Author Archives: Frank Schäfer

Pethia conchonius Neon Red

13. April 2018

The neon red ruby barb is an artifical sport of the ruby barb available for many years already. The fish are extremely beautiful; we usually obtain them from breeders from southeast Asia. Now we received this sport from an European breeder and his strain is particually beautiful. Like in the Asian cousins the flanks are deep neon red, but the European strain shows also deep black seams of the fins which contrast to the body in a most spectacular way. The females are not red at all, but in some specimens the fins have a reddish tinge.

For our customers: the fish have code 369352 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Poecilia reticulata Guppy Yellow Taxi Glass Belly

13. April 2018

These Glass Belly Guppys are very special. Their coloration lacks not only all black pigment – they are true albinos – but also the silver pigmentation of the abdomen. So one can study the complete develepment of the eggs and youngsters in the belly of the female fish. This means these fish are a perfect subject for all persons interested in natural history and especially for educational reasons in schools. In respect of demands in the aquarium these guppys are not more difficult to keep than other sports of modern fancy guppy, but one should keep in mind that albinos in general are a bit sensitive against strong light.

For our customers: the fish have code 419099 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Akysis portellus

13. April 2018

The wasp catfishes (Akysis) become more and more popular in the aquarium hobby. Their common name refers to venomous glands these fishes have at the base of the dorsal and the pectoral fins. A sting by the spines of these fins is very painful, though it it is harmless; only allergy sufferers should be double cautious.

Akysis portellus attains a maximum length of about 4-5 cm. It originates from the Sittang river basin in Burma. Here it lives in smaller brooks with clear water. One should keep these very peaceful animals always in groups. The tank should contain at least some patches with fine sand for Akysis love to burry themselves from time to time.

Oxygen-rich, clear and clean water: these are the conditions for Akysis catfish, here they feel very well. The water temperature should be between 22 and 26°C, at times the water can be even cooler. Akysis portellus feed on any usual type of ornamental fish food.

For our customers: the fish have code 362373 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Guyanancistrus guahiborum L106

11. April 2018

Currently we have extremely nice youngsters of L106 in stock. They originate from Venezuela. There is a second, very similar L-number, L122. L106 has a deeper body. Maximum size reported for L106 is about 15 cm, recently our fish are 4-6 cm long.

The species has been described scientifically in 2005 under the name of Hemiancistrus guahiborum by Werneke, Armbruster, Lujan & Taphorn. The species occurs in the Orinoco drainage, type locality is the Rio Ventuari at raudales Tencua. The authors diagnose their species as differing from all remaining already described species of the Hemiancistrus/Peckoltia group by the broad orange seams of the dorsal and the caudal fins. There is consensus among l-catfish hobbyists that the fish are placed best in the genus Guyanancistrus.

L106 feeds mainly on Aufwuchs and is a very peaceful species. One should keep them – like all l-numbers from the Orinoko drainage – at comparatively high temperatures, eg 28-30°C. Otherwise the fish are undemanding.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 106-1 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Rasbora daniconius

9. April 2018

The slender rasbora (Rasbora daniconius) inhabits a very large area in Southeast Asia. From the Malaian peninsula to the Mekong and the Indus it occurs in the a variety of habitats: channels, ponds, flooded (rice) fields and slowly flowing rivers. Due to the enormous area and the adjustment to different water types it can be assumed that R. daniconius does not place excessive requirements for the life in the aquarium. As long as one avoids extreme conditions slender rasboras will do fine. For this is to an overall length of 15 cm growing fish, the tank should not be too small (1 m), the fish need space being very active swimmers. With varied feeding and regular partial water changes this undemanding species is an almost ideal fish for beginners. 

For our customers: the fish have code 451703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusivelky supply the wholesale trade.

Photo F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl

Apistogramma trifasciata

6. April 2018

In case this dwarf cichlid would not exist it would be necessary to invent it for the aquarium hobby. Apistogramma trifasciata is an ideal aquarium inhabitant. The species stays small – males around 5 cm, females around 4 cm. It is completely undemanding regarding water chemistry – keeping and breeding is possible even in medium hard and slighlty alcalic water – and energy-saving: as the fish inhabits in nature subtropical regions it is often faced with water temperatures as low as 10°C, so an aquarium heater is needed only for breeding. Besides all these advantages it is a beautiful fish and has an interesting behaviour.

Currently we can offer that beautiful fish as European bred ones.

For our customers: the fish have code 629983 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras amapaensis

6. April 2018

The beautiful long snouted Corydoras amapaensis is a top rarity in the ornamental fish trade. Only very occisonally, every 5-6 years, some specimens can be imported. So we are very glad that we can offer now for the first time some bred ones. The fish are currently about 4 cm long and have just reached sexual maturity. The males can be recognized by the spiny pectoral fin spines.

For our customers: the fish have code 221762 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Exodon paradoxus

6. April 2018

For many aquaristis the Bucktooth tetra, Exodon paradoxus, is simply the most beautiful tetra from South America. The splendid fish glitter and glimmer like diamonds and they never stay still. They hunt and hit their conspecifics permanently and an uneducated watcher may become quite concerned that the fish will eventually hurt each other. But this doesn´t happen. In the wild, Exodon paradoxus feed almost exclusively on scales of other fish. Their highly specialized teeth enable that. Like a flash they attack their prey and the victim doesn´t understand what actually happened. The game of the Bucktooth tetras has two purposes. First: the game fools the potential victims and makes them „believe“ that the Bucktooth tetras are not interested in them. And second: for sure this permanent swimming is a perfect training for the small predators.

The species has a very wide distribution in South America. It can be found in Guyana and the whole Amazon and Orinoco basins. E. paradoxus attains a maximum length of about 7.5 cm. Keeping this fish is not complicated, but the tank should be large and the fish should be kept in a school as large as possible. Any type of usual fish food will be accepted readily. However, in respect of eventually planned tankmates one must be very careful. Best choice are catfish, for they have no scales at all and so they don´t fit the prey scheme of the Bucktooth tetras.

For our customers: the fish have code 253502 on our stocklist. Pleae note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sicyopus rubicundus

4. April 2018

We received from Indonesia once more a nice shipment containing pretty Sicyopus gobies. These gobies are – despite the external similarity – not feeding on Aufwuchs and microfilm like Stiphodon and Sicyopterus, but are little predators that feed on quite large food items. These include also very small fish and shrimps up to a length of about 1 cm, although the gobies become only 5-6 cm long and are very slender fish.

In respect of the determination there appeared at lot of trouble. Initially the fish were totally colourless and we thought they would belong to the species Sicyopus zosterophorum (Bleeker 1856); but then many males obtained full coloration and were pretty sure that the fish are S. exillisquamulus Watson & Kottelat 1994 – or at least almost sure. For in the latest scientific literature the species S. exillisquamulus has been considered to be a synonym of Sicyopus auxilimentus Watson & Kottelat 1994.

Finally Laurent Tyty kindly gave us the crucial hint that according to the most current scientific literature (Keith et al., 2015) our fish is actually S. rubicundus Keith, Hadiaty, Busson & Hubert, 2014; S. auxilimentus (besides S. exillisquamulus an additional synonym is, fide Keith et al., S. cebuensis Chen & Shao, 1998) has in contrast to S. rubicundus no orange lips.

Our first importation of S. rubicundus dates back to the year 2006. At that time we termed them Sicyopus sp. Red. The species is distinguished from S. zosterophorum by the lack of a black stripe under the eye, bright orange lips and the lack of clearly visible vertical stripes. Moreover the basic coloration of S. rubicundus is rather orange and in S. zosterophorum red. The females of both species are almost colorless.

For comparison: Sicydium zosterophorum

For comparison: Sicydium zosterophorum

Sicyopus are inhabitants of brooks and like clear, clean, and running water, hiding places and sandy bottom. Sicyopus regulary spawn in aquaria, they are cave brooders, but the larvae are very tiny and develop in marine environements. We have not heard so far from a successful rearing of the larvae under hobby conditions.

For our customers: the animls have code 456183 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Literature:

Keith, P., C. Lord & K. Maeda (2015): Indo-Pacific Sicydiine gobies. Biodiversity, life traits and conservation. Société Française d’Ichtyologie, Paris. 1-256.

Potamotrygon wallacei

29. March 2018

This freshwater stingray lives endemically in the Rio Negro system in Brazil and is or was the most often imported species of Potamotrygon from Brazil at all. However until recently they fish were wrongly identified as P. histrix, a different species that is not kept in aquaria at all and occurs in southern South America. The type specimen of P. histrix was collected in Argentina. In fact P. wallacei – which is collected usually around Barcelos for aquarium purposes – is the best suited species of Potamotrygon for private aquaria, because it is the smallest species of the genus Potamotrygon at all. The disc diameter hardly ever exceeds 30 cm in this species. This means that P. wallacei also needs large tanks, but most of the remaining species of freshwater stingray become at least double as large, many even much larger.

Since january 2017 all species of Potamotrygon from Brazil and Colombia have to be exported only with CITES certificates, for these countries have placed the fish on appendix III of CITES. Although this means that the species can still be traded the situation is insofar unsatisfying for breeders of Potamotrygon as they now have to witness that their bred specimens are not descendends from illagal imported fish from Brazil or Colombia when the breeders want to export their animals out of the EU. Most bred specimens, however, do not stay in the EU because the market here is much too small.

Finally we were able now to import a number of P. wallacei from Brazil again. It took about one year for the authorities to react on the new situation and to supply the ornamental fish exporters with the CITES certificates needed for legal exportations.

For our customers: the animals have code 282202 (10-12 cm) and 282203 (12-15 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Symphysodon discus Blue Head Tumbira

29. March 2018

Here, as promised, another remarkable Heckel variety we currently have in stock: Blue Head Tumbira. One should not think that every specimen of that variety has a solid blue opercle; Tumbira (the name refers to a Tukano community at the bank of the Rio Negro, below Sao Gabriel de Cachoeira) are still wild collected discus and this means: each indvidual fish has a pattern on its own. But the number of Blue Heads is very high among „Blue Head Tumbira“. Another typical feature of that variety is the broad „Heckel bar“, the vertical bar in the middle of the body.

For our customers: the fish have code 735004 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Acestrorhynchus isalineae

26. March 2018

The barracuda tetras (Acestrorhynchus) a good aquarium fishes, although they are predators that prefer to feed on small other fish. Most species are medium sized – about 20-30 cm maximum length – but there do exist also dwarf species. Among the latter is A. isalineae. This species attains only 7.5 cm in standard length, this is about 10 cm total length. Usually in fishes the caudal fin is not included in reports of the length, because this fin is very often damaged in wild fish. A. isalineae is also a most attractive species. It has two black longitudinal stripes on the body and a yellow or red caudal spot.

Already back in 1909 Eigenmann described a species from British Guyana, which is very similar to A. isalineae: A. nasutus. As one can see on the photo of the holotype in A. nasutus the caudal spot is not a circular point, but rectangular and spreads far in the caudal fin. Another difference beween A. nasutus and A. isalineae is the black stripe along the belly which ends above the anal fin in A. nasutus. Obviously A. nasutus has never been imported so far as an aquarium fish. A. nasutus attains the same maximum size as A. isalineae, eg about 7.5 cm standard length.

Type specimen of Acestrorhynchus nasutus from Eigenmann, 1909

Acestrorhynchus isalineae has been described scientifically only in 1963 from the Rio Madeira basin. Exportations of Acestrorhynchus from that region do not appear, but there does exist a beautiful book on the fishes of the Rio Madeira. The fish illustrated there as A. isalineae is identical in all visible points with the fish exported regularly from Peru.

Currently we have a good number of fully grown, beautiful A. isalineae from Peru in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 202103 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Waikhomia sahyadriensis (formerly: Barbus, Puntius)

23. March 2018

The Khavlibarb originates from the Yenna River in Satara district in the Indian state of Marahashtra. This is a peaceful species, which could however nibble on fresh sprouts of aquarium plants. They can be kept with any peaceful tank mates without any problems. The aquarium should be decorated with robust plants and part of the bottom with sandy substrate should be kept open for these fish in order to sift the sand. Water conditions are not critical and also this species tolerates a wide range of temperatures. They are omnivorous who need however a lot of vegetarian food as well. About breeding there no reports available yet, but would probably not be much different from other barb species, i.e. free laying into plants. 

For our customers: the fish have code 371203 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade

Photos: Frank Schäfer, Text: Izaak den Daas

Odonteleotris macrodon

23. March 2018

We obtained from Thailand five specimens of that odd goby which are about 15 cm long. Our first idea was that they would belong to the species Oxyeleotris urophthalmus. The genus Oxyeleotris is repersented by three species in Thailand, two of them with an ocellus in the upper part of the caudal peduncle. Both are very similar to each other externally. Another very similar species from Thailand, also with an Ocellus, is Bostrychus sinensis. All of them attain a length of about 20 cm. Smith (1945) gives the best identification key available so far for the three species. According to him, Bostrychus sinensis has very small scales, about 140 in lateral line and very small teeth that are arranged in bands. Oxyeleotris has canine teeth. O. siamensis has about 90 scales in lateral line (about 40 predorsal scales), a small barbel on both sides of the upper jaw and the snout is unscaled. O. urophthalmus has 70-75 scales in lateral line (about 30 predorsal scales), no barbels and a scaled snout.

Our fish have canine teeth, no barbels, about 75 scales in lateral line and about 20 predorsal scales (these counts were made from photos) and no visible scales on the snout. So the results do not fit for one of the two Oxyeleotris species, although it is pretty difficult to get proper counts of the small scales that are embedded in thick mucus.

We had to start again. We found Odonteleotris macrodon, a species with a very wide distrubution from India to Malaysia and Indonesia. This species also has an ocellus. Although the scale counts do not fit perfectly (this species has usually about 90 scales in lateral line) all other external features do.

So obviously Odonteleotris macrodon also occurs in Thailand, a finding that is not much surprising, but not reported so far in the scientific literature. 

Odonteleotris macrodon is a brackish water species that is also found in pure freshwater. It attains a maximum length of about 30 cm and is a predatory fish. The larvae develop as far as it is known in marine environment.

For our customers: the animals have code 414745 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma gephyra wild

22. March 2018

Since its scientific description in 1980 this dwarf cichlid is subject of an ongoing debate among keepers and breeders of Apistogramma. Some think that A. gephyra is a mere variety of A. agassizii, others defend its status quo as a separate species. Most likely both parties are right. There can be no doubt that A. gephyra and A. agassizii are very closely related forms that parted from a common ancestor only quite recently. If they already represent different species or still the same is finally a question of personal taste.

Here in the wholesale trade we use a quite simple coloration-feature to tell both species apart, because this feature has proofed to be very reliable: only A. gephyra has a red seam along the dorsal fin edge. Mid-january we obained a shipment of young, about 1,5 cm long Apistogramma from Brazil. They showed a peculiar feature that we had observed so far (at least knowingly) only in one species from the Rio Negro, namely Apistogramma elizabethae: under stress the longitudinal stripe vanishes and a double-spot becomes visible in the first third of the body. In all other known species from the Rio Negro there is only one spot or a totally different pattern.

However, our new imports did not really look like A. elizabethae. So we decided to wait a bit. In mid-february, the largest males showed their mating colours. They are in fact Apistogramma gephyra!

For our customers: the fish have code 629502 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. As they fish are still quite small we cannot exclude the possibility that other species of Apistogramma are mixed in as bycatch.

Nannostomus harrisoni

19. March 2018

The Blackstripe pencilfish has been described from Guyana scientifically back in 1909. Here he fish inhabits exclusively the Demerara river basin. The beautiful species attains a maximum length of 4.5 cm and is very peaceful. Formerly the fish was placed in a separate genus, namely Poecilobrycon, due to the long snout. In the meantime the genus Poecilobrycon is considered to be a synonym of Nannostomus. Males differ from the females by the shape of the anal fin. Moreover this fin has a high degree of red coloration in males which is lacking in females.

There is a certain similarity between Nannostomus unifasciatus and N. harrisoni; in contrast to N. unifasciatus N. harrisoni does not swim in a head-up position as N. unifasciatus regulary does. So a confusion of living fish should be excluded.

After many years we can offer now this beauty again. The fish are wild collected ones from Guyana.

For our customers: the animal has code 272004 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Symphysodon discus „Heckel Nova Olinda“

16. March 2018

We are now in the last third of the current discus season. A particular charakter of this season is the comparably great number of extremely beautiful Heckel discus. We currently have a number of varieties in stock and want to feature them for you. But of course it is not that easy to take pictures of these beauties in their regular tanks in the fishhouse that have the quality these fish deserve; so it takes time…

But here nevertheless is the result of a first session: „Nova Olinda“. These gorgeous animals are also termed sometimes as „Heckel Cross“, because they exhibit features of Heckel discus as well as of Blue Discus. But it is rather unlikely that the fish are really hybrids. Much more likely the population is simply highly polychromatic, a well known phenomenon for example in dwarf cichlids (Apistogramma).

So each „Nova Olinda“ is an individiual beauty on its own. Many specimens have a canary yellow forehead, others are typical Blue headed Heckel, again others look almost like solid turquoise discus – amazing animals!

For our customers: Heckel Cross Nova Olinda 12-15 cm have code 735105, Heckel Nova Olinda 9-12 cm code 735084. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholsale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Molly Copper Lyretail

14. March 2018

A beautiful sport of Molly from Singapore is Copper Lyretail, a very colourful variety. Obviously the species Poecilia sphenops formed the basis of that strain. The combination of the colour copper and the lyretail led to males in which the anal fin is much too broad to serve as a gonopodium. So the pure males of that strain cannot become fathers. To keep the sport alive it is necessary to cross the pure females with males from another sport that have a normal gonopodium. The offspring has to be selected, as it will not fall pure, or, in some cases, even a second step is necessary to obtain Copper Lyretails at all, eg a back cross or a sibling cross, to get specimens with the desired genetic combination.

While breeding Copper Lyretails is pretty demanding, keeping them is quite the opposite: these mollys are very hardy and lively fish!

For our customers: the  fish have code 432363 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pterophyllum scalare „Bicolor Blue“

12. March 2018

We can offer this brandnew sport of the Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare „Bicolor Blue“) for the very first time now. The animals still differ individually in respect of pattern, but especially the front back of all specimens is already blue. The breeder guaranteed us that the parents are full blue bicolor with a real intensive colour. 

For our customers: the fish have code 693602 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusivey supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Bryconalestes longipinnis

9. March 2018

The African Longfin Tetra (Bryconalestes longipinnis, = Brycinus longipinnis) is a classic ornamental fish from Nigeria; we have it almost anytime in stock. Usually the fish traded are 3-5 cm long, which means that they are about half grown (maximum size reported for that species is 16 cm, but this is as rare as a 2.3 m tall human being). This has good reasons: at that size the fish can be best transported and they easily adapt to new conditions. Currently we have grown some specimens for a project in a 4.000 litre tank. They became real beauties!

For our customers: the fish have code 105505 on or stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Only very few specimens available!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Bagarius suchus

9. March 2018

There are currently four species placed in the genus Bagarius, which are called devil catfish. The biggest one, which grows up to 200 cm in length, is Bagarius yarelli. It can be found in many parts of south and south-east Asia. The smallest is Bagarius bagarius, which grows up to only 15-20 cm and comes exclusively from India. We received recently once more a few pieces of Bagarius suchus, a most interesting fish! They “only” grow up to about 70 cm.

The species-specifiuc feature of B. suchus are the small humps between the dorsal and the adipose fin, which led to the popular name “crocodile devil catfish”. This species is also a predator and for sure a “must have” for fans of predatory fish; due to its calm behaviour it doesn´t need too large tanks, but one must keep in mind that this species needs oxygen-rich and almost waste-free water to thrive well.

For our customers: the fish have code 368424 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hemigrammus levis Gold

7. March 2018

It is very difficult to determine gold tetras. The golden coloration is the skin reaction on a harmless infection with a parasite. If a tetra feeds the faeces of a fish-eating bird that contains the eggs of the parasite – a worm – in the intestine of the fish the eggs hatch and the larvae of the worm encapsulate in the muscle tissue of the fish. Their presence cause the production of the golden colour in the skin of the fish. Such a golden fish can be spotted much better than a normally coloured animal by a fish-preying bird.  The opportunity for the parasite to find the final host – the bird – grows. If such a golden fish is really eaten by a bird the encapsulated larvae become active again, grow to adult specimens, mate and produce eggs that leave the bird with its faeces. So the circle becomes closed. If the golden fish are not eaten they have no disadvantage against normally coloured conspecifics. This is prooved by decades of experience with golden tetras in the aquarium. The golden ones also become as old as normal tetras.

Initially only one species of golden tetra became known to science eg the the golden form of Hemigrammus rodwayi. As the true nature of this golden gloss was then unknown the fish were described as a species on their own, Hemigrammus armstrongi. The golden gloss covers a great number of pattern that is usually indispensable for determining a species. Today we know a great number of golden tetras belonging to a vast number of different species, although they usually appear only as single specimens in most species.

We obtained a good number of large, 4-5 cm long gold tetras from Brazil. Initially we were not able to identify the species. The shape of the body and the presence of small hooks on the anal fin of the males (which sometimes entangle in the meshs of a net) made it very likely that the species belongs to the genus Hemigrammus. When the light comes from behind, a golden line is visible that is runnung all over the body, similar as it is seen in the glowlight tetra, Hemigrammus erythrozonus. After some days of settlement the fish developed a pattern in the tail fin as it is known from the species Hemigrammus levis. However, most probably a number of species hides behind what is currently termed „Hemigrammus levis“ scientifically, but our capabilities to determine the fish more exactly are depleted now.

Hemigrammus levis becomes 4-5 cm long and is a peaceful schooling fish, comparable to the rummy nose tetra. So our new imports can be recommended as gorgeous inhabitans for community tanks with South American fish.

For our customers: the animals have code 256703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Phallichthys tico

2. March 2018

Once more we are able to offer this top-rarity among the livebearers. The charming fish – males reach a maximum length of about 2.5 cm, females 4.5 cm – are restricted to the upper reaches of the river San Juan in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. No commercial fishing for ornamental fish does exist there and so the species is imported only ocassionally by travelling enthusiasts. Sadly until now it proved impossible so far to build up a stable aquarium strain from these few animals and so the species always vanished from the hobby after only a few generations. Our fish are German bred ones. Keeping them is rather unproblematically. However the fish always need very clean water of low microbiological contamination. Water chemistry is not very important, extremes, however, should be avoided. Best is a pH of 7-7.5, a hardness of 3-10°GH and a temperature of 24-28°C. The fish take readily frozen and dried food, but they also have to be fed on some plant material.

For our customers: The fish have code 278263 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Phallichthys: ancient Greek, means “penisfish”. tico: after the indigenous people of Costa Rica which call themselves “Tico”.

Suggestion of a common name: Costa Rica Dwarf Livebearer

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nannostomus rubrocaudatus

2. March 2018

Two species of pencilfish from Peru are very famous for their brillant red coloration: N. mortenthaleri and N. rubrocaudatus. Despite their small size – they become only 3-4 cm long – one should never underestimate their aggressivness. Especially N. mortenthaleri can become quite a problem for other small fishes in small tanks. So it is strongly recommended to keep these small fish in comparatively large tanks that allow other fish to avoid the attacks of the pencilfish. Given this one will enjoy a lot the wonderful Nannostomus.

Currently we have very nice wild collected N. rubrocaudatus in stock. The fish are about 3 cm long and full in colour.

For our customers: the fish have code 272264 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sphaerichtys vaillanti

28. February 2018

Finally we can offer again the most beautiful species of Chocolate Gourami: Sphaerichtys vaillanti. The species originates from the Kapuas basin in the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. S. vaillanti is not only the most beautiful, but also the hardiest species of all Chocolate Gouramis. However, it is nevertheless by no means an easy to keep fish. One will have only success with this fish when the natural habitat – very soft, acidic blackwater and lots of dead leafes on the bottom – is imitated and preferably life food is given. Most hobbyists underestimate the intraspecific aggession shown in all species of Chocolate Gouramis. Most problems with diseases in Sphaerichthys result from distress based on mobbing.

The males in Sphaerichthys vaillanti are much duller in respect of coloration than the tigered females. The males have also the job to care for the spawn – they are mouthbrooders. In neutral mood the males look much alike the Crossband Chocolate Gourami (Sphaerichtys selatanensis), but S. vaillanti can always be recognized by the sharp head.

For our customers: the fish have code 455843 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Distichodus lusosso

26. February 2018

The longsnout distichodus has a very wide distribution in the Congo basin. The species attains a length of up to 40 cm; we recently obtain extremly charming, small juveniles. D. lusosso is an omnivorous fish; a great part of the food is plant material, so a planting of the tank is usually not possible. One should keep D. lusosso either in larger groups (10 or more specimens) or solitary. If the longsnout distichodus is kept in too small groups the fish are usually very pugnacious against conspecifics.

For our customers: The fish have code 126002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusivekly supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Synodontis soloni

23. February 2018

We obtained a very rarely offered squeaker catfish from the Congo: Synodontis soloni. The species is medium sized (for squeakers): 20-25 cm long specimens can be called real big ones. The large caudal fin and the slender body give hints that this is a rheophilic species. Against conspecifics our specimens, which are currently 12-15 cm long, are quite peaceful. Obviously these fish live in dark places, as they eyes have strongly reflecting zones. This leads to funny artefacts in pictures taken with flashlights. We have added one picture to that post – a portrait – in which we left the artefact. In the others we have removed the „red-eyes-effect“ in a way that the fish look like one observes them with the bare eye.

There are two scientifically described, exrtremely simlar species that originate from the very same region and differ from S. soloni only by a few minor differences (eye diameter, shape of the humeral process, shape of the adipose fin, proportions of the body, shape of barbels). These species are named as Synodontis smiti and S. camelopardalis. However, in our import (35 specimens) many intermediate animals are respresented in respect of colouration, so we feel unable to assort them in a senseful way. Possibly S. smiti and S. camelopardalis are only synonyms to S. soloni. In any case the latter is the earliest described species (soloni 1899, smiti 1902, camelopardalis 1971).

For our customers: the fish have code 186804 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Melanocharacidium cf. dispilomma

21. February 2018

We obtained this charming ground tetra from Brazil. Melanocharacidium dispilomma has a very wide distrubution in northern South America. There are scientific reports from Bolivia, Brazil, the Guyana countries, Venezuela, and Colombia. There is a strange contrast between this very wide distribution and the fact that M. dispilomma has been described scientifically only in 1993. In the ornamental fish trade M. dispilomma is also a top rarity.

Basically speaking all species of ground tetra are very nice aquarium fish. The have a very interesting behaviour. In M. dispilomma the ability to change the coloration drastically is also fascinating. Against tankmates and plants M. dispilomma is completely ignorant, and they can (and should) be also kept along with conspecifics. Maximum size reported is about 5 cm. Males can be easily recognized by the prolonged pectoral and ventral fin rays.

For our customers: the fish have code 267552 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Anostomus anostomus

19. February 2018

The Striped Headstander is one of the most beautiful species of tetra from South America. It really looks like the big brother of the Threestripe pencilfish, Nannostomus trifasciatus. Anostomus anostomus attains a maximum length of about 15-18 cm. Sadly there are hardly ever exportations of ornamental fish from Guyana currently, so the beauty became rare in the hobby. But now we were able once again to import a good number of young adults, about 9-12 cm long. One of the most famous aquarium books in German, the Aquarien Atlas, says: who never kept this fish not an aquarist at all! There´s nothing left to say …

For our customers: the fish has code 205506 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Epiplatys dageti monroviae

16. February 2018

This panchax belongs without any doubt to the most popular killifish at all. There are many reasons for that: the beautiful coloration, the small size (4-5.5 cm), the fact that these fish can be kept in community tanks, and the adaptility to many different water conditions are some of them. The Red Chinned Panchax is a killifish with a „normal“ long lifespan, they live as long as guppys, mollies or swordtails under aquarium conditions.

The subspecies „monroviae“ differs from the nominal form by differences in the pattern, basically the fact that they have 5 instead of 6 bars on the flanks. There are additional differences (for example the red throat in males in monroviae), but one should keep in mind that wild collected specimens are hardly ever available (the subspecies has been described from around Monrovia in Liberia) and that of course breeders will always select what they feel are the most pretty fish for breeding purposes.

We have a very nice strain of bred fish in stock on a regular basis.

For our customers: the fish have code 323522 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Geophagus cf. abalios

16. February 2018

Currently we have as well larger wild collected specimens and bred ones in stock. G. cf. abalios is a beautful, ovophilous mouthbrooider and originates from Venezuela. The fish have bred in our showroom. At that time they had a total length of about 8 cm, so we initially thought they would represent a dwarf variety. However, in the meantime this initial suspect has been proofed as erranous. The fish are no giants (the photographed adult male is 14 cm long, inclusive the tail fin, but exclusive the prolongation of that fin), but also no dwarfs. So Geophagus cf. abalios can be told a peaceful, beautiful cichlid that is perfectly suited for larger community tanks.

For our customers: the fish have code 677554 (wild ones) and 677562 (bred ones) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nerita polita

14. February 2018

We obtained the charming algae snail Nerita polita from Thailand. This „racing snail“ is also known by the popular name of Polished Nerite. It inhabits large parts of the Indo-West-Pacific and is extremely common. It was described scientifically as early as 1758, the year of birth of the scientific naming of organisms, by Carl von Linné under the currently still valid name.

Shell size of that species varies from 13-40 mm, our specimens have about 10 mm. The colouration and the pattern of the shell varies a lot, a phenomen one can also observe in our common garden snails.

Basically speaking, Nerita polita is a marine species. But it lives in the uppermost coastline and will fall eventually dry during low tide. In case it starts raining during that time the snail will find itself from one moment to the other in pure freshwater. The snail has to face this and it really does! So successfull keeping of N. polita is possible in any salt content from pure freshwater to pure saltwater. However, one must take care that the pH will not sink under 8 for longer times, as this will not be tolerated.

In freshwater aquaria one has not to fear a snail plague, because Nerita snails reproduce via a free swimming larva that need pure saltwater to survive. As far as we know there are no reports of a successful breeding of that species under aquarium conditions.

It is quite important to cover the tank closely, because the snails will follow their inner tidal clock from time to time and leave the water.

For our cstomers: the snails have code 485542 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusivekly supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras longipinnis

12. February 2018

We were able to import an interesting Corydoras species from Paraguay, namely Corydoras longipinnis. This species has been scientifically described as recently as 2007 by Joachim Knaack. The new species is a close relative to the well known Corydoras paleatus and reminds one somewhat of the longfinned sport of that species. In Corydoras longipinnis only males develope long extended pectoral fins, whereas in the longfinned sport of C. paleatus also the females show that feature.

Corydoras longipinnis is a subtropical species and should therefore be kept at room temperature. For those who have the opportunity: it can be kept in garden ponds during summertime. Breeding C. longipinnis is easy and is the same as in C. paleatus. That means the fish must be fed heavily until the females show a swollen belly and then you have to change repeatingly a great amount of water and fill up with cool water (3-5°C cooler than the old water). This triggers mating and spawning.

Corydoras longipinnis should be kept in groups of at least 7 specimens. It is completely peaceful against congeneers and all other tankmates. The fish take readily any usual fishfood. Plants become not destroyed. The water parameters are of no great relevance. The pH should not be lower than 6 and not higher than 8.5.

A single bycatch is also very interesting. It is a specimen belonging to the species Corydoras ellisae. But while „regular“ C. ellisae show only two large blotches on a pale ground, this specimen imitates in a certain degree the pattern of C. longipinnis.

For our customers: Corydoras longipinnis has code 233552 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Literature: Knaack, J. (2007): Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Callichthyidae (Teleostei: Siluruformes). III. Corydoras longipinnis sp. n. – ein neuer Panzerwels aus dem río Dulce in Argentinien (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Callichthyidae). Vertebrate Zoology 57 (1): 35-55

Hyphessobrycon paepkei

9. February 2018

The Goldshoulder rosy tetra, Hyphessobrycon paepkei, has been described only a few years ago, the type specimens originated from our fishhouse. THe natural distribution is in the Rio Negro in Brazil. Usullay onyl a few specimens could be selected from shipments of other species, but now we are able to offer the beautiful Goldshoulder rosy tetra on a regular basis. Regarding keeping this fish: it does not differ in any respect from well known, closely related aquarium fish, like the phantom tetras or the rosy tetras.

For our customers: the fish have code 261474 on our stocklist. Please Note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Mastacembelus unicolor

9. February 2018

We import the beautiful fire eel, Mastacembelus erythrotaenia, on a regular basis from Indonesia, usually large specimens, 30-60 cm long. These fish are about as thick as a forearm. Most recently we obtained again four specimens, 50-60 cm long. However, two of them looked totally different. They lack completely the red stripes and spots which are so characteristic for M. erythrotaenia.

We asked Ralf Britz, researcher at the Natural History Museum, London, and one of the leading specialists for that group of fish, for his opinion. He answered that most probably our new imports are Mastacembelus unicolor or – at least – what currently is thought to be M. unicolor. Our sincere thanks once more to London!

The species Mastacembelus unicolor has been described scientifically back in 1831 by Cuvier. This description based on unpublished data and specimens collected by the naturalists Kuhl and van Hasselt, who died at an early age in 1821 and 1823 in Java. They left an important collection of fishes and accurate drawings of fish. Such a drawing also exists of Mastacembelus unicolor. One can clearly recognize the unusual stripe over the pectoral fin and the white seam running along the whole of the dorsal, caudal, and ventral fins. So our new imports – obviously a pair – look at least very, very similar to M. unicolor.

Our pair currently has a light murky skin, but we are sure this will vanish after the fish have settled. Hopefully we are able to import more of these beautiful animals!

For our customers: the fish have code 426726 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photios: Frank Schäfer

Wallagonia micropogon

7. February 2018

This is a fish like an evening in a swamp: dark and spooky. Wallagonia micropogon is a predator, anyone can see. The validity of the species W. micropogon is the subject of controversial discussion, many scientists believe that it is a synonym of Wallagonia leerii. Our specimens originate from Thailand. Currently they are small, only 7-9 cm long, and easy to handle, but  one fine day they will be 1.5 m long and will weigh over 80 kg.

Wallagonia is very similar to the European Wels (Silurus glanis), but Wallagonia swims more often in the open water. Against conspecifics they are quarrelsome.

For our customers: the fish have code 475703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Aphyosemion punctatum

5. February 2018

This gorgeous killi originates from Gabon. We can currently offer very nice German bred ones. The beautiful red and yellow colours fit perfect in the x-mas time, don´t they? Keeping and breeding the up to 4.5 cm long species can be compared with the by far better known lyretail killi, Aphyosemion australe.

For our customers: the fish have code 313302 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Guppy Endler Black Bar

2. February 2018

There are so many new sports in Endler guppys (Poecilia wingei); it is really difficult to keep the overview. Sadly some of these new sports loose the charme of the wild type fish which are characterized by the very tiny males (usually they should not grow larger than 1.5 – 2cm) and the overboarding vivacity. This loss of wild-type characters happens by crossing the Endler with common guppys (Poecilia reticulata).

A sport of the Endler which is very close to wild collected fish is „Black Bar“. Ideal representatives of that sport  have a double sword tail fin and an emerald green back part of the body. We supply this sport (and many other sports) of the Endler along with the „correct“ females, so every hobbyist can try from the very start to breed what the hobbyist feels is the ideal specimen.

For our customers: the fish have code 419122 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Polypterus lapradei

2. February 2018

Napoleon Bonaparte was leader of a campaign through Egypt in the years 1798-1801. He was followed by 169 scientists, among them the zoologist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. After the return to France, Saint-Hilaire described a very strange species of fish he collected in the Nile river in Egypt under the (vernacular) name of Polyptère bichir. The valid scientific name Polypterus bichir was given to the fish only one year later by Lacepéde.

This was the first time ever that scientists all over the world became aware of a group of fish that was already extant 60 million years ago and hardly changed the shape since that time.

A very close relative of P. bichir is P. lapradei. There are in fact only very few features that can be used to distinguish the two fish. We currently have very pretty P. lapradei from Nigeria in stock. The fish were collected near the city of Ughelli in the Delta State of Nigeria. Our specimens are about 25-30 cm long. This is not even half of the size that is given as maximum length of P. lapradei: up to 70 cm! So these animals are mainly suited for specialized keepers of predatory fish or public aquaria.

For our customers: the fish have code 163605 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Danakilia sp. Sukoray

31. January 2018

Danakilia are very strange cichlids that were described scientifically only very recently and were – of course – totally unknown in the hobby, until Anton Lamboj was able to bring some specimens alive back to Austria from Etritrea. He made this expedition together with Giorgio Chiozzi from the Milan Museum. One of the new discovered species could be bred: Danakilia sp. Sukoray, named provisionally after the Wadi where it was collected. For more information of the trip and the biotope, please see the publication „100 Meter unter dem Meeresspiegel: Cichliden aus der Wüste“ by Anton Lamboj, published in Amazonas No 66 (Juli-August 2016).

These fish are the ancestors of the specimens we currently can offer. Our fish are young and young adults, 3-8 cm long.

Keeping Danakilia: it is absolutely necessary to keep them warm. The fish show their temper only at temeratures from 28-30°C. The breeding males become very colourful (black/blue/with a white-yellow hump) – a real eyecatcher! The dominant male will defend a small pit in the bottom; during that period it is always active and displaying. Feeding is absolutely easy, the fish will readily take flakes and frozen food. Best choice is to keep the fish in a group; at least a part of the bottom should be sand to give the males an opportunity to burry the pits. Perfect is a group containing a few males and a greater number of females, the dominant male will become very brillant coloured under these conditions. The tank should be furnished with some roots and stones, but not too much. The swimming behaviour of Danakilia can be best compared with Sarotherodon, eg they are active swimmers and always on move. These fish are female mouthbrooders. The largest fish observed so far are about 12 cm long. If the temperature is too low the fish will look drab. A bright tank with sand, some pebbles and not too small (from 120 cm on) is the perfect home for the active and attractive fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 520211 (3-5 cm) and 520212 (5-8 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Sternarchogiton preto

29. January 2018

Most probably this importation of this black knifefish from Peru („preto“ means „black“) is the first one to Europe. At least the pictures of a life specimen we post here are the only ones we know about. The uniform black coloration is a good feature to distinguish the species from other members of the genus (there are five species of Sternarchogiton known so far). However, if one takes a closer look on the pictures a light stripe over the back is visible in many of them. This is not a true coloration, but a effect from the light. The mucus of the fish is obviously very thick over the back, which s the reason for that light stripe.

Aquarium observations show clearly that this knifefish tends to swim near the water surface. They often take air and water in the mouth; the water becomes spit out in form of a small blast. Most probably these fish feed in the wild on land insects that fall in the water. The species grows to a length of 20-25 cm, so our two specimens are fully grown already. Like most knifeffish these animals are very intelligent and observing them is extremely interesting.

For our customers: the fish have code 293905 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Only two specimens available!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hemichromis exsul

26. January 2018

Red jewel cichlids are wonderful aquariumfishes despite the fact that sometimes very quarrelsome individuals appear. For scientists the complex of species of red jewel cichlids remains a mess. Many meristic features overlap and additionally many species are highly polychromatic.

Hemichromis exsul has been described scientifically already in 1933 under the name of Pelmatochromis exsul. Type locality was lake Rudolf (now: lake Turkana) in Kenya. Later researchers considered H. exsul to be a synonym of Hemichromis letourneauxi.

This point of view became doubted when Lothar Seegers in 1998 published a photo of a Hemichromis that he had collected in lake Turkana. That fish looked totally different from all Hemichromis letourneauxi known so far. Sadly almost never any freshwater fish from Kenya become exported, so H. exsul stayed a phantom.

Specimens of this species could be sourced for Aquarium Glaser the first time this year. They were bred and we can now offer exclusively the first German bred Hemichromis exsul from there.

Hemichromis exsul differs from all other Hemichromis known so far by the dark, blackish rims of the fins. Moreover the typical lateral blotch exhibited by most red jewel cichlids is missing in most animals. The fish stays rather small and are very peaceful – at least for a red jewel cichlid.

For our customers: the animals have code 536351 (3-4 cm) and 536352 (4-6 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Aphyosemion gabunense marginatum

26. January 2018

The concept of subspecies is denied by many recent ichthyologists. They argument that there are either differences – in that case the fish are full species – or there are no differences – in that case they don´t have to be named at all. However, this argumentation does not consider the existing fact that both may be true: there are clear differences that may be found in a peculiar geografic range, but also intergrades that may be found in border-regions between two neighbouring populations. In many species of killifish the coloration is diagnostic for geografic populations, but these populations can usually interbreed with other populations at least under aquarium conditions.

There do exist descriptions of three subspecies of the Gabon killi: A. gabunense gabunense, A. g. boehmi, and A. g. marginatum. We obtained now beautiful animals from a breeder under the name of A. marginatum. Do they represent a subspecies of A. gabunense or a separate, full species? We don´t now and – honestly speaking – we don´t mind too much. From our point of vew it is of much greater interest that the fish are healthy and look great!

In respect of the aquarium biology A. g. marginatum can be compared best with its much better known cousin, A. australe (the Lyretail killi). Like that species, A. g. marginatum is a substrate spawner. The eggs can be hatched under water, they do not need a dry phase necessarily. These killifish become 2-3 yars old under aquarium conditions and are – in this respect – comparable with guppy & co.

For our customers: the fish have code 311503 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Protopterus annectens Nigeria

24. January 2018

There are four species of lungfish occuring in Africa. It is sometimes pretty difficult to distiguish them. In any case the Westafrican Lungfish (Protopterus annectens) is the most common one in the ornamental fish trade, although „most common“ has to be seen as very nuanced. These fish become almost a metre long and are very quarrelsome against conspecifics. So only few specimens become imported per year.

The animals we currently have in stock are between 15 and 25 cm long. So the largest of them are already sexually ripe. The only species of African lungfish in which a scientific research has been done in respect of external differences of the sexes is P. annectens. According to that the males have a broader and longer head compared with the females.

Despite their breathing through lungs many specimens of P. annectens have external gills over a very long period. These external gills are typical for all juvenile lungfish and remind one in larvae of newts and salamanders. Each individual of P. annectens can be recognized by the pattern. There do exist animals with a contrasting leopard pattern, but others from the same locality can be uniform beige. So the coloration does not express anything about locality or sex. 

It is quite astonishing, but these large fish prefer small food items. Of course small fish will live always in danger of becoming eaten in the company of lungfish, but they definitely prefer worms or granulates for food.

For our customers: the fish have code 167603 (15-20 cm) and 167604 (20-25 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Frank Schäfer

Kneria stappersii

22. January 2018

We can offer now for the first time a species of the strange genus Kneria (shellears) as German bred ones. Nobody will buy a shellear for the bright coloration. These fish become about 5 – 7.5 cm long (depending on the species). They have a number of peculiarities that make them extremely interesting from a biological point of view. So, for example, they are able to move the head to the left, to the right and upwards – very unusual for a fish! The odd name „shellear“ refers to an adhesive organ the males have on the sides of the head and that looks a bit like an ear in shape of a shell. This organ is used by the male to attach on the female during mating, but the exact sense of this is not understood yet. Moreover, shellears can breath atmospheric air like anabantoids do.

Kneria stappersii originates from the upper Congo basin. Here it inhabits exclusively the Lubumbashi river. This species becomes about 5 cm long. The animal lives bottom-orientated and here it also searches for food. The omnivorous fishes are easy to feed, any type of usual fish food will be accepted. One should keep Kneria in aquaria with a good current and not too warm (18-24°C). The fish are free spawners that do not take care for the eggs or fry.

For our customers: the fish have code 141962 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Dimidiochromis compressiceps Albino

19. January 2018

There is no consensus among aquarists regarding albino sports. One part of the hobbyists find them awkward, the other part simply wonderful. Readers belonging to the first group: please accept our excuse, next week a different fish will be subject of the post again. For all the others: The Malawi-Eyebiter (Dimidiochromis compressiceps) has a bad reputation and a bad popular name. However, the „eyebiting behaviour“ has never been observed in the aquarium. So in fact this fish is a favorite aquarium inhabitant for decades already, most probably due to its unusual shape. But one should not keep these fish with young fish, except the younsters are brought in as feeder fish…

Against all other species of cichlid, which are too large to serve as food, D. compressiceps is comparatively peaceful – as most predators are. The Malawi-Eyebiter is not much territorial (except the breeding season) and so the species is very well suited for a community tank with other Malawi cichlids except the rock-dwelling Mbuna. The latter are too hectic for the calm predator which inhabits, by the way, preferrably the reed-zones with soft bottom along the shores of lake Malawi.

For our customers: the fish have code 520244 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Aplocheilichthys normani

19. January 2018

A real classic among the species of fish that Takashi Amano preferred to use for his legendary nature aquaria setups is Aplocheilichthys normani (= Poropanchax normani).

A single specimen of that lampeye is a rather drab creature, but a larger school of them in a tank with dimmed light is like magic! The blue eyes drift like small fireflies through the underwater world – wonderful!

Currently we can offer as well wild colleced ones from Guinea and bred ones from Indonesia. Keeping these fish is very easy, but one should avoid the mistake to keep not enough specimes. A school of 20-30 animals is perfect.

For our customers: the fish have code 302392 (wild) and 302402 (bred) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Polypterus teugelsi Bred

17. January 2018

The Cross river in Western Africa is a legendary river. The course of the river starts in Cameroon, the lower part flows through Nigeria. The river is famous for its high degree of endemic species; „endemic“ means that the species occurs only there and nowhere else. Among the endemic species are for example Tetraodon pustulatus and Ctenopoma nebulosum. Another endemic species is Polypterus teugelsi which has been described scientifically only in 2004. Currently it is very difficult to obtain fish from the Cross river, so the species is extremely rare in the trade and expensive.

Now the breeders in Indonesia have managed to breed Polypterus teugelsi successfully. Thus every enthusiast who is interested is enabled to keep the fish. One should, however, keep in mind that the species attains a length of at least 40 cm. They are not small fish at all, despite how charming the youngsters may look. One very special feature in the young P. teugelsi is the fact that they have their dorsal finlets almost always spread.

For our customers: the fish have code 165601 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Brochiloricaria macrodon

15. January 2018

We received from Paraguay this wonderful mouthbrooding whiptail catfish. Once we had this species even as bred ones in stock – many years ago. In our recent import the prolongations of the fins are very obvious. This reminds a bit in Lamontichthys. However, Brochiloricaria has a completely different mouth structure and feeding habit. Brochiloricaria are – like most mouthbrooding whiptail cats, rather interested in meaty food than in Aufwuchs. Our specimens are about 15 cm long. This means they are most probably only half grown, for there are reports of 30 cm long B. macrodon.

For our customers: the animal has code 210954 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply trhe wholesale trade.

Hyalobagrus flavus

22. December 2017

Back in 1903 Georg Duncker from the Hamburg Museum described a small species of catfish from the Malay Peninsula under the name of Pseudobagrus ornatus. The description appeared in the same famous paper in which the harlequin barb (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) and the dwarf rasbora (Boraras maculatus) were described. In contrast to the two barbs, which are since then among the most popular aquarium fishes from Southeast Asia at all, the dwarf-cats remained almost unknown. This is very sad, as Hyalobagrus (this is the genus the species are currently placed in) make perfect aquarium fish, very nice and absolutely peaceful. They like to school with conspecifics. Hyalobagrus are not bottom dwellers in the strict sense of the word, but prefer to swim in the open water. There are currently three accepted species in Hyalobagrus which differ mainly in details of coloration. We were able to import once more Hyalobagrus flavus from Sumatra (Jambi) now; this species has also a population in southern Borneo.

Hyalobagrus are perfect tankmates for small blackwater fishes like barbs, labyrinth fishes and kuhli loaches. Moreover they should be comparatively easy to breed in the aquarium. Ripe females can be easily recognized by the greenish eggs that are visible through the translucent belly. One should be careful when catching the fish, for they have strong serrations on the pectoral spines which can cause a desastrous tangle in the net.

For our customers: the fish have code 421692 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon wadai

22. December 2017

We are very glad to be able to offer this beautiful tetra for the first time now. The fish are German bred ones. The species has been described only in 2016. The natural distribution is the upper basin of the Rio Tapajós. This tetra is already a popular aquarium fish in Sao Paulo (Brazil) since several years. The scientists who described the species honour the Brazilian aquarium enthusiast and breeder Luiz Wada. Peter and Martin Hoffmann were able to obtain some imported specimens and were already successful in breeding them. They reported on that in the Datz magazine 11/2017. These fish are the ones we offer now. Hopefully the „blueberry tetra“ („blackberry tetra“ in German) will find many new friends!

For our customers: the fish have code 262172 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Peter und Martin Hoffmann

Guppy Platinum Gold

20. December 2017

The latest creation from the jewellery Sri Lanka: Platinum Gold. This fish is a further development of the Guppy Full Platinum, which we obtained in August, also from Sri Lanka. The yellow or golden coloration differs a lot individually in the Platinum Gold. Some specimens look like the Full Platinum, just with a yellowish tinge, others glow in a deep egg yolk yellow – a perfect mix!

For our customers: the fish have code 418232 on our stockliat. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Macrobrachium scabriculum

18. December 2017

We have obtained once more beautiful chameleon shrimps (Macrobrachium scabriculum) from India. The common name for that species has been given by Uwe Werner due to the change of the basic coloration during the life. Initially these shrimps are translucent, then they usually become blueish, then brownish and finally almost black. Only the contrasting stripe on the back is present the whole life through. Males become about 6.5 cm long, females about 5 cm. Males develope on one of their chelipeds a kind of fur. The eggs produced by this species are very small, the larvae have to be reared in marine water. As soon as the young shrimps look like shrimps they leave the sea, enter freshwater and stay there for the rest of their lifes.

For our customers: the animals have code 484712 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Leporacanthicus sp. L326

15. December 2017

This unusual Leporacanthicus originates from the Orinoco. The L-number was given already back in 2002. Initially the fish was imported from Colombia. It is said that these fish were collected in the area around Puerto Carreño. We currently received this fish for the first time ever; our specimens come from Venezuela. L326 differs from all other species of Leporacanthicus with a similar coloration by the shape of the caudal fin, which has two well developed tips. Since the original introduction of the species in the DATZ magazine nothing was heard of the fish anymore; indeed we thought initially that our importation would belong to an absolute new species. Ingo Seidel gave us the hint where to reasearch for – thanks for that!

It is said that this Leporacanthicus can reach a size of about 25 cm. The shape of the mouth – the upper lip has extensions like barbels – and the long, fang-like teeth are typical for the genus. Most probably these fish use their teeth to draw snails out of their shell. In any case L326 is a carnivorous fish that prefers to feed on frozen food items and usually refuses plant material in the aquarium.

The shape and number of the white spots differ individually a lot, but besides the already mentioned shape of the caudal fin the whitish borders of the dorsal and the caudal fin seem to be species-specific.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 326-1 (4-6 cm) and 26480-L 326-3 (8-10 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Thorichthys meeki

15. December 2017

The Firemouth (Thorichthys meeki, formerly Cichlasoma meeki) originates from Mexico and belongs to the most popular cichlids at all. This popularity is not at least due to the impressive face mask of the species. No other species of cichlid shows in such perfectness the bottom of the mouth and the deep red skin that covers the gills. The Firemouth acts that way to look much bigger for a potential aggressor. Another trick of the Firemouth are the spots on the operculum that look like eyes. 

For our customers: the fish have code 654705 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Puntigrus anchisporus „Moss Green“

14. December 2017

Many people will still know the tiger barb under the wrong name Barbus or Puntius tetrazona. This species – the correct name is Puntigrus tetrazona – is, however, never kept in aquaria or traded, but exclusively the close relative Puntigrus anchisporus. Both species can be easily distinguished from each other by the colour of the ventral fins, which are pitchblack in tetrazona and deep red in anchisporus.

The sport „moss green“ of P. anchisporus was developed in the 1970ies. In that sport the dark vertical stripes of the wild form are melted together in one solid zone. In all other aspects these moss greens are typical tiger barbs – swashbucklers that never show fear. Due to the extreme play instinst of that species one should never keep tiger barbs along with fish species that require quiet or that have extended fins.

Currently we have very nice German bred moss green barbs in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 372212 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Madeira-Discus arrived!

11. December 2017

There are so many varieties of discus known, but none of the wild collected fish are as variable as the ones from the Rio Madeira. Basically speaking, the Madeira discus is a brown-blue one. The brown morphs of that variety very often exhibit a high degree of red and/or yellow colour on the body, while in the blue morphs often exhibit a „gypsi“-pattern. That means that the blue markings are irregular – this makes the fish very attractive! Another special feature of the Madeira discus is the fact that comparatively often specimens can be found that have a broad central vertical bar, the so-called Hecke bar. The best size for Madeira discus is 9-12 cm. At that size the fish are often breathtaking beautiful. We depict here a selection of our fish we currently have in stock; they all have been imported together.

For our customers: the fish have code 732014 (brown) and 731194 (blue) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The total ban of Channa in the EU is off the table!

8. December 2017

According to our very well informed sources the application to ban the trade and keeping of all species of snakehead (Channa) in the EU has been refused. Obviously just in time the contradiction could be submitted that the ban of a complete genus is not according to the law, but that in any case for every species within a genus a separate risk assessment is necessary.

We are very glad that in this case obviously the judges listened to reason. In times one has to face a increasing populism and blind actionism worldwide this is a sign of hope. Maybe our engagement to hinder the ban of snakeheads has also helped to bring the case to such a positive end. Anyway: hobbyists in the EU now can still enjoy keeping and breeding these fascinating creatures!

Garra culiciphaga

6. December 2017

A quite new fish in the hobby is Garra culiciphaga. Initially this species has been described by the French scientist Pellegrin in 1927 under the name of Hemigrammocapoeta culiciphaga. The up to 8 cm long fish was placed in the genus Hemigrammocapoeta since 2015; recently specilaized researchers see it rather in the genus Garra.

The small, peaceful and wonderful golden glossing cyprinid is a Turkey endemic. The climatic conditions in its home country make Garra culiciphaga very tolerant against different temperatures. Most recent scientific research showed that this freshwater fish tolerates even strongly brackish water up to full salt concentration of the sea.

We obtained for the first time ever some sample specimens from one of our breeders; we hope that we will be able to offer them on a regular basis in the near future.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Acantopsis rungthipae

29. November 2017

You don´t know that name? We didn´t either, until some days ago a taxonomical revision of the horseface loaches of the genus Acantopsis was published. All loaches of the genus used to be named Acantopsis dialuzona in the trade (sometimes the synonym A. choirorhynchos was also used). Currently seven different species are considered to be valid. The different species can be recognized not only by anatomical structures, but also by the colour pattern. Although it will stay very difficult in some cases to determine a single specimen, it is more than likely that the common species in the trade is A. rungthipae. The species A. dialuzona (= A. choiorhynchos) ist still valid; it occurs in Indonesia, Malaysia, and southern Thailand, but is only rarely seen in the trade.

For our customers: we currently received very nice, young A. rungthipae from Thailand; they have code 361103 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Tor putitora

28. November 2017

The Mahseer carps from India are mythical fishes. They belong to the largest carp species of the subcontinent and it is said that they can reach up to 2 m in length. These carps inhabit the same ecological niches in India that are held in Europe by the salmons and trouts. Like in the latter the systematics of the Mahseers are only very little understood and there does existst no possibility to determine the species for sure.

We obtained Mahseer carps from India under the name of Tor putitora. The genus is easy to recognize, so we have no doubts the fish belong to the genus Tor. The species Tor putitora has not been illustrated in the original description and there does not exist any authentic picture from that time. So all the later determinations of what should be Tor putitora have to be seen with a big questionmark. 

All species of Tor have in common very large scales. They are eurythermic fishes that tolerate a extremely wide spectrum of water temperatures: between 5 and 30°C! Tor are wonderful company for heated Koi ponds. The very large scales of adult specimens shine like diamonds. Another very intersting (and not understood) feature is the fact that at least sometimes adult Tor develop very large upturned lips. In some regions of India Mahseer carps are considered holy animals. In the temple ponds they become very tame and pilgrims can feed and touch them.

There is one thing that has to be kept in mind when Tor spp. should be kept in aquaria: these fish are poweful jumpers! In the wild they can overcome pretty high waterfalls. So the tank for Mahseers has to be covered absolutely densely.

For our customers: the fish have code 468203 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma gibbiceps

24. November 2017

Currently we received once more this pretty dwarf cichlid from the Ro Negro basin. It is a typical company of the cardinal tetra in the wild. The species Apistogramma gibbceps cannot be confused with any other species of Apistogramma when it shows the species-specific vertical bars on the belly. Sadly these bars are not visible anytime. Sometime these fish depict – this depends on the mood – only a horonatl stripe or even only a round spot in the center of the body. The very conspicious bar under the eye is visible only when the fish are in aggressive mood.

As in so many species of Apistogramma these fish show an obvious polychromatism in males. This means different colour morphs occur together in the natural habitat. The most obvious morphs in our current stock are blue headed and yellow headed fish. Experience has shown that it is possible to breed even red headed males from yellow headed ancestors in a few generations by selection.

For our customers: the fish have code 620003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon flammeus GOLD

24. November 2017

We want to remind on one of the first species of tetra that reached us from the area around Rio de Janeiro: Hyphessobrycon flammeus, the Flame Tetra. Since the first importation in the year 1924 the species is present in aquaria all over the world, for the fish are easy to breed and very productive.

Sadly H. flammeus is in danger of extinction, for the natural habitat of the Flame Tetra is vanishing. The species has not been exported from Brazil for decades, but every aquarist can help the Flame Tetra to survive: just buy them! As long as the Flame Tetra is demanded in the trade it will be bred by breeders and so the fish has a realistic chance to survive at least in aquaria!

Rather recently a golden sport of this tetra has appeared in the marked, called „Golden Flame Tetra“. In this fish the black markings are lacking. The golden sport is also a very attractive fish!

For our customers: the fish have code 290323 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Etroplus maculatus

22. November 2017

The Indian cichlid, Etroplus maculatus, is a very popular aquarium fish and never disappeared after its first importation again. Recent research suggests that Etroplus is not a close relative of the cichlid family, but rather of the damselfishes (Pomacentridae). However that does not mean anything for the hobby.

Etroplus maculatus can be kept and bred in pure fresh or brackish water. The sexes are equal regarding colour and finnage, but males are always bigger than females, at least after maturity. Males become mature with about 5 cm, females with 4 cm total length. Maximum length is around 9 cm for males. When specimens offered are of equal age or were imported together one should take the largest and the smallest specimen in the tank. They will almost ever form a pair. Etroplus take biparental care. They are open brooders. They attach the eggs on stones, roots etc.. The eggs have small stalks and move when they are fanned. Both parents lead and guard the offspring. The young feed inter alia on skin mucus, similar as young discus do.

For our customers: the fish have code 415803 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Brochis splendens and B. cf. splendens CW 35

20. November 2017

Currently is a top season for large, breathtaking Green Cats, Brochis splendens. We have two varieties in stock which are collected in areas that have roughly 1.200 km distance from each other. The one comes from Peru and represents the „typical“ B. splendens. The species has been described scientifically from the Rio Tocantins in Brazil; the species B. coeruleus, which is considered currently as a synonym of B. splendens, originates from a tributary of the Rio Ambyiacu in Peru.

The other variety originates from the Mato Crosso in Brazil. It has been given the additional code CW 35 by cory enthusiasts. This CW 35 differs from the regular B. splendens in coloration. The fins of CW 35 are bright orange (colorless in typical B. splendens), and the belly has also a bright orange colour in CW 35 (in typical B. splendens the belly is whitish). The head pattern is also different. Many specmens of CW 35 have fine spots on the head, which are lacking in typical B. splendens.

Both are splendid fish and belong to the largest species of cory cats: they become around 8 cm long.

For our customers: CW 35 from Brazil has Code 212506, the Peruvian B. splendens 212505 on our stocklsit. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Taeniacara candidi

17. November 2017

This dwarf cichlid from Brazil is a very pretty species. Currently we have charming wild collected specimens in a good number in stock. Principically speaking Taeniacara – there is only one known species, T. candidi – is a very elongated Apistogramma. So the aquarium biology is quite comparable in both genera. That means the fish need fine sand as bottom (at least in a part of the aquarium) and that the dwarf cichlids need caves or comparable places to spawn. The female alone is responsible to take care for eggs and freshly hatched youngsters.

However, there are also several very special and unique elements in the behaviour of Taeniacara candidi which led some dwarf cichlid enthusiasts to the opinion that T. candidi is the most interesting species of Southamerican dwarf cichlids at all. The specimens we currently have imported are still small, so we add some picts of fully grown specimens from our picture archieves to this post.

For our customers: the fish have code 687912 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Parauchenoglanis punctatus

17. November 2017

Among the imports from central Africa this beautiful catfish is a real rarity. It is known so far only from the central Congo basin. From that region only few fish are imported regulary.

The species attains a length of approximately 40 cm. Thus it is a perfect tankmate for show aquaria with larger species of cichlid, barb or tetra. Interestingly the gut of specimens in the field contained only parts of plant material, insect larvae and shrimp, but no fish. Nevertheless it seems not wise to keep too small fish along with them. 

It is also very interesting that our imported specimens (they have a length of 6-8 cm) already show a sexual dimorphism (body proportions, larger fins in males).

For our customers: the fish have code 100351 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholsale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon eques wild

15. November 2017

The Serpae tetra is one of the most popular tetras at all. This is doubtless due to its intensive red coloration. In respect of the behaviour one cannot trust them too far. They have the nasty tendency to bite off pieces of finnage from other fish, also from conspecifics. 

From a scientific point of view the Serpae tetra is subject of a controversial debate that lasts already for more than 50 years – and still no satisfying solution has been published yet. How many species cover behind the common name of „Serpae tetra“? And what is the correct scientific name for them? So hobbyists interested in tetras will for sure be happy that we were able to import now some wild collected specimens. They originate from the surroundings of the city of Cuiabá in the state of Mato Grosso. Currently these animals are about 3 cm long and thus not fully grown and not full in color yet, but very healthy and lively.

The import happend in July 2017. We kept some specimens in our fishhouse to see what would become of them. They go for sale now, too. The fish became very nice, graceful Serpa tetras. The most remarkable thing is that they are very peaceful against each other. Of course the males display against each other (as it is usual in the tetra family), but they don´t even hurt the finneage of the competitor, as it sadly often happens in aquarium strains.

For our customers: the fish have code 261932 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Tatia dunni „White“

13. November 2017

We were able to import the wooddrift catfish Tatia dunni for the first time in 2010 (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/tatia_dunni_en/). Animals from this stock were given to one of our breeders, Jürgen Hattenberger. Sadly he died unexpected a few weeks ago. Jürgen was able to establish a breeding stock from the first importation and since then we obtained from time to time bred T. dunni from him. He also developed a pale strain from these fish he called T. dunni „White“.

We now received from the closing of the fishhouse of J. Hattenberger both „normal“ bred T. dunni as well as white ones. We hope that the interesting white strain will be preserved in the aquarium hobby.

For our customers: the fish have code 295697 (normal) and 295698 (white) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hemiloricaria melini

10. November 2017

Lately we introduced to you Hemiloricaria sp. „Puerto Ayacucho“, a species known so far from Venezuela only, which we could import along with Hemiloricaria melini from Brazil. This post led to a number of requests wether we could also depict the imported melini-Whiptails.

Well, we can: here they are!

Hemiloricaria melini forms along with H. formosa, H. teffeana and H. sp. „Barcelos“ a small complex of so-called „Apache Whiptails“ that have in common a very attractive leopard pattern. H. melini is said to become about 10 cm long in literature, but our specimens are already about 15 cm long. The beautiful fish should be kept on fine sand bottom in soft and acidic water.

For our customers: the fish have code 288675 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Maylandia greshakei

10. November 2017

The zebra cichlids fro  Lake Malawi are very popular aquarium fishes. Among them is Maylandia greshakei, which looks very special due to its bright orange dorsal fin. In the wild – the fish is endemic to Lake Malawi – it is restricted to only two comparatively small areas, eg Crocdile Rocks and Makokola Reef, both in the southern part of the lake. This makes the species vulnerable for uncontrolled human activites. So collecting the fish for ornamental purposes is usually not allowed. All M. greshakei in the trade are bred ones.

Maylandia greshakei is sometimes also called Metriaclima greshakei. In the aquarium, this fish can attain a maximum length of about 15 cm. Such giants are never found in the natural habitat. This has two reasons. First of all a wild fish does not live long enough to grow so big. And second the food the fish get in the wild is very nutrient poor compared with almost all types of typical fish food for ornamental fish. The correct feeding is the key for beautiful and healthy Maylandia, for fat animals become drab and sick. The balance between good and varied nutrients and fibres is crucial. Correctly fed bred fish are as beautiful as wild collected ones.

As in all cichlids from lake Malawi the pH should never drop below 8. In all other respects of water the fish are undemanding. A lot of waterchanges are recommended to keep the fish fit and healthy and the fsih will show a maximum of coloration if kept that way.

For our customers: the fish have code 550962 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Tilapia buettikoferi

8. November 2017

There are several species of cichlid termed „zebra cichlid“ in the aquarium hobby. However, none of the has a black-and-white pattern like the wild horse, but a green or blue basic colour. Examples are „Zebra cichlid“ from Central America (Amatilania nigrofasciata, formerly placed in Cichlasoma) or the „zebras“ from Lake Malawi (genus Maylandia). A real zebra is the beautiful Tilapia buettikoferi. There is, as far as we know, no other species of cichlid in the hobby that has such a contrasting black-and-white pattern.

Tilapia buettikoferi attains a maximum length of 30-40 cm and is one of the largest species of the genus. In real (!) large tanks this species is an absolute eyecatcher and reminds one in the Tanganyika-humphead (Cyphotilapia frontosa) due to the calm temper. However, T. buettikoferi is an openbrooder with biparental care and very productive.

Tilapia buettikoferi originates from western Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone). Our specimens are German bred ones. The species is omnivorous and the diet should contain larger amounts of plant material.

There does exist some chaos in respect of the scientific naming of that species. This is not the right place to discuss these things, but one should know that the specific name is sometimes spelled buttikoferi (in the original description from 1894 it is spelled with Umlaut „ü“, which not allowed according to the international rules of nomenclature). Moreover the species is sometimes placed in the genus Heterotilapia (an invalid genus name) or Herotilapia (a generic name used for Central American cichlids). Both is wrong.

For our customers: the fish have code 576903 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Catathyridium jenynsii

6. November 2017

Flatfishes, like flounders, soles, turbots etc. are usually living in marine environments. But there do exist also pure freshwater species. Among them is Catathyridium jenynsii from southern South America. We obtained a specimen from Paraguay, but the fish has a pretty wide distribution in the large river basins of the Paraná and Uruguay.

The species attains a maximum length of about 20-25 cm; thus it is a rather large fish. As Catathyridium jenynsii are predatory fish one should not choose too small other fish as tankmates, for they might be eaten. Besides fish and chopped fish pieces, the flatfish will readily accept earthworms. The bottom in a flatfish tank must contain places with with fine sand where the fish can burry themselves, otherwise they will get skin diseases.

This is a southern species, so the water temperature should be lowered from time to time. Given then tank is placed in a living room it is best to switch off the aquarium heater during the winter. Against other fish Catathyridium jenynsii is absolutely peaceful. Kai Arendt suggested a common name for the fish: Bearded Paraná Sole, due to the great number of cirrhi around the head.

For our customers: the fish have code 214505 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Only one specimen available!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Cherax peknyi

3. November 2017

Finally we were able to import once more zebra lobsters. These crayfish had several changes in respect of the determination, because the freshwater crayfish from New Guinea were hardly know prior to their discovery as aquarium inhabitants. Initially they were imported under the name of C. misolicus, but it was guessed they might be closer to C. papuanus. They valid name s now Cherax peknyi Lukhaup & Herbert, 2008.

The colourful crayfish from New Guinea are easy to keep and breed in the aquarium, but one should be aware that they alwys try to hide and unsually leave their hiding places only by night and when they are fed. The basic food for all of them are dead leaves from trees, but they also accept literally all thinkable types of fish food accepted by ornamental fish.

For our customers: the animals have code 483024 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nomorhamphus liemi 

3. November 2017

This wonderfully coloured halfbeak originates from the island of Sulawesi ( = Celebes) where it occurs in the southern half; it is endemic in the Maros highlands. In contrast to the closely related genus Dermogenys the upper and the lower jaw are approximately equally long (thus the generic name). In some species, however, is seems not so clear whether they belong to Dermogenys or to Nomorhamphus.

There are two described subspecies of Nomorhamus liemi, eg N. liemi liemi with black fins and N. l. snijdersi with red fins. In wild collected specimens all intermediate states can be found, so currently no subspecies of N. liemi are accepted scientifically. However, in the hobby specimens with a very high amount of red coloration are still called „snijdersi“.

An interesting feature in N. liemi is the fleshy hook many specimens develope on the lower jaw. It is not known what it is good for.

In the wild, N. liemi mainly inhabits brooks and the fish like a comparatively strong current in the aquarium. They are livebearing fishes, the females can give birth every 4 to 6 weeks. The young are very big, sometimes even 2.5 cm long! The mothers hunt their babies quite fiercely. Breeding will be only successful if the adults are properly fed; live insects (crickets, flies, buffalo-worms etc.) are an important part of the diet.

The water temperatures should be relative low (20 – 24°C), the pH higher than 7. Males are very aggressive against each other. Other tankmates are usually ignored.

For our customers: the fish have code 438833 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Nomorhamphus: from ancient Greek, means “with regular jaws”; this refers to the almost equally long upper and lower jaw, which is the difference to all other halfbeaks. liemi: dedication name. snijdersi: dedication name.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Catoprion mento

30. October 2017

 

Photos: Frank Schäfer

Hemiloricaria sp. „Puerto Ayacucho“

27. October 2017

Finally we were able again to import some of the beautiful Hemiloricaria melini from ´Brazil (Rio Negro basin). As usual this shipment contained several bycatches, like H. sp. Weißdorn and H. castroi (see our post http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/hemiloricaria-bycatches/), but this time there were also some specimens we have never seen before. The most obvious feature of the fish is the black „peppered pattern“.

In Welsatlas Vol 1 a species of Hemiloricaria from Venezuela is presented under the name of „Rinelorcaria sp. Puerto Ayacucho“ which looks extremely similar to our new ones. We asked specialist Ingo Seidel for his opinion and he agreed that our new importations obviously belong to „Puerto Ayacucho“. That fish was known so far only from the Orinoco basin, but now we have to realize that „Puerto Ayacucho“ has a much wider distribution and can be also found in the Rio Negro basin.

For our customers: the fish have code 289095 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very small numbers ony!

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

A little sensation: the first documented OB discus!

27. October 2017

A few weeks ago we received a shipment of hald grown wild collected discus via Manaus. The animals acclimatised very well. As soon as they showed the normal coloration we found that there was one very special animal among them. It was blotched. Initially we thought that the animal would be sick, but it feeds well and interacts with its conspecifics. If the fish is disturbed it becomes dark, and sometimes the regular stripes are visible. In situations the animal is relaxed the basic colour tends to orange. There are only little doubts left that the fish indeed represents a so-called „Orange Blotch“ (= OB) morph.

The OB phenomenon can e observed in serval species of cichlid from Africa and South America that are not closely related to each other. The most popular OB fishes come from lake Malawi, the so called „marmelade cats“, but OB morphs are also found in Tropheus moorii from lake Tanganyika, in species of Oreochromis from Central and Western Africa and in species of Amphilophus from Central America. The biological sense of this phenomenon is not understood yet.

We can say that we never heard so far that the OB phenomenon also appears in wild discus. From an aesthetic point of view the fish is not very spectacular. But the phenomenon as such is remarkable and we are very curious if this fish will become the ancestor of a new strain of bred discus sport.

Text & photos: Frank 

Corydoras pantanalensis

25. October 2017

Currently we can offer one of the most beautiful and most splendid species of Corydoras, namely C. pantanalensis. Before its scientific description it was known as C5. This species attains a body length of about 8 cm and is one of the largest species of Corydoras. Within the genus, C. pantanalensis belongs to a relationship around C. elegans. All species of that group have in common a very obvious sexual dichromatism and the behaviour to swim a lot in the open water column instead near the bottom as most other species of Corydoras do.

Besides the impressive size Corydoras pantanalensis is also very interesting because the males develop during the breeding season a completely different pattern. In this time they have a dark net pattern all over the body. The somewhat larger males in our stock actually get the mating pattern now; we present here photos of them. For comparative reasons we also show you some elder pictures of fully mature animals in mating pattern, too.

For our customers: the fish have code 240623 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Procatopus aberrans

23. October 2017

We obtained very nice Procatopus aberrans from Nigeria. These lampeyes are very peaceful schooling fish that live near the water surface or at least in the upper third of the water column. In contrast to most other species of lampeye that have an iridescent blue zone in the iris, in P. aberrans the iridescent zone in the eye is copper red. This is seen best when the light comes from top. It is recommended to keep lampeyes in general in a tank in which at least a few hours per day natural sunlight can shine in. Under these conditions the brillant turquoise flanks and the bright copper red eyes shine in a way the delights the heart of every real aquarist! Males become considerably larger than the females, the latter have moreover a differently shaped, much shorter anal fin.

For our customers: the animals have code 343102 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Guppy Endler „Ginga Rubra“

20. October 2017

This charming sport of the Guppy is said to have been developed in Japan. The name of the Japanese breeder is cited as Tanaka. The „Ginga Rubra“ is a very lively and robust sport. Our specimens are German bred ones, the basic colour of our fish is blond.

For our customers: the fish have code 419016 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras orcesi and C. pastazensis

20. October 2017

These beautifully marked species appeared only very occasionally in the aquarium hobby. Corydoras orcesi has been described from the Rio Tigre system in Ecuador. Initially it was described as a subspecies of the similar Corydoras pastazensis. However, so far no intergrades have been found and this makes it very likely that both are seperate species.

We were able to import both species from Peru now. If one has the opportunity to see them side by side they are very easy to distinguish from each other. Both species belong to the tribe of the saddle-nosed Corydoras. Males stay smaller than the females. So far the fish have proofed to be hardy aquarium inhabitants. A tank for Corydoras should in general have at least in part a bottom of fine, smooth sand. Worms (Tubifex) are the preferred food, but they feed readily on anything that is usually fed on ornamental fish, may it be living, frozen or dried. Both species reach about 6-7 cm in length.

For our customers: C. orcesi has code 237903 and C. pastazensis code 240304 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Corydoras: from ancient greek, means „with helmet and spear“. This refers to the strong armor and fin spines. orcesi: dedication name in honour of Gustavo Orcés-Villagomez. pastazensis: after the Rio Pastaza in the Pastaza province, Ecuador, where the species is found.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

L168 Zonancistrus brachyurus

18. October 2017

We obtained wonderful L168 from Brazil. In this case the L-number provides a safer information than the scientific name. Due to several misidentifications this fish was in the hobby initially named Peckoltia pulcher, then Dekeyseria pulcher, sometimes also Zonancistrus pictus. But the valid name (this is at least current state of the art) is Zonancistrus brachyurus. Moreover, this species is often confused with the very similar species L52 from the Orinoco basin.

Zonancistrus brachyurus attains a maximum length of about 15 cm.  It originates from the Rio Negro system. L168 is very peaceful against conspecifics and can be kept in larger groups. This makes breeding attempts easier. Anyone who tries to breed the beautiful fish is recommended to use very soft water with an pH of 5.5 to 6 and a water temperature between 26 and 28°C. L168 is a typical cave spawner.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 168-4 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Chelonodon patoca

16. October 2017

We received this beautiful species of brackish water puffer from Thailand. The species Chelonodon patoca has a wide distrubution in the Indian Ocean. It is often placed in the genus Chelonodontops in recent times. Adult specimens – the species becomes up to 30 cm long – usually live in the sea, while young fish live in brackish water and swim occassionally far upstreams. It is best to keep them in brackish water.

Sadly many individuals of that beautiful fish become fin biters. So one should keep them only along with fast fish that can avoid the attacks of the puffer. Otherwise C. patoca is easy to keep and – like most pufferfishes – very interesting. One should have a sandy bottom in the aquarium, as C. patoca likes to burry itself from time to time.

For our customers: the fish have code 409802 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Xiphophorus hellerii King Lyratail

13. October 2017

Lyretail swordtails are a sport of Xiphophorus hellerii and rather difficult to breed. Usually only the females can be used for breeding. They need „normal“ males for mating, because in most Lyretail males the fin that is used for insemination in livebearers, the so called gonopodium, is much prolonged and useless. Among ornamental fish breeders the word of „playing Mikado with cooked spaghetti“ is well known… If one uses „normal“ males for breeding Lyretails only a part of the offspring has the Lyretail phenotype. This is the reason why Lyretails are usually more expensive than other sports of the swordtail.

But very rarely Lyretail male swordtails appear that have polonged fins, but a normal gonopdium. These are called „King Lyretail Swordtails“. Dieter Bork has bred King Lyretails for us that are already offspring from King Lyretail fathers. The latter have been selected by us from imported Lyretails. Most of the fish belong to the sport „guentheri red“, but some other sports are also among our fish. The King Lyra females usually develop a small sword when fully grown.

The King Lyra swordtails we currently have in stock are most probably the very first ones that appeared in the ornamental wholesale trade at all, they are a real top-rarity!

For our customers: the fish have code 420823 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusvely supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbes only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Etroplus canarensis

13. October 2017

Only three species of cichlid are found in Asia, all of them belong to the genus Etroplus. But many scientists believe that Etroplus are closer to damsels than to cichlids. Anyway, all three species are marvelous aquarium fish. Two of them, E. maculatus and E. suratensis are wide spread.

 

There was no trace of E. canarensis for over 100 years on the other hand and some people already assumed, it may be extinct. This beautifully coloured perch gets approx. up to 10cm long. It is a pure freshwater inhabitant. The peaceful animals should not be kept in company of fast eating kinds to avoid that they get too less food when being fed. Apart from fights for the hierarchy after being put inside, E. canarensis get along together well.

The fish are available only once per year and in limted numbers; currently this is the case.

For our customers: the fish have code 415752 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Photos: F. Schäfer, Text: K. Diehl

Nothobranchius eggersi Kubiti-Utete 07

11. October 2017

Among the most variable species of kiliifish is Nothobranchius eggersi, the Orchid nothobranch. This species has been discovered on an expedition in winter 1980/81 by Lothar Seegers, Gerd Eggers, and Christel Kasselmann in eastern Tanzania. One year later L. Seegers described the species scientifically. The species lives endemic in the Rufiji river basin. The type locality is south of Kibiti on the bank of the Ruhoi river. Here the first four specimens  were collected in a ditch.

Due to the high degree of variability it is very important to spread offspring with a correct locality/collecting site information: this has a long tradition among killifish freaks. Even we in the wholesale trade try our best to use this naming wherever possible.

Keeping and breeding Nothobranchius eggersi is comparable to that of other species of nothobranch; the species is usually not very much demanding. Although the lifespan in the wild is usually only a few weeks they can live in the aquarium up to 16 months. If young fish are feed heavily they can reach sexual maturity at an age of 20 days. They are about 22 mm long then. Maximum size reported is 4-5 cm (males), females always stay much smaller.

For our customers: the animals have code 330503 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Gymnallabes typus

9. October 2017

We obtain a very strange catfish on a regular basis from Nigeria: Gymnallabes typus. Sadly the fish has been given the name Channalabes apus in the hobby; this is a different species from the Congo. The catfish has an eel-like body, becomes 20-30 cm long, has an impressive mustache and tiny little eyes. In the natural habitat this species lives in wet leaves. The biotope often looks like anything but a water. Here Gymnallabes apus lives and he is perfectly adopted to that habitat. The catfish belongs to the very few species of fish that are able to leave the water and make prey on land. Moreove this fish is not beathing by gills alone but has an aditional beathing organ that allows the fish to breath atmospheric air.

In the wild, this fish feeds mainly on insects, but in the aquarium it feeds literally anything that fits the mouth and is meaty, even very small fish. But all in all this catfish can be characterized as a very peaceful animal. The only „must have“ of the fish are dark hiding places. In all other respects Gymnallabes typus is absolutely undemanding in aquaria.

For our customers: the fish have code 111501 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Betta splendens Wild

6. October 2017

The wild forms of the Betta splendens-group are very difficult to determinate, even for specialists and in some cases a safe determination will fail at all. Currently these species are placed in the group: Betta imbellis, B. mahachaiensis, B. siamorientalis, B. smaragdina, B. splendens, and B. stiktos. Inside this group one can differentiate two subgroups, namely the Betta smaragdina-subgroup, containing B. mahachaiensis, B. smaragdina, and B. stiktos, and the Betta splendens-subgroup that contains the remaining species.

The only way to distinguish the species of the Betta splendens-subgroup is via the coloration of the head of males in aggressive mood. In Betta imbellis a blue stripe appears at the edge of the operculum, another blue stripe appears in front of it behind the eye. In Betta splendens and B. siamorientalis the whole head becomes dark or black and at the egde of the operceulum a red or yellowish stripe appears.  All other details in coloration and morphometrics overlap broadly in the three species and are hardly useful for determination purposes. However, DNA analyses support strongly the existence of the three species.

We recently obtained wild specimens of Betta splendens from Thailand. The animals were collected near Kanchanaburi. They are beautiful fish with lot of temper and a lot of red coloration. Please don´t be fooled by the lancet shape of the photographed male. This is an individual thing and may appear in old males of all species. All other males in our shipment have „normal“, round caudal fins.

For our customers: the fish have code 390013 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Rasbora sarawakensis

4. October 2017

Once more we are able to offer that pretty Rasbora that attains a maximum length of about 5 cm. This Rasbora is a very peaceful fish that will not touch any plant in the tank. It prefers to swim in small schools along with conspecifics. R. sarawakensis feeds readily on any type of usual fish food.

Despite the specific name that suggests the fish originates from Sarawak (the part of Borneo belonging to Malaysia) this species has a much wider distribution on the island an can be found also in the Indonesian part. 

For our customers: the fish have code 452882 on or stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Gymnogeophagus caaguazuensis

29. September 2017

We received wonderful wild collected specimens of this mouthbrooding cichlid (the females orally broods the larvae and young fry) from Paraguay. This species attains a maximum length of about 9 cm only (standard length, with the caudal fin the maximum length is around 12 cm) and thus is one of the smallest members of the genus. We have three sizes in stock: 4-6 cm (just reaching maturity), 8-10 cm (adult) and 10-12 cm (show size).

For our customers: the fish have code 676752 (5-8 cm) and 676754 (8-12 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Congochromis sabinae and C. sp. „Green Speckle“

29. September 2017

We obtained these beautiful and extremely rarely offered dwarf cichlids as bycatches with other fishes from the Congo. Congochromis sabinae was prior to its scientific description known under a number of trade names: C. sp. „Bloody Mary“, C. sp. „Gemena“, C. sp. „Bamanja“ or C. sp. „Makoua, all of them also in the combination with the former generic placement Nannochromis. Only two specimens were found among butterfly barbs (Enteromius hulstaerti) that developed luckily to a very nice pair. Sadly we can offer only this single pair…

Congochromis sp. „Green Speckle“ were among our imports of Microctenopoma ansorgii. We have twice as much of them than of C. sabinae: two pairs! These fish are much larger than out C. sabinae and remind one a bit in Pelvicachromis. Females of C. sp. „Green Speckle“ have a metalic green  spot on the hips, which can disappear completely in different moods. By the way: the abilty to change the coloration is phenomenal in this species!

For our customers: C. sabinae have code 554661 on our stocklist, C. sp. „Green Speckle“ code 554684. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nandus nebulosus

28. September 2017

We received from Thailand the only rarely offered Nandus nebulosus. There are two, pretty similar species of Nandus occuring in Thailand: thre deep-bodied N. oxyrhynchus from the basins of the large rivers Mekong and Mae Klong and the somewhat more slender, short nosed species N. nebulosus from the south of the country. However, regions are known where both species occur sympatrically. The greatest part of the natural range of N. nebulosus is the Malaian Peninsula and Indonesia. 

In the wild, N. nebulosus is very often found in blackwater habitats. This type of water is very poor in respect of food and so the tiny size of N. nebulosus is a benefit. Uusally the species becomes 4-6 cm long, the largest specimen collected so far was 8 cm long.

Nandus nebulosus looks like an innocent child due to the short snout and the large eyes; the congeneric species look much more „predatory“. But one should not make the mistake to get N. nebulosus wrong: this fish easily swallows fish of half of its own body size. Besides this all Nandus species are very peaceful fish.

Nandids belonging to the genus Nandus do not take care for the brood, while most other members of the family do.

For our customers: the fish have code 438112 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Yasuhikotakia modesta

25. September 2017

We received from Thailand this wonderful sport of the Blue Loach (Yasuhikotakia modesta, formerly known as Botia modesta). The species is well known for its variability. Most often the fish are blue with bright red fins, but the body colour can vary from blue over green to blue-grey and the fins can be anything from yellow over orange to deep red, all depending on the population. The tiger pattern a phenomenon that cannot be explained currenty, It appears from time to time, most often in younger specimens (this is the reason why it is often explained as a juvenile pattern), but it can also appear in adult fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 404002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Leporinus steyermarki

22. September 2017

Leporinus steyermarki is a beautiful large tetra. It can reach a maximum size of about 30 cm and originates from Venezuela. In German, the fish is now and then named “Grey Leporinus” which is for sure not describing accurately the coloration of the animal. Maybe this name bases on a confusion with another of the numerous species of Leporinus.

Like all Leporinus, this fish is an omnivorous animal that takes a lot plant of material for food. Our specimens currently are 4-6 cm long and very peaceful against each other.

For our customers: the fish have code 265882 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Leporinus: Latin, means “hare-nose”. steyermarki: named for Julian A. Steyermark who led the 1953 botanical Venzuela Expedition of the Chicago Natural History Museum; the fish was discovered during this expedition.

Suggestion of a common name: Golden Spotted Leporinus

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Gymnothorax polyuranodon

22. September 2017

This is the only real freshwater species of moray: Gymnothorax polyuranodon. Usually this species is not found over 30-40 km away from the coast, but most often in pure freshwater. The other salt tolerant species of moray, for example Gymnothorax tile, usually do not leave the tidal zone.

We could import this only very rarely available species (despite its wide distribution in the indo-west pacific region) now from Indonesia. Our 10 specimens are juveniles, 20-25 cm long. Maximum length reported for this species is about 150 cm. Each single specimen has an individual pattern of spots.

In the aquarium these morays are very anxious during settlement. So they should be kept along only with absolutely peaceful and calm fish. For feeding one should place some live small feeder fish of about guppy size in the moray tank. When these feeder fish are vanished the morays have started feeding. However, the keeper has to be patient. Often enough this takes several days to weeks. The fasting is usually harmless for the morays.

Breeding appears only in the sea – like in all species of moray. This is the reason why the species is so far spread, as the eggs and the larvae are taken away with the currents. In respect of keeping morays in the aquarium one has to take care that the tanks is absolutely closely covered. Morays will find even the smallest gap and press their body through – often with a fatal consequence. Besides this the pH is important: it should never be on the acidic side, but always over 7.5, better over 8.

For our customers: the fish have code 419654 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Osphronemus exodon

20. September 2017

Until the end of the 20th century it was believed that the giant gouramies would be represented only by one single species. But then a number of additional species was recognized, among them Osphronemus exodon from the Mekong river. Juveniles look very much alike common giant gouramies (O. goramy), only educated people note the higher number of stripes on the flanks and the somewhat different shaped caudal spot. But adult animals cannot be taken for mistake: they have teeth on their lips! It is unknown what these teeth are good for.

Juvenile giant gouramis of all species are pretty aggressive against each other. Only after the puberty – at a size of 15-20 cm – this aggressiveness becomes less. In very large tanks one can try nevertheless to keep a number of juveniles together, but even under these conditions some fin damage will be rather normal. Who does not like this is recommended to keep juveniles singulary until they have a size of about 20 cm and then accompany them with conspecifics in a very large tank. Adult giant goramies are quite peaceful against their own kind. Other fish, by the way, are usually ignored by giant gouramies in all live stages. O. exodon becomes about 60 cm long.

Osphronemus exodon is a real rarity; after quite a lomg time we were able now to import again some juvenile, 5-6 cm long specimens.

For our customers: the animals have code 440793 on our stocklist. Please note the we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Peckoltia brevis / LDA 78

18. September 2017

We received this beautiful small pleco once more from Brazil. The species became popular in the hobby long time before any L-numbers were created. Peckoltia brevis attains a maximum length of about 12 cm. It originates from affluents of the Amzaon river, for example from the Rio Purus, the Rio Jurua, the Rio Manacapuru, and the Rio Tefé. The juveniles we currently imported are basically yellow, but elder fish become more dark and develop a very nice orange to pink-brown coloration.

Peckoltia brevis is a pretty alternative to the by far more widespread species of Ancistrus; the lifestyle of both is very similar.

For our customers: the animals have code 276991 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nannostomus trifasciatus „Gold“

15. September 2017

Only very rarely we obtain assorted „goldtetras“ in numbers. An exception of that rule is, however, „the“ gold tetra, Hyphessobrycon saizi (usually traded under the wrong name H. eos). But basically every tetra can become a golden one – they are only hard to find.

We now received from Peru large, fully mature golden Nannostomus trifasciatus. The golden colour is a reaction of the skin, caused by an overcomed infection with a parasite; so the strongness of the golden shine differs individually and the offspring of golden fish look absolutely normal – no gold at all. Golden tetras have no disadvantage against normal coloured conspecifics in an aquarium.

In the wild this is totally different. The parasite that causes the golden shine must find its way in the intestines of a fish-eating bird to develop and to reproduce. Until a golden tetra is eaten by a bird the parasite stays in an inactive state. The chance that such a golden fish is preyed on is much bigger than for a normal coloured fish, which is camouflaged when looked at from top. So the golden animals are under a much higher pressure to be prayed on than normal ones and this is most probably the reason why ornamental fish collectors usually cannot find them in numbers.

For our customers: the fish have code 272315 on our stocklist.Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Scatophagus tetracanthus

13. September 2017

We received this top rarity from the Pacific coast of Eastern Africa. For the first time ever we can offer 27 specimens. Like all scats this species is completely euryhalin, this means it can change freely between the sea and freshwater; this is their typical behaviour in the wild. Much more important than the salt content is the pH for these fishes: pH must never drop below 8 over a longer period.

The extremely beautiful Scatophagus tetracanthus are omnivorous fishes. They prefer small crustaceans, like artemia or cyclops, but they also feed on vegetables. The maximum length reported for S. tetracanthus is 30 cm, but it usually is fully grown with 15-20 cm; at least in the wild hardly ever larger indiviuals are found. One should be careful when catching the fish, as they produce a venom in glands under the first dorsal fin. A sting is very painful, but usually harmless. Only allergy sufferers should be careful and visit a medic if stung.

African scats are quite peaceful fish that often swim in large schools. It is also recommended to keep them in groups in the aquarium, if necessary along with their green and spotted cousins from southeast Asia.

For our customers: the fish have code 169103 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer