Fish ID Research Project by Cortez Lockhart

Title: Pink Skunk Clownfish

Species #: 1

Common Name:

Pink Skunk Clownfish, Pink Clownfish, Pink Anemonefish, Pink Skunk Anemonefish.

Scientific Name:

Amphipirion perideraion

Kingdom: Class:

Phylum:

Animalia

Order:

Actinopterygii

Family:

Chordata

Perciformes

Pomacanthidae

Geography / Habitat:

Pink Skunk Clownfish is found from the Cocos (keeling) Islands and Christmas Island in the

eastern Indian Ocean, and the Indo-Australian Archipelago northwards to the Ryukyu Islands and Micronesia .

Life Strategy: They exhibit protandry, meaning each fish is born male, but will only change to female if the sole breeding female dies. If the female dies, the breeding male changes sex, becomes the breeding female and the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male. The spawning process is correlated with the lunar cycle. At night time the moon maintains a higher level of alertness in the A. percula and this increases the interaction with the males and females. Before spawning, the male attracts the female via courting behaviour. These courting actions include extending their fins, biting the female and chasing her. The males also swim rapidly in an upward and downward motion to attract the females. The nest site is also important for the survival of the eggs. Depending on the size of the female spawn about 400–1500 eggs per cycle.The expected tenure of breeding females is approximately 12 years and is relatively long for a fish of its size, but is characteristic of other reef fish.

Food / Feed Strategy:

Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

Body Form or Style:

Pink Skunk Clownfish secretes a type of mucus, or slime, from their skin. This slime provides protection against parasites and infections and helps the Pink Skunk Clownfish to move through the water faster. Some fish species also release toxins in their slime which ward off enemy attacks. Other fish species use their slime to feed their young.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the

• •

Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/pnkskunk.php

head) through the water.

Title: allard’s clownfish

Species #: 2

Common Name: allards clownfish Scientific Name: Amphiprion allardi Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class:

Order: Perciformes

Actinopterygii

Family:

Pomacanthidae

Geography / Habitat:

The Allard's Clownfish Amphiprion allardi, also known as the Twobar Anemonefish, was first described by Klausewitz in 1970. They are found on the east coast of Africa between Kenya and Durban. They inhabit outer reefs and lagoons and are usually found at depths between 10 - 82 feet (3 - 25 meters).

Life Strategy: They exhibit protandry, meaning each fish is born male, but will only change to female if the sole breeding female

dies. If the female dies, the breeding male changes sex, becomes the breeding female and the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male. The spawning process is correlated with the lunar cycle. At night time the moon maintains a higher level of alertness in the A. percula and this increases the interaction with the males and females. Before spawning, the male attracts the female via courting behaviour. These courting actions include extending their fins, biting the female and chasing her. The males also swim rapidly in an upward and downward motion to attract the females. The nest site is also important for the survival of the eggs. Depending on the size of the female spawn about 400–1500 eggs per cycle.The expected tenure of breeding females is approximately 12 years and is relatively long for a fish of its size, but is characteristic of other reef fish.

Food / Feed Strategy:

The Allard's Clownfish are omnivores, In the wild the Amphiprion members eat plankton, and will also pick at the dead tentacles of their host anemone. In the aquarium no special food is necessary. This fish will readily accept a wide variety of foods; including live foods, frozen and flake foods, algae, meaty foods, shrimps, and may feed on tablets. Finely chopped meaty foods (like brine shrimp) can be fed regularly. Feed at least twice a day, whatever they will consume in about 3 minutes. It does not generally harm live corals or small inverts, but large adults may attack ornamental shrimps.

Body Form or Style:

The Allard's Clownfish is very similar to the Clark's Clownfish. As an adult it can range in color from yellow to nearly black with yellow fins, and never showing any black coloring in either the pelvic or anal fins. They have two bold vertical white stripes across the body. The stripes are wide at the top, becoming narrower and pointed at the bottom. Just like in the Clark's Clown, the frontal stripe is broad, but the mid-body stripe differs, it is narrower. Another clownfish that is also very similar to the Allard's Clownfish is the Orangefin Anemonefish Amphiprion chrysopterus . This fish is also called the Blue-stripe Clownfish because its white stripes can sometimes have a blue cast to them. If it is lacking the bluish color in its stripes, then it can best be distinguished from the Allard's by the form of its stripes. The Orangefin's stripes are not wide at the very top like the Clark's, but rather widen part way down, and they point forward on the bottom.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the

•

Mouth Position:

head) through the water.

Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/allards.php

Title: Fire Clownfish

Species #:3

Common Name: Cinnamon Clownfish - Fire Clownfish - Dusky Clownfish - Black Clownfish Scientific Name: Kingdom: Class:

Amphiprion melanopus

Animalia

Actinopterygii

Phylum:

Chordata

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Cinnamon Clownfish are found in Indonesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, southeastern Polynesia, and the Great Barrier Reef - Coral Sea...

Food / Feed Strategy: Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

Body Form or Style: Fire Clownfish secrete a type of mucus, or slime, from their skin. This slime provides protection against parasites and infections and helps the Fire Clownfish to move through the water faster. Some fish species also release toxins in their slime which ward off enemy attacks. Other fish species use their slime to feed their young. • Swim / Locomotion Style: Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the head) through the water.

• •

Mouth Position:

Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/cinnamon.php

Title: Tomato Clownfish Common Name: Tomato

Species #: 4 Clownfish - Tomato Anemonefish - Bridled clownfish - Red clownfish - Blackback Anemonefish -

Onebar Anemonefish

Scientific Name: Kingdom:

Amphiprion frenatus

Animalia

Class: Actinopterygii Family:

Phylum:

Chordata

Order: Perciformes

Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat:

Tomato Clownfish or Red Clownfish is found in the Western Pacific: Gulf of Thailand to southwestern Palau, north to southern Japan, south to Java, Indonesia.

Food / Feed Strategy:

Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

Body Form or Style: Tomato Clownfish secrete a type of mucus, or slime,

from their skin. This slime provides protection against parasites and infections and helps the Tomato Clownfish to move through the water faster. Some fish species also release toxins in their slime which ward off enemy attacks. Other fish species use their slime to feed their young.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the

• •

Mouth Position:

head) through the water.

Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/frenatus.php Title: Yellowtail Clownfish

Species #: 5

Common Name: Yellowtail Clownfish - Clark's Anemonefish Scientific Name: Amphiprion clarkii Kingdom: Class:

Animalia

Actinopterygii

Phylum:

Chordata

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat:

The Banded Clownfish or Clark's Clownfish (Clark's Anemonefish) Amphiprion clarkii was first described by Bennett in 1830. This is the most widely distributed Anemonefish ranging from the islands of Micronesia and Melanesia in the western Pacific to the Persian Gulf, and from Australia to Japan. They inhabit outer reefs and lagoons and are usually found at depths between 3 - 197 feet (1 - 60 meters).

Life Strategy: They exhibit protandry, meaning each fish is born male, but will only change to female if the sole breeding female dies. If the female dies, the breeding male changes sex, becomes the breeding female and the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male. The spawning process is correlated with the lunar cycle. At night time the moon maintains a higher level of alertness in the A. percula and this increases the interaction with the males and females. Before spawning, the male attracts the female via courting behaviour. These courting actions include extending their fins, biting the female and chasing her. The males also swim rapidly in an upward and downward motion to attract the females. The nest site is also important for the survival of the eggs. Depending on the size of the female spawn about 400â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1500 eggs per cycle.The expected tenure of breeding females is approximately 12 years and is relatively long for a fish of its size, but is characteristic of other reef fish. Food / Feed Strategy: The Banded Clownfish is omnivores, in the wild the Amphiprion members eat plankton, and will also pick

at the dead tentacles of their host anemone. In the aquarium no special food is necessary. This fish will readily accept a wide variety of foods; including live foods, frozen and flake foods, algae, meaty foods, shrimps, and may feed on tablets. Finely chopped meaty foods (like brine shrimp) can be fed regularly. Feed at least twice a day, whatever they will consume in about 3 minutes. It does not generally harm live corals or small inverts, but large adults may attack ornamental shrimps.

Body Form or Style: Yellowtail Clownfish secrete a type of mucus, or slime, from their skin. This slime provides protection against parasites and infections and helps the Yellowtail Clownfish to move through the water faster. Some fish species also release toxins in their slime which ward off enemy attacks. Other fish species use their slime to feed their young.

â&#x20AC;˘

Swim / Locomotion Style: Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the head) through the water.

Mouth Position: Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark%27s_anemonefish Title: Orange Clownfish

Species #:6

Common Name: Orange Clownfish - Percula Clownfish - True Percula Clownfish - Blackfinned Clownfish

Scientific Name: Amphiprion percula Kingdom: Class:

Phylum:

Animalia

Actinopterygii

Family:

Chordata

Order: Perciformes

Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: True Percula Clownfish are found in the Northern Queensland and Melanesia ( New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu).

Food / Feed Strategy:

Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. It is best to feed small amounts several times a day.

Body Form or Style: Orange Clownfish secrete a type of mucus, or slime, from their skin. This slime provides protection against parasites and infections and helps the Orange Clownfish to move through the water faster. Some fish species also release toxins in their slime which ward off enemy attacks. Other fish species use their slime to feed their young. •

Swim / Locomotion Style: Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the

• •

Mouth Position:

head) through the water.

Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_clownfish

Title: Moon Jellyfish Common Name:

Aurelia aurita

Species #:7

Scientific Name: Aureliaaurita

Kingdom: Class:

Phylum: Cnidaria

Animalia

Order: Semaeostomeae

Scyphozoa

Family:

Ulmaridae

Geography / Habitat:

Members of the genus Aurelia can be found in most of the world's oceans and can be encountered as far north as 70° latitude and as far south as 40°. Moon jellyfish is typically found close to shore, including harbours and estuaries. Its preferred temperature is 9 °C to 19 °C, but it can be found in freezing cold waters as well and in tropical regions where the temperature exceeds 30°C. When it comes to salinity the moon jellyfish is normally found in parts of the ocean where the salinity exceeds 23 ppt, but specimens have actually been reported from waters where the salinity is no more than 3 ppt.

Life Strategy:

Jellyfish reproduction involves several different stages. In the adult, or medusa, stage of a jellyfish, they can reproduce sexually by releasing sperm and eggs into the water, forming a planula. In this larval stage of jellyfish life, the planula hooks on to the bottom of a smooth rock or other structure and grows into another stage of jellyfish life, the polyp-which resembles a miniature sea anemone. During this stage, which can last for several months or years, asexual reproduction occurs. The polyps clone themselves and bud, or strobilate, into another stage of jellyfish life, called ephyra. It is this form that grows into the adult medusa jellyfish. The jellyfish sting actually comes from tiny nematocysts, or stinging cells, on the jellyfish body. When triggered, these cells eject poison-tipped barbs that help the jellyfish catch food in the ocean. The nematocysts can still release their sting even after the jellyfish is dead. In most jellyfish, these stinging cells are so small that they can't penetrate human skin. Unfortunately, some are large enough to give a good sting if touched or stepped on by unsuspecting feet!

Food / Feed Strategy: The

moon jellyfish (both medusa and larva) kills its prey by stinging it with the nematocysts found on its long tentacles. Prey items include organisms such as crustaceans, protozoans, diatoms, molluscs, rotifers, tunicate larvae, polychaetes, other small medusas, and eggs from animals like fish.

Body Form or Style: Translucent white with darker tentacles and four yellowish pink gonads. Up to 12 inches in diameter. Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_jellyfish

Title: atlantic salmon Common Name:

Atlantic Salmon

Species #: 8

Scientific Name:

Salmo salar

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Osteichthyes

Order: Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae

Geography / Habitat:

Atlantic salmon are anadromous fish; they live in the ocean as adults, but return to fresh water to spawn. The freshwater habitats are almost always rapidly flowing, clear streams that empty into the Atlantic Ocean. The streams are cool to cold in temperature with gravel and rock bottoms that, combined with the strong current, provide enough oxygen for proper spawning. While at sea, atlantic salmon undergo migrations of various length and destinations. Maine atlantic salmon, for instance, can migrate to the waters around Greenland, off the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, or remain in the waters near Maine, a variety of habits that help sustain the species.

Life Strategy: Once a dominant male and female fish have paired up for mating, the female begins to clean a well-oxygenated gravel bed by scouring it with her tail in sweeping motions. The female will select an area in the streambed that has an upwelling of water through the gravel. A spawning redd can be approximately 2 to 10 feet long and 1 to 6 feet wide, depending on the size of the fish.While the female is preparing the spawning bed, called a redd, the male protects the area by swimming around the activity of the female and agressively biting at anything that intrudes, including smaller male fish. Often, spawning takes place in rather shallow water, making the fish easy prey for predators such as birds, bears, racoons, man, and other animals. " It should be noted that by the time fish are ready to spawn, their eating quality has severely degraded. Salmon flesh that was once red, is now be white and mushy. In every state, it is illegal to disturb spawning fish. The best eating fish are those fresh out of salt water and not the fish that are ready to propagate the species.Once the first redd is finished, the male and female align themselves next to one another for the actual spawning ritual. Their bodies quivering next to one another, the female releases her eggs at the same time that the male releases milt. Fertilization occurs in the water as the eggs drift down into the gravel.After the eggs have settled, the female swims upstream and sweeps the river bottom with her tail to cover the nest of eggs with clean gravel. The female will then proceed to dig another redd at a nearby location and the male will accompany her to protect the area. In the event that the male of the pair is the victim of a predator, another male fish may undertake the task of fertilizing the eggs that the female will deposit into the spawning beds. The larger male usually dominates, however sometimes several small male fish may fertilize the eggs from a large female. This tendency probably allows for genetic diversity among the species.The eggs will hatch in 30 to 90 days or more, depending on water temperature. Some types of salmon will migrate to the ocean in a matter of weeks after hatching from their gravel birthplace. Others may stay in the freshwater environment of the river for 1 to 2 years before migrating to the ocean.

Food / Feed Strategy: They are formidable predators so will eat anything that moves and fits in their mouths. Basically, other fish, worms, bugs, left over foods, shrimp, etc Body Form or Style:

Atlantic salmon are long, sleek fish with bodies five times as long as they are deep. They are covered with round or cross-shaped spots. Atlantic salmon are bluish black on top and bright silver on the sides. The scales are large and there are 120 to 130 on the lateral line.

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position Citation: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-nireland/A882920

Title: bank sea bass Common Name:

Bank Sea Bass

Species #: 9

Scientific Name: Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Centropristis ocyurus

Family: Centrarchidae

Geography / Habitat:

Bank sea bass are offshore fish found in deep waters usually around 180 feet. They prefer rocky structural elements, particularly reefs and rock pilings. This species is typically found in waters between the temperature of 42 and 84 F.

Life Strategy: Nearly all individuals of this species begin life as females and change to males as they age and grow. (This hermaphrodism is found in many fish species.) Collections suggest that fertile females spawn offshore in the early spring, usually for the first time when they are 2 or 3 years old. A 4-inch fish is capable of spawning over fourthousand pelagic eggs during one season, and a fish twice the size may lay about thirty-thousand.

Food / Feed Strategy: Bank sea bass feed on the bottom for squid, crustaceans and small fish.

Body Form or Style: Bank sea bass have the stout body typical of all sea bass. Coloration is pale olive to brassy brown on the top and sides, fading to white on the bottom. There are wavy blue lines on the head and the lips are purplish-blue. Black vertical stripes made up of splotches cover the side, beginning after the head to the tail. The tail is tri-lobed on the adult, with the two outer rays and the middle rays extending outward and forming two u-shaped indentations. There are two, connected, dorsal fins.

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position:

Citation: http://www.safmc.net/FishIDandRegs/FishGallery/BankSeaBass/tabid/265/Default.aspx

Title: bar jack Common Name: bar jack, Skipjack, Bahamas Runner, Reef Runner, Cibi Mancho

Species #: 10

Scientific Name:

Caranx ruber

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Carangidae

Geography / Habitat: The bar jack is widely distributed through the tropical and subtropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, and is a common species throughout most of its range. The northernmost limit of its range is New Jersey in the northern United States, with its range extending south along the continental coast to Venezuela. It inhabits a number of offshore islands and archipelagos including Bermuda, as well as the West Indies. The bar jack is most abundant in the Gulf of Mexico, the West Indies and Caribbean, but in the Gulf of Mexico is limited to offshore waters. There have been reliable reports of the species from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and far offshore at Saint Helena in the south central Atlantic,which would extend the species southern limit significantly if correct.The bar jack generally live in clear shallow water environments, predominantly around coral reefs to depths of around 60 ft. Tagging studies demonstrate the species is highly mobile, not lingering over one particular reef patch for very long, often moving between reefs over large expanses of sand. [13] Bar jack often venture into lagoons from seaward reefs, preferring to move over the sandy substrate while in these shallow waters, often forming shoals alongside barracuda, stingrays and sharks. Unlike most fish live on both the lagoon and reef, there is no particular age partitioning, with both juveniles and adults entering the lagoon to forage. Records of bar jack taken from Saint Helena came from seamounts in waters deeper than 100 m, indicating they live in more offshore pelagic waters also. Juveniles are often found under floating sargassum mats, using the algae for protection. They also inhabit areas around docks and pilings. Juveniles can be caught using a sabiki rig.

Life Strategy: The bar jack spawns twice each year, with this timing related to seasonal changes as described previously. During the peak feeding periods, the fish accumulate body fat in preparation for spawning, which occurs through the period from March to August in Cuba, with peaks during March–April and June– July.Fish congregate in schools of hundreds to spawn, with pairs of fish breaking away to spawn. Studies have found between 67 000 and 231 000 eggs are released by each female, with fertilisation occurring externally. The eggs are pelagic and around 0.75 mm to 0.85 mm in diameter, hatching when the larvae are around 2 mm in length, and flexion occurs at 4–5 mm. The larval stage of the bar jack has been extensively described by Richards (2006). Larvae appear between April and October in the Gulf Stream current, and grow the fastest during their first three years of life. During this early stage of life they are very similar to Carangoides bartholomaei, and often form associations with floating pelagic Sargassum mats which provide the young fish with protection. Young fish often inhabit the shallow reef waters, but move offshore once they reach sexual maturity. Due to a lack of discernible otolith rings, no studies on the growth of the bar jack have been published. Males and females reach sexual maturity at different lengths; males at 25 cm and females at 31 cm. Food / Feed Strategy: The bar jack is a benthopelagic predator, taking its prey both in midwater and along the seafloor. The diet consists mostly of fish, up to 90% of the fishes intake in some studies, with planktonic crustaceans and small cephalopods taken in minor volumes.There is significant change in diet with age in fish studied off Cuba, which may reduce intraspecific competition in the species. Young fish prefer planktonic organisms, predominantly decapod and fish larvae; fish reaching sexual maturity prey on shrimp and small fish, while mature fish feed almost exclusively on small fish. The fish species preferred by bar jack appear to be mostly small sand dwellers such as blennies and gobies or small reef dwellers including wrasses, butterflyfish and filefish, with the diet of the latter leading to the accumulation of coral derived ciguatera toxin in the jack's flesh. Other lesser taken prey items include gastropods, nematodes and benthic algae as well as a range of crustaceans.Feeding intensity varies throughout the year, and is strongly correlated to changes in the precipitation and wind during cyclical shifts in the climate. Young fish tend to feed intensively throughout the year, but show a peak in the spring and autumn months, while adults intensify their feeding during the dry and rainy seasons, with feeding declining during intermediate periods (winter and early summer). Daily intakes during the period of intensive feeding reach 3–7% of the fishes body weight, and during the periods of decline to 0.5–2%, with the annual intake being 1000–1500% of the body weight. In a 1993 paper, Troy Baird reported a foraging association between bar jacks and puddingwife wrasse, Halichoeres radiatus, in which a jack followed a single wrasse while it foraged for food. These associations were initiated by both jacks and wrasse, with apparently little pilfering of uncovered items, suggesting a beneficial relationship to both parties.While foraging with the wrasse, the jack increases its prey detection levels, which is useful for a species which is more adept at pelagic hunting, allowing it to be more efficient at this less common mode of food gathering.

Body Form or Style: Streamlined shape. Hard scutes forward of tail. Bright blue and black topside with silvery sides and a thin deep-purple stripe extending from behind the head into the lower lobe of the tail.

• •

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position:

Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_jack

Title: saddleblack clownfish Common Name: saddleblack clownfish

Species #: 11

Scientific Name: Amphiprion polymnus •

Class:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Saddleback Clownfish are found from Indo-Malayan Archipelago northwards to the Ryukyu Islands. Also reported from the Northern Territory, Australia

Food / Feed Strategy: Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

Body Form or Style: Color ranges from dark brown to yellow orange with a thick white bar located just behind the eyes. A large white abbreviated saddle shape or slanted white bar across the middle of the fish's body makes it quite obvious to see how it got the name Saddleback . In some varieties, typically those specimens initially associated with H. crispa anemone, the saddle shape may extend up onto the fish's Dorsal fin with a third white bar or margin located across the caudal peduncle (pictured in taxobox). •

Swim / Locomotion Style: Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the

•

Mouth Position:

head) through the water.

Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/saddle.php

Title: sebea clownfish Common Name:

Species #: 12

Scientific Name: Amphiprion sebae •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Phylum: Chordata

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Sebae Clownfish was described by Bleeker in 1853. They are found in the Northern Indian Ocean including Java, Sumatra, Andaman Islands, India, SriLanka, Maldive Islands, and southern Arabian Peninsula.

Life Strategy: They exhibit protandry, meaning each fish is born male, but will only change to female if the sole

breeding female dies. If the female dies, the breeding male changes sex, becomes the breeding female and the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male. The spawning process is correlated with the lunar cycle. At night time the moon maintains a higher level of alertness in the A. percula and this increases the interaction with the males and females. Before spawning, the male attracts the female via courting behaviour. These courting actions include extending their fins, biting the female and chasing her. The males also swim rapidly in an upward and downward motion to attract the females. The nest site is also important for the survival of the eggs. Depending on the size of the female spawn about 400–1500 eggs per cycle.The expected tenure of breeding females is approximately 12 years and is relatively long for a fish of its size, but is characteristic of other reef fish.

Food / Feed Strategy:The Sebae Clownfish will accept a wide variety of foods. Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

Body Form or Style: The Sebae Clownfish has a dark brown body

with the

two wide vertical bands and an orange face. The anal fin is yellow and caudal fin can be white or yellow. Juveniles are more yellow, getting browner as they age. This fish is sometimes mistaken for the Banded Clownfish (Clark's Clownfish) AmphiprionClarkii as they have a similar color pattern. The Sebae can be distinguished by its second white band that tips toward the back of the fish on top, extending onto the dorsal fin; also by its yellow anal fin.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the

•

Mouth Position:

head) through the water.

Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/sebae.php

Title: three-band clownfish Common Name:

Species #: 13

Scientific Name: Amphiprion tricinctus •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

Pomacentrida e

Family:

Geography / Habitat: Three-band Clownfish are found only near the Marshall Islands and in the central western Pacific Ocean. Found in lagoons and outer reefs at depths of 3 to 40 meters.

Food / Feed Strategy: Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

Body Form or Style: • Swim / Locomotion Style: Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the head) through the water.

•

Mouth Position:

Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/threeband.php

Title: oman anemonefish Common Name: blue-band clownfish, oman clownfish

Species #: 14

Scientific Name: Amphiprion omanensis Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: : Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat:

The Oman Anemonefish Amphiprion omanensis was first described by Allen and Mee (with Allen) in 1970. They are found on the Arabian Peninsula, the typical locality is Barr Al Hikman, on the east coast of Oman. They occur in small aggregations on inshore reefs at the shallower depths between 6 - 33 feet (2 - 10 meters).

Life Strategy: They exhibit protandry, meaning each fish is born male, but will only change to female if the sole breeding female

Food / Feed Strategy: The Oman Anemonefish are omnivores. In the wild the Amphiprion members eat plankton, and will also pick at the dead tentacles of their host anemone. In the aquarium no special food is necessary. This fish will readily accept a wide variety of foods; including live foods, frozen and flake foods, algae, meaty foods, shrimps, and may feed on tablets. Finely chopped meaty foods (like brine shrimp) can be fed regularly. Feed at least twice a day, whatever they will consume in about 3 minutes. It does not generally harm live corals or small inverts, but large adults may attack ornamental shrimps.

Body Form or Style: As an adult the Oman Anemonefish is a reddish brown with two vertical dark-edged white stripes on sides. The head is paler, almost tan. The second stripe is narrower than the first and the abdomen can be darker. The fins are brown to black, except the caudal fin which is whitish. Juveniles are light brown though yellow ventrally with two white bars on the sides. Their dorsal fin is light brown, and their pelvic and anal fins are yellow on the top and darker towards the bottom. Their caudal fin is yellow with black in the center with a white stripe on the upper lobe. This fish is distinctive with its almost black pelvic and anal fins, but an even more unique characterisitc is its strongly forked caudal fin. The only other species with a forked caudal fin is the Madagascar Anemonefish Amphiprion latifasciatus . The Madagascar is found in the the western Indian Ocean from Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, and it has a much broader mid-body stripe than the Oman Anemonefish.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style Clownfish swim by rowing their pectoral fins (the ones on the sides close to the

• •

Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/OmanAnemonefish.php

head) through the water.

Title: Arabian angelfish Common Name:

Species #: 15

Scientific Name: Pomacanthus asfur •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat:

The Arabian Angelfish Pomacanthus asfur is also known as the Asfur Angelfish, Crescent Angelfish, and Half Moon Angelfish. It is from the Pomacanthidae family, and was first described by by Forsskal in 1755. They are found in the Western Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, then south to Zanzibar which is about 3/4 of the way down the African east coast. It is on the IUCN Red List as Least Concern (LC), with a stable population. The Arabian Angelfish are found singly or as pairs on semi-protected inshore reefs at depths of 10 to 50 feet (3 to 15 m). They enjoy the protection of the areas near caves where there are soft and stony corals. There they feed on benthic algae, weeds, sponges and tunicates.

Food / Feed Strategy: Arabian Angelfish are omnivores. In the wild they eat a wide variety of sponges with small amounts of algae, tunicates, hydroids, and bryozoans. It is important that you feed angelfish all kinds of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Feed vegetable based foods as well as meaty foods like chopped squid, scallop, and shrimp. Prepared foods with marine sponge and tunicates are essential. Foods containing color enhancing qualities may be used as well. A good formula that can be made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach. Feed 3 or more times a day. Frequent smaller feedings will help them to be more friendly and in better health.

Body Form or Style: The Arabian Angelfish or Asfur Angelfish has dorsal and anal fin streamers, which contribute to the beauty of this fish. The face is a steel blue to gray color in front of the gill area, then brightens up to a bright royal blue under the chin area and the area behind the eye. There is a intense yellow band in the middle of the body, which is widest at the top of the dorsal fin. As it extends downward it becomes narrowest at the belly, terminating just before the bottom or anal area of the fish.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • •

Mouth Position Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/Arabian.php

Title: bicolor angelfish

Species #: 16

Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge bicolor •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Bicolor Angelfish Centropyge bicolor was described by Bloch in 1787. Their range includes most of the Pacific ocean excluding Hawaii. They are found in the Indo-Pacific from East Africa to the Soamoan and Phoenix Island then up to southern Japan. They also range from southern Japan down to New Caledonia, including The Great Barrier Reef and all though Micronesia

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid

female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days.

Food / Feed Strategy: Though an omnivore, the Bicolor Angelfish will eat more “meaty” foods than other dwarf angelfish. They will eat some algae, say about 30% but as they get older feed on any corals, worms, sponges or corals you have. It is important feed angelfish varieties of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Feeding them good prepared foods with spirulina algae, along with finely shaved fresh or frozen shrimp and angelfish food that has sponge included. There are several good commercial foods available including Formula II and Angel Formula.

they will that you mysis, material

Body Form or Style:

The Bicolor Angelfish have a slightly longer oval shape than other dwarf angelfish. They are also commonly referred to as the Two-colored Angelfish because the front 1/3 of their body is yellow to gold and the back 2/3 is dark to royal blue. There's is a blue “mask” that runs over the forehead to the top of each eye. At times this fish can have a more “dusky” look to yellow in the facial area. The pectoral, pelvic and tail fins are yellow with the dorsal and anal fins being blue and coming to a point at the ends. Juveniles look similar, except there are darker bars in the blue area.

• •

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position:

Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/bicolor.php

Title: blue striped angelfish

Species #: 17

Common Name: Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Described by Temminck and Schlegel in 1844, the Blue-striped Angelfish or Blue-lined Angelfish is found in southern Japan, southern Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. This species is commonly seen on rocky shores at depths between 16 to 197 feet (5 - 60 meters) in southern Japan from the Izu Islands southward, but is scarce in the Ogasawara Islands (Bonins) and also is very curiously absent from the Ryukyu Islands (around Okinawa). It is very mysterious that the Blue-striped Angelfish is completely absent from the sea around Okinawa. No diver or collector has observed or collected any specimen at all, but many records of collection of this angelfish were made from Taiwan. It is also abundant at the large Kyushu Island of Japan. The Blue-striped Angelfish lives in its natural habitat singly or in a small group. They are often observed by divers around southern Japanese waters at the depth of 10 meters or so, but when it is a juvenile will be in waters less than 5 meters . One of my friends, a collector, encounters and catches juveniles with a hand net on rare occasions in southern Miyazaki, Kyushu. A distinct variation is known from Vietnam that has a more complicated color pattern especially on the head and face, similar in appearance to the Orangeface Angelfish C. chrysocephalus from Indonesia. All of the large adults from Vietnam have such a color pattern though the pattern varies between individuals. This species is closely related to the very similar Maze Angelfish C. cephalareticulatus (Shen & Lim, 1975) and the Blue Vermiculate Angelfish C. chrysocephalus (Bleeker, 1854). In southern Japan the Maze Angelfish will co-occur and mix with the Blue-striped Angelfish.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid

Food / Feed Strategy: The Blue-striped Angelfish or Blue-lined Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild they eat primarily sponges and tunicates, but have also been observed nibbling on macroalgae, black corals, and sea whips. Provide a varied diet. Juveniles often accept dried flakes, meaty foods, frozen prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, frozen shrimps, and may also feed on tablets. Feed these fish at least twice or three times everyday.

Body Form or Style:

The Blue-striped Angelfish or Blue-lined Angelfish adult is an overall brown to brownish yellow with blue horizontal lines on their sides. Many of these lines are curving and some may be interrupted. The caudal fin is entirely yellow with a narrow blue edge. The pelvic fins are yellow, the pectoral fins duskier with a black spot encircled by blue at base, and the dorsal and anal fins are a blackish blue with several narrower blue lines. The face and head are yellowish brown with a mix of blue stripes and dots. Juveniles are black overall and have a vertical yellow band behind the eye extending from the forehead to the chest. They have blue lines on the sides that will increase in number with growth, a yellow rim on the dorsal and anal fins, and a narrow yellow stripe on the snout and lips. No sexual differences are known, but it is often reported by divers in southern Japan that the species is seen swimming in pairs.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/BluestripedAngelfish.php Title: golden angelfish Species #: 18 Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge aurantia

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Golden Angelfish are found in the Western Pacific; American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, northern Great Barrier Reef (Australia), Indonesia, Palau and Pohnpei. Randall and Wass (1974) described the Golden Angelfish when they were collecting many fish species with drugs on the reefs of American Samoa. At first they did not notice its existence while they were diving in the field until they unexpectedly found dead specimens as they were collecting. In Indonesia the fish has been recorded from various localities including Sulawesi, Bali, Lombok, Komodo and Flores. It will probably be found also in Irian Jaya, and the gap between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia will be bridged in the future. In Pohnpei and Palau of Micronesia it is rare and these islands also are very distant. This species of Centropyge live in their natural habitat alone or by forming a small group. It prefers deeper waters and is said to be seen among rocks at depths below 164 -197 feet (50 - 60 meters), but in Papua New Guinea it was collected in waters as shallow as 10 feet (3 meters).

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid

Food / Feed Strategy: The Golden Angelfish are omnivores. Provide a varied diet. Meaty foods, dried flakes, shrimps, frozen prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, and tablets are acceptable. Feed frequently at first with various foods, including ‘wet foods' like frozen shrimps. Once it is successfully acclimatized it will become a hardy fish. Feed at least twice a day.

Body Form or Style: The Golden Angelfish is uniformly orange to brownish orange with numerous vertical yellow stripes and the face and head are sometimes slightly duskier. The fins are orange to brownish with some curved yellow lines, except the pectoral fins which are translucent. The species has a relatively higher body similar to the Peppermint Angelfish C. boylei, Colin's Pygmy Angelfish C. colini, Barred Angelfish C. multifasciata and Purplemask Angelfish C. venusta. Dr. Bruce Carlson (former director of Waikiki Aquarium, who now he lives in the mainland USA) photographed one specimen in the Solomon Islands that was completely dark orange (B. Carlson, pers. comm.; H. Tanaka, 1999). There was also a blackish specimen that turned to normal coloration in a few weeks in a tank (R. Pyle, 1993). Its scientific name aurantia comes from the New Latin for orange, not for golden. Swim / Locomotion Style:

Mouth Position: Title: griffis’ angelfish Common Name:

Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/GoldenAngelfish.php Species #: 19

Scientific Name: Apolemichthys griffisi •

Kingdom: Animalia

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Griffis' Angelfish, first described by Carlson and Taylor in 1981, was described as a member of the Holacanthus genera. First photographed in the Gilbert Islands in the 1970's and soon collected in Canton Island, Phoenix Islands; the authors of the angelfish asked Gerald Allen not to illustrate it in his famous Butterfly- & Angelfishes, Volume 2 (1979) until they describe it. One of the authors had photographed it in 1970's. This angelfish is found in the Central and West Pacific; the Marshall, Line, Phoenix, Gilbert and Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. It often occurs in pairs, but solitary individuals are also seen. They inhabit steep reef slopes at depths between 33 - 295 feet (10 - 90 meters). When frightened, they will hide in dead stony coral skeletons or under reef ledges.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid

Food / Feed Strategy: The Griffis' Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild they eat primarily sponges and tunicates, but there is little data on their entire diet. Presumable the young also feed on plant matter. Provide a varied diet. Meaty foods, dried flakes, shrimps, frozen prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, and tablets are acceptable. Some vegetables and Japanese Nori are also important foods. Feed at least twice a day, if it is a tiny juvenile provide it with foods three to four times every day.

Body Form or Style: The Griffis' Angelfish adult is grayish white with an oblique black band beginning at the head and ending on the lower side of caudal peduncle, and has another oblique white band riding on the black band. The nape has an eye-size black spot, and sometimes there are numerous fine black dots on head. There is another smaller black spot above the pectoral-fin base. The dorsal fin is mostly black with a whitish area on the anterior part, the anal fin is grayish white, and the pelvic fins are whitish. The caudal fin is whitish with the upper tip of the fin prolonged. Juveniles are similar to adults but somewhat more contrasted in color, and have a more prominent eye band. Note the differences of coloration in the fins of the juvenile pictured here.

• • •

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/GriffisAngelfish.php

Title: king angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Holacanthus passer

Species #: 20

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: King Angelfish are found in reef areas of the Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California to Peru, including the Galapagos Islands. Found at depths from 4 to 30 meters.

Food / Feed Strategy: Eats sponges, tunicates, and other benthic invertebrates. These fish act as cleaner fish, eating external parasites, from hammerhead sharks.

Body Form or Style: Adult King Angelfish are dark blue-gray and have a vertical white bar on the sides just behind the pectoral fin. The pelvic fins are white in males and yellow in females, while the dorsal and caudual fins are ringed with brilliant red and blue areas. Juveniles undergo a changing pattern of colors but can be distinguished by the orange front and orange tail with a single bar or several white bars on their sides. Generally juvenile King Angelfish are lighter in color and have multiple light blue to white vertical bars on their body.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/king.php Title: queen angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Holacanthus ciliaris

Species #:21

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Western Atlantic coral reefs from Brazil to Florida, the Bahamas, and the Gulf or Mexico. The Queen Angelfish is found at depths up to 70 meters (230 ft.)

Body Form or Style: Queen Angelfish get their royal title from the speckled, blue-ringed black spot on their heads that resembles a crown. Decked out with electric blue bodies, blazing yellow tails, and light purple and orange highlights, Queen angels are among the most strikingly colorful of all reef fishes. Their adornments seem shockingly conspicuous, but they blend well when hiding amid the exotic reef colors.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/QueenAngelfish.php Title: rock beauty angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Holacanthus tricolor

Species #:22

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The rock beauty are found in Western Atlantic coral reefs from Georgia to Bermuda and the Bahamas, as well as from Florida to southeastern Brazil. The rock beauty is a diurnal species, they are active during the day and sleep at night. It inhabits rock jetties, reef rubble, and coral reefs to depths of 330 feet (100 m). Juveniles live among fire corals and hide in crevices and shells. They are very territorial, rarely venturing more than a few feet from their protective shelter. The juveniles are not known to be cleaner fish, as other Holacanths species, but even as adults they establish and defend territories on the reefs.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: Eats sponges, tunicates, and other benthic invertebrates. Body Form or Style: The adult Rock Beauty angelfish's overall body color can be described as yellow in the facial region of the body with blue towards the tail end of the fish. Its tail, however, will retain the yellow coloration. Their pectoral fins and ventral fins are also yellow but their lips and the edges of their dorsal fins and anal fins are dark blue. An adult Rock Beauty angelfish can measure up to 10 inches (25 cm).

• • •

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/RockBeauty.php

Title: Rusty Angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus duboulayi

Species#:23

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Rusty Angelfish Centropyge ferrugatus was described by Randall and Burgess in 1972. The genus Centropyge currently has over 33 species, and are members of the Pomacanthidae family. Centropyge will spawn in captivity and are now being raised in captivity, thus helping to preserve our ocean reefs. The common names, Rusty Angelfish, Rusty Dwarf Angelfish, or Rusty Pygmy Angelfish are derived from their rusty coloration. Rusty Angelfish are endemic to the Western Pacific. They are found in Tanabe Bay then Southern Japan to the southwest tip of Taiwan, and in the Philippines. They inhabit seaward reefs that are surrounded by rocky areas to provide cover. The rubble areas close by are a good supply of algal growth. These dwarf angelfish are found alone or in small groups eating benthic algae, weeds, cnidarians, hard corals, coral polyps, sponges, and tunicates They are found at depths from 20 - 98 feet (6-30 m).

Food / Feed Strategy: The Rusty Angelfish Angel is an omnivore. In the wild their diet consists mostly of algae and detritus. They will also pick on the polyps of any stony coral and most soft corals, as well as tunicates, clam mantles, cnidarians, sea squirts and sponges.In captivity a diet rich in vegetable matter is essential, as well as some proteins. It is important that you feed angelfish all kinds of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. They do well on frozen foods with marine or Spirulina algae, mysid shrimp, shaved shrimp, and other high quality fare. A mature tank with live rock can help supply a good amount of natural algae foods (containing copepods and other small edibles) and diatom algae. There are also several good commercial foods available that are designed for angelfish, including Formula II and Angel Formula.Feed several times a day even if natural foods are present. Unlike other Centropyge , who will stay away from noxious soft corals, the Rusty Angels seem to eat more than their fair share of corals. Keeping them well fed in a reef may discourage them from eating corals, but that is a risk

Body Form or Style:

The Rusty Angelfish looks very similar to the Coral Beauty, with the exception of color. It has an oval body with irregularly shaped black dots on a golden brownish orange color along the top half of the fish and a brighter orange on the bottom half of the fish. There is bluish edging on the outer edge of the dorsal and anal fins. The dorsal fin and most of the anal fin are dark.

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position: world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/rusty.php

Title: scribbled angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus duboulayi

Citation: http://animal-

Species#:24

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Described by Günther in 1867, the Scribbled Angelfish or Duboulay's Angelfish are found on coastal and inner reefs of Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, southern New Guinea and the Aru Islands. They are generally seen at depths between 1 - 20 meters (3 - 66 ft.). They among coral, rock, sponge and seawhips found in areas with soft bottoms, rubble or open flat bottoms. They are usually seen in pairs or small groups...

Food / Feed Strategy:The Scribbled Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild they eat primarily sponges and tunicates, but will also nibble on macroalgae, coral polyps, and sea whips. Provide a varied diet. Juveniles often accept dried flakes, frozen prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, frozen shrimps, and may also feed on tablets. They will also eat some meaty foods, a good formula that can be made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach. Feed these fish at least twice or three times everyday.

Body Form or Style:

The Scribbled Angelfish derived its name from a distinctive scrawled or 'scribbled' type patterning on a body that is mostly a dark bluish black color. The long and broad dorsal and anal fins are also 'scribbled' with dark and light blues, sometimes deep reds. The pale yellow face is followed by a broad blue-black band running through the eye area, and this is followed by another broad yellow and white band that extends onto the pelvic fins. There is a horizontal yellow stripe just beneath the dorsal fin, starting narrowlly at the front and becoming wider until it reaches the caudal peduncle. The tail fin is also yellow.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/scribbled.php Title: yellowhead angelfish Species #:25 Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge joculator

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat:

The Yellowhead Angelfish or Coco's Pygmy Angelfish are found in the Southeastern Indian Ocean; the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island. The were first collected in the Cocos-Keeling Islands by Smith-Vaniz and Randall in1974, and named within a year. SmithVaniz and Randall also described Colin's Pygmy Angelfish C. colini from the same area at that time. The species is abundant in their natural habitat and seen singly or in a small group. It is observed among coral and ruble on the steep outer reef at the depths between 49 - 246 feet(15 - 75 meters), and on occasion it can be found at 26 - 33 feet (8 - 10 meter) at drop-offs.

Body Form or Style: The Yellowhead Angelfish or Coco's Pygmy Angelfish is described by its common name 'yellowhead', reflecting this bold aspect of its appearance. It is yellow on the anterior 1/3 part of body and blackish blue posteriorly. There is a blue ring with black spots around eye and the cheek spine is bluish. The caudal fin is yellow and the peduncle is brownish. Dorsal and anal fins are blackish blue with deep blue margins while the pectoral and pelvic fins are yellow. It is slightly similar and very close to Hotumatua's Angelfish C. hotumatua from the Southeastern Pacific, but the latter has a prominent black spot just behind eye, and has a yellowish to deep brown body. It is also somewhat similar to the Bicolor Angelfish C. bicolor, but is not a close relative. The latter can easily be differentiated by its eye band and by the blue coloring of its body.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/YellowheadAngelfish.php

Title: blue angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Holacanthus bermudensis

Species #:26

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Gulf of Mexico, the southern coast of Florida, Bermuda and the Bahamas. The Blue Angelfish is found in shallow waters to depths up to 60 meters (200 ft.) Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days.

Food / Feed Strategy: This angelfish survives mainly on sponges so make you can get an angel formula with sponge in it. It is important that you feed angelfish all kinds of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. A good formula that can be made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach.

sure

Body Form or Style: A Bermuda blue angelfish is blue-brown in color with green hues and bright yellow on the tip of its tail and fins. Their young, however, have a completely different coloration. A young blue angelfish is dark blue with a yellow tail and some yellow on its fins. It also has vertical blue bars on its body. As it ages, the bars fade away and the body color becomes lighter and some browns and greens are added. The Bermuda blue angelfish can grow up to 18 inches in length. It has a large mouth and comb-like teeth. It is often collected for aquariums. This fish occasionally breeds with the queen angelfish, which is very similar to it. This hybrid is called the townsend angelfish. An adult blue angelfish can produce a loud thumping sound that warns predators and also startles divers

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/BlueAngelfish.php

Title: blue girdled angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Pomacanthus navarchus

Species #:27

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Blue-girdled Angelfish Pomacanthus navarchus is also known as the Majestic Angelfish and Navarchus Angelfish. It is from the Pomacanthidae family, and was first described by Cuvier in 1831. It is found in the Indo Pacific Ocean from Maldives to Vanuatu then northward to the Yaeyama Islands and it is also found in Palau and Krosae in Micronesia. It is on the IUCN Red List as Least Concern (LC) with a stable population.The Blue-girdled Angelfish is found in pairs at times on the reef, but usually it is solitary. Juveniles are found singly and are very secretive. They inhabit very shallow inshore caves where algae is growing. Adults inhabit areas with heavy coral growth such as clear lagoons, protected outer reef slopes, and channels, yet never too far from a cave. Sponges and tunicates are their main food. Adults are found at depths from 10 to 131 feet (3 to 40 m).

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: Blue-girdled Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild, a wide variety of sponges and tunicates are their main food. It is important that you feed angelfish all kinds of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Feed vegetable based foods as well as meaty foods like chopped squid, scallop, and shrimp. Prepared foods with marine sponge and tunicates are essential. Foods containing color enhancing qualities may be used as well. A good formula that can be made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach. Feed 3 or more times a day

Body Form or Style: The adult Blue-girdled Angelfish or Majestic Angelfish will have bright yellow on their sides and back, including the dorsal and tail fin. There are bright blue spots within the yellow on their sides, but just a hint. An intense and deep beautiful blue is found on the head; the pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins; as well as an area just in front of the tail fin. This angelfish looks as if someone took a bright light blue neon pen and outlined it’s entire body and fins, including areas where the yellow and blue meet up. They also have a blue mouth, and yellow on the chin and neck that terminates just over the pelvic fins.The juveniles are black with light blue curved vertical stripes on their sides and at times the yellowish tint can show through. At 3 - 7.8 inches (7.6 - 20 cm) the juvenile Blue-girdled Angelfish begins its color change to the beautiful majestic adult. Interestingly, the stage between juvenile and adult is rarely seen.The Blue-girdled Angelfish can grow up to 11.8” (30 cm) in the wild, yet in captivity this slow grower will rarely reach 10” (25 cm). This Angelfish has a lifespan of over 21 years in captivity.

Swim / Locomotion: Style Mouth Position: world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/bluegirdled.php Title: regal angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Pygoplites diacanthus

Citation: http://animalSpecies #:28

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Regal Angelfish are one of the more common Pomacanthids on the Great Barrier Reef. They like areas with lots of holes and crevices. They prefer rich coral areas with currents and moderate wave action. They are always on the move swimming from crevice to crevice in search of food. Found at depths from 1-20 meters (3-66 ft.)

Food / Feed Strategy: Mostly sponges and algae

Body Form or Style: The Regal Angelfish can be recognised by the alternating yellow and black-edged white bars on the body. The soft part of the dorsal fin is blue with black scribbles. The anal fin has yellow and blue stripes. The caudal fin is yellow.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/Regal.php Title: Shepard’s pygmy angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge shepardi

Species #:29

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: : Chordata • •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Shepard's Pygmy Angelfish Centropyge shepardi was described rather recently by Randall & Yasuda in 1979. They are found in the Western Pacific, from the Mariana and Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands, and occasionally off the Izu Islands south of Japan. Possibly southwest of Palau. They inhabit depths from 33 to 184 feet (10 - 56 m).

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: The Shepard’s Pygmy Angelfish is an omnivore, though tends a lot closer to being an herbivore. These dwarf angelfish are known to eat mostly algae in the wild. Their stomach contents are benthic algae and weeds, so a diet rich in vegetable matter is essential. The only "meaty" foods they ingest may be an occasional copepod who inhabits the algae they consume. They do best in a tank with a good supply of natural algae foods containing copepods and other small edibles, and diatom algae.

Body Form or Style: The Shepard’s Pygmy Angelfish has an oval body and the shape the dorsal and anal fins are rounded to slightly pointed at the ends. It has a beautiful coloration. Its ranges in color with a head and body that are apricot to an almost red, with darkening toward the dorsal fin area. The common name Mango Angelfish is derived from this vibrant coloration.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/shepardi.php

Title: lemonpeel angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge flavissima

Species #:30

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata • • •

Order: : Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: They are found throughout the Central Pacific Ocean. In the Indo-Pacific they are found in Cocos-Keeling Islands and the Atoll Islands to the Line Islands, Marquesan Island and Ducie Islands and at times Easter Island, then north to the Ryukyu Island, and south to Rapa and New Caledonia. They are also reported from the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef of Australia, with rare but occasional sighting from the western side of its distribution including Palau, Philippines, New Guinea, Indonesia, and Japan.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: The Lemonpeel Angelfish is an omnivore, but their diet mainly consists of algae. They need algae naturally growing in the tank to be healthy. Feeding them 2 to 3 times a day and offering a variety of good foods is important. These include prepared foods with marine algae, spirulina enriched foods, frozen mysid shrimp, shaved shrimp and brine shrimp. There are several good commercial foods available including Formula II and Angel Formula.

Body Form or Style : The Lemonpeel Angelfish has the typical shape for a dwarf species, having a small elongated oval shaped body with rounded fins. They grow to a maximum length of 5.5" (14 cm) and have a lifespan of 11 years in captivity. These dwarf angels are typically bright yellow with a blue and black line on the gill cover. Some of their fins are edged with blue as well and there can be some blue on the lips. Specimens originating from the Pacific Ocean also have a blue circle around the eye. This eye ring is missing from those originating Indian Ocean, and there is some speculation that this could indicate a separate species. The juveniles are the same color as the adults, but they also have an ocellus, or eyespot on each side. These are a large black dot edged with blue located in the middle of the body. Lemonpeel Angelfish often cross breed with C. vroliki (Pearlscale Angelfish) which tend to be more hardy.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/lemonpeel.php

Title: multicolor angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge multicolor

Species #:31

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: : Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Multicolor Angelfish are found in the Central Pacific; Marshall Islands, Marianas, Palau, Society Islands, Fiji, Cook Islands and Hawaiian Islands. Randall & Wass (1974) described it from the Marshall Islands. This species of Centropyge live in their natural habitat alone or by forming a small group. It is said to be seen among rocks at depths between 65 - 377 feet (20-115) meters. It is rarely seen in its natural habitat in Hawaii where the relative, Nahacky's Pygmy Angelfish C. nahackyi, was also found. Randall and Wass also described the Golden Angelfish Centropyge aurantia at the same time. Gerald Allen stated that he caught it for the first time to describe it, but Randall had already captured it a few months earlier (Allen,1979).

Food / Feed Strategy: The Multicolor Angelfish are omnivores. Provide a varied diet. Meaty foods, dried flakes, shrimps, frozen prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, and tablets are acceptable. Feed frequently at first with various foods, including ‘wet foods' like frozen shrimps. Feed at least twice a day.

Body Form or Style:

The Multicolor Angelfish or Multicolor Pygmy Angelfish is definitely a multicolored fish. It is pale on the upper half of body, shading to yellow on the anterior half of the abdominal side, orangish centrally, and blackish blue posteriorly. The head is deep blue above eyelevel with vertical black bars. The caudal fin is yellow, the dorsal and anal fins bluish black with deep blue margins, and the pectoral and pelvic fins are yellow.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/MulticolorAngelfish.php

Title: potters pygmy angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge potteri

Species #:32

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Potter’s Pygmy Angelfish is found mainly near the Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll. They are typically found at depths from 3 to 450 feet (1 to 138 m), with adults inhabiting areas typically at 33 feet (10m). This dwarf angel inhabits the clear waters of seaward reefs among rock, coral or rubble and feeds benthic algae, weeds and detritus. They are usually seen in pairs or in small groups of one male with one to eight females. They will attack damsels and tangs that are indigenous to the area to protect their spawning site and food source.

Body Form or Style: The Potter’s Angelfish is a typical shape for dwarf species, having a small elongated oval shape body, with rounded fins. They are typically bright orange with irregular, thin fine vertical black to blue stripes on the entire body, including the dorsal, anal and tail fin. The lower mid area of the body has a blue irregular oval area with some species having blue on the backs of the anal, tail and dorsal fin. The pelvic fins are a solid yellow to orange, and the pectoral fins are a clearish yellow to orange.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/Potters.php Title: Colin’s pygmy angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge colini

Species #:33

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata •

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Colin's Pygmy Angelfish are found in

the Eastern Indian Ocean and the West Pacific; the Coos-Keeling Islands, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon, Fiji, Palauan and Ogasawara Islands. The were first collected in the Coos-Keeling Islands by Smith-Vaniz and Randall in1974. Smith-Vaniz and Randall also described the Yellowhead Angelfish or Coco's Pygmy Angelfish C. joculator from the same area at that time. The species seems rare in their natural habitat and are seen solitarily or in a pair. It is often observed upside down under coral and ruble areas on the steep outer reefs at depths between 79 - 246+ feet (24 - 75+ meters).

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: The Colin's Pygmy Angelfish are omnivores. Provide a varied diet. Meaty foods, dried flakes, shrimps, frozen prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, and tablets are acceptable. Feed frequently at first with various foods, including algae. Once it is successfully acclimatized it will become a rather hardy pet. Feed on it at least twice a day; if it is a tiny juvenile provide it with foods three to four times everyday. Body Form or Style: The Colin's Pygmy Angelfish is blue on the upper 1/4 area of body and yellow on the lower side and has a blue ring around the eye. The caudal, anal, and pelvic fins are yellow. The dorsal fin is blue on the spinous part and yellow posteriorly, and the pectoral fins are yellowish. It has a higher body like the Peppermint Angelfish C. boylei, Barred angelfish C. multifasciata, and the Purplemask Angelfish C. venusta.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/ColinsPygmyAngelfish.php Title: coral beauty angelfish

Species #:34

Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge bispinosa Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Family: Pomacentridae

Phylum: : Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Geography / Habitat: The Coral Beauty Angelfish are secretive fish that are found in lagoon and seaward reef slopes which support an abundance of coral growth and algae. They feed on algae, and live alone or in small groups consisting of one male with 2 to 5 females 3-7. As adults they are found at depths of 29 to 148 feet (9 to 45 m). The deeper individuals are much more pale in color than those from shallower waters. They have been reared in captivity.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: The Coral Beauty Angelfish is an omnivore. In the wild it feeds primarily on algae, but it will also ingest tiny animals living in the algae. In captivity their diet will be mostly algae, but also offer some other proteins. Feeding them a variety of good foods is important. Offer various types of fresh and dried marine algae, spirulina enriched foods, mysis shrimp, shaved shrimp and other high-quality meaty foods, angelfish preparations, and flakes or pellets designed for algae eating fish. There are several good commercial foods available including Formula II and Angel Formula. Feed several times a day even if natural foods are present.

Body Form or Style: The Coral Beauty Angelfish has the typical shape for dwarf angels, having a small elongated oval shape body, with rounded fins. Different specimens can vary in its intensity of coloration and patterning, depending on where it was collected in the wild. They can be almost entirely purple with some orange to orange-yellow barring that consists of dots and dashes. Others will have most of their body covered in orange to yellow, with thin purple lines and dots running over it, yet may still have a purple head and fins. Deeper dwelling individuals will be more pale. The Philippine variety has a beautiful blue-red coloration.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/CoralBeauty.php Title: keyhole angelfish

Species #:35

Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge tibicen Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata • •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Keyhole Angelfish inhabit the Western Pacific Ocean and the Eastern Indian Ocean. They are found in areas of Christmas Island to Fiji then northward to the southern part of Japan.and southward to the Scott Reef, the Eastern Indian Ocean, and Lord Howe Island. The Keyhole Angelfish are found alone or in harems of 3-7 individuals. They inhabit mixed coral and rubble areas of lagoons and seaward reefs, feeding primarily on algae and some and crustaceans. The depths they are found as adults is from 13 to 180 feet (4 to 55 m).

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid

Food / Feed Strategy: The Keyhole Angelfish is an omnivore. In the wild their diet mainly consists of algae along with some crustaceans. They need algae naturally growing in the tank to be healthy. Feeding them several times a day and offering a variety of good foods is important even with amply algae in the tank. These include prepared foods with marine algae, spirulina enriched foods, frozen mysid shrimp, brine shrimp, and meaty crustaceans such as shaved shrimp and clams. There are several good commercial foods available including Formula II and Angel Formula.

Body Form or Style: The Keyhole Angelfish has the typical shape for a dwarf species, having a small elongated oval shaped body with rounded fins. This dwarf angelfish ranges in overall color from dark bluish black to black. It has a vertical white oval blotch on the upper back below the dorsal fin toward the front, giving it rise to its common name.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/keyhole.php Title: the Koran angelfish

Species #:36

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pomacanthus semicirculatus Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: : Chordata • • •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat:

The Koran Angelfish Pomacanthus semicirculatus , is also known as the Semicircle Angelfish, Semicirculatus, Semicirculatus Angelfish, Half-Circle Angelfish, and Halfcircled Angelfish. It is from the Pomacanthidae family, and was first described by Cuvier in 1831. Semicirculatus are found off of Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales, and New Guinea. Also common in the Indian Ocean from South Africa, the Red Sea, and Sri Lanka eastward to Indonesia and the Western Pacific from New Caledonia, Fiji, and Samoa, northward to Japan. It is on the IUCN Red List as Least Concern (LC), with a stable population. The young Koran Angel is found in shallow protected areas. Very small juveniles stay in dark caverns and are never seen, but older juveniles will be found in shallow water on top of reefs where there is also a lot of sandy bottoms. Adults are generally found alone, but sometimes in pairs, where there is dense coral growth that provides cover if there is a threat. They found at depths of 3 to 98 feet (1 to 30 m). Semicirculatus feed on sponges, tunicates, algae and other encrusting animals. There has been some success in captive spawning, yet so far getting the larvae to survive beyond 17 days has proved difficult.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a

more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days.

Food / Feed Strategy: Koran Angelfish or Semicircle Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild they eat a wide variety of sponges, tunicates, algae and other encrusting animals. It is important that you feed angelfish all kinds of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Feed vegetable based foods as well as meaty foods like chopped squid, scallop, and shrimp. Prepared foods with marine sponge is essential. A good formula that can be made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach. Many foods offer color enhancing qualities, which are helpful. Feed 3 or more times a day.

Body Form or Style: The Koran Angelfish or Semicircle Angelfish adult looks like someone outlined the body and gills in a bright, almost neon blue. The small mouth is yellow and the head can be a solid pale grayish blue or yellow to dark brownish yellow, devoid of any speckling.The mid section brightens up to a lighter yellow, speckled with dark blue scales. The colors seem to reverse as you go toward the tail, with the body being the darker color having yellow, green or blue scales. This darker color covers the back 3/4 of the body and into the tail fin. Streamers extend several inches beyond both the dorsal and anal fins, and they are tipped in yellow. The same is true for the pelvic fins. The pectoral fins are light yellow.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/koran.php Title: Lamarck’s angelfish

Species #:37

Common Name: Scientific Name: Genicanthus lamarck Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Lamarck’s Angelfish is found in the Indo-West Pacific from the Indo-Malayan regions and eastward to Vanuatu, then from southern Japan south to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. They are unique in that they live in a wide variety of habitats. Habitats they are found in include coastal reefs, which at times has very turbid conditions, reef crests, and deep reefs near steep slopes.They are found in depths from 33 to 131 feet (10 - 40 m) living alone or in small or large groups, as well as pairs in areas where there is a low population. They feed in the water column on zooplankton during the day which can consist of diatoms, tiny crustaceans, protozoans, and the eggs and larval stages of other animals.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: The Lamarck's Angelfish is an omnivore, but lIke all the Swallowtail Angelfish from the Genicanthus genus, they are zooplanktivores in the wild, meaning they eat tiny critters that float freely in the water column. In captivity they will feed on meaty foods along with some diatoms and algae in the tank. It is important that you feed angelfish a variety of good foods; all kinds of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Best to feed small amounts two to three times a day times a day. You can offer finely chopped fresh shrimp and fish, frozen brine shrimp and frozen foods that have spirulina. A good formula that can be made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach. There are also several good commercial foods available including Formula II and Angel Formula. Live brine shrimp or black worms and mysis shrimp can be given on occasion. Higher temperatures may make feeding them several times a day necessary.

Body Form or Style: The Lamarck's Angelfish is very different in shape than most angelfish. They have an almost teardrop shape body with the head area being more rounded, then it tapers back nearing the tail fin. The male and female have slightly different patterning. They are both white with 3 to 6 horizontal black stripes, one black stripe running along the top of their dorsal fin, and a crescent shaped tail fin. Both males and larger females have a yellow spot on the top of the head that can either fade or become brighter during social interactions.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/lamark.php

Title: blue-ringed angelfish

Species #:38

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pomacanthus annularis Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata • •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Described by Bloch in 1787, the Blue-ringed Angelfish is found in the Central Indian Ocean to West Pacific; west coast of India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, southern Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, Philippines, Papua New Guinea to Solomon Islands. It was first collected in the East Indies. The species will be seen alone in its juvenile stage, while adults are usually observed in pairs. Its natural habitat is coastal and coral reefs at depths of 10 - 164 feet (3 - 50 meters).

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: The Blue-ringed Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild they eat large amounts of encrusting invertebrates like sponges and tunicates, as well as picking zooplankton from the water column. Almost any food will be accepted but be sure to provide a varied diet that includes substantial sponge foods, either commercially prepared mixtures containing sponge or by providing live sponge. Meaty foods, dried flakes, shrimps, and tablets are favorites but also offer frozen shrimps, prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, vegetables, and Japanese Nori. As this fish may nip the polyps of some stony and soft coral species, and also eat living shrimps, it is not recommended for reef-type aquariums. Provide adults with various foods at least twice a day and juveniles should be fed three to four times a day.

Body Form or Style: The adult Blue-ringed Angelfish has a disc--like but higher body that is entirely yellowish brown with numerous fine dots and about 8 curving blue lines running obliquely throughout on the side. There is a rounded yellowish brown area surrounded by blue behind the eye and the face is blue with blue lines just behind eye. The dorsal and anal fins are brownish and gradually becoming deep blue posteriorly. The dorsal fin has a blackish thread from the central portion, becoming yellowish posteriorly. The caudal fin is abruptly white, gradually shading to slightly duskier with a white edge. The pectoral fins are yellowish brown with a blue-black spot at fin-base and the pelvic fins are yellowish brown with several blue-black lines.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/BlueRingedAngelfish.php

Title: red sea angelfish

Species #:39

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pomacanthus maculosus Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: : Chordata • • •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: They are found in and around the Arabian Peninsula. They occur in the Red Sea, the eastern tip of Persian (Arabian) Gulf, and the northwestern Indian Ocean, coasts of Somalia and Kenya. They are most often found in rich coral areas at depths from 16 - 197 feet (5 - 60 meters). This species occurs solitarily or in a pair. The fish is aggressive and very territorial in nature, always patrols the reef.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid

Food / Feed Strategy: The Red Sea Angelfish or Yellowbar Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild it is believed they eat mostly sponges, tunicates, and algae. No special food is needed in the aquarium, they will readily accept a wide variety of foods. Provide a varied diet that includes substantial sponge foods, either commercially prepared mixtures containing sponge or by providing live sponge. Offer Meaty foods, dried flakes, shrimps, and tablets are favorites but also offer frozen shrimps, prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, vegetables, and Japanese Nori. As this fish may nip the polyps of some stony and soft coral species, it is not recommended for reef-type aquariums. Feed them at least twice a day.

Body Form or Style: The adult Red Sea Angelfish or Yellowbar Angelfish has an overall blue to dark blue body with a large yellow blotch centrally on the side and the forehead has smaller black vertical dots. The dorsal and anal fins are sharply pointed posteriorly, forming a filament on each fin. The caudal fin is whitish to yellowish with numerous yellowish fine dots and the margin of the fin is white. The pelvic fins are dark blue.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/RedSeaAngelfish.php

Title: flame angelfish

Species #:40

Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge loricula Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: : Chordata • • •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Flame Angelfish Centropyge loricula

was described by Gunther in 1874, and this first fish was found in the

Society Islands. This little angelfish is from the Pomacanthidae family, of the genus Centropyge , which currently has over 33 species. The Flame Angel has a very wide distribution, it is found in scattered localities of tropical waters across the Western Pacific Ocean from Belau to the Hawaiian, Marquesas, and Ducie Islands, south to the Great Barrier Reef and the Pitcairn group of Islands. It is on the IUCN Red List as Least Concerned (LC) with a stable population. Other common names that they are know by are Flame Angel and Dwarf Flame Angelfish.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: The Flame Angel is an omnivore. In the wild it feeds primarily on algae, but it will also ingest tiny animals living in the algae. In captivity they are a grazer and their diet will be mostly algae, but also offer some other proteins. Feeding them a variety of good foods is important. Offer various types of fresh and dried marine algae, spirulina enriched foods, mysis shrimp, shaved shrimp and other high-quality meaty foods, angelfish preparations, and flakes or pellets designed for algae eating fish. There are several good commercial foods available including Formula II and Angel Formula. Feed several times a day even if natural foods are present.They are also a potential controller of many types of algae growth including certain species of diatom algae; Sea Lettuce Ulva spp., and some algae species of Derbesia,

Entermorpha , Oscillatoria , and Boodlea .

Body Form or Style: The Flame Angelfish has the typical shape for dwarf angels, having a small elongated oval shape body, with rounded fins. Typically they are an orange to reddish orange, and with or without a wide splotch just behind the head. They also typically have 3 to 7 additional vertical black bars that can be thin, thick and/or run together. The eyes of Flame Angelfish are black. The back edges of the dorsal and anal fins have deep bluish purple and black streaks. The tail fin and pectoral fins are orange, yet slightly transparent. The pelvic fins are solid orangish red in color like the body

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/flame.php

Title: French angelfish

Species #:41

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pomacanthus paru Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: : Chordata • •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Described by Bloch in 1787, the French Angelfish Pomacanthus paru is found in the Western and Central Atlantic Ocean; Florida, Caribbean Sea, Bermudas, Brazilian coasts to south of the Rio de Janeiro, and also the Ascension Island to the west coasts of Africa. In the Bermudas the species was introduced. It was originally collected in Brazil and Jamaica as types and was first described as Chaetodon paru, but was later described as the now valid Pomacanthus paru.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: The French Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild they eat large amounts of sponges and algae, as well as some bryozoans, zoantharians, gorgonians, and tunicates. Almost any food will be accepted but be sure to provide a varied diet that includes substantial vegetable foods as well as sponge foods, either commercially prepared mixtures containing sponge or by providing live sponge. Meaty foods, dried flakes, shrimps, and tablets are favorites but also offer frozen shrimps, prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, vegetables, and Japanese Nori. As this fish may eat the polyps of some stony and soft coral species, and also living shrimps, it is not recommended for reef-type aquariums. Feed these fish at least twice a day.

Body Form or Style: The adult French Angelfish has a disc-shaped body that is entirely black, with a vertical short yellow dot on each scale giving it a metallic appearance. There is a yellow circle around the eye, the mouth is white, and the fins are black. The dorsal fin has a yellowish thread from the anterior spinous portion and there is another black thread from the first spine of the anal fin, both reaching back to the end of caudal fin. The caudal peduncle has yellow dots and there is a yellow marking at the base of pectoral fin.

Swim / Locomotion Style: â&#x20AC;˘ Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/FrenchAngelfish.php Title: goldflake angelfish

Species #:42

Common Name: Scientific Name: Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: : Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Goldflake Angelfish Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus was described by Burgess in 1973. This angelfish is a member of the Pomacanthidae family in the Apolemichthys genus, which currently has only 8 described species. They are found in the CentralWestern Pacific Ocean between the Gilbert and Line Islands, as well as from the eastern Caroline Islands, Phoenix Islands, Christmas Island, and Line Islands. It is on the IUCN Red List as Least Concerned (LC) with a stable population. Other common names it is know by include Gold-spangled Angelfish, Goldspotted Angelfish, Gold-Speckled Angelfish, Golden Spotted Angelfish, and Golden-spangled Angelfish.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: The Goldflake Angelfish is an omnivore. It does best with live rock that has plenty of algae growth. About two thirds of their diet consists of vegetable foods and about a third of sponge, tunicates and meaty foods. It is important that you feed angelfish a variety of good foods; all kinds live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Best to feed small amounts 2 to 3 times a day, less in tanks with plenty of natural occurring algae that they can nibble on.Feed them prepared frozen foods with spirulina, foods with sponge material and algae sheets as well. Chopped fish and shrimp, along with enriched mysis and brine shrimp should also should be provided. A good formula that can be made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach. There are also several good commercial foods available including Formula II and Angel Formula.

Body Form or Style: The Goldflake Angelfish is brownish yellow, with bright lemon yellow spots or flakes speckling the body. The concentration of speckling can increase closer to the head area. The head is yellow with a purplish nose and mouth, as well as a black spot on the forehead above the eye area. The dorsal, anal, and tail fin are black, with some of the edges being light blue. The pectoral and pelvic fins are opaque to light clearish gray. This angelfish grows up to 10” (25 cm). Their lifespan is unknown at this time, but the average lifespan of angelfish is 10 to 15 years.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/GoldSpangledAngelfish.php

Title: blue faced angelfish

Species #:43

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pomacanthus xanthometopon Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygi

•

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Bluefaced Angelfish Pomacanthus xanthometopon is also known as the Yellowfaced Angelfish and Yellow Mask Angelfish. It is from the Pomacanthidae family, and was first described by Bleeker in 1853. It is found in the Indo Pacific Ocean from Maldives to Vanuatu then northward to the Yaeyama Islands and it is also found in Palau and Krosae in Micronesia. It is on the IUCN Red List as Least Concern (LC), with a stable population.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid

Food / Feed Strategy: Bluefaced Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild eat a wide variety of sponges and other encrusting animals. It is important that you feed angelfish all kinds of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Feed vegetable based foods as well as meaty foods like chopped squid, scallop, and shrimp. Prepared foods with marine sponge is essential. A good formula that can be made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach. Many foods offer color enhancing qualities, which are helpful. Feed 3 or more times a day.

Body Form or Style: The adult Bluefaced Angelfish or Yellowfaced Angelfish has scales that are bright blue, outlined in yellow. The dorsal fin is yellow with a blue dot near the tail fin. Depending on the location where it is found, colored areas of the fish are yellow or orange, but not mixed. The tail fin is either orange or yellow, also depending on origin. The anal and pelvic fin are clearish yellow with a bright blue outline on the lower part of each fin. The pectoral fin is either orange or yellow with blue outlining the top and this color moves into the chest area and also outlines the eyes. The face is also bright blue, and starts at the mouth, or the front of the fish, and continues to just in front of the gills. The bright blue starts just above the eyes and then down to the chin.

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position: • Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/blue.php

Title: eibli’s angelfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge eibli

Species #:44

Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygi

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Eibli's Angelfish or Red Stripe Angelfish was first collected by a German biologist Eible-Eibesfeldt in the Nicobar Islands in 1963, and immediately was described by a German ichthyologist Wolfgang Klausewitz. They are found in the Eastern Indian Ocean to eastern Australia; Maldives, Nicobars, Sri Lanka, Andaman Sea, Thailand, Malaysia, Christmas and Cocos-Keeling Islands, Indonesia (to Flores) and the southern Great Barrier Reef. It is scarce in the Pacific Ocean, only a few records were made from the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef (Steene, 1977). The species lives alone, in a pair, or in a small group in coral-rich reefs in its natural habitat at depths between 10 82 feet (3 - 25 meters).

Body Form or Style: The Eibli's Angelfish or Red Stripe Angelfish has an entirely gray to greenish brown body with about 10 vertical narrow scribbled orange stripes on the sides. The posterior part of the body is blackish, sometimes interrupted or discontinued, and the rear is abruptly black. The face and head are sometimes slightly duskier. The fins are grayish with the dorsal fin have a black area posteriorly, the pelvic fins having orangish yellow, and the caudal fin is black with a blue margin. Juveniles are similar with fewer stripes on side.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/EiblisAngelfish.php

Title: emperor angelfish

Species #:45

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pomacanthus imperator Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygi

• •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: The Imperial Angelfish is found in the Indo Pacific Ocean from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands, Line Islands and Tuamoto Islands. They can then be found from Southern Japan then south to the Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia and Austral Islands. They are absent from the Easter Island, Rapa and Marquesan Islands. It is on the IUCN Red List as Least Concern (LC) with a stable population.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: Emperor Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild they eat a wide variety of sponges and encrusting organisms along with small amounts of algae, tunicates, hydroids, and bryozoans. It is important that you feed angelfish all kinds of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Feed vegetable based foods as well as meaty foods like chopped squid, scallop, and shrimp. Prepared foods with marine sponge and tunicates are essential. Foods containing color enhancing qualities may be used as well. A good formula that can be made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach. Feed 2 to 3 times a day in smaller amounts to keep water quality good.

Body Form or Style: The adult Emperor Angelfish or Imperator Angelfish are deep bodied and slightly elongated. They have yellow and blue horizontal lines throughout their body that start from just behind the gills to the area just before the tail fin which is yellow. Starting at the top of the dorsal fin to the anal fin, it is blue and can have some blue striping. The dorsal fin is trimmed in white. The mouth and snout area are white, which is sharply cut off by a black mask that covers the eyes. The mask is black, trimmed in blue. There is a yellow vertical bar that extends from the yellow in the head downward. It divides the black mask from a thicker vertical black band that starts about 1/4 of the way down the body and continues down into the pelvic fins. This black band is in the same area of vertical space as the pectoral fins and gills.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/emperor.php

Title: pygmy angelfish

Species #:46

Common Name: Scientific Name: Centropyge argi Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygi

•

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Cherubfish are found in the Western Atlantic from Bermuda to Florida (USA) to French Guiana, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. They prefer areas covered in rubble and feed on different algae, benthic inverts and detritus. The Cherub Pygmy Angelfish prefer to pair up, one male to several females. Being "snack size" they will dart into holes when startled, which is quite often. As adults they are found at depths of 16 to 148 feet (5 to 45 m).

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: Atlantic Pygmy Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild they feed on different algae, benthic inverts and detritus. This angelfish is very hardy and generally a good eater, taking all manner of offered foods and grazing on hair algae on live rock. They do well on frozen foods with marine or Spirulina algae, mysid shrimp, shaved shrimp, and some micro algae growth in the tank. Feed 3 times a day, less if natural foods are present.

Body Form or Style: The body of the Cherub Angelfish is a blue to deep blue color. The head and chest is an orangish to yellow color which can vary in shade, depending on the location in which the fish was captured. Some specimens may only have a hint of yellow on the snout and slight hints in the chin area. There is a thin blue line encircling the eye. The outer edges of the fins are trimmed in a light blue with the exception of the pectoral fins, which are pale yellow. The Cherubfish or Pygmy Angelfish have gill covers with two opercular spines. This Angelfish can live 5 or more years • Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/angels/cherub.php

Title: blue triggerfish

Species #: 47

Common Name: Scientific Name: Odonus niger •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Tetraodontiformes

•

Family: Balistidae

Geography / Habitat: Blue Triggerfish are found in the Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Durban, South Africa and east to the Marquesas and Society islands, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef in Australia and New Caledonia. These fish Inhabit reef channels or along slopes that are subject to strong currents. Occur in current-swept seaward coral reefs. Usually form aggregations and feed on zooplankton as well as sponges. Juveniles associated with isolated patches of rubble or crevices with proper-sized shelter holes. They have been known to form large schools to feed on zooplankton.

Food / Feed Strategy: In the aquarium they should be fed all kinds of meaty marine foods, brine shrimp, cut up fish, shrimp, squid, etc.

Body Form or Style: Triggerfish, also called Humu-Humus, are some of the most interesting and brightly colored fish in Hanauma Bay. They are easily recognized by their deep flat bodies, small pectoral fins and small eyes. Their eyes are placed high up on their head. They also have rough shaped scales that form a tough covering on their body • Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/triggers/BlueTrigger.php

Title: bluespine unicornfish Common Name: Scientific Name: Naso unicornis

Species #:48

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat:

The Bluespine Unicornfish or Unicorn Tang was described by Forsskål in 1775. They are found widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea to Japan, the Rapa Islands, Hawaii, Tuamotu, and the Marquesas. In their natural habitat they are usually found at depths between 16 - 263 feet (5 - 80 meters) but have been reported as deep as 590 feet (180 meters) along outer reef walls. They rarely occur alone, rather they are usually seen in small (occasionally large) schools in shallow moving waters of inner and outer reefs and canals. Juveniles occur in groups close to the reefs. In Hawaii they are used as a food fish.

The Bluespine Unicornfish or Unicorn Tang are primarily herbivores. In the wild they feed mainly on leafy brown algae like Sargassum and Dictyota. Provide lots of algae, large chunk types of prepared frozen formulas containing algae or spirulina, and flakes. Japanese Nori or other seaweed can be adhered to the aquarium glass with a vegetable clip. It will also feed on some frozen brine and mysis shrimp, mosquito larve, grindal worms, tubifex, and Enchytaeidae. Live rock with heavy algae growth will be greatly appreciated as it will allow this fish to constantly scrape with its rasping teeth. Culturing macro algae like chaetomorphia in the tank is also a great idea. Adults will eat zooplankton, shrimp, mysis and other cut up fish. Feed at least 3 times a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. Providing a vitamin supplement (including vitamin C) can help provide for their nutritional needs, and vitamin C can help prevent or reduce Lateral Line Erosion (LLE). This can be done by soaking dried pellets with liquid vitamins, adding vitamins to the food, or adding a liquid vitamin into the water. It is also said that pellets soaked in garlic may help fend off Marine Ich. Some hobbyists also report success with supplemental foods such as previously boiled or frozen zucchini, broccoli, spinach, and leaf lettuce.

Body Form or Style: The Bluespine Unicornfish or Unicorn Tang has a deep elongated body shape with a narrower caudal peduncle, features that distinguish this genus from other Acanthurids. Adults have an olive to grayish body with blue hues, and yellowish tones on the belly. The dorsal and anal fins are thinly edged with blue and there is a light blue cast to the lips. The caudal fin develops elongated filaments or streamers. When these fish reach about five inches in length, they begin to develop a prominent rostral horn. This horn remains small, not extending any further than the end of the snout. Juveniles are a light greenish-gray color. The dorsal and anal fins are yellowish, thinly edged with a bright blue. Its name 'bluespine' is derived from the two fixed spines or "scalpels" surrounded by bright blue on each side of the caudal peduncle. Having one or two fixed blades are what places the Naso genus in the subfamily Nasinae. Caution needs to be exercised when handling surgeonfish as a cut from its scalpel can cause discoloration and swelling of the skin with a high risk of infection. The pain lasts for hours then still ends up having a dull ache. These fish are best captured using a double bag under water, rather than a net. Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/tangs/unicornis.php Title: the white-faced surgeonfish Common Name:

Species #:49

Scientific Name: Acanthurus japonicus •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat: The White-faced Surgeonfish or Japan Surgeonfish was described by Schmidt in1930. They are found in a large geographical range in the Indo-West Pacific; southern Japan, Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan; Sulawesi (Indonesia) to the Philippines; Tuamoto and Hawaiian Islands; New Caledonia and Rapa. In their natural habitat they are found at depths between 16 to 65 (5 - 20 meters) feet along outer reefs, in coastal areas, and in lagoons. They inhabit areas of full coral, and live singly or in small to large groups. They co-occur with their similar looking cousin, the Gold-rimmed Tang (Whitecheek Surgeonfish) A. nigricans, in southern Japan and the Bonin Islands.

Life Strategy: Triggerfishes live singly, as pairs, in small groups or in schools. They are demersal spawners and are typically highly territorial during courtship and spawning. Many species build nests, some scatter their eggs and most aggressively defend their spawns. Spawning generally takes place in the early morning, with the spawn size ranging from thousands to millions of eggs, depending on the species. The demersal eggs are small (0.45 to 0.65 mm, depending on the species), spherical, and adhesive and contain multiple oil droplets. Embryos hatch in the evening. Food / Feed Strategy: The White-faced Surgeonfish are primarily herbivores. In the wild they mostly graze on algae. In the aquarium the majority of their intake will be vegetable matter, but they do need some meaty foods as well. Provide lots of marine algae, prepared frozen formulas containing algae or spirulina, frozen brine and mysid shrimp, and flake foods. Japanese Nori, kombu, or other seaweed can be adhered to the aquarium glass with a vegetable clip. An occasional live rock with micro and macro organisms will be greatly appreciated. Culturing macro algae like chaetomorphia in the tank is also a great idea. Feed 3 times a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. As continuous grazers, they will benefit from this and it will also keep the water quality higher over a longer period of time.

Body Form or Style: The adult White-faced Surgeonfish or Japan Surgeonfish has a disk shaped body of varying browns to black. The dorsal, anal, and ventral fins are black and edged with a beautiful blue. There is a red band near the back of the dorsal fin and a yellow stripe running along the body just above and below the dorsal and anal fins. There is a yellow spot just under the pectoral fin and a white band from just under the eye to the top of the mouth. The caudal fin is white fading to blue and is edged with white.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/tangs/japonicus.php Title: twotone tang

Species #:50

Common Name: Scientific Name: Zebrasoma scopas •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat: The Twotone Tang or Brown Sailfin Tang was described by Cuvier in 1829. They are found in the Indo-Pacific from east Africa to Japan and Tuamotu. In their natural habitat they are found at depths between 3 to 197 feet (1 - 60 meters) in lagoons and outer reefs. They inhabit areas of dense coral and occur singly, in pairs or in small groups, even forming schools in some locations. Juveniles are solitary and very secretive, hiding among the corals. It is very similar to its close relative the Yellow Tang Z. flavescens, which has an all yellow body with a white peduncle spine. These two species cooccur and interbreed in Micronesia and southern Japan. As they co-habitat in many areas and behave the same, it has not been ruled out that the Z. flavescens may actually be a xanthic form of theTwotone Tang, or possibly a geographic variant

Food / Feed Strategy: The Twotone Tangs are primarily herbivores. In the wild they feed mainly on filamentous algae which they scrape from hard surfaces. This genus can store fat in their body cavities so may go through periods of non-feeding. In the aquarium the majority of their intake will be vegetable matter, but they do need some meaty foods as well. Provide lots of marine algae, prepared frozen formulas containing algae or spirulina, frozen brine and mysid shrimp, and flake foods. Japanese Nori or other seaweed can be adhered to the aquarium glass with a vegetable clip. An occasional live rock with micro and macro organisms will be greatly appreciated. Culturing macro algae like chaetomorphia in the tank is also a great idea. Feed 3 times a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. As continuous grazers, they will benefit from this and it will also keep the water quality higher over a longer period of time.

Body Form or Style: The Twotone Tang or Brown Sailfin Tang has a disk like shaped body similar to all surgeonfish, but with large dorsal and anal fins. When the fins are fully extended, the total height of these fish is about the same as the length. Like all the sailfin tangs, they have a slightly extended snout. The general coloration is dark yellowish brown with pale blue squiggly or dotted horizontal lines. They can be quite variable in color; they can be almost black looking, to brownish or yellow, and on rare occasions there are mutations with several different color splotches across the fish.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/tangs/brown.php

Title: albino cory

Species #:51

Common Name: Scientific Name: Corydoras paleatus •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Callichthyidae

Geography / Habitat: The Paleatus Cory are found in the La Plata river in southeast Brazil.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are omnivores, the Albino Cory will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality sinking pellet or flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat.

Body Form or Style: Maximum Size: 2.8 inches (6.99 cm)

•

Swim / Locomotion Style:

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/acory.php

Title: banjo catfish

Species #:52

Common Name: Scientific Name: Bunocephalus coracoideus •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Aspredinidae

Geography / Habitat: They originate from Peru, but their range goes throughout the Amazon into Bolivia, Uruguay, Brazil, and even as far west as Ecuador. Other common names they are known by include Guitarrita, Two Colored Banjo Catfish, Bicolor Banjo Catfish, Bicolour Banjo catfish, Bi-coloured Banjo, and Frying Pan Fish. Its close relative Bunocephalus amaurus, is also commonly called a Bi-coloured Banjo Catfish.

Life Strategy: Catfish will generally wait to spawn until the water temperature reaches at least 66 degrees Fahrenheit. the catfish, geography is destiny. Because water in southern latitudes warms first, catfish-spawning season begins in the south first. Most species spawn in the late spring or early summer. Obviously, it takes longer for a lake to heat up than it does for a shallow backwater to do so. Any part of a lake or river may have catfish at one of three stages: pre-spawn, spawn, or postspawn. And of course, there will be fish too young to spawn. You'll observe dark or black spots on juveniles and small adults and may want to toss them back. After all, white catfish can live to be about 14 years old, and the oldest Canadian catfish ever caught was estimated to be about 24 years old. Letting the young catfish live may allow you to catch a larger catfish in a year or two. Food / Feed Strategy: Banjo Catfish are omnivores. that feed on a wide variety of foods. These catfish are scavengers and are not too picky when it comes to mealtime. They prefer live foods such as bloodworms, earthworms, and tubifex. They also will accept flake foods, catfish pellets/tablets, and anything else that might sink to the bottom. It’s important to note that these generally nocturnal and shy individuals will not come out at feeding time if the lights are on. It’s usually a good routine if you place their food in the tank right before you turn the lights out.

frozen foods, fish are

Body Form or Style: The Banjo Catfish is a relatively small catfish, usually less than half a foot (15 cm). It is a scaleless fish with a wide head and a long slender body shape that resemble a banjo or guitar. Its body is laterally compressed and is covered with horizontal rows of large a wart-like projections, called unculiferous tubercles. This flattened slender body allows them to hide under many more objects than opposed to if they were bulkier. Their eyes are very small in comparison to their body, and its difficult to tell where their eyes and their mouths are. They have distinct pectoral fins and a long tail. But Banjo Catfish do not have an adipose fin and they lack the locking mechanism on their dorsal spine that is common in most species of catfish.Due to its small size, it has numerous potential predators. To make up for this they have extremely advanced camouflage that literally makes them disappear into the debris of their natural habitat. Each individual has a unique mottling of browns and grays, and this along with the ‘bumps’ all over their exterior contribute to their camouflage. Color patterns can range greatly.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style:

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/banjocat.php

Title: bristle-nose catfish

Species #:53

Common Name:

Scientific Name: Ancistrus ranunclus •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Loricariidae

Geography / Habitat: The Ancistrus or Bristle-nose Catfish are found in the fast flowing tributaries of the Amazon River in South America.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are herbivorous the Ancistrus or Bristle-nose Catfish will eat undesirable algae. They will not harm plants, but make sure the aquarium is well seasoned and feed a supplemental sinking algae pellet to make sure they don't starve. Also blanched spinach and lettuce can be use to supplement their diet. Because they are super algae eaters, they must have veggies!

Body Form or Style: A. cirrhosis gets up to 13 cm (5 inches). A. hoplygenys is smaller at 8 cm (3 inches). A. ranunclus , no info found yet. Maximum Size: 5.0 inches (12.70 cm) - Some varities will be smaller than this. Lifespan: 12 years

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/bristlenose.php

Title: emerald green cory

Species #:54

Common Name: Scientific Name:

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Callichthyidae

Geography / Habitat: The Emerald Green Cory or Iridescent Plated Catfish are found in the upper Amazon near Iquitos, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador..

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are omnivores, the Emerald Green Cory or Iridescent Plated Catfish will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality sinking pellet or flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat.

Body Form or Style: The Emerald Green Cory is a beautiful and interesting fish that can be added to most any community aquarium. They will spend most of their time in the lower regions of your aquarium scavenging for uneaten food. This fish has an iridescent, emerald green body with pink highlights on the lower parts of the fish.

Maximum Size: 4.0 inches (10.16 cm)

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/greencory.php Title: featherfin squeaker catfish

Species #:55

Common Name: Scientific Name: Synodontis eupterus •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Mochokidae

Geography / Habitat: The Featherfin Squeaker Synodontis eupterus was described by Boulenger in 1901. They inhabit much of central Africa, including Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and Cameroon. They are found in the famous White Nile river system as well. Other common names they are known by include Featherfin Catfish, Featherfin Synodontis, Synodontis Lace Catfish, and Lace Cat. Due to their wide distribution they are not considered threatened and are listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of endangered species. Featherfin Catfish prefer living near muddy or rocky bottoms of rivers in their natural habitat, preying upon insect larvae and even eating algae. They prefer moderately fast flowing rivers. Like most catfish, they are primarily scavengers and will eat most available items that are edible. Featherfin Synodontis enjoy each other’s company in the wild and often live in small, fluctuating groups.

Food / Feed Strategy: Featherfin Synodontis are omnivores that feed on insect larvae, algae, and any other foods source they can scavenge in the wild. In the aquarium they are not hard to feed at all. These enthusiastic eaters will consume nearly any food they can locate with a rambunctious attitude. Even though they prefer to be under cover during day time, the tantalizing smell of food in the water will often bring them out of their domain for a good feasting time. Meaty foods, vegetable tablets, and anything in between will be appreciated by these hardy eaters. Brine shrimp and blood worms (either live or frozen), or even small earthworms would be an excellent once a week snack.

Body Form or Style: The Featherfin Squeaker is fairly large and a long-lived catfish. It can get up to 11.8 inches (30 cm) in length, though

they usually only obtain 6 - 8” (15-20 cm) in the aquarium. They commonly have a lifespan of 8 to 10 years, but can live up to 25 years.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/spotsynodontus.php

Title: four-lined pimelodus pimelodus

Species #:56

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pimelodus blochii

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Pimelodidae

Geography / Habitat: The Four-lined Pimelodus Pimelodus blochii was first described by Valenciennes in 1840. They inhabit much of South and Central America, from Panama to Brazil. They are found in the Amazon and Orinoco river systems, as well as the Gulf of Paria and throughout much of Guyana. The first part of their common name comes from the fact they have four lateral stripes on their flanks, while the latin term Pimelodus means “fat tooth”. Other common names they are known by include Four-lined Pimodella, Dusky Pimelodid, Bloch’s Catfish, Antenna Catfish, and Flat-nosed Catfish.

Life Strategy: Catfish will generally wait to spawn until the water temperature reaches at least 66 degrees Fahrenheit. the catfish, geography is destiny. Because water in southern latitudes warms first, catfish-spawning season begins in the south first. Most species spawn in the late spring or early summer. Obviously, it takes longer for a lake to heat up than it does for a shallow backwater to do so. Any part of a lake or river may have catfish at one of three stages: pre-spawn, spawn, or post-spawn. And of course, there will be fish too young to spawn. You'll observe dark or black spots on juveniles and small adults and may want to toss them back. After all, white catfish can live to be about 14 years old, and the oldest Canadian catfish ever caught was estimated to be about 24 years old. Letting the young catfish live may allow you to catch a larger catfish in a year or two. Food / Feed Strategy: Four-lined Pimelodus are omnivores that are far from fussy. They will happily consume most fish foods, but they do prefer meaty foods, especially worms. Their scavenger instincts will make them easy to feed. They’ll eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods as well as pellets, tablets, and any foods that reach the bottom region of the tank. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food or pellet everyday. It there is a lot of foods available, they will often gorge themselves until a prominent belly is showing. Don’t be alarmed, it is normal for them to do this and they can live off that type of feeding for up to a week. They will very happily take the treat of bloodworms or earthworms.

Body Form or Style: The Four-lined Pimelodus is a moderately large sized catfish, reaching up to about 14 inches (35 cm) in the wild. In the aquarium it will generally reach about 8â&#x20AC;? (20 cm). Its base color is silver gray, which is striped over with a darker gray that gives them their apt name. As they mature, they often lose this striping and turn into a washed out gray tone. As with most catfish, they have flattened undersides and triangular flanks, leading up to their sharp, pointed dorsal fin. Their antennae are extremely long, allowing them to navigate in murky conditions and find the coordinates to nearby food. There are many color variances of this species which makes them hard to identify, but whether any subspecies exist are unknown at this point.

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/4linepimodella.php Title: iridescent shark

Species #:57

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pangasius hypophthalmus Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata â&#x20AC;˘

Order: Siluriformes

Family: Pangasiidae

Geography / Habitat: They are found as juveniles in schools of large numbers, especially in stretches of rapids in major Asian rivers, but are loners as adults. In the wild they feed on fish, shrimp and various crustaceans, insect larvae, fruit, and vegetable matter.They are commonly available in the aquarium trade and are a food stable in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, or Laos, where it is used as an important food source. In Thailand, it is considered the most important aquaculture fish. Other common names they are known by are Pangasius Catfish, Sutchi Catfish, Siamese Shark, Asian Shark Catfish, Shark Catfish, Tiger Shark, and Striped Catfish.

Life Strategy: Catfish will generally wait to spawn until the water temperature reaches at least 66 degrees Fahrenheit. the catfish, geography is destiny. Because water in southern latitudes warms first, catfish-spawning season begins in the south first. Most species spawn in the late spring or early summer. Obviously, it takes longer for a lake to heat up than it does for a shallow backwater to do so. Any part of a lake or river may have catfish at one of three stages: pre-spawn, spawn, or post-spawn. And of course, there will be fish too young to spawn. You'll observe dark or black spots on juveniles and small adults and may want to toss them back. After all, white catfish can live to be about 14 years old, and the oldest Canadian catfish ever caught was estimated to be about 24 years old. Letting the young catfish live may allow you to catch a larger catfish in a year or two. Food / Feed Strategy: they feed on fish, shrimp and various crustaceans, insect larvae, fruit, and vegetable matter. Body Form or Style: The Iridescent Shark a large sized catfish with a body shape resembling that of a marine shark. It has a laterally compressed body, and like other catfish it has two pairs of barbels. It has a short dorsal fin on top with one or two spines and also has strong spines on each of the pectoral fins. It has a well developed adipose fin on the underside and a long anal fin (tail fin). This catfish typically has a glow or iridescence exhibited in juveniles, along with two dark broad vertical bands. One is along the lateral line and the other is just below it, extending from above the pectoral fin base towards the forepart of the anal fin. Adults are generally darker colored and often lack the striping, yet they still retain the glimmering glow that gives them their name. The fins are dark gray or black. This is a large fish that can reach a maximum size of 4 feet (130 cm) in length and

have been known to weigh 97 lbs. (44.0 kg). They will generally reach about 39 inches (100 cm) in the aquarium, and have a lifespan of up to 20 years. There are also other species of Pangasius that are sometimes sold as Pangasius Catfish, namely Pangasius pangasius and Pangasius gigas, that can reach 9 feet (300 cm) long!

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/pangasius.php

Title: julii cory

Species #: 58

Common Name: Scientific Name: Corydoras julii Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata •

Order: Siluriformes

Family: Callichthyidae

Geography / Habitat: The Julli Cory or Leopard Catfish are found in Peru, Rio Ampiyacu, Rio Ucayali and the Yarina Cocha.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are omnivores, the Julli Cory or Leopard Catfish will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. keep a good balance give them a high quality sinking pellet or flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat.

Body Form or Style: Julii Corys are a beautiful fish with an interestingly patterned body. Their appearance, along with their disposition and lively character, make them are favorite among aquarists. The body is a white or gray color with small, black spots all over and a stripe running horizontally down their body. This large horizontal stripe and a dark black spot on their top fin makes them easily identifiable from other striped corys. They are smaller member of the cory family and grow to about 2 inches.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/juliicory.php

Title: large-spot catfish

Species #:59

Common Name: Scientific Name: Synodontis ocellifer •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Mochokidae

Geography / Habitat: Described by Boulenger, 1900. The Synodontis Ocellifer Catfish are native to West and Central African river systems.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are omnivorous, the Synodontis Ocellifer will generally eat all kinds of live fresh and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food or pellet everyday. Also feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen), tubifex, and blood worms.

Body Form or Style: The Synodontis Ocellifer Catfish is a peaceful bottom scavenger. During daylight hours it will spend much of its time hidden under driftwood or in caves provided by the aquarist. It is yellowish to brown

with large black spots all over its body. It has the characteristic sharp spines on it's dorsal fin and so should be transported using a glass or plastic container rather than a net. • •

Maximum Size: 19.0 inches (48.26 cm) - Many individuals will not exceed 11 inches, although 19 inches is certainly not outside the realm of possibility. Lifespan: 20 years

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/ocellifer.php

Title: leopard pleco

Species #: 60

Common Name: Scientific Name: Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Loricariidae

Geography / Habitat: They are found in inland river systems in most parts of South America. They are widespread throughout the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon, Rio Pacaya in Peru, and are also known from the Rio Orinoco. Other Common names it is known by are Sailfin Pleco, Leopard Plecostomus, Gibby, Clown Pleco, Spotted Sailfin Pleco, Clown Sucker Catfish, and Clown Plecostomus.

Life Strategy: Catfish will generally wait to spawn until the water temperature reaches at least 66 degrees Fahrenheit. the catfish, geography is destiny. Because water in southern latitudes warms first, catfish-spawning season begins in the south first. Most species spawn in the late spring or early summer. Obviously, it takes longer for a lake to heat up than it does for a shallow backwater to do so. Any part of a lake or river may have catfish at one of three stages: pre-spawn, spawn, or postspawn. And of course, there will be fish too young to spawn. You'll observe dark or black spots on juveniles and small adults and may want to toss them back. After all, white catfish can live to be about 14 years old, and the oldest Canadian catfish ever caught was estimated to be about 24 years old. Letting the young catfish live may allow you to catch a larger catfish in a year or two. Food / Feed Strategy: Although Plecostomus are omnivorous, the bulk of their diet is algae. The Leopard Pleco will eat undesirable algae. It will not harm plants, but make sure the aquarium is well seasoned and do feed supplements including algae wafers, green foods and sinking pellets to make sure they don't starve. Because they are super algae eaters, they must have their veggies. Other supplements that can be offered include vegetables like blanched spinach, lettuce, zucchini and peas. They also like brine shrimp as well as live worms, small crustaceans, and insect larvae. Note: they have not been observed to eat blue algae.

Body Form or Style: The Leopard Pleco is fairly large and a long-lived catfish. It can get up to 20 inches (50.8 cm) in length and can live more than 20 years in

the wild, though they tend to live between 10 to 15 years in captivity. Plecos have an elongated, dark brown body with a large head. The body is covered in bony plates except the belly which is flat. Plecos have small eyes that are set high on the head. The Sailfin pleco has a beautiful dorsal fin the can be several inches high and resembles the dorsal fin of the marine Sailfish. It can also be distinguished by a ray count of its dorsal fin, it will have more than 10 rays. Juveniles have about the same coloration as adults. • •

Maximum Size: 20.0 inches (50.80 cm) Lifespan: 15 years - In the wild they can live more than 15 years, but have an average lifespan of 10 - 15 years in captivity.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/pleco.php Title: peppered corydoras

Species #:61

Common Name: Scientific Name: Corydoras paleatus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

• •

Family: Callichthyidae

Geography / Habitat: They are found in South America in the Amazon basin, in the La Plata river in southeast Brazil, in the Parana River of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, and in Uruguay. Other common names they are known by include Peppered Cory, Peppered Catfish, Blue Leopard Corydoras, Mottled Corydoras, Paleatus Cory, Peppered Cat, Pepper Cory, and Salt and Pepper Cory.

Food / Feed Strategy: Peppered Corydoras are omnivores that feed on worms, crustaceans, insects, and plant matter in the wild. In the aquarium they are not hard to feed at all. These ready feeders will generally eat all kinds of

live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality sinking pellet or flake food everyday. Also offer occasional algae wafers. Feed frozen and live food, such as brine shrimp, blood worms, or daphnia as a treat.

Body Form or Style: The Peppered Cory is a small catfish, reaching only 2.3 inches (5.9 cm) in length. They come in a variety of colors and patterning's, depending on where they originate from. Overall they are a light tan to bronze marked with gray patches and specks.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/PepperedCorydoras.php

Title: pleco-plecostomus

Species #:63

Common Name: Scientific Name: Hypostomus plecostomus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Loricariidae

Geography / Habitat: They are found in northern South America. They inhabit ponds and the fresh and brackish waters of river mouths on both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean slopes.

Life Strategy: Catfish will generally wait to spawn until the water temperature reaches at least 66 degrees Fahrenheit. the catfish, geography is destiny. Because water in southern latitudes warms first, catfish-spawning season begins in the south first. Most species spawn in the late spring or early summer. Obviously, it takes longer for a lake to heat up than it does for a shallow backwater to do so. Any part of a lake or river may have catfish at one of three stages: pre-spawn, spawn, or post-spawn. And of course, there will be fish too young to spawn. You'll observe dark or black spots on juveniles and small adults and may want to toss them back. After all, white catfish can live to be about 14 years old, and the oldest Canadian catfish ever caught was estimated to be about 24 years old. Letting the young catfish live may allow you to catch a larger catfish in a year or two. \Food / Feed Strategy: Although Plecostomus are omnivorous, the bulk of their diet is algae. They will eat undesirable algae and will generally not harm plants. Provide an aquarium that is well established with lots of natural algae growth. Also feed supplements including algae wafers, green foods and sinking pellets to make sure they don't starve. Some supplement that can be offered include vegetables like blanched spinach, lettuce, and peas as well as live worms, small crustaceans, and insect larvae. These fish may graze on the plants if they are not feed sufficient amounts. It is best to feed them in the evening just before turning out the lights. Note: they have not been observed to eat blue algae.

Body Form or Style: Its normal coloring is a light brown base heavily covered with dark blotches patterned in stripes and spots, making it look like a very dark fish. There are also varieties of this species that are missing some or all of the dark patterning, so this fish is also available as an Albino Pleco.

These fish get up to 24 inches (60 cm) though they seldom exceed 12 - 15" (30.5 - 38 cm) in the aquarium. They are fast growing, and have an average lifespan of 10 - 15 years in captivity. In the wild they can live more than 15 years.

• •

Maximum Size: 24.0 inches (60.96 cm) - These fish seldom exceed 12 - 15" (30.5 38 cm) in the aquarium. Lifespan: 15 years - In the wild they can live more than 15 years, but have an average lifespan of 10 - 15 years in captivity.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/Plecostomus.php

Title: red-tail catfish

Species #:64

Common Name: Scientific Name: Phractocephalus hemioliopterus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

• •

Family: Pimelodidae

Geography / Habitat: The Red-tailed Catfish are found in South America in the Amazon river, Rio Negro, Venezuela and Guyana. Prefers deep pools in rivers.

Body Form or Style: The Red-tailed Catfish are dark grey on the top of the body covered with small darker spots. The shovel-like mouth is as wide as the body and the lower part of the mouth white. The white coloration under the mouth extends in in broad horizontal stripe to the tailfin. As a juvenile it joins with the white under the mouth, as it gets older, it is broken up by the dark grey coloration. The tip of the dorsal fin and the tail fin are slightly pinkish red. The eyes are set on either side of the head near the top. •

Maximum Size: 53.0 inches (134.62 cm) - There are reports of fish reaching sizes upwards of 5 feet in the wild, although the largest doccumented size was 53 inches.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/redtailcat.php Title: spotted Raphael catfish Species #: 65 Common Name:

Scientific Name: Agamyxis pectinifrons •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

• •

Family: Doradidae

Geography / Habitat: The Spotted Raphael Catfish or Talking Catfish are found in Pebas, Ecuador; eastern Peru.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are carnivores, the Spotted Raphael Catfish or Talking Catfish need protein foods. They will eat live foods such as bloodworms, earthworms, and tubifex. They are bottom feeders, and may also eat frozen foods as well as flakes or tablets that have sunk to the bottom.

•

Body Form or Style: Maximum Size: 6.0 inches (15.24 cm)

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/talkingcat.php Title: striped Raphael catfish

Species #:66

Common Name:

Scientific Name: Platydoras costatus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

• •

Family: Doradidae

Geography / Habitat: The Striped Raphael Catfish or Chocolate Catfish are found in the middle Amazon River region. They are a nocturnal fish that burrow in the soft river bottoms. In the wild, these fish feed on mollusks, crustaceans, and organic debris.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are carnivores, the Striped Raphael Catfish or Chocolate Catfish need protein foods. They will eat live foods such as bloodworms, earthworms, and tubifex. They are bottom feeders, and may also eat frozen foods as well as flakes or tablets that have sunk to the bottom.

Body Form or Style: The Striped Raphael Catfish has broad black and white stripes that run the length of its body.They have spines on their dorsal and pectoral fins. They also have small curved spines running along its body presumably for protection. The striped Raphael catfish grows to 9½ inches (24 cm). The striping pattern is not as strong in adult fish

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/striperaph.php Title: African butterfly peacock

Species #: 67

Common Name: Scientific Name: Aulonocara jacobfreibergi

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The African Butterfly Peacocks were described by Johnson in 1974 and are found in Lake Malawi, Africa. Besides inhabiting Otter Point in Lake Malawi, the African Butterfly Peacock is also found in other water areas of Africa including Nkudzi, Monkey Bay, Nankumba, the Domwe Islands. Depending on location, the African Butterfly Peacock prefers rocky habitats where there are large boulders (Northern inhabitants) or in areas mixed with rocky areas, though the males live in small caves. (Southern inhabitants). In general the African Butterfly Peacock inhabit deeper waters than other Malawi cichlids and have special sensory pores on the jaws that help them to find crustaceans in the sand.

Food / Feed Strategy: The African Butterfly Peacock is one of the most carnivorous of the cichlids. In the wild they feed on zooplankton, specifically larvae and will also eat crustaceans. Provide them with a meaty diet; pellets, frozen and freeze-dried daphnia, bloodworms and brine shrimp are excellent choices. Avoid tubifex worms as they contribute to a disease called "Malawi bloat." You can also use shrimp mixes (the European Shrimp Mix is cheaper than prepared foods and just as nutritious). Feed once a day when young and 5 to 6 times a week when adults unless they are breeding. Avoid the desire to feed this fish more often than it needs, as this will keep the water quality higher over a longer time.

Body Form or Style:

The African Butterfly Peacock has a distinct feature that separates them from other butterfly peacocks, which is a deeply forked tail fin. All females are quite drab having a white to grayish-brown coloring with vertical bands in gray/brown to beige on the body and they have a rounded anal and dorsal fin which can be faintly colored. This fish may live 8 to 10 years.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a

•

Mouth Position:

determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/AfricanButterflyPeacock.php Title: agassizi cichlid

Species #: 68

Common Name: Scientific Name: Apistogramma agassizii

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: They are found in South American along the Amazon-Solimoes River in the Amazon River basin from Peru to the Capim River Basin. They inhabit clear, black, and white waters that are still or slow-moving.

good idea to have several females to one male of each species you keep. This way, not just one female takes the aggression of the male. Having at least 2 females will spread the damage an aggressive male will dish out. And, if he is not ripping their fins too often, they will be stronger and healthier, and hence more likely to mate.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Agassizi Cichlid is primarily a carnivore that can be fed newly hatched baby brine, frozen brine shrimp, crustaceans, insects, insect larvae, and some may eat flakes and pelleted foods. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts rather than a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style:

The Agassizi Cichlid is a small colorful fish. Color variations are dependant on the area where it is caught, or if it is captive bred for coloring. The male is more colorful with the upper back being red and the lower back is green. There is a horizontal black band that runs from the nose straight to the tip of the tail fin. It runs below and parallel to the green of the lower back. Coloration below the black band can run from blue to green to yellow. The belly is usually yellow. The face has gold or green marks and the forehead is yellow. The dorsal fin is an orangish red color with a sharp point at the end. The caudal fin has lines in white, light blue to blue, and comes to a point at the end. Other fins are green to blue. Females do not have the longer fins or the intense color of the males, but have a yellow coloring and similar markings. They can live up to 5 years.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/AgassiziCichlid.php

Title: altum angelfish

Species #:69

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pterophyllum altum

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Altum Angelfish or Orinoco Angelfish was described by Pellegrin in 1903. They are found in rivers in South American; the Amazon River basin in the upper Negro River drainage and the Orinoco River basin in tributaries of the upper Orinoco River (Inírida and Atabapo rivers) to Puerto Ayacucho.

Life Strategy: If an Angelfish suddenly displays a bulging belly and a more aggressive behaviour, it is probably a gravid female Angelfish. Two Angelfish grooming each other is also a typical breeding behaviour. Angelfish of both sexes will also flash fins, face off, lock their mouths and twist around. When a couple has been formed, they will choose a spawning site and start cleaning it together. The Angelfish eggs will be deposited on the spawning slate and placed in very neat and evenly spaced lines. If she doesn’t like the spawning slate, she will deposit the eggs somewhere else in the aquarium. The male Angelfish will fertilize the eggs by following close behind the female and touching all the eggs with his papilla. If you keep only female Angelfish, one of the females might actually resume a male behaviour and follow the egg-laying female and touch the eggs. Those eggs will naturally remain unfertilized and become white within a few days. Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are omnivorous, the Altum Angelfish will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food or pellet everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat. You can even feed them lettuce or spinach. Feed mosquito larvae sparingly as they will tend to overeat it, which could kill them.

Body Form or Style: The Altum Angelfish is very similar to the wild form of its close relative the common Angelfish Pterophyllum scalare. However, it isn't captive bred and does not have varieties. Its body is silver with a greenish tint, has four dark broad vertical bars, and a few faint bars. It is also larger than its relative, both in length and in height, and has a steeper forehead. The body is laterally compressed with a distinctive diamond shape and pointed snout. They have oversized extended dorsal and anal fins, these and the tail fin are long and flowing. In mature fish the tail fin can develop streamers on the outside corners. The Pelvic (ventral) fins are very long and delicate.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/AltumAngelfish.php

Title: angelfish

Species #:70

Common Name: Scientific Name: Albino Angelfish

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

• • •

Family: Cichlidae

Order: Perciformes

Geography / Habitat: The Angelfish was described by Schultze in 1823. They inhabit slow moving waters of rivers in South American: the central Amazon River basin and tributaries to Peru, Brazil, and eastern Ecuador. Though the Angelfish sold today is often referred to as being Pterophyllum scalare, wild specimens vary widely from the long established captive bred varieties.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are omnivorous, the Angelfish will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food or pellet everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat. You can even feed them lettuce or spinach. Feed mosquito larvae sparingly as they will tend to overeat it, which could kill them.

Body Form or Style: The Angelfish are found in nature with black bars on a silver colored body. The laterally compressed body has a distinctive diamond shape and pointed snout. They have oversized extended dorsal and anal fins, these and the tail fin are long and flowing. In mature fish the tail fin can develop streamers on the outside corners. The pectoral fins are very long and delicate. Some mutations also found in nature are where these fish are without bars, in solid blacks, and in lace forms.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/angelfish.php

Title: aulonocara blue gold

Species #:71

Common Name: Scientific Name: Aulonocara korneliae

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Aulonocara "Blue Gold" were described by Meyer, Riehl and Zetzsche in 1987and are endemic to Chisumulu Island in Lake Malawi, Africa. They are often found over rocky areas with males inhabiting caves and females foraging for food in large schools over sandy areas. They feed on sand-dwelling invertebrates, having special sensory pores on the jaws that help them to find crustaceans in the sand. There are 23 Aulonocara species, though other subspecies exist.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Aulonocara "Blue Gold" is carnivorous. In the wild they feed on live sand-dwelling invertebrates. Provide them with a meaty diet; pellets, frozen and freeze-dried daphnia, bloodworms and brine shrimp are excellent choices. Avoid tubifex worms as they contribute to a disease called "Malawi bloat." You can also use shrimp mixes (the European Shrimp Mix is cheaper than prepared foods and just as nutritious). Feed once a day when young and 5 to 6 times a week when adults unless they are breeding. Avoid the desire to feed this fish more often than it needs, as this will keep the water quality higher over a longer time

Body Form or Style:

The male Aulonocara "Blue Gold" Roberti or Orange Shoulder Peacock is blue on the head and the back two thirds of its body are blue with dark vertical bars. There are blue and orange lines on the dorsal and caudal fin. The abdomen along with the pelvic and anal fins are orangish yellow and there are orange egg spots. There is also an orange band behind the head. This variant is very similar in coloring to the nominate form, Aulonocara Korneliae, but the nominate form does not have an apparent orange band behind the head and has less orange on the dorsal fin. This fish may live 8 to 10 years.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/AulonocaraBlueGoldRoberti.php

Title: aulonocara fort Maguire

Species #:72

Common Name: Scientific Name: Cichlidae

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciform

•

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: They are found in the southern part of Lake Malawi between Masinje and Fort Maguire. They hide in caves and prefer zones where rocks and sand mix. As with all Peacocks, they inhabit deeper waters than other Malawi cichlids and have special sensory pores on the jaws that help them to find crustaceans in the sand. They are one of the most carnivorous of the cichlids.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Aulonocara Fort Maguire is one of the most carnivorous of the cichlids. In the wild they feed on small sand-dwelling invertebrates. Provide them with a meaty diet; pellets, frozen and freeze-dried daphnia, bloodworms and brine shrimp are excellent choices. Avoid tubifex worms as they contribute to a disease called "Malawi bloat." You can also use shrimp mixes (the European Shrimp Mix is cheaper than prepared foods and just as nutritious). No mammal meat. Feed once a day when young and 5 to 6 times a week when adults unless they are breeding. Avoid the desire to feed this fish more often than it needs, as this will keep the water quality higher over a longer time.

Body Form or Style:The Aulonocara Fort Maguire, like many of the Peacock cichlids, has a variety of different natural colorations. The basic male is blue with a wide red to orange/yellow band that is located just behind the gills. The top of the band tends to be more red and as the band lowers to the pelvic fins, can turn to a more yellow/orange. The have several vertical bars that are a dark brownish color from behind the wide band of red to the tail. The fins are all blue and tipped in white or ice blue. The face is blue with a hint of the red/orange coloring dotted throughout. Tail fin is mottled in the brown/red and blue coloring. Anal fin has egg spots that are sometimes hard to see. Females are beige with brown vertical bands. Other brown areas on the females are at the very back end of the dorsal near the tail fin, the tail fin, and the anal fin (which is rounded). The facial area is a lighter brown as well. Juveniles are an burnt orange color mixed with turquoise blue with the fins having dots and dashes of turquoise as well. The chin and pelvic fins are turquoise and the anal fin is clear with orange egg spots.This fish may live 6 to 10 years.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/AulonocaraFortMaguire.php Title: auratus Species #: 73 Common Name: Scientific Name: Melanochromis auratus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Cypriniformes

•

Family: Cyprinidae

Geography / Habitat: The Auratus or Golden Mbuna was described by Boulenger in 1897 and are endemic to Lake Malawi, Africa. These fish occupy the southern part of Lake Malawi from the Jalo Reef and then north of Nkhota Kota and south along the western coast to Crocodile Rocks. They are not found on the eastern shore. This Mbuna likes rocky areas, feeding off the algae in the water.

Life Strategy: : A good filtering system, with regular water changes, with the water chemistry matching their requirements, will keep them in good spirits. Only healthy fish will be interested in mating. Because females will be required to incubate the eggs for up to four weeks, she will need to be strong and healthy before she will be able to go without eating for that period of time.It is also a good idea to have several females to one male of each species you keep. This way, not just one female takes the aggression of the male. Having at least 2 females will spread the damage an aggressive male will dish out. And, if he is not ripping their fins too often, they will be stronger and healthier, and hence more likely to mate.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Auratus or Golden Mbuna is primarily an herbivore, so may eat any plant you put in the tank. They need to be fed small meals of dry, fresh and frozen foods that are rich in vegetable matter several times a day. Spirulina is highly recommended as a staple food. These foods will help keep the colors bright. Foods like beef heart are to be avoided as they can promote digestive problems.

Body Form or Style:

The body of the Auratus or Golden Mbuna is elongated with a rounded snout, narrow mouth, and continuous dorsal fin. In coloring, the male has a much different appearance than the female. He has a somewhat transparent yellow dorsal fin, with black specks that form almost a horizontal "line" through the top. The back is a golden yellow to a faded yellow and the remainder of the body is black. A thin yellow line edged in neon blue runs horizontally through the middle of the body from behind the gill area to the caudal fin. The tail fin is black with yellow at the outer most edge. The anal and pelvic fins are black with neon blue trimming.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/Auratus.php Title: black belt cichlid Species #:74 Common Name: Scientific Name: Vieja maculicauda

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

• • •

Family: Cichlidae

Order: Perciformes

Geography / Habitat: The Black Belt Cichlid was described by Regan in 1905. They are found in Central America on the Atlantic slope from the Usumacinta River drainage in Guatemala to the Chagres River in Panama. Their range is large and encompasses both brackish and marine water. They like the slow currents of the lower river valleys, areas with sandy and muddy bottoms. They prefer shady spots among logs and submerged trees. They feed on benthic detritus containing seeds and fruits, along with aquatic and land plants.

Food / Feed Strategy:

The Black Belt Cichlid is an omnivore that primarily feeds on benthic detritus containing seeds and fruits, along with plant matter in their natural environment. In the aquarium they can be fed a pellet base for food, but supplement it with vegetables (lettuce, spinach, vegetable flake foods) and fruits. They love snails and will eat them with gusto. Fed them a few times a day. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style: The Black Belt Cichlid is a deep bodied oval disk shape fish with anal and dorsal fins that are pointed. The body of the male is silvery white with a black band, either solid or sketchy, encircling the midsection just behind the pelvic fin. The caudal fins is all red or partially red and there is red blotching on the chin and throat that runs from the lips to just before the pelvic fin. The female is a dark gray in color with a red tail and black freckling. Older fish, especially the males, develop a nuchal hump on the head. Because of its extensive distribution area in the wild, there are several color morphs.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BlackBeltCichlid.php

Title: black-stripe dwarf

Species #:75

Common Name:

Scientific Name: Taeniacara candidi •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

• •

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

• • •

Order: Perciformes

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat:The Black-Stripe Dwarf Cichlid was described by Myers in 1935. They are found along the Amazon River to the Tapajos River as well as in the Amazon River basin in South America, Brazil. This little fish is found in the lower Negro River as well. They live in very soft acidic water, hiding in the dense coverage of rocks, roots, wood, and heavily overgrown vegetation. They eat insect larvae and other small live foods. This fish was first described in the Apistogramma genus as Apistogramma weisei, but later described in their own genus, Taeniacara.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Black-Stripe Dwarf Cichlid is a carnivore that feeds on insect larvae and other small live foods in the wild. In the aquarium it can be fed newly hatched baby brine, frozen brine shrimp, freeze dried bloodworms, tubifex worms, and high quality flake food. This diet is especially easy to feed to tank bred Black-Stripe Dwarf Cichlids. Wild caught specimens will have to be provided with a live diet until they accept prepared foods. Feed them chopped earthworm, blood worms and mosquito larvae. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts rather than a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style: The Black-Stripe Dwarf Cichlid is a small colorful and elongated fish. It has a more slender torpedo shaped body than other dwarf cichlids. The body has a base color of silver above a black horizontal stripe that runs from the head to just before the tail, though the stripe may be absent from some specimens. There is a slightly lighter silver/white on the belly in front of the anal fin. The fins are colored with blue, yellow, red, and brown. The male's pelvic fins are especially long and his anal and dorsal fins are pointed. Males also have a large spade-shaped tail fin that extends into a point at the end. The female has shorter fins and is smaller with less intense coloring, yet is still a pretty little fish. All cichlids share a common feature that some saltwater fish such as wrasses and parrotfish have and that is a well-developed pharyngeal set of teeth that are in the throat, along with their regular teeth.

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BlackStripeDwarfCichlid.php

Title: blood parrot fish

Species #:76

Common Name: Scientific Name: they are manmade therefore it DOES NOT have a scientific name.

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Blood Parrot, also called the Bloody Parrot and Blood Parrotfish, and another variety known as the Jellybean Parrot are fish developed by breeders and hobbyists. Since they are a hybrid, they are domestic and only found in aquariums. The Blood Parrot is said to have been bred in Taiwan and the suggested parents are Central and South American cichlids.

Life Strategy: Male blood parrots generally are infertile, but successful breeding has occurred. Normally, a female blood parrot lays eggs on a hard surface, and both parents guard the eggs unless the brood develops fungus, at which time the eggs will be consumed by either the parents or other fish. However, fish farms have begun introducing male blood parrots injected with a hormone to increase fertility. Most female blood parrots are fertile.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are omnivorous the Blood Parrot, Bloody Parrot, or Blood Parrotfish will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep good balances give them a high quality flake food or pellet everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat. Live guppies and goldfish will suffice when they get bigger. Proteins high in B-carotene will promote good coloring.

Body Form or Style: The Blood Parrot has a roundish 'balloon' shaped body. They have a very small mouth and are perhaps they are called Parrotfish because their nose looks like a 'parrots' beak. They also have some other distinctions, their spines are deformed which gives them their unique shape, the iris of their eyes is overly large, and they are awkward swimmers.They can be solid or have a 'calico' patterning or blotching and they are available in a variety of colors from basic pale or bright yellows, to oranges and reds. There are also color varieties, which are dyed albinos or dyed light colored Blood Parrots. These are generally referred to as the 'Jellybean Parrot' and 'Bumble Gum Parrot', though their names can describe them by color such as the 'Purple Parrot'. Then there are Blood Parrots described by their physical appearance such as the 'Love Heart Parrot', which has no tail fin.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner

and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/blparrot.php

Title: blue acara

Species #:77

Common Name:

Scientific Name: Aequidens pulcher

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• • •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Blue Acara was described by Gill in 1858. They are found in Central and South America; Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad. They inhabit both turbid and clear flowing streams where they feed on worms, crustaceans, and insects.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are carnivores, the Blue Acara needs protein foods. In the wild they eat worms, crustaceans, and insects. In the aquarium provide them with live foods such as bloodworms, earthworms, and tubifex. They may also eat frozen foods (such as brine shrimp or blood worms) as well as protein flakes or tablets. A minimum 30 gallon aquarium is suggested.

Body Form or Style:The body of the Blue Acara is stocky and compact with a mostly steel blue-gray coloration. The are a few green horizontal lines on the face and their overall bluish-green scales give them a sparkling appearance.

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks. •

Mouth Position:

Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/blueacara.php Title: blue daktari

Species #:78

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pseudotropheus sp.

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: They are found in Lake Malawi, Africa inhabiting the southern part between the Undu Reef and Liutche. They like areas between sand and rock, near boulders where they feed on auwfuchs and other vegetation. Aufwuchs refers to tough stringy algae that is attached to rocks. "Loose" Aufwuchs can contain insect larvae, nymphs, crustaceans, snails, mites and zooplankton.

Life Strategy: A good filtering system, with regular water changes, with the water chemistry matching their requirements, will keep them in good spirits. Only healthy fish will be interested in mating. Because females will be required to incubate the eggs for up to four weeks, she will need to be strong and healthy before she will be able to go without eating for that period of time.It is also a good idea to have several females to one male of each species you keep. This way, not just one female takes the aggression of the male. Having at least 2 females will spread the damage an aggressive male will dish out. And, if he is not ripping their fins too often, they will be stronger and healthier, and hence more likely to mate. Food / Feed Strategy: The Blue Daktari is an omnivore that in the wild feeds on auwfuchs and other vegetation. In captivity they need vegetable matter which provides fiber in their diet to keep their intestinal tract disease free. Feed a high quality flake, pellets, spirulina, and other preparations for herbivore cichlids. It is always better to feed them small amounts several times a day instead of one large feeding. This keeps the water quality higher for a longer period of time. Of course, all fish benefit from added vitamins and supplements to their foods. It would not be wise to house this fish with other genus of cichlids that eat beef heart or other mammal meat, as these foods will cause intestinal infections and death in these fish. Body Form or Style: The Blue Daktari has the typical Mbuna elongated 'torpedo' body shape. The male is a beautiful yellow color with an orange-yellow coloring along the back. There are some populations that also have blue in the body. They can have a few light blue scales here and there. The fins are a bright yellow, with the tail fin having black trim on the top and bottom edges. The anal fin has a black edge at the bottom with egg spots at the area closer to the body. The eyes are not yellow, but a silver color with a black center. The female has the same black edging on the the top and bottom of the tail fin, but she is a pinkish tan to tan-gray color. Juveniles are a pinkish tan color. They can live up to 8 years.

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BlueDaktari.php Title: blue goby cichlid

Species #:79

Common Name:

Scientific Name: Spathodus erythrodon •

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

• •

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Blue Goby Cichlid was described by Boulenger in 1901. These fish are endemic to all but the southern end of Lake Tanganyika, Africa. They prefer the top part of the water column, not often venturing below 1 feet (.3 m). They are found along the rubble or pebble edges of the shoreline called surge zones. This area is continually washed by waves that are driven by the wind and this water has a pH of over 9 due to the releases of oxygen at the shore called "faunal exhaust." They pick algae and micro-organisms in the algae from the rocks.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Blue Goby Cichlid is an omnivore. In the wild they pick algae and microorganisms from the rock biocover. In the aquarium they can be fed nutritious live foods, tablets, and some will accept frozen or flake. Flakes are often accepted by captive bred fish though captive caught fish are less enthusiastic. Provide a diet of high quality spirulina or vegetables such as blanched chopped peas, broccoli or lettuce. Also feed crustaceans, Cyclops, brine shrimp, glassworms, or other special foods for Lake Tanganyika cichlids. On rare occasions you can feed bloodworms, but beef heart and fish should be avoided. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style: The body of the Blue Goby Cichlid is a brownish gray color with several rows of light blue spots all over interspersed with a couple rows of gold spots closer to the belly area. The belly is lighter and there are hints of blue in the dorsal, tail, and anal fins. They have a uniquely shaped mouth with their top lip almost looking like an "overbite". Both the top lip and the bottom lip are blue in color. Their eyes are located toward the top of their head. The have one row of teeth on each side of their jaw that are long and curved with tips that are blunt, used for eating algae off of rocks.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BlueGobyCichlid.php

Title: blue moorii Common Name: Scientific Name: Cyrtocara moorii

Species #:80

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Blue Moorii, also known as the Malawi Blue Dolphin and the Hump-head, were described by Boulenger in 1902. They are found in Lake Malawi, Africa where they inhabit sandy coastal areas. Imported for the aquarium trade since 1968, most of these fish are wild caught.

Body Form or Style: The body of the Blue Moorii is elongated with a somewhat pointed snout, looking similar to that of a dolphin, thus the name Malawi Blue Dolphin. They have an overall blue coloring with varying amounts of black markings on their fins and back, depending upon their place of origin. As adults both the male and female develop a lump on the forehead, a cranial bump.

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks. • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/bluemoorii.php Title: blue neon Species #:81 Common Name: Scientific Name: Paracyprichromis nigripinnis

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Blue Neon was described by Boulenger in 1901. These fish are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa. They are found in several parts of lake where they will school in groups of hundreds, though they prefer the security of rock structures and caves. They feed on zooplankton in the open water above the rocks. They are typically collected at Chituta Bay in Zambia, Msambu, and Kigoma in Tanzania.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Blue Neon is a planktivore. In the wild they feed on drifting zooplankton in open water above the rocks. In the aquarium they can be fed flakes including a high quality spirulina and frozen foods such as brine shrimp. Use foods with carotene to bring out their color. Feeding cyclops or artemia that will bring out their best colors, but once they get a taste for these they will usually ignore the flake. It is suggested that you do not feed live foods and tubifex worms due to possible diseases and pathogens that may be transferred to your fish. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. A one-day-a-week 'fast' can also be beneficial. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style: The Blue Neon is a small beautiful cichlid. They have a slender elongated body with a slightly lyre tail. Males have a creamy orange to orange body, with neon blue to purple stippled lines that run vertically through their body. Their fins are a clearish yellow to lighter neon blue and outlined in the same neon blue to purple coloring as the stippled body lines. Females are a bit duller version of the males, but still very pretty. Juveniles are gray when born and cream by two months.

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks. •

Mouth Position: • Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BlueNeon.php Title: blue-eyed tropheus Common Name: Scientific Name: Tropheus brichardi

Species #:82

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Blue-Eyed Tropheus, endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa, was described by Nelissen and Thys van den Audenaerde in 1975, based on a group of specimens caught near Nyanza Lac in Burundi. They were named after Pierre Brichard, a well known cichlid importer. They are widely distributed throughout the central parts of the lake on both the east and west coasts, but not in the extreme north or south.

Life Strategy A good filtering system, with regular water changes, with the water chemistry matching their requirements, will keep them in good spirits. Only healthy fish will be interested in mating. Because females will be required to incubate the eggs for up to four weeks, she will need to be strong and healthy before she will be able to go without eating for that period of time.It is also a good idea to have several females to one male of each species you keep. This way, not just one female takes the aggression of the male. Having at least 2 females will spread the damage an aggressive male will dish out. And, if he is not ripping their fins too often, they will be stronger and healthier, and hence more likely to mate. : Food / Feed Strategy: The Blue-Eyed Tropheus is an omnivore, or can be referred to as a benthic herbivore. In the wild they are specialized aufwuch feeders, picking algae from the rocks that contain microorganisms. In the aquarium they can be fed a varied diet including spirulina based flake or pellet and supplement with a small quantity of protein They should have spinach or romaine at least once a day. Only include foods that are high in fiber. Offering only Cyclops and Mysis as live protein supplements. Avoid avoid soft or slimy foods as well as Tubifex, brine shrimp, beef heart, and mosquito larvae. When using pellet, holding it underwater for a few moments before the fish eat it may prevent air released from the pellet from getting trapped in the belly.

Body Form or Style: The Blue-Eyed Tropheus is a stocky fish that seems to have a larger head in proportion to their body, an under-slung mouth, and the body narrows as it forms the tail. The body of the adult male is a brownish black to a dark green color with a white or yellowish patch on the back just under the first half of the dorsal fin. There may also be a small dash of gold on the belly above the pelvic fin and the anal fin can have faint spotting. The caudal fin is fan shaped. The eye is white to golden and the iris of the eye can develop a blue color if they are kept in optimal conditions, thus the name 'Blue-Eyed'.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BlueEyedTropheus.php

Title: blunthead cichlid

Species #:83

Common Name: Scientific Name: Tropheus moorii

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Blunthead Cichlid was described by Boulenger in 1898. They are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa and are widely distributed throughout the lake. They inhabit rocky costal areas at depths of 6 1/2 to10 feet (2 - 3 m) feeding on algae and microorganisms.

Body Form or Style: The Blunthead Cichlid Tropheus Moorii is a moderately deep bodied fish that seems to have a larger head in proportion to their body, a down turned mouth, and the body narrows as it forms the tail. The caudal fin is fan shaped.There are a number of geographic variations of the Tropheus moorii, each with a different color patterning depending on the locale from which they originate. Color morphs include fish with yellow stomachs, striped tails, rainbow markings, and cross-stripes along with bright yellows, reds, and blacks.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up

and

down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BluntheadCichlid.php Title: bolivian ram

Species #: 84

Common Name: Scientific Name: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Bolivian Ram, also known as Bolivian Butterfly or Ruby Clown Cichlid, was described by Haseman in 1911. They are found in South America in the countries of Bolivia (found there originally) and Brazil. They inhabit the Rio Mamore near the mouth of the Rio Guarpore river at Trinidad, the Guarpore Basin at San Ramone, the mouth of the Igarape river at Guarjara-Mirim, and in Flood plains below Todos Santos. Originally found in Bolivia in a shallow pond.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Bolivian Ram is primarily a carnivore that can be fed a mix of meaty foods that are live or frozen; such as brine shrimp, blood worms, white worms, chopped earthworms, cyclopeeze, and artemia. Some may eat flakes and pellets, but these should not be the staple of their diet. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style: The Bolivian Ram is a small colorful fish. The body has an overall solid color that ranges from a dull brown to a grayish blue. They can have a whitish yellow belly. They may have a black spot in the middle of their body below the middle area of the dorsal fin, and may or may not have a crescent vertical black line that runs through their eyes. (Their eyes are not red like the Ram Cichlid.) The tips of the dorsal fin and the edges of the tail fin are orange, and the anal and pectoral fins are orange as well. Males have a more pointed dorsal fin and longer filaments of the tail fin. They can live up to 4 years.

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks. • Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BolivianRam.php Title: brevis shelldweller Common Name:

Species #:85

Scientific Name: Neolamprologus brevis

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Brevis Shelldweller was described by Boulenger in 1899. These fish are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa. They prefer depths of 19 to 180 feet (6 - 55 m) and are found in areas where the bottom is muddy and sandy and there are large numbers of snails of the genus Neothauma. They use the snail shells for their homes and feed on plankton. Some of the areas where they dwell have a smaller shell density, so depending on their personality a pair may or may not share a shell.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Brevis Shelldweller is an omnivore that feeds on plankton in the wild. In the aquarium they can be fed frozen blood worms, brine shrimp, and small protein cichlid pellets, They need some vegetable matter, so include some spirulina based foods along with a pea or piece of spinach. Live daphnia and live brine shrimp can be offered as a treat. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. A one-day-a-week 'fast' can also be beneficial. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style: The Brevis Shelldweller is a small cichlid with an elongated body. It has a large mouth for its size and it is upturned, indicating a carnivorous predator. The body is primarily a light brown and the fins are the same color, but clearish. They have florescent blue lines under the eyes, though these can only be seen under good lighting. When they are stressed they turn a bronze color with a black cap on the head. There are slight differences in the Brevis Shelldweller depending on the region where they are found. The Standard Brevis from Kigoma, Tanzania and the Sunspot Brevis are two of the most commonly seen in the pet industry.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BrevisShelldweller.php Title: bumblebee mouthbrooder Common Name:

Species #:86

Scientific Name: Pseudotropheus crabro

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Bumblebee Mouthbrooder was described by Ribbink and Lewis in 1982. They are found in Lake Malawi, Africa at various sites in the Eccles Reef, West Reef, Chiyamwezi, Mbenji, Chinyankwazi, Maleri, Nkata Bay, and the Likoma and Chisumulu Islands. They live in various habitats but prefer rocks or sand-rock substrates near large boulders, and the interior of large caves. They feed on a different foods as they become available including benthic crustaceans, fry of other fish, fish eggs, and larvae. They have been seen picking the ectoparasite Argulus africanus from a large cave-dwelling species of catfish, the Kampango Bagrus meridionalis.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Bumblebee Mouthbrooder is an omnivore with a voracious appetite. In the wild they feed on a different foods as they are available including benthic crustaceans, fry of other fish, fish eggs, larvae, and parasites they pick off of a catfish. In the aquarium feed high quality flakes, pellets, spirulina, and prepared cichlid foods. They do need more proteins than other Mbunas because of their natural diet, but they still need vegetable matter to provide fiber in their diet in order to keep their intestinal tract disease free. It is always better to feed them small amounts several times a day instead of one large feeding. This keeps the water quality higher for a longer period of time. Do not over feed as this will result in water spoilage and even an early death.

Body Form or Style: The Bumblebee Mouthbrooder has a thick robust body shape. An adult dominant male is close to a black color with dark blue vertical bars. They will change to almost all black when breeding, with some males showing bright blue speckles on their flank area. Their fins are all dark blue. The female is gold with zig zaggish dark brown vertical bars that fade to gold in the belly area and one brown horizontal bar that runs all the way to the tail. The male can change from their blue/black coloring to all dark, or change to the females coloring when cleaning parasites from a large catfish in the wild. The female can go from her coloring to a black coloring.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/BumblebeeMouthbrooder.php

Title: callochromis macrops

Species #:87

Common Name: Scientific Name: Callochromis macrops

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Callochromis Macrops or Large-Eyed Mouthbrooder was described by Boulenger in 1898. These fish are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa, primarily in regions south of Nyanza. They are found over sandy bottoms near rocky areas feeding on insect larvae, small mollusks, and Aufwuchs. Aufwuchs refers to tough stringy algae that is attached to rocks. Aufwuchs can contain insect larvae, nymphs, crustaceans, snails, zooplankton and mites

Body Form or Style:

The Callochromis Macrops or Large-Eyed Mouthbrooder has some characteristics that distinguish if from other Lake Tanganyika cichlids. Their eyes are large and they have less of the typical torpedo shaped body. Also the belly it is flat instead of rounded, which contributes to the appearance of having a higher rounded back. They have a "V" shaped tail and the females are typically smaller and silver. Different locations have different color variations, here are a few:

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/CallochromisMacrops.php Title: cockatoo cichild

Species #:88

Common Name: Scientific Name: Apistogramma cacatuoides

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Cockatoo Cichlid, also known as the Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid or Crested Dwarf Cichlid, was described by Hoedeman in 1951. They are basically found in Brazil and Boliviain inhabiting tributaries of the Amazon River basin. Also found in tributaries of the Solimoes, Ucayali, and Amazon rivers from the Pacheta River to Tabatinga. They are dwell in shallow, slow-moving to almost still, clear and white water areas of the Amazon River.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Cockatoo Cichlid is a carnivore that can be fed newly hatched baby brine, frozen brine shrimp, crustaceans, insects, insect larvae, and some may eat flakes and pelleted foods. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts rather than a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style: The Cockatoo Cichlid is a small colorful fish. The body has a silvery gray base and a long black horizontal line that runs through the middle. The male's first several rays of the dorsal fin are extended higher than the rest, giving the "cockatoo" look. The top and bottom rays of the tail fin are longer as well, and brightly colored on the male. The male's belly and bottom fins are golden brown. Females will be a drab yellow with the front of the ventral fins becoming solid black as she matures. Her tail fin will be more rounded as well. Once she lays her eggs, her yellow coloring becomes more intense. They can live up to 5 years.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/CockatooCichlid.php

and

Title: compressed cichild

Species #:89

Common Name: Scientific Name: Altolamprologus compressiceps

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Compressed Cichlid was described by Boulenger in 1898. Also called the Compressiceps or Lamp Compressiceps, they are found in Lake Tanganyika, Africa. They are widely spread, living close to shore in the littoral regions of the lake.

Food / Feed Strategy: Since they are carnivores, the Compressed Cichlid needs protein foods. Although they are a picky eater, once established, they will eat live foods such as shrimp, guppies, and earthworms. Another good food source for them is freeze dried marine plankton. They may also eat frozen foods (such as brine shrimp or blood worms) as well as protein flakes or tablets.

Body Form or Style: The Compressed Cichlid is high backed and has a very laterally compressed head and body. The forehead slopes down to a large mouth that is somewhat upturned. The body is patterned with between 8 to 12 dark vertical bars and white to bluish spots. There are several geographic color variations of this cichlid ranging in a variety of hues from dark browns, to reds, yellows or rusty oranges

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/lampcompress.php

Title: convict cichild

Species #:90

Common Name: Scientific Name: Archocentrus nigrofasciatus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Convict Cichlid, also called the Pink Convict or Zebra Cichlid, was described by Günther in 1867. They are found in Central America on the Pacific slope from Costa Rica to Guatemala and on the Atlantic slope from Honduras to Panama. The rivers they inhabit are the Tarcoles, Aguan River, and Guarumo River. They like waters that are flowing from smaller streams to larger fast flowing rivers. There they dwell among the shallow rocky areas where they hide in cracks and crevices, feeding on worms, insects, fish, crustaceans and plants. They can also be found in the warm pools of springs.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Convict Cichlid is an omnivore that can be fed any foods for omnivorous cichlids, vegetable based foods with spirulina, blanched lettuce or other veggies, beef heart and worms. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style: The Convict Cichlid has a blue-gray, cream, or blue-lavendar base on the body with 8 to 9 dark bands that run vertically. They have a break in the vertical bands in the area behind their head, almost forming a "U" shape. The light yellow. With in-line breeding there are now several color varieties, and some of the cream varieties lack the vertical bars.

fins are clearish to and "pink"

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/ConvictCichlid.php

Title: convict julie

Species #:91

Common Name: Scientific Name: Julidochromis regani

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Convict Julie was described by Poll in 1942. It was named after Mr. Charles Tate Regan, a british ichthyologist and director of the British Museum of Natural History. These fish are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa. They inhabit open waters and shallow rocky areas with a sandy substrate. They search for algae and invertebrates that they pick from the rock and sand.

Body Form or Style: The Convict Julie is an elongated, cylindrically shaped fish. They have a nice contrast of horizontal lines (three to four depending on variety) or marbling colored in browns over varying shades of yellow on the background. Some have a beautiful yellow on the belly and in the pectoral fins. The dorsal and caudal fins are edged in blue. They are very similar to their close relative the Ornate Julie Julidochromis ornatus, but in general their body is more elongated.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/ConvictJulie.php

Title: cylinder cichild

Species #:92

Common Name: Scientific Name: Neolamprologus cylindricus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Cylinder Cichlid was described by Staeck and Seegers in 1986. These fish are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa. They are found in the south-eastern part of Lake at depths from 0 - 32 feet (10 m) inhabiting rocky bottomed areas. They search in the recesses of the substrate and in the bio cover for inverts to feed on. The parents are cave spawners and raise their fry in seclusion.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Cylinder Cichlid is basically carnivorous in the wild, eating small fish and crustaceans. In the aquarium they can be fed mysis shrimp, earthworm flake, frozen adult brine shrimp and once in a while spirulina. Other special food for carnivorous Lake Tanganyika cichlids are acceptable. It is suggested that you do not feed live foods and tubifex worms due to possible diseases and pathogens that may be transferred to your fish. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. A one-day-a-week 'fast' can also be beneficial. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.

Body Form or Style: The Cylinder Cichlid is an elongated, cylindrically shaped fish. There are several vertical thick gray black to black bars with thinner white bars in-between. The face is gray-black to black with irregular shaped spots. They have a blue edging on the fins and at times their lips tend to be blue as well. Their teeth are very sharp due to the nature of their dietary needs. It is unknown how long this fish lives.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/CylinderCichlid.php Title: daffodil cichild Species #:93 Common Name: Scientific Name: Neolamprologus pulcher

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Daffodil Cichlid was described by Trewavas and Poll in 1952. These fish are endemic to Lake Tanganyika and are found widespread in the southern part of lake. They inhabit rocky coastlines and swim in large schools, but will form monogamous pairs to spawn in caves. They feed on swarms of plankton drifting in the lake water along with microorganisms such as small crustaceans and invertebrates.

Body Form or Style: The Daffodil Cichlid is a graceful fish and has a very pleasing coloration. They have a light colored tan body washed with hints of yellow and bluish purple spots. The yellow is stronger along the upper portion of the body and onto the dorsal fin, and around the base of the pectoral fin. There are two vertical crescent shaped bars just behind the eye highlighted with a bit of blue. The dorsal fin is lyre shaped and they develop long flowing filaments on all unpaired fins. The fins are tipped with an icy blue. They have brilliant blue eyes.

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks. •

•

Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/DaffodilCichlid.php

Title: demanson cichild

Species #:94

Common Name: Scientific Name: Pseudotropheus demasoni

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Demanson's Cichlid was described by Konings in 1994. They are found in Lake Malawi, Africa. They inhabit rocky areas in large groups at a location called Pombo Rocks, which is off the Tanzanian coast. They pick at algae for food which may contain Aufwuchs. Aufwuchs refers to tough stringy algae that is attached to rocks. "Loose" Aufwuchs can contain insect larvae, nymphs, crustaceans, snails, mites and zooplankton. The Demanson's Cichlid is considered to be in the 'dwarf' category due to its size.

The Demanson's Cichlid is an omnivore that needs mainly herbivorous foods. Their diet should consist of vegetable matter. An all purpose, high quality cichlid formula can be used as a basic diet. Including vegetable supplements to their diet will help with overall health. This food has fiber which keeps their intestinal tract disease free. It is always better to feed them small amounts several times a day instead of one large feeding. This keeps the water quality higher for a longer period of time. Of course, all fish benefit from added vitamins and supplements to their foods. It would not be wise to house this fish with other genus of cichlids that eat beef heart or other mammal meat, as these foods will cause intestinal infections and death.

Body Form or Style: The Demanson's Cichlid has the typical Mbuna elongated 'torpedo' body shape. They have alternating vertical bars that are dark blue, almost black and light blue. There are six dark and five light, starting with a dark stripe behind the gill cover and ending with a muted dark stripe at the base of the tail fin. On their head they have three light blue stripes alternated with the two dark ones. One of these dark stripes is between the eyes and the other one runs across the forehead, where it sort of intersects with the very first vertical bar just behind the gill cover. Their "chin" is a medium blue coloring. On the dorsal fin the stripes angle back with the lighter blue ones being thinner than the dark. The tail fin has very thin "horizontal" lines of dark and light blue and the edge is 'outlined' in the light blue and underlined with a dark blue.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/DemansonsCichlid.php Title: dickfeld’s julie

Species #:95

Common Name: Scientific Name: Julidochromis dickfeldi

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Dickfeld's Julie or Brown Julie was described by Staeck in 1975. They are found on the southwestern side of Lake Tanganyika in Africa, on the Zambian shoreline. They inhabit areas of rubble and rocks and use a crack or fissure in the rock for the center of their territory. They will eat drifting matter in the water, but mostly feed on crustaceans they pick from the rocks.

Body Form or Style: The Dickfeld's Julie or Brown Julie has a slender elongated body that is slightly different from most of the Julies. They have a larger dorsal fin and a more pointed snout. The

body coloring can be a silver, a light brown/gold, or a blue sheen and there are three dark horizontal stripes on each side. The first stripe starts at the forehead, runs along the top next to the dorsal fin, and ends in the area just about where the anal fin begins. The second one starts just above and behind the eye, runs parallel to the top stripe, and ends about where the dorsal fin ends, with just hints extending into the top of the caudal area. The third stripe literally wraps around the fish, starting at the tip of the nose and ending at the caudal area. The forehead has 3 small horizontal stripes with the first sort of connecting to the top stripe, the second one right between the eyes, and the third one being a little dash right above where the 3rd body stripes meet. The fins are clearish with blue margins, or can be a clear blue color with more intense blue margins.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the

•

Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/DickfeldsJulie.php

rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

Title: green discus

Species #:96

Common Name: Scientific Name: Symphysodon aequifasciata

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: Discus are native to South America and are found in Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, and Columbia. They inhabit the tributaries of the Amazon River, living in the still or slow moving waters along the banks where they hide among tangled roots and branches. They feed on insect larvae, insects, and planktonic invertebrates.

Body Form or Style:

A basic description of the wild Green Discus is a dark brownish to green body. There are nine vertical bars (though without the bold central bar), and they have irregular metallic streaks of green, blue, or turquoise on the belly, dorsal and anal fins, and on the dorsal area of the body. They reach a length of about 6" (15 cm).

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/discus.php

Title: dogtooth cichild

Species #:97

Common Name: Scientific Name: Cynotilapia afra

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Dogtooth Cichlid was described by Günther in 1894. They are found in Lake Malawi, Africa in the northern and central parts of the lake. They inhabit the upper parts of the waters in rocky areas away from the substrate where they feed on zooplankton and Aufwuchs. Aufwuchs refers to tough stringy algae that is attached to rocks. "Loose" Aufwuchs can contain insect larvae, nymphs, crustaceans, snails, mites and zooplankton. Males tend to feed mostly from the rocks near their home.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Dogtooth Cichlid is an omnivore that will accept frozen or live brine shrimp, mysis, high quality flake, pellets, spirulina, and other preparations for omnivore cichlids. It is always better to feed them small amounts several times a day instead of one large feeding. This keeps the water quality higher for a longer period of time. Of course, all fish benefit from added vitamins and supplements to their foods. They will eat to the point of their stomach being distended, so be very careful to not overfeed.

Body Form or Style: There are many color varieties and basically they can be lavender, blue, light blue, yellow and everything in between. They have different coloring on the top band of their dorsal, depending on the color morph. Their vertical bars come and go depending on mood and some variations of color have more bars than others. The males of most color morphs have the ability to turn their head and back an intense yellow gold coloring, but even then the amount of gold coloring that appears depends on mood. Females are drabber and also have the ability to lose or show their vertical bars. Some Dogtooth Cichlid females in certain color morphs are just as spectacular as the males, such as the 'Mbweca' female. Juveniles are similar to females. Lake Malawi fish live an average of 7 to 10 years.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/DogtoothCichlid.php

Title: electric blue hap

Species #:98

Common Name: Scientific Name: Sciaenochromis fryeri

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Electric Blue Hap was described by Konings in 1993, and are found at depths of 32 to 131 feet (10-40m) throughout Lake Malawi, Africa. They prefer rocky areas, hiding in caves or in cracks of the rocks looking for small fish to eat.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Electric Blue Hap is carnivorous and will eat any fish small enough to consume! They should be fed a quality cichlid pellet, occasionally supplemented with frozen krill, mysis or brine shrimp. Fry can be fed crushed flake and crushed protein pellets. Generally feed several times a day in smaller amounts, though feeding them everyday is not always necessary as they have a tendency to overeat and this can contribute to Malawi bloat. All fish benefit from adding liquid vitamins to dry foods.

Body Form or Style: The body of the Electric Blue Hap is stocky and elongated, and has 9 to 12 dark vertical bars. All males are electric blue with some variations depending on location. They all have yellow, orange or red in the anal fin. Southern populations of Lake Malawi differ in having the top of the dorsal fin trimmed in white. Northern populations of Lake Malawi lack this white accent, unless they are very large. Males can take up to a year to develop the intense blue coloring. Females are silver, but mature females can at times have hints of light blue. Juveniles are generally similar to females. Developing immature males are a light blue. Cichlids from Lake Malawi generally live from 7 to 10 years.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/ElectricBlueHap.php

Title: electric blue jack dempsey

Species #:99

Common Name: Scientific Name: Cichlasoma octofasciatum

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is a captive bred, naturally occurring, color-morph of the Jack Dempsey. The Jack Dempsey was described by Regan in 1903. They are found in North and Central America; Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Yucatan, and Honduras. They inhabit bogs and other slow moving, swampy warm waters, living among weedy areas with sandy or muddy bottoms. They feed on worms, crustaceans, insects and fish.

Body Form or Style: Just like its parentage, the body of the Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is stocky and compact, but exhibits a coloration that has mostly 'blues' rather than 'greens'. This beautiful variant usually has a dark brown background contrasted with brilliant metallic and iridescent blue flecks. Males develop long pointed dorsal and anal fins and may also have a round black spot in the center of the body and at the base of the tail. Juveniles are less brilliant, having a white to light tan background with faint turquoise to blue flecks that get bolder with age.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner up and down, sideways in between the rocks, or upside down under rocks.

hang

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/ElectricBlueJackDempsey.php

Title: electric blue johannii

Species #:100

Common Name: Scientific Name: Melanochromis johannii

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

• •

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: The Electric Blue Johannii or Bluegray Mbuna was described by Eccles in 1973 and is found in Lake Malawi, Africa. They inhabit areas around Masinje Rocks and Cape Ngombo.

Body Form or Style:

The Electric Blue Johannii or Bluegray Mbuna can live to around 12 years. They have a body that is torpedo shaped with coloration that is completely different between male and female. The males are a lighter blue with a dark blue to black horizontal band that runs across the back, and often broken up with spots of light blue. There is also a medium shade of blue that runs through the middle of the body horizontally. This mid band periodically seems to "leak" into the area above and below, almost causing a checkered pattern. There is a dark blue to black edging on all the fins which is "tipped" in a light blue. The male also has egg spot patterning on his anal fin. Due to similarity in coloration, males can be mistaken for their close relative, the Maingano Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos. The female and juveniles are a golden-orange coloring with the female having an indistinct dark horizontal band that runs the length of the body, starting in an area behind the eyes.

•

Swim / Locomotion Style: They move in a determined manner and down, sideways in between the rocks, or hang upside down under rocks.

• Mouth Position: Citation: http://animalworld.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/ElectricBlueJohannii.php

Title: Bigclaw Snapping Shrimp Species #:101 Common Name: Scientific Name: Alpheus heterochaelis

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Alpheidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Alpheus heterochaelis is native to the western Atlantic Ocean, occurring from North Carolina and Bermuda to Brazil and the West Indies (Kaplan 1988).

IRL

Distribution: Alpheus heterochaelis occurs in suitable habitats throughout the IRL system. Alpheus heterochaelis is a benthic species inhabiting a variety of shallow marine habitats and typically residing within some manner of physical protective structure. It is common on reefs and oyster beds, in and around seagrass beds, and in salt marshes and mudflats. Nolan and Salmon (1970) note that A. heterochaelis lived in and among clumps of oyster shells, presumably burrowing into the mud underneath (but see above). Heck and Orth (1980) report that otter trawls from vegetated (Zostera marina) habitats contained A. heterochaelis, although the number of animals collected in this study was very small.

Life Strategy: Like most other alpheid shrimp, Alpheus heterochaelis individuals are most often encountered as mated pairs and social monogamy appears to be a widespread phenomenon. A study by Rahman et al. (2003) suggests that mate guarding by the male appears to be the key factor leading to social monogamy in A. heterochaelis, i.e., rather than shared territoriality or biparental care of young. The authors indicate that the female molt cycle is highly cryptic and that females are only receptive for a few hours immediately after molting. Mate guarding through male-female pairing is therefore advantageous to the male because it maximizes mating opportunities and also to the female because it minimizes the need to search for a mate during the vulnerable soft-bodied receptive phase. Nolan and Salmon (1970) indicate that A. heterochaelis collected in their study were most often (~65% of animals collected) captured as male-femalel pairs and that such pairs could be found at all times during the study (April-August). Individuals in the majority of pairs collected from the field differed by 2 mm or less in carapace length, with a non-significant trend for females to be slightly larger than males. Male-female interactions under laboratory conditions begin similar to same sex agonistic interactions (see below). In a nontrivial number of instances, however, aggressive face-off and antennulation between a male and female gave way to mutual aquiescence and pair formation, typically in under an hour. Nolan and Salmon (1970) noted that the mechanisms underlying sexual discrimination had yet to be elucidated, but predicted that chemical cues played a role. In earlier experiments conducted by Hazlett and Winn (1962), exposure to extract from crushed shrimp of the opposite sex elicited a less aggressive response than did extracts from individuals of the same sex.

Food / Feed Strategy: Worms, small shrimp, crabs and other crustaceans, and even small fish such as pearlfish and gobies. Body Form or Style: Bigclaw snapping shrimp (sometimes referred to as pistol shrimp) reach 1.25-1.75 inches in length.

Body color is typically a translucent green, often with bright red or orange tones on the tips of the claws, and a blue or purple margin on the uropods of the tail and along the sides. The walking legs are pale red. First legs have unequal chelae (claws). Larger claw is notched along both the outer and inner edges where the fingers meet the base of the claw and generally bears whitish blotches. The carapace is somewhat compressed, and slightly more than 1/2 the length of the abdomen. An ocular hood arises from the carapace to cover the eyestalks. Antennae are longer than body length. Unlike other members of the genus, bigclaw snapping shrimp do not have cardiac grooves on the carapace.

Swim / Locomotion Style: they rarely ever swim. • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Alpheus_heterochaelis.htm

Title: Blue Land Crab Species #:102 Common Name: Blue land crab, white land crab, great land crab Scientific Name: Cardisoma guanhumi

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Gecarcinidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Cardisoma guanhumi is a circumequatorial species found throughout estuarine regions of the Caribbean, Central and South America including Columbia, Venezuela, the Bahamas, and Puerto Rico. Within the U.S. it is limited to the Gulf of Mexico and coastal Florida and is rarely found more than 8 km from the ocean. It is found in greatest concentration on low lying ground, and burrow concentrations in these optimum habitat areas may exceed 7500 per acre. In Central and South America, as well as in the Bahamas, C. guanhumi is exploited for food; however, in the U.S. and in much of Puerto Rico it is considered a pest. The population distribution of this species is heavily influenced by water temperature. In areas where water temperatures fall below 20 C in winter, larval survival is affected. Within the U.S., Cardisoma guanhumi has been observed as far north as Vero Beach, Florida; however, north of this area, water temperatures in the winter limit the growth of large populations.

IRL Distribution: C. guanhumi is found throughout the Indian River Lagoon.

Life Strategy: The reproductive cycle is closely linked to seasonal weather patterns and lunar phase. Heavy rains in the spring initiate migrations. At this time, Cardisoma gains weight rapidly as foraging intensity is increased for the first few weeks of the migratory period. Males actively court ripe females during this period. Fertilization is internal, and throughout July and August most females carry external egg masses. Eggs are carried for approximately 2 weeks prior to hatching, and must be released into salt water for larvae to survive. Females typically complete spawning migrations within 1-2 days and generally spawn within 1-2 days of a full moon. Thus, though Cardisoma and other terrestrial crabs have been successful invaders of the land, they are still heavily dependent on the ocean for at least part of the life cycle.Several spawns per year may occur, with spawning season varying with location within the range. In Florida, spawning season lasts from June to December, peaking in October and November. In the Bahamas the season extends from July - September, while in Venezuela spawning lasts from July - November.Eggs hatch into free swimming larvae with 5 zoeal stages and 1 postlarval, or megalopal stage. Typical development time from hatching to the first crabs stage is 42 days under laboratory conditions; however, this time may be much shorter in nature.Fecundity in Cardisoma is related to body mass. A 300 g female may produce 300,000 700,000 eggs per spawn.

Food / Feed Strategy: For the most part, Cardisoma guanhumi is a vegetarian crab which collects and eats leaves fruits and grasses collected near the vicinity of its burrow. However, these crabs will also eat insects, carrion, feces and is sometimes cannibalistic; thus, it is functionally an omnivore. The preferential foods of C. guanhumi are the leaves of red and white mangroves, and the buttonwood tree. They feed throughout the day in shaded areas; however, if exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods, they prefer to feed at night. Body Form or Style: This species is similar in shape to Uca species; its eyes are stalked and fairly widespread, and males have one enlarged cheliped. Adults of both sexes have carapaces which range in color from dark blue to various shades of brown to gray/white. The adult color pattern is well developed in most crabs by the time they reach 80-90 grams; however, some may attain180 grams before they show an adult pattern. Juveniles generally have brown carapaces and orange colored legs. Ovigerous females frequently appear light gray or white.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Cardis_guanhu.htm Title: Mangrove Tree Crab

Species #:103

Common Name: Mangrove Tree Crab Scientific Name: Aratus pisonii

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Sesarmidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: The range of A. pisonii extends from eastern Florida to northern Brazil, throughout the Caribbean, and on Pacific coasts from Nicaragua to Peru (Rathbun 1918, Chace & Hobbs 1969). The mangrove tree crab migrates vertically, usually inhabiting tree canopies during high tide and venturing down to exposed sediments during low tide. Although the crabs are most commonly associated with the red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle populations also reside among the branches of the black mangrove, Avicennia germinans; the mangrove, Avicennia schaueriana; the white mangrove, Laguncularia racemosa and the tea mangrove, Pelliceria rhizophorae (Conde et al. 2000). IRL Distribution: The mangrove tree crab is a common inhabitant of red mangrove, R. mangle, forests throughout the lagoon (Rader & Reed 2005), although crabs can also be found in and around the white mangrove, L. racemosa and the black mangrove, A. germinans

Life Strategy: Like other brachyuran crabs, sex can be determined in A. pisonii by examining the abdomen. In females, it is broader and can be tightly flexed to hold the egg mass, called a sponge (eg. Ruppert et al. 2004). For A. pisonii, Warner (1967) found that females from 1.5 to 1.7 cm were the most common size class to breed. As with most decapod crustaceans, fertilization occurs during copulation shortly after the female molts. The male transfers sperm-filled cases, called spermatophores, to the female. After the eggs are fertilized, the female broods them on her abdomen until hatching. Although this species reproduces continuously, the peak of egg hatching may occur during the rainy season (Conde & Díaz 1989) or may be synchronized with lunar rhythm (Warner 1967, Warner 1977). At this time, the female climbs down from the tree into the water and rapidly vibrates her abdomen to release a cloud of larvae (Warner 1977). Each reproductive female may repeat this process up to six times annually (Warner 1967). Food / Feed Strategy: Crabs feed on living mangrove leaf tissue, leaving behind distinctive scraping marks (Beever et al. 1979, Erickson et al. 2003, Feller 1995). Even in areas of low crab abundance, this behavior can account for up to 96% of the herbivory in the mangrove forests (Feller & Chamberlain 2007), focused mainly on the older leaves in fringing zones (Erickson et al. 2003, Feller & Chamberlain 2007). In addition to plant material, crab guts have included animal matter such as nematodes, crustacean appendages, fish scales, foraminiferans and polychaetes (Erickson et al. 2003). The larvae of A. pisonii appear to be somewhat omnivorous as well. The majority of the diet in larvae studied consisted of diatoms, mangrove detritus, tintinnids and copepods were also consumed (Schwamborn et al. 2006).

Body Form or Style: The mangrove tree crab, Aratus pisonii, is one of several species of crabs belonging to the Family Sesarmidae. The carapace is mottled brown to olive-green (Kaplan 1988) and is widest at the front, tapering posteriorly (Abele 1986). Eyes are widespread at the front corners of the carapace. Legs are brown to mottled, and the claws bear tufts of black hair. Sharp tips at the end of the legs allow A. pisonii to climb mangrove trees and other vertical surfaces (Kaplan 1988).

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Aratus_pisoni.htm

Title: Squareback Marsh Crab

Species #:104

Common Name: Squareback Marsh Crab Gray Marsh Crab

Scientific Name: Armases cinereum

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Sesarmidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence & Habitat Preference: The range of A. cinereum extends from Maryland to Florida, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean (Gosner 1978, Kaplan 1988). Individuals are commonly seen above the high water line among rocks, on dock pilings, under debris on beaches and in high elevations of salt marshes and mangrove forests (Gosner 1978, Kaplan 1988, Rupert & Fox 1988, Teal 1958). However, this is a highly motile species that has been found up to 100 m inland of the nearest marsh (Pennings et al. 1998). The squareback marsh crab seems to prefer sandier sediments than similar species, and is a common stowaway on ships (Kaplan 1988, Ruppert & Fox 1988, Seiple 1979).

IRL Distribution: The squareback marsh crab can be found throughout the IRL among debris sheltered beaches, in mangrove forests and salt marshes.

Life Strategy: As with most decapod crustaceans, fertilization occurs during copulation. The male transfers sperm-filled cases, called spermatophores, to the female. After the eggs are fertilized, the female broods them on her abdomen until hatching. Ovigerous females are found in the IRL from April to November (Figueiredo et al. 2008). Food / Feed Strategy: Individuals eat fresh plant material, leaf litter and fungi (Ho & Pennings 2008, Seiple & Salmon 1982, Pennings et al. 1998). When offerred animal tissue, the consumption of vegetation usually decreases, and crabs grow faster on mixed diets (Buck et al. 2003). Common prey items of A. cinereum include: small fiddler crabs of the genus Uca; aphids and spiders; the amphipod, Orchestia grillus; the isopod, Venezillo parvus; the eastern melampus snail, Melampus bidentatus; and the marsh periwinkle, Littorina irrorata (Buck et al. 2003, Ho & Pennings 2008).

Body Form or Style: The squareback marsh crab, Armases cinereum, is one a several semi-terrestrial crab species occupying the intertidal habitats of the IRL. The carapace is brown to olive and the top margin of the upper finger on the claw bears small tubercles or bumps (Kaplan 1988). The last segment of the 4th walking leg is equipped with black spines on the dorsal and ventral surface. A characteristic tooth or spine behind the eye socket, which is found in several similar species, is absent in A. cinereum (Gosner 1978, Kaplan 1988, Voss 1980). The squareback marsh crab is sexually dimorphic, with male claws growing relatively larger than those of females (Buck et al. 2003).

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Armase_cinere.htm Title: Mottled Shore Crab

Species #:105

Common Name: Mottled Shore Crab Scientific Name: Pachygrapsus transversus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Grapsidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence & Habitat Preference: The mottled shore crab has a wide geographic range, including: the western Atlantic from North Carolina to Uruguay, and Bermuda; the eastern Atlantic to Angola, including the Canary Islands and Cape Verde; Mediterranean; and the eastern Pacific from California to Peru, including the Galapagos Islands (Rathbun 1918). This species had also been introduced to areas such as Copenhagen (Christiansen 1969). The preferred habitat of this crab is as varied as its range. Populations are common in rocky intertidal areas, on wharf pilings and sea walls, and in swamps of the red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle (eg. Abele 1976). However, individuals may be found in virtually any sheltered marine intertidal zone at tropical and subtropical latitudes (Crane 1947). IRL Distribution: The mottled shore crab can be found throughout the IRL in all the habitats described above. However, individuals are probably most abundant among jetty rocks, on buoys and pilings near inlets.

Life Strategy: Sexual dimorphism is mostly restricted to abdomen morphology, which is larger in females and used to carry egg broods. However, claw size also differs depending on sex, with larger claws belonging to males (Flores et al. 1998). Both males and females reach sexual maturity at a carapace width of about 0.7 cm (Abele et al. 1986). As with most decapod crustaceans, fertilization occurs during copulation. The process usually takes place at the entrance of a burrow, lasts approximately 10 seconds, and is initiated with a leg touch (Abele et al. 1986). Sperm-filled cases, called spermatophores, are transferred from the male to the female. After the eggs are fertilized, the female broods them on her abdomen until hatching. Reproduction is seasonal in some locations, and is likely linked to water temperature and food availability. In Brazil, ovigerous females were reported throughout the year (Flores et al. 1998), but were most abundant in summer months; whereas, recruitment of young was highest in winter (Flores & Negreiros-Fransozo 1999b). Reproduction occurred continuously in Panama populations, and lasted from November through March in Costa Rica (Crane 1947). Food / Feed Strategy: The mottled shore crab is omnivorous, feeding on algae and detritus at low tide, interspersed with animal prey, including: porcelain crabs, Petrolisthes armatus and P. tridentatus; fishes; and smaller crabs, including juvenile P. transversus (Abele et al. 1986).

Body Form or Style: The mottled shore crab, Pachygrapsus transversus, is a small intertidal crab belonging to the family Grapsidae. Members of this family are characterized by squarish carapaces with few spines (Voss 1980). The color of the carapace in P. transversus is dark green to black, and the surface is covered with oblique lines of fine tubercles or bumps (Abele et al. 1986, Ruppert & Fox 1988, Voss 1980). The sides converge toward the posterior end to form a trapezoidal shape, and the area between the eyes is slightly curved and bears no teeth. The claws are brownish to pink or cream, with a smooth upper surface on the movable finger. Teeth are present on the hind margins of the largest joints on the legs. Unlike many crabs, there is no sexual dimorphism in claw size, and the total body size of males is larger than females (Abele et al. 1986).

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Pachyg_transv.htm

Title: Long-Armed Hermit Crab Common Name: Long-Armed Hermit Crab, Longwrist Hermit Scientific Name: Pagurus longicarpus

Species #: 106

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Paguridae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Pagurus longicarpus is a wide-ranging temperate species that can be found along the Atlantic coast from Nova Scotia south through Hutchinson Island, FL, and again along the Gulf coast from the Shark River in southwest Florida west to Galvaston, TX (Fotheringham 1976, Camp et al. 1977). The geographically disjointed distribution and discernable morphological differences between the Atlantic and Gulf populations suggests P. longicarpus may have been subject to past vicariance events whereby geographic or ecological barriers subdivided the ancestral population. Genetic analysis by Young et al. (2001) supports this hypothesis; mitochondrial DNA sequence data suggests the two populations diverged around 0.6 million years ago. IRL Distribution: Pagurus longicarpus likely occurs throughout the IRL system, although the southern end of the estuary roughly coincides with the southern end of the range of the Atlantic population.

Life Strategy: As is typical of decapod crustaceans, reproduction in Pagurus longicarpus is sexual, internal fertilization is employed, and the sexes are separate. Individuals must partially emerge from the protection of their gastropod shells and press their ventral surfaces together to allow copulation (Barnes 1987). Females extrude eggs into their shells, gather them via the pleopods, and then brood them in a manner similar to other crabs. Wilber (1989) found a number of relationships between female P. longicarpus egg production and shell characteristics such as size and condition. Of particular interest, the author noted that mediumlarge and large females inhabiting seagrass beds who occupied severely damaged or fouled shells were only half as likely to be reproductive as females occupying shells of better quality. Reduced incidence of reproductive females in poor quality shells may be the result of poor nutrition due to the fact that relatively less protected individuals may spend more time buried than individuals occupying intact shells and, therefore, less time foraging. Wilbur (1989) also notes that seagrass-resident female crabs occupying moon snail (Polinices duplicatus) shells or shells larger than their predicted shell size exhibited enhanced clutch sizes compared to other individuals. Based on the presence of large numbers (75%) of ovigerous female P. longicarpus during a three-month study near Alligator Harbor, Franklin County, FL, suggests that females typically produce more than one clutch per reproductive season (Wilber 1989). Food / Feed Strategy:Pagurus longicarpus is an omnivorous, generalist scavenger capable of consuming edible material from the surfaces of sand grains and also able to consume larger pieces of detrital plant and animal material (Roberts 1968, Caine 1975). In both cases, one (typically the smaller of the pair) or both of the chelipeds pick up particles and transfer them to the mouth. When feeding on enriched sand, the edible component is removed from grains by brushing activity of the setae-covered third maxilipeds. When larger detrital particles are consumed, considerably more complex mouthpart interactions are involved in the process of tearing off and ingesting small food fragments (Roberts 1968). Benthic diatoms form much of the diet, and small infauna (e.g., polychaetes) are often inadvertently consumed as well (Roberts 1968, Caine 1975). Many of the food items normally consumed are of comparatively low nutritional quality and so must be consumed in large quantities (Wilbur 1989).:

Body Form or Style: Pagurus longicarpus, the long-armed hermit crab, is a small western Atlantic hermit crab. It belongs to the genus Pagurus, all members of which have unequal chelipeds (claws) in which the right is substantially larger than the left. In the case of P. longicarpus, the oversized claw is long and slender and approximately cylindrical shape. Body color is highly variable, ranging from beige to off-white to greenish-grey to brown (Voss 1983, Rupert and Fox 1988). Like all hermits, P. longicarpus protects its soft, assymetrical abdomen by tucking it into and tightly curling it around the columella of the shell from a dead gastropod (Barnes 1987).

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Pagurus_longicarpus.htm Title: Daggerblade Grass Shrimp Common Name: Daggerblade Grass Shrimp Scientific Name: Palaemonetes pugio

Species #:107

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Palaemonidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Palaemonetes pugio is a widely distributed western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico species occurring from Canada to Texas (Kaplan 1988). IRL Distribution: Palaemonetes pugio occurs in seagrass beds and other suitable habitats throughout the IRL system.

Life Strategy: Palaemonetes pugio mature at 1.5 to 2 months of age and 15-18 mm length (Anderson 1985). The duration of the spawning season varies with geographical location. In the Gulf of Mexico, the season extends from approximately March through October and animals may spawn more than once in a season. Overwintering older P. pugio typically spawn early in the year and die before the next winter (Alon and Stanyck 1982). In contrast, early arriving young-of-the-year can spawn late in the year as adults (Anderson 1985). In the colder northern waters of Rhode Island, P. pugio spawns only once during a shorter season lasting only from May-July (Welsh 1975). Fecundity in P. pugio is reportedly variable depending on geographic location. Females collected from Rhode Island in June averaged 486 eggs per female, while in Texas the average was only 372 eggs/female and only up to 247 in South Carolina (Welsh 1975, Wood 1967, Sikora 1977). A significant positive correlation exists between the length of ovigerous females and egg number (Wood 1967). Burkenroad (1947) describes the female premating condition, mating and spawning for P. vulgaris. Just prior to mating, the female undergoes molting. Copulation occurs within 7 hours of female molting and involves the paired shrimp positioning themselves so that their genital apertures are close to each other. The male transfers a spermatphore onto the genital sternites of the female and remains there until oviposition occurs around 7 hours later. Prior to oviposition, spermatozoa are released through a weakened (probably by female enzymatic secretions) spermatophore. Eggs undergo external fertilization as they are extruded from the female genital aperature. The fertilized eggs are then manually transferred and adhered to the pleopods and ventral setae of the female's abdomen where they are incubated.

Food / Feed Strategy: Like most grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio is a generalist forager that can consume a variety of dietary items depending on availability. They may forage as primary consumers, secondary consumers, and detritivores (Morgan 1980, Anderson 1985). Despite their association with seagrasses and other benthic aquatic vegetation, grass shrimp consume little to no actual macrophyte biomass. Rather, they primarily consume the epiphytic microalgae growing on the surfaces of seagrasses and other aquatic macrophytes (Morgan 1980). Grass shrimp also function as predators on meiofauna and small infauna including ostracods, nematodes, polychaetes, and oligochaetes (Bell and Coul 1978, Chambers 1981). Morgan (1980) also indicates that grass shrimp are capable of preying on motile fauna such as mysids. Epibenthic predation along with associated disturbance of sediments by grass shrimp is capable of altering infaunal community structure (Bell and Coul 1978, Knieb and Stiven 1982). Grass shrimp function as detritivores by aiding in the mechanical breakdown of seagrasses and other refractory plant materials. They also assimilate the microfloral and fungal biomass that colonizes and enriches the detritus and cycles that energy through the estuarine food web (Adams and Angelovic 1970, Anderson 1985). Grass shrimp also derive a substantial fraction of their nutrition from dissolved organic matter adsorbed onto fine (clay-sized) particles (Odum and Heald 1972).

Body Form or Style:

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Palaemonetes_pugio.ht Title: Spiny Lobster

Species #:108

Common Name: Spiny lobster, Florida lobster, Caribbean spiny lobster. rock lobster, bug. Scientific Name: Panulirus argus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Palinuridae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Spiny lobsters occur from North Carolina south to Brazil including Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, West Indies and Caribbean. The northernmost extent of the range is North Carolina (Williams 1984). IRL Distribution: Adults are most prevalent in nearshore and offshore waters, but are found throughout the Indian River Lagoon in areas where there is ample shelter. Juveniles commonly occur in seagrasses, mangrove creeks and oyster reefs.

Life Strategy: Mating follows short courtships that involve signals being given by both sexes. In copulation, males hold females sternum to sternum and extrude a spermatophore which is adhered to the female’s sternum, and will remain until the time of spawning. Sperm may be viable for as long as a month (Marx and Herrnkind 1986). Spawning occurs when females flex the abdomen under the carapace, spreading the telson and uropods, as well as the pleopods. Eggs are shed onto the abdomen, while the female scratches at the spermatophore to liberate sperm and fertilize eggs as they are extruded. Fecundity varies with body size. Females 71-75 mm (2.8 – 3 inches) in length carry approximately 230,000 eggs; while females over 100 mm (3.9 inches) carry more than 700,000 eggs (Mota-Alves and Bezerra 1968). Williams (1984) reported females 23 cm (9.1 inches) with 500,000 eggs, 30 cm (11.8 inches) with 1.18 million eggs, and 38 cm (15 inches) with 2.6 million eggs. Using the Index of Reproductive Potential (IRP) Lyons et al. (1981) estimated that female Panulirus argus in the upper Florida Keys measuring 76-85 mm (3.0 – 3.3 inches) carapace length (CL) contribute 48% of all egg production in the population. Females over 85 mm (3.3 inches) CL comprise approximately 20% of the female population, but contribute 41% of egg production. Females smaller than 76 mm (3.0 inches) comprise approximately 25% of all females, but contribute 11 % of all eggs. Minimum spawning size has declined in Florida Panulirus argus females, perhaps as a response to intense fishing pressures. In 1922, minimum spawning size of females was reported to be 76mm (3.0 inches) (Crawford and De Schmidt 1922). Recent surveys have revealed reproductive females as small as 65 mm– 71 mm (2.6 – 2.8 inches) in south Florida (Warner et al. 1977; Lyons et al 1981). However, unfished populations in the Dry Tortugas area show the minimum size in egg-bearing females to be 78 mm (3.1 inches) (Davis 1975). Suggested reasons for this decline in minimum spawning size have been genetic selection; modified sexual behavior when large females become rare; and reduced growth rates (Davis 1975; Warner et al. 1977; Lyons et al 1981). Decline in size of mature females has caused a marked reduction in reproductive potential, with Lyons et al. (1981) estimating that egg production in Florida Keys spiny lobsters was only 12% of that expected from a similarly sized, unfished population (Lyons et al. 1981). Food / Feed Strategy: The diet of phyllosome larvae is not well described; however, those in culture consume chaetognaths, euphausids, fish larvae, and ctenophores (Provenzano 1968; Phillips and Sastry 1980). Pueruli are non-feeding (Lyons 1980). Benthic juveniles and adults are foragers that utilize chemoreceptive setae lining the antennules and walking legs assist in locating food sources (Ache and Macmillan 1980). Panulirus argus are often the dominant carnivores within their habitats, and likely effect the population sizes of other benthic species (Berry and Smale 1980). Typical prey items include a variety of slow-moving or sedentary organisms including gastropods, bivalves, crustaceans, annelids and echinoderms. Shelled organisms are manipulated with the legs and positioned near the mouth, where powerful mandibles can then crush or chip shells to extract prey. Body Form or Style: The carapace of Panulirus argus is subcylindrical and bears many strong, forward-facing spines. A pair of rostral horns projects forward over the stalked eyes. Whip-like antennae are longer than the body and are studded with small spines and setae. Antennules are also elongate, extending approximately 2/3 body length. The abdomen is notched along its lateral margins, but is otherwise smooth. Each segment of the abdomen has a transverse groove that is disrupted at the midline. The central telson is flanked by 2 pairs of biramous uropods. Body color is varied, but is generally a gray or tan base color mottled with shades of green, red, brown, purple, or black. The second and sixth segments of the abdomen have large yellow or white ocelli, with smaller ocelli scattered dorsolaterally along the abdomen. Legs are striped longitudinally in a dull blue color. Dactyls of the walking legs are setose. Pleopods are bright orange and black. The endopodites in female pleopods are well developed and hook-like, bearing many setae. In juveniles, antennae and pereopods are banded with white; and a broad white stripe runs the length of the dorsal midline across both the carapace and abdomen.Panulirus argus is sexually dimorphic, with females distinguished from males by differences in the sternum, legs and genital openings. In males, the sternum is somewhat broader and lacks the striations that are commonly found in females. The second pair of walking legs in males is more elongate than the other legs, and bears longer, curved dactyls. Females have small chelae on the dactyls of the fifth pair of walking legs. The raised genital openings of males are located ventrally, on the bases of the fifth pair of walking legs. In females, the gonopores are set at the bases of the third pair of walking legs.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/panuli_argus.htm Title: Brown Shrimp Species #:109 Common Name: Brown shrimp; Northern brown shrimp Scientific Name: Penaeus aztecus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Penaeidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Brown shrimp occur along the Western Atlantic coast from approximately Martha’s Vineyard, MA through Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the lower Yucatan Peninsula (Williams 1984).IRL Distribution: P. aztecus occurs throughout the Indian River Lagoon

Life Strategy: P. aztecus becomes reproductive after reaching a size of 140 mm (Renfro 1964). This species is known to have an extended spawning season that is likely to vary in different geographic areas of its range. Gonads mature in August and become opaque white, yellow or tan in color when fully ripe (Broad 1950; Brown and Patlan 1974). Brown shrimp spawn offshore at depths that generally exceed 18 m (Larson et al. 1989)Data from Burkenroad (1939) showed that sex ratios of P. aztecus change with water depth. In Louisiana waters, the sex ratio nearshore is balanced at approximately 1:1. However, in deeper waters ranging from 90 – 130 m in depth, the sex ratio changes to 1:2 in favor of females. Impregnated females in these waters occurred only beyond 18 m depth. This occurrence pattern is suggestive that spawning sites for P. aztecus are likely to be further offshore in deeper waters than occurs in other Penaeids such as P. dourarum (pink shrimp) and P. setiferus (white shrimp). Food / Feed Strategy: P. aztecus, like other penaeids, is an opportunistic omnivore that consumes some algal species (i.e., filamentous green algae, benthic diatoms, plant detritus, etc.) as well as small invertebrates such as copepods, mollusks, and annelids (Dall 1968; Odum and Heald 1972).Jones (1973), in a Louisiana study, found a dietary shift in P. aztecus as body size increased. Small shrimp measuring 22 – 44 mm in length were observed to feed nonselectively on top-layer sediments. Shrimp in a larger size class, from 45 – 64 mm in length, became selective in their feeding, preferring only organic materials from top-layer sediments. Larger shrimp, from 65 – 100 mm in length became predatory, feeding on annelid worms, amphipods, zooplankton larvae, and nematodes.

Body Form or Style: The brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus, is a species of grooved, burrowing in Florida waters. Antennae are significantly longer than body length. Its carapace has a medial carina on surface that is bordered on either side by a broad, somewhat rounded groove. The prominent rostrum is upturned with 5-10 sharp teeth on the upper edge. The integument is thin and translucent in appearance. Chromatophores give the animal a brown to olive-green appearance, though both red and green this species have been reported. The first 3 pairs of walking legs are chelate. Uropods are rounded and colored reddish-brown in the distal portions. The telson bears a sharp tip and a deep medial groove This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females growing larger than males. Generally, males attain female weight, and 5/6 of female length. Females are further distinguished by the presence of a closed located on the ventral sternum of the thorax, while males are identified by the presence of the pentasma.

shrimp, common the anterior slightly specimens of generally anteriorally. only 3/5 of thelycum

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Penaeu_aztecu.htm

Title: Pink Shrimp Common Name: Northern pink shrimp; pink shrimp

Species #:110

Scientific Name: Penaeus duorarum

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Penaidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Penaeus duorarum occurs in coastal waters and estuaries from the region around Chesapeake Bay south through the Florida Straits and the Gulf of Mexico to Cape Catoche and Isla Mujeres on the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula.IRL Distribution: Penaeus duorarum is an important commercial species that is distributed throughout the Indian River Lagoon.

Life Strategy: Undeveloped ovaries in Penaeus duorarum females are flaccid. As ovaries begin to mature, ova develop and grow larger. A nearly ripe stage is marked by ovaries becoming large and an opaque white color that is visible through the integument. When fully ripe, the ovary contains rod-like refractive bodies and takes on a blue-green color (Cummings 1961). In the region around Beaufort, North Carolina, the northernmost extent of the breeding range, roe-bearing females appear in commercial catches from May through July (Burkenroad 1949; Williams 1955), indicating that there is only one spawning season in this population.Further south, Cummings (1961) found that the Florida population of Penaeus duorarum was likely to spawn multiple times. In this population, peak spawning occurred from April through July; however, ripe females were also found at other times of the year. Spawning occurs at temperatures between 19 – 30 ° C, with increased activity taking place when temperatures are highest. As temperatures in Florida waters begin to cool in the fall, spawning activity shifts into deeper waters (Jones et al. 1970). Food / Feed Strategy: Penaeus duorarum is an opportunistic omnivore that consumes copepods, small mollusks, benthic diatoms, blue-green algae, filamentous green algae, detritus of vascular plants, bacterial films, slime molds and yeast (Odum and Heald 1972).

Body Form or Style: Pink shrimp, like other members of the commercially important Penaeidae, can be distinguished from other families of shrimp due to their antennae, which are longer than their body lengths, and by their first three pairs of walking legs, which are chelate (Amos and Amos 1997). The integument is thin and translucent. Overall body color is highly variable, but generally gray, bluish or red-brown. The sides of the animal are somewhat flattened. The carapace has a medial carina that extends nearly to posterior end of carapace and is bordered by a broad, rounded groove on either side. The rostrum is somewhat thicker than in Penaeus aztecus and bears 6 – 7 sharp teeth on the dorsal surface. Ventrally, the rostrum may have 1- 3 teeth. The abdomen has 4 – 6 carinate segments, with the carina of the sixth segment ending in a spine. A dark, distinct spot on the pleural junction between the 3 rd and 4th abdominal segments can be used to distinguish this species from other members of the genus. The tail is edged with blue coloration, and the telson has a deep medial groove. There is significant variation throughout the geographic range for a number of characteristics including the width of both the carina and its bordering groove; the number of external spines; and the number of pentasmal spines in males. The female thelycum is closed and is composed of 2 lateral plates and a medial protuberance. The male pentasma has distal ends that are curved and do not project free of the distolateral lobes on the ventral surface.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Penaeu_duorar.htm Title: white shrimp

Species #:111

Common Name: Most common: White shrimp; northern white shrimp. Other associated names: gray shrimp, Daytona shrimp, lake shrimp, green shrimp, green-tailed shrimp, blue-tailed shrimp and others (Muncy 1984). Scientific Name: Penaeus setiferus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Penaeidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: White shrimp are known from Fire Island, New York south to St. Lucie Inlet, Florida. The range then extends around the Florida Peninsula into the Gulf of Mexico from the Ochlocknee River in northwest Florida to Campeche, Mexico. Several centers of abundance have been identified for P. setiferus. Primary among them is coastal Louisiana around the Mississippi River Delta. Other abundance areas occur in northeast Florida, Georgia, and the region around the Bay of Campeche, Mexico (Williams 1984).IRL Distribution: White shrimp are distributed throughout the Indian River Lagoon and along the east central Florida coast where they are commonly utilized as bait and for food.

Life Strategy: Mature males produce ripe sperm when they reach lengths of approximately 118 mm. Females mature at lengths of approximately 135 – 140 mm. Gonadal development in females can be judged by ovary color. Undeveloped ovaries are opaque and white in color. Developing ovaries appear yellow, a stage which may last 1 – 2 months. Ripe ovaries are an olive color, and may remain so until fully spent (generally in less than 1 month). Spent ovaries quickly develop to the yellow stage within a few days, and will ripen again within 2 – 3 months (King 1948; Brown and Patlan 1974).Spawning behavior in P. setiferus is initiated by an increase in offshore bottom water temperatures during spring (Whitaker 1981). In the Carolinas, spawning occurs from May through September (Williams 1955), while further south in the Gulf of Mexico, spawning occurs from March through September. Williams (1965) and Joyce (1965) each reported only one spawning period for P. setiferus. However, Gunter (1950) suggested spring and fall spawning periods in Texas waters.Spawning occurs as far as 9 km from the shore, in water depths of at least 9 m (Whitaker 1983b), with females discharging eggs directly to the water column without brooding them as is common in other crustaceans. During copulation, which occurs between hard-shelled individuals, the male attaches a spermatophore to the thelycum of a female. Spermatozoa are released simultaneously with eggs from the female, with fertilization occurring in the water column. Eggs are opaque with a blue-tinged chorion (Linder and Cook 1970) and measure approximately 0.19 – 0.20 mm in diameter. Eggs sink to the bottom of the water column as they are released, and hatch within 10 – 12 hours into planktonic nauplii larvae that measure approximately 0.3 mm in length. Between 500,000 to 1 million eggs are released per spawn.

Food / Feed Strategy: White shrimp larvae feed on both zooplankton such as copepods, and phytoplankton such as unicellular green algae, and diatoms. Juvenile and adult white shrimp are benthic omnivores that feed on detritus, plants, microorganisms, macroinvertebrates (annelids, copepods, amphipods, snails, bryozoans, etc.) and small fish (Muncy 1984). Cannibalism is also common among adult white shrimp (Perez-Farfante 1969).

Body Form or Style: The white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus, was the first species of commercially important shrimp in the U.S., with the fishery for this species dating back to 1709 (Muncy 1984). P. setiferus is common in Florida waters and is generally found where water is less than 27 m deep (Muncy 1984). Antennae are significantly longer than body length, and may reach 2.5 – 3 times body length (Muncy 1984). Chromatophores in white shrimp are widely spaced, thus lending a lighter body color to this species than in either pink or brown shrimp. Overall body color is a bluish white, speckled with black, with pink-tinged sides. Pleopods are often marked with dark red, while the margins of the uropods of the tail are green along their margins (Williams 1984). Its carapace has a medial carina (keel-like ridge) that is continuous with the rostrum at the anterior end of the animal, and extends posteriorly approximately 2/3 the length of the carapace. The rostrum is elongate and slender, somewhat distally upcurved, with 5 – 11 (usually 9) sharp teeth on the dorsal surface, and 2 teeth on the ventral edge. Unlike its congeners P. aztecus and P. duorarum, P. setiferus has no bordering groove along the carina. The integument is thin, and appears polished and translucent.The abdomen is carinate on segments 4 – 6, with the carina of segment 6 having a narrow groove on either side. The telson has a deep medial groove along its length, and a sharp tip. The ventral margin of the pleura of the first segment is almost straight.P. setiferus is sexually dimorphic, with females growing larger than males. Additionally, the female thelycum, which lies between pereopods 3- 5, is open and has raised ridges along the anterolateral surface. The male pentasma has a diagonal ridge across the dorsolateral lobe.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Penaeu_setife.htm Title: Squatter Pea Crab Common Name: Squatter Pea Crab

Species #:112

Scientific Name: Pinnotheres maculatus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Pinnotheridae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Occurs from Massachusetts to Argentina (Kruczynski 1992). IRL Distribution: Pinnotheres maculatus occurs in Crassostrea virginica and other bivalves in the Indian River Lagoon.

Life Strategy: Reproduction and embryology in Pinnotheres maculatus is complex, involving both the pea crab and its host. Reproduction occurs when females and males reach an anomalous juvenile instar stage at which time they leave their hosts and engage in copulatory swarming in the water column. During this time P. maculatus juveniles have a well-calcified hard carapace measuring approximately 3.3 cm. After the swarm, the female crabs will soon re-enter their host while the males remained in the water column longer. Ovigerous females that survive the winter will carry the eggs under their abdomen until they begin to hatch in August (Pearce 1964).

Food / Feed Strategy: Pinnotheres maculatus larvae are planktotrophic and can be reared in the laboratory on Artemia nauplii and Arbacia eggs (Costlow and Bookhout 1966). Adult females use their chelae to remove food from the gills of the host (Bierbaum and Ferson 1986) while adult males feed independently of the host (Kane and Farley 2006).

Body Form or Style: Pinnotheres maculatus is a member of the family Pinnotheridae, a group of decapods that live symbiotically within other marine invertebrates (Bierbaum and Ferson 1986). Females are soft shelled living their entire adult life in one host. Males move from host to host.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Pinnotheres_maculatus.htm

Title: Green Porcelain Crab

Species#:113

Common Name: Green Porcelain Crab Scientific Name: Petrolisthes armatus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Porcellanidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Petrolisthes armatus is believed native to Brazil and occurs in shallow subtidal and low intertidal habitats such as oyster reefs and rock rubble (Hartman and Stancyk 2001, Knott and King undated). Other investigators differ in their opinion, suggesting P. armatus is native to the Gulf of Mexico and Florida's Gulf Coast. Modern distribution of P. armatus is broad. In the Atlantic, it includes tropical western Africa, Ascension Island, Bermuda, the Bahamas, West Indies and Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and South America to southern Brazil. In the eastern Pacific, this crab occurs from the Gulf of California south to Peru. The current range of P. armatus in the southeastern U.S. includes the South Atlantic Bight from South Carolina down to the southern tip of Florida, and the species has also been reported from Mississippi (Knott et al. 1999, Hartman and Stancyk 2001). IRL Distribution: IRL distribution records are poor, but the species is presumed to occur throughout the entire length of the estuary.

Life Strategy: Details of reproduction in Petrolisthes armatus are similar to those of other crabs. After mating, females can store sperm-containing spermatophores until eggs are ready for release and fertilization. Fertilized eggs are then held in a mass between the abdominal flap and body and the eggs are aerated by continuous beating of the pleopods until they hatch. P. armatus sex ratios observed in their putative native range in Brazil remain close to 1:1 throughout the year (Oliveira and Masunari 1995). Investigations in Georgia have also revealed ratios that are essentially 1:1 (Hollebone 2006), whereas ratios reported from South Carolina were male-biased at a ratio of 1.5:1 (Hartman and Stancyk 2001).

Food / Feed Strategy: Like other porcelain crabs, Petrolisthes armatus is primarily a filter feeder that extends large, feathery maxillipeds (feeding mouthparts) and waves them back and forth to strain plankton from the water. Internal mouthparts then transfer food from the sieve-like hairs to the mouth for ingestion. P. armatus and other porcelain crabs are also capable of scavenging larger bits of food using their claws. Body Form or Style: The invasive and suspected non-native green porcelain crab Petrolisthes armatus is a small, flat crab that is usually orange-brown to dark brown as an adult, with a speckled and somewhat lighter appearance as juveniles. Individuals may also be olive green to dark green in color, giving rise to the common name. Mature specimens of both sexes have portions of their mouthparts pigmented brilliant blue. The chelae (pincers) are long and each possesses a distinct orange spot that is visible when they are open. As is characteristic for all porcelain crabs, the antennae are inserted external to the eyes, not between them as is observed in most other crab families (Knott and King undated, IRL Field Guide).

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation:

http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Petrolisthes_armatus.htm

Title: Ornate Blue Crab

Species #:114

Common Name: Ornate Blue Crab Scientific Name: Callinectes ornatus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Portunidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Callinectes ornatus is distributed from North Carolina to Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil (Williams 1984, Branco et. al. 2002) living at depths of up to 75 meters on sand and mud bottoms (Branco et al. 2002). The ornate blue crab is found in river mouths but more commonly occurs offshore (Negreiros-Fransozo et al. 1999). Juveniles are usually found in shallower habitats. IRL Distribution: Adults and juvenile of the ornate blue crab are common in seagrass beds in the lagoon (Gore 1977).

Life Strategy: Records of museum collections of oviparous females suggest that Callinectes ornatus spawn year-round (Williams 1984). Adult females move offshore to find temperature and/or salinity conditions that are best for spawning. One female can mate with several males during the same reproductive period (Negreiros-Fransozo et al. 1999). Food / Feed Strategy: Callinectes ornatus is both a saprophagous species, feeding on decaying matter, as well as an active predator. C. ornatus will dig into the substratum in search of food, feeding on mollusks, especially bivalves, and other crustaceans, including brachyura (true crabs), other species of Callinectes, algae, polychaetes, echinoderms, and foraminifera (Branco et al. 2002). Body Form or Style: The blue crab Callinectes ornatus is a decapod crustacean in the Portunidae family. It is a strong and agile swimmer powered by a pair of flat, oar shaped rear legs called swimmerets. Swimmerets allow C. ornatus to rapidly swim backwards, sideways, and sometimes forward (Barnes 1980). The color of this species varies considerably. Adult males have a carapace that is uniformly olive to dark brown with a large orange spot posteriorly that can appear round to blotchy (Gore and Grizzle 1974, Gore 1977, Williams 1984). There are distinct ivory white tips on all the spines on the front of the carapace (Gore 1977). Juveniles are not as brilliantly colored appearing olive-yellow to greenish. The length and curvature of the reproductive organs (gonopods) are distinctive in mature males for each of the Callinectes species (Gore 1977, Barnes 1980) See illustrations from Williams (1974) below.

• Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Callinectes_ornatus.htm

Title: Blue Crab

Species #:115

Common Name: Blue Crab Scientific Name: Callinectes sapidus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Portunidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Though the natural range of C. sapidus is the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Argentina, it has also been successfully introduced, accidentally or deliberately, into both Asia and Europe (Milliken and Williams 1984).IRL Distribution: Occurs throughout the Indian River Lagoon.

Life Strategy: Spawning peaks in the blue crabs are closely associated with the region inhabited. In Chesapeake Bay, for example, spawning is initiated in May and June, with a second spawning in August. In North and South Carolina, spawning occurs from March through October, with peaks from April to August. Around the St. John's River in Florida, spawning occurs from February to October, with peak spawning occurring from March through September. In the Gulf of Mexico, 2 spawning periods are common: one in February and March, and one in August and September. Unlike males, female blue crabs mate only one time in their lives, following the terminal, or pubertal molt. When approaching this molt, females release a pheromone in their urine which attracts males. Male crabs vie for females and will protect them until molting occurs. It is at this time that mating occurs. Mating may last as long as 5-12 hours. Blue crabs are highly fecund, with females producing from 2 - 8 million eggs per spawn. Eggs are brooded 14-17 days, during which time females migrate to the mouths of estuaries so that larvae may be released into high salinity waters. C. sapidus larvae have a salinity requirement of at least 20 ppt., and show poor survival below this threshold. Food / Feed Strategy: Predation by blue crabs aids in regulation of marine bivalve populations in shallow, unvegetated soft and hard bottom communities. (Eggleston 1990). Blue crabs prefer mollusks such as oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) as their primary food sources, though older juveniles and adults sometimes incorporate some plant material such as Ulva, eelgrass, and Spartina into the diet. Foraging behavior is preceded by increases in gill bailing, antennule movement and flexion of the mouthparts (Eggleston 1990). The dactyls of the anterior walking legs are used to probe the substrate for buried bivalves, and to manipulate them after they are located. Predators on blue crabs include fish as well as other blue crabs. The major fish predators on blue crabs include the Black Drum (Pogonias cromis), Red Drum (Scianops ocellata), the American Eel (anguilla rostrata), and the American Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus).

Body Form or Style: Callinectes sapidus is a decapod crustacean of the family Portunidae, which includes the swimming crabs. It is easily identified by its body color which is generally a bright blue along the frontal area, especially along the chelipeds. The remainder of the body is shaded an olive brown color. As with other Portunids, the fifth leg is adapted to a paddle-like shape to accommodate swimming. Females may be identified due to their triangular or rounded aprons and red fingers on the chelae.

• •

Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position:

Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Callin_sapidu.htm

Title: Lesser Blue Crab

Species #:116

Common Name: Lesser Blue Crab Scientific Name: Callinectes similis

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Portunidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Adult Callinectes similis occur in the oceanic littoral zone in salinities above 15ä at a depth of 100 meters along the eastern seaboard from Delaware Bay to Key West, Florida and southern coasts of the United States, to the Yucatan, Colombia and northern Jamaica (Williams 1984, Piller et al. 1995). They are widely distributed along the northern Gulf of Mexico in open bay habitats (Hsueh et al. 1992a). Juveniles are found in estuaries in these same regions. IRL Distribution: Juveniles of the lesser blue crab are common in seagrass beds in the Indian River Lagoon (Gore 1977).

Life Strategy: Callinectes similis has spring and fall spawning seasons (Williams 1984). The egg carrying females migrate to nearshore waters with higher salinities to release their larvae (Hsueh et al. 1993).

Food / Feed Strategy: Callinectes similis is an opportunistic predator feeding primarily on bivalves and other benthic macroinvertebrates crushing their prey with their claws. Stomach content studies also show that the lesser blue crab diet includes fish, crustaceans, squid, detritus, and plants (Hsueh et al. 1992a).

Body Form or Style: The blue crab Callinectes similis is a decapod crustacean in the Portunidae family. It is a strong and agile swimmer powered by a pair of flat, oar shaped rear legs called swimmerets giving it freedom of motion to rapidly swim backwards, sideways, and sometimes forward (Barnes 1980). It is an offshore congener in the genus of Callinectes. The lesser blue crab has a smoother, more uniform granulated carapace when compared to C. ornatus and C. sapidus (Williams 1984). Adult males have a green carapace with irregular areas of iridescence at the base of the teeth. The swimming legs are mottled with white. The females are similar in color except that the inner surfaces of the chelae are more violet blue. The juveniles are not as brilliantly colored appearing olive-yellow to greenish. The length and curvature of the reproductive organs (gonopods) are distinctive in mature males for each of the Callinectes species (Gore 1977, Barnes 1980) See illustrations from Williams (1974) below.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Callinectes_similis.htm

Title: Indo-Pacific Swimming Crab

Species #:117

Common Name: Indo-Pacific Swimming Crab Scientific Name: Charybdis hellerii

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Portunidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Charybdis hellerii is native to Indonesia and the Pacific Ocean.IRL Distribution: C. hellerii was found in the Fort Pierce Inlet area of the Indian River Lagoon, FL on 20 April 1995. It was subsequently found at Sebastian Inlet, Florida, and again in Fort Pierce Inlets during April - August 1995 (Lemaitre 1995).

Life Strategy: The smallest female of Charybdis hellerii examined by Stephenson et al (1957) from fixed material was 47.0 mm. Eggs of C. hellerii, from material sampled from the west coast of India, were described as being bright yellow in color, with spherical diameters ranging from 0.224 to 0.322 mm (Kathirvel & Gopalakrishnan 1974). In a study of brachyuran crab fecundity from Pakistani specimens, including C. hellerii, a positive correlation between carapace width and egg number was observed. Mean number of eggs in three size classes (carapace length: 31 - 40; 41 - 50; and 51 - 60 mm) of C. hellerii were: 40,203; 67,648 and 148,249 respectively. The minimum, maximum and average number of eggs from 19 specimens of C. hellerii examined were 22,517; 292,050 and 77,394 respectively (Siddiqui & Ahmed 1992). Although reproductive seasonality in C. hellerii has not been documented, other congeners are reproductively active throughout the year with peaks in the spring and fall (Pillai & Nair 1970 1976 as cited in Lemaitre 1995).

Food / Feed Strategy: opportunistic predator feeding primarily on bivalves and other benthic macroinvertebrates crushing their prey with their claws. Stomach content studies also show that the lesser blue crab diet includes fish, crustaceans, squid, detritus, and plants (Hsueh et al. 1992a).

Body Form or Style: Keys to the 12 species of Charybdis, including C. hellerii, from Australia based on both general features as well as pleopod morphology are available (Stephenson et al 1957). A prominent spine on the carpus of the swimming leg, a lighter area on the anterior of the carapace in live specimens, as well as bristles stopping before the tip of the first male pleopod were considered diagnostic traits for C. hellerii

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Charyb_heller.htm

Title: Brown Rock Shrimp

Species #:118

Common Name: Brown rock shrimp, rock shrimp Scientific Name: Sicyonia brevirostris

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Sicyoniidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Sicyonia brevirostris occurs in the Western Atlantic from approximately Norfolk, Virginia south along the Atlantic coast to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatán, including Cuba, and the Bahamas. Centers of abundance occur in the waters off North Carolina near Cape Lookout; Cape Canaveral in Florida, and the Yucatán. IRL Distribution: The brown rock shrimp is rare to occasional within the Indian River Lagoon, but it supports a large commercial fishery in nearshore and offshore waters from Jacksonville to St. Lucie Inlet where they inhabit waters 18 – 73 meters deep (Anderson 1956). Juveniles are occasionally found on the rocks of jetties, in tidal creeks, and on protected beaches (Ruppert and Fox 1988).

Life Strategy: Female maturation size ranges from 17 - 24 mm (0.6 – 0.9 inches) CL (carapace length) or larger (Kennedy et al. 1977).

Males mature when they reach approximately 18 mm CL (0.65 inches). Rock shrimp have separate sexes, with copulation occurring between hard-shelled individuals. Fecundity, as in many shrimp species, is high, and increases with increased body size. Fertilization takes place as eggs and sperm are simultaneously expulsed from the female. Spawning occurs year-round, with females releasing eggs 2 -3 times during the year, but peaks between November and January (Kennedy et al, 1977). Larvae are present in the water column throughout they year. Kennedy et al. (1977) identified 5 ovarian stages in the brown rock shrimp, one more than was found in penaeid shrimp: 1)Undeveloped; 2) Developing; 3) Nearly Ripe; 4) Ripe; and 5) Advanced Ripe.

Food / Feed Strategy: The diet of Sicyonia brevirostris consists primarily of mollusks, crustaceans and polychaete worms.

Also included are nematodes, and foraminiferans. Gut content analysis of brown rock shrimp found ostracods, amphipods and decapods made up the bulk of the diet, with lesser amounts of tanaidaceans, isopods, cumaceans, gastropods, and other bivalves also present (Kennedy et al. 1977).

Body Form or Style: Sicyonia brevirostris is the largest of the rock shrimp occurring in the vicinity of the IRL, with mature individuals measuring more than 10 cm (4 inches) carapace length (CL). It is differentiated from other penaeoid shrimp species by its robust body form and heavy, stone-like exoskeleton.Short hairs cover the body surface and appendages. The rostrum is short, bifid or trifid at the tapered tip, and bears 3 (occasionally 4) teeth. The rostrum maybe elevated 5° - 45°. A high postrostral carina is present and has 4 forward-facing teeth. Laterally, the hepatic area is somewhat swollen and has a well developed hepatic spine. An abdominal carina spans the first 5 segments.

The first abdominal segment has a tooth directed anteriorally. Pleural plates overlap those of the next posterior segment. The telson is long and tapers to a robust point, with a pair of spines on either side of it. Eyes are large and deeply pigmented. The carapace is off white to pinkish in color, with the dorsal surface darker and blotched or barred with lighter shades. Legs are red to reddish-purple and barred with white.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Sicyon_brevir.htm Title: Depressed Mud Crab

Species #:119

Common Name: Depressed Mud Crab, Flat Back Mud Crab Scientific Name: Eurypanopeus depressus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Panopeidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Eurypanopeus depressus inhabits the estuaries along the east coast of North America from Massachusetts to Florida to Texas in the subtidal or intertidal oyster beds (Grant and McDonald 1979, Sulkin et al. 1983, Williams 1984). It is also found in the Dutch West Indies, Uruguay and Bermuda (Williams 1984). The depressed mud crab has been reported from depths ranging from 1 to 27 meters (Williams 1984).IRL Distribution: Eurypanopeus depressus is common in the oyster reefs in the Indian River Lagoon (Boudreax et al. 2006).

Life Strategy: Eurypanopeus depressus has separate sexes. The reproductive season varies depending upon the seawater temperatures in a region (McDonald 1982). In temperate areas from Massachusetts to South Carolina the spawning begins in the spring around March or April and ends in late fall around October or November (McDonald 1982, Williams 1984) while in the subtropical waters of Florida and the tropical waters of the Caribbean, reproduction occurs throughout the year (Williams 1984). E. depressus females carry their eggs under the abdomen.

Food / Feed Strategy: Adult Eurypanopeus depressus are omnivores feeding primarily on algae, amphipods, oyster spat, sponges, polychaetes, other crustaceans and detritus (McDonald 1982, Williams 1984). Depressed mud crab larvae are planktotrophic. In the laboratory, larvae are reared on Artemia nauplii and fertilized Arbacia eggs (Costlow and Bookout 1961).

Body Form or Style: Eurypanopeus depressus is a mud crab in the family Panopeidae (superfamily: Xanthoidea) that inhabits oyster reefs in temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceans. The depressed mud crab is small with an oval and flattened carapace. The carapace has four lateral teeth on both sides and mottled grayish olive or dark olive brown in color. There are two dark brown chelipeds (claws), one large and one small. Underneath, the legs and body are light colored (Williams 1984). E. depressus seeks refuge from direct sunlight during low tide as well as from predators hiding in the clusters and valves of Crassostrea virginica and are sometimes found on the mud surface (Grant and McDonald 1979, McDonald 1982, Meyer 1994).

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Eurypanopeus_depressus.htm

Title: Florida Stone Crab

Species #:120

Common Name: Florida Stone Crab Scientific Name: Menippe mercenaria

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Arthropoda

•

Class: Malacostraca

•

Order: Decapoda

•

Family: Xanthidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Menippe mercenaria occurs on the east coast of the United States from North Carolina to Florida, in the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean to the Yucatan (Ong and Costlow 1970, Wilber 1989, Brown and Bert 1993). It occurs from 0-60 m and is usually found in the subtidal. The Florida stone crab lives in burrows in seagrass beds, oyster reefs and in crevices in rocks (Lindberg et al. 1990, Brown and Bert 1993).IRL Distribution: The Florida stone crab is not common in the Indian River Lagoon (Boudreax et al. 2006).

Life Strategy: Menippe mercenaria has separate sexes. Spawning usually occurs between April and September. Under laboratory conditions, female stone crabs will spawn several times during a molting period throughout the year (Cheung 1969). In the field, females spawn every month but spawn most frequently during the warmer months from March to September (Sullivan 1979). Menippe mercenaria females carry the spawned eggs under the abdomen. Hybrid populations resulting from the pairing of Menippe mercenaria with Menippe adina are commonly found where these species co-occur (Wilber 1989).

Food / Feed Strategy: Menippe mercenaria larvae are planktotrophic and can be reared in the laboratory on brine shrimp (Artemia nauplii) (Porter 1960). Adults use their large crushing claw to forage for bivalves such as hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) and ribbed mussels (Geukensia demissa) (Hughes and Grabowski 2006). Body Form or Style: Menippe mercenaria, a member of the family Xanthidae, is the largest xanthid species in its region (Williams 1984). The Florida stone crab has a large crusher claw with an enlarged basal tooth. The smaller pincer claw has many small teeth that can be used for cutting (Simonson 1985). The adults appear dark brownish-red in color or less mottled with dusky grey spots. The walking legs are reddish with yellow bands. Juvenile appear dark purplish-blue and have a white spot on the carpus when they are very young (Williams 1984).

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Menippe_mercenaria.htm

Title: Bay Anchovy

Species #:121

Common Name: Bay Anchovy Scientific Name: Anchoa mitchilli

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Clupeiformes

•

Family: Engraulidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Bay anchovies occur from the Gulf of Maine and Cape Cod, MA, south to Yucatan, Mexico, and throughout the Gulf of Mexico (Hoese and Moore 1977, Fives et al. 1986, Robbins et al. 1986). IRL Distribution: Bay anchovies occur throughout the IRL system.

Life Strategy: Anchoa mitchilli is a a pelagic, serial spawner (Luo and Musick 1991, Zastrow et al. 1991). Szedlmayer and Able (1996) report that the species spawns both within estuaries and offshore over the continental shelf. Fives et al. (1986) suggest that individuals become sexually mature once they exceed 40 mm SL. Field surveys by Rilling and Houde (1999) revealed that bay anchovy spawning in Chesapeake Bay occurred from May through September and peaked during July in the seaward third of the bay. The authors estimate that baywide daily egg production increased from 4.25 x 10 12 in June to 8.43 X 1012 in July. Olney (1983) reports that 99% of fish egg catches and 67-88% of larval catches during this period are bay anchovies. During peak spawning, pelagic egg densities range from 10-1,000/m 3 and larval densities reach 1-100/m3 (Olney 1983, Dalton 1987). In the southern portion of its geographic distribution, spawning appears to occur year-round (Houde and Lovdal 1984).

Food / Feed Strategy: Bay anchovies are primarily zooplanktivorous DeLancey (1989) listed brachyuran crustacean megalopae (larvae), copepods, and mysids as the most important prey items recovered from the guts of A. mitchilli collected from a South Carolina beach surf zone.

Body Form or Style: The bay anchovy, Anchoa mitchili, is a common and often extremely abundant fish of coastal and inshore waters of the western Atlantic. It is gray with a short head and a very short snout and a narrow silvery stripe about as wide as the pupil of the eye, running along the sides of the body. The dorsal fin is set far back on the body, just above or slightly in front of the insertion point for the anal fin. Ray counts are: dorsal = 14-16; anal = 24-30; pectoral = 11-12 (Hoese and Moore 1977, Robbins et al. 1986).

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Anchoa_mitchilli.htm

Title: Atlantic Stingray

Species #:122

Common Name: Atlantic Stingray Scientific Name: Dasyatis sabina

•

Kingdom: Animalia

Class: Elasmobranchiomorphi •

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Order: Rajiformes

•

Family: Dasyatidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: The Atlantic Stingray, Dasyatis sabina, is distributed along the Atlantic coast from Chesapeake Bay to South Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. It is most abundant throughout coastal waters in Florida, but also has stable populations in Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. Although D. sabina has been reported to occur in some areas of South America, it is believed that these reports resulted from misidentification of specimens (Lee et al. 1980; Robins and Ray 1986).IRL Distribution: D. sabina occurs throughout the Indian River Lagoon, and is most common in shallow water habitats. It is one of 3 species of ray occurring in the IRL. The others are D. americana and D. sayi (Snelson 1988).

Life Strategy: Sex ratios in Florida populations of D. sabina are approximately 1:1. Males mature at approximately 2 years of age, after they have achieved a size of 20 cm DW. Females mature at a slightly larger body size of between 22 - 24 cm DW (Snelson et al. 1988; Johnson and Snelson 1996). Dasyatis sabina has the longest preovulatory mating period reported for any elasmobranch (Kajiura et al. 2000). Mating takes place between October and April in Florida, with a peak in March (Snelson et al. 1988; Maruska et al. 1996; Kajiura et al. 2000). Testes are active from September through March, with peak sperm production from August through January. Egg development in females occurs over 5 -6 months. Ovulation occurs almost synchronously among females in a population in late March and early April, with young being born in late July or early August following a 3.5 - 4 month gestation period. Brood size is between 1 - 4, with an average of approximately 2.6. Neonates are 10 - 13 cm DW.Before the onset of the breeding season, changes in male tooth morphology occur. In the non-mating season, male tooth structure is similar to that of females, being principally rounded and molariform. However, as breeding season approaches, male teeth become sharp and narrow for improved grasping of females (Kajiura et al. 2000; Kajiura and Tricas 1996) and subsequent internal fertilization. Mating behavior in D. sabina follows the general pattern for sharks and rays. During early courtship, males follow closely behind females, biting at their bodies and pectoral fins (Kajiura et al. 2000; Tricas 1980). When breeding is initiated, males grasp the pectoral fins of females with their teeth to assist in providing leverage for clasper insertion and for body alignment. It is thought that this fin gripping behavior is a precopulatory releasing mechanism that facilitates female cooperation in breeding (Kajiura and Tricas 1996).

Food / Feed Strategy: The diet of D. sabina is composed primarily of benthic invertebrates such as anemones, Polychaete worms, amphipods, mysids, isopods, bivalves, and the calcified discs of brittlestars (Turner et al. 1982; Cook 1994; Kajiura and Tricas 1996).D. sabina is a highly electroreceptive fish having bilateral rows of neuromasts (sensory cells) that detect water motion over the dorsal surface, and a pored ventral canal system composed of ampullae of Lorenzini (see Bond 1996) that function in detecting and localizing prey (Maruska and Tricas 1998). Living prey of any species give off characteristic electrical potentials which can be

detected by the ampullae of Lorenzini. D. sabina uses this electrical input to aim strikes at potential prey buried in the substratum (Blonder and Alevizon 1988).Olfaction is also used in combination with electroreception to detect prey (Maruska and Tricas 1998). Feeding behavior involves the ray slowly swimming approximately 0.1 - 0.2 m above the surface of sand bottoms, followed by abrupt stops to evaluate an area for the presence of prey items. To inspect an area, the ray lies motionless on top of the sand. If prey is detected, the ray begins an undulatory movement of its pelvic fins to mechanically excavate prey from the benthos. Excavation creates a feeding depression which helps retain prey. Deep dwelling prey such a polychaete worms are further exposed by increased mouth suction. Prey consumption involves rapid biting motions of the jaws, and movement in the spiracles and gills (Maruska and Tricas 1998).

Body Form or Style: The Atlantic Stingray, Dasyatis sabina, is a small ray distributed throughout shallow water habitats in the southeastern United States. Body color on the dorsal surface ranges from a medium brown to dark brown, and is generally uniform. The ventral surface is white. Rays are dorsoventrally flattened, with pectoral fins expanded toward, and fusing with the head. Gill openings are ventral in all rays. The caudal and dorsal fins are reduced or absent in some species.There are 9 genera in the Dasyatidae family, most of which posses a hardened spine or barb near the base of the tail. Of the spine-bearing species, including Dasyatis sabina, many have venom-secreting cells which may be either glandular or scattered throughout the integumentary sheath surrounding the spine (Bond 1996; Amesbury and Snelson 1997).

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/dasyat_sabina.htm Title: Capitella capitata #:123

Species

Common Name: none Scientific Name: Capitella capitata

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Annelida

•

Class: Polychaeta

•

Order: Capitellida

•

Family: Capitellidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Capitella capitata is generally considered to be a cosmopolitan species in coastal marine and estuarine soft sediment systems. Grassle and Grassle (1976) used electrophoretic enzyme analysis to determine that the global population is actually made up of several genetically distinct (and apparently genetically isolated) sibling species whose distributions overlap such that local C. capitata populations actually consist of a number of co-occurring sibling species. IRL Distribution: Capitella capitata occurs throughout the soft sediment communities of the IRL.

Life Strategy: Male Capitella species I are capable of developing as simultaneous hermaphrodites, and they do so at greater frequency when females are scarce within the population (Petraitis 1985). Hermaphroditism in Capitella has been hypothesized to be an adaptation to conditions of low faunal density. However, since females do not become hermaphroditic and hermaphrodites don't self-fertilize, Petraitis (1985) suggests hermaphroditism in Capitella is an adaptation to reduce mate competition in small local populations. Animals reach sexual maturity at about 4 months in temperate waters, and somewhat faster in warmer areas (Warren 1976, Qian and Chia 1994). In the laboratory, animals became mature in 31-48 days at temperatures ranging around 12.6-22°C (Tsutsumi and Kikuchi 1984). Female produces from 100-1,000 eggs.

Food / Feed Strategy: Capitella capitata is a deposit-feeding detrital consumer (Henriksson 1969, Levin et al. 1996). Individuals feed by everting a papillose sac-like proboscis to gather detrital deposits. Feeding is primarily non-selective, but gut contents usually include significant algal material, suggesting that some selection may occur (Fauchald and Jumars 1979). Tenore and Hanson (1980) demonstrated that detrital materials from different sources were of unequal nutritional value to C. capitata, with decay-resistant Spartina detritus being less available than periphyton or macroalgal detritus. Nutritional value of all types of detritus increased with aging, suggesting that microbial enrichment is an important aspect of benthic detrital energetics.

Body Form or Style: Capitella capitata is a small benthic polychaete belonging to Family Capitellidae. The body is flexible, slender, elongated, and usually blood red in color. The conical, shovel-shaped head and reduced parapodia with chetae in both rami are useful diagnostic features. There is a single genital pore between chaetigers eight and nine, surrounded by cross spines in males.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/capitella_capitata.htm

Title: Mosambique Tilapia

Species #:124

Common Name: Mozambique Tilapia, Mozambique Mouthbrooder, Java Tilapia, Largemouth Kurper Scientific Name: Oreochromis mossambicus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Perciformes

•

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: In their native range along the eastern coast of Africa, Oreochromis mossambicus occurs in riverine and coastal lagoon habitats. The species was introduced to the U.S. by the aquarium and aquacultures trades and were released either accidentally or intentionally into waterways of Texas, Florida and Alabama (Brown 1961, Courtney et al. 1974, Bruton and Bolt 1975, Whiteside 1975, Lee et al. 1980). Riedel and Costa-Pierce (2005), describe the existence of a large southern California population of O. mossambicus within the Salton Sea and known locally as Salton Sea tilapia. Centers of abundance in Florida include Dade, Brevard, Indian River, and Hillsborough counties, and Courtney et al. (1974) suggest each of these represents an independent introduction event. IRL Distribution: Within the IRL region, Mozambique tilapia have been found in the Brevard and Indian River counties. Courtney, et al. (1974), cites these as the result of distinct introductions events.

Life Strategy: Female Oreochromis mossambicus mature at approximately 150-160 mm, and males mature at approximately 170-180 mm (Hodgkiss and Man 1978, Arthington and Milton 1986). Males construct nests in sparse to moderately vegetated bottoms where fertilization of the eggs takes place (Bruton and Bolt 1975). Several different females will lay eggs in the nest. Females can lay between 50-1,780 eggs, based on individuals' size and environmental conditions. (Trewevas 1983). Males are generally aggressive and ritualistic during reproductive season, although male-male confrontations rarely actually become violent (Bruton and Bolt 1975).

Food / Feed Strategy: Oreochromis mossambicus are generalist/opportunistic omnivores that consume detrital material, vegetation ranging from diatoms to macroalgae to rooted plants, invertebrates, and small fish (Bowen 1979, Mook 1983, Trewevas 1983). Diets differ depending on location-specific resource availability. De Silva et al. (1984) report O. mossambicus populations in different lakes ate different diets and trophic strategies ranged from detritivory, to herbivory, to nearexclusive carnivory with individuals preying on small fish and invertebrates.

Body Form or Style: The Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, is native to Africa but has been introduced to Florida and elsewhere as well. Individuals collected in their native range typically reach 380 mm SL (standard length, measured from the snout to the caudal peduncle), while animals collected elsewhere (e.g., the Gulf of Mexico) may reach only around 220 mm. Males grow slightly larger than females. Females and non-breeding males are mainly silver in color with 2-5 blotches along the midline and occasionally the dorsal fin. Breeding males are black with white Mozambique tilapia have 28-31 vertebrae and 14-20 lower gill rakers. The spine/ray count is: Dorsal = XV-XVII + 26-29; Anal = III=iV + 9-10.

Swim / Locomotion Style: • Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/oreochromis_mossambicus.htm

Title: Gafftopsail Catfish

Species #:125

Common Name: Gafftopsail Catfish, bigmouth catfish, gafftop. Scientific Name: Bagre marinus

•

Kingdom: Animalia

•

Phylum: Chordata

•

Class: Actinopterygii

•

Order: Siluriformes

•

Family: Ariidae

Geography / Habitat: Regional Occurrence: Bagre marinus ranges from Cape Cod, Massachusetts south through coastal Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to Panama (Muncy and Wingo 1983). IRL Distribution: Bagre marinus is common throughout the IRL.

Life Strategy: Bagre marinus females caught on the Gulf coast of Alabama had well-developed oocytes beginning in April (Swingle 1971). Gafftopsail catfishes spawn repeatedly over an approximately 10 day period from May - August in inshore mudflats (Jones et al 1978). Eggs are passed to, or picked up by, males, who incubate and brood them in their mouths for 60 - 80 days (Gunter 1947; Ward 1957).

Food / Feed Strategy: Sea catfishes are opportunistic feeders that utilize mud and sand flats as feeding grounds. Algae, seagrasses, cnidarians, sea cucumbers, gastropods, polychaetes, shrimps, crabs, and other fishes comprise the bulk of the diet (Merriman 1940). Males carrying eggs or juveniles do not feed (Muncy and Wingo 1983).

Body Form or Style: Both marine catfishes (Ariidae) and freshwater catfishes (Ictaluridae) are notable for their unscaled skin, forked caudal fins, adipose fins set anterior to the caudal peduncle, and the presence of large, serrated spines positioned anterior to the dorsal fin and the pectoral fins. Marine catfishes are separated from Ictalurids based on the absence of barbels on the nostrils, and by their body color, which is typically steel blue dorsally, fading to silver laterally, and white ventrally. Bagre marinus, the gafftopsail catfish, is an elongate marine catfish that reaches 57.1 cm (22.4 inches) in length (Jones et al. 1978). There is a single dorsal fin

having 1 strong, serrated spine and 7 soft rays. The first ray of the dorsal and pectoral fins have extended, white filaments equal to or exceeding the length of the dorsal spine. The anal fin has 22-28 rays. The pectoral fins have 1 spine and 11-14 rays, and the ventral fin has 6 rays. There is a distinctive V-shaped indentation on the posterior margin of the anal fin.The head is slightly depressed, with the mouth inferior. Three pairs of barbels are present, one pair on the maxilla and 2 pairs set under the chin. The maxillary pair of barbels are elongate and reach nearly to the ventral fins, which are set well behind the dorsal fin. The adipose fin is tipped in black, while the remainder of the fins are pale to dusky in color. Females have larger pelvic fins than males (Lee 1937;Merriman 1940; Muncy and Wingo 1983 ).

Swim / Locomotion Style: â&#x20AC;˘ Mouth Position: Citation: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/bagre_marinu.htm