Bedotia marojejy

Bedotia marojejy - Stiassny, M.L.J. and Harrison, I.J., 2000

Marojejy Rainbowfish

Zono (ZOO-new) - translates to "small fish"; used for bedotiids in other regions of Madagascar

Madagascar: Antsiranana Province: Lokoho River basin: Banks of the Manantenina River at the Southeast boundry of the Parc National de Marojejy: 28 km Northeast of the town of Andapa

Buh-DOUGH-tee-ah mare-oo-GEEGH

Specific epithet was made in reference to the locality in which the type series was collected.

3.5 inches (8.9cm)

Males:

Females:

Both Sexes:

Notes on a Small Collection of Fishes from the Parc National de Marojejy, Northeastern Madagascar, with a Description of a New Species of the Endemic Genus Bedotia (Atherinomorpha: Bedotiidae)

in: Fieldiana No. 97: 143-156 (2000)

None known

Manantenina river

- 1999 by P.V. Loiselle

Antsahabe creek

Stiassny and Harrison make no notes on the conservation status of this species in their original description.

The Manantenina river is the major river within the Parc National de Marojejy, and as such is somewhat protected from deforestation and extensive habitat disturbance. This does not mean that it, and the habitat of Bedotia marojejy are secure, as this region regularly experiences the powerful effects of cyclones coming ashore from the Indian Ocean.

Based on the fact that both Gambusia holbrooki and Channa cf. strigata are present in the Lokoho river basin (see Stiassny, M.J., Rodriguez, D.M. and Loiselle, P.V. 2002) it should be assumed that they are also present within the home range of B. marojejy.

Loiselle lists Bedotia marojejy as vulnerable based on IUCN Red Book criteria

Riverine

Anguilla marmorata

Anguilla mossambica

Agonostomus telfairii

Paratilapia sp.

Eleotris fusca

Awaous aeneofuscus

Sicyopterus lagocephalus

Captive populations originate from collections by P.V. Loiselle in 1999. As Antsahabe creek is a tributary of the Manantenina river at Sarahandrano village the exact collection point in unimportant.

European stocks of this species most likely originate from Mr. C. Mailliet; a dedicated rainbowfish enthusiast, Mr. Mailliet travelled to North America to secure fish for captive breeding in Europe from the Denver Zoo collection.

Wow

Bedotia marojejy can be very aggressive in captivity; its behavior in the wild has not been studied to date.

One dominant male decimated the original population of twelve specimens in a well planted fifty gallon (190 liter) aquarium. The author has noted that in heavily stocked or trio/quartet situations this species can be well behaved, but in mid-numbers (five to ten specimens) males can be murderous.

The author has had the best luck breeding this species in pairs or trios with an abundance of yarn mops for spawning substrate.

The author has bred this species as a pair in a twenty gallon (75 liter) aquarium.

He has also had success with a dozen specimens (3.9.0) in a forty gallon (150 liter) aquarium, until the dominant male killed off three females in a span of two days.

In the wild:

This species feeds on aquatic and terrestrial insects

In captivity

Flake food, hacthed brine shrimp nauplii, bloodworms, black/tubifex worms all readily accepted

pH: <7.5

Temperature: 70.0 - 80.0 °F, midrange preferred.

dKH and dGH: 0 - 4°

Undergravel filtration with medium sized gravel as a substrate. Medium to strong water flow.

Dr. Loiselle reports a possible occurance of simultaneous hermaphrodity in this species. A hyper-aggressive male was isolated in a previously clean (i.e. no rainbowfish) aquarium. Fry were observed in this aquaria a significant time after the "male" had been isolated.

If you are working with this species, please be aware of this possibility and isolate, but do not destroy, hyper-aggressive "males" for observation.

If you are witness to simultaneous hermaphrodity in this species please consider contacting the author Aleksei Saunders so that arrangements might be made to donate this specimen to science.