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The Atlantic Football Fish in Fuerteventura - Himantolophidae

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 15:44:08 +0000

The Atlantic Football Fish - Himantolophidae, that lives in the water surrounding Fuerteventura

An Article by Hannah Mackay with The Voice

The Atlantic Football fish belongs to the Himantolophidae family of the globose, deep-sea angler fishes, of which there are 22 species. They were first discovered in the early 1900’s by a deep-sea fisherman in search of flounders.

What do Angler fish in the Canary Islands look like and where to find them?

These fish live in the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean so unless you have a mini sub, you are unlikely to ever see one. Both male and female of the species are a reddish, brown to black colour and have no spine. But that’s where the similarities stop. The male of the species does not generally exceed 4 cm’s in size and is more gelatinous that the female of the species. The females can exceed up 60 cm’s in size and are more globose in shape. The flesh of the females thickens, in the larger of the sex, and has a covering of bony plates called bucklers. The female’s mouth is more oblique, with a shortened blunt snout and a chin.

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Do Angler fish in Fuerteventura have a fishing rod?

Situated above the small eye is the ‘Illicium’or fishing rod. At the end of this rod is the bioluminescent bulbous esca. Due to the structure of the female’s body it is believed they are not great swimmers and are largely sedentary. They lay in wait for prey, that is attracted by the luminous lure of the esca. Once close enough, they can strike out at the prey. The female of the species is carnivorous, feeding on other pelagic fish such as lantern fish, as well as cephalopods and shrimps.

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At what depth would you find an Angler fish in the Canary Islands?

The species mainly lives in open water and very few are caught below 1,000 metres. Their main predators are Sperm whales and other football fish. They are not the most attractive fish but they are uniquely interesting for their strange football-like appearance and predatory characteristics.

Palm - Fuerteventura

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 15:40:39 +0000

Palm Trees In Pots

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 15:38:47 +0000

GROWING POTTED PALMS IN FUERTEVENTURA

An Article by Debbie ‘Greenfingers” McNeill with The Voice

Palm trees do not need to be tall to be beautiful and you don’t need a big garden to grow one in.

I am not talking about the typical very tall growing palms you see around the island, but stunning smaller varieties that can give you all the enjoyment of owning a palm, but in a more confined space.

Specialist Care

Big palms may look nice, but there are some downsides which need to be considered. Some varieties of palm have very big and deep root systems which can damage your house footings. They can also block out the sunshine, as they grow up into fully grown trees with sizeable ‘mop’ heads. Palms also need professional pruning and some varieties need specialist treatments, which can only be administered by certified professionals, which can also make them expensive to maintain.

Pygmy Palms

I find as much pleasure from the great variety of smaller palms, which are widely available at all the garden centres on the island, as I do from their taller counterparts. It is advisable to plant all the species of palm into the ground, as they do like to be able to spread their roots. They can grow in large pots for their juvenile years, but overall, they will do much better once they are planted in the ground. Some of the smaller palms can be kept in containers and I am happy to help with advice in this matter. You can also speak directly to the staff at your chosen garden centre, as most of them have English speaking staff nowadays too.

Easy to Grow

The majority of palms need little water, don’t require specialised soil and tolerate the wind and full or part sun. Some palms like to be more sheltered; these kinds tend to be the smooth stemmed varieties, known as the bottle palms. The popular multi-stemmed Kentia palms, grown as house plants in the UK, are happy to grow in a shady spot away from the sun, and are a good option for difficult areas with low light. Slow Growing Palms I have some favourite palms. The first are the Butia varieties; these are slow growing with arching foliage of a blue/green colour. They are tough and hardy and very ornate, with the majority growing up a maximum of 3 metres (10 feet). A smaller relative that I have used in many gardens are called Neodypsis. They are a beautiful, manageable palm that needs very little maintenance.

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Dragon Palms

A very popular and common palm here is the Draceana drago palm. You will see this all over the island. It has a smooth greyish stem with long, single green leaves. These palms tends to grow multi heads over the years, but are still a containable plant. It is known as the Dragon’s Blood palm because it can produce bright red colouring at the base of the leaf stalks. Date Palms f you want a real mini palm with a rough stem and a mop head, I find the pygmy date palm, Phoenix roebelinii, very hard to beat. Growing up to about 1.2m, tolerating our weather well and requiring very little maintenance, this palm works well in rockeries, small spaces and grows well in most situations and soils. Another of my favourites are the Trachycarpus palms. These grow up a single stem and have rough pinnate leaves. They grow up to 3 metres (10 ft) but do not have a wide crown. They are easy to grow and give your garden a really tropical feel.

Caryota Palms

Caryota palms need more protection from the wind, but they are delicate and beautiful, with great movement provided by their unique, divided leaves, known as fishtails. These more delicate plants are happy to live in part sun and are a real joy to grow, but the ideal position is essential for them to flourish. Sago’s & Cycads I cannot finish this article without including the Sago palms, the Cycads. Extremely slow growing and thought to be the most primitive plants alive today. With dark green, shiny foliage, these guys can be grown in pots and can be grown in many positions whether that be semi-shade or full sun. They do require well drained soil and are a real feature to any garden.

I hope this article gives you some ideas and the confidence to include these wonderful palms in your garden. They provide elegance, movement and can add a different dimension to any garden.