Red Wolf Fish

About

Red wolf fish (Erythrinus erythrinus) are compact, ambush-style predators from the slow-moving creeks, marshy backwaters, and seasonal pools of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, as well as coastal rivers throughout the Guianas. One of their most remarkable traits is a modified swim bladder that functions as a supplementary breathing organ, letting them thrive in stagnant, oxygen-depleted water that would kill most fish. They are even known to haul themselves short distances overland when pools dry up seasonally. Coloration varies quite a bit depending on where a specimen originated, some Peruvian fish sport a vivid orange belly, and current research suggests what we call E. erythrinus may actually be a complex of several distinct species. Juveniles pull off an impressive trick: they mimic the color pattern of female Rivulus killifish, luring unsuspecting males close enough to ambush. As the fish matures and grows, this disguise is abandoned in favor of the adult pattern. In the aquarium, smaller tankmates will simply become food, and two specimens housed together often fight brutally. Most keepers do best keeping one fish on its own. A word of caution during maintenance: this fish has a mouthful of sharp teeth and absolutely no hesitation about biting at nets, siphon tubes, or anything else introduced into the tank.