#Blanchard's perchlet

[aquariuminfobureau]

Mighty maws from down under

Although the cardinalfishes, clade Apogonidae, are popular in marine aquaria, it is less often appreciated that there are freshwater members of this family. The species Glossamia aprion reaches Europe infrequently, from the island of New Guinea. G. aprion is larger than the commonly kept cardinalfishes, that are so popular in saltwater aquaria. It supposedly can grow up to 18 centimeters, or 7 inches long, but not all populations of this fish share the same maximum or average sizes.

There is genetic evidence that G. aprion is in fact a soecies complex, and not a single species of cardinalfish. These populations also vary in morphological and reproductive traits, perhaps explaining the different size estimates in the literature, with some reputable sources stating G. aprion grows only to 10 centimeters, or 4 inches. But all are indigenous to a region of tropical Australia, from the River Fitzroy, in the north of Western Australia, to the River Burnett in Queensland, and it is also endemic to nearby New Guinea.

G. aprion may rarely be traded as the Papuan freshwater cardinalfish, although there is more than one such species in Australasia, and the species is indeed present on nearby Australia, where it is a well known freshwater fish. Australian people are well aware of this species, and know it by the vernacular name of mouth almighty.

Shpuld that sound too humorous, then it can also be called Gill's cardinalfish, Blanchard's perchlet, or the Queensland mouthbrooder, the latter a reference to the male parental care practiced by this pair bonding species, as in its saltwater relatives. After mating, the G. aprion males also use their huge, oral cavities, to store and protect fertilised eggs. Such reproduction occurs only when the ambient water temperture, is at least 22 degrees centigrade

All populations of G. aprion are strictly freshwater, inhabiting still or slowly flowing environments, that are necessarily rich in vegetation, where this cardinalfish can lurk. Itself a slow moving ambush predator, G. option has evolved to spend little energy when hunting. Vegetation provides cover under which to slowly approach prey, such as smaller fish, or arthropods, that can fit into its cavernous mouth. But it also hides this fish from its own predators, and gives them a sense of security. In the aquarium, these fishes have a reputation for nervous dispiosition.

Wild G. aprion are found in waters with a pH from 4.5 to around 8, but they surely do better towards the middle of that range, perhaps 7 to 7.5. The tempertures they can tolerate are similarly high, up to 38 degrees centigrade, but on a purely temporary basis. Normal, tropical aquarium tempertures should do G. aprion much better. On no accounts should G. aprion be exposed to brackish or marine salinities. Their tank should be planted, which not only provides them with a naturalistic home, but diffuses the light. These nocturnal fishes are expected to prefer dim or diffuse lighting, or to be active at night.

Feeding this large cardinalfish is easy, for these fish readily consume suitably sized meaty items, be they either defrosted or fresh, when they are maintained in the squarium. Some individuals will also consume pellet preperations, as long as their nutritional compositions are suitable for carnivores. G. aprion is by no means a difficult fish to feed or care for, but it will be a danger to those tankmates, that might fit into that titular maw.I

Luckily, aquarists have reported success keeping G. aprion with bulky bodied fishes, if they are as large as G. aprion, or larger. Like many fish that are slow ambush predators, they seek to minimise their energy costs, so are unaggressive to non-prey cohabitants sharing their aquarium. G. aprion are suction feeders with large mouths, so the gape of these fishes determines what is potentially their prey.

#Glossamia aprion #mouth almighty #oddballs #Queensland mouthbrooder #Gill's cardinalfish #Blanchard's perchlet