Ctenopoma

[DarkEntity]

These guys are damn lovely and so interactive, id recommend them to anyone wanting something different in the middle of the tank. Just be aware they are predatory and have HUGE mouths compared to their size so beware

On that note....

 

[Maximus]

That first pic is awesome

I've always liked the scp

 

[DarkEntity]

ta, 2 different fish, one is dark and round the other is silvery and kinda square lol

 

[Maximus]

I thought that lol

I noticed the different patterns and then noticed you have two (from your sig)

Again, awesome fish

 

[iSnail]

Nice fish How big are they and how do they hunt for food?

 

[DarkEntity]

They are currently about 2.5" long and don't get live food (apart from Brine Shrimp/Bloodworm/Tubifex) although id love to see them tackle baby guppy or such...i just don't know if i could do it though (as much as i despise Guppy's and live bearers) there is something in me that says we as keepers shouldn't feed live foods......

From what ive heard though they will pack hunt for food and or ambush it..that would be amazing to see though, so once ive moved house early next year and got a larger tank im hoping to have maybe 6 of these guys in a group. If that happens i may revisit live foods.

 

[paul_219]

Really nice fish. Wonderful.

 

[DarkEntity]

Excuse the crap photo but it was a rushed shot..

Check out that mouth lol

 

[RadaR]

Great pics Dark. Very clear. The Ctenopama look awesome. Have you witnessed any group hunting at all? What are they fed on?
Thanks.

EDIT: sorry, ignore me, I just saw that you have already mentioned that.

 

[DarkEntity]

I dont have space for 5 or 6 which is what id love to do, but once i move house its a fish i definately want a group of.

 

[vancouver]

Ctenepomas are AWESOME fish.. I have a larger species , and it's one of the coolest fish I've ever owned.

I think I might buy one of the spotted ones like you have if I ever see them around here.

You're definitely right about the mouths.. When they ''yawn'', and their spikes come out of their dorsal, they kinda look like an arrowana.

 

[The-Wolf]

I'm thinking you have a M/F pair there
but they are still too young to be certain

great pics DE

 

[DarkEntity]

I'm thinking you have a M/F pair there
but they are still too young to be certain

great pics DE

Hmmm, That would be really nice, i did wonder why one was so different to the other

Id been looking for spikes along the body to id a male but none have been visible on either fish....Ive currently got them seperated as the darker fish kept chasing the more silver one of the two.

 

[The-Wolf]

contrary to popular belief both sexes have spines on their gill plates
however those on the male are longer and therefore visible to the naked eye (just).
Males tend to have a rough patch of scales at the base of their caudal peduncle,
again this is often hard to detect in younger fish.

My M/F pair look almost identical now but the females caudal fin is defiantly bigger than the males
(which is why I'm thinking you do have a M/F pair)
and the male is larger than her in all other dimensions (length, height, girth etc)
but when they were younger they were of equal size.

I think the next 6 months will tell for sure if you truly do have a M/F pair or not.
look for signs of 'him' pushing her sideways with an open mouth and her
shimmying in front of him (much like a female krib does),
of course if you see a bubble nest then you most certainly do have a true pair.

I wouldn't keep them separated for too long as this could lead to territorial issues when you reintroduce them.
even if they are not a true pair they will happily co-exist provided they are brought up together.

 

[DarkEntity]

contrary to popular belief both sexes have spines on their gill plates
however those on the male are longer and therefore visible to the naked eye (just).
Males tend to have a rough patch of scales at the base of their caudal peduncle,
again this is often hard to detect in younger fish.

My M/F pair look almost identical now but the females caudal fin is defiantly bigger than the males
(which is why I'm thinking you do have a M/F pair)
and the male is larger than her in all other dimensions (length, height, girth etc)
but when they were younger they were of equal size.

I think the next 6 months will tell for sure if you truly do have a M/F pair or not.
look for signs of 'him' pushing her sideways with an open mouth and her
shimmying in front of him (much like a female krib does),
of course if you see a bubble nest then you most certainly do have a true pair.

I wouldn't keep them separated for too long as this could lead to territorial issues when you reintroduce them.
even if they are not a true pair they will happily co-exist provided they are brought up together.

Ah haha well ill be, thats what the fish in the first picture had been doing, i thought he was attacking and thus removed the other one to a different tank until "she" bulks up a little.... Think ill put them back together today

Edit

Rite thats the litte one caught and back in the large tank, and would you belive it, the large rounder "male" has swam rite up to "her" and nudged "her"....could this be love