j Nanostomus Eques 



I WALTER LANNOY BRIND, F. Z. S. 



Jtw ^fc ** 



— 4 



i 



About nine years ago, Nanostomus 

 eques — call it Poecilobrycon marginatus 

 if you prefer the latest dictum of the sys- 

 tematic ichthyologist — was brought to the 

 attention of aquarists in four small speci- 

 mens, an inch long, taken in the Amazon. 

 These were thus half-grown, the maxi- 

 mum size being usually recorded as two 

 inches. It is one of the characins, the 

 dominating group of fishes in South 

 America. 



The sexes seem quite alike, though 

 there is some difference in the anal fins. 

 A dark red stripe runs from the snout 

 back through the eye to the caudal fin, 

 there meeting the same color in the lower 

 lobe ; this is bordered above with a golden 

 band. On the sides are two broad, dark, 

 vertical bands, one just in front of the 

 dorsal and the other behind ; the latter 

 sometimes almost invisible. The anal 

 and tail fins are carmine, which is par- 

 ticularly evident when the fish is viewed 

 by artificial light. The intensity of the 

 colors is subject to variation, being influ- 

 enced by light, temperature and other 

 conditions. The back is grayish-brown, 

 the abdominal regions white. On the 

 back, between the dorsal and caudal fins, 

 is situated the adipose dorsal or fat-fin 

 characteristic of the family. 



Nanostomus has not been bred in con- 

 finement. Eventually it should be accom- 

 plished. Should it breed like its relatives 

 the eggs will be placed on finely divided 

 leaves of water plants, or their rootlets, 

 adhering singly as in the case of the 

 familiar goldfish. A large, sunny aqua- 

 rium, well planted with Myriophyllum, 

 but with a clear space for play and pre- 



nuptial addresses, and clear, pure water, 

 would be most apt to induce spawning, 

 provided the temperature is maintained 

 around 80 degrees and ample live food, 

 such as Daphne, is given consistently. 

 When commerce with South America be- 

 comes normal, we should be able to se- 

 cure this fish from Brazil, and, if some 

 one is fortunate in having it spawn, it will 

 be well to immediately remove the par- 



Nanostomus eques 



ents to another tank, rather than transfer 

 the plants with the adhering eggs, thus 

 saving all. 



This species is peculiar in possessing a 

 habit of "standing" stationary in a corner 

 of the aquarium with its body pointing 

 upwards at an angle of forty-five de- 

 grees. This probably concerns its feed- 

 ing habits. 



♦ 



Many a man pins his faith to a star, 

 only to discover that it is a firefly. 



Some people are born lucky. It isn't 

 every fellow who can fall in love and land 

 on his feet. 



