| The reedfish, Erpetoichthys calabaricus,
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| | start obtain the silvery color, hence its
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| ropefish, or snakefish is a species of
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| | common name.
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| freshwater fish in the bichir family and
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| | The species is also called water monkey,
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| order. It is the only member of the genus
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| | because it can literally jump out of the
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| Erpetoichthys. It is native to West
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| | water and capture its prey. It usually
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| Africa, with its natural habitat
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| | swims near the water surface awaiting for
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| stretching from Nigeria to the Congo.
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| | potential prey. Although it has been
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| The reedfish has a maximum total length
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| | known to eat larger prey like small bats
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| of 90 centimetres, and it is a very long,
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| | and birds, their main diets consist of
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| slender fish (its length is about 24
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| | shrimps, insects, smaller fishes and
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| times its height). It lives in
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| | other animals that float on the water
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| slow-moving, brackish, warm water, and it
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| | surface, on which its draw-bridge-like
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| can breathe air (meaning it is able to
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| | mouth is exclusively adapted for feeding.
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| survive in water with low dissolved
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| | Arowana are also called "dragonfish" by
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| oxygen content). The reedfish is a
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| | aquarists because of their shiny
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| nocturnal creature, feeding on annelid
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| | armor-like scales, which are similar to
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| worms, crustaceans and insects at night.
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| | the Asian’s folklore of dragons.
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| The reedfish serves little purpose to
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| | In the aquarium
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| humans, although it is sometimes
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| | Tank size
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| displayed in aquariums. Its genus name
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| | It is important to have a large enough
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| Erpetoichthys derives from the Greek
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| | tank to keep these large fishes. The
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| words erpeton ("creeping thing") and
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| | minimum tank size for one Arowana for
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| ichthys ("fish").
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| | life is a 72"L x 24"Wx 24"H or 265 gal
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| In the aquarium
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| | aquarium . As it grows, a larger tank
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| Although reedfish are not commonly found
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| | will be necessary to insure the maximum
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| in aquarium stores, they make wonderful
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| | length and life span of the Arowana.
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| pets. They are inquisitive, peaceful, and
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| | Water conditions
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| have some "personality." Although
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| | Water conditions are important for
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| reedfish can grow to be 24" to 30" in
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| | Arowanas. Some black water additives can
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| length, 12" to 15" is much more
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| | help simulate the Arowana’s natural
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| common[citation needed]. Because of their
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| | habit.
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| flexibility, however, ropefish can be
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| | Black arowanas can adapt to most water
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| kept successfully in a 12"-wide tank,
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| | supply and thrive
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| which makes a 20-, 29-, or 30-gallon or
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| | Temperature - 24°C to 28°C, but best at
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| larger tank perfect. Although nocturnal,
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| | 26°C
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| reedfish will sometimes come out during
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| | Also a 25-30% water change is necessary
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| the day, and this can be encouraged by
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| | 1-2 times every week to maintain
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| daytime feeding of bloodworms or, for
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| | excellent water conditions.
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| larger fish, nightcrawlers. The fish are
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| | Feeding
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| known to jump, so the aquarium should
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| | It is very important that you do not
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| have a tightly-fitting lid without large
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| | overfeed Arowana when they’re young,
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| holes
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| | because as they grow, they might develop
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| The black arowana, Osteoglossum
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| | drop eye. Arowanas will eat insects,
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| ferreirai, is a freshwater bony fish of
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| | shrimp, pellets, live fish, beef heart,
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| the family Osteoglossidae, commonly kept
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| | frogs, etc. The best diet for Arowanas is
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| in aquaria. The term "Osteoglossum" means
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| | pellets, live crickets, and shrimps.
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| "bone-tongued" and "bicirrhosum" means
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| | Small feeder fish are often raised in
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| "two barbels" (from the Greek language).
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| | poor conditions and can carry many
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| Description
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| | diseases transmittable to predatory
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| Its natural habitat is the Amazon river
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| | fishes.
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| in South America as well as in still
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| | Tank mates
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| waters in Guyana.
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| | Any fish will do as long as it doesn’t
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| It has a long body and a tapered tail and
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| | fit in the Arowana’s mouth. Many people
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| can grow to a maximum size of around 1 m
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| | like having more then one Arowana in the
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| in captivity. In the wild, it has been
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| | tank, that’s fine and all but they must
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| known to reach over 1.2 m in length. The
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| | be at least 5-6 or more in the tank at a
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| juveniles are usually a dull silver color
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| | time because Arowanas are very aggressive
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| with black markings around the head and
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| | towards each other. It also eats mutton
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| the tail. Once it reaches about 15 cm,
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| | liver(raw). Be sure your arowana is
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| the markings will disappear and it will
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| | actually eating.
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