Redtail notho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Redtail notho |
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The redtail notho (Nothobranchius guentheri) is a small, colorful fish. It belongs to a group of fish called killifish. These fish are part of the family called Nothobranchiidae.
This special fish is found only in Zanzibar, which is an island off the coast of Tanzania in Africa. When an animal or plant is found only in one specific place, it is called endemic.
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About the Redtail Notho
Where Does It Live?
The redtail notho lives in places where water doesn't stay all year round. Its natural habitats are intermittent rivers and freshwater marshes. "Intermittent" means these rivers and marshes dry up completely during certain times of the year, especially in the dry season.
What Does It Eat?
This fish is a helpful eater! The redtail notho enjoys eating mosquito larvae. These are the young, worm-like stages of mosquitoes that live in water. It also eats other tiny creatures found in the water, which are called plankton.
Helping Fight Malaria
Because the redtail notho eats mosquito larvae, scientists are interested in it. Mosquitoes can spread diseases like malaria. By eating the larvae, these fish can help control mosquito numbers. Scientists are thinking about introducing the redtail notho to other parts of Africa. This could help prevent malaria in those areas.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
How Redtail Notho Eggs Survive
Redtail nothos are known as "peat spawners." This means they lay their eggs in the mud or soil at the bottom of their watery homes. When they reproduce, a pair or a small group of fish will push into the soft ground, called the substrate. They release and fertilize one egg at a time.
During the dry season, the temporary pools where these fish live dry up completely. Sadly, the adult fish die. But their eggs are amazing survivors! The eggs have special proteins in their outer shell, called the chorion. These proteins help the eggs hold onto moisture. This way, the next generation of fish can wait safely in the dry mud until the rains return.
Hatching into Fry
When the rains come back, the dry pools fill with water again. The young fish inside the eggs, called fry, can sense this change. They feel a change in water pressure and an increase in a gas called carbon dioxide. When this happens, the eggs release a special enzyme called chorionase. This enzyme softens the eggshell, allowing the tiny fry to hatch out into their new watery world. The eggs usually take about 8 to 12 weeks to hatch after being laid, but most hatch around 9 weeks.
Redtail Notho as a Pet
Keeping Them in Aquariums
Sometimes, you might find the redtail notho for sale in pet stores that specialize in fish. People who enjoy keeping aquariums sometimes keep these interesting fish as pets.
Who Discovered This Fish?
Honoring Albert Günther
The scientific name for this fish, Nothobranchius guentheri, honors a famous scientist. His name was Albert Günther (1830-1914). He was born in Germany but worked in Britain. Günther was an ichthyologist, which means he studied fish. He was also a herpetologist, meaning he studied reptiles and amphibians. Albert Günther was the first person to notice and describe this specific type of fish.
