More than 20 years ago (1999) Mario Wilhelm brought back from an expedition to Brazil for the first time this beautiful dwarf cichlid from the Rio Abacaxis. An alternative name to Apistogramma sp. Wilhelmi is therefore A. sp. Abacaxis. This river, a well known area for discus fishes, belongs to the drainage of the Rio Madeira. A. sp. Wilhelmi is not yet described scientifically, consequently there is no scientific name for the species.
Apistogramma sp. Wilhelmi belongs, together with the numerous variants of A. agassizii, A. gephyra and A. pulchra in the closer relationship of A. agassizii. A. sp.Wilhelmi differs from the other species of this complex, among others, by the much broader longitudinal band and a unique sexual dichromatism: the males A. sp. Wilhelmi have a purple chin patch.
Unfortunately A. sp.Wilhelmi is a bit shy and therefore needs time to get accustomed and to develop the full color splendor. But then it more than compensates the patience of the keeper. For the care of the fish the usual Apistogramma rules apply: germ-poor water, secondary plant materials (dead leaves, peat, alder cones), sandy soil, varied nutrition. With animals maintained in this way, no significant problems are to be expected.
At the moment we have nice offsprings of this dwarf cichlid in stock.
For our customers: the animals have code 630703 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply to wholesalers.
Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Dieter Bork and Frank Schäfer
