Copella arnoldi | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Characiformes |
Family: | Lebiasinidae |
Genus: | Copella |
Species: | C. arnoldi |
Binomial name | |
Copella arnoldi (Regan, 1912) | |
Synonyms | |
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Copella arnoldi, commonly known as the splash tetra or the splashing tetra, is a species of tropical freshwater fish belonging to the family Lebiasinidae. [1] [2] It is native to South America.
The fish is named in honor of German aquarist Johann Paul Arnold (1869-1952), who collected the type specimen. [3]
The splash tetra is a small, slender fish with a standard length of 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in). The mouth is relatively large and upturned, with acutely pointed teeth; this contrasts with the more horizontal mouth of the rather similar pencil fishes (Nannostomus). The maxillary bones are curved in an S-shape and the nostrils are separated by a ridge of skin. There is a dark spot on the dorsal fin and a dark line from the snout to the eye, which may continue to the operculum. There is no lateral line and no adipose fin. [2]
The species is endemic to tropical river basins in South America where it is present in river systems from the Orinoco to the Amazon River. It is found in shallow streams, both in clearwater forest creeks and in blackwater creeks in swamps and wetlands. [2]
Worms, crustaceans and other invertebrates, particularly small insects that fall onto the surface of the water, make up the splash tetra's diet. [2] [1]
This fish has an unusual system of reproduction, with the male fish caring for the eggs. During the breeding season, the male chooses a suitable location with overhanging foliage. When he has attracted a female to this spot, the pair simultaneously leap out of the water and cling onto a low-hanging leaf with their pelvic fins for up to ten seconds. Here the female lays a batch of six to ten eggs which are immediately fertilised by the male, before both fish fall back into the water. [2] Further batches are laid in a similar manner until there are 100 to 200 eggs on the leaf and the female is spent. The male remains close at hand, repeatedly splashing water onto the eggs to keep them damp. The rate of splashing is up to about 38 splashes per hour. The eggs hatch after some 36 to 72 hours and the fish fry fall into the water below. [2] [4] [5]
The black neon tetra is a freshwater fish of the characin family (Characidae) of the order Characiformes. It is native to the Paraguay basin of southern Brazil. They are often found in the aquarium trade.
The flagfish, also known as the American flagfish or Florida flagfish, is a species of pupfish, a type of killifish from the family Cyprinodontidae which is endemic to Florida. It is found in the aquarium trade. Its common name derives from the dominant males' body pattern, which bears some resemblance to the Flag of the United States.
Copella is a genus of freshwater fish belonging to the family Lebiasinidae, native to South America, known colloquially to aquarists as splashing tetras or splash tetras, because of the unique reproductive method of the best-known representative of the genus, Copella arnoldi. They are not as closely related to the tetras proper in the Characidae as initially believed.
Schwartz's catfish is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the family Callichthyidae. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the Purus River basin in Brazil.
The threadfin acara, also known as Heckel's thread-finned acara, is a South American species of cichlid fish. It is the only member of the genus Acarichthys and is native to rivers in the Amazon and Essequibo basins in tropical South America, and has become established in southeastern Asia. It is sometimes found in the aquarium trade.
Thayeria boehlkei is a species of characin fish endemic to the Amazon river basin and Araguaia river, in Peru and Brazil respectively. The species is popular with aquarium hobbyists where it is traded under a variety of common names including blackline penguinfish, blackline thayeria, hockey-stick tetra, penguin fish and penguin tetra.
Nimbochromis livingstonii, Livingston's cichlid or (locally) kalingono, is a freshwater mouthbrooding cichlid native to Lake Malawi, an African Rift Lake. It is also found in the upper Shire River and Lake Malombe. They are found in inshore areas of the lake over sandy substrates.
The diamond tetra is a small freshwater fish of the characin family of order Characiformes. It is found in and around Lake Valencia in Venezuela, South America.
Copadichromis borleyi is a species of haplochromine cichlid fish endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. The species is popular in the fishkeeping hobby where it is frequently kept in aquariums. The species has numerous common names, including redfin hap and goldfin hap.
The Kessler's gudgeon is a European species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is found in the Danube and Vistula drainage basins, including parts of Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovakia, and Slovenia. It is a small fish of no economic or sporting importance. It was at one time classified as Gobio kessleri.
The nkhomo-benga peacock, also known as the new yellow regal peacock, is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Lake Malawi. This species is threatened by capture for the aquarium trade.
Nematobrycon palmeri, commonly known as the emperor tetra, is a species of characid fish found in the Atrato and San Juan river basins in western Colombia. It was first imported in the aquarium trade to the United States in 1960 and has since become well established.
Boehlkea fredcochui, also known as the Cochu's blue tetra is a species of characin. Its natural range is in the Amazon Basin. It is commonly kept as an aquarium fish.
Nannostomus anduzei is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the genus Nannostomus in the characin family Lebiasinidae. It is native to Venezuela and northern Brazil, particularly the upper Orinoco and Rio Ererê, a tributary of the Rio Negro. The adults grow to a maximum length of only 16 mm, making them one of the smallest pencilfish. Other common names include miniature pencilfish, miniature nannostomus, and Anduzi's nannostomus.
Nannostomus espei,, commonly known as Espe's pencilfish or barred pencilfish, is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the characin family Lebiasinidae. It was first described in 1956 by Herman Meinken from the Mazaruni River system in Guyana and to date this is its only known location. It is notable amongst the genus in that the dominant body pattern consists of five broad, comma-like patches instead of the more normal horizontal stripes seen in the rest of the genus. This pattern of patches is assumed by other species at night, but only N. espei displays the pattern permanently and in daylight.
Nannostomus mortenthaleri, commonly known as the coral red pencilfish, is a freshwater species of fish belonging to the characin family Lebiasinidae. It is one of the most colourful of the genus, being suffused with a bright coral red colouration over its entire body and fins, in striking contrast to its horizontal jet black stripes. It was originally described as a subspecies of Nannostomus marginatus, but it is now recognised as a species in its own right. Mature males have a thickened anal fin. Maximum length is 29mm.
The ornate rainbowfish is a species of rainbowfish endemic to an area in eastern Australia, where it is native to coastal regions and sandy offshore islands in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. It is the only known member of its genus. It is a popular aquarium fish.
Hyphessobrycon bentosi, the Bentos tetra, ornate tetra or candy cane tetra, is a species of characin fish found in sluggish tributaries at the Amazon Basin in Brazil and Peru. Occasionally, it makes its way into the aquarium trade. It has often been confused with the rosy tetra.
Copella eigenmanni is a species of fish in the splashing tetra family found along the Atlantic coast between Pará to Delta Amacuro, the mouth of the Orinoco. They grow no more than a few centimeters.
Copella nattereri or the spotted tetra is a species of fish in the splashing tetra family found in the upper Amazon basin, as well as the Rio Negro and Orinoco basins. They grow no more than a few centimeters.