Photo thanks to
Name:
Scientific name: Geotria australis
Common name: Pouched lamprey
AKA: Wide-mouthed lamprey
Country of origin: Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia – Including SA (lower Mt Lofty Ranges), WA (Margaret River - Denmark), Tas
pH:
Temperature: cm
Hardness:
Water flow: standard
Oxygenation: standard
Maximum size: 70 cm as adults. 3-8cm as juveniles.
Diet: Juveniles are filter-feeders, feeding on zooplankton & algae.
As an adult in the ocean they act as a parasite, on the sides of other fish.
Once they return to freshwater as adults they do not feed.
Breeding:
Males – have a baggy pouch under their eyes when mature.
They migrate to the sea for around 2 years, then back to freshwater to breed. They die after spawning.
They can use their mouths to grasp, then swing their bodies up, to overcome obstacles when traversing upstream, or move cross-country when required. They are generally nocturnal when migrating, hiding in caves, under driftwood or in vegetation during the day. Many die during migration.
Tank companions:
They are NOT good tankmates with shrimp.
Tank:
Not known to be kept in home aquaria.
Confused with: Other lampreys – 30 species in all, most of which spend at least some of their time in freshwater.
It is the only species in its genus.
They are silver/ cobalt blue with green stripes when in their 6 month adult phase as they migrate to the sea, but are brown when they have been in freshwater for awhile, and during their juvenile phase (up to 4 years). They have eel-like bodies, with jawless mouths, with concentric rings of rasping teeth. Their eyes are on the sides of their heads.
They are ancient fish, dating to 50 million years before the dinosaurs.
Geotria australis are NOT legal imports to Australia as of 21/10/2013:
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiv...mport-list.pdf
however, as Australian natives, they can legally be purchased from Australian stock.
The IUCN Red List reports Geotria australis as a species which has not yet been assessed at 22/10/2013:
http://www.iucnredlist.org/search
However the South Australian Department for Environment & Heritage reports that these fish are threatened species.
The main threats appear to be blocks to their migration (dams, run-offs leading to dry areas & drains, etc) and introduced species such as trout & marron which predate on eggs & juveniles.
It is very important not to release any aquarium specimens into our waterways. Any that are not sold or re-homed/ given away, can often be re-sold to aquarium stores. If they are homed in ponds, care should be taken that they cannot escape in run-off into our waterways. Even if fish are native & local they should not be moved from one waterway to another, as this can transfer disease. If they are not local fish, they can both spread disease and either out-compete or eat local fish, shrimp & plants, causing their demise.
It is a good fish for beginners +1.
References:
WA government
http://www.water.wa.gov.au/Publicati...irst/11443.pdf
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pouched_lamprey
SA government
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/fil...rey.pdf
SANFA - native, introduced species & native translocated species
http://www.sanfa.org.au/fw-fish.htm
DE
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Geotria australis - Pouched lamprey
Collapse
-
Created by:
DiscusEden
- Published: 22-10-13, 08:44 PM
- 3 comments
Categories
Collapse
article_tags
Collapse
- aquagreen (101)
- aquascape design (1)
- Australian Native plants (136)
- background (6)
- centre (3)
- driftwood (4)
- emersed (3)
- feature (3)
- foreground (6)
- green (5)
- high light (4)
- High Light plants (41)
- high tech (3)
- Home (2)
- low light (6)
- low tech (6)
- midground (2)
- moss (2)
- native (3)
- piece (4)
- plant (1)
- red (4)
- stem (4)
- Stem Plants (44)
- subwassertang (1)
Latest Articles
Collapse
-
by SOLOMON...
Nannostomus beckfordi Gold line Pencilfish/ Beckford's pencil fish, Gold pencil fish, Golden pencil fish 5.0 - 8.0 21 - 27c Article Nannostomus eques Hockeystick Pencilfish/ Brown/Rocket/Brown-tailed/Diptail/Tubemouth pencilfish/ Poeciliobrycon eques/ Poeciliobrycon auratus/ Nannobrycon 4.5 - 7.5 22 - 28c Article -
Channel: Fish
13-02-15, 12:01 PM -
-
by DiscusEden...
Nannostomus beckfordi Gold line Pencilfish/ Beckford's pencil fish, Gold pencil fish, Golden pencil fish 5.0 - 8.0 21 - 27c Article -
Channel: Fish
12-02-15, 04:23 PM -
-
by DiscusEdenBullrout Notesthes robusta
Photo thanks to murrayman85
Temperature:
pH Level: 7.0 - 8.0
General Hardness: Moderate
Max. Size: 30cm
Realistic Max. Size: 30cm
Tank Size: 4X1.5X1.5
Feeding: Usually will take any high protein pellets, live and frozen meaty foods. Can be difficult/impossible to wean.
Temperament: Aggressive as they mature.
About: Native to NSW and Southern Queensland, Bullrout or freshwater...-
Channel: Fish
11-02-15, 07:39 PM -
-
by DiscusEdenCrazy Fish Butis butis
Photo thanks to Capitan Primero
Temperature: 20 - 27c
pH Level: 7.0 - 8.2
General Hardness: Moderate - Hard
Max. Size: 13cm
Realistic Max. Size: 13cm
Tank Size: 3x1.5x1.5
Feeding: Carnivore, preference for live or frozen food, can be difficult to wean onto pellets.
Temperament: Generally Peaceful but will eat smaller fish.
About: Butis are known as Crazy Fish because they...-
Channel: Fish
11-02-15, 07:13 PM -
-
by DiscusEdenAustralian Lungfish Neoceratodus fosteri
Picture thanks to Neil Armstrong & Dave Wilson, Aquagreen
Temperature: 10 - 30c
pH Level: 6 - 8
General Hardness: hard
Max. Size: 1.5m
Realistic Max. Size: 1 Meter +
Tank Size: 6x2x2
Feeding: Worms, Shrimp, snails, beef heart, etc.
Temperament: Peaceful though sometimes nippy and will eat small fish.
About: Wow, where to start? These ancient fish have been...-
Channel: Fish
11-02-15, 06:43 PM -
http://www.sanfa.org.au/fw-fish.htm