BUSHYMOUTH CATFISH

The bushymouth catfish (Ancistrus dolichopterus) is a species of armoured catfish native to Brazil and Guyana. It is found in the middle Amazon basin and in the basins of the Rio Negro, the lower Trombetas, the Tefé, the Madeira and the Tapajós Rivers. This species grows to a length of about 12 centimetres. This species is found in the aquarium trade.

These catfish are usually a dark spotted colour, but there are albino, gold-coloured and the red rarer ones shown here. Ancistrus Super red is a variety with an orange colour, turning red. The male has appendages on the head, which give the sensation of being horns, while the females have only thin tentacles. They are rarely seen for sale, and the one photographed here was in an aquarium.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

JELLYFISH

Jellyfish and sea jellies are the informal common names given to the medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, a major part of the phylum Cnidaria. Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animals with umbrella-shaped bells and trailing tentacles, although a few are not mobile, being anchored to the seabed by stalks.

The bell can pulsate to provide propulsion and highly efficient locomotion. The tentacles are armed with stinging cells and may be used to capture prey and defend against predators. Jellyfish have a complex life cycle; the medusa is normally the sexual phase, the planula larva can disperse widely and is followed by a sedentary polyp phase.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

FISH

Life is simple in a cosseted tropical fish aquarium...

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

AQUARIUM

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

AQUARIUM

Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is a Southern Ocean and Antarctic aquarium in central Melbourne, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Yarra River beside and under the Flinders Street Viaduct and the King Street Bridge. The attraction is a Sea Life Centre owned by Merlin Entertainments.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Macro Monday meme,
and also part of the Through my Lens meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.