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Fire pearlfish (Hypsolebias igneus) — Rivulidae

Fire pearlfish

Hypsolebias igneus
Family: Rivulidae

The Fire pearlfish (Hypsolebias igneus) is a freshwater fish of the family Rivulidae that grows up to 5 cm.

Length
5.1 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Fire pearlfish is an annual killifish (Rivulidae) from temporary pools and swamps of inland Brazil. The species grows to about 6 cm; the male is brightly coloured with blue, red and yellow spots and marbled 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 Fire pearlfish?

The Fire pearlfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly multicoloured and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Fire pearlfish live?

The Fire pearlfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Fire pearlfish get?

The Fire pearlfish grows to a maximum of about 5 cm.

Is the Fire pearlfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Fire pearlfish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Vuur-parelkillivis sourced
English name
Fire pearlfish sourced
Scientific name
Hypsolebias igneus
Family
Rivulidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
5.1 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped 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

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 Hypsolebias

More from the family Rivulidae

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