HALF BEAKS

[ramesses]

Hi gang.So,I won this auction on Aquabid,I got myself a pair of NOMORHAMPHUS CELEBES,aka blach fin halfbeak.
To those of you who have never heard of or even seen them,they are some small livebeares from Asia.They are very different fron the more common American livebearers.They have a pike-like appearence,the dorsal and anal fins are set all the way back very close their caudal.They get their name from their mouth appearence .The lower jaw does not move and is twice the size of the upper jaw.
Anywho............I would like to know if anyone has had any experience with these very uncommon livebearers?I have done a lot of reading and searching on the net but,I would also like to hear from some of you.
PS.hey harris......how are your new babies doing?

 

[guppymonkey]

I have heard about half beaks but never actually seen them. While they are different from south american livebearers (the most common ones) they are still relatively easy to breed. I have heard that they sometimes run into the glass injuring their projecting jaw. One solution I have heard for this problem is to line the walls of the tank with plants so that the half beaks are given an idea of the parameters of the tank.

Try to get some pics up of those half beaks. They seem like a really interesting fish!

 

[ramesses]

You are right about the rarety of these Asian fish,I've only seen them in a couple of occasions at my lfs.They were't the same ones I won though.Mine were carefully bred for their black fins.A very attractive fish in its own way.
About crashing against the glass and injuring their fussed lower jaw,its all true and definatly I heard the same about placing tall plants to prevent from rushing into it.
I don't think they're that easy to breed.Thats one of the reasons why they are not common.They need special diet and I guess need to feel comfortable in their surroundings,besides, abrupt ph readings might kill them.
They might present a challenge to me but I am really hoping that I could breed them.Thats why I need any info. I can get especially from people who kept them.
PS ......I appreciate anyone who can help me with these fish.I will be receiving them this Tuesday and I will try to post a few pics.They are only a few months old so they dont show their true colors yet.

 

[haaris]

PS.hey harris......how are your new babies doing?

the fry are doing fing and i think its true
guppies are hardy fish even when they
are fry.

my cousin once got some wild half beaks
from i dont know where and he left them
in a pond they did really good but had just
1 brood of fry in about 3 months but then
again like guppies maybe the wild ones are
hardier than high bred ones