1. Freshwater Fish Belize 2005 Tropical Ecology

2. American Eel Scientific Name : Auguilla rostrata Family: Anguillidae *Grow up to 5 ft. *Lives for up to years. *Distribution: America, Greenland, Canada, USA, West Indies, Trinidad *Lives in permanent streams with continuous flow, hides during day *Feeding Habits: Benthic Larvae, Crustaceans & Fish *Breeding Habits: Migrate to Sargasso Sea in Autumn

3. Bull Shark Scientific Name: Carcharhinus leucas Family Name: Carcharhinidae Grow up to 11 ½ ft. Avg. Age: 32 Yrs Habitat: Fresh, Brackish,Salt Distribution: Warm Oceans, Lakes, Rivers. USA, Brazil, Morocco, Africa, India, Australia Inhabitants shallow waters, swims far up-river. Found near estuaries. Feeding Habits: Bony Fish, other Sharks, Rays, Crabs, Squid, occasionally Garbage Most Dangerous Trop. Shark Live Birth

4. Tarpon Scientific Name: Megalops atlanticus Family: Megalopidae Grows up to 8 ft Habitat: Fresh, Brackish, Marine-Mangrove, Coastal, Estuaries Distribution: Portugal, USA, Brazil, Panama, America, Canada Lives in schools Feeding Habits: Eats Fish-Sardines, Anchovies Can live in oxygen poor waters Game Fish: Largest on Record 238 lbs!!

5. Southern PlatyFish Scientific Name: Xiphophorus maculatus Family Name: Cyprinodontimformes Grows up to 6 cm Distribution: The Americas; from Mexico to N. Belize Habitat: Lives in warm springs, canals, & ditches in slow-moving water, silt bottoms and weedy banks Feeding Habits: Worms, Crustacean, & Insects Live Bearer

6. Jack Dempsey Scientific Name: Cichlasoma octofasciatum Family: Cichlidae *Grow up to 25 cm *Distribution: N. & C. America; southern Mexico to Honduras *Lives in wetland areas with warm, murky water. *Found in weedy, mud-bottomed and sand-bottomed canals. *Prefers coastal plains & slow moving waters of lower river valleys. *Feeds on worms, benthics and fish.

7. Southern Checkmark Cichlid Scientific Name: Vieja godmanni Family: Cichlidae * Inhabits rivers and streams *Prefers fast flowing, cooler waters, such as mountain runoffs. *Feeding Habits: Omnivorous-specialized in fresh vegetation

8. Blue-Eye Cichlid Scientific Name: Cichlisoma spilurum Family: Cichlidae * Small Species: Grow up to 12 cm. *Habitat: from lowland swamps or wetlands to cool mountain streams.

9. Firemouth Cichlid Scientific Name: Cichlisoma meeki Family: Cichlidae *Grow up to around 4 ft. *One of the most abundant Cichlids. *Relatively a deep-bodied species with a triangular head *Studies have shown that the eyespots on the opercle makes the fish look larger when flared

10. Mayan Cichlid Scientific Name: Cichlasoma urophthalmus Family: Cichlidae * Grow up to 20 cm. *Most common in low-lying coastal areas. *Large predatory cichlid *Tolerant of saltwater & have been found breeding there. *Studies show, species grows quicker in saltwater

11. Redhead Cichlid Scientific Name: Cichlasoma synspilum Family: Cichlidae * Females grow up to 17 cm, Males are usually larger. *Confused with the Maculicuada because of body shape & coloration. *Feeding Habits: Omnivorous, prone more to vegetation.

12. Yellowjacket Cichlid Scientific Name: Cichlasoma friedrichstali Family: Cichlidae * Grow up to 15 ½ cm *One of the largest Belize Cichlids. *One of the most Distinct Cichlids-Large Mouth, Brassy Yellow Color

13. Bay Snook Scientific name: Petinia splendida Family: Cichlidae Can grow to 30 cm Feeding Habits: feeds on other fish In Belize it is used for food & as a game fish.

14. Swordspine Snook Scientific Name: Centropomus ensiferus Family Name: Perciformes Can grow up to 36 cm Distribution: Western Atlantic & Continental coasts of Central and South America Habitat: Freshwater, Brackish, Marine Lives mainly in coastal waters, estuaries and lagoons, prefers freshwater. Found over soft bottoms Feeding Habits: Small fish and crustacean

15. Mexican Snook Scientific Name: Centropomus poeyi Family Name: Perciformes Grow up to 90 cm Habitat: Freshwater, brackish, Marine Distribution: Mexico to Belize Lives in coastal waters, estuaries and lagoons Spawning occurs in fresh or low-brackish waters Feeding Habits: Fish and Crustaceans Gamefish

16. Nile Talipia Scientific Name: Oreochromis niloticus niloticus Family Name: Perciformes Grow up to 60 cm Habitat: Freshwater & Brackish Distribution: Africa; coastal waters of Israel; Nile, Introduced species to Belize Adverse ecological impacts have been reported Lives in wide variety of freshwater habitats; rivers, lakes, sewage canals, etc. Mainly diurnal Feeding Habits: Phytoplankton or benthic algae Food Fish

17. Atlantic Thread Herring Scientific Name: Opisthonema oglinun Family Name: Clupeidae Lives in Mangrove channels Feeding habits: Filters plankton (Copepods) & also takes in small fish and crabs. Distribution: Central Atlantic, from Chesapeake Bay to Brazil (Belize)

18. Thread Fin Shad Scientific Name: Dorsoma pretenense Family: Clupeidae * Can grow up to 18 cm. *Feeding Habits: Eats plankton but when scarce it will find something else *Spawn in schools early in the morning in shallow water near brush, logs, or plants to minimize predation of eggs *Eggs adhesive

19. Machaca Native Name: Macabil Scientific Name: Brycon guatemalensis Family: Characidae Grow up to 59 cm Central America: From Grijalva River, Mexico to E. Panama; in the Pacific slope, only in Choluteca River basin of Honduras. Found in lakes, rivers & streams between 0 & 600 m elevation. The young feed on terrestrial & aquatic insects, leaves, fruits and seeds. Adults mainly herbivorous Eggs are deposited in nests located in sand bottoms of streams

20. Spinycheek Sleeper Scientific Name: Eleotris pisonis Family Name: Eleotridae Grow to 25 cm Distribution: Bermuda, Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico, Central America, Brazil Lives in shallow muddy waters or sandy bottoms Feeding Habits: dipteran larvae & pupae, crustaceans, such as crabs, & even small fish

21. Bigmouth Sleeper Scientific Name: Gobiomorus dormitor Family: Eleotridae *Grow up to 60 cm *Distribution: U.S.; southern Florida & southern Texas to eastern Brazil, Africa; Macias Nguema (Fernando Po). *Adults live in fresh water-Well Inland. *Inhabits larger free flowing clear water streams *Lies mostly on the bottom in slower moving part of streams *Carnivores and Benthivores *Relies on its sluggish behavior & cryptic coloration to capture crustaceans and fish.

22. River Goby Scientific Name: Awaous banana Family Name: Gobiidae Grow up to 30 cm Habitat: Fresh, brackish, clear streams & rivers, but also in muddy turbid waters, Prefers well oxygenated water Feeding Habits: Mainly filamentous Algae

23. Lyre Goby Scientific Name: Evorthodus lyricus Family Name: Gobiidae Grow to 15 cm Distribution: From Chesapeake Bay, USA to the Northern Gulf of Mexico, continuing to the Northern parts of South America Occurs mainly in muddy backwaters, often in foul waters

24. Crested Goby Scientific Name: Lophogobius cyprinoides Family Name: Gobiidae Grow to 10 cm Habitat: Freshwater, Brackish & Marine Distribution: Western Atlantic, Bermuda, Florida (USA), to Central and South America Lives in tidal creeks, mangroves & other quite, fresh to fully saline waters

25. Banded Astyanx Scientific Name: Astyanax aneus Family: Characidae *Grow up to 10 cm * Distribution: North, Central & South America, & most freshwater basins from Mexico to Argentina. *Inhabits: Slow-moving streams & rivers and lentic areas. *Vivacious, eats small fish & will bite pieces of meat.

26. Mountain Mullet Scientific Name: Agonostomus monticola Family: Mugilidae *Grow up to 5 ½ cm * Distribution: North America; North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana & Texas, U.S., to Colombia & Venezuela, including the West Indies. *Adults live in freshwater rivers & streams.. *Only mullet that swims far inland and spends all its adult life in freshwater. *Tends solitary in upper streams, but form uneven schools in larger streams at lower elevations

27. Bobo Mullet Scientific Name:Joturus pichardi Family Name: Mugildae Grow up to 61 cm Max Weight Recorded: 3,250 g Habitat: Freshwater, Brackish, Marine Distribution: Central America; Mexico to Panama, Florida & the Wet Indies Adults live in upper reaches of rivers but enter brackish water when spawning Important food fish in some areas Feeding Habits: Herbivores, scrapes algae from rocks with its fleshy lips, although sometimes eats prawn.

28. Shortfin Molly Scientific Name: Poecilia mexicana Family: Poeciliidae * Grow up to 9 ½ cm *Considerable variation in size among the various populations. *Mainly feeds on detritus- Feeds in fast water too. *Found in still or slow moving water & even on bottom

29. Mudfish *Bottom Feeder *Effective Camouflage *Hides in vegetation & behind rocks *Opportunistic feeder

30. Mayan Sea Catfish Scientific Name: Hexanematichthys Assimilis Family Name: Ariidae Grow up to 32 cm Habitat: Marine, Freshwater, Brackish Distribution: Central America, Belize River basin Gamefish & Foodfish

31. Topminnow Scientific Name: Belonesox belizanus Family Name: Poeciliidae Grow up to 14 cm Habitat: Mostly Freshwater & sometimes Brackish Distribution: North & Central America Live Bearers Lives in weedy canals & tolerates poorly oxygenated waters Formerly used in medical research

32. Green Swordtail Scientific Name: Xiphophorus hellerii Family Name: Poeciliidae Grow up to 14 cm Habitat: Freshwater, Brackish, pH range 7.0-8.0 Distribution: North & Central America, & in parts of Africa Live Bearers Live mainly in rapidly flowing streams & rivers, preferring heavily vegetated habitats. Occur in warm springs & their effluents, weedy canals & ponds Feeding Habits: Eat worms, insects, crustacean & plant matter

33. Dogtooth Rivulus Scientific Name: Rivulus tenuis Family Name: Rivulidae Grow up to 6 ½ cm Distribution: Central America; Guatemala, Mexico, Found in Lowland areas across Belize Aquarium Fish Lives in Freshwater only Hide in vegetation at water’s edge

34. Clingfish Scientific Name: Gobisox nudus Family Name: Gobiesocidae Grow up to 15 cm Distribution: Central & South America; Belize & Honduras Lives in rivers and creeks with high velocity currents Feeding Habits: fish, fish scales, & aquatic insects

35. Burro Grunt Scientific Name: Pomadasys crocro Family Name: Haeumildae Grow up to 38 cm Habitat: Freshwater, Brackish, Marine Distribution: Western Atlantic, southern Florida, Gulf of Mexico & throughout the Caribbean Sea southward to Brazil Lives in rivers and creeks of low to high current velocity. Found along sandy shores & over mud bottoms in shallow water, common in brackish mangrove-lined lagoons Feeding Habits: Eats Crustaceans & small fish

36. Belize Anchovy Scientific Name: Anchoa mitchilli Family Name: Engraulididae Grow to 5.8 cm Distribution: Central America, Belize & Guatemala Feeding Habits: prey on invertebrates

37. Atlantic sabretooth anchovy Scientific Name: Lycengraulis grossidens Family Name: Engraulidae Grow to 23 ½ cm Habitat: Freshwater, Brackish, Marine Distribution: Western Atlantic; Belize, Venezuela & the Amazon Feeding Habits: Eats mainly small fish & various crustaceans