A stocky shape, dark spot on each side of the body, blood red filaments extending from the dorsal and rainbow coloration in adults all describe the beautiful eartheater Acarichthys heckelii. Plus, this fish’s extremely interesting reproductive behavior is rewarding to witness.

One day, I saw this species at an aquarium show and literally could not walk away from the large tank in which the fine specimens swam — and I must add that I was not alone. Beside me stood a crowd of onlookers similarly rooted in place. Envying the keeper of these beautiful fish, I set about preparing a sufficiently large tank for them, which still proved too small.

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