n. eques

[anewbie]

I'm trying to figure these guys out (should post a few pictures). I purchased two groups - one from aquaimport that had red tails and one from wetspot which have black tail. Visually they look very fragile with the bodies waving in and out (other species have a more rigid body - i mean the actual body of the fish seem to wave on the eques). Also while description suggest they would hate current or expect very slow current at least one group like to pile up right in front of the flow bar - while a few will get behind the flow bar (small space between the glass and flow bar where the suction cups are - which is more dead space with regards to flow); many will get just in front of the flow bar.

The other thing of course is these seem to be insect hunters rarely leaving the top area with the mouths at the top - the only other species of nannostomus i own that exclusively remain at the top at the epesi with all other species spending a little to lot of time mid to lower level such as margarita.

 

[Mike Wise]

Photos of each group would definitely help.

 

[MacZ]

Do they look bent? That tells me they are either old or sick. It's barely possible to discern this in many specimens. Red and Black tails can be different states of health as well. I'd need pictures.

 

[anewbie]

Do they look bent? That tells me they are either old or sick. It's barely possible to discern this in many specimens. Red and Black tails can be different states of health as well. I'd need pictures.

I'll get some eventually - not today - I presume the red/black was different populations. They only look bent when they move otherwise they look straight. Hopefully i'll get something tomorrow of the black tail ones. The red tail ones are much harder (different aquarium and they spend more time in areas that are not easy to photograph).

 

[anewbie]

Here are some not great photo; group 1 near the spray bar - there are usually 6 or 7 the others are sort of hidden by the rim - total number is 14 or so:

These are of the other group - i couldn't find the ones with extremly red tail but the last one shows a bit of deep red - there are only 7 or 8 individual and they are usually not very in photo locations:

Two of them have much stronger red tails but i couldn't locate them.

 

[Mike Wise]

For me they are just 2 different populations, red color is not really important. I will say that most appear to be males.

 

[anewbie]

For me they are just 2 different populations, red color is not really important. I will say that most appear to be males.

Can you identify a female - not sure i understand the difference. Also in the black population i have 12 or 14 so there are a lot more. Unfortunately for the red ones i only got a few as it was the first time i purchase them - someone said they were like uni which i dislike but these are imho nothing like uni and much nicer.

Also i have these weird ones; i had purchase 4 as something - maybe rubin because they were inexpensive but they were like sub 1/2 inch and colourless when received now quite a few months later they are nearly full grown - at first i thought they might be sex dimorphism but i'm not even sure they are the same species. Unfortunately the 'pair' are almost inserable and constantly moving making picture taking difficult i suspect they are both males but their behavior doesn't quite look like sparing.

 

[MacZ]

I will say that most appear to be males.

Almost all N. eques in the pictures are male, I can confirm this. There's only one in the first picture, that might be a female. The usual ratio you get in the trade is 5-6 males per female.

They are not in good shape, and the ones by the spray bar are seriously stressed, as the colouration tells me.

I made this for a German forum once.

Male:
- anal fin is big and roughly square-shaped
- has a white edge
- and a red blotch
- the tips of the pelvic fins are always white

Female:
- anal fin roughly triangular
- with a smal red blotch
- rarely white tips on the pelvic fins
- usually much more mass


clear female:

clear male:

 

[anewbie]

They are not in good shape, and the ones by the spray bar are seriously stressed, as the colouration tells me.

The eques? - what would be stressing them ? Too much current ? Water condition should be decent it is a 65 with ec 30 and gets around 40% water change weekly - only thing that would stress them I think in terms of predators are the d39.

The current is set to (the filter has a dc pump) approx 1,300 l/h or 343 which might be a bit high on 65 (5x); i could turn the spray bar into the glass which would reduce the current a bit. I've not noticed any objections to the current from the margita or other fishes certianly nothing betting blown across the tank though they stay a lot lower where the current is probably weaker. Hum. The filter is a new thing since the uplift tubes on the matten filter kept clogging (almost twice a week i had to clean out the little holes in the bottom or go without filtration).

 

[MacZ]

I have quickly found out they like a lot of cover from above and current is also a factor.

So any current reducing measures and any plant cover above or on the surface will do wonders.

Additionally: Get them feeding more. Artemia nauplii and live white mosquito larvae were always what mine went crazy for. It also keeps them occupied.

Edit: In a well decorated tank the males tend to have small territories of maybe 10-15cm diameter in all three dimensions. especially along the line from open water to cover from floaters or Nymphaea leaves.

 

[anewbie]

I have quickly found out they like a lot of cover from above and current is also a factor.

So any current reducing measures and any plant cover above or on the surface will do wonders.

Additionally: Get them feeding more. Artemia nauplii and live white mosquito larvae were always what mine went crazy for. It also keeps them occupied.

Edit: In a well decorated tank the males tend to have small territories of maybe 10-15cm diameter in all three dimensions. especially along the line from open water to cover from floaters or Nymphaea leaves.

The 2nd aquarium has a lot of plant coverage in an area around 30x16 though in truth i'm not sure those look less 'stress' the ones by the spray bar. This aquarium is more open as i redid it when i moved the d39 and the plants haven't really filled in yet. I do not want to mix the two populations since the other have a more distinct red tail. I guess i could add some frogbit temporarily until the other stuff grows in as it might take a year but the frogbit might not do well with the surface current. I thought abuot trying to adapt the matten filter to use a pump but i think to do it correctly i need to run tubing under the substrate to the other side so the water flows the length of hte aquarium and i'm not prepare to do that before i move in approx 24 months.


Any clue as to the species of the red ones esp the one that is more pale ?

 

[anewbie]

Also @MacZ since I'm pretty poor at this what about these guys are they stressed out ?