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Armored catfish species

December 9, 2021 3 Mins Read

The Loricariidae, or the armored catfish, is one of the largest families of catfish. There are over 650 species of this fish currently known. More are being discovered yearly, with an overabundance in some regions. In North America, two types of armored catfish have been recognized: the armadillo del Rio, Hypostomus plecostomus, and sailfin catfishes in genus Pterygoplichthys. Their native range is the Amazon River Basin.

Invasive armored catfish have been around in Florida since the 1950s, and they are also seen in Texas. They were first seen in Mexico 15 years ago within the Reservoir El Infiernillo in Michoacán in central Mexico.

The armored catfish (Loricaria armata) is native to Africa and Costa Rica. It lives in warm freshwater habitats such as the tropical regions of both Africa and Costa Rica or large lakes in Texas and Florida. This fish has been relocated by owners and released into the wild after hurricanes, growing to enormous numbers in various parts of the globe.

The armored catfish is a freshwater fish that can tolerate average salinity, and it lives in the Southeastern region of the United States. The bony spines of this fish aren’t poisonous; they are used as protection to keep off predators. Scared or threatened, the armored catfish extends its fins to keep away from being swallowed. it may well survive in low-oxygen waters, gulping air and surviving out of water for greater than 30 hours due to vascularized abdomen which enable it to breathe air.

Due to the fact that they eat fish eggs, armored catfish can wipe out an entire species or at least cause numbers of other fish to drastically decline. Then, they lay their own eggs by the thousands. The male fish protects the eggs so that other species of fish cannot hurt the unborn fish, guaranteeing their survival. These invasive creatures have become a problem in many areas.

Body Structure

The armored catfish got its name from the way it looks. The armored plates that cover its body make it look like a suit of armor. Armored catfish grow to be about 12-20 inches long and weigh 1.5-2.5 kilos (3.3-5 pounds). They are nocturnal, with eyes adapted to low light conditions. The armored catfish lives in freshwater, however, can tolerate average salinity.

The armored catfish is covered in bony plates, has a triangular shape with a smooth bottom, and is spotted in a leopard pattern. Its mouth lacks teeth but scrapes algae from submerged tree trunks, rocks, and river bottoms.

Diets

The armored catfish have a limited diet due to the fact that it does not have any teeth. They survive by sucking the algae off of underwater plants or the bottom of a riverbed, as well as fish eggs.

Biology

In the wild, armored catfish will create lengthy burrows along shorelines and females will deposit eggs. These burrows can collapse under the weight of a human, becoming nuisances that can cause damage and increase the chance of abrasion on the canal and water bank.

Males stick around to guard the nest and the female may lay more than 300 eggs in their nests. Loricariids are cavity builders and may lay eggs in four to 20 days, depending on the species. Males guard the nests and may also stand up to a variety of ecological situations, they are extremely territorial.

In Fish

The Archerfish Species

December 2, 2021 4 Mins Read

The Archerfish Species is a monotypic family. The archerfish, or spinner fish, is a saltwater fish that lives in the Pacific and Indian oceans. The family is small and consists of ten species in a single genus, Toxotes. Most species live in freshwater rivers, streams, pools, and estuaries. Two or three of the species are euryhaline: they inhabit both fresh and brackish water.

One of the species, T. jaculatrix, is found in freshwater rivers and streams as well as brackish mangrove swamps. The Archerfish is a tropical and subtropical fish that can be found in Southeast Asia, Northern Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Melanesia.

The archerfish is known for its unique hunting method. Its diet consists of land bugs and other small animals, which it shoots down with a jet of water. They are able to shoot prey down with water droplets from their specialized mouths. The archerfish hunts for food with the help of a glandular secretion from the roof of its mouth, which shoots an insect attracting prey.

Archerfish are notoriously unique in their shooting. Almost every time, an adult fish hits the target on the first shot. While it is widely believed that all archerfish species do this. They can bring down insects and other prey up to 3m above water level. This is partially due to their good eyesight, but also to their ability to compensate for refraction.

When an archerfish chooses its prey, the fish rotates its eye so that the image of the prey falls on a particular portion of the eye. The fish then squirts a jet of water at its victim by forming a small groove in the roof of its mouth and tongue into a narrow channel. The archerfish does this by contracting its gill covers and forcing water through the channel.

The position of the fish that shoots up to seven times in succession is directly beneath the prey, and they learn this is their best shooting spot. When shooting up to three meters, they are accurate only around one to one and a half meters. The blast of water may not bring down insects but the weight of the water on its wings brings it down.

Body Description of The Archerfish Species

The archerfish is a small fish, and its body can grow up to 15 cm long. It has silver stripes and two black spots on top of its head. An archerfish is a small tropical fish that lives in large rivers, lagoons, and lakes with abundant growth of water hyacinths. It is characterized by its largemouth, the depths of which are about one-third the length of its head.

The trunk has two pairs of fully formed fins: pectoral fins and pelvic fins. The fish has a slender body with a pointed face. The dorsal and anal fins are far back on the body, and the tail has a rounded edge. It is silver-gray or greenish-brown with yellow spots on its sides.

The Banded Archerfish have four to six black vertical bars on its body. The first bar is across the eye, and the last is before the tail end. These black bars are also seen in their dorsal fin as well as their anal fin. Since they have these bars it was given its name of Banded Archerfish.

Diets

Since they are omnivores, they can be fed live insects, mealworms, and freeze-dried plankton. Dry seaweed can also be given to them as they grow. Smaller fish can also be given to them as they grow since they hunt other aquatic creatures in the wild too. Most insects are eaten with relish. They have an average life of 8-10 years to live.

In Fish

Sea Robins Fish Species

December 2, 2021 3 Mins Read

Sea Robins Fish Species are members of the Triglidae family, which has gurnard fish (sea robin) as their emblem. Gurnard fish is known for its unique physical features. The orange ventral surface of the West Atlantic and large pectoral fins, which open when swimming, close like the wings of an airplane to create a larger wing surface area similar to it.

In the Triglidae family, there are three genera and about twenty species. They live in temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, usually in deep oceanic trenches. The fish found in the Atlantic are called sea robins and those found in the Pacific are called gurnard; a family of bottom-feeding scorpaeniform fish. They get their name (sea robin) from the orange ventral surface of the species in the Western Atlantic (Prionotus carolinus) and from large pectoral fins which resemble a bird’s wings.

Sea robins have several distinctive features, including their drumming muscles. These muscles can be found in the abdomen, and when the fish is caught against its swim bladder, they beat to produce a sound similar to that of a frog.

Body Structure of Sea Robins Fish Species

Robinseas are fish with armored heads and elongated bodies. Their front fins are wings, which they use to move along the bottom of the sea and to hunt for food. They live below 20 meters. Their touching wings are the size of wings, with a few rays underneath each forming a separate feller. The body is typically dark red, but the fins are translucent pink. It has a covering of thick armor plates and spines over its entire body.

Sea robins are remarkable in both looks and behavior. These creatures have fierce eyes and a pointy nose, but they only grow to be about 11cm long. Their bodies are flat, with the head being flatter than the body. The armor on their heads has a long point on it that resembles a fin. The snout develops both broad and long protrusions that end in sharp points.

The sea robin has three “walking rays” on each side of its body. These are derived from the supportive structures in the pectoral fins, called fin-rays. The walking rays in sea robins have been shown to be used for locomotion and prey detection on the seafloor via chemoreception, a method of detecting chemical substances. The most prevalent amino acids in marine invertebrates are detected by this chemoreception, which is highly sensitive.

Habitat and Diets

Sea robins are very common. All members of the group live in tropical waters, but most inhabit the Pacific. The latest species to be discovered was found off the coast of Costa Rica and lives at a depth of 110 meters or more. Its diet consists primarily of annelid worms, small crustaceans, and small fish.

Uses

Gurnard is a member of the sea robin family, Triglidae. They have firm white flesh that holds together well in cooking, making them well-suited to soups and stews. The French especially enjoy Gurnard as a dish called “bouillabaisse,” which is made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and saffron. They can also be used as bait.

In Fish

Antarctic Toothfish Species

November 25, 2021 4 Mins Read

In 1937, the English ichthyologist John Roxborough Norman described the toothfish in a formal description. He gave its type locality as MacRobertson Land at 66°45’S, 62°03’E in Antarctica. The specific name was given for Douglas Mawson who led the Australasian Antarctic expedition from 1911-1914.

The Antarctic toothfish is a species of notothen native to the Southern Ocean. It is often mistakenly referred to as an Antarctic cod, which is consistent with the misnaming of other notothenioid fish as rock cods though it belongs to a different taxonomy order from codfish. This name follows from a confusion between two genera of true cods, COD and NOTOTHEA. Notottenoid fishes are not closely related to cods, which are in another taxonomic order.

The Antarctic toothfish is known as “Dissostichus mawsoni”. The common name for this fish is “toothfish,” which refers to the fact that it has a biserial dentition in its upper jaw, which gives it a shark-like appearance. This fish lives in the southern oceans at temperatures below 60°S.

The species was first described by Achille Valenciennes in 1837, as Brama diacanthus, but was later reclassified into the genus Dissostichus. The generic name, Dissostichus is from the Greek dissos (twofold) and stichus (line) and refers to the presence of two long lateral lines.

The Antarctic toothfish, Dissostichus mawsoni, has a partially cartilaginous skeleton which makes it lightweight. This fish also lacks a swim bladder and fat deposits serve as an energy source during migration. The Antarctic toothfish is neutrally buoyant due to its ability to store large amounts of fat in the body.

Antarctic toothfish can locate prey in low light conditions and have lateral lines and visual systems well adapted to their environment. They also have a well-developed sense of smell, which is why they are easily caught by baited hooks.

Body structure

The Antarctic toothfish species has a broad head, an elongated body, long dorsal and anal fins, large pectoral fins, and a rudder-like caudal fin. They typically move slowly but can reach bursts of speed when threatened by predators such as seals.

The Antarctic toothfish is a large, predatory fish. Growing to 1.7m in length and weighing 135 kg (298 lb), the Antarctic toothfish is the largest of the Antarctic fishes. This size allows it to compete with other predators for food, such as penguins, seals, and squid.

Antarctic toothfish, also known as the Chilean sea bass, is one of only five notothenioid species that are neutrally buoyant. As adults, they reach lengths of 100 to 120 cm and are able to spend time above the bottom without expending extra energy because of their neutrally buoyant state. They feed on both bottoms and mid-water-dwelling prey.

The olive-brown flathead catfish is a small fish that blends in well with its surroundings. The body and fins are mottled in a pattern that makes it very difficult to see, especially in the sponges and corals where it spends most of its time hiding from predators.

Diets

Antarctic toothfish feed on shrimp and small fish, which is also the main diet of Adélie penguins. Sperm whales eat large Antarctic toothfish, and the bottom-dwelling variety feeds on grenadiers. Toothfish also eat other smaller fish species and skates.

Habitat

The Antarctic toothfish live in the cold waters of the Southern Ocean. They are found around or near the Antarctic continent, but also as far north as Norway. They mainly live at depths between but have been caught as deep as. The largest toothfish ever caught weighed and measured long.

Reproduction

Antarctic toothfish are relatively fast-growing when young, but then growth slows later in life. They reach about one-third of maximum size after 5 years, and half maximum by 10 years, after which growth slows considerably. They spawn sometime during winter. Large, mature, older fish have been caught among the seamounts of the Pacific-Antarctic.

The maximum age recorded for an Antarctic toothfish is 48 years (McClanahan and Friedlander, 2002). It takes 13 years for the males to mature and 17 years for the females (Kotze et al., 2000; McClanahan and Friedlander, 2002). At maturity, they may not spawn every year.

In Fish

Arapaima Fish Species

November 25, 2021 3 Mins Read

Arapaima, pirarucu, or paiche is a large fish native to the Amazon and Essequibo basins in South America. The fish can grow as long as 3 m (9.8 ft). Arapaima is the type genus of the subfamily Arapaiminae within the family Osteoglossidae. They are an important food source for many people in the Amazon. They are large, streamlined, air-breathing freshwater fish native to the Amazon River basin. It can survive in pools with low water levels or decaying vegetation by breathing air.

The Arapaima species was formally regarded as a monotypic genus, with only one species being present. However, in the 1990s several additional species were recognized. Now the taxonomic confusion of this fish is so great that even its native range is not explained.

Arapaima has been taken outside the native range (within South America and elsewhere), where they are sometimes considered invasive species. In Portuguese, it is called pirarucu, from the Tupi language words pira and urucum, meaning “red fish”. In Brazil, for example, it has been released into the wild in the states of Pará, Amapá, and Maranhão.

Description

Arapaima has large, bony heads with torpedo mouths and streamlined bodies. Dorsal fins stretch along their backs toward their tails, which are massive but stumpy in appearance. Arapaima is black with a white center and red tails. Their heads are copperish-green in color.

Arapaima can reach lengths more than 2 meters in some exceptional cases, even exceeding 2.6 meters and over 100 kilograms. The maximum recorded weight for the species is 200 kilograms, while the longest verified length was 3.07 meters.

The Arapaima has a dependence on surface air to breathe. It has gills, but it also has lungs that are highly developed in its swim bladder. The swim bladder acts like lungs, allowing the fish to extract oxygen from the air.

The arapaima is found in the Amazon River basin of Brazil, Peru, and Guyana. They live in slow-moving, typically oxygen-deficient rivers. they are one of the oldest species of fresh water in the world and they can live up to 22 years. they can survive outside water for like 24 hours.

Diets and Habitat

The arapaima is a fish that can grow up to 10 feet long. It has no scales, fin rays, or gills. The mouth of the fish is located at the bottom of its head. Its diet consists of fish, crustaceans, fruits, seeds, insects, and small animals that walk near the shore. The Amazon River contains low oxygen levels.

This fish is able to in oxbow lakes with very little oxygen. It is the top predator in such lakes during the low-water season when the lakes are isolated from the rivers and oxygen levels drop. Its prey becomes lethargic and vulnerable at this time. The arapaima may leap out of the water if it feels constrained by its environment.

Reproduction

An arapaima’s lifecycle greatly depends on seasonal flooding. When the flood season is approaching, and arapaima lays its eggs in the soft mud near water bodies. The eggs are light brown and oblong, about 5 cm long and 2 cm wide. They remain undisturbed until the flood season begins when the young hatch. Young arapaimas are displaced by the flood into different habitats.

The male also acts unusually because it acts as a mouthbrooder, protecting the young inside of its own mouth until they are larger. The female helps protect the male and the young by circling them.

In Fish

Angelfish Species Facts

November 18, 2021 4 Mins Read

The freshwater angelfish belongs to the Cichlidae family, which includes all species of freshwater cichlids. These fish are one of the many unique species that come from brazil’s amazon river. They are found in the river basin and its tributaries in Peru, Colombia, and Guiana. The freshwater angelfish is a popular freshwater because it’s less aggressive compare to others, is easy to care for, and looks attractive.

In the freshwater angelfish, there is a red stripe that runs from their shoulder to the tail. They are aggressive eaters and will go to the top of the tank when they see you approach. Because of their feeding habits, make sure that your less aggressive fish are getting their share around feeding time.

The fish is native to the Amazon River, found in slow-moving streams, swamps, and floodplains along the Amazon River basin. It thrives in warm water with temperatures between 75-82°F. Their water is often acidic, with little to no salinity. They live in swampy conditions, while a fine sandy substrate and lots of aquatic vegetation and moss plant for hiding.

Angelfish are sensitive to their environment and can become very territorial when it comes to breeding. They will form pairs when they breed and chase away other fish that try to enter their territory.

Angelfish can be quite aggressive. They will form small hierarchies and fight to defend their positions. They fight by locking lips together; they are actually fighting when you find them in this position. They will form small schools but are not particularly social with the others in their school. They are quite territorial and are more likely to fight than cooperate. Because of this, they can be housed with other fish.

Description

Angelfish are known for their trailing dorsal and pectoral fins along with their wide fan-shaped caudal fin. Freshwater Angelfish are silver with 4 large, black bands. Juveniles have 7 bands but as they mature their bands reduce to 4.

The freshwater angelfish is available in several different variations. There are blue, gold, silver, black, platinum, koi, and many other varieties of these fish. A mature freshwater angelfish will require at least 20 gallons of space to thrive. These fish are semi-aggressive and will fight for their territory when ready to reproduce.

It is hard to know the gender of freshwater angelfish. Mature male freshwater angelfish will have a papilla that is elongated and pointed. Females will have a blunt papilla. Male freshwater angelfish are sometimes larger than females too.

Diets

Angelfish are not picky eaters. In the wild, they feast on insects, larvae, crustaceans, rotifers, and even smaller fish. They feast on insects, larvae, crustaceans, rotifers, and even smaller fish. They require a diet high in protein and fiber and do not eat lots of plant material or algae. Their food sources are water fleas and brine shrimp.

Reproduction

Anglerfish can breed in 78-80F water, but cooler waterworks as well. The fry develops slower, but it is easier to raise the fry in cooler temperatures. They are substrate spawners and will lay eggs on a vertical or diagonal surface. Once the eggs are placed by the parents, remove them to prevent them from eating the eggs.

The spawning process begins when the female cichlid approaches the spawning surface and releases her eggs, which are fertilized by the male. The female spends a lot of time near the surface; it is thought that she is preparing to lay her eggs. She will release anywhere from 200 and 400 eggs per spawn, and they will be fertilized by the male outside of their body and do not take part in caring for the eggs. They can live up to 10 years of age.

In Fish

Anglerfish species Information

November 18, 2021 4 Mins Read

Anglerfish are a type of fish that belong to the order Lophiiformes. They are bony fish that have a characteristic way of hunting, in which a modified luminescent fin ray acts as a lure for other fish. The luminescence comes from symbiotic bacteria, which they acquire from seawater.

Anglerfish are a very diverse group, ranging in size and appearance. Some species look like tubes with large heads while others look more like worms. They are usually deep-sea creatures that eat smaller fish or squid by using their lures to attract prey into their mouths.

Extreme sexual dimorphism and sexual symbiosis are two characteristics of some deep-sea anglerfish. These species can be found in the suborder Ceratiidae, which consists of anglers living at depths greater than 1,000 meters (3,300 ft). While female anglers may be several orders of magnitude larger than males, they live together as mating partners.

Anglerfish are found all over the world. Some live in the open sea, while others live on the ocean floor. Pelagic anglerfish are elongated with a large mouth that faces upwards, whereas benthic forms are often extremely flattened with large upward-facing mouths.

The species that are found to swim freely have a different shape than those that are attached to rocks or other objects. The swimming ones are taller and narrower on the sides.

Anglerfishes have a special light in their lure to attract prey. The light comes from the plankton that is at the end of the lure, which is known as an “esca.” This esca contains a tall spine with a fleshy nob at the end.

Body Structure

Angler fish live in the dark and cold, deep oceans. They range in color from dark gray to dark brown and can be up to 10cm in length, though most fall between 2–18 cm. Angler fish have large heads that bear enormous, crescent-shaped mouths full of long, fang-like teeth angled inward for efficient prey grabbing. Their females tend to be much larger than males due to sexual dimorphism.

The mouth of most species is large and wide, extending all around the anterior circumference of the head. Teeth line both jaws, and are inclined inward so as to offer no impediment to an object gliding towards the stomach, but prevent its escape from the mouth. The anglerfish can distend its jaw and stomach because it has thin flexible bones that take up prey that doubles in size.

Diets

Anglerfish feed on a wide variety of fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. Because they live in deep-sea environments, it is not uncommon for them to eat prey that is almost as large as them. They have large mouths and can swallow prey whole. Some commonly eaten food includes small fish, squid, snails, shrimp, and more depending on their range and feeding habits.

Benthic species live on the seafloor and are ambush predators. They will sit and wait for prey to come close, and when it does they will swallow it whole. Pelagic species swim freely around the ocean, but also tend to be ambush hunters. They use lures that draw prey in, then swallow them whole when they get close.

Reproduction

Anglerfish exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism with females being up to 10 times the size of males. When a female is ready to spawn, she will seek out a male and collect him into her body. Some species allow multiple males to cohabitate in a single individual, while others adhere to a “one male per female” rule. Symbiosis is not the only method for reproduction in these fish; many species reproduce sexually as well.

In some Anglerfish species, the male bites onto the female’s skin and slowly fuses into her. He becomes a fleshy protrusion and serves as a constant sperm production for her. Other species reproduce more normally—some lay small numbers of eggs, while others lay many eggs in one large group.

In Fish

The Amur Pike Fish Species Information

November 11, 2021 4 Mins Read

The Amur Pike Fish Species, or black-spotted pike, is a fish native to the Amur River system in east Asia. It also inhabits freshwater habitat on the island of Sakhalin. Its body is olive brown with black spots and a white belly. Young fish have seven to nine vertical stripes and small dark spots.

This fish has a silver body with black spots, and can reach 115 centimeters in length and 12.5 kilograms (28 pounds) in weight. Like other pikes, it is prized for sporting activities.

The Amur pike was introduced to Glendale Lake in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. This type of pike is known for its large size; they can grow up to 35 pounds and 40 inches long. The natural habitat for this pike is the Amur River, which forms the border between Russia and China.

Glendale Lake is the only lake in the world with pure northern pike. The lake was chosen because it has an outflow, which takes water directly into heavily polluted waters. Pure northern pike are found in the lake today; however, it is probable that no pure or hybrid Amur pike remain. Some Amur pike escaped from the Benner Spring Fish Hatchery. This hatchery is in the Delaware River watershed.

Amur Pike Fish Species Body Structure

The Amur pike is elongated with a flattened head and body. The scales cover the cheeks, the upper part of the operculum and the whole upper part of the head. Its lateral line, which runs along its sides and over its back, has 130-165 scales, including 48-64 scales with perforations. The mouth is large with a snout elongated and the lower jaw is slightly protruding forward.

The Amur pike has a vertically elongated body that is covered with dark brown or black spots. On the side of its body, it has a number of oblique dark bands that help it blend in with its surroundings. Young pikes reside among coastal thickets and have similar markings as adults, minus the spots.

As the name suggests, Amur Pike is easily distinguished from other pikes by its skin pattern. It has black spots on its body, unlike other pike species. Amur Pike also resembles huchos in its coloring. It has a dark brown and black stain on its sides, head, fins and anal fin, as well as back fins. Its maximum weight is 16 kg.

In the coastal areas of the Amur River similar to Northern Pike, but in adult coloring is different. Young pike have bright yellow spots on their sides and head, which are present on the anal, caudal and dorsal fins. They also have a slight resemblance to trout. It can be up to 30-35cm in length.

Habitat

The life of the Amur pike is very similar to the Northern Pike. It lives in a coastal river or lake and then moves into open water as it matures. It likes to lie in ambush on the bottom of a lake or river and waits for prey, usually smaller fish. The mature Amur pike eats frogs, rodents, small birds and other animals

Diet

The Amur pike, the largest freshwater fish in Russia, is at risk of becoming extinct. It usually feeds on other fish, but it has also been known to eat waterfowl and amphibians. The pike has enough energy mostly by ambushing its prey. When an attack occurs, the fish goes into a state of acceleration. The distinctive habit of catching prey is by laying ambush, as a predator; it waits for prey in a still position for a long time and then suddenly attacks.

The Amur pike is a carnivorous fish. Its diet consists of small fish, frogs, insects, and crustaceans. The young Amur pike frequents coastal thickets where it feeds on smaller fish, frogs, insects and crustaceans.

Reproduction

Amur Pike is sexually mature at the age of 3-4 years at about 40 cm in length, which means that they spawn from March to July. During this time, it’s possible to see them from shore. However, their migration makes it difficult to spot them sometimes. When some of them migrate through a very small place, their backs stick out of the water

In Fish

Anemonefish Species Information

November 11, 2021 4 Mins Read

Anemonefish are colorful fishes that live in symbiotic relationships with sea anemones. The relationship between them and the sea anemones they live with is a mutualism, where both parties benefit from the relationship. There are 30 species of anemonefish: one in the genus Premnas and the remaining in the genus Amphiprion.

Anemonefish are small fishes that typically live in shallow water environments. Depending on the species, these fish can be yellow, orange, or red with white bars or patches. The anemonefish is a marine fish that can be found in the waters of Australia and other tropical areas around the world.

All anemonefish, including clownfish, are hermaphrodites. They start life as males and can turn into females if needed. According to National Geographic, the change is made when a male needs to mate with another male. The larger of the two will become female. The fish aren’t always able to make the transition from male to female back once the deed has been done.

They are social fish that are been led by one female who is the largest of the group. The second largest fish is a male who is dominant, while all other smaller fish are males. If the female dies, the dominant male becomes a female to replace her. The largest of the smaller males will then become the new dominant male of the group. Clownfish communicate by making popping and clicking.

Body Structure

Anemonefish are also known as clownfish because of their big head and big white lips. They are equipped with large, sharp teeth to crush the sea anemones they live in. The largest can reach a length of 17 cm, while the smallest barely achieve 7–8 cm.

The majority of clownfish are orange with three white bands on the head and body. The white bands are outlined in black. Their bodies are a bit more than 3 inches long on average, but they may grow up to 4 inches, according to the Animal Diversity Web. The tail is rounded and the dorsal fin is lined with 11 spines.

The clown anemonefish has thin black bands, whereas the orange clownfish has thick black bands separating the orange and white coloration of the body. The clown anemonefish often has a slightly less brilliant color than the orange clownfish. Viewed head-on, the clown fish’s head appears plain while the orange clownfish has a bulging face.

Habitat

Anemonefish are a kind of tropical marine fish that live in the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and other areas. They have a wide distribution from Indonesia to Australia and from Japan to Madagascar. While some species have restricted ranges, others live over a large area. They typically live at the bottom of shallow seas in sheltered reefs or in shallow lagoons.

Diet

Anemonefish are omnivores and can feed on undigested food from their hosts, as well as the anemone’s waste. The waste from anemonefish provides nutrients to the host anemone. They primarily consume zooplankton from the water column, such as copepods and tunicate larvae, but some species mainly eat algae.

Reproduction

Anemonefish live in groups of few members. The largest and most aggressive female is found at the top of the dominance hierarchy. Only two species, a male and a female, in a group reproduce – through external fertilization. Anemonefish are protandrous sequential hermaphrodites, meaning they develop into males first, and then mature into female.

Mutual Relationship

Anemonefish and sea anemones have a symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationship. Anemonefish are highly host specific, meaning they are only found in the waters of certain sea anemones. They also serve as protection for this fish, since the fish warn predators of their presence through warning colors which help them camouflage into their habitat.

In Fish

Alligator Gar Fish Breed Information

November 4, 2021 4 Mins Read

The fossil record traces this group’s existence back to over 100 million years ago. The Alligator Gar Fish is a ray-finned fish that is related to the bowfin in the infraclass Holostei. It is the biggest species in the gar family, and among the largest freshwater fish in North America.

The gar is often referred to as a “primitive fish” or a “living fossil” because it has retained some characteristics of its early ancestors, such as the spiral valve intestine and ability to breath both in air and water. This is also common to sharks and other fishes.

Alligator gar were seen as trash fish for nearly 50 years. State and federal authorities targeted them to protect gamefish populations and prevent injuries to people. They were targeted for elimination in order to prevent alleged attacks on humans.

In the 1980s, people came to better understand ecological balance. Eventually, alligator gars became recognized as an important part of ecosystems and were given protection by federal and state agencies.

The alligator gar has gills, but it also has highly vascularized swim bladder lungs that assist its gill respiration. This type of organ is not only crucial for providing the gar with buoyancy, but it also allows them to breathe in air, and help them to live in bodies of water where most other fishes would die of suffocation.

Alligator Gar fish which is a fresh water species is named for its toothy snout, which resembles that of an alligator’s. The creature has two rows of dagger-like sharp teeth on the top and bottom of its mouth, and adults are brownish yellow with darker markings on their backs. The head is sometimes lighter in colour which makes them to blend into dark and muddy water.

Body Structure of Alligator Gar Fish

Alligator gars are the largest species in the gar family, and one of the largest freshwater fishes found in North America. Mature alligator gar commonly measure 180 m in length, and weigh over 45 kg. However, anecdotal reports suggest they can grow up to 3 m in length, and weigh as much as 159 kg.

Alligator gar have torpedo-shaped bodies, they are large in size; heavy bodies; broad heads; short, broad snouts; large, sharp teeth; and double rows of teeth on their upper jaws. They are usually brown or olive fading to a lighter gray or yellow ventral surface. The dorsal and anal fins are positioned toward the back of their bodies with the caudal fins that is nonsymmetrical.

The ganoid scales on these fish aren’t like those of other fish. Instead, they are bone-like and rhomboidal, covered by an enamel-like substance, and often serrated. They provide excellent protection against predators.

Behavior and Habitat

Alligator gar are relatively passive, seemingly sluggish solitary fish. They have the ability to float motionlessly at the water’s surface for several minutes, waiting patiently for unsuspecting prey to swim within reach. Alligator gars are opportunistic night predators and primarily piscivores, but they also ambush their prey floating at the surface.

Alligator Gar inhabits fresh waters such as swamps, large ponds, lakes, and rivers. They tend to hide in dark and brackish water where they are difficult to spot because their coloration blends with the water. Although, there are reports that they sometimes live in saltwater.

Spawning

The alligator gar is a primitive species, and as such has longer lifespans and sexual maturity than most other fish. It takes females over 10 years to reach sexual maturity, while it takes males half that time. Spawning only happens under precise conditions; the extended photoperiod and rising water temperatures signal its readiness for mating.

Alligator gar eggs are bright red and poisonous to humans if ingested. Gar often eat their own kind when food resources deplete, such as in a drought. Gar can live for an average of 26 years in the wild but females tend to be longer lived than males with average lifespan of 50years.

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