In this case “new” does not mean that there were no colour varieties like this before, but that we have a new breeder, who gives us these and other high end breeding guppies in pairs and colour hits, so that we can pass on really fantastic animals. Of course there is also a certain variance within the high end breeding guppies.
For our customers: Koi Red Tuxedo Red Nose has code 419088, Full Black 419089 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
There are two rather similar species of the silver dollar genus Metynnis with a pattern of black spots. They differ mainly by the (externally not visible) number of the gill rakes and the number of scales along the long side of the body, but also somewhat in relation to the body shape. We currently call the somewhat more oval animals from Brazil M. lippincottianus (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/metynnis_cf_lippincottianus_en/) and the more disc-shaped ones from the Orinoco entry M. maculatus; but it could also turn out in a scientific investigation that it is exactly the other way around.
Recently we received this very attractive M. maculatus from Colombia again. According to literature, the species becomes 18-20 cm long. Even if the herbivorous silver dollars are often characterized as “peaceful” against the “bloodthirsty” Piranhas: they are tetras and they can also quarrel. In the case of Metynnis, the animals often tatter the tail fin in the course of the ranking-fights. However, this is harmless and heals quickly again.
For our customers: the animals have code 268002 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
For sure Betta macrostoma is one of the most beautiful species of fighting fish – and the most sensitive! There is hardly another known species of fish that becomes that easily infested by bacteria of any kind. Many breeders of Betta macrostoma use UV filters the whole year through to avoid bacterial development in the water column. A tipp by the way: clay suspended in the tankwater also „catches“ most bacteria from the water coulmn.
We have these sensitve gems not always in stock. Only every now and then we order some from a breeder. Currently such a chance appears and some people can fulfil their christmas wish right now…
For our customers: the fish have code 384004 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Only few pairs availble!
The Neritina snails are enjoying growing popularity among aquarists. There are several reasons for this. The most important one is certainly that they look attractive. In addition, Neritina snails do not reproduce in freshwater aquariums, as the larvae only develop in the sea. The third important reason for the popularity is that Neritina snails also grate very hard, solid algae, which other freshwater snails or algae-eating fish usually avoid.
The biggest disadvantage of many Neritina snails is that they often crawl out of the water (because they live in nature in the tidal area of the sea, similar to our Common periwinkle all over the North Sea and Atlantic). The aquarium must therefore be well covered.
Neritina juttingae from Borneo does not have this disadvantage; she rarely leaves the water. The unmistakable species has numerous horns on its shell; it grows to 1.5-2 cm in size. In the aquarium, it has proved to feed this snail species dead leaves (beech, oak, walnut, cherry, cattappa tree), as it particularly likes this as food.
For our customers: the animals have code 485552 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The red spike-tail is a classic among the aquarium fish and is and is not missing in any manual of ornamental fish science before the Second World War. But its origin was always mysterious, the original description from the year 1909 was based on aquarium imports. Today it has become quiet around him and his close relatives from Sri Lanka, Malpulutta kretseri, since the initially often shy animals in the pet shop are obviously difficult to present attractively. That’s why red spike-tails are currently almost completely extinct in the hobby.
We are therefore very pleased to be able to offer this pretty, small (4-5 cm) and absolutely peaceful labyrinth fish, which likes to build its foam nest in caves or under plant leaves, from Kerala in South India as a wild catch.
For our customers: the animals have code 446602 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
In the south of India rises the ancient high plateau of the Deccan, which was already formed when India was still part of Africa. From here numerous small rivers flow directly into the Indian Ocean and in many of these rivers own colour variations, subspecies or species of freshwater fish have formed due to the geographical isolation. Barbs and loaches in particular can be found here in a great variety of forms, which, by the way, has not yet been scientifically researched.
A typical fish of this region is the melon barb, Haludaria (formerly Barbus or Puntius) fasciata. The above-mentioned applies to them fully, there are many colour strokes of them in the different rivers. The most attractive varieties – from an aquaristic point of view – are red, but they are also yellow and orange varieties.
We have often quite wonderful wild-caught specimens in stock, which have a fantastically deep red as basic color. The males seem to glow from the inside. The melon barb becomes about 8 cm long and is completely peaceful. As a barb it nibbles on delicate plant parts if it is not sufficiently supplied with plant food. The water-composition is secondary, the temperature should amount to around 26°C. A “hibernation” of 6-8 weeks at temperatures between 18 and 22°C has a very positive effect on the fish, but is not absolutely necessary.
For our customers: the animals have code 369523 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
This is the latest Betta creation from Southeast Asian breeders. A multicoloured short fin, where matte scales and emerald green shining body and fin parts contrast wonderfully with each other.
For the first time we have received a hand-picked selection of this new breed from Betta splendens „Emerald Candy“.
For our customers: the fish have code 390077 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text % photos: Frank Schäfer
The variety of colours of the crayfish on New Guinea is really amazing. In the trade it is often problematic to assign the import animals exactly to any species, because the colouring is also very variable within the species and only rarely all specimens of an import look the same.
Be that as it may: the form we were able to import now has a black-brown shell and was therefore initially referred to by us as Cherax sp. “Black Scorpion”. But Chris Lukhaup identified it as a member of the Cherax sp. “Blue Moon” species complex. The legs are blue, the tail fan has a wide orange hem, the scissor tips are not orange, which is an important characteristic.
These crayfish become 12-15 cm long and, like most New Guinea crayfish, are quite peaceful contemporaries. An essential part of the food of these animals is of plant origin. Therefore, it depends very much on the feeding, whether they more or also less destroying the aquarium´plants. To be on the safe side, precious plants should not be kept in a Cherax aquarium.
For our customers: the animals have code 481475 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The blue perch is a classic among aquarium fish and has been in the hobby for over 100 years. The maximum length of the peaceful animal is 5 cm. Males in courtship display are almost black with sometimes blue shimmering fins, in neutral colouring the animals are reddish brown with vertical black bandages (which can also vanish completely); any colouring between these two extremes is possible depending on the mood, which is why this species is also called chameleon fish.
Badis badis are undemanding as far as water values are concerned. They can be maintained well at room temperature, i.e. without additional heating. The temperature may lie in the range between 18 and 30°C, the fish are very adaptable in this respect. However, they live much longer at lower and fluctuating temperatures.
Plants are not damaged by blue perch and other fish are usually ignored. Only very small ons could be considered as food.
All species of Badis avoid dry food, but are easy to feed with frozen or live food.
For our customers: the animals have code 368003 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Once again we were able to import a new catfish, whose identity raises many questions. The fish were offered to us as Corydoras evelynae, a species that was described by only one specimen with a very inaccurate location (“upper Solimoes”, which includes an area larger than Germany). Our new imports were collected in the surroundings of Labrina in the Rio Mucuin in the central entry of the Rio Purus. According to our exporters there are very similar fish also in Rio Urucu and Rio Jutai, both tributaries of the Solimoes, but very far away from Rio Mucuim.
If one disregards the place of discovery, our new imports are very similar to Corydoras urucu, which was described in 2009 from the river of the same name. However, C. urucu is said to be a dwarf species that should not grow larger than 2-3 cm, while our largest animals are well twice as big. Obviously, this is a species complex that needs to be explored in more detail.
Our fish are very variable in terms of pattern. In fact, some animals are coloured similar to C. evelynae and have a back bandage dissolved to dots, while the majority of animals remind of Corydoras arcuatus in colour. However, the body shape is quite different from that of C. arcuatus and is more reminiscent of the relatives of C. loretoensis.
For our customers: the animals have code 248105 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Although the species Pachypanchax sakaramyi – it originates from the Sakaramy River on Madagascar – was described as early as 1928, it could not be found for decades afterwards and even was referred to the realm of legends. It was not until the 1990s that they were found again. From these animals (5 pairs), which Paul Loiselle was able to collect in October 1994, all animals living today in aquaria originate.
Unfortunately, the population in nature has developed very negatively. At present, the species is considered “critically endangered”. After that only “extinct” remains! One of the last populations was destroyed by drinking water withdrawals for private residences and a monastery, now there is only one confirmed occurrence of the species in a river section between Ambohitra and the village Sakaramy. Originally this beautiful killi probably occured along a mountain range (the Ambohitra mountains). There it is said to have been exterminated by introduced Guppies and Gambuses, which eat the young fish of Pachypanchax; the incessant deforestation gave the remaining populations the rest.
Fortunately, P. sakaramyi can be traded freely, so you can contribute to the conservation of the species without the hassle of bureaucracy by buying these beautiful fish. The requirements of the species are easy to meet: medium-hard water, pH around 7.5 and temperatures between 20 and 25°C are acceptable. They are robust killis, which can also be well maintained in community tanks, but not with very small and delicate fish.
For our customers: the animals have code 342452 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade. Only available in small quantities!
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
This beautiful Corydoras belongs to a scientifically undescribed species. It originates from the upper Rio Negro in Brazil. Because of the bright orange neck spot it is usually misidentified as Corydoras burgessi, which also comes from this region, especially as C. burgessi has a very variable pattern and there are also spotted colour variants of this species. Overall, CW 98 reminds us more of C. brevirostris from the Orinoco drainage.
For our customers: the animals have code 225043 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The magnificent licorice guramis (Parosphromenus) have experienced a species explosion in recent years. Until 1979 only three species were known, today there are 20 scientifically described species and some more undescribed ones are already known in the hobby. Unfortunately, many are threatened with extinction because they live in peat swamps and these habitats are drained extensively in order to cultivate oil palms there. So there is a great risk that the recently discovered biodiversity will disappear again. The collecting for aquarium keeping has no influence whatsoever on the wild stocks.
Parosphromenus linkei comes from the Indonesian part of Borneo, from the province of Kalimantan Tengah. It belongs to the quite well recognizable species. Many specimens have one or more shiny green spots on their flanks, but there are also animals that lack this characteristic. The species becomes approximately 2-3 cm long. In the aquarium, fine live-food in form of Artemia-Nauplii, soft and acidic water, dim light and dead laves are the prerequisite for a successful care and breeding. There are, like all licorice guramis, cave-breeders, who can reach an astonishingly high age in the aquarium for so small fish. Already over 10 years old specimens became known, that still reproduced. In the nature, however, they usually only become one year old and do not experience a second brood-period.
For our customers: the animals have code 441077 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
From Indonesia we received beautiful, very large and strong chocolate Guramis (Sphaerichthys osphromenoides). Unfortunately the exact place of origin is not known, but we suspect that they come from the Indonesian part of Central Borneo, Kalimantan. Particularly noticeable in the animals is their high red portion in the coloration, which is however somewhat different with each specimen.
For our customers: the animals have code 455804 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The Blue-eyes from Mexico are closely related to the Knife-bellies (Alfaro). Like these, the males of Priapella have a massive keel along the underside of the tail. All Priapella attract attention by their blue, shining eyes. They are powerful swimmers who appreciate a good current. In nature they live close to the surface in clear flowing waters. That is why they have high demands on water hygiene. The aquarium for Priapella should always contain very clear, clean and oxygen-rich water. The temperature can be between 22 and 28°C. Priapella are schooling fish and should best be cared for in groups of 10 or more. When breeding, approach food (Drosophila) is almost essential.
All in all, blue-eyes are beautiful but demanding fish, which are therefore rarely bred and offered. At the moment we have Priapella compressa in beautiful, adult specimens in stock. They are German bred ones.
For our customers: the animals have code 444493 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
For the first time we could import, even if only in very limited numbers, this tetra from the Rio Xingu described only in 2004. The animal became known in 2001, when Rainer Stawikowski presented the fish as “Hemigrammus sp. Xingu” in the journal DATZ. The scientific description took place in 2004, twice and almost simultaneously: by Géry and Zarske as Moenkhausia heikoi and by Lima and Zuanon as Astyanax dnophos. Since the work of Géry and Zarske appeared 5 days earlier, the name M. heikoi is valid.
This species is characterized by its large eye with a conspicuous light spot. The fish live in nature in cave-like structures between rocks in the rapids of the Xingu. Of course, they are very difficult to catch there, which is why they only appear very rarely on the market and at high prices.
For our customers: the fish have code 269513 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Along with other species of Cherax,, which we have already introduced to you, we have received the Cherax sp. “Black Scorpion”. They are very attractive animals whose care and breeding does not differ significantly from that of the previously known Cherax forms from New Guinea.
For our customers: The animals have code 481473 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Recently we obtained a shipment of piranhas from Peru. The fish are 5-9 cm long. At the first glimpse the shipment could be told apart into two phenotypes. First, there were fish with comparatively small spots, a lot of red coloration in the anal fin and a comparatively thin black border on the caudal fin. The second form has comparatively large spots, almost no red in the anal fin – this fin also has a more distinct black seam – and a very broad black seam on the border of the caudal fin. However, „technically“ speaking both forms do not differ in any aspect that can be seen with the bare eye, like body shape etc.
The fish with the small spots fits very good to the piranhas we often obtain from Peru and which we have determined as Serrasalmus compressus in the past. The other animals belong for sure to the same closer relationship within Serrasalmus, but there is no scientifically accepted other species than S. compressus that fits. The only possible exception may be the Black Piranha (S. rhombeus), which we get from Peru from time to time (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/gigantic_black_piranha_arrived__en/). However, Serrasalmus rhombeus is easily distinguished from other piranhas by the red eye, that should already be visible in 5-9 cm long animals (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/piranhas_serrasalmus_niger_en/). As we could find no matching name for the second phenotype we now offer them all under the name of S. compressus, but we cannot exclude the possibility that two species are involved, maybe even a scientifically undescribed one.
For our customers: the fish have code 291332 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Microdevario kubotai
This extraordinary beauty is a real dwarf (maximum length around 2.5 cm). It originates from the southwestern province of Ranong in Thailand (which forms a border to Burma) and is now available in perfect quality. Initially this fish has been described in the genus Microrasbora, but has been transferred together with M. gatesi and M. nana in the new genus Microdevario in 2009.
The peaceful schooling fish is a perfect species for the so-called nano-aquaria. In the wild, they inhabit brooks and so they need clear, clean and oxygen-rich water. The temperature should be between 22°C and 26°C. Water chemestry is of no relevance as long as extremes are avoided.
One should keep in mind that the brilliant green stripe can be seen only when the light comes from ahead and arrange the illumination of the tank in an appropriate way.
For our customers: the fish has code 430892 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
Bostrychus zonatus is a sleeper goby and becomes about 15 cm long. They are predatory fish, which should therefore only be kept together with species that have at least half the body length of the gobies, larger is safer.
The beautiful animal is widespread in fresh and brackish water in New Guinea and northern Australia. It is therefore a good idea to keep for it together with rainbowfish from this region.
The colouring can change very quickly depending on the mood, excited animals become very rich in contrast.
These animals demand hard water, in any case the pH-value should be above 8 if possible. Soft soil, many hiding places and a light addition of salt (the latter is not absolutely necessary) increase the well-being of the quarrelsome fish.
For our customers: the fish have code 396503 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
About 10 years ago the breeders suddenly focussed again on the old-known tiger barb, whose scientific name is, by the way, Puntigrus anchisporus. Puntigrus tetrazona is a species that is practically never seen in the aquarium, the edges of its fins, which are coloured red in the tiger barb, are black.
One of the new breeding forms that appeared at that time was the “Gold Green Stripe”. It still exists today and enjoys some popularity. The maintenance breeding of breeding forms is more demanding than that of wild forms, because if you make a mistake and the strain dies out, it has disappeared, while in wild species you can always fall back on specimens from nature.
Thus breeding forms are a good reflection of the breeding abilities of the farms involved and in the case of the “Gold Green Stripe” one must say – no matter whether one likes this special breeding form or not – the breeders master their craft! They are vital animals with excellent body and fin shape.
For our customers: the animals have code 372053 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Black knights – that’s what Thai breeders call this beautiful, short-finned fighting fish, which we can offer at the moment. The animals are colored so intensively black that you can’t see any detail on normal exposed photos, they just look like a black surface. But if you overexpose strongly, you can see that the black color is actually a deep, dark brown that swallows practically all light.
For our customers: the fish have code 390081 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Leporacanthicus joselimai (L264) comes from the Rio Tapajós in Brazil and grows 15-20 cm long. It belongs to the carnivorous species of suckermouth catfish and should therefore be fed with a wide range of feed, such as frozen food, granules, flakes, etc.. Since most of the food is eaten at night, it is necessary to plan feeding accordingly.
In the group maintained L. joselimai are very lively and tolerable, while individually kept animals are very shy and often react aggressively to other tankmates.
The breeding of these beautiful catfish is not yet an everyday event and so we are pleased to be able to offer very pretty offspring of currently 4-6 cm length as German bred ones.
For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 264X-1 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Once again we can offer a extremely beautiful wild strain of the variatus platy in good numbers as German offspring. The ancestors of these animals were collected in 2002 in Puente Escalanar, Veracruz, Mexico by private hobbyists and brought along. Since then, the animals have enthused mainly the community of friends of livebearers; to our knowledge, they have not yet appeared in regular trade.
A special characteristic of these animals is the sickle-shaped tail-root-spot, which all specimens, males and females, show. Males have two basic coloration types. First specimens with tiger stripes on the flanks of the front body and second such, which are dotted here. Dominant specimens of the tigred variety become quince-yellow, with the dotted is much blue shimmer in the front body. Particularly beautiful are the sky-blue scales, which some males of the tigered form show along the mid of the front body.
They are lively, very healthy animals, whose behaviour has remained very original. When they are worried, they join together to form the swarm, which is very rarely observed among the domesticated tribes that have been around for a hundred years.
For our customers: the animals have code 443000 (sm-md) and 443002 (md-lg) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Only very rarely one of the most beautiful breeding forms of the swordtail comes to us: the black Simpson with orange fins. Among fish lovers Bayreuth is known as the spade for this very distinctive swordtail breeding form and is called “Bayreuth Cross”. In Germany, this variant was first exhibited in 1968 (report by the Nordbayer Kurier on 11 October 1968). As with other swordtails – Hamburg, Wiesbaden, Berlin – the name of the city was adopted for this helleri and thus it became the Bayreuth swordtail.
However, this was not the first time that a swordtail of the “Bayreuth type” was bred. In fact, five years earlier, Hawaiian fish breeders Eric and Larry Nishida crossed a red Simpson fin male with a normal fin Hamburg female. Hamburgers are black swordtails whose scales have a green or blue sheen. The result of this crossing had the high Simpson fin, the body coloration of the hamburger, a well developed sword, a bright red throat region and red fins. An article about this “Nishida Highfin-helleri” appeared in the American magazine “The Aquarium” in November 1963.
Our fish are offspring from Vietnam.
For our customers: the animals have code 420972 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Pufferfish are most often thought to be brackish water fishes. But there do exist indeed species that are adopted to totally fresh water. Some of them even live in the very soft and acidic waters of the forests. Among the latter are the species of Carinotetraodon from Indonesia; we currently could import once more C. irrubesco from Sumatra.
This species of Carinotetraodon becomes about 5 cm long in males, females stay a bit smaller. Males can be recognized by the red caudal fin. All other colours can change very fast and are not of much use for determination.
In respect of behaviour, Carinotetraodon irrubesco can be best compared with a small cichlid of the more aggressive kind. Sometimes other fish are totally ignored, sometimes bitten. It is not possible to make any reliable prognoses. So these puffers are best kept by pair in a single species tank. Here they also often will spawn. The eggs are scattered freely in plants, this species does not take care for the brood.
For our customers: the fish have code 408153 on ur stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Breeding forms are like certain foods: you like them – or not. But it is a fact that the aquarium hobby, like all other areas of domestic animal and plant care, cannot get along without breeding forms.
The albino of the krib, Pelvicachromis pulcher, is a breeding form whose charm is not obvious at first sight. The animals come mostly adolescent into the trade and are then simply white kribs. Well. Now we have full-grown animals in our stock. And the situation is very different. The red and yellow colour elements remain in the albino, only the black colours have been genetically lost. In reproductive mood, both the males and the females of the albino krib look quite wonderfully!
For our customers: the fish have code 559703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusiveky supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Glasbelly guppies do not produce guanine due to a genetic peculiarity – this is the silver dye that makes fish glisten. This makes them more or less transparent, as the guanine normally reflects the light and prevents transparency like a mirror. Mostly Glasbelly guppies are bred as albinos. If the black melanin also falls away, the view becomes perfect.
Not everyone likes albinos and therefore there are other established Glassbelly strains, but almost all are blonde, yellow-red in colour. We have now received a number of Glasbelly smoke guppies from a German breeder for the first time. They lack guanine, but not melanin. We think they are distinctive animals and also very vital.
The line was created by mating a normal coloured male with an albino glassbelly female. The young were all wild-coloured, i.e. with normal guanine expression, so the genes of the father were dominant as expected. However, according to Mendel’s rules, the second generation produced a proportion of glass belly with black eyes from which the „Red Smoke“ was bred. The strain isn’t fully bred yet, but that doesn’t matter. For ornamental fish breeding, it is a well-known fact that the path is the goal!
For our customers: the animals have code 419091 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale. Only available in limited quantities!
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Currently we have a really unusual species of fish in our fishhouse: Polynemus paradiseus. The Polynemidae family is almost unknown to hobbyists, despite the fact that over the centuries 96 species have been described, 42 are still valid, and these fish are important food fishes in their home range. Two species of the genus Polynemus have only 7 spines in the first dorsal fin (most species have 8), namely P. paradiseus, a species decribed as early as 1758 by Linné and P. hornadyai, described in 1936 by Myers. While P. paradiseus has a very wide distribution along the whole eastern coastline of the Indian subcontinent to Thailand, P. hornadyai is known so far only from the Malayan part of Borneo.
We have some very charming youngsters of P. paradiseus from Thailand in stock. The fish come from aquaculture and are only 6-8 cm long, but the long filaments are much longer than the body inluding tail fin. These filaments serve as sensitive organs, comparable to the ventral fins of the gouramis (Colisa and Trichogaster). The origin of the filaments in Polynemus are the pectoral fins. Basically speaking, Polynemus inhabit river mouths and prefer brackish water. Maximum length reported for P. polynemus is 30 cm, but only very rarely specimens longer than 17 cm are collected.
These unusual fish should be kept in large aquaria with sandy bottom and as little furnish as possible; they need free space for swimming. They feed on small invertebrates, bloodworm is a perfect food for them. Against conspecifics and other fish, P. paradiseus are completely peaceful, but one must take care that other fish do not nip on the long filaments. These fish need high oxygen contents and are very sensitive against organic pollution of the water. In a long time sight they should be kept in strong brackish water (10-15 g salt/litre) or in pure marine water, although our specimens are adoipted to pure freshwater.
For our customers: the fish have code 443842 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
No doubt: this cory from the south of Brazil, where it inhabits cool blackwater brooks near the coast, is among the most beautiful species of cory at all. Sadly it is not exported from Brazil currently. Keeping this fish is usually problem-free, but breeding is due to the high demands (cool, very clean water with a low pH) not that easy. Who is able to supply the fish 16-18°C in living rooms? Even the professional breeders from Southeast Asia cannot supply S. barbatus in a great amount. But of course there do exist breeders who know what to do. So we can offer quite regulary this wonderful fish, but always in limited numbers. Currently we have very nice young adults in stock. They are 5-6 cm long, but for sure they will grow 2-3 cm longer.
For our customers: the fish have code 224014 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The genus Hypoptopoma comprises small to medium sized loricariids. The largest species known becomes about 10 cm long. At the first glimpse they look much alike a Otocinclus, but larger. Typical for members of Hypoptopoma is the position of the eyes. They are placed in way at the side of the head that the fish can look over almost 360° when it sits on a plant. This feature can be found among the loricariids only in Hypoptopoma and Oxyropsis. The latter, however, has a flattened caudal peduncle, while in Hypoptopoma the caudal peduncle is oval in cross section.
Sadly determination of species of Hypoptopoma is a tricky thing, although in 2010 a throughout taxonomical revision of the genus was published.
We obtain quite often a species from Peru which we think is Hypoptopoma gulare. This species has been described scientifically from the surroundings of Loreto where collectors of ornamental fish often work. Maintaining Hypoptopoma is comparable to that of the much better known Otocinclus, but of course the larger Hypoptopoma need more food. So in case there do not grow enough algae in the tank it is necessary to feed the suckers with food tablets or slices of vegetables to make sure they find enough to eat. Against conspecifics and other fish Hypoptopoma are completely peaceful. They are open spawners, the male guards the eggs until they hatch. It is not possible to distinguish the sexes of this fsh externally.
For our customers: the fish have code 262292 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
With an overall length of 3 – 5 cm the Cauca Molly (Poecilia caucana), originating from Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama belongs to the smaller livebearers. Remarkably is the yellow – orange coloured dorsal fin and a violet metallically shining along the body as well as the orange band in the proximal part of the caudal fin in males.
The water equivalents (pH values of 8,2- 8.6, LF 360 and 420 Mikrosiemens/cm), based on different places where the animals are found in the area of the Rio Cauca, makes them to suitable aquarium inhabitants for the most Central European tap waters. These fish appreciate higher temperatures between 26 and 28°C.
As an algae eater the Cauca molly is constantly on the search for food. All usual kinds of fish food are greedily eaten. With appropriate care a new generation will appear sooner or later. THe fish we can offer currently are bred ones from Southeast Asia.
For our customers: the fish have code 424713 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusiveky supply the wholesale trade.
Photos: Frank Schäfer, Text: Klaus Diehl
The airbreathing catfishes of the genus Clarias are among the most important food fishes that are bred in aqua culture in the tropics. They are absolutely undemanding in respect of water quality and the fact that they readily accept any food as long as it contains enough protein makes them ideal candidates for aqua culture. They are fast growing and can survive for hours outside the water due to their breathing organ. So they can be offered alive on the foodmarkets, where other fish often rotten quite fast due to the heat. Mainly the species Clarias gariepinus is bred that way all over the world where the temperatures allow this. Initially this catfish originates from Africa. The species can effect huge ecological problems where it escapes.
Clarias gariepinus is not an aquarium fish in the usual sense. It is rather dull coloured and becomes too large for that. But it is an intelligent fish, a real personality that can be trained for example on whistles. Many breeders of ornamental fish keep a Clarias to have an opportunity to use deformed bred fishes as feeder fish and so to fulfill the animal wellfare laws.
For our customers: C. gariepinus has code 114854 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The order of scorpionfishes is as well famous as famed. Without scorpionfishes a real bouillabaisse is unthinkable, without lionfishes public aquaria and marine hobbyists would miss a wonderful attraction, but all members of this order have venomous spines and can inflict very painful – in case of the stonefishes even eventually deadly – stings. Scorpionfishes are ususally marine animals, only one species of the family Tetrarogidae from Australia has become a freshwater species.
Neovespicula depressifrons belongs to the very same family, the Tetrarogidae. The species has a very wide distribution in the indo-west pacific region, attains a length of about 10 cm and is a marine species. But the 2-3 cm long juveniles are found in large numbers in freshwater and so they appear from time to time in the ornamental fish trade. The leaf goblinfish is an interesting and easy to keep animal, but it will not survive in a long time sight in freshwater. It needs brackish water or seawater. It is a peaceful species, but will feed on small fish. During the time of settlement these fish are fed best with live food items, later they readily accept frozen fishfood, too. One should be really careful when the fish have to be caught. The sting is usually harmless (exept one has an allergy), but is can be extremely painful.
For our customers: the fish have code 474001 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The slender freshwater needlefish from South America are much sought for by specialists. Many years only one species was mentioned in the aquarium literature, namely Potamorrhaphis guianensis. This species really exists and is said to be fairly wide spread in South America. But it seems that the needlefish we obtain from Peru currently belong to another species.
There are four accepted species within Potamorrhaphis and after studying the scientific lterature it seems most likely that the Peruvian fish belong to the species P. labiatus. The differences between P. guianensis and P. labiatus mentioned in the scientific literature are not visible in live specimens; anyway, differences in coloration are much more important for us. The most distinctive feature in our Peruvian imports is that there are vertical stripes extending from the lateral stripe in direction of the back. In P. guianensis – judging from photos of live fish collected in Guyana – the lateral stripe is solid and has no extensions.
Potamorrhaphis labiatus attains a maximum length of about 18 cm. Against conspecifics the fish are absolutely peaceful. During the phase of settlement one must take extra care that the fish don´t panic, for otherwise they could heavily hurt the sensitive beak. However, minor wounds of that type are unavoidable and will heal without any complications.
Initially these predators have to be fed with live feeder fish, but well settled specimens accept after some time deep frozen fish from a forceps, too.
For our customers: the fish have code 281544 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
We were able to import a new species of tetra from Venezuela which does not resemble to any species known to us. According to the collector the animals were collected in small brooks in the surroundings of Puerto Inirida. There are no doubts that our new imports belong to the Astyanax relationship in the broadest sense, most probably to the genus Jupiaba. However, the diagnistic character of Jupiaba – elongated, sharp pelvic bones – are not visible in life fish. But our animals remind in respect of the shape of the body in J. pirana and in respect of the longitudinal band in J. antheroides. Unique in our fish is the black pigmented lateral line organ and the prominent caudal spot which is accompanied by two brillant red spots. Currently the fish are about 7 cm long, very lively and with a slight tendency to panic. The settlement of the animals is so far without any problems.
For our customers: the fish have code 209353 on our stocklist. Please note thta we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The pretty, blue-eyed L137 from the Rio Tapajós is only rarely offered. It is a medium-sized species of Hypostomus that can reach a maximum length of about 20 cm. The colour of the fish is quite variable. Specimens exist that have rather brown fins, others have spotted fins and again others have bright orange-red fins. The latter might be confused with the similar “Bruno” from Paraguay (code 27510), but L137 can be always identified by the blue eyes, which are unique within the genus Hypostomus.
For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 137-1 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Lexicon: Hypostomus: from ancient Greek, means “with inferior mouth”. Cochliodon: menas “with mussel-shaped tooth”. soniae: dedication name for Sonia Fisch-Muller, curator for fishes at the Muesum of Geneva.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
We obtained very nice juveniles of the Oscar from Colombia. In contrast to the adults the juveniles are strictly schooling fish. In case of a real or imaginary danger the fish school performs a kind of globe. This behaviour also explains the otherwise illogical attractive pattern. In a school this pattern works as a camouflage, comparable to the wear of militairs.
However, one should not be fooled by the large innocent looking eyes of these fish, which are, by the way, real personalities. Oscars are predators and 5-6 cm long ones will readily take a guppy as snack. So the oscar is suited for community tanks only under certain circumstances. Tankmates must be large enough that they are not taken for food. In case this preference is fulfilled the oscar is on its best behaviour. Compared with other large species of cichlid, members of the genus Astronotus are rather peaceful creatures.
For our customers: the fish have code 632501 (4-6 cm) and 632502 (4-7 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
For the first time we were able to import Acestrorhynchus heterolepis, which has been described scientifically as early as 1878 by Cope from Peru. Our specimens originate from Venezuela; it was a mixed shipment of these fish and A. microlepis*. A. heterolepis has two dark horizontal bands, thus reminding a bit in A. isalinae; however, A. heterolepis is unique in the genus due to a patch of scales of different size immediately behind the opercle. At that place A. microlepis has a small black blotch.
Our specimens are currently 7-9 cm long; according to the scientific literature both species can attain a maximum length of about 35 cm.
* it is posssible the these fish belong to the species A. apurensis; A. apurensis and A. microlepis differ only in the length of the snout compared with the head length; it is impossile to tell both species apart without comparative material.
For our customers: the animals have code 202053 (A. heterolepis) and 202203 (A. microlepis) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
This small, about 4.5 cm maximum length reaching tetra belongs to the most attractive species of tetra at all. The species is very hardy and undemanding and can be easily bred in huge numbers. It is a fish of the subtropical regions and doesn´t even require a heater. In the wild, water temperatures between 16 and 30°C occur. However, one must keep in mind that temperature changes in nature usually take a lot of time.
Sadly the dawn tetra (this is one of the popular names applied to this fish by hobbyists) has one disadvantage: it sometimes bites of parts of fins and scales from other fish. It is still a mystery why this nasty behaviour sometimes appears. But probably, similar as in tiger barbs or flame tetras, the behaviour only appears when the school of dawn tetras is too small. Larger schools of 20 or more specimens have enough to do with conspecifics and usually leave other fish alone.
Another opportunity is to keep A. paraguayensis in a single species tank or only combined with some catfish. For example Corydoras hastatus lives in nature along with the dawn tetra in mixed schools. This is a fascinating look!
For our customers: the fish have code 206512 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Most often this bizarre mormyrid is kept as a single specimen. This is due to the fact that small groups of this fish most often don´t do well in a long time sight and they can perform mobbing against each other even to death. However, in the wild these up to 30 cm long, but rarely longer than 15 cm found animals form sometimes really large schools. In our facility they are kept in groups of about 50 animals in tanks of 200 x 60 x 60 cm. Here the elephant fish forms schools and shows a schooling behaviour as it is hardly seen in any other fish in the aquarium.
More information on Gnathonemus petersii is provided here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/the_possibly_rarest_fish_in_the_world_lives_in_aquarium_glaser_s_fishhouse_en/
For our customers: the fish have code 133502 (7-10 cm) and 133503 (10-12 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Corydoras fowleri is a very rare and very beautiful species of Corydoras. The species originates from Peru. It is well known for its high degree of variability in respect of coloration. Our latest import contained specimens that looked very different from their conspecifics. They have a strong golden-bronze coloration of the neck and an overall metallic shine. We simply don´t know wether these fish represent a new variety or if they only show a phenomenon that can be fund quite often among Corydoras: freshly collected specimens of many species show much stronger colours than fish that live already for some time in the aquarium. The reason for that is most probably the fact that the fish in nature often live in very turbid water. When they are put in the clear aquarium water they change in a kind of camouflage-mode.
We have separated four of the aberrant specimens and will report on what has become of them at a given time.
For our customers: Corydoras fowleri has code 229804 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Photos: Frank Schäfer
The „Full Spotted Royal Pleco“ belongs to the very attractive members of the wood-feeding genus Panaque. The species attains a maximum size of about 40 cm. Sadly in young fish the adult coloration cannot become even guessed, they are striped, like many other members of the genus. Only in halfgrown fish the spotted pattern has developed. We were able again now to import some 15 cm long (standard length, without tailfin) respectively 19 cm (total length, inclusive tailfin) long specimens of L330 from Colombia.
It is very interesting that these only halfgrown fish show some obvious sexual differences. A specimen with a yellow stripe in the caudal fin is – accoding to shape of head and body when looked from top – obviously a male, while the most likely female counterpart has only yellow corners of the caudal fin.
Sadly these comparatively large fish caused a kind of sand storm in the photo tank. Even after the water has been cleared there were attached to the mucus of the body sand particles. So please don´t worry, our fish don´t have an ick (Ichthyphthirius), but only harmless sand granules.
For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 330-7 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively suppyl the wholesale trade. Only very few specimens available!
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The largest species of freshwater shrimp at all is Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Males of the species can reach a length of 50 cm (inclusive the long arms), as is shown by the specimens we photographed years ago on a food marked in Thailand. Despite that enormous size the species does not get old. Scientific research found that the shrimps live only 1.5 years. In this time they sometimes wander more than 1.000 km upstreams of rivers and back again, for the larvae can hatch in marine environment only.
Macrobrachium rosenbergii is heavily used in aquacuture in southeast Asia. We import medium sized specimens (body length without the arms 6-8 cm) on a regular basis. Some females of that size from our current stock have spawned now!
For our customers: the animals have code 484554 on our stocklist. Please note that we excvlusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
This extremely beautiful livebearer has been discovered in 1991 by Dieter Bork in eastern Venezuela near Tucupita. Here it inhabits the floodplains of the Orinoco river. Bork was able to collect and export some specimens. Micropoecilia picta is very variable in respect of coloration. However, in contrast to M. parae, usually only one colour variety inhabits a given biotope. Nevertheless it is possible to develop certain strains during breeding in captivity.
The Red Picta is, like all members of the genus, a very demanding fish that can be kept and bred over longer periods only by very experienced hobbyists. Nevertheless M. picta is the least demanding species of the genus. We currently have very pretty young adults of M. picta Red in stock. The fish were bred in Thailand. To show you the extend of coloration these fish can have we added two pictures of fully grown specimens to this post; the remaining pictures show animals from our actual stock.
For our customers: the fish have code 268542 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
After many years we finally were able again to import this very beautiful tetra from Colombia once more. This species attains usually a length of about 5 cm, the largest one reported had about 8 cm in length. In respect of the general look and the behaviour Pseudochalceus kyburzi can be best compared with the emperor tetras (Nematobrycon). By the way: the species name – kyburzi – was chosen to honour the discoverer of the emperor tetra, William A. Kyburz of Colombia, at the time a famous exporter of ornamental fish.
For our customers: the fish has code 283802 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Only comparatively rarely Telmatochromis vittatus from Lake Tanganyika can be found in the trade, despite the fact that this dwarf cichlid – it becomes only about 8.5 cm long – is perfectly suited for keeping and breeding in home aquaria. Maybe this is due to the fact that the fish look somewhat similar but not as brillant as Julidochromis species.
Keeping this fish is easy and can be compared with that of the several Lamprologus species. Like these, T. vittatus is a biparental cave brooder which is kept best by pair. Males become larger than females and develop a small hump on the head. The aquarists dedicted to T. vittatus like it very much due to the fact that this fish loves to feed on small snails. This led to the misleading popular name „Striped Snail Telmatochromis“. However, hobbyists think that a snail cichlid is a species that prefers to breed in empty snail shells; T. vittatus does not usually.
For our customers: the fish have code 576542 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The eastern Atlantic from Portugal to Angola, is the origin of the fiddler crab Uca tangeri, where it inhabits sand and mangrove coasts. We obtain the animal from Nigeria. The to an enormous size grown major claw of the males is remarkable. It is used for attracting the females and for the fight between rivaling males. In their periodically flooded habitat they inhabit muddy burrows, which they leave at ebb-tide for the intake of food.
As omnivores they are not discriminating anything and feed on nearly each organic matter the sea is offering them. With the domestic care, frosted and granulated food can be fed, also different fruits and vegetables. For maintenance it should be tried to imitate their habitat, i.e. a land part with sand and gravel and a water part filled with brackish water should be present in the aquarium. Some hiding places give them retreat possibilities.
For our customers: the animals have code 489603 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Photos: F. Schäfer, text: K. Diehl
Among the loricariid catfishes that are known by scientists for a very long time already is this species. It has been described initially 1840 under the name of Hypostomus emarginatus. Since then it has been placed in different genera, in 2001 in Squaliforma and in 2016 in Aphanotorulus, when Squaliforma has been considered to be a synonym of Aphanotorulus. However, that latest act is not followed by all scientists so far, so we are a bit conservative and stay with the placement within Squaliforma.
Sadly the collecting site of the type specimen of Squaliforma emarginata is not known. Not less than 5 L-numbers have been given for that species, all from different locations (L11 from Brazil, Rio Xingu near Altamira, L108 from Ecuador, upper course of the Rio Napo, L116 from Brazil, Rio Trombetas, L131 from Brazil, Rio Tapajós, L153 from Venezuela, Rio Apure). This fish (or very close relatives, who knows) is known currently from almost the whole of the Orinoco and the Amazon basins. As the fish we currently have in stock originate from the Rio Xingu the L-number 11 fits.
L11 can become as large as 40 cm and is known as a very peaceful member of the loricariid family that is very well suited for aquaria large enough. It is also a quite pretty fish!
For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 011-4 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Along with the yellow-lipped variety of Channa ornatipinnis this undescribed dwarf snakehead was collected. Currently the fish are about 12-15 cm long and seem to be fully grown; however, this cannot be said without some questionmarks. The whole habit and the coloration of the fish reminds one strongly in Channa andrao from North Bengal, but C. andrao has no ventral fins, which are present in the new species.
For our customers: the animals have code 409293 on our stocklist. Please note thta we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Red-white, koicoloured livebeares are very hip currently. Usually the commercial breeders do not name their creations by their genetic compostion – like private hobbyists do -, but name them instead with as fancy names as possible. The „Kohaku“ is a white albino swordtail with a bright red patch on the front part of the body. This sport is known for some time already with black eyes. This was named „Marlboro“ and the selection with the red patch on the front part of the body „Tanchu“. No doubt: the albino selection called „Kohaku“ is a real eyecatcher!
For our customers: the fish have code 421273 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply e wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
When in 2007 the comparatibly small (about 20-25 cm) and very colourful species Channa ornatipinnis was described from the Rakhine State in Burma the fans of snakeheads were really enthusiastic. Soon after the first specimens appeared in the ornamental fish market. Since then the fish were offered regulary, but only from time to time.
But: the imported specimens differed in a detail from the fish from the original description: the color of the lips! These are blue in the imported specimens, but yellow in specimens from commercial imports.
Now we obtained, more than 10 yers after, the „original yellow lips“ from a new source. Sadly the collectors do not want to tell us were the fish exactly come from. They are real beauties!
For our customers: the animals have code 409194 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
For a very long time this species of Corydoras – the type species of the entire genus! – was a myth. Until now it is a top-rarity among the corys. So we are extremely glad that our proofed breeder for special cases, Kurt Jülich, was successful in breeding with wild collected specimens. We can offer this offspring now. The youngsters are still a bit drab coloured, so we are very grateful to Ernst-Otto von Drachenfels and Jürgen Glaser for supplying some pictures of adult fish.
For our customers: the fish have code 230212 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Ernst-Otto von Drachenfels and Jürgen Glaser
This is a very interesting and beautiful new sport of tetra. One can only guess that it belongs to the species Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi, but there is no other species known in the hobby that fits better.
Two characters make this fish very desirable: the extraordinary strong schooling behaviour and the intensive dark coloration of the body that is contrasting with the bright light head.
We have obtained these fish as bred ones from Singapore. Currently they are about 2-3 cm long, we suppose that threy will become – like the Black Neon – about 3-4 cm long.
For our customers: the fish have code 260922 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The catfish of the genus Sperata can be easily identified due to the black spot in the adipose fin. Determination of the the four currently accepted species, on the other hand, is a tricky thing. Only S. seenghala, a widespread species from India, can be comparatively easily identified, because in that species the eye is positioned in the first third of the skull, at about half of the skull length in the other species. So bony structures of the skull and the foreback must be compared to identify the three remaining species, a thing impossible to do in live juveniles.
We currently could import Sperata acicularis or at least we obtained the fish under that name. But our supplier is very reliable and S. acicularis is the only species of the genus reported so far for Burma, so we have no reason to doubt.
Like all species of Sperata this catfish is a giant. The largest specimen reported so far was 180 cm long, but the usual size is 30-40 cm. As these catfish are very popular as food fish there are intentions to keep and breed them in aquaculture, but this has failed so far in a larger scale. Species of Sperata spawn in pits in the ground and guard eggs and fry.
For our customers: the fish have code 455862 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Obviously many different varieties – or do they even represent different species, who knows? – of the attractive pacu Myloplus (formerly: Myleus) schomburgkii exist. We obtained recently very nice specimens from Colombia, which are characterized by the very broad black band over the body. Our fish are 9-12 cm long and only subadults; Myloplus schomburgkii attains a maximum size of more than 40 cm.
For our customers: the fish have code 270514 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
When in 1902 the Dwarf Egyptian Mouthbrooder (Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor) was imported for the very first time hobbyists were really enthusiastic about it. The mouthbrooding behaviour which lasts in that species a good time longer than the first release from the maternal mouth was simply fascinating for our ancestors to observe.
Some years later – 1911 – a similar species was imported. It became somewhat larger (5-6 cm in P. multicolor, 6-8 cm in the new species) and was determined as Pseudocrenilabrus philander dispersus or Brass Mouthbrooder, sometimes also as Southern Mouthbrooder. This species is much nicer in respect of coloration, but as easy to keep and breed as its cousin.
This fish was studied again 1990. The research resulted in the finding that it was not identical with P. philander dispersus, but an undescribed form, which was named Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor victoriae. Since then the same fish swims under both names – P. philander dispersus and P. multicolor victoriae – in the aquaria worldwide. Only very recently it was discovered that a great number of undecscribed species of Pseudocrenilabrus exists. We should wait until the results of that research are published before we should decide how to name the Brass Mouthbrooder correctly.
This is a wonderful aquarium fish with a splendid coloration and a fascinating behaviour. It can be kept very well in planted tanks, for the fish do not harm the plants. Due to the small size the fish also needs no large aquaria. However, one should not underestimate the potential of aggressivness in this golden flasher. One should never keep delicate or sensitive fish along with them.
For our customers: thev fish have code 567002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
We received wonderful wild collected angelfish from the municipality of the city Santa Isabel at the Rio Negro. Like many other fishes from that area – mainly discus and Apistogramma – the angels show a high degree of red coloration on the body. The reason for that phenomenon is unknown to us. The water in the upper reaches of the Rio Negro is very soft and acidic. Like all larger wild fish, these angels have their experience with fin-eating piranhas. However, the angels are very healthy and stable and regenerate their finneage very fast. So after a few weeks nothing of the hurts of the wild will be visible any more.
For our customers: the fish have code 699835 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
This genus of South America gar characins contains only two species that are distiguished basically by the coloration of adult specimens (this means from about 15 cm length on): C. hujeta and C. beani. Both occur in Colombia; C. beani further occurs in Panama and C. hujeta in Venezuela. C. beani has an adult pattern with clearly visible longitudinal stripes which are lacking in C. hujeta. However, almost all traded specimens are bred ones and are usually placed in C. hujeta. Maximum size in both species is about 25-30 cm.
A genus-specific feature of Ctenolucius are the strange skin lappets at the end of the lower jaw. Very similar structures can be found in the West African characins of the genus Hepsetus, which are also very simial in the overall appearance. But while Hepsetus are often found in swamps and have an accessory breathing organ via a primitive lung, Ctenolucius are usually found in running waters. So it is unlikely that the skin lappets work as a breathing help, at least in Ctenolucius. However, the sense of these skin lappets remains still unknown.
Currently we have very nice, about 5-7 cm long bred Ctenolucius hujeta from Singapore in stock.
For our customers: the fish have code 250501 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) is a living fossil. Gars live on earth since about 145 million years. Nowadays 7 species still exist, all native to North- and Central America. Gars are predators. They can survive in oxygen-poor waters due a primitive lung that enables them to breath air additionally to the gill breathing. So Gars are often found in swamps and other oxygen-poor environments.
Some species of Gar are bred regulary in Indonesia. We obtain our fish from there. The most attractive species in respect of coloration is Lepisosteus oculatus. Usually this species becomes 60-90 cm long; the largest specimen known so far was 1.2 m long. The photographed specimens are 10-12 cm long. As Gars become quite tame in ponds or aquaria they can be fed after some time of settlement usually with dead fish from a forceps.
The Spotted Gar originates from the Mississippi and other rivers that flow to the Golf of Mexico. So it is a rather subtropical species and only contingently winter hardy in a garden pond; this should one keep in mind in case it is planned to keep the fish in outdoor ponds. Despite the Spotted Gar is a freshwater fish it is known to enter brackish waters occasionally.
Against conspecifics and other fish too large to feed Gars are usually peaceful. This makes them perfect subjects for public aquaria where they have lived as long as 70 years. In the wild, L. oculatus is said to live about 18 years.
For our customers: the fish have code 848013 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Monos are classics among the brackish water fishes. Much of the aquarium literature about them mentions that these fish can be adapted easily to freshwater. But – what should this be good for? Is it really that difficult to put some salt (10-20 g per litre) in water? If one keeps them in brackish water and at a water temperature of about 26-28°C these racehorses among the fishes will bring only joy for the keeper. Currently we import quite often Monodactylus kottelati from Thailand. This fish reaches a length up to 20 cm and should be kept in a large (!) school of conspecifics. Otherwise they can be very quarrelsome.
For our customers: the fish have code 436242 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Currently we can offer wonderful, fully grown Tetragonopterus argenteus from Paraguay. The species attains a length of 8 – 12 cm. Formerly the genus Tetragonopterus was a catch-all genus for small characins from South America. Most of them are placed now in other genera, for example Hemigrammus, Hyphessobrycon, or Moenkhausia. But still the common name „tetra“ for characins is in broad use and tetra is nothing else than the abbreviation of Tetragonopterus. Nowadays only 9 species are placed in Tetragonopterus and only one, T. argenteus, can be considered as an aquarium fish.
For our cstomers: the fish have code 296006 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Only very rarely we obtain the freshwater pipefish Microphis aculeatus from Nigeria. The fish belong to the free swimming members of the family and are very attractive. As in all pipefish the male has to care for the eggs until they hatch. The eggs are deposited in a pouch along the belly. So the male can be easily recognized by the totally different shape of the body. Moreover the up to 15 cm long males (females stay a bit smaller) have a pretty red stripe along the back and a nice pattern on the snout.
For our customers: the fish have code 149204 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Apistogramma mendezi belongs without any doubt to the most attractive members of the genus, but the animals we currently obtained from around Santa Isabel are even more attractive than usual. Of course the males of that population are as polychromatic as all Apistogramma males are, which means that hardly two males are looking identical, but most animals show a high degree of orange colours in fins and body and also most males have bloodred gill membranes.
For our customers: the fish have code 624784 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
More and more species of Gymnotus become known to science. Gymnotus chaviro originates from Peru. Here it inhabits the basin of the upper Rio Jurua. The species is found together with its close relative G. carapo. The pattern of G. chaviro is species-specific. However, there is one usefull feature mentioned in the original description: the anal fin in G. chaviro is grey and black in G. carapo. This enables hobbyists to distinguish the two species, as it is very likely that they are at least occasionally collected and imported together.
The largest specimen of G. chaviro known so far was 27.5 cm long. In the original description (Maxime & Albert, 2009) a very interesting note can be found: sometimes G. chaviro can be seen in groups in the natural habitat! This could mean that this knife fish is rather peaceful against conspecifics and that there is a chance to keep several specimens together. All other species of Gymnotus imported so far proofed to be quite aggressive and could be kept singulary only. However, there are still no published observations on the aquarium biology of G. chaviro.
For our customers: the fish have code 255184 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Shipments containing juveniles of silver dollars or pacus are always surprise packages. The juvenile coloration of many species is simply unknown and juveniles look totally different than the adults. So we can only guess that in our current case the fish from Venezuela may belong to the species Myleus torquatus.
The smallest babies, about 1.5-2 cm long, are very dark colored and have a light blaze on the forehead. They float through the water without much move and imitate a dead leaf. This can make the keeper pretty nervous, but is the normal behaviour. When the fish are a bit larger, 3-4 cm, they become lighter in basic colour and the blaze vanishes. A diffuse light band over the nape appears and an individually differing pattern of spots and stripes appears. The behaviour differs now, too: the fish become active swimmers and form schools with conspecifics.
If our new arrivals really belong to M. torquatus the adult fish will become about 20-25 cm long with a silvery basic colour, yellow fins and – this is species-specific for M. torquatus – a broad black band that borders the caudal fin. We will keep some specimens to see what will become of them. We are really curious for that!
For our customers: the fish have code 270630 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
From the Rio Nanay in Peru originates a species-flock of very similar looking corys. They are distinguished externally basically by the shape of the head and the snout. All of them are very beautiful and suited very well for the aquarium. All have an impressive dark mask over the eye and clear fins. The body is spotted, the number of spots and the density differs individually a lot.
Two species of the flock are described scientifically already, namely Corydoras atropersonatus, which has a short, round snout and C. sychri with a long, pointed snout. Most probably the fish that has the code C97 is a variety of C. sychri. An additional species is the saddle-nosed C53, which represents obviously a still scientifically undescribed species.
This saddle-nosed fish (C53) is by far the rarest of the flock in the trade. We currently have very nice specimens of this rarity in stock.
For our customers: the fish have code 240744 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
This is a very unusual species of tetra. For sure the placement in the genus Hasemania is only tentatively and needs further investigations, as is explicitly pointed out already by the describers (Bertaco and Malabarba, 2007). It was the combination of lacking adipose fin (very unusual in tetras) and certain features of the dentation that led to the decision to place them in Hasemania. However, the living fish reminds one much more in emperor tetras (Nematobrycon). H. nambiquara originates from the upper Rio Tapajós system.
We can offer currently for the first time ever some German bred ones. The species has been introduced to the aquarium hobby by an article of Peter and Martin Hoffmann in the German magazine DATZ 11/2017. During the photo session we observed that there are bright blue scales along the body sides in both sexes, but these are only visible in certain angles of light. If flashed directly the longitudinal band on the flanks looks uniformly dark.
For our customers: the fish have code 255442 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusiveyl supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The systematics of the wolf tetras from Africa remain unsatisfying. According to the most recent literature there do appear two species in Nigeria, namely Hydrocynus forskahlii and H. vittatus. Both are very similar to each other and at times they were regarded to be mere synonyms. However, currently they are (again) treated as valid species. The most important distinguishing feature is the black seam in the caudal fin in H. vittatus, which is lacking in H. forskahlii.
Hydrocynus vittatus is, compared with other species of that genus, comparatively small and becomes „only“ about 60 cm long. Of course this fish is nevertheless only suited for owners of really big tanks. Against conspecifics the fish are rather peaceful, so if one has such a big tank and interest in keeping Hydrocynus it is best to try to keep it in groups. Hydrocynus feed exclusively on fish. Specimens that have adopted to the aquarium readily accept frozen fish.
For our customers: the animals have code 141603 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
This species of cichlid from Lake Tanganyika lives in two different worlds. The fish attains a maximum length of about 20 cm; however, in the wild hardly ever specimens larger than 10-12 cm can be found. On the one hand this fish is a typical inhabitant of sandy areas. Here it feeds on small invertebrates. Most wanted are small snails, which are sucked out of their shells, but the species is not specialized at all and readily accepts all types of meat that fit the mouth.
On the other hand N. tetracanthus is a cave brooder and needs caves and crevices in rocks for that. Both sexes take very good care of eggs and youngsters and defend them aggressively.
This explains the sometimes very contradictory experiences aquarists make with that species in respect of aggressiveness. As long as the cichlids are not in breeding mood they are quite peaceful. It makes only little sense to defend territories on sand. But when the fish are in the mood for breeding they become pretty tough, because usually all potential breeding grounds in the rocky area are already housed by other fish.
For our customers: the fish have code 549501 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusiveyl supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Currently we can offer exclusively some top-rarities among the tetra family, all German bred. One of them is Hyphessobrycon piranga, which was introduced in the hobby by Peter and Martin Hoffmann in the German magazine Datz (issue 11/2017) under the unusual name of „Hyphessobrycon sp. non-red devil“. Despite the fact that the new tetra has a lot of red colours it is obviously not identical with the probably still undescribed species that is known as „Red Devil“ in the hobby and that develops inter alia much larger fins. The „non-red devil“ was described officially in march 2018 under the name of Hyphessobrycon piranga. The new species occur from rivers in the upper rio Tapajós catchment.
The males of the pretty species have red fins, while the females remind one a bit in black neons (H. herbertaxelrodi) or H. nigricinctus. In the wild the fish are mature at a size of about 2 cm standard length (without fins), but in the aquarium they will grow a bit larger. The photographed bred ones are about 3 cm long. The photo made by Peter Hoffmann shows a pair of the breeders.
This tetra is a beautiful, easy to keep and very lively fish.
For our customers: the fish have code 261552 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Frank Schäfer & Peter Hoffmann
Among the small species of cichlid from Lake Tanganyika Neolamprologus cylindricus is one of the prettiest. The very obvious ringed pattern makes it unmistakable. In respect of behaviour N. cylindricus is best comparable with the species of the genus Julidochromis. Like these N. cylindricus form fixed pairs (in large aquaria a male may pair with more than one female). The eggs are spawned in caves or crevices and both parents guard the eggs and the fry.
A very typical behaviour of that species is the „stone-surfing“. This means the fish try to stay with their belly as close to the rocky ground as possible.
For our customers: the fish have code 544903 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
It was back in the 1980ies that a brick-red sport of whiptail catfish appeared in the former GDR. The real origin of the fish stays a mystery, but it was possible to cross it with Hemiloricaria (formerly Rineloricaria) lanceolata. The strains that exist nowadays are most probably all hybrids. The initial red whiptail catfish belonged most probably to another species than H. lanceolata (see Evers & Seidel, Wels-Atlas, Vol. 1: 694, for details).
In November 2015 we obtained an importation of wild collected H. lanceolata from Paraguay. It contained a single brick-red male specimen. This animal – along with some regulary coloured females – was given to our proofed breeder Kurt Jülich who succeeded in breeding them! Now we can offer for the very first time brick-red whiptail catfish from that new strain.
For our customers: the fish have code 288524 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text: Frank Schäfer, Photos: Dirk Stojek & Frank Schäfer
Among the most beautiful anabantoids or labyrinth fish from Africa is Ctenopoma acutirostre, the Leopard bushfish. It can become 15-20 cm long. Its natural habitat is the Congo. It is collected there for the ornamental fish trade in the Stanley Pool region. Here the fish live under the swimming meadows of the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). At dawn they start hunting. Like a dead fish they slowly thrive through the water column. The special leopard pattern suggests a rotting carrion. Small fish are attracted by the obvious easy food and find themselves eaten as soon as they try to taste it.
Luckily enough it is not necessary to feed live fish. C. acutirostre can easily be adopted to frozen food (bloodworm etc.). They also can be kept in community tanks given the fact that possible tankmates are at least as half as long the Leopard bushfish. So they cannot be swallowed anymore and become not attacked. Leopard bushfish are totally peaceful as well against conspecifics as against other fish. But one has to choose calm species as tankmates, for the Leopard bushfish does not like hectic atmosphere at all!
For our customers: the depicted wild collected fish have code 115003 opn our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
This charming free swimming dwarf loach originates from Vietnam. It attains a maximum length of about 3.5 cm. For quite a long time it was placed in the genus Yunnanilus, but currently mot scientists see them in the monotypical (this means the genus contains only one species) genus Micronemacheilus.
These fish are totally peaceful and love to swim along with conspecifics. They are very lively and can be easily fed with any type of ususal fishfood as long as it is not too big. The optimal water temperature can be between 18 and 26°C, the pH around the neutral mark, hardness is meaningless for these fish.
Miconemacheilus cruciatus is an ideal community fish for well planted tanks with other small fish of the southeast Asian region.
For our customers: the fish have code 478013 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Currently we can offer several species of the livebearing snails of the genus Brotia from Thailand. These snails are no hermaphrodites like many other snails, but the sexes cannot be told apart from external features. However, Brotia will never become a plague like many other snails do. They feed on algae and other Aufwuchs. Water plants are not part of their diet. In the wild these snails usually live in streams with some current. The water is medium hard, the pH between 7.5 and 8.5.
Brotia armata is a comparatively new snail in the hobby. It is quite similar to the better known B. pagodula, but both species can be told apart by the shape of the first convolution of the shell. This is grooved in B. armata, almost plain in B. pagodula. The species becomes 3-4 cm long. The small holes on the end of the shell are a species-specific feature and not a disease or damage.
For our customers: the animals have code 481310 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
There are ten known species in the genus Mesonoemacheilus. They are small, 4-6 cm long, very lively loaches. All of them occur along the Western Ghats, a mountain chain along the west coast of India, the so called Malabar coast. These mountains border the inland against the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats are a so called hotspot of biodiversity. Almost each small river that flows to the sea contains its own, endemic fish fauna, among them many loaches and among the loaches Mesonoemacheilus.
We were able ot import a good number of these charming fishes currently. Most individuals belong to the species Mesonoemacheilus guentheri, but there are also some individuals of other, closely related species, like M. herrei and the Zodiac loach, M. triangularis.
One should keep these fishes in a tank with fine sand bottom and some flat stones. Here the loaches will erect small territories. In this tank will occur a neverending swimming, hunting and quarreling. It will be never boaring to observe such an aquarium!
For our customers: the fish have code 429892 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively the whoilesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
In the year 2015 along with an import of stingrays from Belem, Para, Brazil an angelfish was imported that was unknown to us until then.
Already in 2016, in the F1 generation, a few blue mutants with a red iris could be selected.
These blue angels from wild parents formed the basis of the selective breeding we performed; we called the fish „Belem Sky Blue“.
In the second generation were already several very nice fish in respect of coloration, size and finneage development.
The fish exhibit a very strong brood care, both parents take care for eggs and offspring, as is typical for wild strains of angelfish.
Only now the whole potential of blue colours and black pattern becomes visible.
So far the report of our breeder Kurt Jülich. We can offer now this fish for the very first time in good numbers.
For our customers: the fish have code 699893 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text: Kurt Jülich, photos: Jürgen Glaser and Frank Schäfer
A few years ago we were able to import for the first time guppys that exhibited a black saddle bar over the back, starting at the base of the dorsal fin. These fish were called Yellow Half Tuxedo (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/brandnew_guppy_endler_yellow_half_tuxedo_en/).
An advancement of these guppys represents the Red Chest Saddleback. The breeder takes care that red pattern appears in the chest region. Moreover, the caudal fin pattern has much developed, compared with the typical Endler caudal fin pattern. We can offer the variety Red Chest Saddleback now as German bred ones. The strain itself has been developed by the Japanese breeder Hiroshi Sugino.
The „true“ females of the saddleback Endler guppys can be recognized by a dark spot at the upper base of the caudal fin.
For our customers: the fish have code 419125 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
This Southeast Asian dwarf will never grow larger then 3 cm; we obatined the species recently again from Thailand. The gender difference is very easy to see, for the males have broad light seams along the dorsal, the ventral and the anal fins. Moreover, during breeding time the females are clearly more filled around the belly. The male fish shows guarding behaviour for spawn and fry until the young are free swimming; breeding occurs in tubes, for example pieces of bamboo.
These are peaceful, quiet and slowly moving fish. Even the smallest aquarium is sufficient for these fascinating study objects. The substrate in the tank should be finest sand and the aquarium should be planted with fine-leafed plants and decorated with small stones and little pieces of bogwood.
The food should consist of smallest live food.
For our customers: the fish bhave code 411723 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
We obtain comparatively often this interesting mormyrid from Nigeria. Sadly systematics of Mormyrus are confusing. According to the latest scientific state of the art currently five species of Mormyrus occur in Nigeria, among them M. rume. The shape of the snout is the best feature to distinguish the species. Formerly the fish portayed here was named M. longiristris, but this is obviously another species from Mozambique.
Although there do exist reports of up to 100 cm long Mormyrus rume catches of specimens longer than 30 cm are extremely rare. The size of the species is quite well known, for M. rume is a common food fish in its natural range.
In 2002 Fawole published a paper on the natural history of M. rume in Lekki Lagoon in Nigeria. He collected during the study (december 1999 until november 2000) in monthly catches a total of 225 specimens which were studied for development of the gonads, the size, gut content etc. The largest specimen in his study was 23 cm long, the smallest 13 cm. He found sexually ripe females from 13.5 cm standard length on, the whole year through females with ripe gonads were found so the species obviously reproduces the whole year through. The gut content was a bit astonishing for all specimens contained inter alia plant material.
In the aquarium, mormyrids are usually fed with food for carnivorous fishes, especially bloodworms are a very good food for them.
Nobody will keep Mormyrus rume for its brillant colours. Nevertheless they are are very interesting animals. Like all mormyrids they have a „language“ basing on electric impulses and the brain of Mormyrus is – compared with the body mass – very big. The tank should be heavily furnished and as large as possible. These fish should be kept solitary or in larger groups. Two or three specimens usually are very quarrelsome against each other in a long time sight. Many people who watch Mormyrus rume are reminded on the most popular mammal of the seas, the dolphin. And in fact, if one looks at M. rume from face to face the similarity is astonishing!
For our customers: the animals have code 152005 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Literature:
Fawole, O. O. (2002): Morphometry and diet of Mormyrus rume in the Lekki lagoon, Nigeria. Revista de biología tropical, 50 (2): 689-694
The origin of the Odessa or Rubin barb was unknown for almost 30 years. The first specimens appeared in the former USSR in Odessa. It was unknown for a very long time whether they represented a wild species or an artifical breeding product. Only 2001 the first wild collected specimens could be traced. Now it was clear that this fish is a wild species originating from Burma. Sven O. Kullander and Rald Britz described the species formally in October, 2008. Its correct name is now Pethia padamya.
We currently have gorgeous wild collected specimens in stock. The displaying males belong without any doubt to the most beautiful barbs at all.
For our customers: the animals have code 371114 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
Literature:
Kullander, S. O. & R. Britz (2008): PUNTIUS PADAMYA, A NEW SPECIES OF CYPRINID FISH FROM MYANMAR (TELEOSTEI: CYPRINIDAE). Electronic Journal of Ichthyology. October 2008 2: 56 – 66
The red-white albino guppy is a very attractive fish. The females are quite uniform in respect of coloration. They all have a red head and a red caudal fin. In males things are different. Initially they are colored like the females, but fully grown males develop an individually different degree of red pattern on the body; so in large males all specimens look different.
For our customers: the fish have code 419203 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The L-catfish L 114 is a close relative of Pseudacanthicus leopardus (please see our entrance on LDA 7 for that); currently we have different sizes of the beautiful L 114 in stock, among them (very rarely offered) 25-30 cm long specimens which are almost fully grown and in any case mature and one of the smallest sizes we usually stock, 4-5 cm long specimens. Observing the animals the idea took place to photograph them together to document the astonishing change of coloration that appears in this species during individual grow. We had to be pretty patient until the small fish was in a good position compared with the large one, but finally we succeeded and could make some nice shots.
However, we do not recommend to keep fish of so different sizes together in a long time sight. Despite the large fish was absolutely peaceful even when the small one used the big one´s head as a hiding place one cannot exclude the possibility that big L 114 will feed on very small ones by chance…
For our customers: L 114 have code 26480-L 114 on our stocklist. Currently we have different sizes in stock. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The mudskippers (Periophthalmus) are among the most fascinating fishes at all. One can observe mother nature´s laboratory and how an aquatic animal becomes a landdwelling animal based on the observation of these fishes.
The Atlantic Mudskipper (P. barbarus) attains a maximum length of about 15 cm and is one of the larger species of the genus. Males can be easily recognized by the enormous large first dorsal fin. However, males are very aggressive against each other and it is hardly possible to keep two of them together on a long time sight. The tank for mudskippers should be furnished as an aqua-terrarium. Females are somewhat less aggressive. One can compare the level of aggressiveness best with certain species of cichlids, like Tropheus or Petrochromis. Mudskippers are very intelligent and belong to the few species of small fish that really become tame. If the keeper is interested in this the mudskipper can be trained for example to come on the keeper´s hand to take food from the fingers.
We have P. barbarus almost anytime in stock. Feeding them is simple, as they take readily any type of usual fish food, even flakes. A slight addition of seasalt (2-5 g/l) is positive for them, as it helps to keep the pH stable over 8. A lower pH is hardly tolerable for these fish.
For our customers: the animals have code 156503 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
From northern Thailand originates the dwarfish Checkerboard Loach formerly known as Botia sidthimunki, then as Yasuhikotakia s. As it is a rather small (6 cm) and very peaceful species, it represents an ideal member for an asiatic community tank. There it can be kept together e.g. with small representatives of the genera Danio, Rasbora and Microrasbora. One should always maintain them in small groups of at least 5 animals, since they estimate the contact to conspecifics. In the group is always movement and such an aquarium never gets boring.
The water should not be too hard, and in the aquarium should be some retreat areas (bogwood, coconut bowls, bamboo canes etc.) available. For proper style tanks plants like Cryptocoryns, Javafern and other asiatic plants can be used. However, that can be done also with Echinodorus species and Neon Tetras, the Checkerboard Loaches won´t mind at all. In respect of feeding they are unproblematic; breeding in aquaria did probably not succeed so far. Since they belong in their homeland to the protected species, nowadays all traded A. sidthimunki are pond bred and originate from Thailand or Malaysia.
For our customers: the fish have code 405112 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Photo F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl
Among the smallest species of tetra is Hyphessobrycon elachys, the veilfin tetra from Paraguay. The species becomes only 1.5-2 cm long (standard length without caudal fin). The charming animals inhabit swampy areas in the Rio Paraguay drainage. The genus Hyphessobrycon, as it is currently defined, represents an artifical assamblage of species which are not very closely related. So the placement of H. elachys in Hyphessobrycon is only provisionally and for sure it will be placed in another genus in case of a revision of Hyphessobrycon. The veilfin tetra is unique by the shape of the anal fin in males, the very long ventral fins in males and teeth structures.
In the natural habitat Hyphessobrycon elachys lives in mixed schools along with with other, very similar tetras and Corydoras hastatus. It is almost impossible to tell H. elachys from these other tetras apart on basis of the coloration. So imports of the species are always a mix, sometimes H. elachys is hardly represented in them at all. So to a certain degree there are always bycatches among H. elachys, but our current import contains at least 90% veilfin tetras.
For our customers: the animals have code 262052 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
In one of the most current issue of the Datz magazine (Datz 3/2018) a new L-number has been published, namely L501. This is a Hypancistrus from Venezuela belonging in the closer relationship of Hypancistrus inspector/L201/L339. It differs from the so far known relatives by the almost unspotted fins and the rather pinkish/orange spots (instead of white spots).
By chance we have right now Panaqolus albomaculatus/LDA 31 from Venezuela in stock, which also have very bright orange spots. The fish are 9-12 cm long, which means that they are almost fully grown. The „typical“ LDA 31 come from Peru and have usually rather whitish spots. However, it is already known for quite a long time that LDA 31 is ahighly variable species (see Wels Atlas Vol 2).
So we decided to take a closer look on our fish and put a pair in the photo tank. They proofed to be without any doubts wood-eaters, as could be easily seen by the spoon-like teeth; Hypanacistrus have pointed teeth and are meat-eaters. So our fish from Venezuela are simply very pretty LDA 31.
For or customers: the animals have code 26480-LDA 031-4 on or stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer
Many species of rock-dwelling cichlids from Lake Malawi – the so-called Mbuna – live on isolated places. These place are often many miles away from other suitable habitats. This geografic isolation leads comparatively fast to local colour morphs.
Other species of cichlid from Lake Malawi are not that much specialized and can live in a great variety of habitats. Consequently these species can be found all over the lake. Although even in these species some slight tendencies for local colour morphs are recognizable these differences are rather marginal. For example in Sciaenochromis fryeri: specimens collected in the south of the lake tend to have rather reddish anal fins while the conspecifics from the north have rather yellowish anal fins.
The sport „Iceberg“ has been bred by selection. The ancestors of the „Iceberg“ were individual mutants found near Maleri Island. This was more than 20 years ago. Nowadays the „Iceberg“ is among the most popular species of cichlid from lake Malawi. Currently we have very nice animals (6-8 cm long, which is almost half grown) in stock which are full in colour. However, only the dominant male has the ice-blue coloration all over the body, while in subdominant males this coloration is rather restricted to the forehead and the dorsal fin. This is quite interesting, for the initial intention to breed this fish was a simple aesthetic one; now it shows up that this coloration also serves for interspecific communication.
For our customers: the fish have code 574303 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The Eightbanded barb (Eirmotus octozona) is a very delicate, slightly transparent dwarf barb from blackwaters of Malaysia and Indonesia. The males are much smaller than the females and sometimes even look as if they were half famished. But this is normal. Besides this males have comparatively larger ventral fins. The fish gets the most intensiv coloration in water that is rich in humin substances from peat, dead leaves and alder cones. Sadly this cannot be realised in photo tanks for technical reasons: the resulting yellow tinge of the pictures is quite irritating.
This tiny barb is very enigmatic. It has been described in 1959 on the basis of specimens from the aquarium fish trade which were said to originate from Thailand (Bung Borapet). However, there have been no reports since then about any occurence of Eirmotus in Thailand. Oramental fish collectors formerly collected this species in the peat swamp forest of Ayer Hitam in Johor, Malaysia. This forest has been almost destroyed for oil palm plantations and all fish that lived there seem to be extinct now. In 2008 three very similiar, new species of Eirmotus have been described from Sumatra and Borneo. Our fish seem to belong to the “real” E. octozona.
Eiromotus are very delicate barbs, which become only 3-4 cm long and are perfect tankmates for small blackwater tanks. Nothing has been reported so far about the breeding biology of this unusual, very peaceful barb.
For our customers: the fish have code 414583 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Lexicon: Eirmotus: refers to the rows of sensitive pores on the head. octozona: means “with 8 bars”
Suggestion of a common name: Eightbanded barb
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Sphaerichthys osphromenoides is the most famous representative of the in southeast Asia indigenous chocolate gouramis. Like other chocolate gouramis Sphaerichthys osphromenoides is a delicate and at least while settling down a sensitive fish.
It’s natural biotope are shore areas of small, still and slow-moving black water on the Malayan peninsula and Sumatra. As a typical black water fish it needs a acidic, soft water. Because the natural habitat of extreme black water fish is very pour of bacteria the adaptability to the high bacteria density in the aquarium is very low.
Flakes are mostly not accepted and a feeding with live or frosted brine shrimp, mosquito larvae or fruit flies is indispensable. For the breeding the water-quality again needs to be inceased , but should succeed with a little luck. Interesting is the several weeks lasting mouth-broodcare. The chocolate gourami is no fish for beginners and it should only be fall into the hands of experienced hobbyist.
For our customers: the fish have code 455803 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text: K. Diehl, photos: F. Schäfer
This comparatively small species of snakehead originates from the north of India (Assam, North-Bengal). The species is not described scientifically yet. Initially it was erranously reported to originate from Kerala (which is in the south of India). The species is a mouthbrooder and attains a maximum size of 15-20 cm. Due to the origin in subtropical regions the species should be kept at times in cool water. In the wild, the water temperature differs (depending on the season) between about 12°C and 30°C.
For our customers: the fish habve code 409374 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
White-red sports in Xiphophorus are pretty demanding for the breeder. Interestingly these fish are all usually born in a crystal red coloration. Only after a few weeks the red breaks up and white patches become visible. Some of the fish become totally white when fully grown, others totally red, but most of them show red patches on a white background. But every spawn is something like a surprise package for the breeder. So breeders who want a uniform look of their fish wil not become happy with white-red Xiphos. But all others enjoy the variations in that sport.
We now obtained for the first time a white-red sport of coral platy from a German breeder. Coral platys differ from their normal cousins by the stout figure. The Platy Coral Kohaku is as variable as one is used to in the white-red sports of Xiphos.
For our customers: the fish have code 442582 on our stocklist. Please noite that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
When the White Spot Bee Shrimp appeared about 10 years ago for the first time in larger numbers in the ornamental fish trade we all where really enthusiastic about them. Sadly we had to learn that the tiny animals are very sensitive against temporary distress, for example low temperatures during transportation, and die very quickly if their needs are not fulfilled in a perfect way. So the initial enthusiasm changed into disillusion and the shrimps became animals thought to be suited for specialists only.
Now we have German bred ones in stock. The breeder says that these shrimps are not difficult to keep at all. Of course even for these bred ones the water temperature should not fall below 25°C for longer times, the best temperature to keep and breed them is 27-30°C. We are very curious how hardy these shrimps will proof to be in a long time sight!
For our customers: the shrimps have code 481581 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The tooth-nose Leporacanthicus triactis from Venezuela s a beautiful aquarium fish that has a number of advantages. Besides the very nice coloration it does not become too big (maximum size reported is about 30 cm, but most specimens in the wild stay much smaller) and it is an omnivorous fish that readily accepts all types of usual fish food.
From time to time very attractive individuals appear in the trade that show a reticulated to spotted pattern. We currently received only the seventh specimen in 20 years, so one can really call it a rarity!
For our customers: the fish has code 26480-L091Y-4 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
Currently we can offer several High Quality German Bred Guppys. This breeder is specialized inbreeding rare varieties that are offered by pair, which means that the genetically correct female is supplied along with the male. The sports illustrated here – „Full Platinum Albino“ and „Yellow Tuxedo“ – are only two of serveral ones we have in stock.
For our customers: the fish have code 419097 (Full Platinum Albino) and 419093 (Yellow Tuxedo) on oir stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
In the minds of many keepers the goldfish is a coldwater fish and has its high season in spring time, when the garden pond season starts. This is of course true, but reflects only a part of the reality. The highly developed sports – like the orandas – often are better kept in aquaria than in outdoor ponds. The optimal water temperature for these fish is between 14 and 28°C.
Currently we received very nice Oranda 2-3 Colour that were bred in Singapore. These animals are colored individually very different and in all probability they will also change some of their colours during their individual lifetime, which can be as long as 30 years.
The ideal home for such fish is a large tank with soft sand and only a mild current. Goldfish are social animals and absolutely peaceful against all tankmates. One must only take care that no other fish takes the long fins of the orandas as toys and thus jars on the nerves of the poor goldfish permanently. By the way: all goldfish – and so also all orandas – are a perfect weapon against duckweed. No plague of duckweed will ever appear in a goldfish tank, for duckweed is one of the favourite dishes of goldfish.
For our customers: the animals have code 815704 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
One could think that this unusual suckermouth catfish – it originates from the Rio Ventuari in Venezuela – represents the juvenile form of a Leporacanthicus, for example L240 or L241. But in fact L280 is a dwarf species that hardly ever becomes bigger than 5 cm. Until now only single specimens appeared in the trade, but our current importation contained a good number of fish; so we hope that a breeder will be able now to breed this charming species and that an aquarium population of Micracanthicus vandragti can be established. There are more than a thousand species of suckermouth catfish, but this one seems to be the best suited one for owners of small and medium sized tanks due to the small size in combination with the attractive coloration.
For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 280-1 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
The Kuhli loaches (Pangio, formerly Acanthophthalmus) form an important part of all smaller community tanks with a southeast Asian character. Here the small „watersnakeletts“ are cleaning and feed all the small food particles that might have been overlooked by the other fish. Of course the loaches have to be fed also; this is no problem at all for they readily take any type of usual ornamental fishfood. The tank should have at least a patch with sandy bottom, where Pangio love to burry themselves from time to time, in all other respects Kuhli loaches are hardy and undemanding fish.
Pangio anguillaris is only very occasionally available on the ornamental fish market. It originates from Indonesia. This species has no bands like many other species of Kuhli loach, but a salt-and-pepper pattern on a grey to golden (this depends on the light) background. Rumours say that this species can reach a length of 12 cm, but in the wild hardly ever specimens are collected that exceed a length of 5-6 cm.
For our customers: the fish have code 441052 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
