Does anyone here have or have owned a brevis african tiger fish? I'm staring at the hydrocynus identification thread and i am seeing no difference between a batf and a fatf.
Brevis Tiger Fish?
- Thread starter Jazmin
- Start date
I saw your post on my old Brevis thread. Just to show exactly how little I know, I originally thought that little guy was a goliath. Chix (Rob the moderator in the other characins section) ID'd my guy as a Brevis. I honestly don't care what he is, I just really like this fish.
He's been bugging me for pics too, so I suppose I should post some up to show his growth. I'll take some when I get home tonight.
He's been bugging me for pics too, so I suppose I should post some up to show his growth. I'll take some when I get home tonight.
The main differences are in tooth counts, lateral line scale counts, body proportions and adult size. When they're little, they are immensely difficult to tell apart. Adult and subadult fish are quite easy to distinguish however.
These guys are like VATF and TATF as babies; nearly impossible to tell for sure until they're bigger.
John, how could you spread lies about me? Me, bugging someone for pictures? I'd NEVER do that!
edit- I also really need to update that thread. There are more, better pictures available nowdays that I want in it.
These guys are like VATF and TATF as babies; nearly impossible to tell for sure until they're bigger.
John, how could you spread lies about me? Me, bugging someone for pictures? I'd NEVER do that!
edit- I also really need to update that thread. There are more, better pictures available nowdays that I want in it.
I'm just going to bump this thread instead of making my own. I know there has been confirmed brevis that have entered the u.s I hope some people can post their pictures
I'm 98% sure that there have been. As you suggested, I've been researching this one in the same way that I researched the TATF/VATF issue.
My conclusion thus far is that there ARE brevis being brought stateside. There is ample morphological evidence to support this, but I'm not quite ready to make my post about it yet. What it boils down to is that they are brought in mixed with forskahlii, but when little they're probably harder to tell apart than are VATF and TATF. The traits as described in Cotterill & Goodier (2009) that distinguish a BATF from a FATF don't seem to develop until the fish are larger.
For example, the third line of scales in BATF appears to only be visible in smaller fish when they're either extremely bloated from eating a lot or they've grown a bit larger. The BATF's adipose fin that is supposed to be black with a grey edge appears to develop over time, they start with a clear, greyish adipose fin just like a FATF that eventually starts turning black from the root outward; the all black with a grey edge doesn't appear to develop until the fish is about a foot long.
I'm still building evidence in support of these data to confirm my hypothesis. Thus far though, it appears as though the fish that we've been thinking to be brevis are in fact brevis.
My conclusion thus far is that there ARE brevis being brought stateside. There is ample morphological evidence to support this, but I'm not quite ready to make my post about it yet. What it boils down to is that they are brought in mixed with forskahlii, but when little they're probably harder to tell apart than are VATF and TATF. The traits as described in Cotterill & Goodier (2009) that distinguish a BATF from a FATF don't seem to develop until the fish are larger.
For example, the third line of scales in BATF appears to only be visible in smaller fish when they're either extremely bloated from eating a lot or they've grown a bit larger. The BATF's adipose fin that is supposed to be black with a grey edge appears to develop over time, they start with a clear, greyish adipose fin just like a FATF that eventually starts turning black from the root outward; the all black with a grey edge doesn't appear to develop until the fish is about a foot long.
I'm still building evidence in support of these data to confirm my hypothesis. Thus far though, it appears as though the fish that we've been thinking to be brevis are in fact brevis.
Here's a small piece of evidence about our having brevis in the hobby.
In the picture below, you will find a large adult brevis' head. As far as I can tell, this is the only published photograph of a wild caught fish with its mouth closed. This fish is obviously being held at an odd angle from having its body weight supported by its lower jaw; this is pulling its upper and lower jaws out of alignment and the head out of alignment with the body. I did confirm with other pictures of this same fish that this is 100% brevis.
HOWEVER, one can't help but notice that the head of this specimen looks just like the head on our aquarium sized brevises and that it has the same bronze color.
Thus far, we've been doing very well with identifying little ones that "look just like" the adults. Coming up with solid data to prove it however... LOL
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In the picture below, you will find a large adult brevis' head. As far as I can tell, this is the only published photograph of a wild caught fish with its mouth closed. This fish is obviously being held at an odd angle from having its body weight supported by its lower jaw; this is pulling its upper and lower jaws out of alignment and the head out of alignment with the body. I did confirm with other pictures of this same fish that this is 100% brevis.
HOWEVER, one can't help but notice that the head of this specimen looks just like the head on our aquarium sized brevises and that it has the same bronze color.
Thus far, we've been doing very well with identifying little ones that "look just like" the adults. Coming up with solid data to prove it however... LOL
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I think the obvious characteristic has to be the bump in the top of the nose. The other ATFs are flat. Where BATF have more of a hump or bulge. Also the mouth seems to be slightly shorter.
Agreed. Though I suspect that some fatf show this trait on occasion as well, just not as pronounced.
Yes, but that was a 16 pound fish that was over 2' long. All big tigers have relatively small eyes.
Yes actually: that's from Brewster, 1986. That was the paper that described tanzaniae.
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