Myers' Ray Eye, Or Aploheilichtis Hummingbird (Poropanchax Myersi)

Myers' ray eye, or aploheilichtis hummingbird, is a small fish that lives in the freshwater streams of Zaire and Congo. It is quite rare in aquariums. Ideal for mini aquariums. Prefers live food. The fish got its name because of the glowing eyes. Recommended to be kept with peaceful fish of the same size.

Habitat: Zaire, Congo.

Habitat: shallow freshwater streams.

Description: Myers' ray eye gets its name from the glowing eyes. The head is smoothed from above, the mouth is upper. The mustache is missing. In males, the dorsal and anal fins are elongated.

Color: female's fins are colorless, the main body background is yellowish. The sides of the male are blue with a shiny sheen, the body is crossed by two horizontal golden stripes.

Size: up to 2.5 cm.

Life expectancy: up to 3-4 years in nature.

Aquarium: oblong, closed with a lid on top.

Sizes: from 40 l, water level not higher than 25 cm.

Water: pH 5.8-6.5, dH 4-12 °, weekly change of up to 25% of water volume, weak current (with a strong current, fish get nervous).

Temperature: 20-25 ° C.

Plants: thickets of living plants (Javanese moss, ceratopteris fern, Thai fern), incl. floating (riccia).

Soil: dark in color (sand, peat).

Decoration: Requires a place to swim. Driftwood, roots, flat stones, grottoes and caves.

Feeding: the hummingbird aploheilichtis prefers live food (bloodworm, cyclops, daphnia, enchitreus, tubifex, insects, plankton).

Behavior: schooling fish. When kept in small aquariums, it is recommended to buy for one male and two females.

Personality: peaceful.

Water area: medium.

May be kept with: Peaceful fish of the same size.

Breeding fish: Myers' ray eye is a phytophile, it lays eggs on plant leaves.

Sex differences: females are larger than males and they are colored paler.

Puberty: 9-12 months

Related article Aploheilichtis Norman (Poropanchax normani)

Spawning aquarium: 10-15 l, peat soil, pH 6.8, dH 6-15 °, T 24 ° C, floating plants (Riccia), bunch of small-leaved plants (ceratopteris, Javanese moss, hornwort), pressed against the ground with a weight.

Male to female ratio: 1: 1-2.

Number of eggs: the female lays several eggs every day.

Incubation: 10-18 days.

Offspring: the larvae are very small.

Growth rate: slow.

Feeding juveniles: starter feed - "live dust".

Jigging from parents: with abundant feeding with live food, producers rarely eat eggs and fry.

Comments: for the prevention of oodiniosis disease, sea salt is added to the water (10 l - 1 tsp).