The fish is a living fossil

According to many researchers, the fish is one of the most interesting representatives of the underwater kingdom. Without exaggeration, this creature can be called unique. Our article will tell you about the way of life, the features of behavior and the unique abilities of this fish.

Living fossil

Fish amiya - the only representative of amyobraznyh, preserved to this day. His party flourished in the Mesozoic. In other words, all the relatives of the il fish died out tens and hundreds of millions of years ago.

Appearance

The fish living in the ooze can reach 75-90 cm in length. There are cases when the catch of fishermen became specimens weighing up to 5 kg. Most representatives of the species are somewhat smaller.

Body elongated, eel-like. On the back there is a fin, representing a leathery growth. The fish is dyed dark olive, only on the abdomen the skin is lighter. On the sides there are spots and stripes that help to mask.

The mouth is large, dotted with sharp teeth. To distinguish a male from a female is difficult, it can be done only on the spot with an orange border in the upper part of the tail. But this method does not give 100% guarantee: a spot can have some females.

Accommodations

Fish leads a benthonic lifestyle. She prefers silted areas with a lot of floating plants. The habitat of il fish is the Great Lakes of the USA and the ponds of the Mississippi River basin. For a comfortable living this creature needs standing water or a very weak current.

An unusual feature

The functions of the swim bladder in fish of different species differ. This body plays the role of a balancer and helps the fish move in the water column. Some species use it for sound formation.

But amy has something to surprise scientists. The functions of the swim bladder in fish residing in the ooze are somewhat expanded. In droughty time, he participates in breathing. Amy can live without water for 24 hours, using air from this body to produce oxygen.

It is worth noting that this ability is non-unique. For example, some kinds of catfish can do without water. But among the representatives of fish such skills are very rare. The vast majority of species do not know how to do this.

Nutrition in nature

The fish is a predator. In the natural habitat, it hunts crustaceans, mollusks, small amphibians, insects, small fish. Vegetable feed is also present in the diet, but in modest amounts.

Fishing

An inexperienced fisherman, on the hook of which caught a fish, can mix it with a pike, eel or catfish. However, upon closer examination, the differences will become apparent.

It can not be said that Amalia is in great demand. Most often it is caught by those who arrived on the shores of American reservoirs for a very different prey.

In some regions, fish are considered a dangerous pest, because it mercilessly destroys all available livestock. Its catch is organized to reduce the populations of the relict predator.

If, nevertheless, you happen to be in the habitats of this fish and want to hunt for it, arm yourself with the same gear that is necessary for pike fishing. As bait, you can use pieces of earthworm, a twister of light color, a small spoon.

Amy in Cooking

The feedback of those who have had a chance to taste the meat of the fish is unanimous. They say that this is one of the worst varieties of fish dishes. Local people do not consume it, considering it completely unfit.

However, in some regions, its caviar is on sale. Many gourmets say that it looks a bit like sturgeon and is pleasant enough to taste. It is sold as a budget analog of a more expensive product.

Contents in the aquarium

Did not ignore the mud fish and aquarists. But the popularity of this species for breeders is extremely low. This is due to the mediocre decorative characteristics of the species and the high cost of maintaining the aquarium.

For one individual, a capacity of at least 1000 liters is required. For such a large aquarium to function normally, it is required to equip it with rather expensive equipment: filters, temperature regulator, aerator, partial drainage system and water topping. It is rather difficult to take care of it independently, in most cases, owners have to resort to the services of professional companies engaged in aquarium systems.

Sirloin fish at home crustaceans, mollusks, insects. Give the meat of mammals and birds is not recommended, because the amy can not digest the lipids contained in it. You can also use frozen food: bloodworms, pieces of worms, zoofobus.

There is nothing difficult in the content, the fish itself is unpretentious, but the process of caring for a large volume aquarium is quite laborious, and time consumes a lot. However, rare connoisseurs who wish to settle in their own unusual prehistoric creature sometimes choose Ami.