Anableps Tankmates

[Calusa]

So, today, I got an anableps... he's pretty cool. He's currently temporarily in a 5 gallon minibow, with the water just deep enough for the filter to suck up water, but shallow enough that he's got some rocks to rest on, as it was in the tank at the store. The water level's really convenient, because the LFS people said they like to swim with current, and so far, that's what he's been doing.

One discrepancy: Although he was in the brackish section, they made sure to inform me he was in fresh water, so I didn't throw him into shock. They said that they'd 'tolerate' brackish... making it seem as if they're typically not brackish, but occasionally move themselves into brackish waters. So, I want to make sure that's actually the case.

If you know me, you know that I like diversity. So, what other type of fish could I house with this guy? Possibly a flounder (he's a surface fish, flounders are bottom fish) or a fiddler crab... any other ideas?

 

[CFC]

Can you give us the latin name of your anablep?There are at least 3 species,2 of which live in brackish water and 1 which can live in both,personaly i would keep them in brackish water anyway as they are livebearers and it increases the chances of breeding.Really they are a shoal fish and need to be kept in a small group (at least 3) ,they also get to 12 inches when adult and need quite a large tank.They can be quite difficult to feed as their prefered food is low flying incects that get caught on the waters surface they also need to be kept really warm with temperatures between 26 and 30 dgc.

 

[Calusa]

hmm, no I can't give the name of the exact species, unfortunately. However, I did come across information on webwetmedia.com, and found that mine isn't the one that dives a lot... it has 3 stripes and spends most of it's time at the surface. If you could point me to some photos, or other ways of differentiating, that'd be awesome.

I guess I should get more of 'his' species for 'him' to be with, I will this weekend (when I get my Prairie Dog ) and I suppose I should also find a better tank for him and his friends, unless I find him to be the fresh, and in that case can put them in with my elephant nose?

Thanks!

 

[CFC]

Did a quick search on google for you,loads of sites on there but didnt really have time to search through all of them to find the good ones,came across this one though http/www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebI...ex/anableps.htm not many pictures but quite a lot of info on all three species.

 

[Gibbo]

Second that CFC, they're shoalers and livebearers. Gestation period of 6 months + and give birth to 1-1.5" youngsters!! What a cool fish!! Go for it Calusa

 

[Calusa]

They're awesome fish.. and yeah, they at first seemed to be shoalers, but now I have to keep them seperated. When I heard they were shoalers, I ran up and bought another so he could have a buddy. I think that when one feels threatened, it's blood changes color, or it feeds more blood through the fins, or *something,* because when they're together, the less dominant one's fins turn BLACK, as does it's underside. I was really alarmed at first, but they recover in a matter of seconds.

 

[gadazobe]

I also have an anablep anablep - only one at the moment but I'd like to get him/her a mate. Does anyone know how to sex these fish?

 

[CFC]

Same way as you sex mollies and other livebearers,the males have a gonopodium which is clearly visable.