Fish with no eyes

[Shark Boy]

I just picked up four of these a couple days ago. The lfs has had the same four in their tanks ever since I started using the place so I thought it was about time someone gave them a home.

One or two of my albino tiger barbs seemed to have taken a dislike to them, but the blind fish seem able to give as good as they get. Hopefully everything will be fine once things settle down a bit. They're cool fish though, something different and interesting for the tank. My girlfriend doesn't like them though.

 

[~FairyAngelFish~]

I feel bad for fish with no eyes.

 

[DMan99]

When blind cave fish are born they are blind with no eyes however at such a young age they have visible eye sockets just with no eyes. As they mature these grow out until the no eyes looks more natural lol. They have never been able to see so for them it is not a problem. They originate from dark caves in certain places around the world and so in their natural environment they dont need eyes.

They navigate around the aquarium using their lateral line system. It sends out, correct me if im wrong, week electrical signals which come back to the fish givin it a picture in its mind of its surroundings allowing it to navigate perfectly. They grow to around 4 inches to the best of my knowledge.

I have three of them and bought them for their uniqueness. Whilst not the perfect aquarium fish they can hold their own, swim fine, fight for food well and dont seem to be too agressive. I love them and think they have made a great addition to the aquarium that they are in.

Hope that clears it up

 

[pnyklr3]

I did go back, and they had a tank with blind cave fish. All looked the same as the one in the pic, and the same as the one that I saw. I did, however, notice that they swam much differently than the one I saw torpedoing through the tank, so I guess that one had a problem. I'm still miffed that the clerk didn't know he had blind cave fish there in the first place to let me know of the fact!

 

[OohFeeshy]

Wow... do they need a heater? If not, which I'd assume they don't, I'd like one since they only grow 4 inches or so... Yey!

 

[DMan99]

They do need a heater unfortunately, tropical through n through lol. Heater and filter is required, sorry! Dont quote me on the 4 inches, give or take an inch to be sure.

 

[The-Wolf]

Astyanax fasciatus mexicanus
suggested reading
http/www.nanfa.org/articles/acastya.htm

 

[OohFeeshy]

They do need a heater unfortunately, tropical through n through lol. Heater and filter is required, sorry! Dont quote me on the 4 inches, give or take an inch to be sure.

I do have a heater, It's just a bit poo . I just assumed a fish that lived in a pitch black cave with no light would live in cold water. And I have a filter. I'm not going to have one in a goldfish bowl .

 

[DMan99]

Lol it jst sounded like thats what u meant.

Go for it, theyre great fish!

 

[OohFeeshy]

Hehe, if I can find a shop that sells them! Not likely, TBH. The most exotic thing pets at home sells are angel fish.

 

[pnyklr3]

Yeah, they are tetras I believe, so they will need a heater and filter. I think that they must be becoming more popular since I found them at PetCO, a large chain store if you're not familiar with it.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

i read that having no eyes in the caves was better because they couldnt see anyways and they just ended up getting their eyes poked

 

[Ben]

i read that they became an annoyance in the dark and they got infected by the junk down thereso over time they fell off

DD

 

[Dorkhedeos]

i read that they eat your soul!

 

[jacblades]

if it was bumping into things, it wasnt a cave tetra.
i have had 2 for a long time and have never seent hem bump into anything once. they will swim very quickly towards something just to make a sharp turn just before hitting it.