Redtail Garra, New Fish Species, Discovered By Scientists

Scientists discovered a new fish species which has long been prominent in the aquarium trade.

According to an entry posted on Phys.Org, redtail garra, a type of fish that feeds on algae, has been restricted to a small stretch of river situated in the border between Thailand and Myanmar.

Experts said this place was considered as isolated; therefore, these redtail garras have existed in relative obscurity despite their global appeal.

The report mentioned that Larry Page, curator of ichthyology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, had surveyed fishes in Thailand on a yearly basis beginning 2007. Page had encountered a few redtail garras while he was conducting fieldwork along the Kasat River.

"When we first collected specimens, we thought it must be widespread in Myanmar because of its popularity in the aquarium trade. But it turns out it's not. It's only in the Ataran River basin," Page said in the report.

Page said that the basic knowledge about the fish species' biology is available, however, it is only in the form of studies about individual species or regions.

In 2006, Nonn Panitvong, who is the author of a book about Thailand's fishes, discovered one of the country's redtail garra populations and he helped in the introduction of the fish to the aquarium trade.

What are redtails

An entry posted at the website of the Florida Museum said redtails had taken their place among nearly 200 additional species in the genus garra, which is considered as one of the most diverse and widely distributed fish groups across the planet.

Redtails also lack stomachs and they also possess a snout that is encrusted with modified and hardened scales called tubercles.

Initial studies said that garras could be found in streams and rivers from the farthest reaches of western Africa through the Middle East, India as well as southern and eastern Asia. This species can also be found in some areas in China.

Researchers said that little is still known on the relationships and how various groups of garras have been diversified.

Page noted that most of the garras inhabit in fast-moving water.

"They have a disclike structure formed from a modification of the lower lip, which they use as an adhesive pad to cling to rocks and maintain their position in the water column as they feed," Page said.

Redtail garra's behavior

Known to feed on algae, it was said that the redtail garra is not solely herbivore.

Studies showed that the species also eat meaty foods such as live or frozen chironomid larvae (bloodworm), Tubifex, Artemia, as well as chopped prawn.

Furthermore, fresh fruit and vegetables, including cucumber, melon, blanched spinach or courgette, could be given from time to time to this species. Some home-made, gelatine-bound recipes, which contain a mixture of dried fish food, puréed shellfish, fresh fruit and vegetables, can also be given to this redtail garra.

In the website Seriously Fish, the redtail garra was described as relatively peaceful and "makes a good subject for the well-chosen, larger community of stream-dwelling Indochinese species."

Meanwhile, the sexual reproduction of this species is still unknown.

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