AMAZONIAN CHARACIN – HEADSTANDERS

Fishes from the great Amazon River always sparks a great interest for me. Since my early childhood I always fascinated by the likes of pacus, tetras, plecos, and, of course, the arowanas.

In this chapter I want to discuss on the characin groups called the Headstanders. I’m fortunate enough to obtain a group of Black-lined Anostomus, Laemonyta taeniurus, which also called lisa,

and a group of stripped anostomus, Anostomus anostomus.

In my hometown, these fishes were rarely spotted in the LFS. In my 25 years of fish keeping experience, 15 years in which I consider serious enough, I never encounter a shop which offers this fishes for sale. I obtained the fishes from a friend who have link directly to an importer.

Initially, I had 15 Lisa, the Black-lined Anostomus. Unfortunately, 7 of them died when I had to move them due to moving house. The rest, 8 of them now live happily in the 2 meter aquarium with the 18 stripped anostomus.

I decorated the fish tank marginally with driftwood, and rocks so that they have spacious swimming area. I use river gravel as substrate, and I choose dark colored substrate. I use dark colored gravel since light colored substrate tends to make the fish looks pale. Some might said that sand is better than gravel to this fish, but I never had any problems. Just remember to make sure that the substrate is smooth, otherwise it may injured their mouth, since they like to dig deep into the gravel when searching for food.

They shared the aquarium with group of corydoras cats, which soon I will removed to my cory cat aquarium, 40 Puntius denisoni, a lone Panaque nigrolineatus, 3 Alestes longipinnis, which soon will have their own aquarium, and some assorted fishes. I admit, the Puntius denisoni isn’t very amazonian, but I just couldn’t resist it. They mix very well to the point that they almost looks like a brother and sisters from a different parent. I know, I know, I’m being very subjective here but they look just very nice together.

The headstanders are very lovable fish. They have nice colorations. Lisa, however look just like a very big, very healthy SAE. They swim in group. And they are medium sized characin. That means that they can defend themselves if you put them in rough community fish tank. In fact, they make great tank mates to the likes of Oscars, uaru, severum, and other central or South American cichlids, which usually makes snack to other smaller characin at first opportunity.

One tricky part in keeping this fish is they seem need plant in their surrounding to make them feel comfortable, however, they may also make snack out of them. The sword plant is a great choice. They are big, hardy, and beautiful. Some species looks very beautiful to the point they look almost royal. Also, plant from genus Crinum. The Java fern and the Crypt. Other from that, I don’t recommend to put together with this fish. I, however, put plastic plant in their tank since I rarely turn the lamp on other than for viewing.

Water parameter and conditions had never been a major problem, other than lost some fishes due to moving house, I’ve never have any other problem. Feeding also pose minimal requirement. They eat everything I gave them, frozen bloodword, flakes, lobster pellet, tetrabits, frozen daphnia, and boiled potatoes. I also gave them cucumber from time to time. Just remember to do weekly water change since this fish is a heavy eater.

I plan to add other headstanders to my collection, the Spotted Headstander, chilodus punctatus

and the marble headstander, Abramites hypselonotus

to my collection. I’m also waiting for another batch of Anostomus anostomus and Anostomus ternetzi.

If you fortunate enough to hold a grab to these fishes, remember to have at least 6-8 fishes. Less than that, they tend to be quarrelsome among themselves and you’ll likely lose the fishes one by one until the dominant one left in the aquarium, or buy just one, because they only bother their kind only, and never bother other fish.

In conclusion, what I have in my aquarium is a very nice-looking, personable, lovable fish. If you have the opportunity to have this kind of fish, I recommend to grab it at the first chance.