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In Fish

Black Skirt Tetra Fish – Complete Guide to Care, Description & 3 Major Behavioral

March 24, 2022 4 Mins Read

The black skirt tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) is a freshwater characin fish that is also known as the black tetra, petticoat tetra, high-fin black skirt tetra, black widow tetra, and blackamoor (Characidae). It is native to the Paraguay River basin in south-central Brazil especially the Pantanal region, Paraguay, and northeast Argentina, but there are possibly introduced populations in the upper Paraná and Para ba do Sul Rivers.

A black skirt tetra fish image — credit:tetra-fish-care.com

Previously, it was recorded from the Guapore River. Black Skirt Tetras (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) are a special breed of tetra that has a darker coloration. These fish can be found in a variety of South American bodies of water. Black skirt tetra is a schooling fish.

While the wild black widow tetra is dark in color, examine the numerous colored variations that have been captive-bred. A healthy, happy school of fish requires at least six or seven specimens, but avoid keeping them with smaller species since black widows can nibble.

Body Description

The tetragonal shape of Black Skirt Tetras is well-known. At the front of the torso, they’re noticeably taller. The fish’s back end, on the other hand, tapers dramatically to the tail. Their fins add to the drama of their distinctive shape. The fin morphologies of these fish are highly different. The tailfin has a forked form and is fairly slender. The dorsal fin, on the other hand, is quite tiny and squared off.

A spectacular anal fin may be found on the bottom of the fish. It runs from the center of the body to the end of the tail. It gets thicker as it gets closer to the fish’s belly, giving it a unique shape. Black widow tetras are little tetras that grow to be around two inches long as adults. It’s a little more difficult to mate these fish than it is with other species. There are slight distinctions between males and females. At full maturity, a regular Black Skirt Tetra is roughly 3 inches long.

A black skirt tetra fish in its habitat — credit:fishkeepingproject.com

The normal dark coloration of the black widow tetra will gradually fade into a silvery gray once it reaches mature size, which takes about a year. When a fish reaches the age of five or more years, it is usually rather pale in color. When these fish are stressed or ill, they become pale as well. Grayish silver is the predominant color of the Black Skirt Tetra.

The head is lighter and more reflecting than the rest of the body, and it’s translucent. The gradient effect on the color gives the fish its unique moniker. That silver-gray tint fades to a darker black at the midsection of the body. On the front part of the body, there are two noticeable black stripes.

Behavior

Black widows are a low-maintenance species that can adapt to a variety of environments, albeit they prefer dim illumination and neutral-colored gravel substrates.
Black Skirt Tetras are calm and easygoing since they are used to huge vegetation in their natural habitat.
No matter what the scenario is, they will rarely show signs of aggression. Because this is a schooling species, they tend to keep together and swim in synchrony throughout the day. They may, however, walk out and do their own thing now and then before rejoining the group.

Breeding

Black skirt tetra moving through the water — credit:fishkeepingproject.com

The female has the ability to lay up to 1,000 eggs throughout the tank. Instead of choosing one spot to lay their eggs, Black Skirt Tetras will scatter their eggs throughout the tank. The eggs will then sink to the bottom of the container. As they continue to breed, the eggs will fall through to the bottom, where they will be hidden from the adults. Return the adult fish to the main tank once they’ve finished. In 24 to 36 hours, the eggs will hatch. When the baby fish first emerge, they will feed on the egg sac.

Diets

The black widow tetra is a schooling fish that feeds on tiny crustaceans, insects, and worms. The average lifespan of a Black Skirt Tetra is between 3 and 5 years.

In Fish

Australian Herring- Description, Habitat And Spawning

March 17, 2022 4 Mins Read

Australian herring are members of the perch family. The Australian salmon belongs to the same family as the adult herring and, in its juvenile stage, can be easily fooled. The Australian herring (Arripis georgianus), often known as the ruff, tommy ruff, or Australian ruff, is one of four fish species in the Arripis genus.

Australian herring fish being caught with hook — credit:news.com.au

It can be found in cooler seas along Australia’s southern coast. It is not a member of the Clupeidae family of herring. The Australian herring is native to the temperate seas of southern Australia, ranging from the Swan River in Western Australia along the south coast to Forster, New South Wales on the east coast. It can also be found in Tasmania.

Australian herring can be found throughout the southern coastal parts of Australia, from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Albany, along the south coast to South Australia, and as far east as Victoria. Inshore, around offshore islands, and in southern estuaries such as Wilson Inlet and Oyster Harbour, they can be found.

Body Description

The Australian herring has a small head with huge eyes and a somewhat large oblique mouth, with maxillae that reach to the level of the eyes’ center. Each jaw bears a narrow ring of short, sharp teeth. Except for the lower jaw, mouth, and above the eyes, the entire head and body are coated in small, finely ctenoid scales. They feature a short anal fin that is about half the length of the soft section of the dorsal fin and a little notch between the higher spiny and soft rayed parts of the dorsal fin. The caudal fin is forked deeply, the pectoral fins are small, and the pelvic fins are medium in size.

Image of Australian herring that are dead — credit:australian.meseum

The body of the Australian herring is sleek, somewhat deep, and slightly elongated, with a compressed caudal peduncle and a thin caudal peduncle. On their flanks, the youngsters have dark golden bars. The anal fin has three spines and ten soft rays, whereas the dorsal fin has nine spines and sixteen soft rays. The longest fork length ever recorded was 41 centimeters, but most forks are between 25 and 30 centimeters. Silvery herring with vertical rows of golden spots on the upper part of the body and black tips on the tail fin is seen in Australia. The scales are a little scuffed up.

Habitat

The Australian herring can be found in large schools near the surface of the water, often close to beaches, reefs, and bays. They mainly feed on smaller fish and invertebrates that live among weed beds and seagrass meadows. These fish reach sexual maturity around two-three years old and once they do, they migrate west along the Australian coast to an area where they spawn alongside adults who have already made their home there.

Australian herring fish navigating through the water — credit:worldlifeexpectancy.com

Spawning

To reproduce, females deposit eggs and the number of eggs they lay varies depending on the size of the individual. In one spawning season, some females may deposit up to 50,000 eggs, while others may lay up to 200,000 eggs. The eggs, larvae, and juveniles follow the Australian coast southward until they reach the Western Coast. They travel eastward down the coast until they reach the South Coast, carried by the prevailing winds and currents. Adult fish do not return to the south coast after spawning and remain off the coast of Western Australia.

Diets

Small crustaceans living in weed and seagrass are eaten by young herring. Adults eat small fish like blue sardines, juvenile fish, small crustaceans, and insects found in seaweed or washed into the water.

Uses

This is a species that is regarded as a nice recreational fish throughout most of Australia. However, it is considered an economically important fishery species in Western Australia. Its flesh is delicate and slightly greasy, and it is considered a high-quality eating fish.

In Fish

Australian Lungfish- Habitat, Diet And How To Identify

March 17, 2022 4 Mins Read

The only surviving member of the Neoceratodontidae family is the Australian lungfish, also known as the Queensland lungfish, Burnett salmon, and barramunda. It is the outgroup to all other members of the Devonian lineage and is one of six extant representatives of the ancient air-breathing Dipnoi (lungfishes) that lived during the Devonian period about 413–365 million years ago.

A man holding Australian lungfish — credit:abc.net.au

The five remaining freshwater lungfish species, four of which are found in Africa and one in South America, are physically significantly different from N. forsteri. Ceratodus, a small town in Queensland, takes its name from the Australian lungfish. The species was named after William Forster, a squatter and politician.

This group’s fossil records go back 380 million years, roughly when the higher vertebrate classes started to emerge. In northern New South Wales, fossils of lungfish that are nearly identical to this species have been discovered, showing that Neoceratodus has stayed practically unaltered for well over 100 million years, making it a living fossil and one of the world’s oldest vertebrate genera.

The existence of a single dorsal lung, utilized to augment the oxygen supply through the gills, is a distinguishing feature of the Australian lungfish. The lungfish can rise to the top and swallow air into its lung during periods of high activity, drought, or high temperatures, when water becomes deoxygenated, or when prevailing conditions prevent normal gill function.

When it employs the lung as a supplemental organ of respiration, more frequent air-breathing is linked to times of higher activity at night. Unlike other fish, the Australian Lungfish has the unique ability to breathe air with just one lung when streams grow stagnant or water quality deteriorates during dry periods.

Only the Mary and Burnett River basins in south-eastern Queensland are home to the Australian lungfish. In the last century, it has been successfully dispersed to other, more southerly rivers, including the Brisbane, Albert, Stanley, and Coomera Rivers, as well as the Enoggera Reservoir. The Australian lungfish has been introduced to the Pine, Caboolture, and Condamine Rivers, however, its current survival and reproduction success is unknown. At one time, there were at least seven different species of lungfish in Australia.

Body Structure

Australian lungfish navigating through it habitat — credit:

Their bodies are elongated and stout, and their heads are flattened with small eyes. The mouth is tiny and situated subterminally. Lungfish can reach a maximum length of 150 cm and a weight of 43 kg. It’s usually around 100 cm long and weighs around 20 kg. The back, sides, tail, and fins of Australian lungfish are olive-green to dull brown, and the underside is a pale yellow to orange.

They have a reddish coloration on their sides that is significantly brighter in the males during the breeding season, according to reports. The lungfish’s only differentiating sexual trait is its coloration. Females grow to a somewhat bigger size than males, although both sexes have identical growth trends.

Habitat

This species prefers slow-moving rivers and quiet water with some aquatic vegetation growing along the banks. It grows on the bottoms of dirt, sand, or gravel. Lungfish live in small groups under submerged logs, dense banks of aquatic macrophytes, or underwater caves formed by soil being washed away under tree roots on river banks. They are commonly found in deep pools of 3–10 m depth and live in small groups under submerged logs, dense banks of aquatic macrophytes, or underwater caves formed by soil being washed away under tree roots on river banks.

The lungfish is cold-tolerant but prefers water temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius. The Australian lungfish cannot endure complete habitat desiccation, but it may survive for several days without water provided the surface of its skin is kept moist. Protopterus, unlike African species, does not withstand dry seasons by secreting a secretion.

A species of Australian lungfish in its territory — credit:labroots.com

Spawning

From August to December, the species spawns at night, with October being the busiest month. Fertilized eggs cling to aquatic plants for three weeks before hatching. Young grow slowly, reaching a length of 6 cm after 8 months and 12 cm after two years.

Feeding

Frogs, tadpoles, tiny fish, snails, shrimp, and earthworms are the most common food items. It will also consume plant matter. The Australian Lungfish’s eyesight is said to be weak, and the location of prey is supposed to be determined by scent rather than sight.

In Fish

The Black Scabbardfish Information And Facts

March 10, 2022 4 Mins Read

From the Denmark Strait to Cape Verde, the black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo) is a bathypelagic cutlassfish of the Trichiuridae family that can be found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and at undersea rises. Aphanopus intermedius, also known as the intermediate scabbardfish, coexist geographically with the black scabbardfish. During its life cycle, this fish migrates clockwise due to reproductive and feeding patterns.

Black scabbardfish is deep-sea organisms that can be found in abundance between 800 and 1300 meters below the surface. They’re primarily caught in mixed trawl fisheries with other deep-water species, and they’re extremely vulnerable to overfishing. This species is extremely valuable commercially, with yearly catches of up to 14,000 tonnes. In some parts of the Northeast Atlantic, this species’ high abundance is dwindling. The black scabbardfish coexists with Aphanopus intermedius, also known as the intermediate scabbardfish, in terms of space.

Body Description

The body of the black scabbardfish is extraordinarily elongated, with a height of around one-eighth of the typical length of up to 1.1 m. The nose is long and slender, with powerful fang-like fangs. There are 34 to 41 spines and 52 to 56 soft rays on the dorsal fin. Two spines and 43 to 48 soft rays make up the anal fin. In juveniles, the pelvic fins are associated with a single spine, but in adults, they are completely missing.

It’s a coppery black with just an iridescent sheen. Juveniles are thought to be mesopelagic, meaning they live in depths of 100 to 500 meters. The insides of the mouth and the cavities of the gills are black. The black scabbardfish’s short, elongated body, pointed head, and the long dorsal fin is all designed for quick swimming. For efficient predation, this fish possesses a huge terminal mouth with enormous fang-like teeth. It has a coppery-black coloring with an iridescent sheen to help it blend in. The fish’s big eyes, which measure roughly 18 percent of its head length in diameter, are large enough to aid seeing in low light.

Spawning

At roughly 80 cm in length, they reach sexual maturity. The larvae and eggs are both pelagic, floating with the plankton. The black scabbardfish is an integration of various species, which means it can reproduce many times during its lifetime. It’s also a total spawner, which means it lays all of its eggs in one go throughout each breeding season. It also has determined fecundity, which means that before spawning, all of the eggs are oocytes in the ovary.

Females are believed to be able to spawn over an 8-year period, but skip spawning is possible. Females devote their energy to large-scale migration and growth when nonreproductive males are intermingled with spawning adults, and they participate in skip spawning. Adult fish that are mature and ready to spawn have only been seen in the last part of the year in a few sites, including Madeira, the Canaries, and Africa’s northwest coast.

From April through August, females are dominant, and the breeding season runs from September to December, with a high number of pre-spawning and spawning females. Most females have spawned between December and March. Males in development can be seen all year, but especially from March to August. From July through November, pre-spawning males are more plentiful.

From December through April, postspawning males are just as common as females. In general, developing females are more common in Madeiran waters in the spring, and their reproductive cycles continue there, whereas females on the mainland of Portugal begin to suffer from generalized atresia in July.

Habitat

The black scabbardfish could be seen at various phases of development throughout its life in the Northeast Atlantic. During the months of October and December, the black scabbardfish spawns near the Madeira Islands and the Canary Archipelago. They are assumed to then migrate north to cooler waters to feed and grow. When they reach adulthood, they migrate south to the waters around Portugal, where they stay until they achieve reproductive maturity, at which point they migrate to their nesting sites.

Feeding

Crustaceans, cephalopods, mesopelagic fish, shrimp, teleost fish, and blue whiting are all eaten by black scabbardfish.

In Fish

The Black Sea Bass-Facts And Identification

March 10, 2022 4 Mins Read

The black sea bass is a ray-finned marine fish that belongs to the Serranidae subfamily, which is part of the Serranidae family, which also contains groupers and anthias. It may be found in the western Atlantic Ocean and is a valuable commercial and leisure fishery. Black sea bass migrates seasonally in the Mid-Atlantic when water temperatures fluctuate. In the spring, they migrate to inshore coastal areas and bays, and in the fall, they travel offshore.

They live on stony bottoms near reefs, wrecks, oyster bars, pilings, and jetties, and are bottom-dwellers. They mature between the ages of two and three years. Between the ages of two and five, the majority of them start out as females and then transform into males. The black sea bass can be found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to the Florida Keys, and in the Gulf of Mexico as far as Louisiana, where the western limit is just west of the Mississippi Delta.

Body Description

The body of the black sea bass is elongated and laterally compressed. It has a huge mouth with bands of teeth on the jaw, a triangular patch of teeth in the front section of the roof of the mouth, and more teeth along the sides of that area, the mouth reaching to below the middle of the eye. The preopercle is equally spherical and contains fine serrations on its border, while the gill cover has three flat spines.

There are ten spines on the dorsal fin, with the front ones being longer than the back ones, and 11 soft rays. The membranes that connect the dorsal fin’s spines are deeply notched. Three spines and seven soft rays make up the anal fin.

The long and pointed top, middle, and lower rays form three lobes on the caudal fin. On the back and upper body, the color pattern is usually smoky grey, dark brown, or blue-black, fading towards the underside. The juveniles come in four different color phases: an overall light grey with small dark spots, a dark phase with pale white dots, a striped phase with a longitudinal dark stripe, and a barred phase with six vertical bars.

Black sea bass grows over time, reaching a maximum size of 2 feet and 9 pounds. The larger black sea bass is normally black, but the smaller ones are a dusky brown. The belly button is a shade lighter than the sides. A sequence of white patches and bars is visible on the dorsal fin. Dominant males glow brilliant blue and develop a blue bulge on their heads during spawning.

The black sea bass can be found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to the Florida Keys, and in the Gulf of Mexico as far as Louisiana, where the western limit is just west of the Mississippi Delta.

Habitat

Black sea bass can be found in shallow water among rock jetties and across rocky surfaces, but they have also been seen in deeper, offshore areas to depths of 130 meters. They spend the majority of their time near the bottom, where they congregate around things such as rock heaps, wrecks, and man-made structures. It can be found resting in both a head-down and a head-up position.

Normally, the dorsal fin is folded down, but as an aggressive signal to other members of its own species, it is lifted and spread out. The juveniles are found among man-made structures, wrecks, and over-shell substrates in protected estuarine areas.

Reproduction

This is a slow-growing fish that reaches sexual maturity between the ages of one and three. They are protogynous hermaphrodites, which means they start out as females and subsequently transform into males. The cause of the transformation is unknown, however, it is hypothesized that the largest females change sex in response to a lack of males in their spawning group.

From January through July, these fish spawn, with smaller females producing as few as 30,000 eggs and larger females producing up to 500,000 eggs. Their eggs are pelagic in nature. Males assemble a group of females with whom they will mate and fiercely defend their area.

Diet

Crabs, shrimp, worms, tiny fish, and clams are among the prey items consumed by black sea bass. Females can live to be eight years old, while males can live to be twelve.

In Fish

The Black Neon Tetra Fish Specie Information And Facts

March 3, 2022 4 Mins Read

The black neon tetra is a freshwater fish belonging to the Characiformes order and belonging to the Characin family. It is native to southern Brazil’s Paraguay basin. They’re common in the aquarium industry. This species was named after pet-book publisher Herbert R. Axelrod (1927-2017), whose Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine published this and other Géry descriptions.

The black tetra is a common name for the black neon tetra, however, that name actually refers to a distinct species, Gymnocorymbus ternetzi. These fish like small streams, creeks, wet forest regions, and sandbanks in the wild. The water in their natural habitat is usually quite acidic, and the tannins generated by decaying organic material colour the water brown.

The black neon tetra is a peaceful and quiet creature. They don’t have any aggressive tendencies. Males are rarely territorial, even in groups, a tendency that is frequent in other species. When it comes to groups, it’s crucial to remember that Black Neon Tetras are schooling fish. The group will spend the day together exploring the tank.

Frequently move in tandem, resulting in a beautiful expanse of black color across the tank. They wish to remain in groups, although they are not completely reliant on one another. The group may split up from time to time to allow the individual fish to conceal and recuperate.

Body Description

This species has the appearance of a normal elongated tetra, with a plain basic colour and two noticeable longitudinal stripes, white above black. The top of the eye features two thin but distinct color bands, red above yellow. It reaches a maximum overall length of about 4 cm (1.6 in). These fish are slim and tiny. Their body is formed like a torpedo, with a rounded head and translucent fins. The Black Neon Tetra’s primary colour is somewhat muted. They have a faint greenish tint to them. Two bright stripes contrast with the foundation color. The first is an iridescent white streak.

It glistens in the light and creates a magnificent impression. A thicker band of black runs directly beneath that stripe. The name of the fish comes from this stripe. Both stripes go horizontally down the length of the fish’s body. It stretches from the gill cover to the tail fin’s base. In black neon tetras, there are no evident sexual distinctions. The female’s belly is often larger and rounder than the male’s. When a female reaches sexual maturity, her lower abdomen fills with eggs.

Habitat

Black neon tetras require soft acidic water that must be kept clean at all times. Live plants, a darker substrate, and open water for swimming should all be included in their tank. Groups of black neon Tetras should be kept. They are quite adaptive and tolerate hard neutral water better than other tetra species.

Subdued lighting, living plants, free room for swimming, a dark substrate, and a healthy water current in the mid to upper area of the aquarium, where they prefer to swim, are all great conditions for the black neon tetra. Use river sand as the substrate, along with some driftwood and twisted roots. Fill the tank with dried leaves, which will turn the water a pale brown color.

Breeding

If the water quality is good, black neon tetras can spawn quickly. Condition the potential parents with good food before intending to breed the black neon tetra. Fish that are roughly a year old are good for reproducing. The sex of the fish is identified by its body form, which is significantly deeper and plumper in females than in males. Even though the black neon tetra can be kept in water that is harder and more alkaline than its natural environment, it must be housed in water that is closer to that of the River for breeding. Breeding the Black neon tetra necessitates acidic water with a hardness of no more than four.

The black neon tetra is an egg subsurface scattering, laying sticky (adhesive) eggs on plants and other objects. A single female can lay hundreds of eggs. Because the parents will devour their own eggs and kids after spawning, it is customary to remove the parents. The black neon tetra, like much other fish, spawns early in the morning. Because of their small size, raising the fry might be more difficult.

Diet

Small invertebrates and plants make up the majority of their natural diet, which also includes crustacea, filamentous algae, and falling fruits. Black neons aren’t picky eaters and will eat practically anything you put in front of them; dry flakes or pellets are a good place to start. Brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, mosquito larvae, and other protein-rich meals can be added to this. In captivity, the average Black Neon Tetra can live up to 5 years.

In Fish

The Blackchin Guitarfish Species Information

February 24, 2022 4 Mins Read

The blackchin guitarfish belongs to the Rhinobatidae family of cartilaginous fish. It is found in the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It’s a bottom-dwelling fish that eats crabs, insects, and small fish. The Eastern Atlantic guitarfish is a big species of guitarfish. Blackchin guitarfish burrow under the ocean’s sandy bottom and were previously a common appearance in Southern European fish markets during the 18th century.

Crustaceans, various invertebrates, and fish are eaten by this bottom-dwelling fish. Females give birth to living children. Its lifestyle leaves it vulnerable to trawling and other fishing tactics, and its populations appear to be falling. It is also exposed to heavy overfishing, including its fins being marketed on the Asian market.

The blackchin guitarfish has a low reproductive rate, therefore older individuals congregate off the coast to deliver their young and mate on a seasonal basis. They are particularly vulnerable to fishing operations at this time. The fins of this species are extremely valuable, and they sell for a high price, although the fish are also eaten. They used to be abundant in the northern Mediterranean and in the Balearic Islands, together with the common guitarfish, but they no longer appear to be found in these places.

Captures off the coast of Africa have also decreased, but data on landings is scarce. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is concerned about the future of this fish, and it has been classified as critically endangered by the organization.

The blackchin guitarfish can be found in the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean’s moderate temperate and tropical waters. Its northern and southern boundaries are the northern coasts of Portugal and Angola, respectively. Its Mediterranean Sea range is primarily centered in the southern and eastern regions. It can be found in depths of up to 100 meters on the continental shelf (330 ft).

Management measures have been implemented in Mauritania’s National Park to conserve this species. Between February and September, fishing is prohibited to avoid the mating season and thus the catch of pregnant females. Additionally, gear limits were implemented, and an increase in the population of Blackchin Guitarfish was recorded, showing that these efforts were successful.

Body Description

The blackchin guitarfish has a black blotch on its nose that is more evident in juveniles than in adults, and is plain brown above and white below. It has a similar appearance to the sympatric common guitarfish. Smaller eyes, narrower rostral ridges, shorter front nasal lobe, and narrower back nasal flap are all characteristics of the blackchin. Short thorns can be seen on the inner edges of the eyes, on the shoulders, and along the spine and tail of both species, but the blackchins are less noticeable. Although larger fish have been reported from Guinea in West Africa and the Gulf of Gabès in the southern Mediterranean, this species grows to approximately 71 inches in length.

Breeding

This fish is ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs are kept in the female’s uterus and the growing young are fed first by a yolk sac and then by uterine secretions. The gestation period is between five and eight months, and the litter size ranges from four to seven.

Blackchin guitarfish can grow to be a little over 2 meters long, with females being larger than males. Moves to inshore shallow waters for parturition. Because mating occurs quickly after the females give birth, pregnant females and reproductively active males come close to land. This means that a big number of people are congregating in one location at the same time, making them exposed to targeted fishing. Because Blackchin Guitarfish have reduced birthrates and slow growth, they are unable to rebound quickly from fishing pressure.

Diet

Foraging for shrimp, crabs, various crustaceans, squid, and mollusks, the blackchin guitarfish moves slowly over sandy and muddy areas of the bottom.

In Fish

The Billfish Species Information And Facts

February 24, 2022 4 Mins Read

The word billfish refers to a group of salt water predatory fish that are distinguished by their huge size and distinctive pointed bills (rostra). Billfish are members of the Xiphiidae and Istiophoridae families of fish. “These enormous fishes are distinguished by the extension of the upper jaw well beyond the lower jaw into a long rostrum that is either flat and sword-like (swordfish) or rounded and spear-like (spearfish)” (sailfishes, spearfishes, and marlins).

True billfish are split into two families and five genera, with a total of 12 species. The swordfish Xiphias gladius belongs to the Xiphiidae family, while the Istiophoridae family has 11 species in four genera, including marlin, spearfish, and sailfish.

Sailfish and marlin belong to the Istiophoridae family of billfish, while swordfish is the only member of the Xiphiidae family. They are top predators that eat a wide range of lesser fish, crabs, and cephalopods. The order Istiophoriformes, which includes these two families, was formed around 71 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous, with the two families diverging about 15 million years ago in the Late Miocene. They are, nevertheless, recognized as being closely related to mackerels and tuna in the order Perciformes’ suborder Scombroidei.

Despite not being true billfish, a variety of different species with pronounced bills or beaks are commonly referred to as billfish. Halfbeaks resemble small billfish and cartilaginous fish with long, serrated rostrums, such as the sawfish and sawshark. Needlefish are commonly confused with billfish, however, they are clearly distinguishable from true billfish by having both jaws elongated, single and similar-sized and-shaped dorsal and anal fins, and pelvic fins inserted far behind the pectorals.

Distribution

Billfish can be found in temperate and tropical waters all around the world. They are extremely migratory marine fish that spend much of their time following major ocean currents in the epipelagic zone of international water. Seasonal patterns in sea surface temperatures are linked to migration patterns. They’re also described as “rare event species” since the places they inhabit in the open oceans are so vast that researchers have a hard time finding them.

Because so little is known about their travels and lives, determining how they can be handled sustainably is difficult. Inshore waters are normally avoided by billfish unless there is a deep dropoff close to the shore. Rather, they swim around the continental shelf’s edge, where cold, nutrient-rich quality and better can sustain enormous schools of forage fish.

Body Description

Billfish have a snout, beak, or rostrum, which is a long, bony, spear-shaped bill. The swordfish has the longest bill, which is nearly one-third the length of its body. It is smooth, flat, pointed, and sharp, much like a true sword. Other billfish have shorter, rounder bills that resemble spears. Billfish have large, flat bodies with close-together dorsal fins toward the back of their bodies. The majority of the marlin we catch are between 5 and 6 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds.

They are enormous, powerful predators with a long, swordlike beak that they use to shock prey. Their eyes are extraordinarily big, allowing them to see in low-light situations. They also have a keen sense of smell, thanks to nasal canals that reach all the way to their eyeballs.

Dietary

Billfish are powerful swimmers who can reach speeds of more than 50 mph in a matter of seconds (80 kph). Billfish are huge, fast predators that spend most of their time in the open ocean’s epipelagic zone. Smaller pelagic fish, crabs, and small squid are their favorite foods. Some billfish species pursue demersal fish on the seafloor, while others dive to mesopelagic depths on a regular basis. They usually cut schooling fish with their bills. They slice left and right through the fish school at fast speeds, then circle around to eat the stunned fish. Other billfish have only little file-like teeth, while adult swordfish have none. They take a big bite out of their catch and consume it whole.

Breeding

When they spawn in the summer, they may come closer to the coast. Pelagic means that their eggs and larvae float freely in the water column. Many reach lengths exceeding three meters, with the blue marlin reaching five meters. Males and females are often larger.

Uses

Billfishing is a major component of subsistence fishing in portions of the Pacific and Indian oceans, such as the Maldives. These are among the most sought-after big game fish, and the demand is met by significant recreational fisheries. They are delicious to eat and are abundant in omega-3 fatty acids. The oil content of the blue marlin is exceptionally high.

In Fish

The Bighead Carp Fish Breed Information

February 17, 2022 4 Mins Read

The bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) is a freshwater fish that is one of several Asian carp species. It is found in eastern Asia’s big rivers and related floodplain lakes. It is one of the most heavily utilized aquaculture fishes. In 2013, global output was over 3 million tons, with China accounting for the majority of it.

The range of the Bighead fish spans from southern China north to the Amur River system, in addition to its availability in its native habitat. These species have also been widely imported outside of their native region, including the United States and a number of nations in South Asia.

Bighead carp is an important aquaculture species, with the fifth-highest production rate of all cultured freshwater fish globally. Its output increased from 15,306 tonnes in 1950 to 3,059,555 tonnes in 2013, with China accounting for the majority of the increase. Bighead carp has a rapid growth rate, making it a profitable aquaculture fish. Bighead carp, unlike common carp, are primarily filter feeders.

Zooplankton is their preferred food, but they also eat phytoplankton and debris. In the United States, bighead carp are considered a very damaging invasive species. Bighead carp (H. molitrix) and the closely related silver carp (H. molitrix) were imported to the United States to remove surplus or undesired plankton from sewage treatment plants and aquaculture facilities, thereby improving water quality.

They are cultivated in ponds in the United States. The market for life or recently killed animals is the most profitable. As a result, bigheads have frequently exported life, posing a high risk of the fish spreading, either by the release by the end customer or escape during transit. The usage of bighead carp as fishing bait is another potential source of unintended bighead carp propagation. This same demand attracted fish farmers to import bighead carp as a water quality control tool in aquaculture ponds in the 1970s, but floods breached parts of the ponds, releasing the fish into the Mississippi River.

Body Structure

The bighead carp has a huge, scale-less head with a large mouth and low-set eyes. The colour of adults is usually speckled silver-gray. It’s a big fish, with a typical length of 60 centimeters and a maximum size of 146 centimeters and 40 kilograms. The Bighead Carp fish resembles the Silver Carp fish in appearance, with the exception of the body color.

It has irregular, dark gray to black markings on the back and sides and is dark gray above and cream-colored below. Only the bases of the pelvic fins are reached by the belly keel, which extends forward from the vent. On the first gill arch, the rakers are long and slender.

Spawning

In rivers, spawning is naturally induced by a rise in water level after rain. According to reports, the Bighead Carp’s spawning season can last from spring to late summer. The semi-buoyant eggs are thrown into the river channel, where they hatch as they are swept along by the stream. In most cases, these fish are unable to spawn in ponds or lakes. Females achieve maturity at three years of age, whereas males reach maturity at two years. Although, depending on the environment, the exact age can vary greatly. Bighead females can lay anywhere from 280,000 to 1.1 million eggs, which float for 40 to 60 hours before hatching.

Diet

The Bighead Carp is a vigorous filter-feeder with a broad food range that develops swiftly and reproduces rapidly. They are a powerful rival because of their specialization. They are generally fed on plankton and detritus strained from the water with their closely set gill rakers. In a contrast to Silver Carp fish, these fish eat greater plankton, including zooplankton and algae. Because bighead carp lack a genuine stomach, they must feed virtually constantly.

Uses

Despite their huge size, bighead carp are primarily raised for food. They’re also a popular sport fish.

In Fish

The Betta Splendens (Siamese fighting fish) Breed

February 10, 2022 5 Mins Read

The betta, sometimes known as the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), is a freshwater fish endemic to Southeast Asia. While the genus Betta contains 73 species, only Betta splendens is commonly referred to as a “betta,” owing to its worldwide appeal as a pet. Siamese fighting fish are endemic to Thailand’s central plain and have been bred for at least 1,000 years, making them one of the longest-lived fish on the planet.

Some individuals in Malaysia and Thailand are known to have gathered wild bettas as early as the nineteenth century, noticing their violent behavior and pitting them against one other in turf war gambling competitions. Betta splendens battles for only a few minutes in the wild until one fish flees.

The popularity of these battles drew the attention of King Siam (Thailand), who monitored and taxed the matches while also collecting his own fighting fish. In 1840, he gave some of his finest fish to Theodore Edward Cantor, a Danish physician serving in the Bengal medical service.

The first documented arrival of Betta splendens in the Western aquarium commerce was in 1874 in France, when French aquaria specialist and ichthyologist Pierre Carbonnier began acquiring and rearing several specimens. Paul Matte, a German tropical fish expert, imported the first specimens into Germany from Moscow in 1896, most likely from Carbonnier’s strain. This suggests that by the turn of the century, bettas had established themselves in France and Russia.

In 1849, the scientific name Macropodus pugnax was given to Siamese fighting fish, which means “violent fish with big feet” in reference to its extended pelvic fins. Betta pugnax, which refers to their aggressiveness, was given to them in 1897 when they were assigned to the genus Betta. Following the discovery that pugnax species existed, in 1909, the species was finally called Betta splendens.

Betta splendens are territorial, and if housed together, males are prone to assaulting one other; without an emergency exit, one or both fish will likely die. In limited quarters, female bettas can grow territorial toward one another. Bettas have a particular labyrinth organ that allows them to take in surface air, making them extremely adaptable to low oxygen levels and poor water quality.

Habitat and Distribution

Betta splendens prefer shallow areas of water with abundant vegetation, such as marshes, floodplains, and paddy fields, wherever they are found. Bettas were discovered and domesticated by humans due to the historical abundance of rice farming in Southeast Asia, which offered an excellent environment for them. Because of the shallow water and high air temperature, gases quickly evaporate, resulting in a considerable oxygen shortage in the betta’s native habitat.

The formation of the lung-like labyrinth organ, which allows Siamese fighting fish to breathe straight from the air, was most likely influenced by this environment. As a result, bettas can survive and thrive in harsher circumstances than other freshwater fish, resulting in fewer natural predators and rivals.

The northern Malay Peninsula, middle and eastern Thailand, Kampuchea (Cambodia), and southern Vietnam are all home to Betta splendens. The species is native to Thailand. It can be found from the Mae Khlong to Chao Phraya basins, the eastern side of the Cardamom highlands (Cambodia), and the Isthmus of Kra.

Betta splendens is native to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, according to a paper by Froese and Pauly (2019). They are also prevalent in the Malay Peninsula and adjacent parts of Sumatra, most likely as a result of human introduction. Bettas in the wild are like bodies of water with abundant aquatic vegetation and surface foliage.

Body Structure

Males and females have vastly different appearances, with males having longer, more gorgeous flowing fins. Females are significantly smaller and have shorter fins. B. splendens has a maximum length of 6–8 cm (2.4–3.1 in). Siamese fighting fish have been intentionally developed to have a wide range of colors and tail styles. The natural coloring of B. splendens is green, brown, and grey, with short fins; wild fish only show bright colors when agitated.

Diet

Betta splendens is a carnivorous fish that eats zooplankton, tiny crustaceans, and the larvae of aquatic insects like mosquitos. Bettas can be fed a variety of pellets, flakes, or frozen foods, such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, and daphnia, among other things. Bettas have trouble absorbing carbohydrates due to their small digestive tracts, which are common in carnivores.

Breeding

In a dance-like performance, male bettas will flare their gills, stretch their fins, and twist their bodies. Females who are receptive will deepen in color and grow vertical lines called “breeding bars.” Males construct bubble nests of varying sizes and thicknesses on the water’s surface, which interested females can inspect. Even if there is no female around, most men do this on a regular basis. Bubble nests are frequently built on top of plants or rocks that break the surface.

During each embrace, the male wraps his body around the female, releasing 10–40 eggs. The male distributes milt into the water with each egg deposit, and fertilization occurs externally. The female is pursued away from the male’s territory once she has released all of her eggs, as she will most likely devour the eggs. The guy is still in charge of the eggs. The incubation period is 24–36 hours. In as little as 4–5 months, B. splendens can reach sexual maturity.

Health

Bettas are vulnerable to a variety of diseases, the majority of which are associated with bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections. Poor water quality and cold water, both of which suppress the immune system, cause the majority of infections. A white spot, velvet, fin rot, and dropsy are the four most prevalent ailments. Siamese fighting fish can survive for three to five years while they can live up to ten years in rare situations.

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