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In Fish

The Beluga Sturgeon Fish Breed

February 10, 2022 5 Mins Read

Sturgeons are a really old group of fishes that belong to one of the oldest bony fishes lineages. Their prehistoric ancestors are represented by their dinosaur-like physique. The beluga (Huso huso), sometimes known as the beluga sturgeon, is an anadromous fish. It’s mostly found in the Caspian and the Black Sea basins, but it used to be in the Adriatic Sea. It is the third-largest living bony fish species.

Due to the huge armored head, Huso huso appears to stem from an Old German term meaning skull. The kaluga, or river beluga, is the only other member of the genus and is possibly the world’s largest freshwater fish. The white sturgeon, the short-nose sturgeon, and the green sturgeon are all related species.

They feature thick bony plates covering their bodies, asymmetrical, shark-like tails, and barbels on their long snouts that aid in locating their prey. The beluga sturgeon’s appearance, combined with its enormous size, can be terrifying, however, this species is harmless and actively avoids humans. The Arctic beluga whale and the beluga sturgeon share the same name, which originates from the Russian word Belaya, which means “white.” Surprisingly, this is also where the name Belarus comes from. The sturgeon, which evolved more than 200 million years ago, is one of the most “primitive” bony fish still alive today.

Habitat and Distribution

This species has evolved to live in both freshwater and saltwater environments. It spends the majority of its life near the sea coast and then migrates upriver to spawn and generate young during the spawning season. This type of behavior is known as euryhaline, which means it can withstand a wide range of salinities. The Caspian Sea is primarily a habitat of the beluga sturgeon.

This massive body of water, which is split between Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Iran in Central Asia, is the world’s largest inland sea. It receives water from over 100 rivers, including the Volga. The beluga is also found only in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, which is located between Turkey and Russia.

Body Structure

The Beluga sturgeon has an extended body, heterocercal tail, largely cartilaginous skeleton, bare skin, and a longitudinal sequence of scutes, just like other sturgeon. The beluga sturgeon is the second-longest fish after the huge oarfish, and it is as massive as the ocean sunfish. It is the world’s largest freshwater fish. The beluga is also the world’s largest actively predatory fish, competing with the great white shark and the Greenland shark.

The dorsal fin has 48 to 81 soft rays, while the anal fin has 22 to 41 soft rays and is significantly shorter. The mouth is big, crescent-shaped, and protractile, with a continuous upper lip and a considerable gap between the lower and upper lips. With foliate appendages, the barbels are squeezed laterally.

Juveniles have a slender build and a narrow skull with a centrally located but upward protruding mouth. The snout (nearly half of the head) is slender and pointed, scutes are visible, the rear and flanks are dark grey or black, and the belly is white. Adults have a humpback and are heavy-set, spindle-shaped, and big. The head is huge, with a big protractile mouth that moves toward the front of the head as it grows.

The snout is short (one-third to one-quarter of the head), and the scutes gradually dissolve and reduce in number as the animal grows older. With silver or grey flanks and a white bell, the coloring is blue-grey or dark brown. The dark dorsum stands out in stark contrast to the rest of the body.

Belugas of this size are extremely old, continue to grow throughout their lives, and have become increasingly rare in recent decades due to excessive fishing. The mature belugas took a range in length from 4 feet 8 inches to 10 feet 9 inches and weigh between 19 and 264 kg. The female beluga is around 20% larger than the male. A particularly enormous beluga was recently caught, weighing 960 kg and measuring 11 ft 2 in length.

Breeding

The beluga is an anadromous fish that migrates upstream in rivers to lay its eggs on clean, hard bedrock. Males reach sexual maturity between the ages of 12 and 16, while girls reach sexual maturity between the ages of 16 and 22. To breed, beluga sturgeons can travel up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) upriver. The female deposits her eggs on the gravel between 4 and 40 meters deep. The beluga reproduces from the outside.

This is performed by the male and female releasing their eggs and sperm (typically in the millions) into the water separately. If the conditions aren’t right for spawning, the female has the option of reabsorbing the eggs and trying again later. Females only spawn every four to eight years on average due to their fussy nature.

Diet

Various diets have been reported throughout the beluga sturgeon’s distribution region, as well as according to the spawners’ migration stage. Adults primarily consume a wide variety of big fish (73 percent of the diet). Mollusks and crustaceans, aquatic birds, and juvenile seals are all possible food sources (Caspian seals, Pusa caspica). With age, the piscivorous diet of beluga sturgeon changes. In the wild, a beluga’s life expectancy is normally at least 50 years.

In Fish

The Basking Shark Species

February 3, 2022 4 Mins Read

The basking shark, also known as Cetorhinus maximus, is the second-largest living shark, after the whale shark. It is one of three quiet sharks that filter feed on plankton. Whale sharks and megamouth sharks are the other two plankton feeders. The basking shark is the only living member of the Cetorhinidae family, which belongs to the Lamniformes order of mackerel sharks.

Cetorhinus is derived from the Greek ketos, which means “marine monster” or “whale,” and rhinos, which means “nose.” The term maximus comes from the Latin word maximus, which means “greatest.” Its popular name comes from the fact that it feeds above the surface, giving the impression that it is basking in the warmer water.

Basking sharks used to be abundant in the world’s oceans, but their numbers have been slowly dropping for decades and are still declining. Despite their long history in the world’s waters, less is understood about this passive sea giant. About a century ago, basking sharks were a common species. They are docile and unafraid of boats or people, making them ideal prey for fishing boats.

The basking shark has the smallest brain of all the sharks when compared to its size. Basking sharks can take up to five months to lose and renew their gill-rakers. The name “basking shark” comes from the fact that they feed by swimming slowly and methodically near the surface. They look to be soaking up the rays of the sun.

Body Structure

They have a lamniform body plan, which has led to them being misidentified as great white sharks. The basking shark’s cavernous mouth, which can be up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) wide, longer and more apparent gill slits that fully encircle the head and are supported by well-developed gill rakers, smaller eyes, significantly greater overall size, and lower average girth distinguish the two species. Only the first three or four rows of the upper jaw and six or seven rows of the lower jaw function in basking sharks, which have teeth that are 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and hooked.

An adult basking shark weighs in at a massive 10,200 pounds and reaches a length of 26 feet. In 1851, the largest basking shark ever recorded was caught in a fisherman’s net in Canada’s Bay of Fundy. It was 40.3 feet long. No one could weigh it at the time, but the basking shark was estimated to weigh 45,800 pounds. A sharply keeled caudal peduncle, finely textured skin covered in placoid scales and a mucus layer, a pointy nose noticeably hooked in younger specimens, and a lunate caudal fin are all distinguishing features. Dorsally, the coloration ranges from dark brown to black or blue, fading to a dull white ventrally.

Habitat

The basking shark is a coastal-pelagic shark that can be found in boreal and warm-temperate waters all around the world. It inhabits the continental shelf and sometimes ventures into brackish water. It can be found from the surface down to a depth of at least 910 meters (2,990 ft). It loves temperatures of 8 to 14.5 °C (46.4 to 58.1 °F), however, it has been observed crossing the equator’s much warmer waters.

It is frequently spotted close to land, particularly in bays with tight entrances. The shark is typically visible at the surface because it follows plankton concentrations in the water column. It follows the seasons and migrates accordingly. During the summer and winter, basking sharks travel thousands of kilometers in search of the richest zooplankton patches, which are commonly found along ocean fronts.

Basking sharks are normally alone, but they congregate in dense patches of zooplankton during the summer months, where they engage in social behavior. They can form sex-segregated shoals in small numbers, but up to 100 individuals have been documented. The basking shark is a huge, slow-moving shark that may breach and leap completely out of the water. It’s possible that this behavior is an attempt to evict parasites or commensals. They’re slow-moving sharks who aren’t drawn to bait.

Diet

Zooplankton is a favorite food of basking sharks. The species pursues thick colonies of plankton near the surface as a filter feeder. When they feed, they open their enormous mouths and glide over the clouds of plankton, removing the small plankton with their gill rakers. A basking shark has the ability to filter millions of gallons of water every hour.

Reproduction

When a female basking shark conceives, her shark pups feed on other unfertilized eggs in her womb, a process known as oophagy. Surprisingly, the right ovary of a female is the only reproductive organ that works. Females will carry their puppies for one to three years and give birth to a number of offspring. When the pups are born, they have fully matured sharks with a maximum length of five feet.

In Fish

The Barreleyes Fish Breed

February 3, 2022 4 Mins Read

Barreleyes, sometimes known as spook fish, are small deep-sea Argentina form fish that live in tropical to temperate seas throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The term “Barreleye Fish” really refers to a small family of fish that are physically extremely distinct. These fish get their name from their barrel-shaped, tubular eyes, which are usually pointed upwards to detect the silhouettes of possible prey, although they may also direct their eyes forward. The Greek words opisthe ‘behind’ and proktos ‘anus’ are combined to form the family name Opisthoproctidae. The creature has also developed the astonishing capacity to move both of its eyes independently of one another.

Body Structure

There are multiple different species of Barreleye Fish, and morphological differences certainly exist. The Opisthoproctidae family includes three types of spookfish: robust, deep-bodied barreleyes like Opisthoproctus and Macropinna, highly slender and elongated spookfish like Dolichopteryx and Bathylychnops, and intermediate fusiform spookfish like Rhynchohyalus and Winteria.

All species have huge, telescopic eyes that protrude from the skull but are protected by a massive translucent helmet of soft tissue. These eyes usually look upwards, but they can also look ahead. Barreleyes feature huge, dome-shaped, transparent heads, which probably allow the eyes to absorb even more incident light while also protecting the sensitive eyes from siphonophores’ nematocysts, from which the barreleye is thought to steal food.

The toothless mouth is short and narrow, with a pointed snout at the end. The pectoral fins are significantly enlarged and wing-like, extending roughly half the length of the body, and are evidently utilized for stationkeeping in the water column. The pectoral fins are positioned low on the body, while the pelvic fins are positioned ventrolaterally rather than ventrally in some cases.

A ventral or dorsal adipose fin is present in several species, and the caudal fin is forked to emarginate. The anal fin may or may not be visible from the outside; the living body of most species is dark brown and coated in big, silvery imbricate scales, leaving the body itself translucent. Across all species, a varying number of dark melanophores color the muzzle, ventral surface, and midline in all species.

It also grows a layer of small, silvery scales on top of itself. In any of the various species, sexual dimorphism has no discernible effect. The majority of the numerous varieties grow to be less than 8 in (20 cm) in length. One particularly exceptional species, on the other hand, can grow to be as long as 20 feet (50 cm). The mouth remains toothless and tiny.

Habitat

Barreleye Fish live in the pelagic zone of the world’s oceans. Individuals also live at extreme depths, extending from 1,312 to 8,200 feet. As a result, its natural habitat is slightly beyond the limitations of light penetration at this range. Individuals also detect their target by their shadows by glancing up with their huge eyes. Meanwhile, this motion helps it to remain hidden in the deepest recesses of the ocean. Members of the Family have a strong advantage over possible predators because of this capacity.

Breeding

They are spawners in the pelagic zone. In the water, eggs and sperm are released. Fertilized eggs are buoyant and rise to shallower depths than unfertilized eggs. The larvae and juveniles are likely to drift with the currents at much shallower depths than the adults, and when they metamorphose into adults, they descend to deeper waters. The bioluminescent organs with reflective soles could be used as counterillumination camouflage.

This predator avoidance strategy involves using ventral light to part ways the fishes’ silhouettes so that they blend in with the artificial light from above when viewed from below. The marine hatchet fish is one of several unrelated deep-sea families that exhibit counterillumination (Sternoptychidae). Tubular eyes are also found in marine hatchet fish and other families.

In Fish

The Cichlids Fish Species

January 27, 2022 4 Mins Read

Cichlids are members of the order Cichliformes and belong to the family Cichlidae. Cichlids and wrasses were once grouped together in a suborder known as the Labroidei. The convict blenny is arguably the closest living relative of cichlids, and both families are categorized as the Cichliformes. This is a huge and diversified family. This is one of the biggest vertebrate families, with at least 1,650 species scientifically documented. Cichlids have the most endangered species of any vertebrate family, with the majority of them belonging to the haplochromine group. Cichlids are well-known for rapidly evolving into a plethora of closely related but morphologically distinct species inside huge lakes, including Lakes Tanganyika, Victoria, Malawi, and Edward.

Cichlids are one of the world’s largest vertebrate families. Africa and South America have the most diversified populations. At least 1,600 species have been identified in Africa alone. As far north as the Rio Grande in South Texas, Central America and Mexico have roughly 120 species. Madagascar has its own unique species that are only distantly linked to those found on the continent of Africa. Except for nine species in Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, native cichlids are mostly absent in Asia. Cichlids have established themselves as exotics in feral populations. Even though most cichlids are found at modest depths, there are a few outliers. The deepest known events are over 300 meters deep.

This fish family exhibits a wide variety of social and sexual behaviors. Some species dwell in big groups, while others establish territories and engage in hostile behavior toward other fish. Many create territories, although, in widely scattered schools, they live so close to their neighbors. The level of hostility varies depending on the species.

Body Structure

Cichlids have a comparable body form diversity, ranging from strongly laterally compressed species to cylindrical and very elongated species. Cichlids, on the other hand, are medium-sized, oval in shape, and slightly laterally compressed, and morphologically, behaviorally, and ecologically, they are quite similar to North American sunfishes. The fusion of the lower pharyngeal bones into a single tooth-bearing structure is a common feature among cichlids. The upper and lower pharyngeal bones can be used as a second set of jaws for food processing thanks to a complicated network of muscles. Cichlids come in a variety of body sizes, ranging from 2.5 cm (1 in) to more than 1 m (3 ft) in length.

Habitat

Although several species can withstand brackish water for long periods of time, cichlids are less prevalent in brackish and saltwater settings. Only a few cichlids, on the other hand, live in brackish or saltwater. Warm hypersaline lakes, where representatives of the genera Alcolapia and Danakilia live, are possibly the most extreme environments for cichlids. This diversified group can be found in a variety of environments.

Some animals have specialized habits and only live in one sort of habitat. Other species can thrive in a wide variety of environments. These fish can be found in a variety of environments, including lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and more. Few animals even venture into saltwater environments or brackish water zones with a salt-fresh water mix.

Diets

Carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, planktivores, and detritivores are all recognized within the Cichlidae family, implying that the Cichlidae family encompasses nearly the whole range of food consumption available in the animal kingdom. Although certain species have physical adaptations for specific food sources, most cichlids eat a wide variety of foods depending on what’s available. Many of these species are herbivores that eat algae and plants. Small creatures, especially invertebrates, make up a small portion of their diet. Others are detritivores, meaning they feed on organic matter. Other members are predators that eat very little plant materials. Generalists, for example, collect a wide range of small species, including other fish and insect larvae.

Reproduction

This family reproduces as a unit by spawning. The female lays the eggs, and the male fertilizes them outside of her body during the spawning process. The amount of eggs produced depends on the fish’s species, size, and age. Monogamous pairings, or pairs that only breed with one mate, are common in many species. These couples may protect their eggs and/or young in some instances. When the young of other species hatch, they are completely self-sufficient.

In Fish

The Barramundi Fish Breed – 4 Amazing Characteristics, Feeding, Breeding

January 27, 2022 4 Mins Read

The Barramundi Fish Breed (Lates calcarifer), also known as Asian sea bass, is a catadromous fish belonging to the Latidae family of the Perciformes order. From South Asia to Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia, the species is found throughout the Indo-West Pacific region. The name “barramundi” comes from the language of the Australian aboriginal people that live in the Queensland region. The name literally translates to “large-scaled river fish,” which is an accurate description of the creature. It also goes by the names Australian or Asian sea bass, Barramundi Fish Breed perch, and gigantic sea perch in Australia and Asia. The species belongs to the Latidae taxonomic family, which is classified with other ray-finned fishes in the Actinopterygii class.

Researchers have a lot of difficulty monitoring and calculating the overall number of barramundi because they have such a broad geographic spread and travel frequently throughout their lives. Despite considerable commercial fishing operations, they are currently classed as the least concern. The barramundi is a stenothermal euryhaline fish. It lives along rivers and spawns in estuaries and tidal flats. Purely marine communities may establish themselves in locations where freshwater is scarce. Age determines the gender of barramundi fish, with young adults being male and older individuals being female. The majority of these fish reproduce on nights when the moon is new or full.

Body Structure of Barramundi Fish Breed

The fish is compressed, with a concave dorsal head shape. The single dorsal and ventral fins have spines and soft rays; the paired pectoral and pelvic fins only have soft rays; the caudal fin is truncated and rounded and has soft rays. They have enormous silver scales that can darken or lighten depending on their surroundings. Their bodies can grow to be as long as 1.8 meters (5.9 feet). The maximum weight is approximately 60 kilograms (130 lb). The body structure of this species is elongated, with a big, slightly slanted mouth and an upper jaw that extends behind the eye. It has ctenoid scales.

Habitat and Distribution

Native populations of this species can be found from Africa to Japan, and it has a wide range in the Indo-Pacific region. It has a large and diverse population in northern Australia, especially in the waters between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Despite its absence throughout much of the Chinese coastline, it can be found in the waters of the Sea of Japan, Southeast Asia, and India.

Because barramundi can tolerate a wide variety of salinities, they can survive in both salt and freshwater habitats. They are, however, susceptible to temperatures outside of their optimum range of 79 to 86°F, despite their wide salinity range. They are catadromous, meaning they move up rivers to breed. The various estuaries that dot the Indo-Pacific area serve as spawning places for wild fish.

Diets

Crustaceans, mollusks, and smaller fish (including its own species) are eaten by the barramundi; youngsters eat zooplankton. They will eat any aquatic prey that is small enough to fit in their mouth, including their own young. In their brackish spawning habitat, young barramundi typically hunts relatively minute creatures like zooplankton. As the fish becomes larger and begins to move, its prey targets become more diverse, including crabs and mollusks.

Reproduction

Males go downriver at the start of the monsoon to meet females who lay big numbers of eggs (several million each). The eggs and fry, which require brackish water to develop, are not guarded by the adults. The species is hermaphroditic in the sense that most individuals mature as males and then become females after at least one spawning season; as a result, the majority of the larger specimens are female. Fish kept in captivity have characteristics that are not found in wild fish, such as changing sex at a smaller size, having a higher proportion of protogyny, and some males not undergoing sexual inversion.

In Fish

Barracuda Species Of Fish

January 20, 2022 5 Mins Read

The barracuda species is a marine fish that belongs to the genus Sphyraena, which is the only genus in the Sphyraenidae family, and was identified by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1815. It can be grown in tropical and subtropical waters all over the world, from the Atlantic Ocean’s eastern border to the Red Sea, the Caribbean Sea’s western border, and tropical portions of the Pacific Ocean. A barracuda is any of roughly 20 species of predatory fish in the Sphyraenidae family (order Perciformes). Barracudas may be found in all tropical and warm environments, although some can also be found in more temperate climates. However, in some oceans, they may become infected with a deadly chemical that causes ciguatera sickness.

Barracuda species are known for being aggressive and restless, and huge ones are feared fish that can be deadly to people. Some barracuda species are thought to be harmful to swimmers. Barracudas are scavengers who may misunderstand scuba divers for enormous predators and pursue them in the hopes of consuming the carcasses of their prey. Barracuda species have been known to bite swimmers, but such incidences are uncommon and may be due to low visibility. In exceptional cases, huge barracudas can indeed be found in swampy shallows. Barracudas might misinterpret glinting and shining objects for prey.

The word barracuda refers to a whole family of fish, not just one species. The Sphyraenidae is a family of fish that includes barracuda. The great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), a common fish, is probably what most people think of when they think of a barracuda. However, all types of barracuda, such as the pick handle barracuda, sawtooth barracuda, and sharpfin barracuda, can be found in the world’s waters. The Guinean barracuda, Mexican barracuda, Japanese barracuda, and European barracuda are all called for the regions where they are found.

The body of a barracuda is fashioned like a rocket and is designed to cut through the water. One of the fastest species in the sea is this lengthy, slender, and powerful fish. Barracuda can move just about as fast as mako sharks, who are known for their speed. Barracuda, on the other hand, cannot maintain high speed over extended distances.

In search of food, the barracuda is a runner, skilled in explosive movements. They spend the majority of their time swimming slowly enough to survey for food, only speeding up when prey is still within range; they frequently swim in small or big groups.

Barracuda species typically swim in saltwater in pursuit of schools of plankton-feeding fish. Prey has a hard time detecting them because of their silver and elongated bodies, and it’s extremely harder to spot them while looking at them straight on. When it comes to hunting, barracudas rely significantly on their vision. When they’re hunting, they’re drawn to anything with an unusual color, reflection, or movement.

Once the barracuda species has found its intended prey, its long tail and matching anal and dorsal fins allow it to move quickly enough to attack it before it can flee. Barracudas commonly hunt schools of fish by charging them head-on and biting them with their jaws. When barracudas reach adulthood, they prefer to swim alone.

Body Structure

A barracuda is a huge carnivorous ray-finned species with a terrifying appearance and fierce behavior. Barracuda species have spiral appearances, with conspicuous, crisply, fang-like teeth positioned in sockets of their huge jaws, similar to piranhas. Many species have big, pointed skulls with an underbite. Their gill coverings are coated with tiny scales and have no spines.

Their two dorsal fins are considerably apart, with five spines on the anterior fin and one spine and nine soft rays on the posterior fin. The rear dorsal fin is above the anal fin and is similar in size to it. The lateral line is broad and runs from head to tail in a straight line.

The upper body of the barracuda is dark gray, dark green, white, or blue, with silvery sides and a chalky-white belly. Species coloration differs slightly. On the sides of some species, there are irregular black dots or a row of darker crossbars. The great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) of the Atlantic, Caribbean, and western Pacific ranges in size from quite small to 1.2–1.8 meters (4–6 ft).

Habitat

Near-shore habitats including seagrass meadows, mangroves, and coral reefs are home to the majority of barracuda species. Although certain kinds may withstand brackish water, they are mostly marine fish. Barracuda can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Caribbean and Red Seas.

Diets

Barracudas are predominantly fish predators. They rip pieces out of larger prey to kill and swallow them. Barracuda species are frequently seen vying for prey with mackerel, dagger fish, and even dolphins. Barracuda eat a variety of species, including jacks, grunts, groupers, snappers, tiny tunas, mullets, killifish, herrings, and anchovies, by biting them in half. They also appear to eat smaller species of food that are placed across from them.

In Fish

Banjo Catfish Species: Aspredinidae

January 20, 2022 4 Mins Read

The Banjo catfish is native to the Orinoco Delta in South America. With roughly 43 species, the Aspredinidae family of catfishes (order Siluriformes) is a tiny South American catfish family. It can be found all the way from Venezuela to Brazil, as well as along Trinidad’s coast. Aspredinids can be found in almost all of South America’s major tropical rivers.

The Aspredinidae are widely considered as a component of the predominantly Asian superfamily Sisoroidea as the companion piece to the family Erethistidae, despite the fact that only a few taxa in the family have been reported recently.

The Banjo catfish thrives in both freshwater and brackish water environments. It prefers streams that are closer to the coast than many other catfish species found in delta waters. Although they are considered a calm species, they can become violent and territorial during spawning season, as do other bottom dwellers. In comparison to other catfish species, they also have smaller barbels.

Body Structure

The term banjo catfishes relate to their general body shape, which includes a sunken head and a slender caudal peduncle, giving the appearance of a banjo in some species. The adipose fin is absent in banjo catfish. The dorsal spine-locking mechanism is absent in most species. The outermost layer of skin can be removed.

Hoplomyzon papillatus has a size of fewer than 2.0 centimeters and Aspredo aspired has a size of roughly 38 centimeters, however, most are less than 15 cm. The majority of species have cryptic colouring. Alarm cells and the terror response are absent in aspredinids, as they are in other ostariophysans.

The banjo catfish is Brown in color, with huge dark splotches on a sandy yellow background, giving it the appearance of tree bark. In the natural, this fish may almost vanish against a background of fallen leaves. Every species seems to have its own body pattern, which consists of a mix of dark and bright patches. Fish skin is rough and chunky, which aids in disguising and protection.

The fins are huge, well-developed, and color-matched to the body. There is a sharp spine on the first ray of the pectoral fin. The size of the pectoral fins varies, and the tail fin is long; a distinguishing trait of this catfish is that it lacks a fatty fin, which has vanished over time. The mouth of a catfish is huge and open, with six barbels. It has dark-colored eyes that are very tiny.

Diets

Many aspredinids are generic omnivores that eat aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates as well as organic waste; however, members of the Amaralia family tend to concentrate on eating other catfishes’ eggs. They can swim by undulating their bodies, as do most fish, but they can also drive themselves along the bottom by pumping water through their gill openings. When agitated, several species can create sounds by waving their pectoral fin spines back and forth.

Habitats

Banjo catfish can be found in a variety of environments, including shallow backwaters, deep river channels, and tidal estuaries. Some aspredinids appear to be semifossorial, lying partially buried in dead leaves or other moist surfaces during the day. Coastal rivers and brackish water habitats like mangrove swamps are home to members of the Aspredininae subfamily.

Spawning

With banjo catfish, the female attaches its eggs to her belly and brings them to shallow water to hatch after the male fertilizes them. This behavior has been speculated to allow the eggs improved to respond to sufficient oxygen because these catfish reside in muddy areas. In most species, adult females are normally larger than males; however, this is inverted in Hoplomyzon sexpapilostoma. In Aspredo and Platystacus, males have a considerably longer dorsal fin spine than females.

In Fish

The Banded Killifish Fish Species

January 13, 2022 4 Mins Read

The banded killifish or Fundulus diaphanus is a temperate freshwater killifish from North America that belongs to the genus Fundulus and the family Fundulidae. Its native geographic range includes the Great Lakes runoffs and spans from Newfoundland to South Carolina and west to Minnesota.

The only freshwater killifish found in the northeastern United States is this one. Although it is generally a freshwater species, it can be found in brackish water on occasion. The term “banded killifish” refers to the characteristic black and white vertical bandings that run along the sides of the fish.

Body Structure

A top minnow with a thin body and flattened laterally. The mouth is tiny, slanted, and opens dorsally, and the snout is bluntly pointed. It has a protruding lower jaw and bands of very small teeth on both jaws. The dorsal fin contains 10 to 13 rays and is located far back on the back, commencing in front of the anal fin.

There are 9 to ll rays on the anal fin, 6 rays on the pelvic fin, and a rounded caudal fin. The lateral series lacks a lateral line and has 39 to 43 cycloid scales. The back and sides of the body are light olives, while the underside is yellow-white. On the body, there are normally 12 to 20 narrow vertical bars. Adults are typically 2 inches or longer.

The body of the banded killifish is thin and elongate, with a darker dorsal surface and white or yellowish underparts that continue to the anal fin. Males that are about to spawn acquire yellow pectoral and pelvic fins, a vivid blue patch on the anal fin, and beautiful blue iridescence on the lower body, including the area around the anal fin.

The bands in females are usually thin, distinct black bands that do not extend the entire width of the body. Males’ bands are silvery in color, less pronounced, and closer together than females’. A person’s sex can be determined by the number of bands he or she has. The maximum length is 13 centimeters, and the average length is 6.3 centimeters.

Habitats and Distribution

The Banded Killifish frequently congregates in small to large groups, cruising just beneath the surface of weedy lakes. It prefers the shallow waters of glacial lakes and ponds with abundant aquatic vegetation as a habitat. The Banded Killifish can be found in peaceful backwaters near stream mouths, vegetated pools, or stretches of slow-flowing in medium- to large-sized streams over much of its habitat.

It stays away from the cold, fast water of trout streams. Adults are between the ages of 2 and 3. The adults normally move in groups of 3–6, whereas the adolescents usually travel in groups of 8–12. When challenged by predatory fish, the sand and gravel provide hiding places for hatchlings and juveniles. Because the banded killifish is so little, it is usually overlooked.

Since the banded killifish is so little, it rarely travels into deeper waters, where it would be prone to attack and unable to swim against the current. Adult banded killifish, on the other hand, have been spotted feeding in deep bodies of water. Killifish with bands frequently concentrate near aquatic vegetation, which provides both protection and breeding habitat. Although euryhaline, banded killifish prefer to live in freshwater streams and lakes.

The largest adult ever seen was 12.8 cm at Indian Bay, Canada (5.0 in). Fishbait has been made from banded killifish.

The banded killifish is found all over eastern North America, from the Pee Dee River in South Carolina to Newfoundland; it’s also found in southern Pennsylvania, northeastern Nebraska, and the United States Virgin Islands. From Manitoba to Quebec, travel north to the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins.

The Atlantic Slope is home to the eastern subspecies, whereas the rest of the region is home to the western subspecies. The eastern subspecies’ westward growth could be due to bait or aquarium fish introductions into new water bodies, climatic change increasing suitable environment or a high exposure threshold than the western subspecies.

Breeding

Late spring and early summer are prime times for spawning. Spawning takes place in water temperatures ranging from 21 to 23 degrees Celsius. The male chooses a female after courting her. The eggs are discharged in bunches, fertilized, and produce a strand that adheres to aquatic plants fast. Because they perform external fertilization, where the female lays her eggs with sticky threads that adhere to plants, banded killifish are frequently seen spawning in dense aquatic vegetation.

The male selects a location in the shallow water and defends it from other males. When a female appears, the guy will woo her and fight the other male prospectors. While the male pursues her, the female will produce eggs.

In Fish

Ballan Wrasse Fish species

January 13, 2022 4 Mins Read

The Ballan wrasse is a ray-finned marine fish belonging to the Labridae family of wrasses also known as Labrus bergylta. It can be found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, where it prefers to live in rocky places. It is protogynous hermaphrodite, like many wrasse species, with all fish starting out as females and certain dominant fish eventually becoming males. It is consumed as a food fish in some locations, and it is also employed as a cleaner fish in Atlantic salmon aquaculture in northern Europe.

Ballan wrasse is a frequent species in the seaweed belt stretching from the Swedish border to the Trondheim fjord, and many Norwegians fish from harbors in the summer. During the winter, the fish, on the other hand, migrate to deeper waters, roughly 200 meters deep.

Many kinds of wrasse live around the Norwegian coast, eating crustaceans, sea urchins, mussels, and snails. Wrasse is beneficial to other fish because they eat parasites. The Ballan wrasse is the largest species of wrasse. Ballan wrasse is most effective when the weather is warm. During the winter, when temperatures are lower, they struggle because they go into hibernation.

This fish is renowned as a kind of seafood throughout the Orkney Islands, off Scotland’s north-east coast, and in Galway, Ireland’s west coast. Sport fishers also make use of them.

Body Structure

The Ballan wrasse is a huge, heavy-bodied species with a massive head and a rather deep body. It has a smaller mouth with thick, fleshy, wrinkled lips surrounding it, and its jaws are armed with a single row of robust teeth that are acute and sharp in small fishes but blunter and much more worn in adult fish. They are Protgynous hermaphrodites.

It has a large dorsal fin with 18–21 spines in the front half and 9–13 branching rays in the back half. The anal fin has three spines and is noticeably shorter. It contains big scales along the lateral line, having 41–47 of them. The juvenile fish are colored to blend in with their surroundings, ranging from light to dark green.

Adults might be dark green or reddish-brown in color, but they have numerous white spots all over them. It can reach a total length of 65.9 cm and a maximum weight of 4.4 kg has been recorded.

Habitat and Distribution

They can be found among rocks, seaweed, and reefs at depths ranging from 1 to 50 meters. For the first four to fourteen years of their lives, all Ballan wrasses are female, with only a handful turning male. Males of the species are usually always large. The Ballan wrasse’s large lips and strong front teeth are an adaptation for removing shellfish from rocks.

These are supported by pharyngeal teeth, which are located further back in the throat and can break through shells to gain access to the flesh inside. Crustaceans, such as hard-shelled crabs and small lobsters, are also eaten by this species. They’ll dive to water depths in search of shellfish that adhere to submerged rock walls and coastal rocks.

They will also live in regions where kelp and other seaweeds are abundant. Ballan wrasse is found in the northeast Atlantic Ocean from Norway to Morocco, including Madeira, the Azores, and the Canary Islands. There are records from the Mediterranean Sea, although these are regarded as suspect and maybe brown wrasse misidentifications (Labrus merula).

Breeding

In the summer, the male defends the 1,300 roe eggs produced by the female in shallow waters in the seaweed belt, and the eggs hatch after 8-12 days. One or more females lay eggs in an algae nest built by the male in a fissure in the rocks. After a week or two, the male defends the nest until the eggs hatch into pelagic larvae.

In Fish

Australian Grayling Fish Breed

January 6, 2022 4 Mins Read

The Australian grayling are also known as Prototroctes maraena is a freshwater fish that can be found in coastal rivers in mainland Australia and Tasmania. It was previously known as the cucumber herring because of its cucumber-like odor. Large, unexplained fish deaths caused substantial initial losses in Australian grayling in 1868–70.

The introduction of this exotic virus into Australian freshwater ecosystems is most likely due to the importation, rearing, and stocking of exotic salmonid species. Saville-Kent then went on to discuss the supposed epidemic that had wiped out the Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena 17–18 years before. “Thousands of grayling have been seen drifting down rivers, covered more or less extensively with a cottony fungoid growth,” according to the report.

A number of factors pose a risk to grayling in Australia. Dams and weirs obstruct migration, as well as floods and base flows, which are critical for habitat preservation and the passage of grayling larvae and juveniles to and from the sea. Due to siltation and other impacts, irresponsible forestry and farming activities degrade and divide river ecosystems. Graylings are threatened by predation and competition from exotic trout species.

In early 2021, two Australian graylings were spotted in the Glenelg River in south-western Victoria, the first sighting since 1899. Scientists believe that some of the environmental damage caused by agriculture is being reversed and that the condition of the river and estuary has recovered sufficiently for the fish to thrive.

Because the population once abundant in the Yarra River (and fished by anglers) appeared to have declined, the Australian grayling was thought to be extinct in Victoria prior to 1970. The Fisheries and Wildlife Department began wide-ranging fish surveys in the early 1970s, finding large numbers of grayling first in Gippsland’s Combienbar River, then in almost all coastal waters west of the Hopkins River.

In the Mitchell, Tambo, and Barwon Rivers, there were very large populations. Study shows that they still occurred in the lower Yarra River and should now recolonize upstream since a fishway has been constructed at Dight’s Falls. They can be found in rivers and streams with a cool, clear, moderate flow, with a gravel substrate and alternating pools and riffles.

Body Description

The Australian grayling is a slim, streamlined fish with a small just head and a long, thin body. On the sides, the coloration is usually silver, and on the back, it’s a dusky olive with a gold sheen. Rare individuals have been observed up to 5 years old and more with 33 centimeters in length. Australian graylings typically live for 2–3 years and reach around 21 centimeters in length.

Australian grayling with good body structure

With a small head and a slender body, the eyes are usually brilliant yellow, and the snout is rounded. The lower jaw is narrower than the upper. The adipose fin is a type of adipose The lips reach down to the level of the eye. There are no scales on the skull, and there is no lateral line. The upper body is brownish to olive or grey, lighter on the sides, while the belly is normally white or yellowish. Freshly caught fish emits a distinctive cucumber odor.

Spawning

During late April and early May, spawning takes place in the freshwater mid-reaches of streams. The eggs are dispersed across the substrate, and freshly hatched larvae are thought to be swept downstream to brackish water, where they will stay for around 6 months. Newly hatched fish are known to be sensitive to light and prefer shaded environments. In November, juveniles migrate to the river’s middle reaches, where they will spend the rest of their lives. Females appear to mature sexually at 1-2 years of age and 15cm, generating an average of 47,000 eggs after 2 years in freshwater.

Diets

The fish eats algae, prawns, plant debris, and small insects as part of its omnivorous diet. To aid in the digestion of algae, they have particularly developed teeth and a lengthy gut.

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