| Lebiasinidae (Pencilfishes), subfamily: Pyrrhulininae |
| 4.23 cm SL (male/unsexed); 3.25 cm SL (female); max.weight: 0.3 g |
|
benthopelagic; freshwater; pH range: 6 - 8; dH range: 5 - 12 |
| South America: lower rio Amazonas basin, coastal drainages of Pará and Amapá, Brazil,
Guyana, French Guiana, Surinam, mouth of rio Orinoco, and coastal drainages of Sucre and Monagas, Venezuela. |
|
Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-8; Anal soft rays: 9-9; Vertebrae: 37-37. This species is distinguished from all its congeners, except some specimens of C. nattereri by the procurrent caudal-fin rays that are hyaline (vs. black); further differs from C. nattereri by the absence of a black mark on each body scale (vs. presence); further differs from all its congeners by having a pigmented area extending anterodorsally from ventral tip of the dentary to ventral portion of the eye (vs. absent). Colouration: some males are unique in having brilliant white spots on scales of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth longitudinal scale rows (Ref. 137764). |
| Occurs in groups at the surface of small creeks with clear waters. Also found in ponds where it is found together with Rivulus (Ref. 27188). Feeds on Ephemeroptera larvae and ants (Ref. 12225); also on worms, insects and crustaceans (Ref. 7020). Known among aquarists by its unique breeding behavior and parental care: male and the female line up side by side at the surface of the water and jump together out of the water, to spawn. The fertilized eggs are then laid on the underside of an emergent leaf and the male then splashes them with its tail for about three days until they hatch, hence the popular name 'Splash tetra'. It was also observed that just before lining up to jump out of the water toward the upper glass of the aquarium, the female follows the male, touching her abdomen at the anterodorsal portion of the male several
times, swimming agitatedly (Ref. 137764). The spawned eggs are deposited on submerged leaves and are guarded by the males (Ref. 12225). During incubation, the male oxygenates the eggs (Ref. 27188). |
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Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 September 2020 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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