Rummy-nose Tetras
Contents:
- rummy-nose tetras
by jkost-at-ix.netcom.com (Jim Kostich) (Thu, 21 Sep 1995)
- The Three Rummy Nose Tetras
by Randy Characin <randy.carey/lawson.com> (Tue, 11 Mar 1997)
by jkost-at-ix.netcom.com (Jim Kostich)
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 1995
Newsgroup: rec.aquaria
djkimura-at-aol.com (Djkimura) wrote:
>If anyone has experience with rummy-nose tetras, I would appreciate any
>information. I have four in my tank, and they seem to be doing OK. But, I
>am hoping to learn more about these fish. Do their heads get redder as
>they get older?
>Thank you.
>Donna
You've already overcome the highest hurdle - getting rummynose home in
good shape! These seem to be some of the highest mortality fish I've
ever dealt with. Some say they are loaded with intestinal parasites;
others that they were collected in extremely soft, acid water. I
don't know which is the case, but some batches hold up just fine,
while others crash overnite.
I had a nice school in a 135 gallon tank, and yes, the red color
intensified as they matured. There was some varaition from fish to
fish, but even the poorest was spectacular compared to when I
purchased them.
jim
by Randy Characin <randy.carey/lawson.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997
Newsgroup: alt.aquaria,rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc,sci.aquaria
Daniel L. Randall wrote:
>
> I'd like to know if any Rummy-nose Tetra experts can help me clear up an
> inconsistency I've found in literature. OK, here's the (long) story:
>
(SNIP)
>
> Now, I took Axelrod's Mini Atlas out of the library, and looked up Rummy-nose
> tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus). The picture there was not similar to the
> actual fish I saw or to the other book's picture.
(SNIP)
> So, I leafed through the section and, lo and behold, on the next page was that
> exact fish, white body, red head, b&w tail. Name Petitella georgiae; pH6.5;
> Hardness 6; 24C; 8cm. So I looked it up in the index, and the name was: False
> Rummy-nose Tetra!
>
> So, this threw me for a loop that possibly the other book and my local shops
> were wrong. (SNIP)
>
> Kristen
Later you added:
>And now I just found a reference on the web to Hemigrammus bleheri (aka
>Rummy-nose Tetra or Brilliant Rummy-nose).
>Hemigrammus bleheri = Petitella georgiae? Maybe? That would
>explain all ofthis confusion if there really were two
>Hemmigrammi with the same common name.
A few years ago I did research on the Rummy Nose Tetras and wrote an
article on it. (It should be reprinted by F.A.A.S. as its 1993 article
of year, so many aquarium society's can get a copy of it). I don't have
access to my library, so I'm writing this from memory. In short, here's
the scoop on the Rummy Noses.
Three species are sold as Rummy Noses.
Only one species of Rummy Nose was known around World War II. Around
the early 60's (I'm reciting from memory) a new species was discovered.
I believe Petitella georgia (a white water species) came first, then
came Hemmigrammus rhodostomus (rhodo=red, stoma=mouth), but I could have
the order reversed. Eventually aquarists noticed some differences with
the Hemigrammus specimens collected elsewhere. I believe it was in the
80's when Stanley Wietzman (Smithsonian) was able to identify a third
species H. bleheri named after Heiko Bleher who retrieved the inspected
specimans for Weitzman. Both Hemigrammus species are black water
species, demanding quite soft and more acid water.
THE DIFFERENCES: Both Hemigrammus species have a black spot on the top
and on the bottom of the caudal peduncle (the thinnest point just before
the tail). P. georgiae has only the top spot. P.georgia has a long
black streak from the center of the caudal and moving forward about a
third of the body length. H. rhodostomus has a similar streak, but not
nearly as distinct. H. bleheri lacks this streak. If the red in the
Rummy Nose extends past the gill, it can only be H. bleheri, the
"Brilliant Rummy Nose." A further examination reveals differences
regarding the position and size of the white and black markings on the
caudal, but the differences are too hard to explain. So the three
markings (spots, streak, red) which I mentioned can be used to identify
which species you're looking at. (Of course a stressed out fish might
not be showing its streak or all of its red).
-- Randy
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