The
Bony tongues (Osteoglossidae) are real old high aristocracy among the
recent fish species. They are witnesses of the ancient super continent
of Gondwana, which included the recent parts of Africa, India, South
America, Antarctica, and Australia. About 150 million years ago this
super continent began to break. The Bony tongues drifted away from each
other like people sitting on rafts. Today we find them spread all over
the world. Three species live in South America (two Osteoglossum and
Arapaima gigas), one in Afrika (Heterotis niloticus), and several
species of Scleropages in Asia and Australia.
The
Australian species, namely Scleropages jardinii and S. leichardti are
the rarest imported species of the named. Obviously they keep their
quite seasonal breeding time even in the great breeding facilities of
South East Asia, so we can offer them usually only a few weeks per year.
Now is the season for them!
Both
species attain a maximum length of more than 60 cm and are predatory
fish. Agains conspecifics they can be quarrelsome, although they show a
schooling behaviour as long as they are very small. Such large, rare,
and expensive fish should be kept by experienced keepers with an
adequate equipment only.
For
our customers: the animals have code 454900 (jardinii) and 454912
(leichardti) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply
the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only!
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
