a very strange mating procedure. The males will construct a nest that is held together by a secretion from their kidneys. Males will develop a red belly and chin which shows that they are ready to mate. Males will then attract females to the nest were they will lay there eggs. From this point on the male fertilizes them and guards them until hatching. If you have more information about the Three-Spined Stickleback fish that you would like to share please leave a comment below...
The Convict Cichlid or Amatitlania nigrofasciata is an easy fish for beginners. They can be bred in an aquarium setting quite easily as well. Also known as the Zebra Cichlid this species is an omnivore that will accept many different kinds of food including flake food, small fish, insects, worms, plants and algae. You can also feed them specially designed pellets which you can purchase here! Normally these fish are quite calm, but while breeding they can be quite aggressive and should only be kept in pairs.The Convict Cichlid is a smaller fish only growing to about 10cm in length when fully grown. These fish have vertical stripes on their bodies that resemble that of someone in jail, hence the name. Females of this species have more colors in their bodies that include pink or orange in their ventral region and on their dorsal fin. Males are often duller, but will grow a bit larger than the females. Males will also develop lumps on their foreheads like some other Cichlid fish, including its close relative the Frontosa Cichlid. To check out the Convict Cichlid and babies in action watch the video below...
In the wild they are found in Central America from Guatemala to Costa Rica. They are more tolerant to cooler waters about 79-84F is recommended with a PH level of 6.6 - 7.8. If you have more information about the Convict Cichlid that you would like to share please post it in the comments below.
Greater Amberjacks or Seriola dumerili are the largest of the three different kinds of Amberjack fish which include the Lesser Amberjacks and the Banded Rudderfish. Greater Amberjacks are found in many places around the world in the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Indian coasts. They are often found in bettween 20 and 100 m in depth.
Greater Amberjacks are a quite popular sporting fish due to their fast swimming abilities which makes a great challenge for even the toughest angler. These sporting fish put up a fantastic fight and are ferocious predators. This type of Amberjack grows to about 6' in maximum length and can weigh in at 80kg! Females of this species grow larger and live longer that the males. Maximum life spand is about 17 years. Sexual maturity is reached at about 5 years of age. They are brownish blue in color and have a band that goes over its eye. When these Amberjacks are young they have vertical stripes on their bodies that fade as they grow older. Often found in schools when they are younger, the Great Amberjack spends more and more time alone as it grows older.
Greater Amberjacks are edible and can be prepared fried, broiled, baked, or grilled for human consumption. They are not the best tasting fish or the worse tasting fish... If you have an Amberjack recipe that you would like to share or fishing tips please leave them in the comments below...
There are two different kinds of Goliath Groupers the Atlantic Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara) and the Pacific Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus quinquefasciatus). True to their name this type of Grouper can grow over 8' in length and can weigh in and at over 800lbs!. These saltwater fish are gray or brownish yellow with dark spots and found in warm shallow tropical waters around coral reefs normally less than 160 feet deep.
When they are young they can be found in brackish areas and mangrove swamps. At these shallow depths these slow growing fish can be quite easy although very exciting to try and spear. Even though some people may consider the Goliath Grouper to be a stupid giant the are actually quite intelligent. They produce a rumbling sound that comes from their swim bladder that helps them communicate with other Goliaths. Groupers are an endangered species due to overfishing and habitat change. To check out the Goliath Grouper in action watch the videos below...
