the new guinea big-eared bat ( pharotis imogene ) is a vesper bat endemic to papua new guinea .

in 2012 , researchers realised that a female bat collected near kamali was a member of this species.due to its imperiled status , it is identified by the alliance for zero extinction as a species in danger of imminent extinction .

in 2013 , bat conservation international listed this species as one of the 35 species of its worldwide priority list of conservation .

new guinea big - eared bat

back after going missing for more than a century : the new guinea big - eared bat .
in march 2014 the bat was loaned to the australian museum in sydney , where researcher harry parnaby identified it as pharotis imogene – the new guinea big - eared bat .
this article was co - authored by catherine hughes . the new guinea big - eared bat was rediscovered as part of her honours project at the university of queensland .
more than a century after it was “lost” , the new guinea big - eared bat has been discovered by queensland researchers working in papua new guinea’s forests . the critically endangered bat was thought to be extinct , and the discovery shows there is still much to learn about biodiversity in our region .
the new guinea big - eared bat ( pharotis imogene ) , is a species of vesper bat endemic to papua new guinea . it is listed as a critically endangered species due to ongoing habitat loss . it is the only known member of the genus pharotis , which is closely related to nyctophilus .
the new guinea big - eared bat , like the rest of the genera pharotis and nyctophilus , is distinguished by a combination of two features : large ears and a simple “nose - leaf” structure immediately behind the nostrils . collectively , the group of species is known as long - eared ( or big - eared ) bats . p . imogene has larger ears than most .
scientists in australia are walking back their presumption that the new guinea big - eared bat ( pharotis imogene ) - - a species of bat last spotted in 1890 - - was lost . field researchers recently realized that one of the specimens they collected during an expedition to papua new guinea in 2012 was none other than the supposedly extinct bat , which has not been seen in more than 120 years .
in a study published last week , the team described how it was able to identify the specimen as the presumed extinct new guinea big - eared bat . though the winged creature was initially thought to be a small - toothed bat , which also has characteristically large ears and a leaf - like nose structure , comparative material allowed researchers to confirm that the specimen is the pharotis imogene . ( the first and - - until now - - only specimens of the new guinea big - eared bat were reportedly collected by an italian scientist in 1890 . )
when catherine and julie captured their bat , on the edge of logged forest near an old coconut plantation now covered with grassland , they thought it was either the small - toothed nyctophilus ( nyctophilus microdon ) or a pharotis – the genus to which the new guinea big - eared bat belongs .
now that the long - lost species has been rediscovered , so to speak , researchers are seeking to determine how the big - eared bat remained hidden for more than 120 years .
the new guinea big - eared bat pharotis imogene has not been reported since the first and only specimens were collected in 1890 and the species was presumed extinct . we document the capture of one individual of the species from the coastal district of abau , in central province , papua new guinea , 120 km east of the only previous known locality at kamali . we recommend that field surveys be urgently undertaken to assess the conservation status of the species .
— this is a list of the mammal species recorded in papua new guinea . there are 242 mammal species in papua new guinea , of which 7 are critically endangered , 12 are endangered , 39 are vulnerable , and 0 are near threatened . [ this list is derived from …
— this is a list of the bird species recorded in papua new guinea . the avifauna of papua new guinea includes a total of 781 species , of which 76 are endemic , one has been introduced by humans , and 18 are rare or accidental . 28 species are globally… …
new species of mammals from northern south america : a long - tongued bat , genus anoura gray .
nothing is known of the ecology of new guinea big - eared bat , and therefore more surveys are needed in the coastal lowland rainforests of southern png . many lowland rainforest habitats are being disturbed by timber logging ( both sustainable and otherwise ) , clearing for development , and agriculture . the effect of these disturbances on the bat is unknown ; however if the species is found in low numbers , it may be threatened by local disturbances .
researchers recommended further field studies in order to evaluate the conservation status of the species . as the conversation notes , timber logging in lowland rainforest areas on the island could potentially disturb the big - eared bat ' s habitat , if the population is relatively low .
a third geographic region where bat - catching by web - building spiders was repeatedly witnessed ( seven reports ) is the area of australia ( report # 39–44 ) and papua new guinea ( report # 45 ) . most australian incidences were observed in the coastal areas of new south wales and queensland (
as the authors note in a may 30 article for the conversation , much of lowland papua new guinea ' s rainforests are being cut down for timber or to make way for development or agriculture . that practice could place additional pressures on the big - eared bats as well as other microbats in the region . in other words , we may not have another 120 years to save this rediscovered species .
this research was undertaken with permission from the national research institute , papua new guinea , who organised the research visa to conduct field research in cloudy bay , abau , central province , papua new guinea . this work was conducted under animal ethics approval , granted from the university of queensland animal ethics committee number : safs / 165 / 11 / various funds
might be less efficient in bat catching . the only reported incidence where a bat got entangled in a
— taxobox name = big eared flying fox status = lr / lc | status system = iucn2 . 3 regnum = animalia phylum = chordata classis = mammalia ordo = chiroptera familia = pteropodidae genus = pteropus species = p . macrotis binomial = pteropus macrotis… …
3 new species of weird , endangered fish discovered in india , u . s and colombia
on july 25 , 2012 , catherine hughes and julie broken - brow caught a small , female bat in a trap at the edge of a forest in southeast papua new guinea ( png ) . but the bat didn’t match any species known to exist . and so began a fascinating detective story about a species that hadn’t been spotted for more than 120 years .
churchill s ( 2008 ) australian bats , 2 nd edition . sydney : new holland . 255 p .
griffin dr ( 1958 ) listening in the dark . new haven : yale university press . 413 p .
of course , conclusively identifying a species that hasn ' t been seen in 124 years is no easy task , especially when ( as in this case ) the only previously known sample used to describe it has long since disappeared . as recounted in the may 28 issue of records of the australian museum , parnaby was able to distinguish the rediscovered bat from other species by the curve of its nose , the size and lobes of its ears and the naked skin above its nostrils . other than these relatively minor physical attributes the pharotis bat looks quite similar to another local species , the small - toothed long - eared bat ( nyctophilus microdon ) . in fact , a specimen from this species was found in 1985 and initially misidentified as the big - eared bat until it was reexamined three years later .
sometimes research into one question reveals the answer to another . in july 2012 catherine hughes and julie broken - brow , students at the university of queensland in australia , were in papua new guinea studying how the region’s tiny microbats responded to sustainable logging of their forest homes .
gertsch wj ( 1979 ) american spiders , 2 nd edition . new york : van nostrand reinhold . 196 p .
marshall sd ( 2001 ) tarantulas and other arachnids . hauppauge , new york : barron’s educational series , inc . 111 p .
pp . 151–200 in ecology of bats ( t . h . kunz , ed . ) . plenum publishing corporation , new york
lunar phobia in a neotropical fruit bat , artibeus jamaicensis ( chiroptera : phyllostomidae ) .
collected by queensland students catherine hughes and julie broken - brow in july 2012 , the female bat was euthanized and held at the papua new guinea national museum and art gallery for future research . then , nearly two years later , harry parnaby , a research associate from the australian museum , received the specimen on loan so he could determine the species , according to australian news website the conversation .
leen n , novick a ( 1969 ) the world of bats . new york : holt , rinehart and winston . 171 p .
allen gm ( 2004 ) bats : biology , behavior , and folklore . new york : dover publications , inc . 368 p .
sometimes research into one question reveals the answer to another . in july 2012 catherine hughes and julie broken - brow , students at the university of queensland in australia , were in papua new guinea studying how the region ' s tiny microbats responded to sustainable logging of their forest homes . as part of the project , the scientists trapped and caught 41 bats from nine known species—as well as a female bat they could not immediately identify .
field rate of metabolisms and water uptake in the blossom - bat syconycteris australis ( megachiroptera ) .
— for other uses , see bat ( disambiguation ) . bats temporal range : 52–0 ma …
now that p . imogene has been rediscovered , the authors note that much remains to be learned about it . part of hughes and broken - brow ' s original work involved recording the echolocation calls of papua new guinea ' s bats . we still don ' t know what the big - eared bats sound like nor do we know anything about their ecology . what are their habitat requirements ? what do they eat ? how and where do they nest ? how many of these rare bats remain ? the authors wrote that
detailed surveys are needed to critically determine whether this species requires the proximity of both rainforest and more open habitats ,
which would help to determine regional forestry practices . they also note that earlier surveys of protected areas have never turned up any sign of this species . the bat was found in an unprotected area , so its habitats may be at risk . they recommend new surveys to establish the bat ' s distribution and abundance , additional acoustic studies to see if its echolocation calls can be identified and ( if anyone gets that far ) radio surveys to define their habitat and roosting requirements at various stages of their reproductive cycle .
habitat exploitation by a gleaning bat , plecotus auritus . philosophical transactions of the royal society london , b
seasonal changes in energetics and torpor patterns in the subtropical blossom - bat syconycteris australis ( megachiroptera ) .
this species has not been recorded from any protected areas . field surveys using appropriate sampling techniques ( e . g . , harp traps ) are urgently needed to determine if this species is still extant . this is one of the highest priorities for surveys in papua new guinea ( f . bonaccorso pers . comm . ) . any important roosting or foraging sites should be protected .
measurements of the new specimen are consistent with those of the first specimens collected in 1890 from a coastal village called kamali , 120 km west of our study site .
whitaker jo , hamilton wj ( 1998 ) mammals of the eastern united states , 3 rd edition . ithaca , new york : cornell university press . 608 p .
fresh weight and wingspan of bat species reported to be captured by spiders ( arranged in alphabethical order ) .
the trap that caught the bat was only at the site for two nights , making this discovery particularly lucky .
heterothermy and the use of torpor by the bat eptesicus fuscus ( chiroptera : vespertilionidae ) : a field study .
pp . 11–45 in high altitude tropical biogeography ( f . vuilleumier and m . monasterio , eds . ) . oxford university press and american museum of natural history , new york
- have been reported so far to be engaged in bat catching . it can be assumed , however , that other
justification : listed as critically endangered ( possibly extinct ) because if this species still exists it is likely to have a very small population size , and small range size that is subject to a continued decline in extent of occurrence , area of occupancy , and the extent and quality of habitat . this species has not been recorded in more than 100 years ( since 1890 ) and it is known only from a rapidly changing portion of southeastern papua new guinea . there is still a possibility that new survey methods to the region , particularly harp traps , might lead to the rediscovery of this species and such surveys are urgently needed .
temperature regulation , rate of metabolism , and roost temperature in the greater white - lined bat saccopteryx bilineata ( emballonuridae ) .
fifty - two reports of bat - catching spiders based on literature and unpublished data ( for more details see file s1 ) .
the roles of energetics , water economy , foraging behavior , and geothermal refugia in the distribution of the bat , macrotus californicus .
it is the first record of the species since 1890 – meaning that this bat was missing in action for the entire 20th century .
resource and habitat use in two frugivorous bat species ( phyllostomidae : carollia perspicillata and c . castanea ) in panama : mechanisms of coexistence
foraging mode and echolocation call frequency of adult bat species reported to be captured in spider webs ( arranged in order of increasing peak frequency ) .
pp . 39–47 in biology of bats of the new world family phyllostomatidae . part i ( r . j . baker , j . k . jones , jr . , and d . c . carter , eds . )
care and management of the long - tongued bat , glossophaga soricina ( chiroptera , phyllostomatidae ) in the laboratory , with observation on estivation induced by food deprivation .
in 2013 , a rapid biodiversity survey conducted by the wildlife conservation society in a remote location of png ( hindenburg wall ) discovered at least 89 new plant and animal species . these surveys show that png’s biodiversity numbers will continue to grow as we survey more of the country .
was observed eating a bat on the forest floor in northeastern brazil ( r . west , pers . comm . ; report # 3 ) . moreover , a large reddish parachute tarantula ,
; report # 11 ) , the captured bat might have been a juvenile fruit - eating phyllostomid bat though the features needed for a positive identification were not sufficiently recognizable in the photo ( a . gardner , pers . comm . ) . the old world flying foxes ( pteropodidae ) have never been reported to get captured or killed by spiders except for one report from captivity . liat
; g . jones , pers . comm . ) . one might expect such highly specialized foragers to be sufficiently well adapted to avoid collisions with spider webs . however , studies in new south wales ( australia ) and bavaria ( germany ) revealed that gleaning insectivorous bats ( i . e . ,
, may 2011 ) . another incidence of a bat caught in a spider web was observed on the isle of wight , south east england ( g . street , pers . comm . ) .
deaths of bats in spider webs have been considered to occur very rarely . in two more recent papers , a web - building spider , argiope savignyi , and a theraphosid spider , poecilotheria rufilata , were each reported to predate on a small bat [ 30 ] – [ 31 ] . these authors hypothesized that bat captures and kills due to spiders might be more frequent than previously thought . to test this hypothesis , an extensive global literature survey on bat - catching spiders was conducted , along with an attempt to use web - based sources as well . the insights from this research are reviewed here .
previously , the species was believed to have been extinct since 1890 , when it was last spotted . in 2012 , researchers realized that a female bat collected near kamali was a member of this species .
an extensive bibliographic search was conducted in order to find any information available on bat - catching spiders . the search was based largely on the thomson - reuters data base ( web of science ) , google scholar , google books , proquest dissertations & theses , and flickr image - hosting website ( hosting more than 6 billion images ) . in addition to this , an internet search for blogger information on this topic was conducted . bloggers who had posted photographs and reports on bat - catching spiders on the internet were contacted to get detailed information on their observations . furthermore , the staff of bat hospitals was contacted to get information on bats rescued from spider webs . finally , an inquiry among fellow arachnologists and chiropterologists was carried out to get access to unpublished reports on this topic . many of these experts had conducted field studies for decades , and their feedback provided valuable information needed to assess how frequent incidences of bat catches by spiders might be . altogether , 52 reports on bat - catching spiders could be gathered (
threlfall c ( 2011 ) conserving biodiversity in urban landscapes . mechanisms influencing the distribution , community assembly and resource use of insectivorous bats in sydney , australia . ph . d . thesis , evolution & ecology research centre , school of biological , earth and environmental sciences , university of new south wales , sydney , australia .
web ended with the bat’s successful escape . nevertheless this spider species should not be ruled out as a potential predator of small bats ; it is known to catch and eat various types of vertebrates including small birds
in general , moderate spatial overlap occurred between the foraging and core areas of individual bats ( fig . 2 ) , which were distributed along the lakeshore in bat cove , at fairchild and harvard peninsula , and around colorado point . during some nights 1 female ( f3 ) crossed the canal and spent part of the night foraging somewhere around the mainland peninsula buena vista . this individual thus had at least 1 other foraging area , the exact location of which could not be determined because we were not able to continuously follow this bat and obtain a sufficient number of radiofixes within that area . bat f5 had by far the largest home range and its foraging areas were located far from one another . during some tracking nights we lost contact with the bat as it moved quickly out of the range of the receivers . on 1 night , we managed to follow this bat as it traveled about 7 . 5 km from the day roost along the barro colorado island shoreline to another foraging area located around gigante , a nearby mainland peninsula ( fig . 2f ) .
the bat was ethically euthanized and taken to the png national museum and art gallery in port moresby . specimens like this are an important reference for future research , and also a good way to identify species whose identity cannot be confirmed in the field .
to facilitate comparison with other studies , we used 95 % kernel isopleths to delineate foraging areas ( white and garrot 1990 ) . in contrast to the home range , foraging areas do not include the day roost and areas traversed by a bat while commuting .
bat - catching spiders belong to the araneomorph families nephilidae ( golden silk orb - weavers ) , araneidae ( orb - weaver spiders ) , sparassidae ( huntsman spiders ) , and the mygalomorph family theraphosidae ( tarantulas ) . furthermore , an attack attempt by an araneomorph hunting spider of the family pisauridae ( fishing spiders ) was witnessed . seventy - three percent of the known incidences of bat catches were attributable to orb - weaving spiders , 15 % to unidentified web - building spiders , and 12 % to hunting spiders (
a second geographic region where bat - catching by web - building spiders has frequently been reported ( 13 reports ; 2i and l ) is eastern and southeastern asia including locations in china ( report # 26–34 ) , japan ( report # 35 ) , vietnam ( report # 36 ) , malaysia ( report # 37 ) , and sri lanka ( report # 38 ) . here , bat - catching by spiders have been witnessed particularly often in the eastern coastal area of china , specifically in parks and forests of the greater hong kong area (
we further identified number and locations of foraging and core areas of each tracked individual and calculated the distances a bat traveled on a nightly basis within its range to describe patterns of range use . specifically , we calculated the minimum distance flown per night ( based on the distance between successive fixes ) , as well as maximum range span , that is , the distance between the day roost and the farthest point of a bat ' s home range . moreover , we quantified the distances the bats traveled when commuting from the day roost to the nearest foraging area .
in the bat communities of andean cloud forests , frugivores represent the most species - rich guild , in contrast with lowland rain forest bat communities , where insectivores are the dominant guild ( fleming 1986 ; graham 1983 ; patterson et al . 1996 ; soriano 2000 ; soriano et al . 1999 ) . apparently , insectivores of tropical origin have a limit to their vertical distribution that prevents them from accessing andean cloud forests , and only some vespertilionidae of neartic origin reach these forests , along with a few representatives of the molossidae ( soriano 2000 ; soriano et al . 1999 ) .
with regard to bat - eating theraphosids photographed in the neotropics and in india , the actual killing of the bats was not witnessed . however , it has been proven by means of observations in captivity that large theraphosids are capable of killing bats . this is shown in a youtube video where a
the neotropical orb - weaving spider eriophora fuliginea has been observed to kill and eat small bats that got entangled in its webs [ 8 ] , [ 37 ] , [ 101 ] . when a bat got caught in a web , the spider immobilized the bat by attack - wrapping and subsequently biting it [ 101 ] . following this , the spiders fed on the dead bats for many hours ( d . e . wilson , pers . comm . ) . the incidences of bats being caught , killed , and eaten in webs of eriophora spp . are without any doubt predation events .
png is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots . the country accounts for about 7 % of the world’s species diversity , with about 276 known mammal species , 314 freshwater fish , 641 amphibian and reptile species , 740 birds , and many more . according to the world wildlife fund , between 1998 and 2008 , 1060 new species were discovered , including a blue - eyed spotted cuscus , a 2 . 5 metre freshwater shark , and a giant bent - toed gecko .
) : vespertilionidae ( plain - faced bats ) , emballonuridae ( sheath - tailed bats ) , rhinolophidae ( horseshoe bats ) , hipposideridae ( old world leaf - nosed bats ) and phyllostomidae ( new world leaf - nosed bats ) . in 31 % of the reported incidences the captured bats remained unidentified . the majority of identifiable captured bats belonged to the families vespertilionidae ( 64 % of reports ) or emabllonuridae ( 22 % ) , whereas only few reports existed for hipposideridae ( 8 % ) and one for rhinolophidae ( 3 % ) . the capture of phyllostomid bats was only reported once ( report # 20 ) or maybe twice ( report # 11 ) . in the latter , uncertain report , concerning a small brown - coloured bat entangled in a spider web in guatemala (
during these inquiries we got access to several previously unpublished photographs of bat - catching spiders . these photographs were shown to established bat and spider taxonomists for identification of the bats and spiders , respectively . in a few cases photographs of habitats were sent to vegetation specialists for proper habitat classification . nomenclature follows [ 32 ] – [ 33 ] . spiders reported in this paper are divided into two major groups based on foraging mode ( sensu gertsch [ 14 ] ) : “hunting spiders” ( i . e . , spiders that forage without the use of a catching web ) and “web - building spiders” ( i . e . , spiders that forage using a catching web ) . data on spider weight and size as well as bat weight , wingspan , foraging mode and echolocation call frequency were taken from the literature when available . report numbers used in the results , tables and figures refer to the respective detailed report description ( see file s1 ) .
with about 150 species , new world leaf - nosed bats ( phyllostomidae ) are dominant components of local bat faunas in neotropical lowland forests . phyllostomid bats are ecologically highly diverse and unparalleled in their feeding habits , exploiting a wide selection of foods , ranging from fruit , leaves , nectar , and pollen to insects and other arthropods , small vertebrates , and blood ( e . g . , findley 1993 ; kalko et al . 1996 ) . although radiotracking studies have long focused on frugivorous members of this speciose family ( charles - dominique 1991 ; fleming 1988 ; handley et al . 1991 ; heithaus et al . 1975 ; morrison 1978 ; thies 1998 ) , insectivorous species have just started to receive some attention ( bernard and fenton 2003 ; kalko et al . 1999 ; weinbeer and kalko 2004 ) .
consumption reached a minimum level at least once , the bat was taken from the chamber , body temperature was measured with a rapid - read thermometer , and body mass was measured . rate of metabolism , as determined by rate of oxygen consumption , was calculated and expressed as a mass - specific rate with the equation of
energetic variables reported for bat species with different diets and from lowland and montane habitats . actual values measured are compared with predicted values ( as percentages of predicted ) . for bascal metabolic rate , predicted value is from mcnab ( 1988 ) , and for thermal conductance , predicted value is from herreid and kessel ( 1967 )
( pisauridae ) to kill a bat pup has been witnessed below a bridge in indiana , usa ( p . clem & v . brack , pers . comm . ; report # 6 ) . however , in this latter case the predation attempt failed probably because the spider was frightened by the presence of the photographing observers ( see
; report # 49–50 ) , and these both refer to warm areas in the southern usa . incidences of bat catches by orb - weaving spiders are unknown from the northern part of north america ( b . fenton , pers . comm . ) . likewise , incidences of this type have not been reported in the ukrainian and russian scientific literature ( a . t . bashta , pers . comm . ) . only two incidences of bats being captured in spider webs have been reported from europe ( report # 51–52 ) . in one case , a dead bat was found entangled in the web of an orb - weaving spider on a building site near stuttgart , germany ( german tabloid
field observations . —occasionally we were able to follow a bat ' s flight path with a flashlight by illuminating the reflecting tape attached to the transmitter . characteristically , the bats foraged at low heights ( < 50 cm ) above the water surface , either flying under or close to overhanging vegetation along the shore but they often also ventured out several tens of meters onto the lake . in general , however , most bats hunted within 50 m from shore . in this context , 1 female ( f4 ) again was a notable exception because examination of our tracking data indicates that this bat periodically foraged at large distances , sometimes as far as 600 m , away from shore out on the lake .
the purpose of this paper is to examine adaptive responses of 3 bat species with different food habits ; responses , which the species use to solve problems of survival and energy balance in neotropical high mountains . thus , we will take into account theoretical aspects of metabolism and temperature regulation to characterize physiological features that distinguish some species that are capable of living in such environments .
in temperate latitudes , the vespertilionid bat eptesicus fuscus uses facultative daily torpor linked to environmental and reproductive conditions ( audet and fenton 1988 ) . however , the cost of this mechanism in pregnant females is prolonged gestation . characteristics shown by e . fuscus possibly occur in tropical montane representatives of the vespertilionidae , permitting this family to have a higher representation than molossidae in tropical cloud forests .
in this paper we test the hypothesis that bats of the andean highlands show distinctive metabolic responses compared with bats from lowland forests . we compared existing literature with new information on 3 bat species having the following food habits : a nectarivore ( anoura latidens ) , a frugivore ( sturnira erythromos ) , and an insectivore ( tadarida brasiliensis ) . basal metabolic rate , as determined by oxygen consumption , thermal conductance , and body temperature were measured at ambient temperatures of 10–38°c . some distinctive metabolic responses of these bat species , although varying with respect to food guild , allow us to separate them from counterpart species that are typically found in lowland forests . a . latidens is characterized by higher basal metabolic rate ; however , thermal conductance and lower critical temperature values do not show an adaptation to cool environments , as expected . s . erythromos also increases its basal metabolic rate , but it maintains thermal conductance as expected , which implies a very important displacement of thermoneutral zone to lower temperatures . at temperatures below lower critical temperature , in addition to an endothermic response , s . erythromos sometimes expresses a hypothermic response or facultative torpor , independent of sex and body mass . t . brasiliensis has a lower basal metabolic rate and thermal conductance and also has its thermoneutral zone range displaced toward lower temperatures . likewise , this species enters obligate torpor when ambient temperatures are below 22°c .
although available information is yet very limited , there is evidence to support the hypothesis that thermoregulatory restrictions prevent some species of bats from inhabiting high mountain environments . this includes the tendency for metabolic rate , minimal thermal conductance , and lower critical temperature in some bat species in andean cloud forests to vary with food habits . qualitative and quantitative differences separate andean mountain bats from those of lowland forests .
— bat1 / bat / , n . , v . , batted , batting . n . 1 . sports . a . the wooden club used in certain games , as baseball and cricket , to strike the ball . b . a racket , esp . one used in badminton or table tennis . c . a whip used by a jockey . d . the act of using a… …
) , body temperature , and thermal conductance were measured . although temperature intervals were not the same for each species , the experiments were done at ambient temperatures between 10 and 38°c . measurements were taken in an open - flow respirometer using the following protocol : the bat was placed in an hermetic metabolic chamber of 450 ml with mesh plastic walls and roof to allow it to rest in a normal position . a sufficient quantity of lead bullets was put at the bottom of the chamber to permit submersion in a thermally controlled bath . ambient temperatures inside the metabolic chamber were measured by thermocouples connected to a hh23 microprocessor digital thermometer ( omega , stamford , connecticut ) . air was pumped from the room through the chamber , maintaining an air flow of 70–80 ml / min , measured by a matheson 601 rotameter ( secaucus , new jersey ) . to ensure adequate mixing of air in the chamber , incoming and outgoing air tubes were placed at different levels . outgoing air flowed through a column of indicating silica gel to dehydrate it , through another column of indicating soda lime that absorbed co
yet at the same time , major losses to png’s biodiversity are being caused by rapid human population growth , forest degradation by illegal logging and trading , the establishment of plantations ( palm oil , coconut , coffee ) , mining and forestry , and climate change . while our team are delighted with rediscovering this bat from extinction , we are still saddened by the plight of other animals such as the bramble cay melomys in nearby torres strait .
the transmitters were attached to the backs of the bats below the scapulae , usually after partially trimming the fur , and tightly glued onto the skin of the bat by using histoacrylic glue ( braun surgical , melsungen , germany ) . recaptured individuals showed no signs of any injury that could have resulted from tagging . in an attempt to visually locate feeding bats at night , some transmitters were additionally marked with a small piece of red reflecting tape .
locations of individual home ranges , and foraging and core areas . —examination of our tracking data indicates that m . macrophyllum forages exclusively over water , whereby all bats restricted their flight activity predominantly to the immediate shoreline of gatun lake ( within approximately 50 m ) . this resulted in most cases in distinctly elongated home - range shapes ( fig . 1 ) . we have no evidence that bats also used the forest as a hunting habitat . except for bat m2 , which spent most of its foraging time around colorado point ( fig . 2a ) , males in general and a harem male ( m3 ) in particular , used small foraging and core areas that were located in laboratory cove or bat cove , that is , in close proximity to their day roost in the barracuda ( fig . 2b ) . females , in contrast , were much more variable , having foraging and core areas both close to and very distant from the day roost ( figs . 2c - f ) .
the species chosen for this study inhabit the andean cloud forest ( > 2 , 000 m elevation ) and belong to each of the 3 different dietary types found in this ecological unit . thus , we worked with anoura latidens , a nectar–polinivorous species with a wide elevational range ( 50–2 , 240 m ) but found most frequently in montane localities ( handley 1984 ) ; sturnira erythromos , a frugivorous bat that occurs in montane environments with a narrow elevation range in venezuela ( 1 , 000–2 , 500 m— handley 1976 ) ; and tadarida brasiliensis , an insectivorous bat with a wide distribution range , which includes subtropical regions of north and south america and the tropical andes ( wilkins 1989 ) . in south america , t . brasiliensis seems to be absent in the amazonian basin , and although it seems to prefer the mountain region in the neotropics ( up to 2 , 107 m— handley 1976 ) , this species may be found at low elevations ( koopman 1982 ; wilkins 1989 ) .
use of foraging and core areas . —although overall ranges were large , m . macrophyllum concentrated its activity in small core - use areas of typically less than 10 ha , representing roughly 35 % of the size of foraging areas . there was moderate spatial overlap between foraging and core areas of individual bats ( fig . 2 ) . however , because we were only able to track 1 bat at a time , we could not test whether there was also temporal overlap in the use of feeding sites .
all five groups of bat - catching spider taxa ( nephilidae , araneidae , theraphosidae , sparassidae , and pisauridae ) are known to be predominantly predaceous on insects [ 14 ] , [ 53 ] , [ 64 ] , [ 69 ] , [ 101 ] . with regard to large - sized theraphosids , sparassids , and pisaurids , their feeding behavior in the field has not been thoroughly investigated and one cannot currently judge whether predation on bats is of significance to them from a feeding ecological point of view .
database . —between april and july 2002 , 10 bats ( 6 females and 4 males ) were tagged for radiotracking . data from 1 female that lost the transmitter by the beginning of the 3rd night of tracking were excluded from analyses . the database thus consisted of 5 females and 4 males ( hereafter referred to as f1–f5 and m1–m4 , respectively ) that were tracked for an average of 5 . 3 nights ± 0 . 9 sd each . this led to 519 . 5 h of tracking with on average 422 . 5 h ( 82 % ) of contact time ( range = 55–100 % ) during which a bat could be followed closely .
this insectivorous species shows the lowest basal metabolic rate and thermal conductance measured for any tropical bat ( 42 % and 68 % , respectively , of expected values for their body mass ; table 1 ) . these values appear below the 95 % confidence limit for regressions for lowland insectivorous bats , both for basal metabolic rate and for thermal conductance as a function of body mass . likewise , t . brasiliensis shows the lowest values known for upper and lower critical temperatures ( table 1 ) . although some of these features differ from those found for the nectarivores and frugivores examined in this study , they are in agreement with what can be expected for insectivorous bats .
the nectarivorous bat , a . latidens , is endothermic and has a high basal metabolic rate ; however , its high thermal conductance and lower critical temperature do not show an adaptation to cool environments as expected . further data from additional individuals are necessary to characterize this species . the frugivore s . erythromos has a high basal metabolic rate and maintains thermal conductance as expected , which implies a very important displacement of thermoneutral zone to lower temperatures . at temperatures below the lower critical temperature , some bats express a hypothermic response or facultative torpor . one insectivore , t . brasiliensis , has very low basal metabolic rate and thermal conductance and a thermoneutral zone range displaced toward lower temperatures , and all the individuals enter obligate torpor at ambient temperatures < 22°c .
fostered by recent advances in transmitter miniaturization , radiotracking has proven a particularly powerful technique for investigating many aspects of bat ecology , including home - range requirements and patterns of space and habitat use . however , so far most detailed radiotracking studies have concentrated on temperate - zone species ( e . g . , catto et al . 1996 ; entwistle et al . 1996 ; leonard and fenton 1983 ; robinson and stebbings 1997 ; wai - ping and fenton 1989 ) , whereas relatively few studies have been conducted in the tropics ( e . g . , bernard and fenton 2003 ; charles - dominique 1991 ; fenton et al . 1993 ; fleming 1988 ; gannon and willig 1997 ; kalko et al . 1999 ; morrison 1978 ; reviewed in kalko 1998 ) .
anatomical features such as very dense fur , absence of an uropatagium , small ears , and densely haired feet and toes ( de la torre 1961 ) can partially compensate for the tendency for rapid heat loss caused by high temperature differentials between the bat and the ambient air . an additional feature is the dual response that s . erythromos shows to temperatures below the lower critical temperature , which we interpret as facultative torpor . we observed that individuals could respond as typical normotherms or as hypotherms ( fig . 2 ) . as hypotherms , bats entered reversible torpor and decreased their body temperature ( hypothermia ) . this physiological response allows them to reduce energetic expenditures . s . lilium can economize between 10 % and 30 % of its reserves under similar conditions via hypothermia ( audet and thomas 1997 ) .
absolute and mass - specific values of basal metabolic rate obtained for the montane nectarivorous bat a . latidens are among the highest known for glossophagine bats ( table 1 ) . the high basal metabolic rate permits a . latidens to maintain constant body temperature . such physiological response has been demonstrated previously for mammals with feeding habits based on carbohydrates ( mcnab 1986 ) . all representatives of the genus anoura inhabit mountain environments and use caves , caverns , and rocky shelters as diurnal refuges , where they roost in small groups ( lemke and tamsitt 1979 ) . within diurnal refuges , they are exposed to ambient temperatures below their lower critical temperature ( 19°c—a . ruiz , in litt . ) ; consequently , high basal metabolic rate allows them to resist the temperature differential between their body and the environment ( arends et al . 1995 ) .
this frugivorous bat shows both the highest mass - specific basal metabolic rate among those known for lowlands and a high value among frugivore bats for minimal thermal conductance ( table 1 ) . the basal metabolic rate of s . erythromos is above the 95 % confidence limit for the regression obtained for the mass - specific basal metabolic rate of frugivore bats from neotropical lowlands . its thermal conductance value places it at the upper end of the expected range for a regression line of lowland frugivorous bats ( table 1 ) . on the other hand , the range of thermoneutral zone is the smallest of the guild ( table 1 ) , and s . erythromos also shows the lowest lower critical temperature in relation to size ; this value is shared with other much larger species such as artibeus jamaicensis and a . lituratus ( table 1 ) .
in the tropics , huge nephilid orb - webs ( genera nephila and nephilengys ) sometimes block the entrances to bat caves ( [ 61 ] ; c . dietz , pers . comm . ) . such cave entrance inhabiting nephilid populations have been discovered in east and south east asia as well as in the neotropics . so far it is unknown to what extend cave - roosting bats flying back and forth between caves and foraging areas are able to detect and avoid these webs . since it is hypothesized that the bats might navigate by spatial memory while passing through cave entrances [ 121 ] , it is conceivable that some of them may crash into nephilid webs within the cave’s entrance zone , given the fact that in some areas they leave caves at dusk in gigantic swarms . monitoring nephild webs at cave entrances by means of video recording devices could bring an answer to this question .
another factor that influences home - range size , in addition to foraging mode , is availability and distribution of food in space and time . small aerial insects , in contrast to , for instance , frogs , which often occur aggregated at spawning pools , are more widely distributed throughout the landscape . thus , bats like m . macrophyllum exploiting this resource should travel longer distances on a nightly basis and have large home ranges . for instance , weinbeer and kalko ( 2004 ) found average home ranges of 46 ha ( range 19–158 ha ) for the insectivorous bat lampronycteris brachyis ( phyllostomidae ) on barro colorado island . similar to m . macrophyllum ( weinbeer et al . , in press ) , this species was characterized by a high flight activity of more than 3 h per night , during which the bats traveled estimated distances of several dozen kilometers ( m . macrophyllum : about 35–50 km , l . brachyotis : approximately 60 km ) , paralleling many aerial insectivorous vespertilionids .
the neotropical orb - weaving spider nephila clavipes has been witnessed catching bats quite frequently ( 9 reports ) , but in none of these cases was it seen biting , wrapping or eating a bat . likewise , birds trapped in the webs of this spider species were apparently not consumed [ 22 ] – . only once has a neotropical nephila been observed biting a bird , but without subsequent consumption of the prey [ 22 ] . it has been suggested that nephila clavipes might be unable to deal with large , aggressive prey such as bats and birds [ 24 ] , [ 27 ] . if this latter assumption is true , then the captures of bats in the webs of nephila clavipes would be cases of non - predation deaths ( the bats dying of exhaustion , starvation , dehydration , and / or hyperthermia ) . the two european incidences where bats were killed in spider webs without the spiders feeding on them must be considered to have been cases of non - predation deaths as well .
in recent years , the idea has been proposed that the occasional catch of large , energetically rewarding prey may be essential in order to fulfil the reproductive needs of large orb - weaving spiders ( “rare , large prey” hypothesis ; see [ 122 ] – [ 123 ] ) . while large orb - weavers such as nephila spp . capture predominantly small insects of little energetic value , they derive the bulk of their energy from a few rare , large prey items ( see [ 46 ] , [ 49 ] , [ 53 ] , [ 122 ] ) . in this context “rare , large prey” encompasses large insects ( e . g . , cicadas , moths , coleopterans , orthopterans , and odonates ) as well as small flying vertebrates ( bats and birds ) . in our opinion , the examples of bat - eating orb - weavers reported in this paper are consistent with the
rare , large prey
hypothesis , though one may object to this given the rarity of such events .
the ancova analysis ( table 1 ) of data available for 21 tropical bat species and the 3 species in this study indicates that log 10 of basal metabolic rate is significantly correlated with log 10 of body mass ( p = 0 . 0035 , r 2 = 0 . 40 ) and with food habits ( p = 0 . 00002 ) . it is not significantly correlated with maximal elevation range ( p = 0 . 56 ) . although elevation did not show an effect on log 10 of basal metabolic rate , when both elevation and food habits are taken into account , a statistically significant impact on log 10 of metabolic rate was obtained ( p = 0 . 0002 ) . this implies that elevation does not have the same effect as diet on metabolic responses of the various dietary groups examined . our results seem to show that both the nectarivorous a . latidens and the frugivorous s . erythromos increase their basal metabolic rate as a response to elevation , whereas the insectivorous t . brasiliensis shows the opposite response , probably as a consequence of its poor energetic budget .
the lowest temperature at which a bat maintained its basal metabolic rate ( lower critical temperature ) was determined by finding the intersection between regression lines with best fit to data , calculated by minimal squares method for values inside and below the zone of thermal neutrality ( nickerson et al . 1989 ) . in the case of a . latidens , the method of nickerson et al . ( 1989 ) was not feasible because this species showed different conductances in and below thermal neutrality ; consequently , we define lower critical temperature as the minimal value of ambient temperature in which the range of basal metabolic rate was independent of ambient temperature . an approximation to upper critical temperature was obtained as the inflection point in metabolic rate as ambient temperature increased . differences in metabolic rate as well as in thermal conductance between normothermic and hypothermic bats were tested using 1 - way analysis of variance . analysis of covariance ( ancova ) was used to test the impact of various factors on basal rate of different species of tropical bats for which data were available from the literature . thus , log 10 of basal metabolic rate = f ( log 10 body mass , maximal elevation range , and diet ) .
movement patterns . —commuting distances between day roost and nearest foraging area ranged from 0 to 4 . 35 km , with no significant difference between the sexes ( males : median = 0 km , iqr = 0 km ; females : 0 . 040 km , iqr = 0–3 . 38 km ; z = –1 . 60 , p = 0 . 109 ) . except for 2 females ( fl and f4 ) whose single foraging areas were located more than 2 and 4 km away from the day roost , the majority of individuals had their closest foraging area directly adjacent to their day roost . in commuting between day roost and feeding areas or between the latter , tagged individuals typically did not fly the most direct route , which would have led them through forest , but closely followed the shoreline or flew over open water instead . some bats ( m1 , m2 , and f1 ) flew over or crossed only small , forested areas en route to their foraging areas . during commutes along the shoreline , the bats attained a flight speed of approximately 8 . 3 m / s ( 30 km / h ) as estimated based on the speed of our motorboats ( determined by use of a global positioning system unit ) while closely tracking a bat .


the royal knifefish or indochina featherback , chitala blanci , is a species of fish in the notopteridae family found in the mekong basin in cambodia , laos , thailand and vietnam .

royal knifefish

the royal knifefish is classified as near threatened ( nt ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
information on the royal knifefish ( chitala blanci ) is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly .
my 20inch royal clown knifefish living amongst the aquarium plants in my aquascaped monster predatory tank . such a peaceful & graceful giant !
which comes from india and is also a common import . this species is also called the clown knifefish as wells as royal clown knifefish , royal spotted knifefish and spotted featherback . the coloring and behaviors of these two are the same but the india species is said to get a bit larger , reaching up to 4 feet ( 122 cm ) . the
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this species is also referred to as ‘royal knifefish’ in the aquarium trade although it arguably has no place in the ornamental hobby given its adult size and specialised requirements .
the most attractive of knifefish species , with great personality . can be very aggressive once sexually mature .
the royal knifefish is a fish from malam jungle . they are extremely common , contrary to the name , which might make fishers think that they are less common . they are caught by casting s - m from the pier of around it . it is an easy catch to hit and reel in .
it is a very popular knifefish . this is partly because of its common availability and being relatively inexpensive . but its also a favorite because it is extremely attractive . they usually have a pattern of large spots , but this can be quite variable and it seems that no two clown knifefish are exactly alike .
the normal coloring of the clown knifefish is a silvery gray characterized by a variable pattern of large spots above the base of the anal fin . yet sometimes they may have no spots at all , and sometimes they may have two rows of smaller spots . other common names it is known by are clown featherback fish , spotted knifefish , spotted featherback fish , and clown knife . there is also an albino color form as seen in the picture above that ' s called the albino clown knifefish .
bottom - clown knifefish will spend most of their time in the middle or near the bottom of the tank , but they may occasionally go to the surface to grab a gulp of air or a meal .
the tank is 8x2x2 will be upgrading to a 12x3x3 so that should be fun , i ' ve got another post on here , under the ancient fish threads titled royal knife fish , silver arowans , jaguars etc have a look if you want to see how i put the 8x2x2 together .
was described by gray in 1831 . they are found in south east asia ; thailand , laos , cambodia , and vietnam . the species is not listed on the iucn red list . these fish are in great demand in many of the regions they live in for food . other common names they are known by include clown featherback fish , spotted knifefish , spotted featherback fish , and clown knife . the albino color form is known as the albino clown knifefish .
my old rck was pushing 20
when i sold him ( had to make room for new stock ) . i will always have a soft spot for knifefish now , especialy the royals . you do know once they hit sexual maturity they wont tolerate eachother in the same tank right ?
the clown knife has the typical knifefish body shape , flat and elongated with an arched back . its anal fin and caudal fin ( tail fin ) are joined , giving it a long continuous fin along the underside . this fin undulates , allowing it to move either forwards or back wards , making it a very graceful swimmer .
i bought a royal knife ( 26 cm ) and a clown knife ( 20 cm ) recently and i love them to bits . they are like my children , and they get along so well . they are food shy , they won ' t eat while i am standing there looking at them . i give them ox heart and live fish . ten minutes and everything is gone . thanks to this website , i found the most amazing fish in this world !
is it a member of the notopteridae family which contains contains some of the more outgoing species of knifefish . they are generally peaceful and will do well with other fish that are not particularly aggressive and that are too large to fit into its mouth . do take caution as they have poor eye sight and will some times try to eat bigger fish then they can handle . they can ultimately injury or kill a fish they are unable to eat .
as with most fish the clown knifefish are prone to skin flukes , parasitic infestations ( protozoa , worms , etc . ) , ichthyobodo infection , parasitic infestations ( protozoa , worms , etc . ) , bacterial infections ( general ) , and bacterial disease . it is recommended to read up on the common tank diseases . knowing the signs and catching and treating them early makes a huge difference . for information about freshwater fish diseases and illnesses , see aquarium fish diseases and treatments .
the clown knifefish can reach up to about 3 1 / 2 feet ( 100 cm ) and weigh about 11 pounds ( 5 kg ) in the wild . most tank raise specimens however , won ' t grow much larger than 10 to 20 inches ( 25 to 50 cm ) . its body shape is flat and elongated with an arched back . it has a continuous fin along the underside formed by a joining of the caudal and anal fin . this fin undulates , allowing it to move either forwards or back wards . it also has a very small dorsal fin .
i have a juvenile clown knife in a 55 gal with my 5 angels , which range from 4 inches tall to 6 inches tall , and they leave each other alone . however , the clown knife is a predatory fish , so anything under an inch has been eaten . i think my clown knife is growing at a few centimeters a month , and will be selling it when it reaches 12 inches . i wouldn ' t keep a full - grown knifefish with anything less than a couple hundred gallon tank and fish that were at least a foot or two in length , as the bigger knife fishes can grow to 3 and a half feet long . with your fish , keep in mind how big the angelfish are and how big they will be compared to the knife fish . ( ps : i also have a dwarf gourami that was a gift from a friend , a pleco as big as the knife fish , some clown loaches , and a small catfish that ' s about 2 1 / 2 inches , and none of them have been harassed by my knife so far . keep your fish well - fed and i doubt anything too big to be eaten will be a problem to house in the same tank . )
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
gland , switzerland , 5 july 2018 ( iucn ) – australia’s unique reptiles – including lizards and snakes – face severe threats from invasive species and climate change , with 7 % of th . . .
the value of medicinal and aromatic plant trade has increased three - fold in the past 20 years , but traditional harvesting practices are being replaced by less sustainable alternatives . . . .
a recently released iucn technical brief recommends increasing investments in sustainable land management practices , as well as better cooperation between agriculturalists and conservationists to conse . . .
this species is endemic to the mekong basin , where it is found in lao pdr , thailand , central highlands of viet nam ( srepok basin ) and cambodia . it is found as far north in thailand as loei in the mekong ( and perhaps , based on local knowledge ( see poulsen
( 2004 ) record local fisher reports of the species in the mekong delta in viet nam , and it is also reported from the tonle sap lake ( undp 2004 ) .
locally common in northeastern cambodia and southern lao pdr . much less common in thai waters .
this species occurs in the mekong mainstream and larger tributaries , especially in rocky rapid and submerged wood areas . local people have reported spawning behaviour over rocky substrates , with parental care given to young .
locally consumed as a food fish . commonly seen in markets from southern lao pdr to kratie , cambodia . popular aquarium species in thai markets , which are mostly collected ( particularly juveniles and sub - adults ) from laotian waters .
habitat alteration , caused by dams and other infrastructure development , in the mekong and larger tributaries . dams in the mekong mainstream pose future threats to critical habitats of this species . overfishing for the aquarium trade and for consumption may lead to population declines in the near future .
habitat and fisheries management based on local participation is needed . quota regulation of trade and export is recommended .
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this article is a stub . we can not complete the encyclopaedia without your help . you can contribute to the aquarium wiki by expanding this article . dont be shy ! .
this fish requires pristine water quality . it also prefers swift moving water , making high filtration necessary for this species ' health .
and do have a small dorsal fin . their flanks are deep grey with darker speckling . the belly is paler in colour .
this page was last edited on 13 december 2017 , at 03 : 02 .
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blanci : in honour of “friend and colleague m . blanc , in memory of an especially dangerous fish - collecting trip in 1959” .
endemic to the mekong river drainage in laos , thailand , vietnam , and cambodia , including the mekong delta region and tonlé sap lake system .
mostly recorded from the mekong main channel and lower parts of certain tributaries , where it displays a preference for rocky habitats such as deep pools and rapids , typically with moderate to fast - flowing water . moves into areas of flooded forest to spawn .
it is thought to be threatened by dam construction and other anthropogenic habitat alterations .
suitable only for public installations or the very largest , highly - specialised private aquaria .
prefers dim lighting and access to refuges in the form of driftwood , large rocks or lengths of plastic piping .
a large , mature filter system , rigorous maintenance regime comprising weekly water changes of 50 - 70 % tank volume , and provision of highly - oxygenated water with a degree of movement should be considered mandatory .
an obligate , typically nocturnal , predator feeding on smaller fishes , crustaceans and other invertebrates in nature but in most cases adapting well to dead alternatives in captivity .
young fish can be offered chironomid larvae ( bloodworm ) , small earthworms , chopped prawn and suchlike while adults will accept strips of fish flesh , whole prawns / shrimp , mussels , live river shrimp , larger earthworms , etc . , as well as dried pellets although the latter should not form the staple diet .
this species should not be fed mammalian or avian meat such as beef heart or chicken since some of the lipids contained in these cannot be properly metabolised by the fish and may cause excess fat deposits and even organ degeneration .
similarly there is no benefit in the use of ‘feeder’ fish such as livebearers or small goldfish which carry with them the risk of parasite or disease introduction and at any rate tend not have a high nutritional value unless properly conditioned beforehand .
relatively peaceful with fishes too large to be considered prey but can be territorial with conspecifics and other similarly - shaped species , especially if space is at a premium .
unreported in captivity but in nature male individuals contruct nests from branches and leaves and remains to guard the eggs and fry post - spawning , which takes place in areas of flooded forest during the wet season .
it can be distinguished from congeners by presence of many small , dark spots on the anterior portion of the body which merge to form oblique , irregular stripes extending onto the anal and caudal fins posteriorly .
notopterids are distributed in africa and southeast asia and all possess an elongated anal - fin which is continuous with the caudal - fin , a ‘humped’ appearance , very small scales , plus the ability to breathe atmospheric air .
d ' aubenton , f . , 1865 - bulletin du muséum national d ' histoire naturelle ( série 2 ) 37 ( 2 ) : 261 - 264 notopterus blanci n . sp . , nouvelle espèce de poisson notopteridae de haut mékong cambodgien .
kottelat , m . , 2013 - the raffles bulletin of zoology supplement 27 : 1 - 663 the fishes of the inland waters of southeast asia : a catalogue and core bibliography of the fishes known to occur in freshwaters , mangroves and estuaries .
kottelat , m . , 2001 - wht publications , colombo : 1 - 198 fishes of laos .
kottelat , m . , 1998 - ichthyological exploration of freshwaters 9 ( 1 ) : 1 - 128 fishes of the nam theun and xe bangfai basins , laos , with diagnoses of twenty - two new species ( teleostei : cyprinidae , balitoridae , cobitidae , coiidae and odontobutidae ) .
rainboth , w . j . , 1996 - fao , rome : 1 - 265 fao species identification field guide for fishery purposes . fishes of the cambodian mekong .
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we have two large iridescent sharks we are looking to find another home for . our tank is too small and they are very large . do you have a big tank ? do you know they can grow 3 - 4 feet ? where are you located ?
looking for medaka rice fish . what ever species you may have for sale .
i ' m looking to but a balloon kissing gourami . any idea where i can get one ?
this spotted featherback fish inhabit lakes , swamps , and the moving backwaters waters of medium to large rivers . young fish occur in schools among aquatic plants and submerged roots . adults tend to be loaners , commonly found near shore in areas with overhanging vegetation or docks . they utilize air to survive in warm , stagnant waters with little oxygen . more recently they have been popping up in the united states in warmer climates states like florida . these fish are some times caught by anglers going after bass . they are starting to populate parts of the united states because of irresponsible fish owners setting them free when they can no longer care for these demanding fish . the largest fish reported in florida was 36 inches long .
is listed as more precarious on the iucn red list , and is considered near threatened ( nt ) .
, glen s . axelrod , brian m . scott , and neal pronek say these two are so similar that only a trained ichthyologist can distinguish between them , and that their taxonomical standing is in a state of confusion . it may turn out that
lc - least concern - although it is heavily utilized from the wild , at present there is no evidence of widespread population declines . it is has also been introduced for aquaculture in myanmar and the philippines .
their overall body color is a silvery gray . their most distinguishing characteristic is a variable pattern of large spots above the base of the anal fin . however , it seems that no two patterns are exactly alike . they may have no spots at all , and sometimes you may find one with two rows of smaller spots . the specimen pictured above is the albino color form .
15 years - the clown knife fish has a lifespan of about 8 - 15 years in captivity .
clown knife fish are not suggested for beginners but rather for an aquarist with some fish keeping experience . these fish are usually offered for sale at a size of 3 to 6 inches and many hobbyists have unknowingly bought a pet they weren’t prepared to keep . that cute little 3 inch fish can grow to over 3 feet long , but in an aquarium 10 - 20 inches is usually the maximum size . if you plan on keeping one for a long time in good condition , be prepared to setup a 200 gallon tank .
juveniles can be sensitive to water conditions when they are smaller than 9 or 10 inches . many young fish die soon after purchase normally due to shock or unsuitable tank and water conditions . they are very hardy fish once they reach a larger size . like most knife fish they are extremely shy and are sometimes hard to get to eat when introduced to a new tank .
the clown featherfin fish are carnivores . in the wild they are predatory animals , primarily piscivores , which means they mostly eat fish . in the aquarium they prefer to eat fresh foods such as worms or small fish , but it is a good idea to do your best to condition them to eat sinking pellets or some other dried food of substance . this will make feeding them much easier and less costly .
when shopping for a clown knife , avoid fish that are under 3 inches or over 6 inches . the smaller ones are relatively delicate and the larger ones can be harder to get feeding .
this fish is scaleless and very sensitive to water condition changes as with most scaleless fish . a high quality filter is a must ! weekly water changes of 30 - 50 % are needed . water condition tests should also be done weekly to make sure levels are not spiking .
in the wild they inhabit slow moving rivers and lakes in many areas of asia , so do well in tanks set up similar to this type of environment . due to their nocturnal nature they need a place to hide during the day . a piece of pipe or a cave where they can get away from the light works great . without this , they can become stressed very easily and will try to fit themselves into any dark space they can find , often causing damage to themselves . they do better with open swimming space , but they are adept as negotiating obstacles such as plants and piles of rock .
they prefer a neutral ph and softer water , but larger fish can adapt to a higher ph and hard water . provide them with well filtered water , a dimly lit tank and hiding places , and you should have a happy clown knife .
55 gal ( 208 l ) - a 55 gallon tank is fine for a juvenile , but they grow quickly and will soon need a tank that is 200 gallons or more for the adult .
they are generally peaceful but due to their large size , they will eat any tank mates small enough to fit into their large mouths . don ' t keep them with large aggressive fish , but large peaceful fish are okay .
monitor - while it is not necessarily aggressive , it will eat anything small enough to be considered a meal .
monitor - they ignore tank mates that are big enough to not be considered food .
threat - is aggressive - in the wild , this fish hunts at night for worms , crustaceans , insects and snails .
captive breeding is possible but this probably won’t happen unless the fish are kept in a very large tank . in this case , that means 500 gallons or more . the pair will usually lay their eggs on floating plants and the male will aggressively guard them until they hatch in 6 or 7 days . the fry should be moved into a rearing tank and fed baby brine shrimp until they are large enough to take other foods . .
the clown knife does not have scales which make it more prone to disease . clown knife are normally the first fish in a tank to show signs of ick and will twitch and rub around the tank . they respond well to most medication and normally heal quickly . never use copper in a clown knife fish tank .
these fish are hardy and disease is not usually a problem in a well maintained aquarium . that being said there is no guarantee that you won ' t have to deal with health problems or disease . animal world is a great source for information on disease and treatments . it is recommended to read up on the common tank diseases . knowing the signs and catching and treating them early makes a huge difference .
anything you add to your tank can bring disease to your tank . not only other fish but plants , substrate , and decorations can harbor bacteria . take great care and make sure to properly clean or quarantine anything that you add to an established tank so not to upset the balance . because these fish eat live food , disease can be passed to them from their foods . make sure to quarantine live food before feeding .
when keeping more sensitive types of fish , it is common for all fishes to be infected even before the first warning signs can be noticed . the best way to proactively prevent disease is to give your fish the proper environment and give them a well balanced diet . the closer to their natural habitat the less stress the fish will have , making them healthier and happy . a stressed fish is more likely to acquire disease .
dr . rüdiger riehl and hans a . baensch , aquarium atlas vol . 1 , publisher hans a . baensch , 1991
dr . rüdiger riehl and hans a . baensch , aquarium atlas vol . 2 , publisher hans a . baensch , 1993
glen s . axelrod , brian m . scott , neal pronek , encyclopedia of exotic tropical fishes for freshwater aquariums , tfh publications , 2005
yes , these fish can get very large in the wild . however , please see the ' description ' section above and you ' ll see that most tank raise specimens won ' t grow much larger than 10 to 20 inches ( 25 to 50 cm ) . also , as stated under ' aquarium setup , ' a 55 gallon tank is only suitable for them as juveniles . 200 gallons or more is recommended for the adult .
even if the fish ' stopped growing ' at 10 - 20 inches , it ' s never going to live a healthy long life in a 55 gallon aquarium . what happens is that the fish , on the outside , stops growing , but the organs don ' t . eventually the organs overcrowd the stunted fish ' s insides , likely putting pressure on the swim bladder , which leads to continuing complications and ultimately death . i wouldn ' t suggest this fish for anything smaller than a tank 6 ' x 3 '
the angels will become dinner should be housed with other large non aggressive fish .
i have a large adult over 1 ft almost 1 1 / 2 ft . long . very good health very hearty . just looking for a good home willing to let go of tank and other fish as well i am moving soon and won ' t be able to take them with me . i ' m so sad but i have to sell them all ! if you are interested please call 714 - 474 - 9184 . thank u ! i
i ' m interested in your fish please call me and lets talk details . 847 - 845 - 5549
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we ' re constantly striving to improve our community to help make your monster fish keeping hobby fulfilling and interesting . comments are welcome .
how big arw they . . . im suprised they dont fight . . . from all ive read and heard once they get biggwr its really hard to keep 2 together
real name : joined : dec 28 , 2006 messages : 15 , 861 likes received : 8 trophy points : 89 location : very much south . . last seen : dec 1 , 2016
your selfless efforts are helping to keep mods gainfully employed . we salute you , mister able to derail and get any thread locked with relative ease
: close it or clean it . . . i ' m having a very hard time not getting banned here .
everybody is too busy with their umbees and the stupid names that they like to label their strains with .
thanks for your compliments , i ' ll be uploading a new video off my new setup and you can see some new additions , only 4 from the 8 new additions the other remaining 4 need to grow more before i can put them into the 8ft tank , you ' ll see , can ' t wait till i upgrade to the all glass 12 ' x3 ' x3 ' aquarium in june ish time , will keep y ' all posted .
not sure . if you google it , you will probably find lots of info .
generally peaceful fish too large to be eaten . knife fish aren ' t aggressive , and don ' t compete well with aggressive tankmates . angelfish would be about the most aggressive cichlids i ' d recommend , rainbows would be a safe bet .
there ' s not much technique to catching this fish . it ' s just like any s - m fish that ever hits . it is easy to reel in . some of the larger ones might fight a bit and even escape , but overall , it shouldn ' t be hard .
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