possibly in the aro family somewhere?

[perfect_prefect]

Thats why I said characin!

thats why i posted it in other characins first. but no one had a clue there so i figured i would take a shot in the dark, and body wise it is 10x closer to an aro than a catfish, exept for the adipose fin, and nothing like a cichlid, gar, pleco, etc.... you get the picture.

 

[artemis1]

plecos have andipose fins...

 

[Bderick67]

The african butterfly is not in the "arowana" family. I too though it was at one time but it is not.

They are in the same order and are both bony tongues.

True, arowana and the african butterfly fish are in the same order, Osteoglossiformes, but then so is the clown knife.

All three, same order different families. "Bonytongues" is descriptive of the arowana family, Osteoglossidae. The african butterfly is not a bonytongue.

Whatever, kid

 

[Gator]

An adult Brycinus macrolepidotus is the fish in question I believe, its an African Characin.

 

[E_americanus]

True, arowana and the african butterfly fish are in the same order, Osteoglossiformes, but then so is the clown knife.

All three, same order different families. "Bonytongues" is descriptive of the arowana family, Osteoglossidae. The african butterfly is not a bonytongue.



Whatever, kid

The African Butterfly Fish (ABF) is indeed a bonytongue and is a member of Osteoglossoformes. It is NOT, however, in the same family as the arowanas. Arowanas all belong to Osteoglossidae (Arapaima and African Bonytongue are in Arapaimidae). ABF is in its own family, Pantodontidae.

None of the arowanas or ABF has an adipose fin, so this should have been one of the key features to rule the fish in the original post out of this group.

no Cyprinids (such as the masheer) have adipose fins, so that should rule those out.

the fish in question is indeed a characiform of some sort. if it is an african tank and placed there appropriately, it is most likely a member of the family Alestidae (African characins), and not Characidae. my guess would be some species in the genus Brycinus.--
--solomon

 

[Gator]

Here is the Morphology from fishbase:
" Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 16. No fontanel even in young. Supra-orbital bone well developed. Upper jaw in adults longer than lower. Humeral and pre-caudal spots black. Greenish back, white belly. Sometimes with orange lateral stripe from opercle to caudal fin in adults only. Most fish have red-orange to pink fins. Only those from Cavally River have bright red fins. Juveniles with white spot on upper part of caudal peduncle. Gill rakers on first ceratobranch."

 

[regalt]

i also have a thread in other characins

I dont now what it is but id like to have one.

 

[Bderick67]

The African Butterfly Fish (ABF) is indeed a bonytongue and is a member of Osteoglossoformes. It is NOT, however, in the same family as the arowanas. Arowanas all belong to Osteoglossidae (Arapaima and African Bonytongue are in Arapaimidae). ABF is in its own family, Pantodontidae.


--solomon

So what defines a "bony tongue"? Not all Osteoglossoformes are bony tongues, or are they?

 

[perfect_prefect]

Here is the Morphology from fishbase:
" Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 16. No fontanel even in young. Supra-orbital bone well developed. Upper jaw in adults longer than lower. Humeral and pre-caudal spots black. Greenish back, white belly. Sometimes with orange lateral stripe from opercle to caudal fin in adults only. Most fish have red-orange to pink fins. Only those from Cavally River have bright red fins. Juveniles with white spot on upper part of caudal peduncle. Gill rakers on first ceratobranch."

i think we have a winner but hopefully st louis zoo will get back with us and give us a definitive.

 

[King-eL]

So what defines a "bony tongue"? Not all Osteoglossoformes are bony tongues, or are they?

All Osteoglossoformes are bony tongue. Arapaimidae , Gymnarchidae , Hiodontidae , Mormyridae , Notopteridae , Osteoglossidae , Pantodontidae

Greek, "Osteon" = bone + Greek, "Glossa" = tongue (Osteon+glossa) Take the letter "N" out and change the letter "A" to letter "O". That makes Osteoglosso means "bony tongue" in English.