What are 'ancient' and 'prehistoric' fish that are still alive today?
- Thread starter Pyluper
- Start date
Although not as ancients as Coelocanths or even Bichirs, i t is thought that some of the more ancient cichlids are the Etroplines of India, and Paretroplines of Madagascar.
Both have the most ancient swim bladder that acts as a hearing organ, attached to the skull, different than all other cichlids,
and the Etroplines seem to have a high tolerance for salinity, which suggests a transoceanic distribution.
Etroplus suratensus above, Paretroplus maculats and menerabmo below
Paretroplus maculatus spawning below
Both have the most ancient swim bladder that acts as a hearing organ, attached to the skull, different than all other cichlids,
and the Etroplines seem to have a high tolerance for salinity, which suggests a transoceanic distribution.
Etroplus suratensus above, Paretroplus maculats and menerabmo below
Paretroplus maculatus spawning below
$8 each is pretty amazing for a fish that is almost extinct in nature, and as a result is highly protected and no longer exported.
One caution, is they get rather large. mine easily hit 14¨(35 cms) and are a shoaling species, so my group of 6 easily and quickly out grew a 6 ft tank.
If I were to rate fish, I´d say menerambo would be in my top 5 to keep.
Beside it, and P maculatus, I have also kept, kieneri, nourisatti, and dambabe
Both kieneri and Etroplus canarensis are smaller, so better suited to moderately sized aquariums
I kept E canarensis as a shoal in a tank as tiny as 55 gal
One caution, is they get rather large. mine easily hit 14¨(35 cms) and are a shoaling species, so my group of 6 easily and quickly out grew a 6 ft tank.
If I were to rate fish, I´d say menerambo would be in my top 5 to keep.
Beside it, and P maculatus, I have also kept, kieneri, nourisatti, and dambabe
Both kieneri and Etroplus canarensis are smaller, so better suited to moderately sized aquariums
I kept E canarensis as a shoal in a tank as tiny as 55 gal
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Speaking of Boney tongues, my personal favorite boney tongue is the North American Moon eye.
I’ve never seen one in captivity though I’m sure you can keep them. I’ve only seen angling pictures. Had a friend who caught some around 1’ and apparently they put up a great fight. They look like a tarpon/shad but with nice teeth like a aro. Wes always joked with bringing some in. Maybe he could one day.
I’ve never seen one in captivity though I’m sure you can keep them. I’ve only seen angling pictures. Had a friend who caught some around 1’ and apparently they put up a great fight. They look like a tarpon/shad but with nice teeth like a aro. Wes always joked with bringing some in. Maybe he could one day.