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The Monsters Under The House
This is a list of "Monster Fish" I keep in my monster fish tank / aquarium in my Den. I'll try to keep it updated. 🤣
Check out my Aquarium videos
Indonesian Tiger / Borneo Tiger
Indonesian Tiger / Borneo Tiger
Datnoid Microlepis
Habitat
An exclusive inhabitant of large, deep, typically lowland freshwater rivers, and not thought to enter brackish environments. It has been collected from flooded forests during the annual wet season.
Maximum size
400 – 500 mm.
Silver Arowana
Silver Arowana
Osteoglossum bicirrhosum
Habitat
Tends to inhabit slow-moving to still tributaries, backwaters and lagoons during the dry season, and moves into areas of flooded forest during periods of inundation. It is chiefly a surface dweller preying on smaller fishes and terrestrial insects, and is famed for its ability to leap high out of the water to catch the latter.
Maximum size
700 – 800 mm.
Giant Gourami
Giant Gourami
Osphronemus goramy
Habitat
Lives in swamps, large rivers and bodies of stagnant water.
Maximum size
700 mm.
Flagtail
Flagtail
Semaprochilodus insignis
Habitat
It migrates and spawns in the river channels but feeds mostly in the floodplains. It can also be found in floodplain lakes (known locally as “várzeas”) and forest streams.
Maximum size
350 mm.
Delhezi Bichir / Armoured Bichir
Delhezi Bichir / Armoured Bichir
Polypterus delhezi
Habitat
Democratic Republic of Congo. It is found in lakes, streams and flooded areas. These are often heavily vegetated.
Maximum size
350 mm.
Red-bellied Pacu
Red-bellied Pacu
Piaractus brachypomus
Habitat
Inhabits main river channels and flood plains, moving into flooded forests during the rainy season. It tends to prefer shallow, slow-moving areas with overhanging or floating vegetation. Juveniles spend the first few months of life in the flood plains, where food is plentiful and predation is less of a danger.
Maximum size
600 mm.
Red Striped Earth Eater
Red Striped Earth Eater
Geophagus suramenises / Geophagus altifrons
Habitat
Predominantly found in the lower reaches of rivers, appearing to be restricted by the first stretch of rapids encountered, and has also been collected from floodplain lakes in Várzea (literally ‘flooded forest’) regions. It is said to show a preference for clear and black water environments as opposed to turbid ‘white’ waters and tends to inhabit gently sloping marginal zones around shores or islands with substrates of sand, fine gravel and mud.
Maximum size
225 mm.
Tyre-Track Eel
Tyre-Track Eel
Mastacembelus armatus
Habitat
Asia: India, Thailand and Sumatra. Reported to occur in areas with rocky bottoms in the Mekong mainstream during the dry season, but enter canals, lakes and other floodplain areas during the flood season. Forages at night on benthic insect larvae, worms and some submerged plant material.
Maximum size
910 mm.
Black Ghost Knife Fish
Black Ghost Knife Fish
Apteronotus albifrons
Habitat
Occurs in rapidly flowing waters of creeks with a sandy bottom. Nocturnal. Possesses a weakly discharging neurogenic electric organ and ampullary electro receptors that are distributed from head to tail.
Maximum size
500 mm.
Pink-tailed Chalceus
Pink-tailed Chalceus
Chalceus macrolepidotus
Habitat
Most often seen inhabiting the surface layers of highly oxygenated rivers. Very active, always jumping and moving around. Widespread South America.
Maximum size
250 mm.
Featherfin Synodontis
Featherfin Synodontis
Synodontis euptera
Habitat
Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Ghana, Sudan, Chad, Niger. It occurs in varying biotopes.
Maximum size
300 mm.
Common Pleco
Common Pleco
Hypostomus plecostomoides LDA42, LDA38
Habitat
It’s usually found living in and around pieces of driftwood in flowing parts of rivers and streams.
Maximum size
300 mm.