Common name/s:South American Leaf Fish
Scientific name: Monocyrrhus polyacanthus
Family: Nandidae
Origin: Peruvian Amazon
Maximum size: 4"
Care: A rather delicate species this fish demands good water quallity and soft acidic water to survive, in hard alkeline water and water with high nitrates the fish will wain and die. A heavily planted tank with many tall structures such as bogwood roots and vines is recomended, since the fish is largely inactive a 20 gallon tank is suitable for a pair. The fish is a predator and should only be combined with larger but peacefull sedentry tankmates such as Farrowellas and banjo catfish. The temperature of the tank should be kept at between 22c and 25c except for when breeding (see below)
Feeding: Can be difficult to feed with most specimins only accepting live foods, small fish such as guppies and river/ghost shrimp are a staple diet.
Sexing: The sexes cannot be told apart except for when breeding.
Breeding: Breeding can be initiated by raising the temperature to 28c and performing small daily water changes with slightly cooler water, the pair will lay eggs on a cleaned flat surface such as a broad leaf or overhanging rock where the male will guard them till they hatch, the female should be removed from the breeding tank. The fry hatch within 4 days and can be fed small live foods such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae and new born guppies from day 2, the father should be removed once the fry hatch as he will eat them.
Scientific name: Monocyrrhus polyacanthus
Family: Nandidae
Origin: Peruvian Amazon
Maximum size: 4"
Care: A rather delicate species this fish demands good water quallity and soft acidic water to survive, in hard alkeline water and water with high nitrates the fish will wain and die. A heavily planted tank with many tall structures such as bogwood roots and vines is recomended, since the fish is largely inactive a 20 gallon tank is suitable for a pair. The fish is a predator and should only be combined with larger but peacefull sedentry tankmates such as Farrowellas and banjo catfish. The temperature of the tank should be kept at between 22c and 25c except for when breeding (see below)
Feeding: Can be difficult to feed with most specimins only accepting live foods, small fish such as guppies and river/ghost shrimp are a staple diet.
Sexing: The sexes cannot be told apart except for when breeding.
Breeding: Breeding can be initiated by raising the temperature to 28c and performing small daily water changes with slightly cooler water, the pair will lay eggs on a cleaned flat surface such as a broad leaf or overhanging rock where the male will guard them till they hatch, the female should be removed from the breeding tank. The fry hatch within 4 days and can be fed small live foods such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae and new born guppies from day 2, the father should be removed once the fry hatch as he will eat them.
