Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cichliformes (Cichlids, convict blennies) >
Cichlidae (Cichlids) > Astronotinae
Etymology: Astronotus: Greek, astra = ray + Greek, noton = back (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Agassiz.
Issue
Redescription of Peruvian material in Kullander (1986: 61), with diagnosis, description, distribution, and illustrations. The species is reported from the Rio Orinoco drainage and numerous localities in the Rio Amazonas basin, but apparently several species are confused under the name, and names in the synonymy may represent valid species.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19. Tropical; 22°C - 25°C (Ref. 1672); 4°N - 15°S, 78°W - 47°W
South America: western Amazon and Orinoco basins. Introduced elsewhere.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 12.0 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 45.7 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); common length : 24.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 1.6 kg (Ref. 40637)
Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17 - 21; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 16 - 20. Large mouth with thick lips; 7 preopercular pores; first gill arch without lobe; gill rakers short and thick with many denticles; dorsal and anal fins bases densely scaled; many branched rays; body color dark with bright orange opercle margin and ventral parts of the lateral sides of the body; often a black rounded blotch with orange margin at caudal fin base (Ref. 35237).
Preferably inhabits quiet shallow waters in mud-bottomed and sand-bottomed canals and ponds (Ref. 5723). Feeds on small fish, crayfish, worms and insect larvae. Quite popular with aquarists but not for aquaculturists because of its slow growth (Ref. 35237). Maximum length 40 cm TL (Ref. 5723). A highly esteemed food fish in South America (Ref. 44091).
In captivity, both male and female clean a suitable spawning site - often a flat rock , or branches, or in a circular nest excavated in shallow water (Ref. 44091). Eggs (usually numbering in the thousands, Ref. 44091) are deposited and are guarded by both parents. Egg hatch in 3 or 4 days and parent move the fry to a shallow pit in the sand where they remain for 6 or 7 days (Ref. 7020).
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p. (Ref. 5723)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: highly commercial
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02455 (0.00939 - 0.06419), b=3.00 (2.77 - 3.23), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.8 ±0.32 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Assuming tm<=1; Fec=300-2000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (36 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 85.3 [39.6, 151.5] mg/100g; Iron = 1.15 [0.64, 2.32] mg/100g; Protein = 17.9 [16.4, 19.4] %; Omega3 = 0.318 [0.117, 0.926] g/100g; Selenium = 85.4 [31.6, 191.3] μg/100g; VitaminA = 25.4 [6.6, 80.9] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.63 [1.06, 2.47] mg/100g (wet weight);
