the black-necked agama ( acanthocercus atricollis ) is a species of tree agama that is native to east , central and southern africa .

its largest continuous range is in southeastern africa , and it occurs at high densities in the kruger national park .

acanthocercus atricollis

acanthocercus atricollis <EOT> agama atricollis smith 1849 : 14 agama atricollis — boulenger 1885 : 358 agama atricollis — schmidt 1919 : 477 agama atricollis — mertens 1955 : 55 agama atricollis — auerbach 1987 : 95 agama atricollis — lanza 1983 : 208 stellio atricollis — lanza 1990 acanthocercus atricollis — joger 1991 stellio atricollis — broadley & howell 1991 : 11 stellio atricollis — broadley 1991 : 522 laudakia atricollis — manthey & schuster 1999 : 76 laudakia atricollis kuwuensis — manthey & schuster 1999 : 76 acanthocercus atricollis — barts & wilms 2003 agama atricollis — cooper 2005 acanthocercus atricollis — spawls et al . 2018 : 222 acanthocercus atricollis atricollis ( smith 1849 ) stellio capensis duméril in duméril et al . 1851 : 106 stellio nigricollis bocage 1866 : 43 ( fide loveridge 1943 ) agama cyanocephala falk 1925 agama atricollis atricollis — klausewitz 1957 : 161 agama atricollis atricollis — wermuth 1967 : 9 acanthocercus atricollis atricollis — bates et al . 2014 : 308 acanthocercus cyanocephalus — conradie et al . 2016 acanthocercus atricollis gregorii ( klausewitz 1957 ) agama gregorii günther 1894 : 86 agama atricollis gregorii — klausewitz 1957 : 165 agama atricollis gregorii — wermuth 1967 : 9 acanthocercus atricollis gregorii — manthey 2012 acanthocercus atricollis kiwuensis ( klausewitz 1957 ) agama atricollis kiwuensis — klausewitz 1957 : 167 agama atricollis kiwuensis — wermuth 1967 : 9 acanthocercus atricollis loveridgei ( klausewitz 1957 ) agama atricollis loveridgei — klausewitz 1957 : 163 agama atricollis loveridgei — wermuth 1967 : 9 acanthocercus atricollis minutus ( klausewitz 1957 ) agama atricollis loveridgei — klausewitz 1957 : 170 agama atricollis loveridgei — wermuth 1967 : 9 acanthocercus atricollis ugandaensis ( klausewitz 1957 ) agama atricollis ugandaensis — klausewitz 1957 : 169 agama atricollis ugandaensis — wermuth 1967 : 9

picking a tree : habitat use by the tree agama , acanthocercus atricollis atricollis , in south africa .

ebscohost | 13052112 | picking a tree : habitat use by the tree agama , acanthocercus atricollis atricollis , in south africa .

pietersen , errol and darren pietersen 2001 . acanthocercus atricollis southern tree agama . african herp news ( 33 ) : 14

pietersen , errol and darren pietersen . 2001 . acanthocercus atricollis southern tree agama . african herp news ( 33 ) : 14 .

there are possibly up to six subspecies , but all are poorly defined ( branch 1998 , spawls et al . 2002 ) : a . atricollis atricollis ( smith , 1849 ) a . atricollis gregorii ( günther , 1894 ) a . atricollis kiwuensis ( klausewitz , 1957 ) a . atricollis loveridgei ( klausewitz , 1957 ) a . atricollis minutus ( klausewitz , 1957 ) a . atricollis ugandaensis ( klausewitz , 1957 ) .

southern tree agama ( acanthocercus atricollis ) live in a wide range of habitats , from forest to savannah , even living in built up areas . this speci… | pinteres…

reaney , l . t . and whiting , m . j . 2003 . picking a tree : habitat use by the tree agama , acanthocercus atricollis atricollis , in south africa . african zoology 38 ( 2 ) : 273 - 278 .

tree agamas ( acanthocercus atricollis ) usually have large blue heads and their diet consists of flying insects like grasshoppers , beetles and other goggas that inhabit the bark of trees .

klausewitz , w . 1957 . eidonomische untersuchungen über die rassenkreise agama cyanogaster und agama atricollis . 2 . die unterarten von agama atricollis . senckenbergiana biologica 38 : 157 - 174

justification : acanthocercus atricollis is listed as least concern in view of its large distribution across eastern and southern africa , its tolerance of anthropogenic environments , and the absence of any major widespread threat .

whiting , m . j . , chetty , k . , twine , w . and carazo , p . 2009 . impact of human disturbance and beliefs on the tree agama acanthocercus atricollis atricollis in a south african communal settlement . oryx 43 ( 4 ) : 586 - 590 .

acanthocercus atricollis is listed as least concern in view of its large distribution across eastern and southern africa , its tolerance of anthropogenic environments , and the absence of any major widespread threat . true of all horn and e african forms

wagner , p . , greenbaum , e . and bauer , a . 2012 . a new species of the acanthocercus atricollis complex ( squamata : agamidae ) from zambia . salamandra 48 ( 1 ) : 21 - 30 .

wagner , p . , e . greenbaum & a . bauer 2012 . a new species of the acanthocercus atricollis complex ( squamata : agamidae ) from zambia . salamandra 48 ( 1 ) : 21 - 30 - get paper here

reaney , l . t . , and m . j . whiting . 2002 . life on a limb : ecology of the tree agama ( acanthocercus a . atricollis ) in southern africa . journal of zoology 257 : 439 - 448

reaney , l . t . and whiting , m . j . 2002 . life on a limb : ecology of the tree agama ( acanthocercus a . atricollis ) in southern africa . journal of zoology 257 : 439 - 448 .

southern tree agama acanthocercus atricollis atricollis ( siswati : intfulo ) key features : spiny body scales , box - shaped head and large size comments : occurs throughout the country in the highveld , middleveld , lowveld and lubombo regions . in the highveld , the species is restricted to the lower regions in the larger , warmer valleys . habitats : woodland valley bushveld

reaney , l . t . , and m . j . whiting . 2002 . life on a limb : ecology of the tree agama ( acanthocercus a . atricollis ) in southern africa . journal of zoology , london 257 : 439 - 448 .

they range across most of central africa down into south africa including ethiopia , kenya , congo , angola and namibia . you can find 12 different species of agama in south africa and inhabiting the north of the country , acanthocercus atricollis being one of these .

atricollis : s africa , incl . “portugese est africa , n rhodesia , portugese west africa” ( after wermuth 1967 ) .

the atricollis has been known to take veg try them on some kale or rocket you may find they will eat it .

) and earth / tiger worms and you create a live eco system that will clean up any mess that you atricollis leave behind . throwing in some leftover vegetables ( make sure it’s safe for your atricollis ) will keep these fed and spray in the corner of the viv to give them a damp spot . this will give you a live culture in your substrate that you shouldn’t have to clean . this also gives your atricollis some chances of hunting and foraging for food .

blue - headed tree agama ( acanthocercus atricollis ) this beautiful agama literally ran between my feet when i was returning from the morning hippopotamus shoot in the luangwa river . she patiently waited to be photographed and then ran - up to the crown of the tree as fast as a bullet . this was the first and last time i saw a blue agama . . .

the southern tree agama ( acanthocercus atricollis ) is an agamid native to parts of africa , and is found from ethiopia to natal , congo , angola and namibia . these arboreal lizards tend to stay in environments which allow them to cling onto vertical surfaces - such as open plains with scattered trees , though they are also commonly found in urban areas , clinging onto the sides of buildings .

klausewitz , w . 1957 . eidonomische untersuchungen über den rassenkreis agama cyanogaster und a . atricollis ( teil 2 ) . senckenb . biol . , 38 : 157 - 174 .

the atricollis can be fed a wide variety of invertebrates . in the wild they feed mainly on termites , ants and winged insects like grasshoppers . atricollis are one of the few lizards that can handle the acidity of ants . unlike some of the other agamid species though they don’t live entirely on ants being more of an ambush species feasting on whatever insects they see .

a humidity of 65 % is best when shedding occurs . the atricollis sheds roughly every few months at this time make sure you spray well , spraying the entire lizard to aid shedding .

when choosing a setup for the atricollis it has to be remembered that they are a semi arboreal lizard . this means that you will require a setup with both floor space and height , a space of 36x18x24 ( inches ) is required for one specimen , with something along the lines of 48x24x36 being used for a larger colony .

. you can also , as a treat , feed them wax worms , mealworms and butter worms ( chilecomadia moorei ) . morio worms can also be fed as atricollis chew their food more than most species so the size of a morio isn’t a problem . they also like beetles and the beetles from mealworms are a favourite of theirs .

lectotype : bmnh ( designated by klausewitz 1957 ) ( atricollis ) holotype : smf 10138 ; paratypes : zmb 16906 ( fide tillack , pers . comm . 22 jan 2014 ) [ loveridgei ] lectotype : zsm 51 / 1932 [ gregorii ] holotype : zmb 17693 [ kiwuensis ] holotype : zmb 11904 [ ugandaensis ] holotype : zmb 29089 [ minuta ]

i’ve found that my atricollis like a humidity of around 65 % dropping to a slightly drier area in the hot end . this humidity can go into the 70s and i advise spraying 2 - 3 times a day to achieve this . a good trick to raise humidity in your setup is to have a heat mat under a water bowl this evaporated the water creating a humid environment .

you will find your atricollis have a spot they like in the viv , the male normally taking the best spot . they tend to pick a high warm area where they can look over the other occupants . they require the heat of the day to be able to move about so you will find them basking early on and normally more active in the day . this is when you will find them showing their full colouring .

tend to be bigger than the females , with a large head and a broad yellow / green vertebral stripe , their main colouration being a grey / brown . they display a blue head during breeding season , when feeding and at the hottest parts of the day . male atricollis have large teeth at the jaw apex this helps them to chew bigger prey . you can search for many pictures of them online showing complete body colouring they rarely reach this in captivity but do still have some fantastic colours . their colours change very quickly due to their scaling . a full size adult male will be around the 15 inches head to tail , the tail making up more than half of the total length . nose to vent in an adult male being 5 - 6 inches .

gregorii : coastal kenya . type locality : mkonumbi ( coast of kenya ) .

minuta : ethiopia , kenya . type locality : dscheffedenza , shoa , abessinien .

note : tdwg regions are generated automatically from the text in the distribution field and not in every cases it works well . we are working on it .

angel , fernand 1925 . résultats scientifiques . vertebrata . reptiles et batraciens . [ mabuia ( mabuiopsis ) jeanneli , lygosoma graueri quinquedigitata , ablepharus massaiensis ] . in : voyage de ch . alluaud et r . jeannel en afrique orientale ( 1911 - 1912 ) . - paris , 2 : 1 - 63 .

auerbach , r . d . 1987 . the amphibians and reptiles of botswana . mokwepa consultants , botswana , 295 pp .

barnes , keith 2016 . animals of kruger national park . princeton university press , ca . 180 pp . - get paper here

barts , m . 2003 . die agamen des südlichen afrikas . draco 4 ( 14 ) : 70 - 79 - get paper here

bates , m . f . ; branch , w . r . , bauer , a . m . ; burger , m . , marais , j . ; alexander , g . j . & de villliers , m . s . ( eds . ) 2014 . atlas and red list of the reptiles of south africa , lesotho , and swaziland . suricata 1 . south african national biodiversity institute , pretoria , 512 pp .

bocage , j . v . du b . 1866 . lista dos reptis das possessões portuguezas d ' africa occidental que existem no museu lisboa . jorn . sci . math . phys . nat . lisboa 1 : 37 - 56

boulenger , g . a . 1885 . catalogue of the lizards in the british museum ( nat . hist . ) i . geckonidae , eublepharidae , uroplatidae , pygopodidae , agamidae . london : 450 pp . - get paper here

broadley , d . g . & howell , k . m . 1991 . a check list of the reptiles of tanzania , with synoptic keys . syntarsus 1 : 1—70

broadley , d . g . 1991 . the herpetofauna of northern mwinilunga distr . , northw . zambia . arnoldia zimbabwe 9 ( 37 ) : 519 - 538

broadley , donald g . and f . p . d . cotterill . 2004 . the reptiles of southeast katanga , an overlooked ' hot spot ' . [ congo ] . african journal of herpetology 53 ( 1 ) : 35 - 61 . - get paper here

cooper jr . , w . e . 2005 . duration of movement as a lizard foraging movement variable . herpetologica 61 ( 4 ) : 363 - 372 - get paper here

de witte , g . f . 1953 . reptiles . exploration du parc national de l ' upemba . mission g . f . de witte en collaboration avec w . adam , a . janssens , l . van meel et r . verheyen ( 1946–1949 ) . institut des parcs nationaux du congo belge . brussels , vol . 6 , 322 pp . - get paper here

denzer , wolfgang ; günther , rainer ; manthey , ulrich 1997 . annotated type catalogue of the agamid lizards ( reptilia : squamata : agamidae ) in the museum für naturkunde der humbolt - universität zu berlin ( former zoological museum berlin ) . mitt . zool . mus . berlin 73 ( 2 ) : 309 - 332

duméril , a . m . c . & a . h . a . duméril 1851 . catalogue méthodique de la collection des reptiles du muséum d ' histoire naturelle de paris . gide et baudry / roret , paris , 224 pp .

grubermann , m . 2013 . einige fotografische beobachtungen an agamen in kenia , tansania , malawi , südafrika und namibia . iguana 26 ( 1 ) : 23 - 33

günther , a . 1894 . report on the collection of reptiles and fishes made by dr . j . w . gregory during his expedition to mount kenia [ sic ] . proc . zool . soc . london 1894 : 84 - 91 - get paper here

günther , a . 1895 . notice of reptiles and batrachians collected in the eastern half of tropical africa . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 6 ) 15 : 523 - 529 . - get paper here

haagner , g . v . ; branch , w . r . & haagner , a . j . f . 2000 . notes on a collection of reptiles from zambia and adjacent areas of the democratic republic of the congo . annals of the eastern cape museum 1 : 1 – 25

herrmann , h . - w . ; w . r . branch 2013 . fifty years of herpetological research in the namib desert and namibia with an updated and annotated species checklist . journal of arid environments 93 : 94–115 - get paper here

joger , u . 1991 . a molecular phylogeny of agamid lizards . copeia 1991 ( 3 ) : 616 - 622 - get paper here

lanza , b . 1990 . amphibians and reptiles of the somali democratic republic : check list and biogeography . biogeographia , 14 : 407 - 465 [ 1988 ]

lanza , b . 1983 . a list of the somali amphibians and reptiles . monitore zoologico italiano , new ser . , suppl . 18 ( 8 ) : 193 - 247

largen , m . j . ; spawls , s . 2006 . lizards of ethiopia ( reptilia sauria ) : an annotated checklist , bibliography , gazetteer and identification . tropical zoology 19 ( 1 ) : 21 - 109 - get paper here

largen , m . j . ; spawls , s . 2010 . amphibians and reptiles of ethiopia and eritrea . edition chimaira , frankfurt , 694 pp .

loveridge , a . 1923 . notes on east african lizards collected 1920 - 1923 with the description of two new races of agama lionotus blgr . proc . zool . soc . london 1923 : 935 - 969 - get paper here

loveridge , a . 1936 . african reptiles and amphibians in the field museum of natural history . zool . ser . field mus . nat . hist . , chicago , 22 ( 1 ) : 1 - 122 - get paper here

loveridge , a . 1920 . notes on east african lizards collected 1915 - 1919 , with description of a new genus and species of skink and new subspecies of gecko . proc . zool . soc . london 1920 : 131 - 167 - get paper here

manthey , u . & schuster , n . 1999 . agamen , 2 . aufl . natur und tier verlag ( münster ) , 120 pp . - get paper here

meek , seth eugene ; cory , charles b . 1910 . batrachians and reptiles from british east africa . publication of the field museum of natural history 7 ( 11 ) : 403 - 414 - get paper here

mertens , r . 1955 . die amphibien und reptilien südwestafrikas . aus den ergebnissen einer im jahre 1952 ausgeführten reise . abh . senckenb . naturf . ges . ( frankfurt ) 490 : 1 - 172 - get paper here

monard , albert 1937 . contribution à l ' herpétologie d ' angola . arq . mus . bocage , lisbon 8 : 19 - 153 .

schleicher , alfred 2015 . reptilien namibias . namibia scientific society , 276 pp .

schmidt , karl patterson 1919 . contributions to the herpetology of the belgian congo based on the collection of the american congo expedition , 1909 - 1915 . part i : turtles , crocodiles , lizards , and chamaeleons . bull . amer . mus . nat . hist . 39 ( 2 ) : 385 - 624 - get paper here

smith , a . 1849 . illustrations of the zoology of south africa . 3 ( reptiles ) . smith , elder , and co . , london [ facsimile published by winchester press , johannesburg , 1977 ] - get paper here

spawls , s . & rotich , d . 1997 . an annotated checklist of the lizards of kenya . j . east african nat . hist . 86 : 61 - 83 - get paper here

spawls , s . ; howell , k . ; drewes , r . c . & ashe , j . 2002 . a field guide to the reptiles of east africa . academic press , 543 pp . [ reviews in hr 34 : 396 and afr . j . herp . 51 ; 147 ] - get paper here

spawls , steve ; kim howell , harald hinkel , michele menegon 2018 . field guide to east african reptiles . bloomsbury , 624 pp . - get paper here

witte , g . f . de 1933 . reptiles récoltés au conge belge par le dr . h . schouteden et par m . g . - f . witte . ann . mus . conge belge zool . ser . 1 tome iii : 53 - 100 .

this database is maintained by peter uetz ( database content ) and jakob hallermann , zoological museum hamburg ( new species and updates ) .

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rödel , m . - o . , de silva , r . , milligan , h . t . , wearn , o . r . , wren , s . , zamin , t . , sears , j . , wilson , p . , lewis , s . , lintott , p . & powney , g .

this species is found from eritrea , south through east africa to coastal kwazulu - natal , eastern botswana and northern namibia ( branch 1998 ) . the western limit of the distribution is the western democratic republic of the congo ( spawls et al . 2002 ) . this species occurs from sea level to 2 , 400 m above sea level , although in east africa it is most common from 1 , 300 to 2 , 000 m above sea level .

patterson ( 1987 ) reported that this species appears to be common in kruger national park . a resident pair was found on almost every tree , even in anthropogenically disturbed areas .

it is unlikely that any major threat is impacting this species across its full range .

there are no known species - specific conservation measures in place for this species . in places its distribution coincides with protected areas , probably providing small safeguards . no further conservation measures are required .

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please note  the information on the bamboozoo site is as much as 10 years old and in the hobby much has been learned . though , i believe there is merit in keeping the site open . there are many controversial issues presented in these pages . please view bamboozoo as a starting point in your research .   these beings are as complicated as we are and deserve more than a basic 5 paragraph care sheet to maintain their health and well being . my passions have evolved . this is is the site i am growing today . we heal the world

they live in a wide range of habitats , from forest to savannah , even living in built up areas . this species can often be found scaling the sides of trees . in studies they were found to inhabit mainly acacia karroo and occasionally found in protea caffra and dead trees .

normally a male displaying his colours won’t be far away from several females . these lizards tend to live in colonies with one dominant male and a group of females and other subordinate males .

they tend to be an olive colour with black marbling , the patterning on their backs being very distinctive . they also display , mainly when gravid , two series of orange to yellow dorsal spots .

lots of branches are required for the species providing a large canopy for climbing . plenty of hiding spots should be added to the setup making sure you have adequate space for them all to hide in both the warm and cool ends of the setup . using planting ( fake or real ) try to create lots of hidden areas that they can escape the light of the day in . in my own setup i have walls covered in cork bark or viv rock backing can be used to create a rock face they can climb .

a full spectrum bulb is needed for the uv of these lizards . i recommend using an arcadia d3 12 % . they have both a longer life and a far superior output compared to the competitors . this needs to go along the length of the setup trying to keep at a 12inch distance . the décor mentioned above allows plenty of hiding places to give varying levels of uv to suit your lizard’s needs .

set a spot light on a dimmer stat on a basking spot to one end of the tank achieving a temperature near to the 100f mark leaving a thermal gradient down to the high 70 to the low 80s . alternatively on a large setup try using an mvb ( mercury vapour bulb ) for far superior lighting and heat .

set lighting on for a period of 12 - 14 hours , depending on the time of year .

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a tumblr devoted entirely to reptiles , in the wild or in captivity as pets . the purpose of this blog is to inform people about reptiles - their habits in the wild as well as some snippets as to their care in captivity , and the unsuitability and ethics of keeping some species in captivity .

adults growing to between 20 - 30cm ( nearly 1ft ) . this species have very large heads , with the males turning a bright and rich blue colour , as shown here , during the mating season .

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agamas , geckos , lizards , monitors and skinks indigenous to south africa . view gallery

not sure but is this the bloukop or blue headed lizard ? ? ? oh i found him at the home office where i work this afternoon .

blue headed lizard is it ' s common name im pretty sure " bloukop koggelmander ( blue head agama ) " is what i found online about it .

the yellow down his back is really nice . i forgot to google it . silly me i am constantly gooling stuff .

if you can bring him some meal worms on a regular basis and put this in an escape proof bowl at the base of the tree he would appreciate that . he will also enjoy the meal worm beetles which most people do not use as food in any case . if he is the strongest and prettiest in the area he will attract females . by supplementing his feeding you will be helping him get a girl this season .

it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission . those who are afraid to ask are ashamed of learning .

and they do get rather used to having people around . . . in primary school i the workers were busy digging holes , when they dug into a nest , i rescued the ones i could , threw out my lunch and put them in my lunchbox as they were in the sand . i took them home that day and reburied them in a nice spot in the garden , about two weeks later they hatched , i could only see 4 , and they stayed in the same garden for the next 3 years we lived there . . . was pretty cool

negative thoughts , creates a negative mind . a negative mind , creates a negative person . a negative person , creates a negative mood , which spoils the power of positivity . . . making room , for negative thoughts . - the circle of negativity by mv

well they are called the tree agama . yes they are also referred to as the blue headed lizard . but the reason for them not being called the blue headed tree agama is because the females do not have blue heads .

ok i just googled it now . and apparently you do get a blue headed tree agama . but the " bloukop koggelmander " you find down in the lowveld and the hoedspruit area all have blue heads ( the males ) and it stops at the shoulders . these are your normal tree agamas and the females then do not have blue heads .

has anyone had any success keeping these ? anyone breeding them in the country ? ? most agamas are really awesome lizards , its like the proudly south african version of the bearded dragon .

bloukop is a very vague name for these guys as said . even a few species found in the karoo are referred to as bloukops . a genereal name for agamas in south africa . the exact one you have pictured is a southern tree agama (

i remember keeping these as a young kid but not for long lol . always had bite marks on my hands from catching these guys . . . real good memories . . . my folks shoulda seen it coming from then haha ! !

bloukop mannetjie ! ! ! haven ' t seen one of these in a good few years ! i kept a couple as a kid in pmb back in the day they make awesome pets . much more interesting in my opinion than a beardie . . . these guys will eat just about anything creepy crawly and settle down very well . does anyone keep these in joeys and does anyone know if permits would be required ?

i know not with what weapons world war iii will be fought , but world war iv will be fought with sticks and stones . - albert einstein fred smith

except for kzn , permits are required for any reptile species which occurs within the borders of south africa .

egg - laying and nest - building behaviours vary widely among reptiles . these behaviours range from the “casual” dropping of the eggs in a relatively suitable site to the preparation of an elaborate nest , and in a few groups parental care may also occur . most turtles dig an egg chamber exclusively with their hind limbs , and attention is given to the selection of the nest site , the excavation of the egg chamber , and its closure . thereafter , the female departs , and the eggs and hatchlings must survive on their own . most lizards and snakes also depart after the eggs are lain ; the egg chamber can be little more than a hollow as the lizard or snake crawls through leaf litter or

) digs a deep burrow with a combination of its fore - and hind limbs ; this chamber is often so deep that the female is totally hidden from view . at the end of this burrow , she lays her eggs and fills the entire burrow with loosened soil . often a group of females will return to the same nesting site within the same nesting colony year after year .

a green sea turtle ( chelonia mydas ) laying eggs on a beach and hatchlings scrambling toward the sea .

) lives on sandy soil and uses its head and the forepart of its body to scoop soil from its burrows and egg chambers . many

deposit their eggs in cracks or crevices in rock faces , in tree bark , or in plant tissues beneath the bark of trees . the eggs of some geckos are adhesive and may be attached to vertical surfaces ; in other geckos several females will share a good nesting site beneath a slab of rock or behind the loose bark on the side of a tree . such locations may contain dozens of eggs at different stages of development .

typically creates a nest mound of soil and vegetation , using her mouth , limbs , body , and tail in its construction . after she digs a hole in the mound and lays her eggs , her attention remains focused on her eggs , and she stays nearby to watch over them . as the eggs begin to hatch , the hatchlings begin to chirp and squeak , bringing their mother to the nest . she uncovers the eggs and may even use her tongue to help some of the hatchlings out of their eggshells . she then carries her young to the water in her mouth and will stay with them for several months until they are large enough to survive on their own .

, is widespread and has evolved independently dozens of times in the squamates ( that is , the lizards and snakes ) . no living crocodiles , turtles , or

are live - bearers . however , in the squamates , live - bearing ranges from retention of unshelled eggs in the oviducts to the development of

between the mother and her fetuses . the evolutionary steps from egg laying to placental development are demonstrated by

that hatch within days of deposition . in other taxa the eggs are not shelled but remain in the oviducts throughout development . the

nourishes each embryo , although gas exchange does occur across the amniotic membranes and the oviductal walls . placental development ranges from simple wall contact and gas exchange between the mother and a developing embryo to the full interdigitation of maternal and fetal tissue for

] ) . there are several types of placentae that have evolved in squamates that use various components of the amniotic membranes .

of eggs and litters of neonates vary widely in reptiles and are species - dependent . among egg layers a clutch may range from a single egg to more than 100 . among live - bearing reptiles , a litter may range from 1 to about 50 neonates . adult body size is just one aspect associated with number of offspring ; genetic constitution and nutrition are also major factors .

the smallest of the living reptiles typically have the fewest offspring , often laying only one or two eggs or producing only one or two neonates . many geckos and some skinks have genetically fixed clutch sizes of two eggs , and one egg is usually produced by each ovary during a given reproductive cycle . conversely , turtles and crocodiles produce some of the largest clutches among living reptiles ; sea turtles often produce more than 100 eggs each time , whereas the larger crocodiles average 40–50 eggs per clutch . some of the larger snakes also produce clutches or litters of 40–50 eggs or embryos , but most squamates , even large - bodied species , produce less than 20 eggs or embryos during each reproductive cycle .

nutrition clearly affects the number of offspring produced , with malnourished females laying fewer eggs or giving birth to fewer offspring . a female lizard suffering through a drought year or coping with loss of her tail may resorb maturing egg follicles in the ovary or forego egg development altogether during that year .

) commonly breed every third year because the female eats little during the summer of her pregnancy . she requires the following summer to rebuild her

and pregnancy is temperature - dependent . because reptiles are ectothermic , the embryos of live - bearing females and the eggs of oviparous females deposited in the soil or other locations are subject to fluctuating temperatures . in general , cool temperatures slow development and warm temperatures speed development , but extreme heat and cold are lethal to developing embryos . on average , temperate - zone reptiles have incubations or pregnancies of 8–12 weeks . tropical species tend to have similar incubation periods ; however , incubations of some species may last nearly one year or longer ( as in the fijian iguana [

term for all factors ( such as temperature , moisture , and others ) that affect the ratio of males to females produced in a given clutch of eggs or a litter of neonates .

temperature - dependent sex determination ( tsd ) , discovered in the early 1970s , is the most researched of these factors . the sex of the offspring in species with tsd is influenced by the

during one critical period of incubation , instead of by hereditary factors . in most turtles females are produced at high temperatures and males at low temperatures . at a narrow range of intermediate temperatures , roughly equal numbers of males and females are produced . the reverse occurs in many crocodiles , and females result from cooler temperatures . some squamates also display tsd , but the sex of most species appears to be primarily determined by

must break through the eggshell . for this purpose turtles , crocodiles , and tuatara bear a horny pointed caruncle on their snout . the hatchling uses the caruncle to slice open the amniotic membranes and then the eggshell . squamates have an

, a special premaxillary tooth that extends forward and out of the mouth , to cut through membranes and shell . generally , the hatchling rests briefly once out of the shell . if the nest is buried under soil or other material , a hatchling must dig upward to emerge on the surface . sometimes this occurs in concert with other hatchlings in the nest ; a coordinated behaviour is necessary for sea turtles and other species whose eggs are buried deep . in a few species of turtles , such as the north american

) , the hatchlings leave the eggshell , but they remain in the nest through the winter and emerge in the spring . individual painted turtle hatchlings can tolerate short periods of extreme cold that freezes much of the water in their bodies .

live - bearing reptiles give birth in the same manner as mammals . if the amniotic membranes do not rupture during birth , the neonate must struggle to break free from the encapsulating membranes .

, are noted for their extreme longevity . many turtles have long lives , but few species have individuals that live more than a century . records of longevity are derived from captive animals that led protected and catered life . many north american turtle species require 12 to 18 years to reach sexual maturity . once they reach adulthood ,

, or asymptotic , growth as they mature . most reptiles are characterized by a period of rapid juvenile growth that slows upon reaching full adulthood . growth then ceases altogether a few years after maturity .

, growth . typically , rapid growth occurs in juveniles and slows as the individual approaches maturity and shifts its energy resources to reproduction . during most of the adult years , growth is either extremely slow or nonexistent . however , when food resources are high , active growth can occur . thus , the size of an individual of a species characterized by attenuated growth is only limited by its food supply .

, the most common form of defense in the animal kingdom , is also the most common form of defense in reptiles . at the first recognition of danger , most

plunge into water and sink out of sight . even so , should danger arise so suddenly and so close at hand that flight may be hazardous , other behaviours are adopted .

crocodiles , turtles , some lizards , and some snakes hiss loudly when confronted by an enemy .

rapidly vibrate the tip of the tail , which consists of loose , dry , horny rings . even snakes without rattles , such as the

) of the united states , often rapidly vibrate the ends of their tails . often , the tail will come into contact with dry leaves , and the resulting sound will seem deceptively like the rattle of a

change in body form is relatively common in snakes . it usually involves spreading the neck , as in the cobras ( family elapidae ) , or the whole body , as in the harmless hognose snakes ( heterodon ) and dekay’s snake ( storeria dekayi ) of the united states . some snakes inflate the forward parts of their bodies ; inflation is one of the defensive behaviours of the large south american bird snake pseustes poecilonotus and the african boomslang ( dispholidus typus ) .

snakes may also assume threat postures as they change their body form . a cobra raises the forepart of its body and spreads its hood when threatened . the typical defensive posture of vipers is the body coiled and the neck held in an s - curve , the head poised to strike .

flatten their bodies , puff out their throats , and turn broadside to the enemy . the helmeted iguanids (

of africa increase their apparent size in this way when approached by snakes . the australian bearded lizard (

) suddenly raises a wide membrane , or frill , which extends backward from the throat . many lizards and snakes open their mouths when threatened but do not strike . a common african lizard , the black - necked

) , faces an enemy with head held high and mouth open to show the brilliant orange interior .

mullerian mimicry in coral snakes and similar form : ( left ) the venomous eastern coral snake micrurus fulvius ; ( right ) the harmless king snake lampropeltis polyzone ; and ( bottom ) the moderately venomous rear - fanged false coral snake ( oxyrhopus ) .

that involves both form and colour is common in reptiles . for example , many arboreal snakes and lizards are green ; some of the green - coloured snakes , such as the

of dangerous species by harmless ones is a passive defense ; however , its validity as an actual mechanism of defense is sometimes challenged . nonetheless , evidence of mimicry appears among different groups of snakes . for example , the venomous american coral snakes (

) have various ringed patterns of red , yellow , white , and black . these patterns are matched often by non - or mildly venomous snake species occurring in the same area .

if a threatening posture does not succeed in driving off an enemy , many reptiles may become more aggressive . some snakes ( such as dekay’s snake [ s . dekayi ] ) strike , but with their mouths closed . others ( such as the hognose snakes [ heterodon ] ) strike with their mouth open but do not bite , but snakes of many species will strike and bite viciously . among the nonvenomous snakes of north america , few are as quick to bite as the water snakes of genus nerodia ; however , they are nonvenomous .

) bite in self - defense . vipers and pit vipers usually strike from a horizontally coiled posture . from this position , the head can be rapidly shot forward , stab the enemy , and be pulled back in readiness for the next strike . from the typical raised posture , a cobra sweeps its head forward and downward to bite . to strike again , it raises its head and neck once more ; such aggressive , defensive movements of cobras are slower than those of pit vipers .

) is a purely defensive act directed against large animals . instead of a straight canal ending in a long opening near the tip of each fang as in most cobras , the specialized fang of the spitting cobra has a canal that turns sharply forward to a small round opening on the front surface . at the moment of ejection , the mouth is opened slightly , and a fine stream of venom is forced out of the

by the contraction of the muscle enveloping the poison gland . a spitting cobra usually raises its head and the forepart of its body in the characteristic cobra defensive posture prior to spitting , but venom can be ejected from any position . the effect on skin is negligible ; the eyes , however , may be severely damaged , and blindness can result unless the venom is washed out quickly .

a few lizards , representing different families , have thick tails covered by large , hard , spiny scales . such a tail swung vigorously from side to side is an effective defense against snakes , especially when the head and body of the lizard are in a burrow or wedged between rocks .

the tails of some lizard species are useful in defense in another way . when captured , some lizards voluntarily shed , or

, their tails , which wriggle violently , temporarily confusing the predator and allowing the lizard to escape . each vertebra of the tails of tail - shedding lizards has a fracture plane that can voluntarily split by the appropriate twitch of the tail muscles . simultaneous stimulation of the

in the severed portion keeps it twitching for a few seconds after separation . usually the tail is broken in only one place , but a few lizards , particularly the so - called glass snakes (

) , break their tails into several pieces . the stump heals quickly , and a new tail grows ; often , however , the

snakes , turtles , and crocodiles may have their tails bitten off by predators . however , they cannot break them voluntarily or regenerate them . in confrontations with enemies , some snakes use their tails as diversions by raising them and moving them slowly . species with this habit commonly have thick , blunt , brightly coloured tails . for example , the small african burrowing python ( calabaria reinhardtii ) waves its tail in the air as it moves slowly away from a threat .

many snakes , both harmless and venomous , attempt to hide their heads under coils of their bodies . for most species with this habit , the body may be coiled loosely . however , it may also be tightly coiled so that it forms a compact ball with the head in the centre . balling , as the latter habit is called , is a characteristic response of

) , a species with heavy scales on its head and hard spiny scales covering its body and tail , rolls on its back and grasps its tail in its mouth to present an imposing ring of hard spines to a predator .

some reptiles use musk - secreting glands when other defensive measures fail . the water snakes ( nerodia ) , the garter snakes ( thamnophis ) , and the alligator lizards ( gerrhonotus ) emit a foul - smelling substance from their cloacal glands . an assortment of turtles , such as the mud turtle and the musk turtle ( kinosternidae ) , have glands on the bridge of their shells that excrete a vile - smelling fluid that likely makes them distasteful to many predators .

reptile s , of which there are few endemic families , have mainly old world affinities . those most likely to be seen include lizards of the agamid family , skinks ( a family of lizards characterized by smooth overlapping scales ) , crocodiles , and tortoises . endemic reptiles include girdle - tailed…

although amphibian gastrulation is considerably modified in comparison with that in animals with oligolecithal eggs ( e . g . , amphioxus and starfishes ) , an archenteron forms by a process of invagination . such is not the case , however , in the higher vertebrates that possess eggs with…

the living reptiles belong to four orders : the squamata ( lizards , snakes , and amphisbaenians ) , the sphenodontida ( tuataras ) , the testudines ( turtles ) , and the crocodylia ( or crocodilia ; crocodiles and alligators ) . the reptile ear has many different forms , especially within the suborder sauria ( lizards ) , and variations occur in…

unlike lungfishes and amphibians , reptiles depend entirely on their lungs for respiration . gills and skin do not provide additional sources of oxygen . only the crocodiles , however , truly approach birds and mammals in their almost complete “double” circulation . because of the development of a neck…

reptile s are the first vertebrates that , in an evolutionary sense , have evolved an egg that is truly independent of water . indeed , many snakes and lizards have even gone beyond this stage and have attained complete viviparity . it is difficult to generalize about reproductive behaviour…

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horse , ( equus caballus ) , a hoofed , herbivorous mammal of the family equidae . it comprises a single species , …

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hydrocynus vittatus , the african tigerfish , tiervis or ngwesh is a predatory freshwater fish distributed throughout much of africa .

this fish is generally a piscivore but it has been observed leaping out of the water and catching barn swallows in flight .

hydrocynus vittatus

hydrocynus vittatus <EOT> metal concentrations in hydrocynus vittatus ( castelnau 1861 ) populations from a premier conservation . . .

seasonal bioaccumulation of organohalogens in tigerfish , hydrocynus vittatus castelnau , from lake pongolapoort , south africa .

a histology - based fish health assessment of the tigerfish , hydrocynus vittatus from a ddt - affected area .

other species of the tigerfish thriving in the african continent include the hydrocynus brevis ( sudan ) , the hydrocynus forskahlii ( northern africa ) and the hydrocynus tanzaniae ( tanzania ) .

metal concentrations in hydrocynus vittatus ( castelnau 1861 ) populations from a premier conservation area : relationships with environmental concentrations .

hydrocynus ; h . vittatus ; h . brevis and h . forskalii ; length - weight relationship ; morphology ; taxonomy

hydrocynus vittatus ( hydrocynus vittatus ( characid fish ) ) preys on : insecta diptera sarortherdon macrochir haplochromis darlingi tilapia rendalli based on studies in : africa , lake mcilwaine ( lake or pond ) this list may not be complete but is based on published studies .

the hydrocynus vittatus tiger fish is the second most famous species . it can grow to up to 33 pounds , and is common in the southernmost areas of the african continent . biologically referred to as the hydrocynus vittatus , its naming is a literal combination of the english phrases ‘water dog’ and ‘striped’ . the hydrocynus vittatus is common in areas around the okavango delta and the zambezi river system .

froese , rainer and pauly , daniel , eds . ( 2013 ) . " hydrocynus vittatus " in fishbase . december 2013 version .

" ’’hydrocynus vittatus’’ " . iucn red list of threatened species . version 2011 . 2 . international union for conservation of nature . 2010 .

taxonomy , distribution and prevalence of parasites of tigerfish , hydrocynus vittatus ( castelnau , 1861 ) in the sanyati basin , lake kariba , zimbabwe .

cochrane , k . l . , 1976 catches of hydrocynus vittatus castelnau during sardine fishing operations in kariba . kariba stud . , 7 : 98–108

hereafter , groups b , c , d and h . vittatus sensu stricto ( s . s . ) are designated the vittatus complex .

comparative behavioural assessment of an established and a new tigerfish hydrocynus vittatus population in two man - made lakes in the limpopo river catchment , southern africa .

the fish , hydrocynus vittatus , is known as a voracious predator and according to prof smit , its characteristic jump makes it a favourite species for freshwater anglers .

taxonomy , distribution and prevalence of parasites of tigerfish , hydrocynus vittatus ( castelnau , 1861 ) in the sanyati basin , lake kariba , zimbabwe . - pubmed - ncbi

matthes , h . , 1968 the food and feeding habits of the tiger - fish hydrocynus vittatus ( cast . 1861 ) in lake kariba . beaufortia 15 : 143–53

patterns of movement and habitat use by tigerfish ( hydrocynus vit . . . : ingenta connect

kenmuir , d . h . s . , 1975 the diet of fingerling tiger - fish , hydrocynus vittatus cast . in lake kariba , rhodesia . arnoldia rhod . , 7 : 1–8

taxonomic revision of the tiger fish hydrocynus vittatus ( castelnau , 1861 ) , h . brevis ( cuvier & valencience , 1849 ) and h . forskalii ( cuvier , 1819 ) from the nile in sudan

table 2 . frequency occurrence ( percentage ) of food items in various sizes of h . vittatus

the smaller h . vittatus is claimed to be one of the finest game fishes in the world .

table 3 the range of meristics counts for h . brevis , h . forskalii and h . vittatus

kenmuir , d . h . s . , 1971 some aspects of hydrocynus vittatus castelnau ( tiger - fish ) research at lake kariba . news lett . limnol . soc . south . afr . , 17 : 33–8

kenmuir , d . h . s . , 1972 report on a study of the ecology of the tiger - fish , hydrocynus vittatus castelnau in lake kariba . l . k . f . r . i . rep

bayesian tree of the cytochrome b sequence data of hydrocynus produced in beast , using the gtr parameters specified by modeltest .

bayesian tree of the cytochrome b sequence data of hydrocynus produced in mrbayes , using the gtr parameters specified by modeltest .

maximum parsimony of the cytochrome b sequence data of hydrocynus produced in paup , using the gtr parameters specified by modeltest .

geographically structured analysis of molecular variance ( amova ) using cyt b sequences for 26 h . vittatus individuals .

the second largest variety of tigerfish , the hydrocynus vittatus is a fierce predator characterized by a long slender shape and a forked caudal fin . although its scales can be appropriately described as large , iridescent and silvery ; sometimes they appear to have a golden cast .

taxonomic revision of the tiger fish hydrocynus vittatus ( castelnau , 1861 ) , h . brevis ( cuvier & valencience , 1849 ) and h . forskalii ( cuvier , 1819 ) from the nile in sudan | h . a . mohamed | international journal of aquaculture

and the vittatus complex . its timing concurs with constraints on activity in the western branch of the active east african rift system (

goodier sam . evolution of the african tigerfish ( genus hydrocynus ) : insights into drainage evolution . 2010 . msc thesis : university of cape town .

group b consists of two samples from the lufubu river ( a tributary of lake tanganyika ) collected alongside a series of h . vittatus ;

actually the current world record vittatus is 39 inches and 35 pounds . its was an old fat female . normal specimens are under two feet .

…ostariophysan is the tigerfish ( hydrocynus vittatus ) , which attains a weight exceeding 45 kg ( approximately 100 pounds ) ; its huge , sharp teeth and large , tunalike tail endow it with ferocity and speed . parasitic habits are rarely found among bony fishes , but certain species of trichomycterid catfishes attach themselves to the gills…

group d is composed of samples from the luapula river , lake mweru , lake bangweulu and the chambeshi river . this lineage is sister to h . vittatus ;

figure 1 a diagram based on morphometric measurements of h . vittatus , h . brevis and h . forskalii specimens , showing the load of each character on their separation

figure 2 a diagram based on meristic counts of h . vittatus , h . brevis and h . forskalii specimens , showing the load of each character on their separation

summary of 88 genotyped individuals of hydrocynus characterized in this study , together with 2 genbank sequences , ordered by taxa with corresponding haplotype designations ( total = 42 ) and their collection sites .

smit , n . j . ; wepener , v . ; vlok , w . ; wagenaar , g . m . ( jan 2013 ) . " conservation of tigerfish , hydrocynus vittatus , in the kruger national park with the emphasis on establishing the suitability of the water quantity and quality requirements for the olifants and luvuvhu rivers " . water research commission .

table 1 . frequency occurrence of food items in the stomachs of h . vittatus at charlets and nchete / samaria island stations ( june , 1983 – may , 1985 )

fig . 3 length frequency distribution of prey in h . vittatus . shaded histogram shows length frequency of commercial catch at siavonga area , data from subramaniam ( 1984 ) .

table 2 morphomertic measurements h . vittatus ( a ) , h . brevis ( b ) and h . forskalii ( c ) expressed as percentage of head length ( % hl )

fig . 1 percentage frequency of food items by number from h . vittatus samples of ( a ) charlets ( b ) nchete / samaria island stations ( 1984 – 1985 ) .

table 1 morphomertic measurements of h . vittatus ( a ) , h . brevis ( b ) and h . forskalii ( c ) and expressed as percentage of standard length ( % sl )

fin clips or muscle tissue were collected from 88 hydrocynus individuals sampled from 12 drainage systems in the study area , preserved in 96 % ethanol and stored at room temperature or 4°c until dna extraction ( table s1 ) .

mohamed and al - awadi , 2015 , taxonomic revision of the tiger fish hydrocynus vittatus ( castelnau , 1861 ) , h . brevis ( cuvier & valencience , 1849 ) and h . forskalii ( cuvier , 1819 ) from the nile in sudan , international journal of aquaculture , vol . 5 , no . 5 : 1 - 9 ( doi : 10 . 5376 / ija . 2015 . 05 . 0005 )

and the vittatus complex in the pliocene at 3 . 1 ( ci : 5 . 3–1 . 3 ) ma also slightly postdates the initiation of tectonic tilting in the region north of lake malawi (

the ‘ tiger fish ’ is the name generally used to refer to a variety of fish species of the genus hydrocynus . native to africa , the tiger fish is located in scores of rivers and lakes throughout the continent .

. all subsequent divergence events within the vittatus complex ( 2 . 0–0 . 5 ma , plio - pleistocene ) , correspond to a time period of several drainage rearrangements in the zambian congo and the upper zambezi drainage systems

with the aim of resolving the cryptic diversity in hydrocynus , current research is examining representative museum specimens of all these taxa in a multi - faceted generic revision . this revision will include formal taxonomic evaluation of all cryptic lineages revealed by mtdna genotyping .

is an unusual characin . this fish is best described by its scientific name . " hydrocynus " means " water dog " and " vittatus " means " striped , " and , indeed , the african tiger fish looks like a " striped waterdog . " this big , ferocious fish is covered with large , iridescent , silvery scales , sometimes with a golden cast . other common names for this fish are tiger fish , tiger characin , ndweshi , african tigerfish , and tiervis .

. . . tigerfish hydrocynus vittatus ( castelnau 1861 ) are arguably the most sought - after recreational angling fish in southern africa ( økland et al . 2005 , smit et al . 2009 ) . they have a high social , economic and ecological importance as they are used as a food source and as indicators of ecological health throughout southern africa ( naesje et al . 2001 , gerber et al . 2009 , tweddle 2010 , mchugh et al . 2011 ) . . . .

. . . it was merely , but regrettably , an accidental transposition of data in a table , with no implications thereof to our findings and conclusions . in addition a recent report ( smit et al . , 2013 ) found very high levels of ddt in tigerfish ( hydrocynus vittatus ) from knp rivers . predatory tigerfish from the luvuvhu river ( the same river we based our study on ) had the highest levels ever reported for any freshwater fish from south africa . . . .

this study provides the first complete molecular phylogeny of hydrocynus , which incorporates all described species , with representative geographical coverage . moreover , spatio - temporal resolution of diversification in hydrocynus , revealed by molecular dating of cladogenic events and structuring of genetic variation , points to pervasive control of landscape evolution , within and across extant drainage basins . these implications , pertinently as tests of tectonic control , are discussed in detail below . however , first we set in place the platform of taxonomic and phylogeographical knowledge informed by this phylogeny and associated phylogeographic statistics .

citation : goodier sam , cotterill fpd , o ' ryan c , skelton ph , de wit mj ( 2011 ) cryptic diversity of african tigerfish ( genus hydrocynus ) reveals palaeogeographic signatures of linked neogene geotectonic events . plos one 6 ( 12 ) : e28775 . urltoken

since h . vittatus alone had a significant value for fu ' s fs , only its mismatch distribution was calculated ( figure 5 ) . the ‘raggedness’ index was high ( r = 0 . 25 ) and significant ( p < 0 . 01 ) , indicating a poor fit of the observed and expected mismatch distributions [ 54 ] . the observed multimodal distribution , which is characteristic of a historically stable population , is supported by the high nucleotide and haplotype diversity in h . vittatus , which indicates a stable population with a large , persistent , effective population size . however , this can also indicate admixture of historically isolated populations but the low level of genetic distance within h . vittatus does not support a historically stable population .

table 4 principal component analysis ( pcas ) applied to correlation matrix showing the “eigenvalue” explained by each factor and the percentage of total variance ( % variance ) attributed to each factor of 28 morphometric measurements for h . vittatus , h . brevis and h . forskalii

table 5 principal component analysis ( pcas ) applied to correlation matrix showing the “eigenvalues” explained by each factor and the percentage of total variance ( % variance ) attributed to each factor of 10 meristic counts for h . vittatus , h . brevis and h . forskalii

figure 4 a division hierarchical cluster of meristic counts of h . vittatus ( a ) , h . brevis ( b ) and h . forskalii ( c ) , based on the matrix of distance of neighbour - joining clustering ( nearest neighbor ) , using euclidean

one of the causes of the decline in tilapia stocks in lake kariba was attributed to predation by h . vittatus ( matthes , 1968 ; kenmuir , 1971 and coulter et al . , 1965 ) . coke ( 1966 ) also observed 50 % occurrence of tilapia in tiger - fish stomachs . however , donnelly ( 1971 ) found that alestes lateralis formed 54 . 1 % and tilapias only 2 . 1 % of the tiger - fish diet , which lead him to conclude that since the establishment of aquatic plants which provide cover for tilapia juveniles , the influence of h . vittatus on tilapias was minimal . the present study suggests that tilapias still constitute an important item of food for h . vittatus in lake kariba despite the weed cover , although l , miodon remains the major prey .

micralestes acutiden s ( genbank accession number : ay791418 . 1 ) and ladigesia roloffi ( ay791417 . 1 ) were selected as outgroups due to their close genetic relationship to hydrocynus identified by calcagnotto et al . [ 18 ] . taxa were accepted as representing a certain species based on their affinities to known sequences from respective species from known localities , where available , and to sequences from topotypical material ( obtained from the type locality ) , and identified voucher specimens . for example , h . vittatus from the okavango delta is considered topotypical [ 55 ] , [ 56 ] .

figure 3 a division hierarchical cluster of log10 transformed of morphometric measurements of of h . vittatus ( a ) , h . brevis ( b ) and h . forskalii ( c ) , based on a matrix of distance of neighbour - joining clustering ( nearest neighbor ) , using euclidean similarity measure

figure 5a regression graph of length - weight relationship for h . vittatus showing the regression equation ( log 10 w = 0 . 48967729 + ( - 2 . 0794 ) log 10 sl ) equal to w = 3 . 088 l - 2 . 079 ; r 2 = 0 . 923

there are two major species of the african tigerfish , mostly common in the south african sub - region . the hydrocynus goliath , commonly referred to as the goliath tiger fish , is the largest in the family . the goliath tiger can grow to more than 110 pounds , and is rampant in lake tanganyika and the congo river .

our phylogeographic results reveal key spatio - temporal details of how divergence events and demographic responses of tigerfishes have played out across african drainage systems over the late cenozoic . these cladogenic and dispersal events testify to the marked sensitivity of hydrocynus to the geomorphic evolution that fragmented and reconfigured drainage basins . this biogeographical resolution corroborates that obtained for galaxiid fishes and drainage evolution in the southern alps , new zealand [ 13 ] , [ 14 ] . collectively , they demonstrate how combined geological and genetic data provide the keys to unravel the histories of drainage basins and their biodiversity . these insights position us to evaluate how biotic events in hydrocynus interfaced with the geological evolution of neogene africa .

coloration : ground color similar to that of h . forskalii , but in h . vittatus tips of dorsal and adipose fin black and fork of caudal fin black - edged ; dark coloration may also extend unto median caudal rays , forming crescent - shaped blotch ( ref . 80290 , 81279 ) .

. . . similar occasional long - distance movements have been observed in other large - bodied river fish . for example , paddlefish ( polyodon spathula ) in the upper mississippi moved up to 420 km ( zigler et al . 2003 ) , muskellunge ( esox masquinongy ) in the st . john river moved up to 100 km ( curry et al . 2007 ) , and tigerfish ( hydrocynus vittatus ) in the upper zambezi up to 71 km ( økland et al . 2005 ) . taimen home range appears to fit the log - linear home range versus body size relationship across species described by minns ( 1995 , data not shown ) . . . .

south africa’s premier wilderness area , the kruger national park ( knp ) , is worldwide renowned for its conservation of africa’s big five . however , equally important , but less known to the national and international visitors , it also plays a very important role in the conservation of tigers , but not the fury kind , rather the scaly type ! tigerfish , hydrocynus vittatus , one africa’s premier freshwater fishes , are present in most of the main rivers of the knp , but unfortunately , their numbers are declining , not due to lack of protection in the knp , but rather a result of the deterioration of the water quality and quantity of the rivers before they enter the park .

a combination of primers designed in this study and modified universal pcr primers were used to amplify the cyt b region ( table s5 ) . alignment of available hydrocynus sequences , sequences of closely related characiforms from genbank [ 90 ] and partial cyt b sequences [ 18 ] were used to design primers . the final cyt b fragment was amplified as two parts . two primer combinations ( l14724hycf2 or l14990fishf and h15494hycr2 , and l15408hyc with one of three reverse primers ( hycgr2 , hycr3 or h15919hycr ) were used to amplify the respective , partially overlapping amplicons . the large number of reverse primers used was a result of the variability among hydrocynus species at the region initially selected for primer binding , based on the partial genbank sequences and related characiformes .

from bottom ( clockwise ) : a ) h . brevis , b ) h . vittatus , c ) h . goliath , d ) h . forskahlii and e ) h . tanzaniae . photo credits : a ) stan nabozny , b ) ryan clark , c ) mike de wit , d ) dirk neumann , e ) keith clover .

hydrocynus vittatus ( castelnau , 1861 ) synonyms : hydrocinus vittatus castelnau , 1861 hydrocyon lineatus bleeker , 1862 hydrocyon lineatus schlegel , 1863 hydrocyon lineatus gunther , 1864 hydrocyon vittatus boulenger , 1898 description : a brilliant silvery - coloured fish , with compressed elongated body , 205 to 375 mm standard length , covered by ctenoid scales and each scale marked by a dark spot forming parallel bands visible above the lateral line , and a very small adipose fin behind the dorsal fin . edges of dorsal and adipose fins black , forked edge of caudal fin distinctly black . position of the dorsal fin distinctly before the insertion of ventral fin . eye diameter 80 % of inter - orbital width . measurements are in % sl : body depth 20 . 4 to 28 . 9 ; head length 23 . 1 to 27 . 5 ; head width 11 . 2 to 13 . 1 ; upper snout length 9 to 11 . 2 ; lower snout length 10 to 13 . 7 ; eye diameter 6 . 6 to 9 . 2 ; inter - orbital width 9 . 7 to 11 . 6 ; post - orbital length 10 . 8 to 14 . 6 ; dorsal - to - adipose fin 27 . 7 to 37 . 5 ; pre - dorsal length 46 . 4 to 61 . 6 ; pre - ventral length 50 . 8 to 65 . 3 ; caudal peduncle length 10 . 9 to 12 . 6 ; caudal peduncle depth 9 to 11 . 8 .

only posterior probabilities over 0 . 90 are shown . error bars indicate the 95 % confidence intervals on the node dates ; numbers inside the bars are the dates estimated by beast ; those inside ovals are discussed in the text . the horizontal axis depicts time before present in millions of years ( ma ) . the colour coding of hydrocynus lineages corresponds to the drainage system ( s ) represented in each haplotype .

the contents of tiger - fish stomachs consisted mainly of fish , though insects , molluscs and crustaceans were also recorded . fish were found in about 97 % of the full stomachs examined and comprised mainly l . miodon and cichlids followed by unidentified and digested fish . the occurrence of synodontis zambezensis , alestes spp . and juvenile h . vittatus was insignificant ( < 1 % each ) .

a comparison of the stomach contents of h . vittatus from the two stations indicated that there was spatial variation in its feeding habits . while l . miodon occurred in 41 . 5 % of the stomachs of tiger - fish from nchete / samaria island station , it was recorded from only 29 . 5 % of those examined from charlets station . conversely , cichlids were more abundant in the stomachs of fish from charlets station ( 33 . 2 % ) than those from the island station ( 28 . 2 % ) . this may be explained by the greater abundance of juvenile cichlids at charlets station due to the weedy habitat there . the cichlids preyed upon were mainly tilapia rendalli , oreochromis mortimeri and pseudocrenilabrus philander . the incidence of s . zambezensis and h . vittatus in the stomachs was negligible .

this species is close to h . forskalii , but has black markings ( at tip of adipose dorsal fin and fork of caudal fin ) that are lacking in that species . furthermore , the rayed dorsal fin is not positioned as far forwards as in h . forskalii . the synonymy of h . vittatus with h . forskalii proposed by brewster ( 1986 ) does not appear well founded ( paugy and guégan 1989 ) .

three of these key events are represented in the divergence between the two sister groups ( groups c and b from h . vittatus and group d ) estimated at 2 . 0 ( ci : 3 . 5–0 . 8 ) ma . groups b and c diverged in the pleistocene at 1 . 5 ( ci : 2 . 6–0 . 5 ) ma while h . vittatus and group d split approximately 1 . 4 ( ci : 2 . 4–0 . 5 ) ma . all these events can be attributed to rearrangements of upper zambezi and paleo - chambeshi headwaters across northeast zambia , driven by plio - pleistocene tectonism , which ramified from the southern arm of the albertine rift across the bangweulu and mweru depressions , to extend southwest into the bulozi ( upper zambezi ) and okavango graben [ 12 ] , [ 84 , goodier et al . unpublished ] .

this map depicts the geographical relationships of the main rivers and lakes relevant to the biogeography and evolution of hydrocynus , and localities mentioned in the text . this map was constructed using arcmap 9 . 3 from the hydrosheds digital river database [ 103 ] and the aeon africa rivers database [ 65 ] , [ 104 ] . main rivers and lakes depicted in the legend are labeled with letters ( rivers ) and numbers ( lakes ) respectively . country boundaries and labels are included for geographical context .

cichlids in general form a significant part of the artisanal fish catches of lake kariba . the present study suggests that tiger - fish take a substantial toll of juvenile cichlids , particularly in the marginal waters . there is no evidence to support the belief that the predation pressure on tilapias was reduced as a result of the semi - pelagic habit assumed by h . vittatus consequent to the establishment of a large limnothrissa population in the open waters of the lake .

tajima ' s d [ 50 ] and fu ' s fs [ 51 ] tests of selective neutrality examine the frequencies of mutations in order to detect deviations from the neutral model [ 52 ] . due to the small sample sizes ( 2–10 individuals ) for all the lineages , excluding h . vittatus , it is not surprising that neither of these tests of selective neutrality were significant since the ability to detect deviations from the neutral model increases with sample size ( table s4 ] . only h . vittatus had a significantly negative value ( −6 . 2153 ; p < 0 . 005 ) for fu ' s fs , which is more sensitive to recent population expansions [ 53 ] . this result indicates an excess of low - frequency mutations , caused by demographic expansion or selection . however , as cyt b is a protein coding gene , it could be under selection to retain its functionality , resulting in the significantly negative fu ' s fs .

the estimated divergence dates on the dated cyt b tree exhibit fairly large confidence intervals ( e . g . 11 . 1 ( ci : 15 . 5–7 . 1 ) ma on the divergence between h . goliath and all other taxa . this most likely reflects the use of only one calibration point and a universal estimate of substitution rate in teleost cyt b . however , despite this large uncertainty , the estimated dates provide reliable evidence to discuss the evolutionary history of hydrocynus since even approximate estimates can be used to explain biogeographical history [ 37 ] , [ 38 ] , [ 62 ] , [ 63 ] .

a large proportion of individuals from the okavango and upper zambezi rivers share a haplotype confirming an intermittent connection between the okavango and upper zambezi systems [ 6 ] , [ 57 ] , [ 61 ] . a haplotype dominating h . vittatus individuals from coastal populations , south of the lower zambezi , is shared with an individual from the middle zambezi . the presence of the same haplotype in this large area , alongside its high abundance in the coastal rivers ( busi , pongola and save ) is consistent with their recent colonisation from a middle and lower zambezi source population .

within h . vittatus , three well supported groups were recovered in the bayesian tree . these groups consisted of samples from a ) the congo and lufubu rivers , b ) the upper zambezi and okavango delta , and c ) the middle - lower zambezi and shire rivers and the coastal populations . these groups reveal strong phylogeographic structuring across drainage systems , and their detailed explanation will be explored in greater detail in a separate paper [ goodier et al . unpublished data ] . several haplotypes shared between different drainage systems and different rivers within the same system , as seen above , are explored further in the discussion .

phylogenies of hydrocynus using the cyt b data set were constructed in beast 1 . 4 . 8 package [ 41 ] , mrbayes 3 . 1 . 1 [ 42 ] and paup 4 . 0b10 [ 43 ] , using the gtr model parameters for each data set . however , only the beast data are presented and discussed . beast uses bayesian inference and a mcmc sampling procedure to reconstruct a phylogeny by estimating the probability distribution given sequence data [ 41 ] , [ 42 ] . this algorithm weights trees in proportion to their posterior probability , such that a branch with a posterior probability close to 1 is considered well supported , whereas a value close to 0 is considered very weakly supported .

in this respect , the high hd of h . goliath , h . brevis and group c points to a recent expansion in the sizes and ranges of these three populations . correspondingly , the high haplotype diversities and high nucleotide diversities of h . vittatus , h . forskahlii , h . tanzaniae and group a possibly represent recent admixture of historically isolated populations , in respective species , since sampling of each lineage encompassed a large geographical area and represents discrete rivers . the large internal genetic distance within h . forskahlii represents marked genetic structuring within this species complex , most notable in the deep phylogenetic divergence between group e and topotypical h . forskahlii .

in this respect , the boundaries of the congo basin are of focal interest , because these watersheds were forged by diastrophism and / or epeirogeny . the northern , eastern and southern boundaries of this basin are the cameroon rift and central african thrust zone [ 31 ] , [ 32 ] , the east african rift system ( ears ) and southern equatorial divide [ 33 ] . moreover , geochronological evidence for the central african thrust zone and albertine rift ( western arm of the ears ) reliably constrains when volcanism and tectonism formed these hydrological boundaries around the congo basin . so it delimits when first and second order rivers of this basin were redirected and / or impounded by faulting and uplift events ( figure 2 ) . therefore we can employ phylogeographic statistics to test whether or not evolutionary events in hydrocynus were coupled with this drainage disruption , linked with propagation of rifting across the african plate ( exemplified by the formation of lake tanganyika ) [ 12 ] , [ 34 ] , [ 35 ] , [ 36 ] .

diagnosis : 2 scale rows between lateral line and scaly process at pelvic - fin bases ; eye < 70 % of interorbital space ( ref . 2880 , 81279 ) . dorsal - fin origin at about same level as pelvic - fin insertions ; tips of adipose and dorsal fins black ; forked edge of caudal fin black ( ref . 2880 , 80290 , 81279 ) . description : gill rakers few ( 5 - 9 / 9 - 12 ) , but rather long ; rakers of first gill arch normally developed ; body profile less elongate than h . forskalii ( ref . 2880 , 80290 , 81279 ) . dorsal fin with 2 unbranched and 8 branched rays ; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 12 branched rays ; 14 scales around caudal peduncle ( ref . 11970 ) . coloration : ground color similar to that of h . forskalii , but in h . vittatus tips of dorsal and adipose fin black and fork of caudal fin black - edged ; dark coloration may also extend unto median caudal rays , forming crescent - shaped blotch ( ref . 80290 , 81279 ) .

to test whether extant drainage patterns have influenced extant population structure , an analysis of molecular variance ( amova ) was calculated in arlequin 3 . 11 [ 48 ] . this analysis calculates the fixation index ( φst ) [ 49 ] which uses haplotype diversities to estimate levels of genetic diversity and differentiation between contrasted populations . φst analysis partitions the total genetic variance into among - and within - population components , with population specific φst ' s calculated . to test if genetic variation has been structured within drainage basins , versus across watersheds , and principal knickpoints , a hierarchical analysis of molecular variance ( amova ) was also performed using arlequin 3 . 1 [ 48 ] to determine how extant genetic variation is partitioned with h . vittatus . this analysis was only performed on this species due to constraints of sample number . population groupings were based on the overall drainage system ( congo vs . zambezi and coastal - a ) , the drainage system subdivided by separation ( congo vs . zambezi vs . coastal - b ) , and the drainage subdivided by any drainage barriers ( congo vs . upper zambezi and okavango vs . middle and lower zambezi vs . coastal - c ) .

principal component analysis of data from the 27 morphometric measurement revealed that approximately 70 . 3 % of the total variation was explained along one component , ( table 4 ) . the second component of variation accounted for 11 . 5 % of the total variability , the third component of variation accounted for 4 % of the total variability and the fourth component of variation accounted for 3 % of the total variability . the eigenvalues for all components were positive indicating that all used variables has some effect on the morphological variation of the hydrocynus species the loadings of the morphometric variables to determine their importance on variability explained is presented in ( figure 1 ) . principal component analysis of data from ten meristic counts revealed that approximately 73 . 9 % of the total variation was explained along one component ( table 5 ) . the second component of variation accounted for 11 . 6 % of the total variability , the third component of variation accounted for 4 . 5 % , the forth component of variation accounted for 3 . 3 % and the fifth component of variation accounted for 3 . 1 % of the total variability . the loadings of the meristic variables to determine their importance on variability explained is presented in ( figure 2 ) . the data of log10–transformation of morphometric measurements and cluster analysis of meristic counts produced hierarchical clusters of specimens of the three species in a distance dendrogram . most individuals of each species clustered together at the end of the spectrum ( figure 3 & 4 ) .

betta fish care infographic , a handy cheat sheet that will benefit any keepers of siamese fighting fish .

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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 ?

hi every one i ' m looking for all and any information on breeding tigerfish in captivity , i am putting together a breeding program for restocking local zimbabwean . . . ( more ) sara thompson

this tiger characin is definitely a specialty fish . it can reach an impressive size , up to about 3 - 1 / 2 feet ( 105 cm ) in length and over 60 pounds , but it usually won ' t get much longer than about 30 inches ( 75 cm ) in the aquarium . one look at those teeth tells you that the african tiger fish is a voracious predator . the african tiger fish is related to the piranha but actually gets much larger . they can use those huge teeth to chop even large fish into bite sized pieces .

the african tigerfish is not actually hard to care for in terms of water quality or food variety , but they get really big and eat a lot . the large size alone limits the type of aquarist who will able to keep one . when first purchased as small juveniles , they may initially be kept in a large home aquarium . but eventually , full - sized adults will need a very large tank . an aquarium of 650 gallons , even upwards of a 1000 gallons or more , will be needed to keep them happy and healthy . in its adult size , this giant fish is really best suited for public aquariums or for highly experienced aquarists with the space and financial ability to properly care for them .

african tiger fish are usually kept in species aquariums . they will school with their own species and more than one can be kept if the aquarium is large enough . they will also school with fish of similar temperament , however , any tankmates need to be appreciably larger . as they age and grow even larger , however , these african characins tend to become less tolerant of their tankmates and need to be housed singly .

was described by castelnau in 1861 . they are found throughout africa , from egypt to south africa . they are most common in the senegal , nile , omo , and congo rivers and in lake tanganyika . the species is listed on the iucn red list as least concern ( lc ) . it has a wide distribution and is generally abundant and common . other common names it are known by are tiger fish , tiger characin , ndweshi , african tigerfish , and tiervis .

these tiger fish inhabit mainly larger rivers and lakes . all but the largest specimens will swim in schools with other similarly sized fish , roving about and preying on food . they are fierce and voracious predators , feeding on whatever is available . while they mostly eat other fish , they will also consume some detritus and plant matter . the african tiger fish also serves as a food fish for many natives .

varies - they swim in schools with other similarly sized fish , though very large specimens are loners .

lc - least concern - this species has a wide distribution . although it has been locally depleted by heavy fishing , it is generally common and abundant and therefore listed as least concern . it has been assessed regionally as least concern for central , eastern , north eastern , southern , and western africa .

the african tiger fish can get up to 41 . 3 inches ( 105 cm ) in length and weigh up to 62 pounds ( 28 kg ) in the wild . in captivity , they are unlikely to achieve a size of much more than about 30 inches ( 75 cm ) and have a lifespan of between 10 and 15 years .

this fish has an elongated body that tapers on both ends and a forked caudal fin . its large head features prominently visible teeth , 8 per jaw . the teeth are conical in shape and very sharp . the african tiger fish uses its teeth for grasping and chopping rather than tearing . these teeth are occasionally replaced throughout its life .

this fish has a silvery blue body overall with rows of large , iridescent , silvery scales , sometimes with a golden cast . some individuals will have red and yellow on the fins . males and females are similar in form and color , but females are generally smaller and more full - bodied .

41 . 3 inches ( 105 . 00 cm ) - these fish get up to 3 1 / 2 feet ( 105 cm ) and weigh up to 62 pounds ( 28 kg ) in the wild , but they are unlikely to reach much more than about 30 inches ( 75cm ) in the aquarium .

15 years - they have a lifespan of between 10 and 15 years in captivity .

african tiger fish are large predacious fish . they are undemanding of water quality and eat readily , but their size alone limits who will able to keep them . when small , these fish will seem like an interesting and exotic addition to your tank . but they grow to an alarming size and have amazing bursts of speed , both of which make providing a suitable environment over the course of their lifespan very challenging .

small juveniles may initially be kept in a large home aquarium , but eventually they will need a very large tank . in their adult size , they are really best suited for public aquariums , or kept by experienced fish keepers with the space and financial ability to care for these giants .

advanced - this fish grows up to 3 . 5 feet in length and requires a very large tank of 650 gallons or more . these restrictions make it unsuitable for the average hobbyist .

these fish are primarily considered to be carnivores . in the wild , they are a major predator . though the bulk of their diet is fish , they will also consume some detritus and plant matter , so are actually omnivorous . in the aquarium , they can be fed meaty foods like whole fishes and shrimps .

when initially introduced into the aquarium , they will readily eat live foods , but once they have acclimated , they can be offered frozen foods as well a pellet diet . small juveniles will take flake but will soon need to be moved to pellets . trout pellets work well . some aquarists report that they will ignore prepared foods when live food is available .

yes - these fish may not accept processed foods at first but will usually adapt to them with time .

tiger fish are big , messy fish that require ample filtration . water changes of about 30 - 50 % are needed every other week , depending on the bioload , to keep this fish happy and healthy .

bi - weekly - do a 30 - 50 % water change every other week .

african tiger fish is an extremely large , predatory fish . because of its large adult size and propensity for schooling with other similarly sized fish , it needs a very large aquarium . when first obtained as a small juvenile , it can be kept in a large home aquarium , but as it grows it will need a much larger tank . as it attains its adult size , at least 650 gallons will be needed to keep it happy and healthy , with upwards of 1000 + gallons or more being even better .

these fish will occupy all parts of the aquarium , so they need a spacious open area for swimming as well as a decor of plants , roots , and driftwood to provide them with some hiding places . they need good , clean water and a moderate water flow , so adequate filtration is important .

650 gal ( 2 , 460 l ) - juveniles can be kept in a large home aquarium , but full - sized adults will need at least 650 gallons or more .

though the african tiger fish is not necessarily aggressive , it has a big appetite . not many species can survive in a tank with them . this fish will do best kept in a species tank .

this fish can be kept with other similarly sized or larger , non - territorial species . however , the african tiger fish is less tolerant of tankmates outside its own species , so be cautious in selecting companions . in particular , very large individuals are likely to grow less tolerant of co - inhabitants .

large aggressive - predatory - this fish is more predatory than aggressive ; however , tankmates need to be significantly larger .

yes - these fish will swim in schools , though very large specimens may become loners .

threat - tankmates should be similarly sized or larger to avoid becoming a meal .

the african tiger fish has not been bred in the aquarium , though it has been successfully bred in captivity as a fishery specimen . presumably , breeding them in an aquarium would be difficult , or even impossible , and would require a very large tank . for a general description of breeding characin fish , see breeding freshwater fish : characins .

in nature , these fish spawn for just a few days each year during the rainy season , usually in december and january . they migrate up river and into small streams . the female lays a large number of eggs in very shallow water among submerged vegetation . after the eggs hatch , the young live in the shallows until flood waters force them out into larger waterways .

like most giant fish , the biggest concern with the african tiger fish is lack of space and food . if you can meet these needs , not much goes wrong with these giants . these fish are hardy and disease is not usually a problem in a well - maintained aquarium . however , aquarists still need to take precautions against health problems and disease . anything you add to your tank can introduce disease . not only other fish but plants , substrate , and decorations can harbor bacteria . take great care and make sure to properly clean or quarantine anything you add to an established tank so as 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 .

a good thing about the african tiger fish is their resilience . an outbreak of disease can often be limited to just one or a few fishes if dealt with it at an early stage . 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 a well balanced diet . the more closely their environment resembles their natural habitat , the less stress the fish will have and the healthier and happier they will be . a stressed fish is more likely to acquire disease .

as with most fish , the african tiger fish is prone to skin flukes , parasitic infestations ( protozoa , worms , etc . ) , ichthyobodo infection , parasitic infestations ( protozoa , worms , etc . ) , bacterial infections ( general ) , and bacterial disease . aquarists should 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 african tiger fish or tiger characin are occasionally available but usually come with a very high price tag . even though they aren’t considered rare , like many large fish , they are expensive when small because they are small for such a short period of time .

the african tiger fish is primarily a game fish and food fish . they can ' t be shipped into florida , as the florida fish and wildlife conservation commission has restrictions placed upon the transport and handling of certain species , including this one .

glen s . axelrod , brian m . scott , neal pronek , encyclopedia of exotic tropical fishes for freshwater aquariums , tfh publications , 2005

dr . rüdiger riehl and hans a . baensch , aquarium atlas vol . 4 , mergus verlag , 2004

hi every one i ' m looking for all and any information on breeding tigerfish in captivity , i am putting together a breeding program for restocking local zimbabwean waters . please if you have any information i would hugely appreciate it , and you may have helped save the species .

i will be doing a presentation based on this fish and this means that i have to know it like the back of my hand , and so far its cool , i ' m loving it , it ' s so adorable and beautiful .

hi guys i ' m looking for all and any information on breeding tigerfish i am a zimbabwean , i have been asked to research breeding these guys for restocking our local waters in zimbabwe as the decline is so drastic that they could become extinct in the next decade . please anyone with any information of breeding tigerfish please contact me asap extremeaquariums167 @ urltoken

how old will a tiger fish weighing around 6 kg be ? the kariba zimbabwe species .

how long have you had it ? did you get it from a pet store or from a previous owner ? i don ' t think there ' s any sure way to tell how old it is . in the wild they can get to be around 28 kg , but in captivity they don ' t usually get that big because of environment constraints .

this page states that they need a 1 , 000 gallon aquarium . what are the dimensions of this aquarium ?

they can be different dimensions but run about 120 inches wide , 50 inches deep and 40 inches accross - - - there are various sizes though .

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eschmeyer , w . n . , fricke , r . and van der laan , r . ( eds ) . 2016 . catalog of fishes : genera , species , references . updated 2 august 2016 . available at : urltoken . ( accessed : 2 august 2016 ) .

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justification : this species has a wide distribution . although it is locally depleted by heavy fishing pressure , it is generally common and abundant , and is therefore listed as least concern . it has also been assessed regionally as least concern for central , eastern , north eastern , southern and western africa .

this species is generally common and widespread . in lake kariba on the middle zambezi river , its population fluctuated considerably , mostly in relation to the abundance of the introduced clupeid

which now forms a major part of its diet ( kenmuir 1973 , marshall 1985 ) . it is commercially exploited in lake rukwa , forming about 3 . 9 % of the yield . in mtera dam , species composition in the catches show a decline from 26 . 1 % in 1987 to 14 . 3 % in 1991 , and 7 % in 1996 .