Ancistrus jellyfish: why does a catfish need a whole forest of tentacles on its face? (8 photos)

In the river valleys of sun-kissed Brazil lives a creature who was kissed at birth by Cthulhu himself. This blessing gave the ancistrus jellyfish a stylish graphite outfit and eerie thick mustaches that from a distance resemble tentacles.





I asked for a thick beard, but made of hair, not leather!

If it weren’t for the half-head decoration, the ancistrus jellyfish would be little different from other catfish in the South American river basin. There are so many of them in the genus that scientists do not have time to give them normal biological names; instead, they count them by serial numbers. But our hero was able to stand out from the crowd of his relatives with a luxurious mustache.



Hello, come to our barbershop! Let's turn your mustache into a luxurious beard, like mine!

The creepiest thing is that as the fish ages, the facial hair begins to branch like plant roots, becoming visually thicker and creepier. Cthulhu did not explain why the fish needed such an accessory at all, he just winked flirtatiously and returned to his hellish underwater shelter.





Female, male and the difference between their whiskers.

Ask if the ancistrus jellyfish was upset by such a gift? No. After all, Ancistrus girls find mustaches an incredibly attractive feature. So much so that they themselves wear micro-moustaches. So, presumably, fish use them to attract a mate.



Mustache battle. Looks epically disgusting!

But the fish just looks alien-frightening. In fact, Ancistrus is a very calm and shy creature. And so much so that gentlemen prefer not to start families with strangers. In order for males and females to become interested in each other, they must grow up together.



Due to its unusual appearance and quiet nature, Ancistrus has become popular among aquarists. From the standard dark gray morph they developed a red variety. I don't even know which version looks more alien.

The next thing you need to create feelings is the right surroundings! Ancistrus are sensitive to everything: chemical composition, amount of oxygen, acidity, soil and temperature. Males pay special attention to the number of shelters. Once a fish has settled in an aquarium, he will examine every inch to make sure that the environment is perfect.



Yes, I'm growing them, thanks for noticing.

Once the mustachioed man is sure that the conditions are ideal, he waits until the rainy season to begin the most important thing - seduction. The male lures the female to a prepared place, fighting off her competitors. How can the groom understand that his advances were a success? It’s very simple: the lady will kick him out of his place and take over the house herself.



It’s immediately obvious that he’s a real gentleman! I have a mustache, just a monocle and a top hat are missing!

But only for a while. In the shelter, the female lays about 50 eggs and then retires into the sunset. From this moment on, all care for the offspring falls on the fragile fins and thick mustache of the male. It fertilizes the abandoned clutch, protects it and makes sure that the eggs do not lie too long: it actively fans its fins, pushing oxygenated water towards the brood. But the care does not last long: after just 4-5 days the fry are ready for independent life.



Ancistrus, like all catfish, are omnivores. So much so that they can feast on their own offspring. Therefore, in captivity, juveniles are raised separately from their parents.

This is how the little fish proved that a responsible family man and a gallant gentleman can be hidden under a creepy appearance.