Vandellia
cirrhosa Valenciennes, 1846
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| Image
contributors to this species: |
| Robbie N. Cada
(1
Art) Peru
Aquarium Group
(2) |
| ScotCat
Sources: |
 
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| Other
Sources: |
  
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| Relevant
Information: |
There are 3 species in
this genera, V.cirrhosa, V.beccarii ( from the Orinoco
River basin and rivers of Guyana) and V. sanguinea
(from the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo River basins).
V.cirrosa seems to be the more common species of the Candiru.
This is the species that has gained a fearsome reputation for
entering the gill chambers of larger fishes and feeding on the
blood from the gills. Probably the most disturbing habit is entering
the urogenital openings of mammals, including human bathers, in
the water. It will lock its opercular and interopercular spines
and has to be surgically removed from its intended victim. Aquarium
Care: Not easy to keep and would need to be housed on
their own as larger fish would be preyed upon for their blood
in the gill chambers. Sand is the best substrate for digging themselves
into and floating plants to cut the light down for this light
sensitive species. Diet: Very difficult as all
reports seem to intimate that they need larger fish to feed on. |
| Common
Name: |
Candiru |
| Synonyms: |
Vandellia gigantea,
Plectrochilus erythrurus, Urinophilus erythrurus |
| Family: |
Trichomycteridaeipitidae |
| Distribution: |
South America: Amazon
River basin |
| Size:
|
5.0cm. (2ins) |
| Temp: |
23-26°c (73-79°f.) |
| p.H. |
6.0-7.0. |
| Reference: |
Burgess, W.E.
1989 An atlas of freshwater and marine catfishes. A preliminary
survey of the Siluriformes. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Neptune
City, New Jersey (USA).
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes,
recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue
of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628. |
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Family:
Trichomycteridae
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| Click
on thumbnails |
Vandellia cirrhosa
Art
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 Vandellia
cirrhosa
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 Vandellia
cirrhosa
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