Scientific name: Celestichthys Margaritatus
Distrubution:
Type locality is ‘Pools at foot of mountain near Hopong town 30 kilometers east of Taunggyi, Myanmar, elevation 1040 meters’, thought restricted to a single locality around 1,040 m AMSL near the town of Hopong in Shan State, eastern Myanmar.
It’s since been found in waters associated with the Salween (aka Thanlwin) River throughout southern Shan and even across the border in northern Thailand.
HOW TO KEEP:
This timid species should ideally be kept in a heavily-planted set-up, preferably with a dark substrate.
The broken lines of sight that exist in such a display allow it to display natural behaviour as well as helping to reduce skittishness.
Floating plants are a useful addition but driftwood and oak/beech/almond leaf litter are best avoided as the tannins they release are not a feature of its natural waters.
Use gentle filtration; an air-powered sponge-style unit should prove adequate.
Difficulty in keeping: Easy
Maximum size: 3-4cm Males 3-4 cm Females
Selling size: 1-2 cm and above
Temperature: 18-26 °C
pH: 6-7.8 Our fish are bred and grown at a ph between 6.0 and 7.5
Diet: Likely to feed on floating or suspended zooplankton, phytoplankton, and invertebrates in nature, and in the aquarium must be offered items of a suitable size.
Ideally much of the diet should comprise live foods such as Daphnia, Moina, Artemia nauplii, micro worm, etc., although small/crushed floating dried foods are also accepted.
Disclaimer: Photos are taken of our own fish and usually the breeding parents, photos are for reference only and actual fish you will receive might slightly vary. We sometimes use photos taken by friends or other hobbyists.