Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Behaviour: in a pair; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Beginner (Seriously Fish rating).
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Corydoras and armored catfish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Shallow South American streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Soft sand substrate, groups of six or more, and clean water.
Diet
- Sinking pellets, wafers and frozen bloodworms.
Social life
- Keep in groups.
Health watch
- Barbel erosion on dirty or rough substrate.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
S. salmacis has the southernmost distribution of its genus. It is known from the Mampituba River and Araranguá River basins in southern Santa Catarina State of Brazil, and the Ratones River, a small coastal river drainage in Florianópolis.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Scleromystax salmacis” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater. |
| Climate | Subtropical climate. |
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 78°F (up to 82°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 47°F (down to 43°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 59–67°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 81–83% on average (driest month about 80%) |
| Rainfall | about 1651 mm a year, spread fairly evenly |
Measured at 9 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Scleromystax salmacis is a species of catfish of the family Callichthyidae. S. salmacis has the southernmost distribution of its genus. It is known from the Mampituba River and Araranguá River basins in southern Santa Catarina State of Brazil, and the Ratones River, a small coastal river drainage in Florianópolis. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Obligate air-breathing; This species was collected from a small pond, near the arroio Molha Coco, which is surrounded Hollandichthys sp.,by grass and partially shaded by low trees and bamboo shrubs. The water is clear and slow flowing, the bottom formed by rocks covered by a thin layer of mud. This pond is fed by a very small creek and is periodically flooded by the main stream. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Sources for this sheet
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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