Author Archives: Paul_

Mormyrus rume

24. September 2014

Mormyrus rume Mormyrus rume

We received a species of bred fish from Singapore which is usually only traded as wild collected ones: Mormyrus rume.

Currently the genus Mormyrus contains 24 species and subspecies. The determination is a very difficult task. Moreover, juveniles look totally different to adults. We obtained bred specimens of a species of Mormyrus from Singapore under the name of M. longiristris. A species M. longirostris does exist, but it originates from Mozambique and in that country work no ornamental fish collectors. It is much more likely the the fish belong to the species M. rume, which originates from Nigeria. We also get sometimes some wild collected M. rume from there.

However, both Mormyrus species are almost identical, not only externally, but also in respect of their aquarium maintance. The weakly electric fish are always involved in minor quarrels against conspecifics, what can be seen in harmless fin-damages. One should keep them solitary or in very large tanks in groups. Both species of Mormyrus can grow larger than 75 cm.

For our customers: the fish have code 151602 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

L107 / L184 Brillant-Ancistrus

24. September 2014

Among the most beautiful species of Ancistrus is this one. It originates from the middle Rio Negro area in Brazil and is not yet determined scientifically. Instead even two L-numbers have been given to it, namely L107 and L184.

The Brilliant Ancistrus is a very peaceful species. The number and size of the white spots differs in every individual specimen. There are fish with very small, numerous spots and others that have comparatively large, fewer spots. In some fish only the first third of the body has spots, but most of the specimens have spots all over the body.

We were able to import this beautiful fish from Brazil now.

For our customers the fish have code 26480-L 107-3 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien / Brazil
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Ophichthus apicalis

16. September 2014

Ophichthus apicalis Ophichthus apicalis Ophichthus apicalis Ophichthus apicalis

Eels (in the scientific sense) are usually no ornamental fish. But there is a greater number of species than one expects, and many of them are used for human consumption. We were able now to import a species of eel from Vietnam that was to the best of our knowledge never imported before alive: Ophichthus apicalis. The species belongs to the snake-eel family (Ophichthidae) and has a gigantic natural distribution in the Indo-Pacific. Usually the up to 45 cm long species is found in the sea, but it is very often found also in brackish environments. The genus Ophichthus contains currently 75 accepted species.

We received specimens in two sizes, 30-35 cm long and a dozen fully grown specimens. Nobody would regard these fish as beautiful, but in any case they are very interesting!

For our customers: the fish have code 439852 and 439853 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Vietnam
Verfügbare Größe in cm 35-45

Aphyocharax anisitsi wild

15. September 2014

There are species of ornamental fish that are kept and bred already for such a long time that their conspecifics living in the wild are almost unknown now. Such a species is Aphyocharax anisitsi, the Bloodfin tetra. The first importation was back in 1906. The fish proofed to be easy to breed and very productive. Nowadays Bloodfin tetras are represented in the pet shops all over the World almost exclusively by bred specimens, wild collected ones are hardly ever available.

So it is very interesting to see the wild specimens we were able to import now from Paraguay and to compare them with the bred ones. The most obvious difference is the varying coloration of the wild ones, whereas the bred ones look very uniform in this respect. The red coloration differs in the wild ones from almost absent to extremely intensive. On a photo the red colours look sometimes virtually artificial!

So aquarists who are interested in biological research have now the unique opportunity to study the sense of this different coloration. It is not very likely that the difference is a secondary sexual dichromatism (more red = males). Males of A. anisitsi can be recognized by fine hooks on the anal fin that appear as silvery refections on the photos. So one can clearly see that the most colorful is is a female in this case!

For our customers: the fish have code 206413 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Aphyocharax: means “tiny Charax”; Charax is another genus of tetra. anisitsi: dedication name for Prof. J. Daniel Anisits, the collector of the type specimens, at the time working at the National University of Paraguay.

Common name: Bloodfin tetra

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Paraguay
Verfügbare Größe in cm 4-5

Cynotilapia pulpican

15. September 2014

At the first glimpse Cynotilapia look very much alike the Malawi Zebras of the genus Maylandia In contrast to the zebras, in Cynotilapia the teeth are monoscupid (with two cusps in zebras). This difference is of more importance than one should think, for the zebras feed on Aufwuchs (eg the algae film on rocks etc. with all the containing microbiotics), whereas Cynotilapia feed on plankton (mainly small crustaceans), which is picked out of the water column. So the zebras and Cynotilapia differ very much in respect of their natural way of feeding.

On the other hand, Cynotilapia pulcipan can be kept in aquaria like any other Mbuna (Mbuna is the name for all the rock dwelling cichlids from Lake Malawi). It is best to keep them in larger groups of 10 or more specimens. It is of little meaning how this group is composed in respect of the sexes. People who want to breed will prefer one male for a greater number of females, but people who like simply to watch the fish do best to keep more males than females. In the latter case will always be one or two dominant males in the tank that display their breathtaking colours!

Cynotilapia pulpican become 6-8 cm long in the wild, but, like all Mbuna, they grow bigger in the aquarium. But even old males will not grow larger than 10 cm, females always stay smaller. So C. pulcipan is one of the smallest species of Mbuna known so far.

For our customers: the fish have code 516752 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Cynotilapia: means “dog-Tilapia”; this refers to the uniscupid “canine” teeth, Tilapia is another genus of cichlid. pulpican:

Common name: Pseudotropheus “Kingsizei”, Likoma Blue Frost

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Aphyolebias peruensis

19. August 2014

Aphyolebias peruensis

Once
more we were able to import this beautiful killifsih from Peru. The
pictures show animals from our current stock. For more informations,
please see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/news/Aphyolebias_peruensis_en/

For our customers: the fish have code 342803 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Synodontis robertsi

18. August 2014

The squeakers (Synodontis) are a very species-rich genus. More than 130 species are known, all of them originate from Africa. In the countries of their origin most species are used for food. In the aquarium hobby most species are unknown with a few exceptions.

Among the most pretty, smallest and rarest species of Synodontis is S. robertsi. Finally we were able to import a small number of that rarity once more. The species became known to science only in 1974. As far as it is known it lives exclusively in the river Lukenie, which is a tributary to the central Congo river. The maximum length reported for S. robertsi is about 10 cm. Against conspecifics and other fish this squeaker is completely peaceful. Squeakers are most active at dawn, but well settled specimens leave their hiding places also during daytime, especially when the fish are fed.

Squeakers are omnivorous fishes that feed readily on any type of usual fish food. These fish become usually very old in aquaria. They reach easily an age of 10 years or more.

For our customers: the fish have code 186302 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited numbers only!

Lexicon: Synodontis: an ancient name for a nowadays unknown species of fish in the Nile river. robertsi: dedication name.

Common name: Roberts´ squeaker

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft D. R. Congo
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Tetraodon miurus

18. August 2014

Tetraodon miurus Tetraodon miurus Tetraodon miurus Tetraodon miurus

The Congo Puffer is one of the most remarkable species of freshwater pufferfish at all. The strictly solitary living species is a predator. It prefers to spend the day completely burrowed in sand. Only the mouth and the eyes peep out of the lair. If a potential prey comes along the puffer shoots out of the sand and bites the poor victim‘s belly off. Later the complete fish becomes eaten.

The ability to change the coloration is also remarkable. They can be brick red (as on the photos), but they can also be black, grey with black dots or marbled olive green. The puffer use this ability in case no sandy bottom is available. In this case the fish simply mimics a stone.

The maximum length of Tetraodon miurus is about 15 cm. It is necessary to keep this species in a single-species tank as a single individual. This tank, however, can be comparatively small, for the puffer does not swim a lot.

For our customers: the fish have code 191303 (6-8 cm) and 191305 (9-12 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited numbers only!

Common name: Congo Puffer

Lexicon: Tetraodon: means “with four teeth”. miurus: means “curtailed”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft D. R. Congo
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-12

Kryptopterus minor

15. August 2014

The “Ghost catfish” has been kept for more than 80 years under a wrong name in our tanks. Initially it was determined as Kryptopterus bicirrhis, afterwards as K. minor. However, both determinations proofed to be wrong, the species was in fact new to science and still undescribed! Now it has a final name, ie Kryptopterus vitreolus. Please see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/archiv.php?news_id=700 for more details of the case and pictures of K. vitreolus and the “real” K. bicirrhis.

Now we were curious how the “real” Kryptopterus minor looks like! So we ordered from one of our suppliers in Indonesia glass catfish from the Kapuas river on Borneo, where K. minor occurs. The species is in fact very similar to K. vitreolus. Especially in our fish, which have show size (up to 8 cm), the morphological differences between K. minor and K. vitreolus are hardly recognizable. But there are very obvious differences in coloration. K. minor has a bright golden-yellow back, a iridescent stripe over the anal fin and bright blue eyes.

Like Kryptopterus vitreolus K. minor lives in very soft, acidic water in the wild. However, adaptation on other water conditions is very good, as it is in cardinal tetras and other blackwater fishes. By far more important than imitating the chemical water conditions found in the wild is partial water change on a regular basis in the home aquarium. The fish simply need clean water with as few pollution and bacteria as possible.

For our customers: the animals have code 422213 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Kryptopterus: ancient Greek, means “with hidden fin”. bicirrhis: Latin, means “with two filaments”. minor: Latin, means “small”. vitreolus: Latin, means “small glass”.

Suggestion of a common name: Golden back ghost catfish

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Indonesien / Indonesia
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Nematobrycon palmeri wild

12. August 2014

The
emperor tetra (Nematobrycon palmeri) belongs for decades already to the
most beloved species of tetra at all. This is due to its great beauty
and interesting behaviour. The species is available the whole year
through as bred ones.

Wild
collected ones, on the other hand, are available only seasonally. We
recently obtained once more a good shipment of these beautiful animals
from Colombia.

Wild collected and bred emperor tetras differ – as
it is the case in most species of tetra – mainly in respect to the
figure. Wild collected ones are much more gracile than bred ones for the
food in the wild is by far not that opulent as it is usually in
aquaria. In respect of coloration one can say that there is no
difference between wild and bred ones: both are very beautiful!

For our customers: the fish have code 272603 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

 

 

 


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Neolebias trewavasae

12. August 2014

The genus Neolebias contains 12 species of small tetra from western Africa. Neolebias trewavasae attains a maximum length of about 5 cm and is one of the largest members of the genus. Sadly the species is only very rarely available in the trade, so we are glad that we could import them now once more from Cameroon.

The regular coloration of the pretty fish reminds one strongly in the coloration of the South American tetras of the genus Nematobrycon and Impaichthys, the emperor tetras. The quiet and grave swimming behaviour is also very similar in both groups. This is the reason why we suggest the common name “African Emperor tetra” for the species. But a real royal outfit get the fish in breeding condition. The males become deep red then. Sadly we have no picture of that coloration on our own, but in fishbase such a picture can be seen: http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/PicturesSummary.php?ID=11255&what=species

For our customers: the animals have code 154654 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Neolebias: means “new Lebias”; Lebias is another genus of fish. trewavasae: dedidaction name for Ethelwynn Trewavas (1900-1993).

Suggestion of a common name: African Emperor tetra

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Kamerun / Cameroon
Verfügbare Größe in cm 4-5

Sphaerichthys selatanensis

11. August 2014

Sphaerichthys selatanensis

The
season for crossband chocolate gouramis has started. Finally the pretty
small anabantoid is available again. For more information please see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archive/labyrinthfish-en/Sphaerichthys_selatanensis_en/
For our customers: the fish has code 455822 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Trachelyopterus fisheri

5. August 2014

Currently we can offer a very odd species of catfish, namely Trachelyopterus fisheri. Initially this species of driftwood catfish orginates from Colombia where it is found in the system of the Rio Sucio. From that area only very occasionally importations appear. So we are quite happy that we have an adult wild collected male of this extraordinary species in stock.

Like their close relatives, the bottlenose catfish of the genus Ageneiosus, Trachelyopterus males develop a mighty dorsal spine, a penis-like organ (which is used to fertilize the female internally) and thick maxillary barbels during the mating season. All these feature vanish after the breeding season in Ageneiosus. Males and females cannot be told apart externally then. It is unknown wether this is the case in Trachelyopterus, too.

Interestingly this rare species is bred already commercially in Indonesia as an ornamental fish. We also have such bred specimens in stock. The coloration differs a lot individually. In our fishhouse the animals are swimming around the whole day through and obviously love to company of their own.

Trachylopterus fisheri becomes about 12-15 cm long It is a peaceful species, but very small tankmates may be taken for food.

For our customers: the large wild collected male has code 297546 on our stocklist, the bred specimens from Indonesia (which are 6-8 cm long) 297543. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Trachelyopterus: means “with extreme fin”. fisheri: dedication name for Carl G. Fisher, of Indianapolis, who helped to make possible a second expedition to the type locality of the species.

Suggestion of a common name: Fisher´s driftwood catfish

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Toxotes blythii

31. July 2014

This
archer fish that lives exclusively in freshwater originates from Burma.
It has been discovered as early as 1860 and received its correct
scientific name in 1892. Since then it has not been found anymore. Only
in 2004 the first specimens appeared in the international trade and were
celebrated as a sensation. These first specimens were extremely
expensive, but nowadays the price is on a normal level and so any real
fish enthusiast is able to keep this beautiful fish at home. Currently
we received a shipment with really nice specimens of this extraordinary
archer fish.

The
animals of our current importation have a very uniform pattern; this is
quite different to the specimens observed in former importations. We
add a picture of a specimen imported in 2011 as an example. Possibly the
fish in our current import represent even a species new to science, for
there are a lot of hints that the real diversity and species-richness
in archerfish is not understood yet. Currently only 7 species are
recognized in the genus Toxotes.

For our customers: the fish have code 468352 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sternrachorhynchus from Peru

28. July 2014

Sternarchorhynchus aus Peru Sternarchorhynchus aus Peru Sternarchorhynchus aus Peru Sternarchorhynchus aus Peru

This week we introduced to you already a species of knifefish from Peru: Brachyhypopomus brevirostris (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/news.php#1122). The odd Sternarchorhynchus, which is theme of this newsletter, originates also from Peru, but belongs to a different family, eg the Apteronotidae.

The number of described species of Sternarchorhynchus has risen enormously in the past few years. Up to 1994 only 4 species where known, in 2006 the number of known species increased to 10 and now (2014) 32 species are accepted! This makes the genus Sternarchorhynchus the most species-rich genus of the Apteronotidae. The main differences between the species can be found in the shape of the snout. When the fish occurred here only a quite rough determination was possible. This is why they are listed under the name of S. mormyrus on our stocklist. The analysis of the photos, however, makes it much more likely that our fish belong to the species S. goeldii, which has been described only in 2010. S. mormyrus becomes about 50 cm long, S. goeldii about 30 cm. Currently our fish are 14-16 cm long.

However, more interesting than the question how the fish should be named is their behaviour. The animals are a bit quarrelsome against each other. But they do not hurt their counterpart, they swim with high speed and breathtaking elegance around each other. The better swimmer wins the combat. Also a very special role of the snout can be observed while he fish are fighting: they use it like the sword of a foil fencer. The pictures published here are the first existing ones to document this fascinating behaviour.

Feeding Sternarchorhynchus in aquaria is no problem, the fish take readily any type of live and frozen food.

For our customers: the fish have code 293974 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited numbers only!

Lexicon: Sternarchorhynchus means “snout with the anus at the breast”; this refers, of course, to the long snout and to the fact that in Sternarchorhynchus the anus is placed immediately behind the head. mormyrus: means “mormyrid”; the members of the African fish genus Mormyrus have a comparably long snout. goeldii: dedication name for Emilio (actually Emil) Goeldi (1859-1917) as a appreciation for his merits regarding the knowledge of the animals of Amazonia.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Peru
Verfügbare Größe in cm 14-16

Stigmatogobius sadanundio

21. July 2014

Stigmatogobius sadanundio Stigmatogobius sadanundio Stigmatogobius sadanundio Stigmatogobius sadanundio

Most species of goby are ground dwelling fishes. Only few species have a free swimming behaviour. The knight goby is one of these rare exceptions. We can offer this pretty goby from India on a regular basis. Knight gobies live in estuaries and can live both in pure fresh and in pure marine water. However, it is best to keep them in brackish water (5-10 grams salt per litre).

The eyes of the knight goby have a reflecting layer. This led to the popular name “sleeper gobies” for the realtionship of the knight goby. Not so long ago the sleeper gobies were even thought to represent a family on their own.

This week we obtained an import of extraordinary beautiful knight gobies from India. Obviously they have currently breeding season over there. The species spawns on stones, roots etc. Sadly the larvae are extremely tiny and need full strength sea water, so no successful breeding has been reported so far. But even without breeding: knight gobies are wonderful fish! The species becomes about 8-10 cm long.

For our customers: the fish have code 456003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Stigmatogobius: means “goby with spots”. sadanundio: from the local Bengal name for the species.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm 5-7

Pseudotropheus crabro

21. July 2014

Pseudotropheus crabro Pseudotropheus crabro Pseudotropheus crabro Pseudotropheus crabro

The colorful mouthbrooders from Lake Malawi – the so called mbuna – belong to the most popular aquarium fish over decades already. They are also called the “coralfish of freshwater”, for – like their salty relatives – they unite splendid colours and a rather quarrelsome temper. The latter is due to the very restricted food in the wild – both in the coral reef and in Lake Malawi. The sparse food is defended heavily, even when there is no need for this behaviour anymore in the aquarium.

The wasp mouthbrooder (Pseudotropheus crabro) has found a very special resource of food. It lives in caves and cleans the large bagrid catfish from parasites. These bagrids are called Kampango all over the lake, the scientific name is Bagrus meridionalis. The large predators recognize the cleaner fish even in the darkness of the cave due to their contrasting yellow-black coloration. Dominant males of P. crabro become very dark, almost black. This says other males to stay away from him and gives a hearty welcome to all females.

For our customers: the fish has code 568252 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Pseudotropheus: means “false Tropheus”; Tropheus is another genus of cichlid. crabro: means “wasp”, according o the contrasting yellow-black coloration.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 4-5

Phantastic wild collected Sahyadria denisionii from Karnataka!

14. July 2014

The Red line shark (Sahyadria denisonii, formerly known as Barbus denosonii or Puntius densonii) is a very popular aquarium fish. Currently it is traded almost exclusively as bred specimens from Indonesia.

For the first time ever we now received an import of S. denisonii from a new collection area in India. So far the species was collected only in the state of Kerala, but the new variety has been collected in the state of Karnataka, which is situated south of Kerala.

Compared with the S. denisonii known so far the new variety has more red colours and is thus even more attractive than the (already wonderful) strains currently present in the hobby.

For our customers: the animals have code 369473 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm 4-6

Semifinal! Brazil vs. Germany

8. July 2014

Halbfinale! Brasilien vs. Deutschland

vs.

Halbfinale! Brasilien vs. Deutschland

Is it possible to compare discus with guppys? Hardly! Both are wonderful fish, but completely  different. A discus, more sailing than swimming through the tank, is fascinating to look at  even for non-aquarists, but it is also almost impossible not be excited by the brilliant guppys. So one can say: whoever wins the semifinal tonight, both are already
winners for a very long time!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras pygmaeus

30. June 2014

The Dwarf corydoras (Corydoras pygmaeus) belongs without any doubts to the most attractive and interesting aquarium fish for small tanks. This dwarf becomes only 2-3 cm long and is a somewhat untypical member of its genus, for most species of Corydoras are bottom dwellers; C. pygmaeus prefers to swim in the open water column.

Interestingly this species has been described from the Rio Madeira basin in Brazil, but is imported mainly from Peru. The animals on the pictures have been imported from Colombia. They have the size “md” on our stocklist.

For our customers: the fish have code 242502 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Kolumbien, Peru / Colombia, Peru
Verfügbare Größe in cm 1,5 - 2

Kryptopterus geminus

30. June 2014

The glass catfishes of the genus Kryptopterus are close relatives of the Wels catfish (Silurus glanis). However, in contrast to this giant among the freshwater fishes (Wels catfish can attain a length of up to 2 meteres), the glass catfishes stay small. The largest species known so far (K. cheveyi from the Mekong basin) becomes about 35 cm long. However, this species has not been imported yet for home aquaria.

The biodiversity in Kryptopterus has been discovered only recently. Currently 19 species are recognized, 7 of them have been described after the turn of the millenium. Among these late discoveries is the most common glass catfish in the hobby, Kryptopterus vitreolus, which is “the” glass catfish in pet shops all over the world. This species becomes only 6-8 cm long and has been misidentified over 80 years as K. bicirrhis or K. minor. For more informations on that topic, please see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/archiv.php?news_id=700.

Kryptopterus geminus also belongs to the late discoveries and has been described as separate species only in 2003. Before that it was thought to represent a population of Kryptopterus cryptopterus. The latter is restricted to the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia, whereas K. geminus inhabits the large river basins of the mainland of Southeast Asia: Mekong, Mae Khlong, Bang Pakong and Chao Phraya. In contrast to K. vitreolus K. geminus is less deep in body and has a strong, blue-silver tinge on the sides. K. geminus attains a maximum length of about 15-20 cm and so it fits perfectly for larger aquaria.

For our customers: the fish have code 422104 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Kryptopterus: means “with hidden fin”, this refers to the very small dorsal fin. geminus: means “twin born”, this refers to the strong resemblance to K. cryptopterus.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm 8-12

Chaca bankanensis

26. June 2014

Chaca bankanensis Chaca bankanensis Chaca bankanensis

The frogmouth catfishes of the genus Chaca are very unusual fish. Only four species are known. The look quite similar to each other and form a catfish family on their own, the Chacidae.

Chaca lie on the bottom without any move for most of the day. They wait for shrimps or small fish that take them for stones and want to feed on Aufwuchs. As soon the potential prey sits down on a Chaca and wants to start to feed, a huge mouth opens and the shrimp or fish ends up as food itself. Some species of Chaca even have small lappets on the skin that imitate algae and makes their hunting strategy even more effective.

Chaca bankanensis is a blackwater species. Usually this species s reddish brown to brick red; it has only few skin lappets.

All species of Chaca become 15-20 cm long. During acclimatization the catfish often refuses food for quite a long time. So it is best to give number of live shrimps or feeder fish in the tank and to wait. Sooner or later the Chaca will start feeding.

For our customers: the fish have code 408253 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Singapur
Verfügbare Größe in cm 15-20

Platystomatichthys sturio

16. June 2014

Finally we are able again to offer one of the most bizarre species of predatory catfish of Amazonia: Platystomatichthys sturio. Anyone who sees the fish for the first time will think that the animal is distorted; however, the upturned snout-tip is rather species-specific. Nevertheless the grade of this upturn differs individually and depends also a bit from the age of the animals. The maximum length of the species, which has a very wide distribution in Amazonia, is about 40 cm.

The sense or the reason of this upturned snout-tip are unknown. The species has extremely long barbels and prefers to swim against a strong current. Maybe the snout-tip helps to localize the prey or it may have a similar function as the spoiler of a car and helps so save energy while swimming against the current. There is also a lot of speculation that this upturned snout-tip is an artefact from keeping the fish in aquaria and resuls from swimming against the glasses of the tank; however, this sounds quite unlikely, for first of all allmost all – even very small – specimens can show this phenomenon and, twice, the species is not shy at all and tends not to panic and crash with anything.

Against conspecifics and other fish that are too large for prey, Platystomatichthys sturio are very peaceful.

For our customers: the animals have code 280705 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only!

Lexicon: Platystomatichthys: means “fish that looks like a Platystoma”; Platystoma is another genus of fish. sturio: means “sturgeon”, which refers to the similar body shape.

Common name: Fox Catfish

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Peru
Verfügbare Größe in cm 7-16

Hypostomus luteus

16. June 2014

Yesterday the most beautiful of all plecos, Hypostomus luteus from Paraguay, arrived. Only fully grown specimens display the fantastic, reddish-yellow coloration, whereas young fish are black with light spots. All specimens are 35-40 cm long.

For our customers: the animals have code 262639 and 262649 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Paraguay
Verfügbare Größe in cm 35-40

Hydrolycus armatus

10. June 2014

Hydrolycus armatus Hydrolycus armatus Hydrolycus armatus Hydrolycus armatus

The complete opposite to the Yellow Phantom Tetra is the Giant Waterwolve. This fish-eating predator attains a maximum length of 75 cm and is thus the largest species of the four members of the genus Hydrolycus. Of course this animal is much sought after by owners of really big tanks and public aquaria; sadly larger specimens are difficult to transport and this is the reason why the fish that is anything but rare in the wild is hardly ever imported.

We tried really long and now finally managed to import a larger number of juveniles from the Orinoco which are perfectly suited for the acclimatization in aquaria. Now enthusiasts have the unique chance even to keep a group of these fascinating predators. Against conspecifics and other species of fish that are too big to be seen as prey Hydrolycus are absolutely peaceful.

For our customers: the fish have code 259631 (4-6 cm) and 259632 (5-7 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Hydrolycus: means “water wolve”. armatus: means “armoured”.

Common name: Giant Waterwolve

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Orinoko
Verfügbare Größe in cm 5-7

Amatitlania sp. Honduras Red Point

4. June 2014

The Convict cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciatum, formerly Cichlasoma, Archocentrus or Cryptoheros nigrofasciatus) was for a long time one of the most popular species of cichlid in the aquarium. Nowadays it becomes rather rarely seen. Instead of that species another Amatitlania appreared some years ago on stage, named Amatitlania sp. “Honduras Red Point”. These fish seem not to become much larger than 6-7 cm and are comparatively peaceful. The origin of Amatitlania sp. “Honduras Red Point” is much debated, but still no solid data are available.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred

Mesonauta festivus

3. June 2014

Mesonauta festivus Mesonauta festivus Mesonauta festivus

We received from Brazil very nice, wild collected flag cichlids. M. festivus is usually not kept due to its coloration, which is not very spectacular, but due to the interesting and peaceful behaviour.

But the animals that reached us now have a very interesting, blue pattern in the face. The scales also show an attractive blue shine. Moreover – this is of course not visible on the pictures – the fish are very curious and tame. Mesonauta usually are rather shy during the phase of acclimatization.

For our customers: the fish have code 683335 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only!

Lexicon: Mesonauta: composed from the words for “middle” and “sailor”; the meaning of the name is unknown. festivus: means “pretty”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien / Brazil
Verfügbare Größe in cm 8-12

Crenicichla lugubris Jutai

3. June 2014

Once more we were able to import some specimens of this gorgeous large cichlid from the Jutai region. This time the shipment contained one male with an extraordinary marble pattern. For more informations please click http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/news/Crenicichla_lugubris_Jutai_en/


For our customers: the fish have code 670746 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Distichodus noboli and D. affinis

3. June 2014

Finally we were able to organize again an import from the Congo. The shipment contained two very pretty species of Distichodus. They look quite similar on the first glimpse. Both species become about 15-20 cm long.

For our customers: the fish have code 127002 (D. noboli) and 123002 (D. affinis) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras robustus

3. June 2014

This cory belongs to the largest and most attractive species of Corydoras at all. They can reach a total length of 9-10 cm. Both sexes develop long, filamentous dorsal fins when fully grown. The males can be best recognized by the much longer ventral fins.

For our customers: the fish have code 244106 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien / Brazil

Oryzias latipes

3. June 2014

The Japanese Ricefish or Medaka is the typical pet of the Japanese scientists that work on genetics. Uncountable numbers of scientific papers exist about this fish. Nevertheless the wild type of Medaka is a top rarity in the ornamental fish trade. We now managed to obtain for the first time ever a wild type of Medaka from a breeder. The glittering scales of the fish are very obvious. O. latipes can reach a maximum length of about 4 cm and can be even kept in garden ponds in mild climates.

For our customers: the animals have code 339752 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred

Trigonostigma heteromorpha

27. May 2014

Genetic investigations showed that there is not only one species of harlequin barb, but a number of sibling species, which have to be described scientifically yet. This becomes very obvious when we come across wild collected specimens. The depicted animal, for example, is a wildcaught from southern Thailand. It is much more elongate than the “normal” aquarium strain of T. heteromorpha.
Text 6 photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Thailand

Microctenopoma fasciolatum

27. May 2014

Our current import from the D.R. Congo contains inter alia two pretty species of dwarf bushfish: Microctenopoma ansorgii and M. fasciolatum. While M. ansorgii, the Orange bushfish, is imported on a rather regular basis, M. fasciolatum is found only very rarely in the trade.

The Striped bushfish – this is the common name of M. fasiolatum – can be compared best with the gouramis of the genera Colisa and Trichogaster in respect of care and behaviour. Like the gouramis, M. fasciolatum is a peaceful fish that feeds on small insects, crustaceans etc (in the aquarium it feeds on all types of dried, frozen and live food) and becomes only a bit quarrelsome during the breeding period when the bubble nest is built and becomes defended.

Males and females can be distinguished best by the coloration of the fins, which are spotted in males and plain in females. The coloration differs drastically depending on mood. For example, sometimes the fish show a cream white horizontal stripe which cannot be spotted at all in other mood-depending patterns.

The maximum length of this species is around 8-9 cm, the fish become sexually mature at about 5 cm total length.

For our customers: the fish have code 117002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Microctenopoma: means “small Ctenopoma”; Ctenopoma is another genus of bushfish. fasciolatum: means “striped”.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft D. R. Congo

Hemichromis elongatus

27. May 2014

The Five Star General has a very wide distribution in western Africa and is one of the most beautiful species of cichlid at all. Sadly it is also one of the most aggressive species of cichlid and this is the reason why it is only very rarely seen in aquaria. The photographed specimens originate from the Benue river in Nigeria and are still youngsters.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nigeria

Colisa lalia Cobalt

27. May 2014

Colisa lalia Cobalt Colisa lalia Cobalt

Dwarf gouramis are the orchids among the freshwater aquarium fish. They are extremely beautiful, but also a bit of delicate, but if kept properly they are real eyecatchers. The Cobalt sport was developed only in the 1990ies and became very popular. Today the fish is among the most common species found in the ornamental fish trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred

Large wild collected Zebra Oscars arrived!

27. May 2014

Große Zebra-Oskar-Wildfänge eingetroffen! Große Zebra-Oskar-Wildfänge eingetroffen!

The Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) is by far the most popular species of large cichlid from South America. This is not only because it is so splendid coloured, but also due to its behaviour: the fish becomes much larger than 20 cm, but is of calm nature and can thus be kept and bred properly in medium sized tanks of 120-150 cm length. Most Oscars in the trade are bred ones from Southeastern Asia and represent colourful sports that do not exist in the wild. This is the reason why the diversity of wild Oscar species is still only poorly understood. Currently seven species are formally described scientifically, but only one of them is widely accepted as valid, namely Astronotus ocellatus. However, this does for sure not reflect the natural conditions.

Now we could import from Brazil some large, 18-22 cm long Zebra Oscars. They are remarkablely more slender than “regular” Oscars and have a unique pattern. First of all the typical, species-specific ocelli under the dorsal fin, which are always present in “real” Astronotus ocellatus, are missing. When we take a look in the scientific descriptions of other species of Astronotus, our new importations fit best to Astronotus zebra, which has been described by Pellegrin in 1908 from Santarém.

For our customers: the fish have code 633418 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien / Brazil
Verfügbare Größe in cm 18-22

Ctenopoma acutirostre wild

27. May 2014

Ctenopoma acutirostre wild Ctenopoma acutirostre wild Ctenopoma acutirostre wild Ctenopoma acutirostre wild

The current import from the D. R. Congo also contained some wild collected leopard bushfish. This species is available as bred from Indonesia in the last years (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/archiv.php?news_id=140), but wild collected ones are very rare in the trade. The animals show an extremely variable pattern, each individual has a different coloration. One of our fish has even regular stripes on the sides – we have never seen this in C. acutirostre before!

For our customers: the fish have code 115003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft D. R. Congo
Verfügbare Größe in cm 8-12

Barbus jae

6. May 2014

Barbus jae is one of the smallest species of barb from Africa. It has been described from the river Dja in Cameroon. Sadly nowadays imports from Cameroon are very rare, so one has to be really lucky to find this jewel in a local pet shop. B. jae becomes only 2-3 cm long. Breeding B. jae is not complicated, but not effective and so the species is not bred by professional breeders. One should keep this small fish that is found in forest-streams at temperatures of about 20-22°C. Other water parameters are of minor interest. The male of B. jae are polychromatic. This means that each male has an individual coloration.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Kamerun /Cameroon

Macropodus ocellatus wild

6. May 2014

Macropodus ocellatus wild Macropodus ocellatus wild Macropodus ocellatus wild Macropodus ocellatus wild

Finally we were able to import again wild collected Chinese Paradise fish. The currently imported variety shows an interesting striped pattern in neutral mood. Males in breeding mood look wonderful and have very splendid colours. However, as our animals are not in breeding mood yet, we show here exceptionally a picture of a male that does not belong to our current stock. But the remaining pictures of fish in neutral mood show our latest import. Maximum length of M. ocellatus is about 6 cm. In areas with a mild winter this species can be kept a outdoors the whole year through.

For our customers: the fish have code 425502 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft China
Verfügbare Größe in cm 4-5

Potamotrygon

5. May 2014

Funny enough: some of the most popular species of a group in the trade are often totally unknown to science! This is for example the case in P. “hystrix” from the Rio Negro basin in Brazil. This species stays comparatively small – around 30 cm disc width – and is thus quite popular in the hobby. Nevertheless it represents a scientifically undescribed species of Potamotrygon. The “real” P. hystrix originates from Argentina and is not kept in aquaria at all.

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien / Brazil
Verfügbare Größe in cm 10-12

Dario hysginon (2)

2. May 2014

The species of Dario – the Dwarf Badis – are in one respect comparable to their larger cousins of the genus Badis: they are Chameleon fish! Depending on mood or light the colours change a lot and fast.

We have once more the Flame Red Dario, D. hysginon, from Burma in stock. The species becomes only 2 cm long. One should keep these tiny jewels in an unheated aquarium (given that the tank is placed in a living room); temperatures in the range from 16-25°C are best. The aquarium can be small, but should be very well planted. The fish feed on any type of small live or frozen food.

For our customers: the fish have code 413783 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade

Lexicon: Dario: after the vernacular name of one of the members of the genus in Bengal. hysginon: the name of a red dye made of plants that was used in ancient times; the name refers to the red coloration of the fish.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Burma

Iguanodectes arrived!

1. April 2014

We
can offer currently three of the extremely attractive, only very
occasionally imported species of Iguanodectes. from Venezuela arrived
Iguanodectes geisleri (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archive/tetras-en/south-america-en/Iguanodectes_geisleri_en/) and I. adujai, and from Brazil we obtained a species that porbably represents I. purusii.

For
our customers: the animals have code 264612 (I. geisleri), 264353 (I.
adujai), and 264402 (I. cf. purusii) on our stocklist. Please note that
we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited
numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Procatopus aberrans and P. nototaenia

24. March 2014

One
of the beautiful species of Procatopus which we were able to import
from Cameroon, has already been introduced to you: P. similis from
Mundemba (http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/news/Procatopus_similis_MUNDEMBA_en/).
Now two additional species follow: Procatopus aberrans from Ossing and
P. nototaenia from Yabassi. The latter is sometimes considered to be an
undescribed species by killifish specialists and then called  P. cf.
nototaenia.

All species of Procatopus are wonderful schooling fish for experienced aquarists.

For
our customers: the animals have code 343118 (P. aberrans Ossing) and
343133 (P. nototaenia Yabassi) on our stocklist. Please note that we
exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pelvicachromis taeniatus Bipindi

24. March 2014

Pelvicachromis taeniatus Bipindi Pelvicachromis taeniatus Bipindi Pelvicachromis taeniatus Bipindi

Currently we can offer a great number of wild collected varieties of P. taeniatus from different localities in Cameroon. The local variety from Bipindi is characterized by a high degree of yellow colours, the females get a wonderful blue belly when displaying.

For our customers: the fish have code 562702 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Pelvicachromis: the Latin word pelvis means “pelvis”; chromis is another genus of perch; the generic name refers to the coloration of the belly. taeniatus: means “striped”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Kamerun /Cameroon
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Beautiful P14/Itaituba, bred specimens

24. March 2014

The taxonomy of the black river stingrays is very confusing. Three scientifically described species do exist:
Potamotrygon henlei (described from the Rio Tocantins), P. leopoldi (described from the Rio Xingu), and P. garrapa (described from the Rio Branco).

In P. henlei several varieties exist that possibly represent different, separate species. All specimens from the Rio Tocantins have large, white spots. Nevertheless the fish from the Rio Tocantins represent two different species that cannot be told apart externally, but only by studying the teeth. These are very different and the feeding habits of both species are very different, too. P. henlei from the Rio Tocantins can currently be imported legally from Brazil.

The very beautiful small spotted variety from the Rio Tapajós (the city of Itaituba is situated at the Tapajós) is prohibited for exportation currently. So these fish are available only via bred specimens. We are glad that we can offer three of them now.

Wether the Tapajós/Itaituba fish belong to the biological species P. henlei or not is under investigation. Hobbyists call them P14. This is a bad decision, for the “real” P14 is a variety of P. leopoldi from the Xingu, but we can do nothing against it.

We are happy that even so special fish as these large-growing black stingrays are (they become at least 30-40 cm broad and need a real lot of space) are bred by specialized breeders and so the wonderful animals stay available – at least in small numbers – for the hobby.

For our customers: the fish have code 282413 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Potamotrygon: means “river Trygon”; Trygon is the name for stingrays used in ancient Greece. henlei: dedication name for the important anatomist Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle (1809 – 1885).

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 15

Our new employee Friedolin

24. March 2014

Unser neuer Mitarbeiter Friedolin

Dear reader,

we are glad to introduce to you our ew employee: Friedolin. Friedolin is a professional fisherman and originates from the house of Playmobil. Any time really large fish come into play, it is Friedolin´s part to face the truth. He is a real brave guy and helps you, dear reader, to realize how big the photographed fish really are.

Unser neuer Mitarbeiter Friedolin

Currently Friedolin had to stand his first adventure in our fishhouse: large Chinese Ryukin. We can tell you that all participants of the session left without any harm. Friedolin did a great job. And although it looks on picture 2 as if he would be successful in angling: none of the Ryukins did bite.

Unser neuer Mitarbeiter Friedolin

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Acestrorhynchus falcatus

19. March 2014

We received charming and very pretty juveniles of the Redtail barracuda tetra Acestrorhynchus falcatus from Peru. One day the fish will become around 30 cm long. Currently they are about 6-8 cm long. This size is perfect for a complication-free acclimatation.

For our customers: the fish have code 201701 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Acestrorhynchus: menas “needle-snout”. falcatus: means “like a falcon”.

Common name: Redtail barracuda tetra

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Peru
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Macropodus erythropterus

19. March 2014

Macropodus erythropterus Macropodus erythropterus

Not much has been heard in the past few years about this beautiful paradise fish from Vietnam. This might be connected with the dispute about the validity of the species which has been considered to be a mere synonym of M. spechti (formerly: M. concolor) by some scientists. We recently obtained bred specimens that clearly show why M. erythropterus has been named the “Red-back Paradise” and without any doubts represents a species on its own: the back of animals in neutral mood is brown-red and in aroused specimens bright rusty-red.

For our customers: the animals have code 426063 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Macropodus: means “the large-finned one”. erythropterus: means “with red fins”, reffering to the red spots or bars in the dorsal and caudal fins.

Common name: Red-back Paradise

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Drought in Singapore and Malaysia

13. March 2014

Dürre in Singapur und Malaysia

Currently about 80% of the freshwater ornamental fish traded worldwide are bred specimens. A larger part of them is bred in Malaysia and Singapore. The drought there is extreme, February 2014 was the driest February in the region since 1869! This affects strongly the breeder´s facilities. One of our suppliers wrote:

“The weather issue has affected the fish production, the breeder is facing shortage of water supply as there is no rain, and it has certain impact on certain fish production, for your shipment we might face some supply issue like Fantail 5cm (which we always update every week), Silver Marble Molly, Red Platy, Blue Gourami, Lemon Tetra, Pristella Tetra, Panda Cory and Red High Fin Sucker , the supply is limited at this moment and the breeder not able to tell us how many pcs they can supply to us on every week it will have to wait until they do the harvesting. Weather issue also affect certain level on the fish quality, due to the production issue the breeder might not able to supply us the good size fish on some varieties.”

Dürre in Singapur und Malaysia

For more informations on the topic, please check:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/drought-forces-water/1015684.html

However, even bred ornamental fish are a product of nature and one is well advised never to forget this fact!

Dürre in Singapur und Malaysia

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Lepidocephalichthys guntea – the ideal aquarium loach

12. March 2014

Lepidocephalichthys guntea – die ideale Aquarienschmerle Lepidocephalichthys guntea – die ideale Aquarienschmerle Lepidocephalichthys guntea – die ideale Aquarienschmerle ´Lepidocephalichthys guntea – die ideale Aquarienschmerle

There is hardly a second species of loach that is as good suited for the home aquarium as Lepidocephalichthys guntea is. The species becomes usually 6-8 cm long, only in very rare occasions larger specimens up to 15 cm have been reported in literature. The animal has a huge distribution area over the north of India and the adjacent countries. Here it often has to live under conditions that can be survived only due to the ability to breath atmospheric air.

The fish are completely peaceful against conspecifics and all other species of fish. Plants are not affected, but should be well rooted, for the loaches dig a bit of course. The water temperature can lie between 16 and 30°C, this is the span that the fish have to face in nature, too. The water chemistry, eg hardness and pH are of almost no meaning. Any tap water the fits for human consumption is also suitable for keeping Lepidocephalichthys guntea.

The sexes can be distinguished best by view from top. Males look quite famished compared with the females and have comparatively larger pectoral fins. The coloration of Lepidocephalichthys guntea varies a lot and this fact led to numerous synonyms. The coloration is not sex-specific or population-specfic and also varies mood-dependent.

There are nor reports of a successful breeding known by us, but it should not very very difficult. It is recommended to try to initate a rainy season for breeding. This means to make large waterchanges with cool (18°C) and soft water after a period that simulates the dry season (no waterchange for some weeks at high temperatures).

All in all: what the Peppered Corydoras (Corydoras paleatus) is for community tanks with South American fish, can be Lepidocephalichthys guntea for community tanks with Asian fish: a very hardy, nice bottom dweller that feeds reliably on all left over food of its tankmates.

For our customers: the animals have code 424003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Lepidocephalichthys: means “fish that looks like a Lepidocephalus”; Lepidocephalus is another genus of loach. guntea: after the vernacular name of the species in Bengal.

Suggestion of a common name: Panther loach

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Betta splendens KOI

12. March 2014

Again we could import a few specimens of this spectacular new sport. We received short finned ones (“Half Moon Pla Kat”) and veiltails (“Super Delta”). This is the first sport of Betta splendens that has been selected especially for the look from the top. Alike in Koi only very few specimens among thousands of offspring have a coloration that make a common Betta splendens an extraordinary Betta splendens Koi. This is the reason why the price of the fish is very high.

However: we find the fish in lateral view also very attractive – aren´t they?

For our customers: the animals have code 390075 on our stocklist. Only very few specimens available! Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm 5-6

Ompok cf. fumidus

12. March 2014

Ompok cf. fumidus Ompok cf. fumidus Ompok cf. fumidus Ompok cf. fumidus

We don´t always get what we want. Initially we ordered the Malayan Giant Catfish Wallago leerii for one of our customers. But we received a species of Ompok from our Singapore supplier instead. However, this error is understandable. Even professional scientists have in the past confused both genera quite often and described a number of (now) Ompok-species as members of Wallago. Nevertheless the error of our supplier is an advantage for us, for Ompok are very interesting and hardly ever available catfish.

First a short note how to distinguish Wallago and Ompok: Wallago has always 5 rays in the dorsal fin, Ompok always 4. This can be easily seen on our photos.

Ompok belongs, like glass catfish (Kryptopterus), Giant Catfish (Wallago) and Wels catfish (Silurus) to the family Siluridae. Maximum length in most species of Ompok is around 15 cm, only O. bimaculatus from India is said to reach up to 45 cm.

The determination of the species is not easy in our fish, for we known nothing about the origin of our specimens. There are not less than 27 valid species of Ompok and most of them look extremely similar to each other. Nevertheless we think that our fish most likely belong to the species Ompok fumidus, which has a wide distribution over the Malaian Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, Riau Island and Thailand. O. fumidus becomes only about 15 cm long (the largest reported specimen had 145 mm without the tail fin). It is usually found in shallow brooks with peat water. In our fishhouse the fish proofed to be very peaceful, but, however, small fish will serve as food.

All in all Omopok cf. fumidus is a very interesting new importation. This “Wels catfish en miniature” enables even aquarists with comparatively small tanks to keep this type of catfish.

For our customers: the fish have code 439763 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Singapur / Singapore
Verfügbare Größe in cm 10-12

Xiphophorus hellerii Wien Lyra

12. March 2014

Xiphophorus hellerii Wien Lyra Xiphophorus hellerii Wien Lyra Xiphophorus hellerii Wien Lyra Xiphophorus hellerii Wien Lyra

Even in wild living swordtails one can observe the tendency in females to mate only with the most impressive males. And so in swordtails the swordfin developed. This fin is obviously a pure luxury without any practical use, comparable best with the train in male peacocks. The only use of this is to impress the females.

Under human care even luxury genes can become established which are already inherent genetically in wild fish, but which cannot become established in the wild for several reasons. One of these genes is the lyra factor in swordtails. This gene leads to a prolongation of all fins (except the ventral fins) in both sexes – also in females! These females find lyra males very sexy, but their desire cannot be fulfilled by lyra males. For the copulation organ of male swordtails (the gonopodium) is also a modified fin (the anal fin) and thus much too long for use. You know the saying “have you ever tried to play mikado with cooked spaghetti”?

So one must use normal finned swordtail males for breeding. The offspring of the cross normal finned and lyra contains only in part lyra finned specimens. This makes breeding lyra finned swordtail quite elaborate.

We just received a shipment of wonderful, large lyra finned swordtails of the Vienna sport. Vienna swordtails are plain red albinos with red eyes. This sport is very rare and we can offer only a limited number of them.

For our customers: the fish have code 420954 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 10-12

Hypselecara temporalis OYAPOC

10. March 2014

Hypselecara temporalis OYAPOC Hypselecara temporalis OYAPOC Hypselecara temporalis OYAPOC

The Emerald cichlid has become a bit out of fashion. This is a quite sad thing, for this impressive large cichlid – males can become up to 30 cm long, females always stay much smaller – is one of the most beautiful species of cichlid of South America.
For the first we can offer now German bed specimens of the population from the Rio Oyapoc. The splendid red colours makes the look a an artifical sport, but they are a true wild form!

For our customers: the fish have code 683082 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Hypselecara: means “deep bodies Acara”; Acara is the Tupi word for cichlid. temporalis: means “with a high forehead”.

Common name: Emerald cichlid

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Thomas Weidner

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 5-6

Synodontis bastiani

7. March 2014

Synodontis bastiani Synodontis bastiani Synodontis bastiani Synodontis bastiani

The squeakers (Synodontis) are a species-rich genus of catfish from Africa. Currently 131 accepted species are known. The maximum size of these fish lies between 8 cm and 60 cm. Most species attain a maximum length of 15-20 cm in the aquarium. In their home-countries these fish are very common and heavily used as food fish. Sadly only very few species are imported on a regular basis. Squeakers are very interesting fish, for they have a complicated social structure. One should always try to keep them in groups. Spacious tanks with lots of hiding places are essential for keeping these fish. Regarding water chemistry they are undemanding. They will live happily in any type of tap water. Food is mostly composed from meat, in the wild Synodontis feed in insects, small fish and Aufwuchs. If a Synodontis is caught and held out of the water is makes a loud squeaking sound – that is the reason for the common name of the genus.

We could import after a quite long time again Synodontis bastiani (S. eburneensis is a well-known synonym) from Nigeria. The species can be best recognized by the dark should spot. The body coloration can be plain or spotted, this differs individually. A special juvenile coloration has not been described for that specires so far. However, our smallest individuals have still two light bands on the caudal peduncle, which is a typical feature for many juvenile states of squeaker. According to the literature S. bastiani can attain a maximum length of 25-30 cm.

For our customers: the fish have code 172603 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nigeria
Verfügbare Größe in cm 7-8

Xiphophorus hellerii Pastel Comet

26. February 2014

The blue eye tells us that this wonderful new sport of the swordtail has been developed on white-bodied ancestors. This makes the red color on the body look so magically crystalline. The blue shine all over the body is fascinating. Finally, the dynamic “Comet” pattern on the tail puts the finishing touches on the fish.

For our customers: the animals have code 421113 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Rhinomugil corsula

18. February 2014

Rhinomugil corsula

The Indian Four Eyed Fish belongs to the mullet family. It becomes usually 15-20 cm, in rare occasions up to 45 cm long. Like in the South American Four Eyes (Anableps) the eyes in Rhinomugil are parted horizontally. Nevertheless both genera are not related to each other. With the upper half of the eye the fish can see sharp above the water surface, with the lower part under water. Fascinating, isn´t it?

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Indien / India

Gymnocorymbus cf. thayeri

18. February 2014

Gymnocorymbus cf. thayeri

Sometimes we obtain animals as so-called accidental catches. And sometimes these fish have never been reported so far from the area we got them from. The silver widow tetra (Gymnocorymbus thayeri) is a close relative to one of the most popular tetras in the hobby, the black widow tetra (G. ternetzi). Both look quite similar to each other, but the silver widow has a golden or silver basic colour and an attractive, copper-red eye.
The silver widow is reported so far only from the upper Amazon in Bolivia and Colombia and in Brazil. We now received three specimens as by-catch to a new species of Serrapinnus from Peru (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/serrapinnus-sp-aff-kriegi-peru_de_1578.html). To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of G. thayeri for Peru.
However, it is possible that our fish represent also a new species. Thus we decided to name them cf. thayeri (cf. stands for “confer”, a Latin word that means “compare with”).

Lexicon: Gymnocorymbus: means “with naked crest”; this refers to the scaleless region in the neck. thayeri: dedication name for N. Thayer, who sponsored an important ichtyological expedition through South America from 1865-1866.

Common name: Silver widow tetra

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Peru

Pseudobagrus trilineatus

18. February 2014

This very interesting catfish originates from China. We received our first importation of the species now. The fish become about 7.5 cm long and live endemically (= they occur nowhere else) in the Dong Jiang influence in the Chinese province of Guangdong. There is no universal agreement among ichthyologist in which genus this fish should be placed. Most of them place trilineatus in Pseudobagrus, but some in Tachysurus.

Against each other our specimens are rather peaceful, but they look for some individual distance. So one should offer a hiding place for each individual on its own in the aquarium.

It is best to keep these fish at room temperature. The tank should be furnished with sand and stones, just as it looks like in a small river or larger brook. This environment suites the catfish best. P. trilineatus are carnivorous fishes; they take readily all types of flakes, frozen or live fishfood. One should not keep them along with too small other fish, for they could be taken for food also.

For our customers: the animals have code 456333 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Pseudobagrus: means “wrong Bagrus”. Bagrus is another genus of catfish. trilineatus: means “with three lines”.

Suggestion of a common name: Golden brook catfish

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft China
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-7

Betta splendens Mustard Gas

17. February 2014

There is no accounting for taste. But without any doubt the name “Mustard Gas”, which is one of the most disgusting chemical weapons, is a bad offense against good taste. The fish nevertheless are extremely beautiful. It is said that initially an US breeder named Jude Als has bred the first Mustard Gas Bettas. However, these pure breeding animals have looked very different. They had a blue or green body and yellow fins.

Nowadays bettas with the label “Mustard Gas” are bred mainly in SE-Asia. These fish are black (=melanotic) with orange or yellow fins. The fins have a black seam. In breeders language they are melanotic butterfly bettas.

Breeding melanotic bettas is difficult enough, for the females are usually infertile. So the breeder has to breed with females of other than black colours. The gene that is responsible for melanotic body coloration is hidden (recessive), so the offspring of the first cross looks completely like the mother. One has to cross back the daughters on the father or the siblings to get black, melanotic animals. Breeding melanotic butterfly bettas is even more complicated. This is the reason why Mustard Gas bettas are comparably rare and more expensive than other bettas.

For our customers: the fish have code 390623 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm 5-6

Hemiodontichthys acipenserinus

17. February 2014

These strange whiptail catfish, in nature living in a sandy habitat, are regularly imported, although in low numbers. This species requires a sandy substrate, in which they can hide themselves. Because this is a shy fish absolute care needs be taken in the choice of tank mates. The reproduction of this species is not very difficult, if we consider its requirements. The male fish carries the eggs as a clutch, carefully surrounded by its enlarged lips for approximately 14 days. As soon as the fry is hatched, they are released and further care by the male has not been seen. Catching this fish should be taken with care because of the Odontods (little bony hairs on the exoskeleton) on the Rostrum. These can be entangled in the fishnet and could damage the fish beyond repair. Concerning feeding this species is not very picky and it will accept all available fish food, like frozen, flake or pellets. Especially freshly hatched brine shrimps are taken eagerly. (Photo & Text: Thomas Weidner)

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Peru

Serrapinnus sp. aff. kriegi

3. February 2014

The tetras which were called “Cheirodon” for decades are splitted now in several genera: Nanocheirodon, Compsura, Odontostilbe, Serrapinnus, and Cheirodon. They all have a generalized pattern with a black caudal spot and light spots above and below it.

We currently received a pretty species of that group from Peru. Sadly we were not able to determine it yet. Initially we thought they might belong to the species Cheirodon luelingi, but this could not be verified. Obviously our fish represents a (at least for Peru) new species of the genus Serrapinnus (this genus is defined by a strange, saw-like structure right before the ventral border of the caudal fin, which is formed from the so-called interhaemalia), which is very close to the well known S. kriegi from Paraguay.

So we call our fish now Serrapinnus sp. aff. kriegi “Peru”. Our largest specimens are about 4 cm long and obviously sexually mature. The animals are absolutely peaceful, very lively and healthy.

For our customers: the fish have code 217053 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Serrapinnus: means “saw-fin”. kriegi: dedication name for the German zoologist Hans Krieg (1888-1970).

Suggestion of a common name: Peruvian Threespot Tetra

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Peru
Verfügbare Größe in cm 3-4

Eirmotus octozona

30. January 2014

This tiny barb is very enigmatic. It has been described in 1959 on the basis of specimens from the aquarium fish trade which were said to originate from Thailand (Bung Borapet). However, there have been no reports since then about any occurence of Eirmotus in Thailand. Oramental fish collectors formerly collected this species in the peat swamp forest of Ayer Hitam in Johor, Malaysia. This forest has been almost destroyed for oil palm plantations and all fish that lived there seem to be extinct now. In 2008 three very similiar, new species of Eirmotus have been described from Sumatra and Borneo. Our fish seem to belong to the “real” E. octozona.

Eiromotus are very delicate barbs, which become only 3-4 cm long and are perfect tankmates for small blackwater tanks. Nothing has been reported so far about the breeding biology of this unusual, very peaceful barb.

For our customers: the fish have code 414583 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Eirmotus: refers to the rows of sensitive pores on the head. octozona: means “with 8 bars”
Suggestion of a common name: Eightbarrred barb
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Singapur / Singapore
Verfügbare Größe in cm 3-4

We can “big”, too…L191

30. January 2014

Ornamental fish are not necessarily small. Last week we received this juggernaut, a Panaque sp. “L191”. The animal has taken the transit from Colombia in our fishhouse in stride and has settled down perfectly.

Pterophyllum leopoldi

28. January 2014

This is the third commonly accepted species of angelfish. The two other species are Pterophyllum altum and P. scalare. However, traditionally P. leopoldi is named “Dumerili” in hobby and trade, but P. dumerili is a synonym of P. scalare.

P. leopoldi originates from Brazil. Here it lives syntopically with P. scalare. P. leopoldi always swims with a characteristic “head-up” position, which reminds one very much of the flag cichlids of the genus Mesonauta. In fact, the genera Mesonauta and Pterophyllum are close realtives to each other. This typical swimming position even led to an anatomical detail: the lower filament of the caudal fin is always longer than the upper filament in P. leopoldi. This feature can be even used for determination!

We are able to offer once more wild collected specimens of P. leopoldi. The species attains a maximum length of about 15 cm. Regarding the keeping conditions: there are no major differences compared to that of the common angelfish, P. scalare.

For our customers: the fish have code 699003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien / Brazil

Synodontis pardalis

20. January 2014

We received with the current Cameroon importation this beautiful squeaker, which can attain a maximum length of about 20 cm. The species is known only from the river Dja and its affluent Libi. This is the reason why the fish is considered an endangered species, for the Dja is heavily destroyed and polluted due to intensive Cobalt mining. So it is very gratifying that S. pardalis becomes imported every now and then, which makes specimens available for breeding and conservation programs.

Synodontis pardalis belongs to a group of very slender species of Synodontis, as do also S. decorus and S. brichardi. Against each other they are astonishingly peaceful. This squeaker should be kept in groups of 5-8 specimens. Regarding feeding and water chemistry the species is undemanding.

For our customers: the fish have code 183505 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Synodontis: an old name for an undetermined fish from the Nile. pardalis: means “with the pattern of a leopard”.

Suggestion of a common name: Leopard-Squeaker

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Kamerun / Cameroon

Ladigesia roloffi

20. January 2014

This beautiful tetra originates from West Africa. The fish becomes only 3-4 cm long. Nevertheless it should be kept in comparatively large aquaria, for it loves to swim a lot. The males can be easily recognized by the shape of the anal fin. The sense of that structure is not researched yet.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Guinea

Monodactylus argenteus

20. January 2014

Are you planning already your tanks for the upcoming year? Maybe you try a brackish water tank? A large aquarium with a school of monos (Monodactylus argenteus) is a real eyecatcher and a perfect opportunity to learn about all the other interesting species that like it a bit salty.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Thailand

Trichodactylus sp. Paraguay

20. January 2014

Crabs are the personalities among the crustaceans. The crabs of the genus Trichodactylus are exclusive freshwater crabs. These crabs are like most other crabs omnivorous and don´t stop for plants or tankmates. The crabs are not mean, they simply try everything wether it tastes or not. So one should keep the funny guys best in a species-specific tank on their own.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Paraguay

Biotodoma cupido Peru

20. January 2014

Biotodoma cupido Peru Biotodoma cupido Peru Biotodoma cupido Peru Biotodoma cupido Peru

The small cichlid Biotodoma cupido – the species can attain a maximum length of about 12-15 cm, but is sexually mature already at 6-8 cm total length – is probably the species of cichlid with the widest distribution in Amazonia. However, experts are merrily discordant wether all the different looking populations represent only varieties of the same species or represent different species on their own.

May that be as it is: the specimens originating from the vicinity of Iquitos in Peru can be easily recognized by the large, bronce- or copper-colored spot that is exhibited by the male and that makes the fish very attractive. Females lack this spot and have also a differently-shaped dorsal spot.

The fish are very peaceful – except when they start breeding. Then the openbrooding species becomes very aggressive against tankmates. These fish prefer floating water in the wild. Otherwise they are very adaptive and can be found even in tidal zones.

For our customers: the animals have code 634005 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Biotodoma: means “house of life”; formerly scientists believed the species would be mouthbrooding. cupido: after a Roman God of love.

Common name: Cupido cichlid.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Peru
Verfügbare Größe in cm 9-12

Barbus hulstaerti Lompole

20. January 2014

Once more we received a small jewel from the Congo basin. Again, a somewhat larger number of the Butterfly Barb Barbus hulstaerti could be imported, which was lost in the hobby for a long time. The colour variety with the large spot on the side is called “Lompole” after the collection site.

The lively fish reaches 3-4 cm in length and fascinates by its wonderful colours. Males and females can be distinguished by the diffrent coloration of the dorsal fin.

In their area of origin they live in flat, shady and comparatively cool jungle waters. The discovery site data indicate with water values of pH around 6; and a total hardness under 5° DGH no excessive problems for their maintenance.

Due to the complicated political situation in the Congo the availability of wild collected specimens is not secured, therefore ambitious breeders should take care of this swimming gem to secure their existence in our aquaria.

For our customers: the fish have code 101862 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Barbus: means “the bearded”. hulstaerti: dedication name for the collector, R. P. Hulstaert.

Common name: Butterfly barb

Text: Klaus Diehl, photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft D. R. Kongo / D. R. Congo
Verfügbare Größe in cm 2 -3

Gasteropelecus maculatus

15. January 2014

Gasteropelecus maculatus

Hatched fishes belong to very few species of fish that are able to fly. A hatched fish on the run jumps out of the water and uses the pectoral fins just like wings. So these tiny, only 5-6 cm long species can jump several meters. The typical hatched belly is also an adaption for flying, because it is needed for the necessary musculature.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Kolumbien / Colombia
Verfügbare Größe in cm 5-6

Chromobotia macracanthus

15. January 2014

Chromobotia macracanthus

The clown loach is one of the most popular species of loach at all. One should keep this up to 20-30 cm long species always in a small school, for clown loaches are very social animals.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Indonesien / Indonesia

Corydoras ellisae

15. January 2014

Corydoras ellisae Corydoras ellisae Corydoras ellisae

A beautiful, but sadly only rarely available cory from Paraguay. This species is the long-snouted counterpart of the most widespread cory in the hobby, the Peppered Corydoras.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Paraguay

Discus Royal Blue Nhamunda Maracanha

11. December 2013

We continue our journey through the magical world of recently imported wild collected discus with these magnificent animals. Available in very limited numbers only! You will find a small video of the fish on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=vb.119893808211837&type=2

For our customers: the animals have code 731358 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pseudolaguvia muricata

11. December 2013

Pseudolaguvia muricata Pseudolaguvia muricata Pseudolaguvia muricata Pseudolaguvia muricata

Catfishes from Asia are sadly not “en vogue” currently. On the other hand, many new, attractive species have been discovered recently, which are perfect aquarium inhabitants.

The first species of the genus Pseudolaguvia was discovered back in 1927, but only recently it was found that this genus represents a species-rich one. Pseudolaguvia are dwarf catfish that reach a maximum length of only 2-3 cm. 13 species of the 17 species known to date have been described from the year 2003 on.

A typical feature of the genus Pseudolaguvia is the adhesive apparatus on the belly which looks a broad fold. All species live in brooks or small rivers over sandy bottom. Usually the fish are found among dead plant material (detritus).

For the first time we could import now Pseudolagivia muricata. The charming animals become only 2.5-3 cm long and are no great swimmers. So they fit perfectly for small tanks. A tank for Pseudolaguvia should have fine sand on the bottom. One should also give some dead leaves in the tank. The catfish feed on almost any type of usual fish food – it has to fit the mouth, of course. Pseudolaguvia are absolutely peaceful against any tankmate, may it belong to the own or to different species. Plants are left unharmed also.

There are rather dark colored, elongate specimens and plumper ones with a lighter coloration. In all probability this represents sexual differences. Nothing is known so far regarding reproduction, but it is very likely that the eggs are deposited among plant material etc. and are left unguarded. These fish are kept best at room temperature. In the natural habitat the water is soft and neutral.

For our customers: the fish have code 445425 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Pseudolaguvia means “false Laguvia”. Laguvia is another genus of catfish. muricata: means “as spiny as a shell of a Murex snail”.

Suggestion of a common name: Spiny dwarf-suckerbellycatfish

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm 2-3

Channa andrao

11. December 2013

One of the smallest and most colorful species of snakehead has been described recently. Since about 12 years this fish is in the trade under the name of Channa sp. “Blue bleheri”. This mouthbrooding species becomes sexually mature at a length of about 8 cm. In the wild, they hardly ever become larger than 10 cm. Under aquarium conditions they may become exceptionally about 15 cm long.

This species is known so far only from a swamp area in the north of India (West-Bengal / Assam). It can be easily distinguished from most species of snakehead by the lack of ventral fins. The most similar species is Channa bleheri. However, C. bleheri has always large orange-red spots in the caudal fin, which are always missing in the caudal fin of C. andrao.

Females stay smaller and have more red coloration on the body. Thus Channa andrao is one of the few species of snakehead in which the sexes can be easily distinguished.

For our customers: the fish have code 409073 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Channa: ancient Greek, means “snapper”, probably referring to the airbreathing. andrao: dedication name for the Indian ornamental fish exporter Andrew Rao. bleheri: dedication name for Heiko Bleher.

Common name: Blue Rainbow Snakehead

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm 6-8

Channa White Pearl Lemon

11. December 2013

We were able to import this attractive snakehead for the first time ever. In all probability it is a sport of Channa argus. Thus we expect that these animals can reach a length of 30-40 cm, exceptionally even 90 cm.

And this is the good news: with every centimeter the fish grow they become more and more attractive. This can be clearly seen on the photo of a larger animal that has been sent to us by our supplier.

For our customers: the fish have code 409333 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht/bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 12-15

Goldfish Oranda Tricolor

11. December 2013

In the minds of many keepers the goldfish is a coldwater fish and has its high season in spring time, when the garden pond season starts. This is of course true, but reflects only a part of the reality. The highly developed sports – like the orandas – often are better kept in aquaria than in outdoor ponds. The optimal water temperature for these fish is between 14 and 28°C.

Currently we received very nice three-colored Oranda Tricolor that were bred in Singapore. These animals are colored individually very different and in all probability they will also change some of their colours during their individual lifetime, which can be as long as 30 years.

The ideal home for such fish is a large tank with soft sand and only a mild current. Goldfish are social animals and absolutely peaceful against all tankmates. One must only take care that no other fish takes the long fins of the orandas as toys and thus jars on the nerves of the poor goldfish permanently. By the way: all goldfish – and so also all orandas – are a perfect weapon against duckweed. No plague of duckweed will ever appear in a goldfish tank, for duckweed is one of the favourite dishes of goldfish.

For our customers: the animals have code 815701 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht/bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 4-5

Atractosteus tristoechus

2. December 2013

The Alligator gars are so-called living fossils. They developed about 100 million years ago in the upper Cretaceous and haven´t changed much since then. Currently two genera live in the New World, namely Atractosteus (containing three species) and Lepisosteus (four species).

The members of Atractosteus can reach about 2 m in length (formerly they are said to have reached even 3 m, but formerly everything was better ;-)) and are thus the largest recent members of the Alligator gars. The three species are very similar to each other and differ only in details which are not observable from outside. Our specimens are currently about 5 cm long and have been bred in Indonesia. We believe the breeders regarding the identity of the species as we have no opportunity to verify or falsify this.

Among the ancient features of the fish are the very strange bony scalation and the remains of a “tail” in the upper half of the caudal fin, which is clearly visible in our baby fish. Gars do not breath only via gills, but also via the swim bladder which serves as a lung. So they can survive even in very oxygen-poor water.

Gars feed exclusively on fish, but can be easily accustomed to feeding by forceps. Against conspecifics and other species of fish the gars are absolutely peaceful as long as they do not serve as food. Alligator gars are gorgeous animals for large show aquaria.

For our customers: the fish have code 848131 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Atractosteus: means “arrow-bone”. tristoechus: refers to the teeth which are arranged in three groups. Lepisosteus: means “bone-scale”.

Common name: Cuban gar

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht/bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 5-6

Hyphessobrycon sp. aff. metae

26. November 2013

Hyphessobrycon sp. aff. metae Hyphessobrycon sp. aff. metae

We received this beautiful tetra fro Venezuela. So far we were not able yet to determine it exactly.

For our customers: the fish has code 261352 on our stocklist. Please note the we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Venezuela

Hydrolycus armatus

26. November 2013

so interesting from a biological point of view that every aquarist should know them.

Currently four species of sabertooth-tetras are distinguished. All have in common extremely large, saber-shaped teeth in the lower jaw that are used to spear other fish. In the upper jaw are holes in the bone that have the function of sheaths for the saberteeth when the mouth is closed.

Most often the orange-finned Hydrolycus tatauaia is imported, a species that attains a maximum length of about 40 cm. This fish occurs in Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela. H. armatus occurs in the very same range. It differs from H. tatauaia by the grey to black fins, a different-shaped spot behind the opercle, a less curved belly and (this is most easily recognizable) a species-specific colored adipose fin. To make sure that all these differences can be clearly recognized, we have made an exception and have knocked out the background of the photo of our freshly imported, about 25-30 cm long specimen.

For our customers: the fish has code 259368 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Only one specimen available!

Lexicon: Hydrolycus: means “water wolf”. armatus: means “armed”. tatauaia: from the Tupi language, means “fire tail”, referring to the orange-red caudal fin.

Suggestion of a common name: Great Sabertooth-Tetra

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Verfügbare Größe in cm 25-30

L137 Hypostomus soniae / Cochliodon soniae

26. November 2013

L137 Hypostomus soniae / Cochliodon soniae L137 Hypostomus soniae / Cochliodon soniae L137 Hypostomus soniae / Cochliodon soniae L137 Hypostomus soniae / Cochliodon soniae

The pretty, blue-eyed L137 from the Rio Tapajós is only rarely offered. It is a medium-sized species of Hypostomus that can reach a maximum length of about 20 cm. The colour of the fish is quite variable. Specimens exist that have rather brown fins, others have spotted fins and again others have bright orange-red fins. The latter might be confused with the similar “Bruno” from Paraguay (code 27510), but L137 can be always identified by the blue eyes, which are unique within the genus Hypostomus.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 137-1 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Hypostomus: from ancient Greek, means “with inferior mouth”. Cochliodon: menas “with mussel-shaped tooth”. soniae: dedication name for Sonia Fisch-Muller, curator for fishes at the Muesum of Geneva.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien/Brazil
Verfügbare Größe in cm 5-7

Neritina pulligera

26. November 2013

Neritina pulligera Neritina pulligera

We received a nice shipment of the Pitchblack racing snail Neritina pulligera. Like its close relative, the Zebra snail Neritina turrita, this snail is a excellent algae eater. The species does not breed in the aquarium. Our experience with that snail is that they don´t leave the water, in contrast to other species of the genus.

For our customers: the animals have code 485563 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm 2-3

Heterandria formosa and Neoheterandria elegans

26. November 2013

Heterandria formosa und Neoheterandria elegans Heterandria formosa und Neoheterandria elegans Heterandria formosa und Neoheterandria elegans Heterandria formosa und Neoheterandria elegans

Dwarf livebearers

Finally we are able to offer once more both species of dwarf livebearers. Both are German bred ones. Dwarf livebearers are the smallest species of livebearing fish that are commonly kept in aquaria. Males become only 2 cm, females 3 cm long.

Heterandria formosa, also known as the “Least killifish” is the more common species. It originates from Florida and neighbouring states of the USA. It can be kept best at room temperature and does not need an additional heater, whereas N. elegans, also known as the “Teddy livebearer” originates from Colombia and needs rather high temperatures, eg 24-28°C.

Despite this the two species do not differ in respect to their demands. Even beginners can fulfill them easily. The water conditions (hardness, pH etc.) are of no interest and the fish feed readily on any type of fishfood that is small enough for the tiny mouths. Both species are absolutely peaceful.

The females of dwarf livebearers give birth to young fish during a period of several days. Each day only one or two babies are born. So one should keep them in small seperate aquaria with dense plantation over that period. The babies should be removed every day.

For our customers: the H. formose have code 421482, N. elegans 438352 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Heterandria: means “different man”. formosa: means “pretty, nice looking”. Neoheterandria: means “new Heterandria”. elegans: means “elegant”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht/bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 1- 2

Nothobranchius rachovii

20. November 2013

Nothobranchius rachovii Nothobranchius rachovii Nothobranchius rachovii

Rachow´s Nothobranch (the species has been named to honour Arthur Rachow, thus the common name must end on a “w”) belongs not only to the longest-serving, but also to the timeless most beautiful species of killifish at all in our aquaria. Most often the orange colour morph is kept, which has been collected in 1958 near Beira and never disappeared since then, because enthusiastic hobbyist preserved them by breeding. For more informations, please see also http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fishes/killifish-en/nothobranchius-pienaari-en/

Currently we can offer not only the “common” orange morph, but also for the first time ever an albino breed, which also has a very special charm.

For our customers: the wild colored fish have code 338003, the albinos code 338023 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexikon: Nothobranchius: from ancient Greek “nothos” = false, untrue and “branchion” = gill, referring to the gill anatomy. rachovii: dedication name for the German aquarist Arthur Rachow (1884 – 1960).

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht/bred

Scalar Essequibo

20. November 2013

Skalar Essequibo

It is a bit amazing, but the wild varieties of the angel fish appeared in the focus of aquarists only recently, despite the fact that angelfish are among the most popular oramental fish at all. A very pretty variety with many re spots occurs in the Essquibo river in Guyana. We get them as German bred ones. “Technically” speaking, these angels still belong to the species Pterophyllum scalare, but the genus Pterophyllum is in need for a revision. It is very likely that the angel from the Essequibo will become described as a seperate species in such a revision to come.

Code 699873
Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht/bred

Cherax holthuisi

20. November 2013

Cherax holthuisi

code: 483051

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Indonesien / Indonesia

Cephalosilurus apurensis

20. November 2013

We have a real delicacy for fans of predatory catfish in small numbers in stock: Cephalosilurus apurensis. This species becomes around 30 cm long. The fish are very hoggish and real personalities!

For our customers: the fish have code 214633 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Andreas Jekel

Platythelphusa armata

20. November 2013

Platythelphusa armata Platythelphusa armata Platythelphusa armata Platythelphusa armata

Lake Tanganyika in Africa is a kind of very large aquarium. Hundreds of endemic species – endemic means that they occur only there and nowhere else in the world – live in Lake Tanganyka.

This week we have some specialities from the lake for you. First: Platythelphusa armata. This is one of nine species of freshwater crabs from Lake Tanganyika. Males and females look very different. Like all larger species of freshwater crab they should be kept solitary and in single species tanks. Only for breeding attempt the sexes should be kept together. Crabs like these are omnivorous and feed readily on any type of fish food.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Tanganjikasee / Lake Tanganyika

Corydoras Neon Stripe (CW9, CW10, CW14/23)

11. November 2013

Corydoras Neon Stripe (CW9, CW10, CW14/23)

A group of scientifically still undescribed species of Corydoras from Peru has bright metallic stripes over the back and is thus called “Neon Stripe”. Some of these beautiful fish are currently in our stock. One of them is the “Neon Green” (CW9), which we can offer in small numbers as wild caught, another one is the “Neon Gold Stripe” or CW10, which is offered both wild collected and bred. The albinotic CW10 is, however, only available as bred. And the “Neon Red Stripe” (CW14/23, both are same species, the duplication came because one group were kept over a black substrate), sometimes offered bred, rarely wild collected, is probably a local variety of CW10.

The collage shows you all these “Neon Stripes” to give you an overview and help you through the sometimes confusing similar names.

All these Corydoras look a bit like the common Bronze Corydoras and thus are sometimes labelled “Corydoras aeneus” plus additional name; however, the “Neon Stripes” are no close relatives of C. aeneus.

Keeping and breeding of all these beautiful fish is quite easy and can be practiced even by beginners in the hobby. It is only due to the comparatively low reproduction rate that these fish are still among the more expensive species of the genus.

For our customers: Neon Green Stripe Wild (CW9) has code 221055, Neon Gold Stripe Wild (CW 10) code 221073, Neon Gold Stripe Bred (CW 10) code 221062, Neon Red Stripe Wild (CW14/23) code 221033 and Neon Gold Stripe Albino (CW 10) code 221092 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Peru

Ilyodon xantusi

11. November 2013

Ilyodon xantusi Ilyodon xantusi

Once per year we are in the glad position to be able to offer a number of very rarely available splitfins (Goodeidae). Now this time of the year has come and our proofed breeder has supplied the results of this year.

Among many other species are some specimens of very beautiful, large Ilyodon xantusi. This splitfin is one of the larger species of the family, our specimens are already 8-9 cm long and fully grown.

Ilyodon xantusi is a peaceful species that can be kept in community tanks.

For our customers: Ilyodon: means “with a flat tooth”. xantusi: dedication name for John Xantus, the first collector of the species.

Common name: Xantus splitfin

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht/bred