Leopard bush fish

Last updated

Leopard bush fish
Leopard-Buschfisch.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Anabantidae
Genus: Ctenopoma
Species:
C. acutirostre
Binomial name
Ctenopoma acutirostre
Pellegrin, 1899
Rzeka Kongo.png
The leopard bush fish is native to the basin of the Congo River (dark blue)

The leopard bush fish (Ctenopoma acutirostre), also known as leopard bushfish, spotted ctenopoma, leopard ctenopoma, spotted climbing perch, spotted leaf fish, spotted cichlid or spotted bushfish, is a freshwater fish. It is a member of the family Anabantidae, which is part of a group popularly known as labyrinth fish (gouramies and relatives).

Contents

It is relatively common in the aquarium industry and is often sold as a beginners' "oddball" fish.

Habitat

The leopard bush fish is endemic to the Congo River basin in Middle Africa and has adapted to suit many different biotopes within this system from fast flowing streams to stagnant ponds.

Size

The leopard bush fish is slow-growing and may take several years to reach an adult size which in the wild can easily reach 20 cm (8 in). In captivity a fish of 15 cm (6 in) cm is considered large. [2]

In the aquarium

In the aquarium the leopard bush fish is often seen as a hardy oddball that fits into some community tanks but careful consideration must be taken since it is somewhat aggressive. The leopard bush fish in the wild is a predator so it will take small fish up to the general size of an adult female guppy; anything larger than this will for the most part be ignored. It is not generally a good idea to mix this fish with large aggressive cichlids as they may injure the leopard bush fish or out-compete it for food. Good tank mates for the leopard bush fish include medium-sized gourami species, bala shark, silver dollar, Corydoras , Plecostomus species, Ancistrus catfish, and anything that won't fit into its mouth. They enjoy plentiful space and places to hide, so 55 gallons is acceptable if it is not overstocked and has good filtration. [2]

Diet

In the wild, leopard bush fish will eat any fish or insect that they come across small enough to fit into their mouths. In the aquarium however they will readily learn to accept dead alternatives such as bloodworms (chironomid midge larvae) and some sinking pellets, however that said few learn to accept flake foods and many people prefer to feed them with live food so that they are able to watch the leopard bush fish's unusual stalking method.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oscar (fish)</span> Species of fish

The oscar is a species of fish from the cichlid family known under a variety of common names, including tiger oscar, velvet cichlid, and marble cichlid. In tropical South America, where the species naturally resides, A. ocellatus specimens are often found for sale as a food fish in the local markets. The fish has been introduced to other areas, including India, China, Australia, and the United States. It is considered a popular aquarium fish in Europe and the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant danio</span> Species of fish

The giant danio is a tropical fish belonging to the minnow family Cyprinidae. Originating in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the west coast of India, this species grows to a maximum length of 4-6 inches (10-15 cm), making it one of the largest of the danionins. It is characterized by a blue and yellow, torpedo-shaped body with gray and clear fins.

<i>Maylandia estherae</i> Species of fish

Maylandia estherae is a haplochromine cichlid. It is a rock dwelling fish or mbuna from Lake Malawi. This fish, like most cichlids from Lake Malawi, is a mouthbrooder - females hold their fertilized eggs then fry in their mouths until they are released after about 21 days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise fish</span> Species of fish

The paradise fish, paradise-fish, paradisefish, or paradise gourami is a species of gourami found in most types of fresh water in East Asia, ranging from the Korean Peninsula to northern Vietnam. This species can reach a standard length of 6.7 cm, though most are only about 5.5 cm . Paradise gouramis were one of the first ornamental fish available to western aquarium keepers, having been imported 1869 to France by the French aquarium fish importer Pierre Carbonnier in Paris. The paradise fish is one of the more aggressive members of its family. It is more aggressive than the three spot gourami, yet less pugnacious in nature than the less commonly kept combtail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freshwater butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

The freshwater butterflyfish or African butterflyfish, Pantodon buchholzi, is the only extant species in the family Pantodontidae within the order Osteoglossiformes. It is not closely related to saltwater butterflyfishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal gramma</span> Species of fish

The royal gramma, also known as the fairy basslet, is a species of fish in the family Grammatidae native to reef environments of the tropical western Atlantic Ocean. They are commonly kept in aquariums.

<i>Lamprologus ocellatus</i> Species of fish

Lamprologus ocellatus is a species of shell dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. It is a popular aquarium fish due to its small size, appearance, and intelligence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butterfly splitfin</span> Species of fish

The butterfly splitfin or butterfly goodeid, Ameca splendens, is a bony fish from the monotypic genus Ameca of the splitfin family (Goodeidae). It was formerly found throughout the Ameca River drainage in Mexico; the type locality is Rio Teuchitlán in the vicinity of Teuchitlán, Jalisco. The species was only ever found in an area about 10 miles (15 km) in diameter.

<i>Amatitlania sajica</i> Species of fish

Amatitlania sajica, the T-bar cichlid or Sajica cichlid, is a Central American species of cichlid found in freshwater streams and lakes on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica. The fish is tan colored with seven indistinct bars on the body. The third bar is usually prominent and coupled with a dark lateral stripe running from the gill cover results in a horizontal T-shaped mark, hence the common name of T-bar cichlid.

<i>Pseudotropheus crabro</i> Species of fish

Pseudotropheus crabro, the Bumblebee Cichlid or Hornet Cichlid, is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is found in different habitats but most frequently in large caves or in the vicinity of large boulders. This species can reach a length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) SL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zig-zag eel</span> Species of fish

The zig-zag eel, also known as the tire-track eel, tire-track spiny eel or marbled spiny eel, is a species of ray-finned, spiny eels belonging to the genus Mastacembelus of the family Mastacembelidae, and is native to the riverine fauna of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The species was described as Macrognathus armatus by Lacepède in 1800. Other common names for this popular aquarium species are leopard spiny eel and white-spotted spiny eel. This species is not only a popular aquarium fish but also as a food fish in its country of origin.

<i>Paratilapia polleni</i> Species of fish

Paratilapia polleni is a medium-sized cichlid endemic to Madagascar. It is also a popular fish for display at public aquaria.

<i>Microctenopoma ansorgii</i> Species of fish

Microctenopoma ansorgii is a small freshwater fish, known in the aquarium trade as the ornate ctenopoma, orange ctenopoma, ornate climbing perch, pretty ctenopoma, or rainbow ctenopoma. It is related to the more familiar spotted climbing perch, but looks very different. Its body is more elongated and rounded, with fins with red and black stripes; the color intensifies when the fish are displaying, with black bars becoming visible on the body. The ornate ctenopoma spawns at night, laying its eggs on a floating bubble nest like its relatives in the osphronemidae. It lives in the slow-flowing forest streams of the Congo Basin, where it feeds on worms, insect larvae, and other aquatic invertebrates. It is the most common member of its genus in the aquarium trade, where it is known for being a shy, easily bullied fish that needs live or frozen foods and which benefits from the presence of smaller dither fish to encourage it to come out of hiding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nkhomo-benga peacock</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malawi eyebiter</span> Species of fish

The Malawi eyebiter is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae. This predatory cichlid is endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa.

Megalechis thoracata is a species of catfish of the family Callichthyidae. M. thoracata is found east of the Andes in the Amazon, Orinoco, and upper Paraguay River basins, as well as in the coastal rivers of the Guianas and northern Brazil. Recent introductions were recorded in the upper Paraná River drainage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violet goby</span> Species of fish

The violet goby is a species of goby native to marine, fresh and brackish waters near the Atlantic coast of North and South America from South Carolina in the United States of America, to northern Brazil. It prefers bays, estuaries and river mouths with muddy substrates. It is often marketed as the dragon goby or dragon fish.

<i>Gymnothorax polyuranodon</i> Species of fish

Gymnothorax polyuranodon, commonly known as the freshwater moray, is a species of moray eel that is native to the Indo-Pacific region, including Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the northern coastline of Australia, and various islands in the western Pacific. Other common names include the many-toothed moray, spotted freshwater moray, blackspotted moray, freshwater leopard moray, and freshwater tiger moray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Dempsey cichlids in Australia</span>

Jack Dempsey cichlids are aggressive aquarium fish named after the heavyweight boxer Jack Dempsey. They are native to Central America but were discovered in a flooded quarry in New South Wales (NSW) Australia in 2004. Although efforts were made to eradicate them in 2004 and 2005, the fish remain. Jack Dempsey cichlids are one of about 30 aquarium fish species that have become established in Australian waterways, and have been shown to have a significant impact on Australian aquatic ecosystems. They highlight the importance of preventing the importation of invasive fish species because they are extremely difficult or impossible to eradicate once they become established in the wild.

References

  1. Moelants, T. (2010). "Ctenopoma acutirostre". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T181554A7677760. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T181554A7677760.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 (ctenopoma-acutirostre)