aus: www.eheim.de
 
Keilfleckbärbling - Rasbora heteromorpha
 
Keilfleckbärbling --- Rasbora heteromorpha Herkunft Asien Temperaturbereich: 22 - 28°C
Länge: 4 cm Beckengröße: ab 60 l
pH-Bereich: 6,00 - 7,00 GH-Bereich: 5 - 10 °d

from: http://www.petplanet.com/ppc/_AAL1S0VI4232/ContentSystem/article.html?CSID=6982

Harlequin rasbora

The harlequin rasbora, Rasbora heteromorphia, is a representative of the family Cyprindidae. It inhabits fresh waters in Malaysia, Java, Thailand, and the island of Sumatra, where it can reach a maximum length of 4.5cm (1.8 inches). Specimens kept long-term in captivity usually grow only to about 3cm (1.2 inches) and rarely up to 3.5cm (1.4 inches).
 
 
How about you, me, and that Alternanthera plant over there?
How about you, me, and that Alternanthera plant over there?

Harlequin romance
The harlequin rasbora differs somewhat from its relatives commonly kept in aquariums not only in its slightly unusual body shape and the markings and colors of its sides but also in the way it spawns. In the majority of barblike fish the tail of the male is wrapped over the back of the female at the time the eggs are released and fertilized. Pressure from the tail stimulates the female to coordinate her spawning behavior with that of her partner, and the eggs are released just at the right moment for optimum contact with sperm being released by the male. Spawning pairs of other barblike fish usually prefer busy plants as the spawning medium. These plant thickets provide natural protection for the drifting eggs. While the harlequin rasbora spawns in a similar fashion, the female usually attaches the eggs to the underside of broad-leaved plants. In the aquarium hobby there are many suitable plants such as those of the genera Cryptocoryne, Echinodorus, Microsorum, Alternanthera, etc.

In my tank the spawning pair used the leaves of Alternanthera splendida. This involves a spawning method where the eggs are exposed to potential dangers, and even the spawning pair tends to feed on their own eggs. During the spawning act the adults are deeply engrossed in the spawning activities; however, they often hunt for their own eggs after the spawning act has been completed. The eggs attached to plant leaves are relatively large. On average they are 1.2 to 1.3mm and transparent so that they are nearly invisible when attached to plant leaves. As an aside, there are also barblike fish where the male does not wrap his tail over the back of the female.

For breeding Rasbora heteromorpha it is, of course, important to be able to distinguish the sexes of the brood stock. In males the dark blue triangular spot is clearly delineated along the lower part of the abdomen, while in females the lower edge of the triangle is less defined. Moreover, a gravid female can be recognized by her round abdomen. We breed this species in pairs kept in tanks of 6 to 10 liters (1.5 to 2.5 gallons) in volume. A small number of eggs tend to fall to the bottom, where they can be easily seen and are thus threatened. Therefore, it is advisable to cover the bottom with a grate so that the eggs become inaccessible to the fish.

For actual spawning the pair tends to prefer broad-leaved plants, and plants like Echinodorus, Cryptocoryne, Aponogeton, and Microsorum make adequate spawning media. The photos accompanying this article show the spawning pair depositing its eggs on the red-colored leaves of Alternanthera splendida. The color of the spawning substrate appears to be irrelevant; the choice made here is strictly for esthetic (photographic) purposes only.

Usually, the breeding pair will spawn within two or three hours after they have been placed in the breeding tank. The male often takes up a position above the female, and he attempts to push the female downward. Eventually the fish position themselves side-by-side below or sometimes also above the leaf, and at the peak of the spawning act the male wraps his tail over the female. The attached eggs are immediately fertilized by the male. Most of the eggs will remain on the leaf, but some may fall to the bottom. At the peak of spawning the eggs are not always attached to a leaf by the female. Young breeding pairs especially fail to attach their eggs properly on occasion. Sometimes we notice that a significant number of eggs are attached to the top of the leaves and the undersides are totally bare. It is possible in such instances that the breeding pair had been disturbed while spawning.

Once the spawning has been completed, the breeding pair is removed from the tank. The eggs will develop normally under the following water parameters: 3 to 5 dGH, 0.2 to 0.5 dkH, pH value 6.8 to 7.4, and a water temperature of 79oF (26oC) to 82oF (28oC). The larvae hatch within 48 hours, and once the yolksac is absorbed they will accept tiny live foods such as rotifers and cyclops or Artemia nauplii.

A single spawning can produce anywhere from 70 to 200 young, depending upon the age and condition of brood stock. If, for instance, very young females are used, the result can be a pathetic 40 eggs with an eventful outcome of only 30 young or so. Experience has show that the optimum breeding age for brood stock is seven to eight months, one year at the most.

Keeping harlequins
The harlequin rasbora is an undemanding fish with a peaceful nature, and it is suitable for virtually all community tanks. It is quite compatible with other fish species of corresponding size. A small school of this fish can easily be kept in a tank specifically set up for community fish. Virtually all types of food are eagerly taken: tubifex, small mosquito larvae, cyclops, daphnia, and artificial (dry) foods. The water should conform to the standard parameters, such as total hardness of 3 to 15 dGH, pH 6.6 to 7.5, and a temperature range of 72oF (22oC) to 81oF (27oC). The favorable influence of soft water on keeping and breeding this species has led to the opinion that it should be kept in acidic water, e.g., with a pH of 6 to 6.6, but according to experienced aquarists, this species does best in water with a near neutral pH of 7, with a minimum water temperature of 70oF (21oC). If this species is kept for extended periods at lower water temperatures, it tends to lose its appetite and the females will not develop eggs, so in the end even the inexperienced aquarist will come to the conclusion that the water conditions must be changed.

If harlequin rasboras are fed regularly on live foods caught in the wild, it is possible that the fish may come down with some disease such as an attach by the parasite Ichthyophthirius mutlifiliis (millimeter-large white spots on the skin) or Piscinoodinium pilluralis (with fine white "dusting" of body and fins). When treating these diseases it is very important to follow the dierctions provided by the manufacturer of the particular medication used. One of the acknowledged medications is malachite green, but the harlequin rasbora is extremely sensitive to this medication, reacting with periodic loss of appetite or even death with excessive dosages. Moreover, frequent direct contact with malachite green is also dangerous for humans, since it is a carcinogen.

Apart from the characteristically marked harlequin rasbora with its typical large triangular spot, we sometimes encounter a conspicuously similar yet apparently different species. Its dorsal profile is slightly lower, and the markings are slightly different. According to Sterba, as well as Riehl and Baensch, this is Rasbora hengeli Meinken 1956, a valid species. Years ago Korthaus had to come to the conclusion that this smaller species could be Rasbora hetermorpha espei--that is, it could possibly be a subspecies of R. heteromorpha.

The harlequin rasbora is a very popular fish among hobbyists. Under appropriate husbandry conditions it can live approximately three years. Most of the fish on the market come from commercial hatcheries or backyard breeders.

From "Tropical Fish Hobbyist" By Jaroslav Elias and Frantisek Podvesky. Published by TFH Publications Inc. Reprint: Reprinted with the permission of TFH Publications, Inc. (c) TFH Publications, Inc.



aus: http://www.koelle-zoo.de/archiv/aqua/suess/1298/d-afsu.htm
 
FelixSüßwasserfische Tips von Felix
Keilfleckbarben
Foto: Burkard Kahl
Keilfleckbarbe

Rasbora heteromorpha

Der Keilfleckbärbling, Rasbora heteromorpha, gehört zu den schönsten Aquarienfischen seit seiner Ersteinführung 1906. Er stammt aus Teilen Südostasiens, wie Südthailand, Sumatra und Malaiischer Halbinsel.
Hier findet man die Art vor allem in weichen und sauren Gewässern, meist Bächen. Der Pflanzenwuchs in den meisten Gebieten ist recht spärlich, und die Fische halten sich im Schwarm in offenen Bezirken auf, flüchten aber bei vermeintlicher Gefahr stromabwärts und seltener in die Uferbepflanzung, die in den meisten Fällen aus vom Land her hereinwachsenden Gräsern usw. besteht. Sein lateinischer Artname weist darauf hin, daß der Fisch von der Körpergestalt der übrigen Rasbora abweicht, denn er ist nicht rundlich und langgestreckt, sondern kurz und seitlich stark abgeflacht, also so hetero = verschieden und morpha = Gestalt. Für die Pflege ist ein gut eingerichtetes Aquarium mit Randbepflanzung richtig, so daß ein freier Schwimmraum geschaffen wird, in dem sich die Keilfleckbärblinge tummeln können. Zwar ziehen die Fische weiches und saures Aquarienwasser zur Pflege vor, aber man kann sie auch gut in normalem Leitungswasser als Ausgangswasser pflegen, wenn dieses einen pH-Wert um den Neutralpunkt 7 und eine Wasserhärte nicht über 15 odGH besitzt. Die im Fachhandel angebotenen Exemplare sind seit Generationen Nachzuchten, die sich bereits an Aquarienverhältnisse angepaßt haben. Zwar ist Lebendfutter aller Art wünschenswert, aber die Keilfleckbärblinge nehmen auch Trockenfutter und Tiefkühlkost. Männchen und Weibchen sind leicht zu unterscheiden; bereits bei halbwüchsigen Tieren sieht man, daß bei den Männchen der schwarze Keil an der vorderen unteren Spitze zur Bauchseite ausgezogen ist, während das bei den Weibchen nicht der Fall ist. Außerdem haben die Männchen eine rötliche bis rote Iris, während die der Weibchen goldgelb aussieht. Wassertemperaturen zwischen 24 und 26 °C genügen; bei höheren Temperaturen sind die Fische zwar lebhafter, aber sie werden auch kurzlebiger, wenn man sie bei ständig höheren Temperaturen pflegt.
Familie: Karpfenförmige, Cyprinidae Bärblinge, Rasborinae
Vorkommen: Südostasien
Pflege: Auch für Einsteiger geeignet
Größe: 4 cm
Temperatur: 24 - 26 oC
pH-Wert: 6,5 - 7,2
Wasserhärte: bis 15 o dGH
Nahrung: Abwechslungsreich



aus: http://home.debitel.net/user/a.kinast/fische.html
 
Keilfleckbärbling 
( Rasbora Heteromorpha )
Herkunft : Südostasien, Thailand 
Länge : 4-5 cm 

Weitere Infos noch nicht verfügbar

Keilfleckbärblinge sind sehr schöne und relativ robuste Tiere, die immer neugierig umherschwimmen und alles beäugen, was irgendwie neu zu sein scheint - ob es die Hand des Pflegers ist oder eine neue Pflanze, zuerst wird es auf fressbarkeit untersucht.
Diese Fische lieben dunkelen Boden und viele feingliedrige Pflanzen, die bis an die Wasseroberfläche ragen. Sie sind etwas Sauerstoffbedürftiger als die Schmerlen und daher muß man sehr auf eine gute Versorgung auch während der Nacht sorgen. 
Krebse, die dämmerungs- oder nachtaktiv sind, sollten nicht mit diesen Fischen vergesellschaftet werden, da die Keilfleckbarben gerne auf Blättern in den mittleren und oberen Wasserschichten liegen und nachts auch dort schlafen - sie geben eine leichte Beute ab wie ich schon beobachten mußte...
Das Schwarmverhalten dieser Fische kann man gut beobachten, wenn sie mit großen Fischen zusammen gehalten werden, droht keine Gefahr streunen sie häufig in kleinen Grüppchen durch das Aquarium. 

Es empfielt sich, diese Tiere mehrmals täglich mit kleinere Portionen Futter zu versorgen, nur eine große Mahlzeit läßt sie häufig kümmern.