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Encyclopedia of FISH FAMILIES

Anabasids (Anabantidae)

Members of this family are divided into two known genus: Anabas testudineus and many species of the genus Ctenopoma. Anabas, or slider (A. testudinsus) occurs from the Indian (subtropical) continent and from certain areas of Southeast Asia; In length, it reaches 20 cm. Watching these fish, one can often see how in the early morning hours, when the earth is still wet from the night dew, they move from the reservoir to the pond, and at the same time can overcome certain sections of the path without water. The front part of their body is slightly widened ... yes, this must have been a difficult journey! In an aquarium, these fish, on the one hand, are timid, but on the other - can not live with their neighbors because of their inherent aggressiveness. Unlike their relatives, they do not build a foamy nest and do not care for the offspring. Anabasovs prefer meat food, and if they are not saturated with it, they can attack other inhabitants of the aquarium. Therefore, near them, there should never be smaller fish.

The zones of distribution of Anabas and Labyrinth fishes are distinguished in black color

Ctenopomes are known to us in Africa, where they inhabit biotopes, often overgrown with grass. Some of these species (about 30 in all) are found in the Lower Zaire (Congo) system, from where they are imported, and others live in water bodies of West or Central Africa. Spawning behavior and attitude towards offspring develops in fish of different species, too, in different ways. Many are building foam nests and are engaged in nursing fries , while others do neither.

Leopard ketopoma (S. asi tirostre) is one of the most revered representatives of a kind. This hunter in her native territory is perfectly served by her camouflage outfit: a beautiful, bright coloration with a dark, and in places and black dot pattern. Aquarists need a large aquarium (about 100 cm) for its maintenance, since these fish grow up to 15 cm, or even more. Leopard ketopomu should not be confused with S. Ocellatum: both species have noticeable spots on the root of the tail, but the second pattern does not consist of points, but unevenly arranged spots and stripes. Both species are approximately the same in length. They come from the lower reaches of Zaire.

Ctenopoma asi tirostre

Ktenopoma Anzorga (C. ansorgii) - inhabitant of inactive inland waters in some areas of Cameroon. Sometimes it is called "orange fish", because the elongate dorsal and anal fins (especially in males) continue to extend lateral vertical lines, and the space between them in the period of mating plays is orange-red. In this state, the body color of the male acquires a golden hue, the caudal fin is black, and in the ventral fin a white fringe appears on a dark background. These beautiful fish like to live in dense thickets of plants. Their content in the general aquarium is not excluded (then they lead a secluded way of life), but still the species aquarium has advantages. They prefer soft water and light acidity ( pH 6.2 - 6.4). The size of the males is 8 cm, the female is 7 cm.

Ctenopoma ansorgii	Ctenopoma fasciolatum

Congolese (C. congicum) and the eight-banded (C. fasciolatum) ctenopomes are very similar, they are often confused even by merchants : they are both striped, decorated with greenish- and-blue dots and distinguished by unpaired fins. But in the second species, the caudal fin is much larger, and the dorsal and anal fins are longer in length. C. Congicum generally has a light brown color, and C. Fasciolatum , depending on the condition, can "darken" its light scales, so that it begins to appear almost black. Both grow to about 8 cm; They come from the system of the river Zaire (Congo).

Ctenopoma ohurhynchum, male

Ketopoma chocolate ( S. ohurhynchum) - a species very popular with aquarists. These fish like sites with a slow current; They live in the western part of the Zaire River Basin (Congo). They differ in unpaired fins and characteristic pattern: the posterior part of the dorsal, caudal and anal fins are transparent. At the same time attracts attention caudal fin, in the anterior part reddish, and then separated from the transparent part by a dark line with a light edge. In the middle of the body they have a large dark spot , many of the individuals in the gill and chest area have a white color. In length these fish reach 10 cm.

Ctenopoma kingsleyae

Kingsopae Kingsleye (C. kingsleyae) belongs to large species of this genus, it grows to 20 cm, and therefore it can be kept only in aquariums with a length of at least 100 cm. It should be noted that, unlike their close relatives, these fish They are not shy and can easily bully their neighbors around the reservoir. They need a feed that matches their large size, including flour and earthworms, fish pulp and lean meat of warm-blooded animals. They can be fed and fish of "suitable" size. Some of the types of ketopoma mentioned here are known to build foam cavities for caviar (C. ansorgii, C. cong i cum, S. fasciolat u m) , and, like the labyrinthine fishes and their relatives, lay a nest and take care of the offspring Males. But with . Ohurhynchum, S. acutirostre, S. kingsleyae, and C. Ocellatum do not do either one or the other. In natural conditions, they freely sweep the eggs on the surface of the water and leave them to swim. And since eggs are threatened with this method of reproduction, the fertility of these fishes is correspondingly high: for example, Kingsley's Ketopoma kills 20,000 pieces!