Witch catfish
| Witch catfish | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Rineloricaria fallax | ||||||||||||
| ( Steindachner , 1915) |
The whiptail catfish ( Rineloricaria fallax ), also dwarf armored catfish called, is a kind of genre Rineloricaria from the family of armored catfish (Loricariidae). It lives in the La Plata region in South America in small, rapid brooks with sometimes very low water levels (10 cm).
distribution
The witch catfish lives in the La Plata region, which is formed by the Río de la Plata . This region in South America has its beginnings on the borders of Uruguay and Brazil , extends over a southern part of Argentina and ends on the southern border with Paraguay. The two major rivers of this area, Paraná and Uruguay , are almost everywhere only 20 cm deep. The small, raging streams in which the witch catfish resides, however, are only 10 cm deep.
description
The males have bristles on the sides of the mouth and can therefore be easily distinguished from the females. Witch catfish grow to be up to 12 cm long, with the elongated anus making up most of the body length. The witch catfish is gray-brown and has a pattern that consists of various white, brown and dark colors. There is also a red cultivar.
As with all members of the genus Rineloricaria , the upper and lower lip are evenly developed and covered with nodules. The barbels are only slightly longer than the diameter of the eyes.
Aquaristics
General
As an aquarium fish , it was first introduced to Germany in 1908 by the United Ornamental Fish Breeders Conradshöhe near Berlin .
The witch catfish can be kept in an aquarium from 80 cm in length. The substrate can consist of sand or gravel . Like all catfish, the witch catfish also needs plenty of shelter made of roots and rocks. He is mainly on the ground. In addition, the water should be clear and very rich in oxygen . The ideal water temperature is 15-25 ° C.
breed
If the aim is to breed, the aquarium should contain a 4 × 20 cm spawning den or a bamboo tube with a diameter of 3 to 4 cm. The female lays the eggs in the cave and swims out. The male then swims into the cave and fertilizes the spawn .
food
Like all armored catfish, the witch catfish feeds on the algae on stones, plants and panes. Flake food and food tablets are also gladly accepted. Live food lying on the ground is eaten quickly and with pleasure.
Web links
- Witch Catfish on Fishbase.org (English)
- Witch catfish in the ornamental fish directory
literature
- Ornamental fish - fascinating world of aquariums . Serge's media.