Acantopsis dialuzona

Pferdekopfschmerle ( Acantopsis dialuzona )

The Pferdekopfschmerle is a fish of the family of loaches ( Cobitidae ).

She lives in both freshwater and brackish water of various fast flowing rivers and streams in Southeast Asia. There they settled the soil region of slightly different habitats. In some cases they are also found in flooded rice fields in this region.

After Europe, the Pferdekopfschmerle was first introduced in 1929 by Edmund Riechers in Hamburg.

One of the Pferdekopfschmerle very similar type is Acantopsis octoactinotos. It differs from Acantopsis dialuzona by their head shape and the water region, in which he spends usually. However, they are very similar in their behavior and claims.

Origin

The Pferdekopfschmerle preferably clear, mostly fast flowing waters in Southeast Asia. Mainly they are found in India, Indonesia and Vietnam, and also in the lower Mekong. The sandy or slightly gravelly bottom of their origin waters they ransacked for food and burrows there also almost completely one. She is in a color capable of adapting to the subsoil of these habitats.

Appearance and behavior

The Pferdekopfschmerle is built long and narrow and is long up to 22 cm. Her bright, gray to pale beige body is decorated with black and gray spots and stripes.

It is a solitary and nocturnal fish that can look during the day only very rarely usually. Other fish to it behaves peacefully and can be easily socialized.

Attitude

Pferdekopfschmerlen can be kept in a tank from 100 cm and require sand or fine gravel. Acantopsis dialuzona 's a loner can be also kept in pairs in a basin from 120 cm. There should be enough shade to be present, in which the Pferdkopfschmerle can stop it. Well suited for this purpose are caves and floating plants. Instead of floating plants (eg Small duckweed ) but can also be used for other large-leaved aquatic plants (eg, sword plants).

Food

The Pferdekopfschmerle eats mosquito larvae, nematodes, small insect larvae, frozen food and food tablets. However, they also ransacked the ground after fressbaren, such as Algae.