Black phantom tetra
| Black phantom tetra | ||||||||||||
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Black phantom tetra, female |
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| Hyphessobrycon megalopterus | ||||||||||||
| ( Eigenmann , 1915) |
The black phantom tetra ( Hyphessobrycon megalopterus , syn .: Megalamphodus megalopterus , M. rogoaguae ) is a 4.5 to 5 cm large freshwater fish from the order of the tetra . It comes from Brazil and Bolivia and can be found there in the catchment area of the Rio Guaporé , the upper Río Paraguay and the Lago Mapava .
features
The black phantom tetra shows a clear sexual dimorphism . The males have a smoke-gray coloration and, especially in courtship, a deep black coloration of the fins and the rear third of the body. The dorsal fin (dorsal) is enlarged like a flag. The more colorful females show a pale reddish body color and fins in different intensities of red. The dorsal is smaller compared to that of the male. The most striking feature of both sexes is the black, vertically stretched shoulder spot.
Way of life
The stream or lake-like waters in which the black phantom tetra live are without exception acidic to very acidic and poor in minerals. Measured values from the Lago Mapava showed a pH value of 5.7 at 29.4 ° C , a total and carbonate hardness <1 ° dH and a conductivity <10 µS / cm.
They usually live in areas that are shaded upwards by swamp, water or floating plants and thus offer protection. In Lago Mapava they live in spite of the plant population close to the ground, just below the surface of the water in floating islands of Eichhornia azurea .
Aquaristics
attitude
The black phantom tetra was first introduced alive in Germany in 1956 by Harald Schultz, an aquarium fish catcher. Since then it has become one of the most popular aquarium fish that are regularly offered in stores .
Black phantom tetra are very sociable fish that should never be kept alone or in pairs in the aquarium , but rather in a group of a dozen or more (according to Hans A. Baensch, keeping in pairs is possible). These are distributed taking into account an individual distance on the edge of plant groups and under shaded areas. Males in particular defend their temporary small areas through ritualized, i.e. injury-free commentary fights . The aquarium should therefore be lushly planted, preferably with floating plants, but at the same time still offer enough free swimming space.
The black phantom tetra can easily be cared for in medium-hard and slightly alkaline water. The side length of the aquarium should be one meter in order to be able to observe the interesting social behavior in a sufficiently large group. The lower limit should never be less than 60 cm. The nutrition of the fish is unproblematic with commercially available dry, live and frozen food.
Reproduction and breeding
The breeding of the black phantom tetra is relatively easy. It is recommended to use soft and slightly acidic water with a temperature of 24–26 ° C and a breeding tank from 25 liters. Successful reproduction has also been demonstrated in slightly alkaline (pH <7.5) water up to 6 ° dGH.
The breeding pair, which is ready to spawn after a varied feeding, is placed in the very darkened tank, which is only equipped with spawning substrate, and should spawn after three days at the latest. Feeding in the breeding tank should be avoided for reasons of hygiene. In addition, the breeding pair must be removed immediately after spawning. After hatching, the fry need the finest food. The black phantom tetra is quite productive (up to 300 young fish) and has a spawning cycle of 10–12 days.
See also
swell
literature
- Wolfgang Staeck: Tetra from South America. Dähne Verlag, 2008, ISBN 3-935175-41-8 .
- Hans A. Baensch : Aquariums Atlas. Volume 1, Mergus Verlag, 2006, paperback edition, ISBN 3-88244-227-1 .
- Helmut Pinter: Handbook of aquarium fish breeding. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, 1998, ISBN 3-8001-7391-3 .
- Günther Sterba : The world's freshwater fish. 2nd Edition. Urania, Leipzig / Jena / Berlin 1990, ISBN 3-332-00109-4 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Hans A. Baensch: Aquariums Atlas. Volume 1, Mergus Verlag, 2006, paperback edition, ISBN 3-88244-227-1 , p. 298.
- ↑ a b Günther Sterba: Freshwater fish of the world. 2nd Edition. Urania, Leipzig / Jena / Berlin 1990, ISBN 3-332-00109-4 , p. 118.
- ↑ a b c d e f Wolfgang Staeck: Tetra from South America. Dähne Verlag, 2008, ISBN 3-935175-41-8 , pp. 104-106.
- ↑ a b Helmut Pinter: Handbuch der Aquarienfischzucht. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, 1998, ISBN 3-8001-7391-3 , pp. 64-67.
Web links
- Black phantom tetra on Fishbase.org (English)
- Black phantom tetra on fischlexikon.eu (German)
- Description of the black phantom tetra illustrated (M / F)
- Hyphessobrycon megalopterus inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.2. Posted by: Reis, R & Lima, F., 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2014.