Ctenopoma acutirostre Pellegrin, 1899
Suggested pronunciation: ten-oh-POE-muh uh-cute-ee-ROSS-truh

Species description

• Physical description....
• Ctenopoma acutirostre has a chunky body shape, almost like an elongated rectangle with a sharpened end.
• The body colour varies from lemony-brown to a darker greenish-brown with chocolate brown blotches.
• They have large amber eyes and a small head that ends in a small, pointed and highly protrusible mouth.
• The dorsal and anal fins have long bases with rounded ends. They nearly meet the caudal fin to add to the blocky appearance.
• The caudal peduncle, and rounded ends of the dorsal and anal fins are edged with a chocolate line, giving a continuous fin-look to the back of the body.
• The caudal fin is mostly the same colour and pattern as the body.
• The end of the caudal fin is clear, as are the pectoral fins.
• The caudal peduncle has a large dark spot in the middle.
• Unlike most other Labyrinth Fish (with the exception of the Kissing Gourami), the pelvic fins are quite short.
• The dorsal fin is the same colour as the body.
• A line runs at 45 degrees from the eye to the corner of the mouth.
• Taxonomy and Systematics....
• Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata: Sub-phylum: Vertebrates - Group: Fish data
    • Class: Osteichthyes (Bony Fish): Sub-class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)
      • Order: Perciformes (Perch-like Fish)
        • Family: Anabantidae
          • Genus: Ctenopoma
            • Species: acutirostre
• Geographical variants....
  • None.
• Similar species....
  • None

Habitat information

• Ctenopoma acutirostre occurs in the Congo River system and in the Stanley pool.
• They are found in vegetated areas of forest streams, as well as ponds, lakes, swamps, irrigation ditches and quiet stretches of rivers.

Aquarium care
The following information relating to tank size, decoration and tank mates is indicative and intended to be used as a rough guide only.
Most of the information under tank ideas relates to setting up a biotope tank - where the fish and plants all come from the same region or country (eg. the Rio Xingu or Southeast Asia).
Other possible tank mates are listed under Compatibility and there are many plants and decorations that can be used - just ask us.

• Tank ideas....
• Ctenopoma acutirostre needs a minimum aquarium size of around 90x38x38 centimetres.
• Example biotope - West African Floodplain Swamp
  This tank represents a permanent swamp habitat that develops on the African floodplain. These areas are characterised by a dark, shadowy look, soft water and plenty of vegetation.
  
  • Tank capacity: 363 litres
  • Tank type: HR-1500B
    • 150 centimetres (60 inches or 5 foot) tank
    • 3 x 40W fluorescent tubes
  • Fish ideas:
    • 3 x Ctenopoma acutirostre
    • 1 x Pantodon buchholzi
    • 1 x Synodontis decorus
    • 12 x Phenacogrammus interruptus
  • Building the tank:
    • Background - external printed black.
    • Substrate - 3mm black gravel, river sand and peat moss; roughly 50:20:5kg ratio - mix the sand and peat through the gravel.
    • Decoration - Driftwood to create tangled branch effect; scattered smooth rocks. Attach the Anubias to some of the rocks.
      
    • Plants - Suitable plants include Hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis), Anubias barteri , Straight Val (Vallisneria spiralis) and Red Tiger Lotus (Nymphea maculata).
• Maintenance and Disease....
• Keeping these fish can sometimes be a bit hit-and-miss as some individuals can be prone to a number of common diseases of aquarium fish yet others become long lived aquarium residents.
• Remember to leave an airspace of about 2.5 centimetres between the water surface and the tank lids, as they are a Labyrinth fish that needs to breathe air.
• The lids also helps to keep these fish in the tank as they are extremely good at jumping when frightened.
• Regular partial water changes are recommended to keep them in good health.
• These fish are nocturnal by nature (as indicated by their large eyes) but once settled in the tank they will regularly be seen out and about at any time.
• Make sure they get enough to eat.
• The water needs to be warm - anything below 24oC is cold.
• Water parameters:
  
  • pH: slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (6.5-7.5: optimum 6.7)
    
  • Hardness: soft to moderate (5-12dH: optimum 9)
    
  • Temperature: 25-28oC.
    
• Compatibility....
• Any fish small enough to be swallowed will soon be stalked and eaten.
• This means small Tetras and Catfish are not suitable, but large characins, Synodontis catfish and large cyprinids make good companions.
• Leopard Bushfish are not aggressive towards other fish and make a good community fish with a tank of larger tankmates.
• If you want to keep a group of Leopard Bushfish, add all at once, otherwise, the original resident(s) may harass the new fish.
  
  

  Ideas for suitable tankmates.... The fish listed below are indicative of the species that can be kept with this fish. Other fish may also be suitable - please ask us which other fish are compatible. ______________________________ Africa - Riverine African Butterflyfish (Pantodon buchholzi) Congo Tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus) Humphead(Steatocranus casuarius) Elephantnose (Gnathonemus petersi) Synodontis ocellifer Distochodus sexfasciatus ______________________________ South America Bolivian Ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosa) Red Humphead (Geophagus steindachneri) Diamond Tetra (Moenkhausia pittereri) Sailfin Pleco (Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps) Hoplo (Megalechis thorcatum) Discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus) ______________________________ Asia Scissortail Rasbora (Rasbora trilineata) Silver Shark (Balantiocheilus melanopterus) Clown Loach (Chromobotia macracanthus) Pearl Gourami (Trichogaster leeri) Siamese Flying Fox (Crossocheilus siamensis) ______________________________ Australia/New Guinea Melanotaenia trifasciata Melanotaenia parkinsoni Salmon-red Rainbowfish (Glossolepis incisus)

  
  
• Breeding....
• Ctenopoma acutirostre is a bubble-nest builder.
• Very soft, acidic water and an increase in temperature are required to trigger spawning.
• Little brood care occurs.
• Fry are very difficult to raise.
• There are problems such as suspected sibling cannibalism, a failure to eat in the early stages of life, sensitivity to ammonia wastes in the water, problems with forming of the labyrinth organ and susceptibility to velvet disease.
• Juveniles (right) look like miniatures of the adults, with a lighter base body colour.
• These are being bred in Queensland very successfully.

WetPetz
ph: (07) 3823 1866