''Abramites eques'', also known as headstander, picúo, or sardina, small teleost fish and is a member of the family Anostomidae of the order Characiformes. This

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

n species, like '' Abramites hypselonotus'', adopts a head-down swimming posture due to its distinct feeding habit, which is a direct result of the locals that it frequents.

Description

Mature females tend to be plumper than the males.

Geographical distribution and Habitat

This fish inhabits the Magdalena River basin in

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

. Like its relative, '' Abramites hypselonotus'', the picúo generally inhabits shallow, fast-moving rivers and streams, and refers rocky bottoms.

Aquarium care

If any plants are added to an aquarium with the picúo, the fish will likely eat them. Hardy plants like the

Java fern ''Leptochilus pteropus'', synonym ''Microsorum pteropus'', commonly known as Java fern after the Indonesian island of Java, can be found in Malaysia, Thailand, Northeast India and some regions of China. It is a highly variable plant with several ...

should survive, but the addition delicate species should be avoided. Branches or roots should be added to the tank to provide hiding places for the fish and soft, acidic water should be provided. They can be an aggressive species so only keep with tank mates that can look after themselves. During mating, this species forms distinct pairs and these pairs prefer to breed in dense patches of quartic weeds.Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen, 1966. Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.

Feeding

A vegetable diet is best suited for the picúo. Algae wafers, pellets and high-quality flake food can be given. Spinach and peas will also benefit the picúo.

Relationship with humans

Given its preference for shallow streams and rivers, this species' range is very fragmented. While it has been assessed to the level of Least Concern by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

, a number of threats to wild picúos still exist such as mining and quarrying, deforestation in its home watershed, and dredging of waterways. In captivity, this species is primarily used as an ornamental fish in the aquarium trade.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abramites Eques Anostomidae Freshwater fish of Colombia Endemic fauna of Colombia Magdalena River Taxa named by Franz Steindachner Fish described in 1878