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Fishes Catalogue - Characins (Family: Characidae)Contents
Characidae [kar-ace-i-dee] form one the largest families of fishes, and are commonly called Characins [kar-a-sins]. The genera and species are very numerous in South and Central America, and to a lesser degree in Africa. By far the largest varieties are to found in the vast basin of the Amazon River, and this is the natural habitat of the majority of Characins commonly known as “Tetras”. Other Characoid fishes include the Piranhas and Silver Dollars, the Headstanders, the Pencilfishes, the Hatchetfishes, and the African Tetras. One feature, which is common to all species, is the presence of teeth, and I’m sure you are aware of that fact where the piranhas are concerned; indeed, in some species of Piranha these are so large that the fish has difficulty in closing its mouth. Many Characins are favourite aquarium fishes because of their bright colours and small size, and are peaceful in the community aquarium. Characins are basically shoaling fishes; an ideal situation would be to have a shoal of a single species in an aquarium, planted at the back and sides, with plenty of free swimming space in the middle. In nature the majority of Characins are carnivorous, fortunately, in the aquarium, they are not so demanding and will take almost anything that is offered, although you should try to provide a proportion of live food for them to thrive. |
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