Dogfish; Bowfin 



(Amia calva) 



Appearance. Bulldog-headed fish which taper but slightly to their 

 stubby tails, the body covered by small scales. Adults: dark olive 

 above, yellowish beneath, with a dark spot near the top of the tail. 

 Young: apple green above with three dark brown bars on the face; 

 the gill cover and dorsal, anal and tail fins all have a dark margin 

 with an inner rose-pink stripe; a brown stripe within the pink on 

 the dorsal, anal and tail fins; the brown spot on the tail is ringed 

 with pink. Like the gar pikes, the young hatch with lance-like 

 tails, beneath which the permanent tail fin develops. 

 Size. 450-600 mm. in length. 

 Habitat. Chiefly wooded lakes and rivers. 

 Breeding Habits. In June or July the male selects a nesting site 

 in some weedy bay containing stumps and logs. There, working 

 chiefly at night, he rubs or bites off the vegetation and fans away 

 the loose debris with fins and tail until a bed of sand or rootlets 

 is exposed. The female spawns in the nest at night. The eggs hatch 

 in about ten days, after which the young attach themselves by 

 means of an adhesive organ on the nose, or lie in the nest. The nest, 

 and for a time the swimming young, are guarded by the male. 

 When about 100 mm. long the young are forced to fend for 

 themselves. 



Food. Living aquatic insects, crustaceans, worms, snails, fish, 

 raw meat, etc. 



Only the young are suitable for the aquarium, and even they 

 should not be placed with other fish, unless the other fish are in- 

 tended to serve as food. Although preferring well-aerated water, 

 these fish are very hardy under all conditions once they have be- 

 come accustomed to aquarium conditions. 



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