Barracuda (FW)

[santoury]

I was on a pet store trip and picked up yet ANOTHER S A lung (14 SA's, 14 Africans to date) and couldn't resist a cute 2 1/2 inch Acestrorhynchus for $10. (Yes, it was the only one)

Popped him in my "6 1/2 gallon long acrylic bowfront" (This is BY FAR one of my most favorite tanks - PetCo sells it as a package) for growing out along with the tiny SA lung - He wolfed down a guppy immediately.

The 2 dots on his tail are BRIGHT carmine red. He has 2 black racing stripes down his body as well. Does this sound like A. falcatus? All the photos I have seen show a general washed out red around the tail - not 2 bright dots.
(No pic)
Thanks

 

[guppy]

Black racing stripes, it sounds like my favotite the Isaline's cachorro, A. isalinae, if so great find as until recently they were very rarely imported and even now are quite uncommon. I had one years ago that I lost to a poorly cvered tank, it had a hang on filter and the fish jumped out throughthe water return slot, mine was around 7-8". They are reported to get as much as 10" or 16"depending on the info source (fishbase is wrong on this one as they report a 4" max). They like clumps of plants with open areas, and small live foods, They also prefer schools of at least 3 though I only had 1, they can be kept with other similar sized acestros, or even (I have heard) hujetas. They tend to be a bit jumpy if kept in an unplanted tank or even alone. Here is a pic by T. Lorenz

 

[santoury]

Oh my gosh - is that pic REALLY an isalinae? If so, I have got one! I could not believe it when you said that, because I have for many years longingly covered my Axelrod's Atlas of Freshwater Fishes' picture of A. isalinae, while realizing it was just a dream. Until now.

Does any other A. species have the racing stripes and the red dot?

 

[guppy]

Several have yellow or red dots (esp. whenyoung) above and below thecenter of the base of the caudal fin but the only other one that I know of that has a dark racing stripe only has one stripe, it is the A. nasutus, one of the smallest of the family. pic by Teigler

The one Isalinae that I had was confirmed as an Isalinae by a fishkeeper from Steinhardt Aquarium and looked like the pic by Lorentz.

 

[santoury]

Very nice - so I'll enjoy my A. isalinae then. Is this a species of special interest? In other words, is it THAT rare? Any idea of how many are out there?

 

[mercury904]

Black racing stripes, it sounds like my favotite the Isaline's cachorro, A. isalinae, if so great find as until recently they were very rarely imported and even now are quite uncommon. I had one years ago that I lost to a poorly cvered tank, it had a hang on filter and the fish jumped out throughthe water return slot, mine was around 7-8". They are reported to get as much as 10" or 16"depending on the info source (fishbase is wrong on this one as they report a 4" max). They like clumps of plants with open areas, and small live foods, They also prefer schools of at least 3 though I only had 1, they can be kept with other similar sized acestros, or even (I have heard) hujetas. They tend to be a bit jumpy if kept in an unplanted tank or even alone. Here is a pic by T. Lorenz

are they the same with a hujeta barracuda?they look the same except for the stripes

 

[nishant_datta]

Good specimen

 

[guppy]

are they the same with a hujeta barracuda?they look the same except for the stripes

Hujetas are not even the same family, as for rarity, I love barracuda looking fish, always have. The last time I actually saw an Isalinae was in 1983, I bought it and it died (MY FAULT) in 1985, I have not seen one since. A couple web sites say they are now (rarely) coming in. It might not be rare at home but it is VERY rare here.

 

[mercury904]

Hujetas are not even the same family, as for rarity, I love barracuda looking fish, always have. The last time I actually saw an Isalinae was in 1983, I bought it and it died (MY FAULT) in 1985, I have not seen one since. A couple web sites say they are now (rarely) coming in. It might not be rare at home but it is VERY rare here.

thanx for the info...

 

[YOULOOKLIKEAFISH]

Did you say 6 & a 1/2 gallons? or 6 & a 1/2 feet??