Diagnostic Description
provided by Fishbase
Body very elongate and slightly compressed. Dorsal fin inserted usually anterior to a vertical through the origin of the anal fin. Green-silvery dorsally, grading to whitish below. A silvery band with a dark margin run along the side; a series of four or five blotches (absent in young specimens) on sides between the pectoral and anal fins. Dorsal and anal fins with dark edges.
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Contracaecum Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Gnathostoma Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Isoparorchis Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Paragendria Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Pallisentis Infestation 4. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Camallanus Infection 6. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Procamallanus Infection 9. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)
Life Cycle
provided by Fishbase
Male pursues a slow-moving female and upon catching up with the female, will begin shuddering from side to side while the pair is oriented parallel to each other; the pair positions themselves close to submerged vegetation; male assumes a slight head-down position , with his anal fin curled under the female's vent; the pair begins trembling until a single large egg is released; each female produces about a dozen eggs per day; eggs hatch in about a week; no parental care (Ref. 44091).
- Recorder
- Crispina B. Binohlan
Migration
provided by Fishbase
Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).
- Recorder
- Estelita Emily Capuli
Morphology
provided by Fishbase
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 18; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 16 - 18
Biology
provided by Fishbase
Adults occur primarily in rivers (Ref. 4833); also in ponds, canals, beels, and inundated fields (Ref. 1479). Often found in slow-flowing pools in rivers with a rock or sand substrate (Ref. 6028). They inhabit large and medium-sized rivers with adults occurring in areas that lack floating vegetation (Ref. 12693). A solitary species that swims in midwater, usually against the current, and is capable of bursts of speed, especially when in pursuit of its prey. Observed to feed exclusively on crustaceans in the wild; but take live fish only when in an aquarium (Ref. 6028). Also feeds on small fishes and insects (Ref. 12693). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Eggs may be found attached to objects in the water by tendrils on the egg's surface (Ref. 205). This fish is capable of nipping the fingers or killing a person by leaping at them at great speed (Ref. 6028; Kullander (pers. comm., 2001), however, suggests that the "killing a person" statement may be exaggerated). Marketed fresh (Ref. 12693).
- Recorder
- Estelita Emily Capuli
Importance
provided by Fishbase
fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: potential
- Recorder
- Estelita Emily Capuli
Xenentodon cancila
provided by wikipedia EN
Xenentodon cancila, the freshwater garfish, is a species of needlefish found in freshwater and brackish habitats in South and Southeast Asia.[2]
Common names
As a reasonably popular aquarium fish, Xenentodon cancila has been traded under a variety of common names, including needlefish,[3] silver needlefish,[4] Asian freshwater needlefish,[3] needlenose halfbeak,[5] freshwater gar,[5] needlenose gar and numerous others. While belonging to the same family as the marine needlefish known in Europe as gar or garpike, Belone belone,[6] these fish are much more distantly related to other fishes sometimes called gars (such as the North American gars and South American pike characins).[5] In Assam it is locally known as Kokila. It is known as "Yonna (යොන්නා) or Habarali (හබරලි)" in Sri Lanka.
Distribution
The freshwater garfish is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia from India and Sri Lanka to the Malaysian Peninsula.[4]
Morphology
In common with other needlefish, this species has an elongate body with long, beak-like jaws filled with teeth.[6] The dorsal and anal fins are positioned far back along the body close to the tail.[6] The body is silvery-green, darker above and lighter below with a dark band running horizontally along the flank.[2] Slight sexual dimorphism exists, the male fish often having anal and dorsal fins with a black edge.[4][6] It reaches a length of 40 cm (16 in).[2]
Diet
While aquarium books tend to describe this fish as a predator that eats animals such as fish and frogs, its natural diet appears to consist almost entirely of crustaceans.[4]
Reproduction
This species is oviparous.[4] In aquaria at least, spawning takes place in the morning, with small numbers of eggs being deposited among plants.[4] The eggs are about 3.5 mm (0.14 in) in diameter and are attached to plant leaves with sticky threads about 20 mm (0.79 in).[4] The eggs take ten days to hatch, at which point the fry are almost 12 mm (0.47 in) long.[4] At this point they will eat small live foods including week-old labyrinth fish.[4]
Human significance
Freshwater needlefish support minor fisheries and are also traded as aquarium fish.[2]
In the aquarium
The freshwater needlefish is one of several of needlefish species kept in public and home aquaria.[6] It has been kept by European aquarists since 1910,[6] and was first bred in captivity at the Biological Station Wilhelminenberg, Austria in 1963.[4] Xenentodon cancila is generally considered quite a difficult species to maintain because of its large size, nervous behaviour, and preference for live foods.[3] Alongside misunderstandings of the natural diet of these fish,[7] there has been confusion over the optimal water conditions required by this species when kept in home aquaria, with the addition of salt to the water often being recommended.[5] These fish do perfectly well in freshwater aquaria.[7]
See also
References
-
^ Dey, S.C.; de Alwis Goonatilake, S.; Fernado, M.; Kotagama, O. (2019). "Xenentodon cancila". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T166522A60589667. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T166522A60589667.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
-
^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2013). "Xenentodon cancila" in FishBase. May 2013 version.
-
^ a b c Monks N: Straight to the point: the Beloniformes. Practical Fishkeeping, October 2005
-
^ a b c d e f g h i j Riehl, R; Baensch, H (1996). Aquarium Atlas (vol. 1). Voyageur Press. ISBN 3-88244-050-3.
-
^ a b c d Monks, Neale, ed. (2006). Brackish Water Fishes. Tropical Fish Hobbyist. ISBN 0-7938-0564-3.
-
^ a b c d e f Sterba, G (1962). Freshwater Fishes of the World. Vista Books. p. 609pp.
-
^ a b Monks N: Pocket-sized Pikes. Tropical Fish Hobbyist, April 2007
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Xenentodon cancila: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Xenentodon cancila, the freshwater garfish, is a species of needlefish found in freshwater and brackish habitats in South and Southeast Asia.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
