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Scientific Name Pseudohemiodon sp. `MARBLED`   
Common Name Marbled Chameleon Whiptail
Pronunciation seu doh hem ee oh don
Etymology Greek, pseudes = false + Greek, hemi = half + Greek, odous = teeth 
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 150mm or 5.9" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification Very similar to P. apithanos, but lacks the silver-grey colouration and the jet-black dorsal ''badger'' stripe. This form is more of a light brown, with distinct, dark marbling on the head. The barbels are white in this marbled species, whereas those in P. apithanos are often at least partly black.
Sexing Difficult, although the experienced aquarist can discern a fuller ventral region in a mature female.
General Remarks A really fascinating fish to keep, they will sit buried in sand with just their eyes visible for hours on end, until some food is offered! They also have a rather comical manner of crawling along the substrate with their pelvic fins, in search of food.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Is found in the Rio Itaya and Rio Alejandro, Peru. These are white-water rivers.
Amazon, Upper Amazon, Itaya (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Amazon, Upper Amazon, Marañón, Ucayali, San Alejandro (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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pH 6.4 - 7.4
Temperature 25.0-29.0°C or 77-84.2°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters These fish prefer to bury themselves in areas of gentle laminar current. Provide well oxygenated, fairly soft water at around 100-300 μS/cm with as few nitrates as possible.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Feeding Pseudohemiodon are thought to feed upon aquatic invertebrates, which they locate with their web-like array of barbels. Upon contact with food, these fish will fly out of the sand in a flash, and begin a frenzied feed with their barbels twitching rapidly. Frozen bloodworm, mysis, midge larvae and mosquito larvae are readily eaten. Prepared foods such as Tetra Prima are also greedily accepted. These fish have a big appetite, and will scour the tank until all food has been located. User data.
Furniture These fish are sandbank dwellers, and will need at least 3cm of soft sand in which to sift for food and bury themselves. Provide as large an area of open sand as possible for the fish to show its natural behaviour. Plants are not a good idea, as they will restrict movement. Dim lighting is appreciated.
Compatibility They will co-exist alongside each other quite happily, except for the odd skirmish, which is never a serious affair.
Suggested Tankmates A peaceful fish that likes to be left alone. It will become agitated and stressed if constantly disturbed. Do not keep this fish with large robust cichlids such as Geophagus, as their digging and boisterous activity will bother the Pseudohemiodon. Small gentle fish such as Anabantids, Dwarf Cichlids, and Tetras will be okay. Also avoid larger, more aggressive loricariids. Farlowella for example are appropriate tankmates.
Breeding These fish are lip-brooders, as are the other members of the genus Pseudohemiodon.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Evers H. & Seidel I. (2005) Catfish Atlas 1. Mergus, Germany.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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There are 3 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Last Update 2008 Jan 07 13:56 (species record created: 2006 Feb 21 00:00)