Xenentodon cancila
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| iNeedlenose fish | ||||||||||||||
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| Xenentodon cancila (Hamilton, 1822) |
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The needlenose fish, Xenentodon cancila is the sole member of its genus and one of the relatively few needlefish that spends its entire life in freshwater habitats. It is known to feed exclusively on small crusteaceans. [1]
[edit] In the aquarium
Some species of needlefish inhabit brackish and freshwater environments, and one of the freshwater species, Xenentodon cancila from South East Asia, is occasionally kept as an aquarium fish. It is a relatively small species, no more than 30 to 40 cm in length when fully grown, but is considered to be a rather delicate fish best suited to advanced aquarists.[2]
It is very common for this species to be traded under a variety of common names, including needlenose fish, freshwater needlefish, needle gar, needlenose gar, freshwater gar fish, and numerous others. Despite its similar shape, it is not closely related to the freshwater gars of North America (family [[Lepisosteidae]).
[edit] References
- ^ Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors.. Species Summary for Xenentodon cancila . FishBase. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ^ Monks N: Straight to the point: the Beloniformes. Practical Fishkeeping, October 2005
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