2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21
Elephant fish lives in the Congo River and the rivers of Cameroon. This species first came to Europe in 1950, in the USSR - in 1962. The length of an adult individual reaches 23 centimeters. The body is rather elongated, but laterally flattened. The pectoral fins are high, the dorsal fin is shifted far back. The elephant fish does not have ventral fins, as for the color, its color is dark brown. There is a rather large black spot between the dorsal and anal fins.
Elephantfish
The fish got its name because of the proboscis located on the lower part of the jaw, the size of which is equal to two centimeters. The proboscis looks like a rounded long stem.
The so-called trunk is necessary for the fish in order to find food for itself. The life expectancy of this species in natural conditions is eight years on average. Water "elephants" are difficult to distinguish by gender, the only difference is that females are larger than males. Fish have an amazing feature, namely, thanks to electric fields, they find their way in the dark. They are also able to distinguishdead and living beings. The river elephant prefers to swim closer to the bottom. The fish looks like a mine detector.
Aquarium and elephant fish
The maintenance and reproduction of these fish, like many large varieties, should take place in an aquarium with a volume of more than 120 liters. The aquarium must be tightly closed with glass, otherwise the fish will jump out of it.
"Elephants" are not too demanding on the chemical composition of water. In order for the fish to feel comfortable, shelters in the form of stone caves, dense thickets, and flower pots should be arranged in the aquarium. As for the soil, it should be loose and soft. This is necessary so that it can settle after agitation in a few minutes. Washed peat chips can be used as soil. Most of the life of the elephant fish is in motion, only for a short time it can be in a calm state. This species is constantly chasing similar fish, and sometimes pursues large fish without a special purpose. The underwater elephant does not pay any attention to small specimens. They can be compared to playful baby elephants who just want to frolic.
The smartest fish
Many connoisseurs of aquatic life believe that the elephant fish is the smartest fish. In order to get food for herself, she plunges her head into the mud and looks for food with the help of her trunk. When a bloodworm is found in a thick layer of silt, the movable trunk throws it up. Thereafterthe bloodworm is drawn into the mouth opening, which is located under the trunk. Under natural conditions, elephant fish sink into the mud until only the dorsal fin is visible. On their back they have an organ called an "electrolocator". Thanks to him, an approaching enemy will be seen at a distance of several meters. Many scuba divers like to take photos of bizarre fish, including the elephant fish. Her photo adorns many thematic publications.
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