Finally we were able again to import some of the beautiful Hemiloricaria melini from ´Brazil (Rio Negro basin). As usual this shipment contained several bycatches, like H. sp. Weißdorn and H. castroi (see our post http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/hemiloricaria-bycatches/), but this time there were also some specimens we have never seen before. The most obvious feature of the fish is the black „peppered pattern“.
In Welsatlas Vol 1 a species of Hemiloricaria from Venezuela is presented under the name of „Rinelorcaria sp. Puerto Ayacucho“ which looks extremely similar to our new ones. We asked specialist Ingo Seidel for his opinion and he agreed that our new importations obviously belong to „Puerto Ayacucho“. That fish was known so far only from the Orinoco basin, but now we have to realize that „Puerto Ayacucho“ has a much wider distribution and can be also found in the Rio Negro basin.
For our customers: the fish have code 289095 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very small numbers ony!
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
