|
Classification.
Common name.
Butterflyfish
Distribution.
From the Congo river basin to the Niger, in tropical
West Africa. Occurring mostly in stagnant water, such as
rain forest pools, with dense vegetation
General body form.
The body is shaped like a boat
with the top and bottom almost flat, so its profile almost
seems rectangular. The sides are convex and the nostrils protrude like little tubes.
The most distinctive feature
of the fish are its fins; the long Pectoral and ventral
fins are extended like wings. The Dorsal is small rounded
and set back on the body. Both the Anal and Caudal fins are
elongated like flags.The Anal fin of the male is notched
and the females is rounded. Their mouths are quite large
Coloration.
They are Drab, Grayish Green with a Brownish tinge. The
rays of all the fins have alternate dark and pale rings,
the Pectoral fins are Blackish with a White edge. A dark
band runs from the top of the head through the eye area to
the lower jaw.
Maintenance.
Like a typical surface-hanging fish, the butterflyfish
takes its food from the waters surface. Its large Pectoral
fins can help it leap out of the water to catch flying
insects. Pantodon should be kept in a tank of clear
soft and acidic water, with a large surface area and not
too deep. The plant material should be more sparse than in
its home area, with little or no floating types. The
Butterflyfish eats live foods of all kinds and larger
specimens will take floating mealworms. They can also
learn to accept many of the freeze dried food products now
available.
They are very interesting, but due to their
high price and specialized needs, the novice Aquarist
should think carefully before buying one.
Breeding.
They have been bred in the home Aquaria. Lowering the
water to only a couple of inches in depth for a few weeks
and then refilling the tank with fresh soft acidic water and
raising the temperature can stimulate spawning. Spawning is
preceded by the male chasing the female and actually
raising himself on top of her.
The eggs when laid are
clear and after about ten hours turn very dark and float to
the surface. The butterfly fish spawn over many days so the
eggs should be removed with a spoon to a separate tank
with identical water conditions. They hatch in about two
days and the young are difficult to raise excepting only
the smallest of live food.
