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Staeck's pearlfish (Moema staecki) — Rivulidae

Staeck's pearlfish

Moema staecki
Family: Rivulidae

The Staeck's pearlfish (Moema staecki) is a freshwater fish of the family Rivulidae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
12 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Staeck's pearlfish is an annual killifish (Rivulidae) from temporary pools and swamps of the upper Amazon basin in Bolivia. The species grows to about 6 cm; the male is brightly coloured with blue, yellow and red spots and spreading fins. When the pools dry up in the dry season the adults die, but their eggs survive in the soil and hatch after the next rains. It eats small invertebrates and insect larvae. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Staeck's pearlfish?

The Staeck's pearlfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly multicoloured and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Staeck's pearlfish live?

The Staeck's pearlfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Staeck's pearlfish get?

The Staeck's pearlfish grows to a maximum of about 12 cm.

Is the Staeck's pearlfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Staeck's pearlfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Staeck's pearlfish edible?

Yes, the Staeck's pearlfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Staecks parelkillivis sourced
English name
Staeck's pearlfish sourced
Scientific name
Moema staecki
Family
Rivulidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Multicoloured sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Moema

More from the family Rivulidae

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