Scientific Name: Dermogenys pusilla
Common Name: Halfbeak Gar
Adult Size: 2.5 - 3 inches
Life Expectancy: 5 years
Habitat: Indonesia
Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
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Temperature Range: 75 - 82°F
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pH Range: 6.5 - 7.8
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Water Hardness: 10 - 20
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet & Nutrition: Diet should consist of small meaty frozen foods such as daphnia, bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, vitamin-enriched and brineshrimp. Some specimens may also eventually accept dried foods.
Breeding & Spawning: Not as easy to breed as many livebearers, although possible. The difficulty is due to the females giving birth to still-born fry. This is directly related to the nutrition of the fish, so a high-quality diet should be maintained. If the tank is furnished with plenty of surface vegetation, mating should not present a problem. Gestation is heavily dependant on temperature, varying between 3-6 weeks. The fry should be removed, as the adults may predate on them. Fry will accept both powdered dry foods and brine shrimp nauplii from birth. Brood size is typically between 10-20.
Gender: Females are larger than the males and grow up to 3 inches long while males only reach about 2 - 2.5 inches. Also, the anal fin in males is modified to form a a genital-type organ used in mating known as the andropodium. Adult males also have a red patch on the dorsal fin that is absent in females.
