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Dragon Sea Moth (Eurypegasus draconis)

The Dragon Sea Moth or Eurypegasus draconis is one of the strangest fish in the world! Also known as the Little Dragon fish and the Pegasus Sea Moth, this creature actually has the ability to change colors based on its surroundings, much like the chameleon. If this wasn't weird enough, they also shed their skin like a snake in a single piece! They also have two wing like fins that extend out on either side of their bodies making them look like a true freak of nature.As you can imagine, all of these strange characteristics make the Dragon Sea Moth a favorite among people with aquariums. Dragon Sea Moths are not very large, only growing to about 6 in (15 cm) so an aquarium of 50 gallons or so should do the trick. Unfortunately, these saltwater fish are not the easiest to take care of, they require the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025. You can check out the Dragon Sea Moth with your own eyes at the very end of this video...

Dragon Sea Moths will only feed on what is on the bottom substrate and will eat amphipods, copepods, isopods, live brine and mysis shrimp, polychaetes, nematodes, and trematodes. If you are thinking of adding one to your aquarium take into account their strange and slow eating habits, ideal roommates are Pipefish, Seahorses, Gobies and Dragonets.

Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush)

The Lake Trout or Salvelinus namaycush is one of the most popular Trout species and is renowned for its fine flavor. This freshwater fish is found in many deep lakes in the northern parts of North America including the Great Lakes. Lake Trout go by many different names depending on where you are, these include Salmon Trout, Mackinaw, Lake Charr, Touladi, Togue, Grey Trou, Siscowet, Paperbellies and Leans.

These fish can reach weights exceeding 100lbs, but they rarely reach these sizes, because Lake Trout are slow growers that don't reach sexual maturity until about 6 years old, living to over 25 years old. They have two dorsal fins and light spots on their dark gray bodies. The Lake Trout's lower fins have white on their edges. You can check out a large Lake Trout in the video below..

If you are fishing for Lake Trout keep in mind that this species of Charr are found in shallow waters of about 13 feet in the spring and fall, but are found much deeper in the summer and winter. They have even been caught at depths exceeding 150'! Lake Trout will feed on smelt, crustaceans, insects and other small fish depending on where they are in this huge range in depth. If you have any additional information about Lake Trout including fishing tips and recipes feel free to share with the world...

Fiddler Stingray (Trygonorhina fasciata)

The Fiddler Stingray or Trygonorhina fasciata is a just one of the many different species of Stingrays in the world. This particular species is tan with beautifully designed black markings on its body. The Fiddler Stingray has a venomous tail that it used to protect itself from potential predators. Take great care if you are around this type of Stingray in the Coral Sea where they originate.

Fiddler Stingrays go by several different names including Southern Fiddler, Banjo Shark, Dumeril's Shovelnose Ray, Green Skate, Magpie Ray and Parrit. They are occasionally kept in an aquarium setting, but should only be purchased by experienced individuals with a very, very large aquarium. At least 360 gallons is recommended with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025. This Stingray can grow to 3' in length.A couple things to note if you are going to try and keep this Stingray as a pet. Number one, the Fiddler Stingray will often cover itself with soft substrate on the bottom of the tank. In the wild they are often hard to see as they lie in wait for their prey to pass by. Number two, never expose this fish to copper-based medications, it will cause a bad reaction and sometimes death. Finally, this Stingray should be fed squid or live feeder shrimp in the beginning to get it to accustom to the aquarium. After this it will eat scallops, pieces of fresh marine fish along with the live feeder shrimp. You can check out the Fiddler Stingray in its nature setting in the video below...

Cariba Piranha (Pyocentrus cariba)

The Cariba Piranha or Pyocentrus cariba is just one of the many different species of Piranhas on our planet. These freshwater fish are without a doubt one of the most ferocious fish in the world. It is said that in the wild these Cariba will wait under birds nests in season and wait for an unfortunate baby bird to fall out, thendevour them in a matter of seconds. You can get a feel for just how fast these predators are in the videos below...

The Cariba Piranha goes by many different names including the Black Shoulder Piranha, Orinoco Piranha, Black Eared Piranha, and the Venezuelan Red Belly Piranha. They are not very large, only growing to about 16" (40cm), but make up for their small size with their sharp powerful teeth and their ability to form a feeding frenzy in great numbers!The Cariba Piranha has a grey head with orange or red anal and pectoral fins, and a silver body. When they are smaller, these fish tend to have black spots that cover their upper bodies. These spots will fade as the fish grows older. If you have any additional information about the Cariba Piranha that you would like to share please leave us a comment!

Upside Down Catfish (Synodontis nigriventris)

The Upside Down Catfish or Synodontis nigriventris gets its name because it is seen in an aquarium swimming upside down and even feeding upside down on the surface! This odd behavior makes them a favorite among aquarium enthusiasts, and one of the strangest species of Catfish in the world.

Also known as the Blotched Upside Down Catfish, this freshwater fish can grow to about 4" in length, and originates in the Congo Basin. This fish has black and white splotches that cover its body, and the classic Catfish barbels on its mouth.The Upside Down Catfish is considered to be very hardy, and can survive in an aquarium of 30 gallons or more with lots of plants, and hiding spaces. The following water conditions are acceptable, 75-82° F, KH 4-12, and pH 6.0-7.5. They can be fed an omnivorous diet consisting of freeze-dried bloodworms, tubiflex, flake food and pellet food. The Upside Down Catfish also doubles as an aquarium cleaner, eating the algae that grows in a heavily planted aquarium. Check out the Upside Down Catfish swimming in the the video below...

Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)

The Atlantic Spadefish or Chaetodipterus faber is a sporting fish that is found in the shallow waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. This fish has 2 dorsal fins and 2 anal fins, going by a few different names in the world including Moonfish, Ocean Cobbler, Angelfish, White Angelfish and Three-tailed Porgy. They have a silver flattened body with black vertical lines, that will fade as the fish grows older. This fish will develop trailing anterior lobes as it grows older as well, which gives them the classic Angelfish look. To learn more about the Atlantic Spadefish watch this video!

If you are fishing for the Atlantic Spadefish you will notice that they are much more active in the hot summer months, this makes all the more fun to catch. These fish are not the biggest, only growing to about 20lbs max and 36" in length, but make up for this with their ferocious fighting spirit which makes them a favorite among anglers. Atlantic Spadefish are often found in schools, so if you catch one of these fish, there are often many more in the waters below.Got a fishing tip for the Atlantic Spadefish? Leave us a comment below...

Chain Pickerel (Esox niger)

Chain Pickerel (Esox niger) is a freshwater fish from the Pike family. This fish is found in many places on the eastern coast of North America including Florida, Texas and Rhode Island. It goes by a few different names depending on where you are, these include Southern Pike, Jack Fish and Federation Pickerel.

Like its close relatives the Northern Pike and the Muskie, this fish has a large mouth with sharp teeth and is considered to be a ferocious predator. They can be differentiated from their close relatives by the chain link pattern that is all over the sides of their body. They are long and slender and much smaller than the a fore mentioned, only growing to about 36" in length and weighing aboutt 10lbs maximum. You can check out fishing for the Chain Pickerel in the video below...

If you are fishing for Chain Pickerel you should take into consideration the fact that they are ambush predators, using a lure that gives the appearance of an injured fish or just good old live bait will work well to catch these tough fighters. You can often find these fish in and around weeds or other thick vegetation.While the Chain Pickerel's meat is edible, they are not one of my favorites, because their meat contains many hidden bones that can upset an otherwise good meal. You can take the time to remove these bones or simply run the meat through a grinder and make them into fish burgers. Either way will work pretty well.
When the Chain Pickerel spawns it leaves strings of sticky eggs that are attached to aquatic plants. They are fertilized by the male, but after this the parents are long gone and trust me, these youngsters could use some supervision. Once hatched these fish will feed on almost anything including plankton, insects and even their own brothers and sisters! Talk about sibling rivalry!

If you have any additional information about the Chain Pickerel, including fishing tips and recipes please share.

Sohal Tang (Acanthurus sohal)

Sohal Tang (Acanthurus sohal) is an expensive saltwater fish from the Acanthuridae family that goes by many names including the Zebra Tang, Arabian Tang, Sohal Surgeonfish, Red Sea Clown Surgeon, Zebra Surgeon, Majestic Tang, and Majestic Surgeon. Like a lot of other Tangs, these fish are considered to be quite aggressive, and shouldn't be kept with other Tangs, or many Wrasse species. These fish feature a gorgeous display of black, blue, green, and yellow coloration with horizontal stripes running down its body and through its eyes. You can check out the Sohal Tang for yourself in the video below...

In the wild, the Sohal Tang is found in the Red Sea, as well as the Arabian sea. They are often seen around reefs in depths of less that 60' or so. Because of their active nature and beautiful coloration, these fish are often kept in an aquarium setting. The Sohal Tang can grow to almost a 1' and a half, but are much smaller when kept in a tank. They are considered to be quite hardy, but need a large reef aquarium of 200 gallons or more with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, and sg 1.020-1.025.This species of Tang is an omnivore that should be fed a diet high in vitamins especially beta-carotene, which can help to prevent Hole in the Head or Lateral Line Erosion disease. Sea Veggies, Seaweed Salad, Meaty Foods and Ocean Nutrition are just a few feeding ideas to keep the Sohal Tang happy and healthy. These fish should be fed at least 3 times a week.

If you have an additional information about the Sohal Tang please share in the comments below...

Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus)

The Climbing Perch or Anabas testudineus is an evolutionary marvel that has the ability to not only walk on land, but survive OUTSIDE the water for 24 hours!  Like the Mudskipper, this freshwater fish will actually crawl across land looking for a new place to live during the dry season. The Climbing Perch moves by flexing its tail, and usings its fins to prop itself up. These fish have even been seen climbing up trees!

These oddities of nature have been shown off to the public in aquarium for years. They are also used as a portable food source to people, just think about it, these fish can actually survive outside of water for long periods of time. A simple container with wet grass can house these fish fresh, and alive for quite some time.
Contrary to their common name the Climbing Perch is not a Perch at all, they actually belong to the family Anabantidae.  They can tolerate terrible water conditions and a great variation in temperatures. Anywhere from 18-30 degrees Celsius is acceptable. Make sure to keep a tight lid, they are know to jump right out of the tank! You can check out the Climbing Perch in the video below...

This species will grow to about 25cm in maximum length.  You can tell the males from the females by their brighter coloration. When they spawn these fish will lay an extreme number of eggs, so if by chance you get them to breed in an aquarium you need to separate them into new tanks fairly quickly.

If you have additional information about the Climbing Perch please share...

Australian Rainbow (Melanotaenia splendida)

The Australian Rainbow Fish is just one of the few species that have the scientific name Melanotaenia splendida. These fish freshwater fish have large eyes and dark bands that runs horizontally through their bodies. They can be identified by the two dorsal fins that adorn these beauties. This type of Rainbow Fish can grow to about 6" in maximum length.

Also known as the Western Splendid Rainbow, they are often kept in schools in an aquarium and are considered to be peaceful, easy to care for and quite hardy. The follow water conditions in an aquarium of at least 50 gallons are acceptable, 72-75° F, KH 10-20, and pH 6.5-7.2. An ideal aquarium would have plenty of plants and gravel substrate on the bottom. The Australian Rainbow Fish is one of the easiest fish to breed in captivity. Once the male starts to display its bright colors the female and male can be kept together in a tank with moss substrate on the bottom and a temperature of around 75F. It only takes about a week before the fry hatch, once this happens you should remove the parents from the tank and feed the fry an omnivores diet. As they grow older you can begin to fed them live foods and flake foods.

Bigeye Soldierfish (Pristigenys alta)

The Bigeye Soldierfish or Pristigenys alta has a shorter body than most other species of Soldierfish.  This fish more than make up for that though with its EXTREMELY large eyes! They are normally orange or red, and sometimes have white highlight scattered on their bodies, with black on the tips of their fins. Also known simply as the Short Bigeye, these saltwater fish can be kept in an aquarium of 100 gallons or more. They fish can grow to about 1' in maximum length.
The Bigeye Soldierfish, like a lot of other fish, prefers to live in an environment with lots of hiding spots including caves, or rock formations. They can work great in reef aquariums as well, but be careful this fish is known to eat small crustaceans and smaller fish. If you have one of these fish already, you have probably notice that they are quite active at night, and pretty docile during the day. This nocturnal nature is the reason that they have such large eyes. You can see the Bigeye Soldierfish swimming underwater in the video below...

Bigeye Soldierfish are carnivores that should be fed brine shrimp, krill and other meaty foods. They prefer temperatures of 72 - 80F and a PH level of 8.0 - 8.4.

Aquarium Fish Of The Month - Spotted Cardinalfish

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