there are three species in
this genera, K. subteres, K. heylandi
(Boulenger, 1900), and K. lacerta (Nichols,
1919). Habitat: Kronichthys subteres
Inhabits streams with rocky and sandy bottom, in places
up to 0.8 m deep and with water flow up to 30 cm per
second. Diet: Forages both during
the day and at night. Grazes on microscopic algae,
mostly diatoms and green algae growing on rocks and
submersed vegetation. Occasionally takes chironomid
and simuliid larvae, as well as tiny crustaceans.
Before grazing on a patch with dense sediment, the
fish makes wiggling head-down movements which raise
sediment, to be blown away by the water current. When
grazing algae off the substrate makes vigorous mouth
movements, and moves by jerky movements probably related
to its mouth making alternate grazing and attaching
to the substrate. Leaves conspicuous grazing marks
on exposed rocks. May re-graze a given spot by moving
backwards. Density may reach about 1 fish per square
meter in stream stretches shaded by the forest and
2.5 fish per square meter in sunny stretches.
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
None
Family:
Loricariidae
Distribution:
South America:
Ribeira de Iguape River basin. Type locality:
Rio Betari [Betharí], Rio Pardo, Rio Iporanga,
Brazil.
Size:
10.0cm. (4ins)
Temp:
20-24°c (67-75°f)
p.H.
6.0-7.5.
Reference:
Baensch, H.A. and R.
Riehl, 1997. Aquarien Atlas, Band 5. Mergus
Verlag, Melle, Germany. 1148 p. Buck, S. and I. Sazima,
1995. An assemblage of mailed catfishes (Loricariidae)
in southeastern Brazil: distribution, activity and
feeding. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 6(4):325-332. Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist
of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes),
and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa
1418:1-628. Froese,
R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. FishBase.
World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org,
( 02/2018 ).
If you would like to contribute to the monthly
factsheets with an article, information or photos, please e-mail
me. You will of course be credited for your work.
If you would like to donate any denomination
of monies to the site just click the above link button. All proceeds
will go to running the site and hopefully to keep it going for a few
years yet.