TerralogNEWS101
28
permits a lightning-fast attacking lunge,
and thecoloration–brownishor olivebars
ona light background–provides excellent
camouflage. The adipose fin is a striking
orange and lacquer black; this fin is
characteristicof almost all characinsaswell
as the salmonids (trout, salmon, char, etc)
and is thought to serve for intraspecific
communication.
In the wild
Hepsetus
feeds practically
exclusively on fish. Juveniles in the upper
Zambezi (Zambia) utilize upside-down
catfishes (
Synodontis
) as their staple diet,
while later on cichlids (
Haplochromis,
abit of amoot point. Firstly, all fishes keep
on growing throughout their lives, albeit
considerably less when adult than in their
youth. Secondly, the size a fish can attain
depends not only on its geneticmake-up,
butalso toa largeextentonenvironmental
conditions. The largest recorded Pike
Characin was probably (only its skull is
known) about 50 cm long and weighed
around2kg.
Because the Pike Characin forms an
important part of the catch of local
fishermen in Africa, however, we have a
good ideaofhow large theynormallygrow,
and individuals of 30 cm are regarded as
prize specimens.Theyusuallygrow toonly
20 cm long and then weigh about 50
grams.
Sexually maturity is attained at a
considerably smaller size. For example, in
the Okavango Delta males are sexually
mature at 14 cm long, females (which
generally grow larger) at 16 cm. All these
size data relate to standard length, that is,
not including thecaudal fin.
Under aquarium conditions, where the
fishesmay live considerably longer than in
thewildandneverexperienceanyshortage
of food, you should reckon on old
specimensevenexceedingthe30-cmmark.
Tilapia
) andmormyridsconstitute themain
foods.
How largedoes
Hepsetus
grow?
The PikeCharacingrows to 30 cm longon
average.Butsizedetails for fishesarealways
Portrait of anadult PikeCharacinwith the lappetsof skinon themouthunfolded.
