Rummy-nose tetra and NALA Films

Contents 1 Physical description 2 Distribution 3 Habitat 4 Aquarium maintenance 5 Reproduction 6 Development 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

Physical description

The rummy-nose tetra is a torpedo-shaped fish, whose basal body colour is a translucent silvery colour suffused in some specimens with a greenish tint: iridescent green scales are frequently seen adorning the fish at the point where the fontanel (a part of the head roughly corresponding to the forehead in humans) meets the body. The fins are hyaline, with the exception of the tail fin, this fin being adorned with black and white horizontal stripes, variable in number, but usually comprising one central black stripe in the central portion of the tail fin, with two horizontal black stripes upon each caudal fin lobe, the spaces between the stripes being white, the total count of black stripes being five. The head is a deep red colour, iridescent in lustre, with the red continuing into the iris of the eye, and some red colouration extends beyond the operculum or gill plate into the anteriormost section of the body proper. Some specimens classified as Hemigrammus rhodostomus possess three black tail stripes instead of five, and some specimens classified as Petitella georgiae have a black stripe in the caudal peduncle extending forwards into the body, surmounted above by a thin iridescent gold line: however, whether these features are reliable determinants of species identity has yet to be fully ascertained.

Male and female individuals exhibit no obvious visual differences, other than increased fullness of the body outline in ripe females. Distribution Hemigrammus bleheri

The three different species of fish thus known as rummy-nose tetras have the following distributions: Hemigrammus rhodostomus : Lower Amazon basin and Orinoco River (which was discovered after WWI by the German Albert Ramsperger) Hemigrammus bleheri: Rio Negro and Rio Meta basins (photo shown here is that of a group of H. bleheri which was discovered by Heiko Bleher in 1965, the German explorer who discovered and rediscovered over 4000 freshwater fish species) Petitella georgiae: Upper Amazon basin in Peru, Rio Purus, Rio Negro and Rio Madeira basins (which has been found in an aquarium fish import from Peru in the late 1950s in Switzerland by H. Boutiere). Habitat

All three species of rummy-nose tetra inhabit river stretches whose water chemistry is mineral-deficient (soft), acidic, and frequently tainted with humic acid decay products from leaf litter upon the river substrates (known as 'blackwaters' because of their appearance). Aquatic plants are sometimes present in these stretches of water, though the upper reaches of the Rio Negro are less densely populated with aquatic flora than the other rivers due to shading from the rainforest canopy. The fishes preferentially inhabit the middle and mid-lower water regions. Aquarium maintenance

The details of aquarium maintenance for all three species are more or less identical: the rummy-nose tetra is a schooling fish, which exhibits tight schooling behaviour both in the wild and in the aquarium. Consequently, these fishes should be maintained in groups of no fewer than six individuals, with larger numbers being preferable where space permits-these tetras preferring about a 25 gallon/80 litre aquarium. All three species are lovers of warm aquarium water, the temperature range for maintenance being 24 °C to 31 °C, with the fishes sometimes requiring temperatures as high as 33 °C for breeding. Consequently, compatibility of these fishes with cooler water fishes is contra-indicated: for example, panda corydoras would be a bad choice of companion as these fishes prefer lower temperatures, and there is little overlap in the temperature ranges of the two species. Many fish can be kept with rummy-nose tetras, some including smaller gourami, tetras, barbs, danios, Australian rainbows, and various catfish, such as Ancistrus. These fish cannot be kept with African cichlids as they have very different water parameters.

The water chemistry preferred by these fishes, as might be inferred readily from that of the wild habitat, is soft, acidic water (hardness no higher than 6° dH and pH around 6.4–7.0 is definitely preferred if possible) though for maintenance purposes, the pH of the aquarium water can range from 5.6 to 7.4. However, if captive reproduction is to be attempted, the rummy-nose tetra needs soft, acidic water, as Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine recently reported that research work upon these fishes indicates that high levels of calcium ions in the water induce sterility in these fishes. A planted aquarium is welcomed by these fishes, particularly if the plants include fine-leaved species such as Cabomba and Myriophyllum.

Feeding presents relatively few problems, as the fishes will eagerly devour a range of prepared as well as live fish foods. In common with numerous other tetras, these fishes are particularly fond of live bloodworms (these are the aquatic larvae of a midge belonging to the genus Chironomus) and will also devour live Daphnia avidly. Unlike those tetra species which adapt to surface feeding in the aquarium, rummy-nose tetras are not considered likely to add live mosquito larvae to their diet in the aquarium, though instances where these fishes discover and enjoy this food are possible: usually, rummy-nose tetras prefer to take their foods in the middle and lower regions of the aquarium.

Lifespan for the rummy-nose tetra in the aquarium is usually 5 to 6 years with careful maintenance. Exceptional specimens can live for more than 8 years.

The fish is interesting in that it can act as a "mine canary" in an aquarium, alerting the aquarist to potential pollution problems in an aquarium. When levels of certain metabolic wastes (ammonia, nitrites and nitrates) exceed critical levels, the intense ruby-red colour of the fish's facial area becomes pale. The fishes also become pale in appearance immediately after the disturbance that takes place in the aquarium following a water change, but in this instance, once clean water has been supplied, the intense deep red colour returns. Persistent paleness of the head is to be taken as a sign that water chemistry parameters in the maintenance aquarium are in need of adjustment, and that pollutant levels are becoming dangerous for the inhabitants. Reproduction

Rummy-nose tetras present serious challenges even to experienced aquarists from the standpoint of breeding, primarily due to two factors: the likelihood of sterility ensuing if the prospective parents are maintained in water with too high a level of dissolved calcium ions, and the slow growth rate of the fry. An additional problem is that gender differentiation is difficult by visual inspection alone, making pair selection partly a matter of luck unless an obviously gravid female is available for selection. Again, identical remarks apply to all three species listed above.

The breeding aquarium for the rummy-nose tetra, in addition, needs to be sterilised prior to use, as the fish produces eggs that are notoriously sensitive to bacterial and fungal infection. Use of an antifungal agent is strongly advised once spawning is completed in order to prevent various fungi from attacking the eggs.

Needless to say, given the above remarks about likely sterility if the fishes are maintained in water whose chemical parameters are incorrect, prospective parents must be maintained in soft, acidic water throughout their lives if they are to remain capable of reproduction. Failure to do so will destroy any chances of success from the very start. Furthermore, it is highly advisable to filter the water of the breeding aquarium over peat, or alternatively use one of the commercially available 'Blackwater Tonic' additives to provide the necessary chemical environment conducive to reproduction. Parent fishes should, in addition, be conditioned heavily with copious live foods to bring them into prime breeding condition.

Though the fishes prefer to spawn among fine leaved plants, one problem that the aquarist faces in this regard is that the majority of fine leaved plants available in the aquarium prefer high light levels (Cabomba is a particular case in point) while the rummy-nose tetra prefers to spawn under subdued lighting conditions. Workarounds for this include the use of Java moss (a plant that thrives even in very low light levels, and is an ideal spawning medium for many fishes) or the use of synthetic alternatives ("spawning mops" made of nylon are typically deployed where a suitable natural plant is unavailable).

The parents should be introduced to the breeding aquarium up to 7 days before spawning, fed heavily with live foods, and kept under subdued lighting. In addition, the parents tend to prefer to spawn under quiet conditions, and thus the aquarium should be sited away from areas of busy human traffic. The temperature should be slowly raised to 32 °C, and sometimes 33 °C may be needed depending upon the individual specimens. Spawning is difficult to observe, taking place as it does under subdued lighting, and while chase sequences followed by the adoption of a side by side position by the parents amid the provided spawning media may be taken as indication that spawning is indeed taking place, this is by no means certain. The judicious use of a low-power flashlight to observe spawning may be helpful in determining if eggs are actually being produced.

NALA Films and Rummy-nose tetra

Contents 1 Foundation 1.1 People 2 Films 2.1 Partnerships 3 Up-coming films 4 Films 5 References 6 External links

Foundation

NALA (North America Latin America) Films, LLC was founded in 2005 by Emilio Diez Barroso (the great-grandson Televisa-founder Emilio "el Tigre" Azcarraga), as the production arm of NALA Investments (founded in 1999), an investment vehicle with a portfolio of holdings across various industries. NALA Films, which is headquartered just off Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, is a "film development, production and financing company that NALA Films is a financing and production company that focuses on making quality, character-driven projects for film, Television and new media The company "produces and finances three to five feature films per year" People

Under CEO Diez Barroso, Darlene Caamaño-Loquet is President of NALA Films, a role which saw her named the sixth most powerful Hispanic woman on the Hispanic Women "Power 25" list of 2007. As President, Caamaño Loquet "develops, supervises and produces the financing/production company's feature film and television slate." In 2007, it was reported that the "executive ranks" had been "beefed up" by the double hiring of Corrie Rothbart as Chief Financial Officer, and Rudy Scalese as Director of Development. Rothbart, whose previous roles included positions with ICM, Gold Circle Films and Sony Pictures Entertainment took on the role of overseer on "financial and strategic planning, corporate treasury, business development, production finance, accounting and operations." Scalese's role will be to "help identify and develop material to fulfill the company's production slate of four to five relatively big-budget films per year, as well as its lower-budget genre fare," after he came to prominence producing the documentary: "Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film". He had also previously worked for Caamaño-Loquet's D-No Entertainment. Films

Diez Barroso and NALA financed their first film - The Air I Breathe - with money raised from private investors, "state subsidies" and "film subsidy programs" such as the fund run by the Mexico film institute Imcine. In addition, NALA took "a relatively conservative tack by shooting most pics in Mexico," where it "has fostered relationships with local state authorities." Diez Barroso, Caamaño-Loquet and Paul Schiff - who brought the production to NALA - produced, in association with Paul Schiff Productions, (whose Tai Duncan co-executive produced with Christopher Pratt).

NALA's remit to produce works with Latin American talent attempts "to finance three to four English-language pics per year in the $6 million to $30 million range." Ultimately, the first film to be released (in association with Warner Bros.) was the Oscar-nominated In the Valley of Elah, starring Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron. Dan in Real Life (which Caamaño-Loquet developed earlier with Noah Rosen and their D-No Entertainment) followed the same year, in association with Buena Vista, while ThinkFilm released The Air I Breathe at various film festivals throughout late 2007, and debuted in the USA on limited release in January 2008, with After Sex (starring Jane Seymour) following a similar pattern. Partnerships

In November, 2006, it was announced that NALA Films had "formed a partnership" with the William Morris Agency, who will "provide consulting services on a slate of at least five films," to which NALA will bring production funds of "$125 million... over the next two to three years." The Agency, who also acts as consultant to Bob Yari's financing company El Camino and the Pelican Film and Beverly Bridge Funds, "will help NALA consider possible feature packages for funding." NALA President Darlene Caamaño-Loquet noted that the LA-based company "plans to fully finance its projects and does not intend to seek partners," while also "continu to produce projects outside of its WMA partnership." (NALA did, however, partner with both Summit Entertainment - on whose board of director's Diez Barroso sits - and Steve Samuels Media Capital to finance and produce In the Valley of Elah.) Up-coming films

NALA Films is currently developing and producing a number of projects, including Mr. Burnout (set to be directed by Paul Dinello), Open Grave (to be directed by Eduardo Rodriguez), Night of Light (set to star Jason Patric, and be directed by Norberto López Amado) and Only Ever You (to be directed by Griffin Dunne). Also in production are La Magdalena - the company's first Spanish language production - and a more expensive project ($22m - $25m): the already-controversial "supernatural horror thriller" Shelter, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Julianne Moore. Films

As on April 2008, NALA Productions has been the major/sole production company behind three films. They are: The Air I Breathe starring Forest Whitaker, Andy García, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kevin Bacon, Brendan Fraser, Emile Hirsch and Julie Delpy After Sex starring Jane Seymour, Mila Kunis, Taryn Manning, Zoe Saldana In the Valley of Elah starring Charlize Theron, Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Sarandon, James Franco and Jason Patrik written and directed by Paul Haggis
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