Thoracocharax stellatus
The Thoracocharax stellatus is the most common fish among the puffer fish. Wedge sharks are found in waters throughout South America, including Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, and Argentina. The fish inhabit several major river systems, including the Orinoco, Amazon, and Parana, as well as their many tributaries. Where these fish live, bodies of water are heavily overgrown with plants floating on the water's surface.
Due to their unusual body shape, these fish stand out strongly from other fish, and due to their ease of maintenance, they can be recommended to novice aquarists.
Thoracocharax stellatus has a wedge-shaped, flattened body, strongly resembling an axe blade. The basic coloration is silvery, the back is yellow with a golden sheen. In the reflected light on the body of fish appear slightly contrasting stripes with bluish sheen. Females are larger than males in size. The maximum size is 6 - 7 cm.
Thoracocharax stellatus peaceful fish, which no one in the aquarium is not a nuisance. They can be kept in a common aquarium with other fish occupying the middle and lower layers of water, such as tetras, small cichlids and corydoras. In order to make clinobryuhi were less fearful, to contain them preferably in a group of at least 6-8 individuals.
Most of the time the fish spend in the upper layer of the aquarium. To make the fish were less fearful need on the surface of the water to place bushes of floating plants. Other decor does not matter, but in order to look the most impressive gold-bellied fish in the aquarium preferably to place sandy substrate with leaf litter of oak or beech leaves and branches of trees. It should be noted that these fish are not particularly interesting behavior, the greatest interest in their appearance.
The aquarium should be covered with a lid, as the fish are very fast and in nature are able to jump high out of the water.
Water parameters: temperature 20-28° C, hardness dH 1-15°, pH 5,0-7,5. Need filtration and aeration of water, as well as its weekly replacement of 1/3 of fresh water.
In natural conditions, the Thoracocharax stellatus feeds mainly on insects that fall into the water from the trees overhanging the water. Under aquarium conditions, the fish are fed a variety of dry food, which the fish will sometimes need to become accustomed to, as well as live and frozen daphnia and moths. If drosophila fruit flies are available, they are a great food for these fish. The fish mostly take food from the surface, but can also take it from the bottom.
Reproduction
Under aquarium conditions, the Thoracocharax stellatus does not breed.
In nature, spawning fish falls during the rainy season.
During this time, the water floods the forest areas where fish rush to lay eggs. It is very difficult to simulate such an environment in an aquarium.
