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Forget's Andean pupfish (Orestias forgeti) — Cyprinodontidae

Forget's Andean pupfish

Orestias forgeti

The Forget's Andean pupfish (Orestias forgeti) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinodontidae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
12 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Forget's Andean pupfish is a pupfish from the Lake Titicaca basin in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia. The species grows to about 12 cm and has an elongate body lacking pelvic fins, typical of the Andean pupfishes. It lives in cold, clear highland water with vegetation and feeds on small zooplankton, insect larvae and invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans; through introduced fish and fishing the Titicaca species are under pressure.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Forget's Andean pupfish?

The Forget's Andean pupfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Forget's Andean pupfish live?

The Forget's Andean pupfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom.

How big does the Forget's Andean pupfish get?

The Forget's Andean pupfish grows to a maximum of about 12 cm.

Is the Forget's Andean pupfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Forget's Andean pupfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Forget's Andean pupfish edible?

The Forget's Andean pupfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Forgets altiplano-karpertje verified
English name
Forget's Andean pupfish verified
Scientific name
Orestias forgeti
Family
Cyprinodontidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
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 sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Orestias

More from the family Cyprinodontidae

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