Saberfin

Saberfin, scientific name Terranatos dolichopterus, belongs to the Rivulidae family. The fish is the only representative of the genus Terranatos, which in Latin means “Terra” = earth, and “natos” – birth.

The name reflects the process of the birth of fry. In nature, at the end of the dry season, when the first rains fill the dried up river beds, tiny larvae begin to appear from the thickness of the once dry silt – the future Saberfins.

They grow very quickly, since their life span is only one season. As the water recedes and another drought approaches, the fish have time to lay hundreds of eggs, some of which will give birth to a new generation in a few months.

The short lifespan and difficulty in breeding have made this species less popular in home aquaria outside of its natural habitat.

Habitat

The fish are native to South America. They are found in the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela. They inhabit drying floodplain lakes and swamps remaining after river floods.

Description

Adult individuals reach a length of up to 4 cm. The species is characterized by pronounced sexual dimorphism.

Males, unlike females, have a more slender body and bright colors with purple, reddish and orange hues. The main distinguishing feature is the high turquoise pointed dorsal and anal fins, resembling wings, as well as elongated tail edges.

Females are noticeably more modest and do not stand out either in color, or in the shape, or in the size of the fins.

Behavior and Compatibility

They are friendly to relatives if they are in a group with a ratio of 2-3 females per male. The absence of females or the predominance of males will inevitably lead to intense competition, which is fraught with injuries. Joint maintenance with active, territorial, aggressive species is also unacceptable. A species aquarium is a good choice.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 20 liters.
• Temperature – 20-25°C
• Value pH — 6.0–6.5
• Water hardness – soft (4-6 dGH)
• Substrate type – dark soft
• Lighting – subdued
• Brackish water – no
• Water movement – absent or weak
• The size of the fish is up to 4 cm.
• Nutrition – live food
• Temperament – peaceful
• Content in the group in the ratio of 2-3 females per male

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

In nature, they often find themselves in tiny puddles, so they are not demanding on the size of the aquarium. For a pair of Saberfin, a volume of 20 liters or more can be optimal.

In the design, it is necessary to provide for dark soft soil with a layer of fallen leaves, snags, a lot of aquatic plants, including floating ones. The latter will become an effective means of shading.

The content is challenging even for experienced aquarists. As a rule, fish are acquired at the stage of larvae or even in the form of eggs as part of dry peat briquettes. Local residents have the opportunity to catch wild fish.

In all cases, there is no possibility of long-term acclimatization, so Saberfins need to provide a habitat as close to natural as possible – soft acidic water with a high content of tannins and a temperature of 20–25 ° C.

For the same reason, the fish do not have time to adapt to alternative products such as dry food and need only live products.

Features of the content and diet should be checked with suppliers.