European bass
| European bass | ||||||||||||
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European bass ( Enneacanthus chaetodon ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Enneacanthus chaetodon | ||||||||||||
| Baird , 1855 |
The disc perch ( Enneacanthus chaetodon , Syn. : Mesogonistius chaetodon , Pomotis chaetodon ) is a freshwater ornamental fish from the family of sunfish (Centrarchidae). Its scientific species name is derived from the Greek ennea = "nine" and canthos = "sting" and refers to the nine hard rays of the two-part dorsal fin .
Physique and coloring
The body is short, in the wild up to 10 centimeters, high and looks compressed on the sides. It is gray-yellow with more or less distinct dark brown to black, irregularly delimited, broad transverse bands and brown spots.
The first two rays of the dorsal fin are deep black, the following two orange. The pelvic fins are similarly colored. The remaining fins are colorless with dark line and dot drawings on the fin rays.
During the spawning season, the colors of the females are stronger.
origin
Blue bass originally come from the southern to central US states , but are now also found in other parts of the country due to widespread reintroduction .
Reproduction
This fish , which remains quite small for sunfish, does not need as much space for its reproduction as the larger species of this family (e.g. the common sunfish Lepomis gibbosus ). All it needs is a small nest of plant debris about 10 cm in size in which the female can lay the eggs. Here a pair of these animals, closely embraced, approaches the nest and performs an impressive spawning dance. The male, which glows in an intense black and white, nudges the female repeatedly in his anal region. The eggs are then laid in convulsive spurts, around 300 per spawning act. The female is then chased away because it has done its job, the male then takes over guarding the brood. It ensures that no predators attack the eggs and repeatedly fanning them with fresh oxygen so that the eggs can develop better. The young hatch after two to three days.
Aquaristics
The disc perch is in the hunting and in so-called cold-water aquariums maintained. The aquarium should be planted and contain stones and roots in addition to a soft substrate. The animals use this to demarcate areas in the basin and to hide. However, the European bass is considered to be demanding in terms of feeding. He usually does not accept dry food , he has to be supplied with live food .
literature
- Günther Sterba : The world's freshwater fish . Urania Verlag (Weltbild Verlag), Stuttgart 1990, ISBN 3-89350-991-7 .
Web links
- European bass on Fishbase.org (English)
- www.zierfischverzeichnis.de