Author Archives: Frank Schäfer

Batanga or Dormitator lebretonis BRED

10. October 2019

This is one of the gobies imported as an ornamental fish shortly after the beginning of the 2nd century (1905) already. Since then she has always found her friends, but was never very popular in the hobby. This is probably due to the quite impressive size that this goby, which is widespread along the West African coast, can reach (up to 15 cm are given in the literature) and the fact that it is believed to have to be kept in brackish water. As with most brackish water fish, however, it is not the salt but the pH value that is important: in principle, the pH value should not fall below 8 in such animals, even at pH 7 many specimens show discomfort already. This is known from marine aquariums, where the pH must be permanently above 8.

 

Already in the earliest literature it is reported that the species spawns readily and the young brood is very numerous and tiny. While the old authors state that spawning takes place in plants, newer authors also describe spawning in caves (common in sleeper gobies). In nature, the gobies migrate a bit upstream during the rainy season and spawn in flooded areas in pure fresh water.

Because of the smallness of the offspring, most sleeper-gobies are hardly bred at all. We were quite surprised to be offered offspring in good size (4-5 cm). We are even more surprised, however, that these animals are obviously already sexually mature. The males have strong bulging heads, as known from Tateurndina ocellicauda, black throats and ventral fins and much larger fins than the females. In addition, they are constantly performing courtship display. Maybe our Batanga gobies originate from a dwarf form not yet documented, who knows?

Batanga (in most current literature this genus is placed in synonym of Dormitator) lebretonis is an open water fish that, unlike most gobies, swims everywhere in the middle water layers. If these gobies are constantly on the ground, something is wrong. Then the health of the animals and the pool equipment should be subjected to a critical examination.

For our customers: the animals have code 128302 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Lamprologus brevis Kapampa

7. October 2019

Many cichlids from Lake Tanganyika have different local populations that also look more or lress different. The snail cichlid Lamprologus brevis (sometimes also called Neolamprologus brevis, the species belongs neither to one nor to the other genus, but to a genus still to be described) has a lake wide distribution and therefore it has become common among cichlid lovers to indicate the location – in this case Kapampa at the western shore of the lake, quite far in the south of the DR Congo.

In L. brevis males and females live in the same snail. The females are clearly smaller and always swim into the house before the male. They have in the relation quite generally the trousers on, what they indicate through guidance-swimming and active courtship display.

For our customers: L. brevis Kapampa has code 542112 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Erythrinus erythrinus PERU

13. September 2019

According to the current state of science, the predatory tetra species Erythrinus erythrinus is widespread throughout practically all of South America: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Paraguay, Bolivia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. However, they look somewhat different everywhere, so that one must assume that in case of a modern revision of the animals some species will have to be renamed. The probably most colorful Erythrinus come from Peru, from where we received again an import.

With a maximum length of 25 cm – usually are lengths of 12-15 cm – this predator remains comparatively small. It has an auxiliary respiration organ, whereby it can breathe atmospheric air and still survives even in practically oxygen-free mud holes. If they dry out completely, Erythrinus try to wander over country and find a new open water. They are excellent jumpers, who purposefully find even the smallest holes in the aquarium cover; presumably they feed on land insects in nature to a large extent, which would explain the jumping ability.

We usually keep such predatory fish individually, but they are not so badly incompatible with each other. For photo purposes we looked for a splendid male from the current import, it measures 16 cm with tail fin. Unfortunately all females – recognizable by the considerably less extended dorsal and ventral fins – were clearly smaller. So we took an approx. 10 cm long female out of necessity. This small animal had no fear of the big man, but threatened the large one. The whole thing reminded of a Pinscher, who barks a Great Dane. The big male was a gentleman and let the lady go without resistance… There were no mutual biting attacks, although the photo tank is relatively small by nature.

For our customers: The animals have code 253404 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

L134 Peckoltia compta

13. September 2019

The L-number catfishes are like us humans. There are pretty, very pretty and extraordinarily pretty specimens. To the latter group belong the L134 (Peckoltia compta) from the Rio Tapajós, which we currently have in stock. P. compta belongs to the most recommendable L-catfishes at all and unites all desired characteristics of this group in ideal way: small size (maximum 12 cm with tail fin), splendid coloring, little shy nature and comparatively easy breeding. However, the distinguishing of the sexes is tricky and often ends in annoying way unsatisfactory for the aquarist. Although sexual active males are always easy to recognize, boyish females are not and males, which are ranked far below, cannot be distinguished from females at all. 

For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 134-2 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Ancistrus patronus and Ancistrus sp. “Rio Tocantins”

13. September 2019

In small numbers we received German bred specimens of these pretty bristle-noses. Ancistrus patronus is one of the numerous white dotted, black species and was known in the hobby as Ancistrus sp. “Puerto Ayacucho” and A. sp. “Rio Parucito” before its scientific description in February 2019; the numbers L125 and L150 were given to imported animals without exact knowledge of their origin; it is assumed in catfish circles that they are also A. patronus.

The second species, Ancistrus sp. “Rio Tocantins”, strangely enough never received a L-number, although it is very strikingly coloured. This species, which is easily recognizable by its honeycomb pattern, occurs in nature together with the Ancistrus species L156. Apart from the different coloration, Ancistrus sp. “Rio Tocantins” is also much flatter than most other Ancistrus species.

Care and breeding of both species is unproblematic and corresponds to that of the well-known Ancistrus species.

For our customers: A. patronus has code 204573, Ancistrus sp. “Rio Tocantins” code 204963 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Ageneiosus lineatus (= sp. III Green Stripe)

12. September 2019

Update: es handelt sich um die Art Ageneiosus lineatus Ribeiro, Rapp Py-Daniel & Walsh 2017

The dolphin catfish were only recently revised and divided into two genera: Ageneiosus and Tympanopleura. Tympanopleura are the smaller species. They are characterized by a circular structure immediately behind the edge of the gill cover, which looks like a tympanum.

Unfortunately, the pretty dolphin catfish imported from Peru from time to time, which is called “Green Stripe”, is not included in the revision and apparently belongs to a scientifically undescribed species. We would classify it also rather in Tympanopleura than in Ageneiosus, especially since it reaches with – as far as known – only 15-20 cm length (usually over 40 cm with Ageneiosus). Among catfish friends this species is also known as sp. III. It has been (and still is) confused with Ageinosus vittatus, but this is a large species with a much rounder head profile and a different pattern.

For our customers: the animals have code 203264 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Betta splendens Pla Kat Halfmoon Galaxy Candy

9. September 2019

Sometimes you don’t know what to admire more: the breeding skills of Betta freaks or their creativity in inventing new names. However, these candies are real beauties; each animal is individually patterned and spotted, so they are unique! Our dear friend Kamphol has sent us an exclusive collection of these beauties from Thailand.

For our customers: the animals have code 390070 on our stick list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Cyprinodon variegatus

6. September 2019

The pupfish of the genus Cyprinodon live, so to speak, in the limbo for fish. Once the area, which today represents the desert regions of the western USA and northern Mexico, was a huge lake plate, the fish there lived in paradise. But the lakes gradually dried up over the millennia. Today, some species of pupfish can only be found in a single small water hole in the desert, such as the Devils Hole Pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis). Some of the 49 currently recognized Cyprinodon species are therefore acutely threatened with extinction, some are even extinct, because if the groundwater sinks or the pond is polluted, it was.

But some species, such as Cyprinodon variegatus, are widespread and in no way threatened. All these survival artists can endure one thing: strong temperature fluctuations (up to 20°C in the day-night-change) and rapid changes in the salt content. C. variegatus also occurs in hypersaline waters (where the salt content is higher than in the sea), on the other hand there are also pure freshwater populations.

The Cyprinodon variegatus, which we can currently offer, come from a garage roof in southern Germany. They have been living there for many years now and reproduce happily. It doesn’t matter to them whether the sun is burning or the rain is crackling, they do everything. They are only not allowed to freeze, not even pupfish can stand that.

For our customers: the animals have code 321503 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Inlecypris auropurpureus

6. September 2019

The Inle Lake in Burma has a high proportion of endemic fish species, i.e. fish that occur exclusively there. One of them is Inlecypris auropurpureus, a Danio with vertical stripes on a golden band. The number and shape of the stripes are slightly different for each individual. Inlecypris is closely related to the species placed in Devario and has at times even been declared a synonym for Devario; however, most scientists do not follow this at present. 

Regarding the aquarium care, Inlecypris auropurpureus is very undemanding. It is a very peaceful schooling fish, that should not be cared for in too small aquariums, so that its swimming-arts can be observed. The maximum-length of the species amounts to 8-10 cm, however only rarely animals over 5 cm of length are found in nature.

For our customers: the fish have code 421822 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras venezuelanus “Orange” and C. sp. “Venezuela Black”

6. September 2019

Such a pretty little fish and such an ugly confusion about the name! Corys, which look like the bronze cory, Corydoras aeneus, appear in whole South America. However, these are certainly different species, there is general agreement. Only – how to name them correctly? Whether the cory, which is currently called Corydoras venezuelanus “Orange” in hobby and trade, really represents this species is more than questionable. Because C. venezuelanus was scientifically described in 1911 from the Río Cabriales, which originates in the very north of Venezuela and flows into Lake Valencia. From there no living corys have become known so far. The cory, known as Corydoras venezuelanus “Orange”, however, can be traced back to animals that Hans-Georg Evers and Ingo Seidel collected in 1992 in the Llanos of the Orinoco in Venezuela and brought to Germany. This does not necessarily mean that this is not the species C. venezuelanus, but the experience with the geographical distribution patterns of other bronze corys makes this rather unlikely. In Venezuela/Colombia there are several species of bronze corys. This makes it necessary to distinguish species with a certain commercial relevance.

Unfortunately, an armored catfish, which does not exist in the wild, has been called C. sp. “Venezuela Black”. In reality, the animal has nothing to do with Venezuela, but originated as a breeding form at the beginning of the 1990s in Germany. Because this breeding form also has orange fins and the very beautiful Corydoras, which Evers and Seidel brought with them from the Llanos of Venezuela, also has orange fins, there was confusion – and great trouble if the “wrong” species was delivered after an order. At some point someone came across the species name C. venezuelanus, which was synonymous with C. aeneus for a long time, and used it for the fish from the Llanos. Since the fish from the Llanos is certainly something else than the “ordinary” bronze cory, the proposal met with great approval in the hobby, even if from a scientific point of view it is very questionable and with high probability wrong.

But, one must also say this quite clearly, the ornamental fish trade is not a natural history museum and sometimes names develop their own dynamics. More important than a scientifically correct name – especially if one is not available – is that the customer knows what he is ordering.

We have both very beautiful Corydoras venezuelanus “Orange” (code 248492) and C. sp. “Venezuela Black” (code 221212) as offspring in the stock. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Channa aurantimaculata GERMAN BRED

4. September 2019

Currently we can offer beautiful offspring of one of the most beautiful Channa species: Channa aurantimaculata. The species originates from the north of India, where it can sometimes get quite cool. Therefore the summerly care of the up to 50 cm long animals (normally they become in the nature, however, only 20-25 cm long) in the garden pond especially prepared for it, above all escape-safe, is recommended. Please keep in mind that these animals in nature also migrate over land when it rains. They do the same here, if they are allowed to, so watch out!

The young animals are currently 5-7 cm long and not yet quite as spectacularly coloured as the adults, but also very, very pretty. 

For our customers: the animals have code 409018 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Brachygobius doriae

2. September 2019

Brachygobius doriae has been confused with B. xanthozonus for decades. We also received the fish under that name and stocked it so, because almost all aquarium books and websites depict B. doriae, but name it B. xanthozonus. However, B. xanthozonus has more than 50 scales in the horizontal row (our fish have somewhat more than 30); it is very questionable if the “true” B. xanthozonus has been ever kept in aquaria. Our current stock originates from Thailand.

Brachygobius doriae becomes only 3,5 cm long and fits perfectly for small aquaria. We currently have gorgeous fish in showsize in stock. Adding some salt to the water (1-2 grams per litre) is much appreciated, but not necessary. Bumblebee gobies are broodcaring fishes. The males take care for the eggs that become attached on the wall of caves etc.. As soon as the fry swims free the broodcare ends.

For our customers: the animals have code 403703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Brachygobius: Latin, means “short goby”. doriae: dedication name for the collector of the the fish, the Marquis J. Doria. xanthozonus: Latin, means “with yellow bands”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Macrognathus zebrinus

2. September 2019

All spiny eels of the currently 24 species of the genus Macrognathus are recommended aquarium fish. They remain relatively small (10-15 cm, only very rarely larger specimens are reported) by spiny eel standards and are peaceful to fish that are not suitable for food. In addition, most are still pretty colored.

Perhaps the prettiest is Macrognathus zebrinus from Burma. It inhabits the basins of big rivers Irrawaddy, Sittang and Salween. In addition, the species is also found in Nepal and allegedly also in Indonesia, but is imported from Burma or as bred ones. The largest specimen documented so far measured about 17 cm, but this is the exception. Our current imports with their length of 10-12 cm are already sexually differentiated, the females are clearly fuller and somewhat paler colored.

For the care of spiny eels, a substrate consisting at least in part of sand is important, because the animals like to burry themselves in. The feeding can be done with all kinds of frost and live food, as long as it is adapted to the body size of the fish. Acclimatized specimens also often accept granules. The aquarium for spiny eels must be covered absolutely escape-proof, and also the openings of filters must be secured against an intrusion of the fish, otherwise it can come to fatal accidents.

For our customers: the animals have code 425343 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Nimbochromis venustus

30. August 2019

The genus Nimbochromis is probably best known to the aquarists through the “sleeper”, N. livingstonii. All species of Nimbochromis have a Camouflage pattern from irregular, brown spots. N. livingstonii uses this to mimic a decomposing fish, because fish carrion looks very similarly patchy. So the sleeper lies on his side on the ground and plays dead fish. Unsuspecting young fish, who want to eat from the carrion, are attracted and end up in the stomach of the sleeper.

The beautiful giraffe cichlid (N. venustus) is also a predator and lurks for prey in a very similar way, but it does not lie on its side but only sinks to the ground and remains motionless here. It swims only an attack, if a prey comes into its immediate proximity.

With almost 25 cm of final-length, the giraffe cichlid belongs to the bigger cichlids from Lake Malawi, besides, it is one of the most aggressive. One can recommend it therefore only for really big aquariums where these characteristics don’t fall so much into the weight. Nimbochromis venustus is, like almost all cichlids from Lake Malawi, mouth-breeder in the female sex.

For our customers: the animals have code 534303 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Ancistrus sp. Paraguay

28. August 2019

After Paraguay had closed its doors for half a year for the export of ornamental fish, now imports from the southern country in South America reach us again. Among them also various Ancistrus species, which are often sent mixed. It has become common practice in the trade to call these animals Ancistrus tamboensis, which is objectively wrong, because A. tamboensis comes from the upper Ucayali basin in Peru, but nobody is actually bothered by it; one knows what is meant.

We have just received another import of such Ancistrus from Paraguay, among them also about 50 specimens in show-size (11-14 cm). Some males of these animals have such a huge “antlers” as we have hardly seen it even under wild collected animals so far! By the way: What this “antler” of the Ancistrus-males serves at all for is still unknown…

These “tamboensis” cannot be assigned to a certain species. In the catfish atlas volume 2: 274 top this species is called Ancistrus sp. Paraguay.

For our customers: the animals have code 205106 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Liosomadoras oncinus

26. August 2019

The Jaguar catfish (Liasomadoras oncinus) belongs to the rarities in the aquarium. Also in the large museum collections of the world the species is only sparsely represented, so that the knowledge about these animals is small. In the aquarium, they belong to the very sensitive species that only experienced aquarists should dare to approach. The species tends to fungal diseases and bacterial diseases. One can counteract both only with optimal water care, the care is favorable in a soft, slightly acid environment (pH 5.5-6.5), both like neither fungi nor disease-causing bacteria.

The maximum length of the jaguar catfish is about 20 cm (including the caudal fin), usually they become 12-15 cm long. The males of this species, which belongs to the group of the driftwood catfishes, can be recognized by the fact that they have a tubular mating organ at the beginning of the anal fin, which is used for internal fertilization.

Very interesting is the individually very different pattern of the fish. The 5 speciemens illustrated here are all in approximately the same size (9-12 cm). On the underside of the head, the animals (both sexes) have a sucking structure, whose function is unknown.

Jaguar catfish are not very demanding when it comes to feeding, but it is to be assumed that they feed on insects from the water surface in the wild at dusk, just like other driftwood catfish. We currently have some specimens of this catfish from Brazil in stock.

For our customers: the animals have code 266304 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Symphysodon discus

23. August 2019

The real or Heckel discus is maintained considerably more rarely in the aquarium than brown, blue or green discus and their sports and becomes as good as not at all bred. It is therefore only regularly available as a wild collected fish. At the moment we have some very nice, well-adjusted Heckel varieties in our stock.

The Heckel is just as color-variable as the other discus-types also, basically it looks like a Royal Blue with a broad center vertical bar. The animals are of course not beginner fish, but do not pose any unsolvable problems for advanced aquarists. They should be cared for in shoals of at least six, better eight to twelve animals. The aquarium must not be too brightly lit and should at least have fine sandy soils in places, so that the discus can pursue their typical search for food, the “blowing out” of food animals from the sand. Very important are humic substances from peat, alder cones, dead leaves etc., which strengthen the immune defense of the fish enormously. 

For our customers: we currently have Heckel from Rio Negro (code 73400), from Suncunduri (code 73406), blue-headed heckel from Rio Nhamunda (code 73408), from Mari Cross (code 73506), from Rio Madeira (code 73508) and Nova Olinda (code 73510). 

Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Amatitlania sajica

23. August 2019

From the many Central American cichlids, that were grouped in the gigantic collective-genus Cichlasoma earlier, most species are cared for only by the experienced “old hares” among the aquarists, who don’t want any more a colorful  community aquarium but prefer a preferably big aquarium with few, characterful fishes. The Central American cichlids are perfect for that: character-fish, that don’t make any compromises and show a complex and varied behavior.

But also among these character fish there are some relatively peaceful and comparatively small species, which show the exciting behaviour of their bigger and rougher cousins, but can also be cared for in a well chosen community of other fish, such as catfish, barbs, tetras and livebearers, especially as they treat the plants rather gently. 

Among these species is Amatitlania sajica from the Pacific side of Costa Rica. These beautiful cichlids have not been imported for a long time, all specimens present in the hobby are bred ones. They are productive open breeders. It has often been the sight of such a pair cichlids, leading babies, which turned community tank aquarists into breeders…

Amatilania sajica can become in the male sex up to 12 cm, in the female up to 9 cm long and is regarded as one of the smallest species of the genus.

For our customers: the animals have code 660002 (4-6 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Paracanthocobitis rubidipinnis

21. August 2019

This beautiful loach comes from Burma, where it is found in the Irrawaddy system. They are exceptionally lively animals that are constantly in action with each other. For this reason, it is not acceptable to combine fish that love peace with Paracanthocobitis rubidipinnis. The animals – they become about 6-7 cm long – are however also entertaining enough, in order to be cared for alone in a species-specific tank. Then it is best to keep them in a small group of 3-7 specimens. The tank should have a sandy and gravelly bottom and some flat, hand-sized stones should lie on the bottom. Underneath, the animals dig caves, which they defend against other animals.

In neutral mood, the species, that differs from all other members of its genus through the especially long back-fin with 13 1/2 to 15 1/2 divided fin-rays, already looks pretty enough pretty enough. But when the animal comes in reproductive mood, it becomes very dark and the fins and barbels intensively red. The females (recognizable by the stronger stomach-circumference and different shape of pectoral fins) color more intensively than the males.

We can currently offer this beautiful fish, which is best kept at room temperature (18-22°C) except for breeding, in sexually mature bred specimens.

For our customers: the animals have code 360832 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Giuris margaritacea

19. August 2019

When one sees these sleeper gobies from the Indo-West Pacific region, where they are very common, for the first time, one spontaneously thinks of an oversized Australian spotted goby (Mogurnda). The main difference between Giuris and Mogurnda is – aquaristically speaking – that the tiny larvae of Giuris develop in the sea, while the much larger ones of Mogurnda develop in freshwater. 

In literature, Giuris margaritacea is described as a euryhaline fish that can live equally well in fresh, brackish or salt water. But at least the colourful population from Indonesia, which we have just been able to import, is probably a freshwater fish.

The extremely wide distribution of the species from the East African coast, the Indonesian islands, the Philippines, the western Australian coast and along the coast of Southeast Asia stands in strange contradiction to the rarity of these really magnificent fish in the hobby. G. margaritacea even seems to be a quite compatible animal. At least in the photo basin the couple (the female can be recognized by the clearly smaller and shorter first dorsal fin; the colour differences are rather mood-related) got along very well. By the way, aquarium observations indicate that this up to 40 cm long goby feeds mainly on insects and is not a fish-eater like the marble goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata). Nevertheless, one should be careful with community fish, all fish that fit into the mouth are endangered.

We could now import some 15-20 cm long, quite splendid specimens of this goby, which is also called Ophieleotris aporos (Manila goby) in the older aquarium literature.

For our customers: the animals have code 418124 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

• 

Colombia, a journey to the habitats of our fishes

16. August 2019

Every aquarist probably wants to visit the habitat of his fish once. We were 6 aquarists from the Berlin area as well as from the south-southwest of Germany. Through Roman Neukirchen from the company Aquarium Glaser we got the opportunity to have a look at the transport routes from the catch of the fish in the rivers of Colombia to the transport to Germany in our domestic aquariums.

Daniel welcomes us in Bogota

The flights were quickly booked. Meeting point were the airports in Berlin and Munich, in January 2019. After a 12 hour flight from Munich we landed in Bogota, the capital of Colombia. The next day Daniel, one of the owners of Acuario Norte, who supplies Aquarium Glaser with freshwater fish from Colombia, welcomed us in the centre of Bogota. He gave us the opportunity to have a look at one of the fish export facilities.

Aquarien und Kunstoffbehälter zum Zwischenhältern der Fische bis sie zum Export gehen

Aquarien und Kunstoffbehälter zum Zwischenhältern der Fische bis sie zum Export gehen

eine zusätzliche Heizung um die Raumtemperatur in der Aquarienanlage zu erhöhen

The city Bogota lies on 2.650 m height, its temperatures vary in the night between 7 – 10 °C and reach on the day approx. 20 °C. This requires the heating of the aquarium system to pleasant temperatures for the fish of 24 to 26 °C for the period of their intermediate holding, of up to three days.

In order to keep this time for the fish as short as possible, Daniel runs a catching & collecting station in the Llanos, where he keeps fish from various fishermen from all over Colombia until they are shipped.

Artesanias, hier bekommt man indigenen Handwerksprodukte aus Kolumbien zu kaufen

Handwerkskunst im Goldmuseum in Bogota

After our very informative meeting with Daniel we took the opportunity to see some of the sights in Bogota and a crater lake outside the city.

At the end of our meeting Daniel gave us a contact in Puerto Inirida from one of his fishermen.

In Puerto Inirida, arriving after a 1 1/2 hour domestic flight, Leonell, our local contact and fisherman, welcomed us. With Leonell we planned our first tour. We were accompanied by his son Camillo and the Indian boatman Kortez. The next morning we drove the Rio Inirida some kilometres downstream, there the Rio Inirida flows into the Rio Guaviare, a white water river.

wir Angeln und genießen den Sonnenuntergang am Rio Guaviare

Triportheus cf.orinocensis Malabarba, 2004 im Rio Guaviare geangelt

Tetragonopterus argenteus Cuvier, 1816 im Rio Guaviare geangelt

Aphanotorulus cf.emarginatus (Valenciennes, 1840) im Rio Guaviare geangelt

Leiarius marmoratus (Gill, 1870), im Rio Guaviare geangelt

Ageneiosus inermis Linnaeus, 1766, im Rio Guaviare geangelt

Brycon whitei Myers & Weitzman, 1960, im Rio Guaviare geangelt

Panaque nigrolineatus (Peters, 1877) am Flußufer in einer Senke vertrocknet

We drove the Rio Guaviare by boat upstream. In order to get good photo and film shots under water, however, we had to switch to clear & black water tributaries. With our local Indian boat guide Kortez the chance to meet such biotopes increased, which also resulted in several hours of foot marches at 35 degrees in the shade on land to find these streams and residual water depressions in the dry season. In some places the shore landscape in the middle of the dry season had partly steppe-like character, which made the search an adventure for us and brought us bubbles on our feet.

Farm on the bank of Rio Guaviare

Rio Guaviare

Myleus cf.torquatus (KNER, 1858) attracted by a corn cone

(to be continued)

Text: Thomas Große, Photos: Roland Rietsch

Zebra Otocinclus

15. August 2019

Currently we have two forms of very attractive Zebra-Otocinclus from Peru in stock. 

The first species, Otocinclus cocama, is more commonly available. It shows a rather dense pattern of vertical black stripes on a light background and has the code number 274154 (see also http://www.aquariumglaser.de/de/otocinclus-cocama_de_1342.html_de_1342.html). 

Only in small quantities and very rarely we get a very attractive Zebra-Otocinclus with broad stripes, which has the code number 274174 (“Zebra Yarapa”) and which we can now offer again. 

Both forms are beautiful and robust aquarium fish.

Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

A white Corydoras sp. C124

15. August 2019

We get the rare long nosed Corydoras sp. C124 occasionally under the names C. cortesi (that is another species from Colombia) or Corydoras “Huangana” (so one calls the wild pigs of the species white-lipped peccary) from Peru. C124 has a very variably pattern, each individual can be recognized by his special pattern. But this time the shipment contained something very special: an almost completely white specimen! It is not an albino; in the close-up you can see that black pigment cells (melanophores) are present, furthermore the pupil is black. It is simply a whim of nature. The whiting recognizes normally colored C124 as conspecifics and seeks their company, especially if he is worried. 

For our customers: the animals have code 225215 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Macropodus spechti

13. August 2019

Once again we managed to import a Macropodus form from Vietnam which cannot be clearly assigned. Unfortunately nothing can be found out about the original location. Some years ago we had been able to import similar animals, also from Vietnam, but they had a strong bronze shine on their body, which is missing in the current imports. The animals imported in 2015 can be seen here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/macropodus_spechti_en/

In contrast to “normal” Macropodus spechti, the current import animals are lighter in colour, have longer ventral fins and a rather yellow (instead of red) iris. Since the black paradise fish prefer running water, it could be a specially adapted form living in brooks. We are very curious to see what the offspring of these unusual black paradise fish will look like. They should definitely be kept, cared for and bred separate from other populations of Macropodus spechti, because it is by no means out of the question that they represent another species.

For our customers: the animals have code 425604 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Mesonoemacheilus triangularis

9. August 2019

The loaches of Asia are an enormously species-rich fish group. Similar to the cory catfish in South America, a great part of the species has not yet been scientifically described. 

A well recognizable species is the Zodiak Loach, Mesonoemacheilus triangularis, from South India; here it occurs endemically in the Western Ghats. The genus Mesonoemacheilus differs from Nemacheilus only in some minor anatomical details.

This pretty loach becomes approximately 6 cm long and is easy to maintain. As with other loaches, there are again and again contradictory reports about its behavior. Most aquarists experience it as peaceful, although very lively and constantly with conspecifics interacting fish. Others report, the loaches are very quarrelsome. We have known them so far only as peaceful.

For our customers: the animals have code 438312 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus

9. August 2019

Among the driftwood catfishes are some quite attractive coloured species. This is a bit astonishing, for these catfishes are usually strictly night active and hide during daytimes in caves or crevices. However, well settled animals usually come out of their wholes at feeding times in the aquarium.

Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus belongs to the really attractive species. It is not a small fish, but attains a total length of about 15 cm. This is worth knowning, for small fish, like cardinals, are among the common food items of the catfish. Otherwise it is peaceful against tankmates. In T. taeniatus an internal insemination appears. For that reason in males the first rays of the anal fin are modified. The eggs are laid later without the males. As far as we know this pretty fish has not been bred yet under aquarium conditions, but this may simply be due the fact that it is only very rarely offered. Currently we have some very nice about halfgrown specimens from Venezuela in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 297503 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Macropodus opercularis Albino

9. August 2019

About 80 years ago, a German breeder found by chance an albinotic paradise fish among  a brood of normal siblings. The breeder was successful in rearing the fish and this animal became the ancestor of all albinotic paradise fish known today. However, breeding albinotic paradise fish is not that easy and so they always were rare in the trade. Nevertheless obviously there were enough people who found them worth keeping and breeding, for otherwise the sport would not have survived such a long time.

Currently we have breeders who are able to supply us continously with high quality albinotic paradise fish, so we can offer the beautiful fish on a regular basis.

For our customers: the fish have code 426002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Leporinus friderici

7. August 2019

One of the longest known Leporinus species is L. friderici. It was already described in 1794 under the name Salmo friderici. The author, Marcus Eliser Bloch, writes: “This fish is a resident of Surinam’s waters. I received it from the present governor, the Lord of Friderici, along with several other fish. He has an excellent meat, and belongs to the tasty fish of Suriname.”

At the moment we have very nice bred ones of these up to 40 cm long tetras from Indonesia in the stock. The animals are currently 5-7 cm long. In the behavior, one can compare them best with cichlids. They form – quite rough – a ranking among themselves, why one hardly ever sees a specimen with completely undamaged fins. However, these injuries are harmless. If they feel threatened, however, they join together immediately to a dense swarm. One can characterize these tetras therefore best as social fish, who estimate the society of conspecifics, but doesn’t treat them necessarily peacefully.

In nature Leporinus feed mainly on fruits, seeds and insects, in the aquarium they reliably destroy all plants. They are ideal fish in large aquariums with silver dollars, large cichlids, catfish, etc.

For our customers: the animals have code 265923 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras robustus BRED

5. August 2019

The magnificent Corydoras robustus belongs to the biggest species of its genus. Up to 95 mm standard length (i.e. without caudal fin) have already been measured in females of this species. Females become somewhat bigger than the males. Both sexes develop long  dorsal fin rays, what looks very nice. For more pictures of adult animals see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/corydoras_robustus_en/

This catfish comes from Brazil, where it is found in the drainage of the Rio Purus. As far as we know, there have been no reports on a successful breeding in aquaria so far. Therefore, we are especially pleased to be able to offer bred specimens of the wonderful catfish now. In comparison to the adult animals the body spots of the young are still clearly larger. They are very lively, social animals.

For our customers: the fish have code 244093 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Boraras urophthalmoides (formerly Rasbora urophthalma)

2. August 2019

As early as 1914 the then very prominent German aquarist J. P. Arnold illustrated a new species of Rasbora in a German aquarium magazine, imported by the company Scholze & Pötzsche and said to originate from Sumatra. In 1922 E. Ahl from Berlin Museum described this species scientifically as Rasbora urophthalma and since these days this charming dwarf rasbora is known as R. urophthalma (common name: Least rasbora) in the aquarium hobby. In 1991 M. Kottelat found when re-examining Ahl´s specimens in Berlin Museum that they were not identical with what is well known in the hobby. Thus the name Rasbora urophthalma was not available anymore for the Least rasbora and Kottelat gave a new name on them: Rasbora urophthalmoides. He also stated that the Least rasbora is not known from Indonesia.

Today the scientific name for the Least rasbora is Boraras urophthalmoides. It is known from Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. For the aquarium hobby, it is imported mainly from the latter country.

Like all dwarf rasboras this species is best kept in small aquaria in a one-species tank. The water should be soft and acidic. Due to it´s origin for regular keeping temperatures of 20-22°C are enough, but for breeding the temperature should be raised to 26-28°C.

For our customers: the species has code 453001 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply to the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Microphis deocata BRED

2. August 2019

The probably prettiest freshwater pipefish is Microphis deocata from India. In its homeland it lives in clear running waters at the foot of the Himalaya. Unfortunately this pipefish is very sensitive to transport. It neither tolerates water deterioration nor can it starve for long. As a food specialist it also requires living food, this species prefers to eat mayfly larvae (which are also the closest to natural food), but also differnt mosquito larvae. A habituation at frost-food succeeds only exceptionally and should never be regarded as possible if one considers the acquisition of such animals.

Due to their high demands, M. deocata is imported only very rarely. But the species can be bred quite well. The females have a fantastic, colorful belly sail, which is carried during the day, however, indented under the belly. The animals become sexually mature already half grown, with approximately 8 cm of length. Then, however, they are not yet as colorful as full-grown, approximately 15 cm long specimens, which often have a wonderful green shimmer. It is advisable, by the way, to maintain this subtropical species occasionally in the open air (balcony-aquarium, special garden pond). The natural food and the sunlight are very good for the animals.

Usually offspring of this species are not sold, but are passed on directly from the breeder to other lovers. That is why we are very happy to be able to offer some young German offspring that have just reached sexual maturity. 

For our customers: the animals have code 430123 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Etroplus suratensis

2. August 2019

After a quite long time we were able to import the Indian Pearl Spot, Etroplus suratensis, once again. Of the three species of Indian cichlids this one is the largest. Record dimensions of up to 40 cm were reported. But normally this fish becomes only about 15 cm long, it is sexually mature from about 8 cm.

Etroplus suratensis occurs in nature along the south coast of India and in Sri Lanka. It is often found in pure fresh water, but likes to live in a brackish environment and also tolerates pure sea water. A slight addition of salt is recommended in the aquarium, but much more important is the pH value, which should not fall below 8 if possible. 

Plants are part of the diet of this species and planting the aquarium is therefore usually doomed to failure. The Indian Pearl Spot is a sociable animal that is best cared for in the company of some specimens. With its smaller cousin, the Indian cichlid (Pseudetroplus maculatus), it is associated with a cleaning community that can also be observed in the aquarium. If E. suratensis wants to be cleaned, he stands very conspicuously with his head up on the caudal fin. P. maculatus understands this instinctively and cleans his larger cousin. This behaviour is inherent and can also be observed in animals that were born in the aquarium and never had the opportunity to observe this behaviour.

Our 4-5 cm long youngsters of E. suratensis are already very nice to look at in their stripe pattern; adult animals look quite splendid, as if they are covered with diamond splinters.

For our customers: the animals have code 415902 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Devario annandalei

1. August 2019

Until quite recently all species now placed in Devario have been placed in Danio and most of them were considered to be varieties of a single species, D. malabaricus. But even earlier a good number of species has been described scientifically, most of them became forgotten later. One of these species is Devario annandalei from Burma. The pretty fish has been described as early as 1908 scientifically. We currently have wild collected ones in stock.

Very obvious is the red skin between the rays of the caudal fin. This led to the trivial name „blood tail“ for the beautiful schooling fish.

In respect of keeping and breeding there are no essential differences to the very well known Devario malabaricus. The only exception is water temperature. D. annandalei originates from subtropical regions, so it is recommended to keep it a bit cooler (room temperature) at times. Devario annandalei becomes about 10 cm long.

For our customers: the fish have code 414278 on our stcklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Polypterus endlicherii bred (2)

30. July 2019

For some time now we have been able to offer offspring of this big bichir (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/polypterus_endlicherii_nachzuchten_en/). With the current delivery we noticed the bizarre outer gills, which have young animals of all Polypterus species. They give these primeval fishes a very peculiar appearance.

For our customers: the animals have code 163312 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

“Cichlasoma” loisellei

26. July 2019

In their Central American home countries, the predatory colorful cichlids, that are classified currently in the genus Parachromis – before this, they were placed in Cichlasoma or Nandopsis – are called “Guapotes“. That means “the big pretty ones”. And actually, these species, some of which can reach up to 50 cm in length, are very attractive.

The smallest of them has so far been called Parachromis loisellei. It becomes “only” 25-30 cm long and only the males and in exceptional cases. Usually one can count on sizes up to 20 cm, they become sexually mature with 10 cm. 

Particularly P. loisellei is besides regarded as most peaceful species, that in contrast to some other species of the genus. They only becomes “soggy” if the animals feel molested. However, a large aquarium is still a basic prerequisite for fish and aquarists to enjoy each other without restriction.

It was not until 2018, during the follow-up examination of the type specimen of P. friedrichsthalii, a species described as early as 1840, that it turned out that this specimen is actually identical to P. loisellei described as late as 1989. Thus P. loisellei became the synonym of P. friedrichsthalii. The fish that has been common in the hobby as P. friedrichsthalii is another species, which is now called P. multifasciatus. The exact background can be read here: 

Morgenstern, R. (2018): Fishes collected by Emanuel Ritter von Friedrichsthal in Central America between 1838-1841. Vertebrate Zoology v. 68 (no. 3): 253-267.

We have the smallest of the “big pretty ones” as German offspring in the stock; until the current naming in the trade and among the hobbyists has prevailed, it will probably still take some time, on our stock list it is to be found until further notice still as Cichlasoma loisellei.

For our customers: the animals have code 652803 on our stocklist. Please note that we only deliver to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Thoracocharax stellatus, Gasteropelecus maculatus JUMBO, Carnegiella myersi, Carnegiella strigata

26. July 2019

The platinum hatchetfish, Thoracocharax stellatus, is regarded as biggest species of the hatchetfish. In the scientific literature, up to 6.8 cm of standard length (without tail fin) are indicated for the species. However, much smaller animals are always imported. The specimens that we currently offer as “large” have a standard length of about 3.5-4 cm.

Thoracocharax stellatus is mostly imported from Colombia. From there we have now received Gasteropelecus maculatus, which can compete in size with Thoracocharax. They have about 6 cm standard length, so with caudal fin almost 7 cm. G. maculatus is very similar to Thoracocharax, mainly because of the dark base of the dorsal fin and was placed at times in the genus Thoracocharax, indeed.

From Peru we have the smallest of all hatchet belly fish in stock, the glass or dwarf hatchet Carnegiella myersi. Large females of this species reach only 2.2 cm standard length, males are even smaller. 

If you read these numbers, the differences may not seem so big, but if you can see the animals together – wow! It’s especially funny when a tiny male Carnegiella is displaying in front of a specimen of G. maculatus, which must appear to him as a “super woman”…

For this post we have also made pictures of the probably most famous and popular of all hatchet fishes, the marble hatchet (Carnegiella strigata), together with the jumbo maculatus. The marble hatchets are already fully grown.

For our customers: T. stellatus “lg” has code 297003, G. maculatus “Jumbo” 254207, C. myersi 214102 , and C. strigata 214203 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Leiodon cutcutia THAILAND

24. July 2019

The first tropical freshwater puffer fish, which was imported in 1903 for aquaristics and soon bred, was the common or emerald puffer fish, at that time still known as Tetraodon cutcutia. The species remains quite small with a maximum length of 9 cm, is attractively colored and easy to keep, but unpredictably biting against conspecifics and other fish, which is why it is only rarely on offer.

L. cutcutia was described scientifically from the Ganges in India, from where the imports usually also take place. Since this is a pure freshwater species that even avoids brackish water, it is amazing that L. cutcutia also occurs in Thailand, although India and Thailand are separated by mountains that are insurmountable for freshwater fish by land. According to Thai nature guides, L. cutcutia only occurs in the extreme south of the country in the Malay Peninsula.

We have now received a nice number of this puffer fish from Thailand. As typical for the glow-eye puffer fish, the animals can change their colouring drastically. 

For our customers: the animals have code 461403 on our stocklist. Please note that we only deliver to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Tatia gyrina

22. July 2019

In spite of their largely nocturnal nature, the driftwood catfishes have meanwhile gathered a small fan community behind them, which enthusiastically cultivate and breed them. Surely it contributes to the fact that these catfishes have an internal fertilization, whereby the females can produce a fertilized clutch sometime without direct intervention of a male, since the fertilization already took place days or weeks before. This behaviour fascinates many breeders.

Currently we were able to import the very rarely offered species Tatia gyrina from Peru. This is a rather small species. In total our largest specimens are about 5 cm long (including the caudal fin). The males are recognizable by the modified anal fin, which has been transformed into a mating organ. In addition, they are clearly slimmer and somewhat bigger than the females. 

For our customers: the animals have code 295682 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma iniridae

19. July 2019

Sadly this beautiful dwarf cichlid is only occasionally available, but currently we were able to import once more beautiful, fully grown specimens. The fish display all the behaviour that makes the keeping of these fish so desirable. Like its close relative A. uaupesi, which differs from A. iniridae mainly due to the lyra-shaped caudal fin in the former species, the males are displaying their sailfin-like dorsal fins in harmless hierarchy fights – a wonderful look.

As in most Apistogramma species, the coloration is quite variable. There are specimens with much orange (mainly in the caudal fin), others look rather blueish. This does not represent different populations, but the different colour varieties live side by side.

This up to 7-8 cm long species (females always stay 2-3 cm smaller than the males) should be kept in soft, acidic and warm water (26-30°C). They feed readily on any type of frozen and live food. The females can become very aggressive against the males during broodcare, so it is best to keep the fish in well planted tanks that have a lot of hiding places.

For our customers: the fish has code 622554 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Apistogramma: ancient Greek, means “with unreliable line”. It is not known whether the lateral line organ or the pattern is meant. iniridae: after the type locality, the Rio Inirida. uaupesi: after the type locality, the Rio Uaupes.

Common name: Inirida dwarf cichlid

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Allenbatrachus grunniens

19. July 2019

Nobody would keep this fascinating frogfish from South East Asia due to its coloration. The bizarre shape and the expressive eyes nevertheless make it a desirable species for the aquarium.

This frogfish lives in the wild in river mouths; although it is possible to keep the fish in pure freshwater, it is better to add some salt (5-15 g/litre). The broad mouth characerizes A. grunniens as a predatory species. Among each other and against fish that do not fit as food the species is completely peaceful. This frogfish attains a length of approximately 30 cm.

One should be very careful when catching the fish, as the dorsal spines and probably also the spines on the opercle are poisonous. Generally speaking, the venom is not very strong, but painful and there is also always the danger of allergic reactions.

For our customers: the animals have code 373105 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Allenbatrachus: combined from the Name Allen (dedication name for George Allen from Humboldt State University) and the genus name Batrachus, another genus of toadfish. grunniens: means “the grunter”.

Common name: Grunting toadfish

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hemigrammus cf. bellottii “Venezuela”

17. July 2019

One of the most common tetras from the Amazon and Orinoco is Hemigrammus bellottii. The species is easily recognizable by the golden longitudinal stripe and the red eye; other pattern elements (tail spot, fin coloration etc.) are usually missing. Only a shoulder spot can be present from time to time – depending on the mood.

Now we have received tetras from Venezuela, which differ in some points from the “normal” H. bellottii. On the one hand dorsal and anal fins show pretty, white seams, the dorsal fin and tail fin have beautiful orange-red color portions and on the other hand a (albeit small) tail spot is present. Possibly our current “bellottii” from Venezuela represent a scientifically not yet recorded species.

For our customers: the animals have code 256033 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Cherax snowden “Irianto Red” and Cherax holthuisi

15. July 2019

These intensively colored crayfish originate from Papua New Guinea, where they are found on the Vogelkop Peninsula. „Irianto Red” is a colour variant of the Cherax snowden, which was only scientifically described in 2015, while Cherax holthuisi already received its scientific name in 2006; before that, C. holthuisi was known as “apricot crayfish“, while C. snowden was known in the hobby as Cherax sp. “Orange Tip” before its scientific description. Pictures of the “normal” colored C. snowden can be found here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/31-krebse-garnelen-krabben-muscheln-schnecken/cherax_sp_orange_tip_en/

Both species occur in nature in the neighbourhood, but are ecologically differently positioned, since C. holthuisi is rather living underground. Therefore the two crayfish species live – scientifically expressed – sympatrically (i.e. in the same occurrence area) but not syntopically (i.e. in the same biotope). We receive both species mostly mixed as wild catches, because they really look extraordinarily similar. The easiest way to distinguish them is by eye size, the eyes of C. holthuisi are much smaller than those of C. snowden. 

The bright orange colouring of C. snowden “Irianto Red” is – as far as we know – pure in offspring. However, when putting together breeding pairs you have to be careful not to put together mixed pairs (snowden/holthuisi), in the aquarium Cherax species can hybridize with each other. Cherax holthuisi is quite colour-variable, besides the orange ones there are also grey, whitish, yellow or bluish individuals.

For our customers: C. snowden “Irianto Red” has code 481490, C. holthuisi code 483052 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pyrrhulina spilota

12. July 2019

The tetras belonging to the genus Pyrrhulina combine the advantages of two basic groups of ornamental fish. The first group are the schooling species that are always visible and swim merely in the open water: tetras and barbs. The second group has a fascinating behaviour and takes care for the brood: the cichlids and the labyrinth fish. 

One of the most attractive species of Pyrrhulina is P. spilota. We were able once more to import it from Peru. The males of the up to 7-8 cm long species can be easily distinguished from the females. Males have silvery scales in the first third of the body and a contrasting marked anal fin. Both features are missing in the smaller females.

Usually P. spilota behave like „regular“ tetras and swim in the open water. They prefer the upper third of the water column, but can be found anywhere in the tank. Like most tetras they feed happily on any type of usual fish food – even dried food items – and don´t damage any plants. So far their behaviour is much alike other tetras.

But when the breeding season comes everything changes. Now the males occupy territories, preferably around a plant with broad leaves, but if this is not availble a stone or a root will also do. For this is the substrate the fish spawn on. Most tetras are egg scatterers that take no care for their spawn at all. In contrast to them Pyrrhulina produce a pretty compact spawn that looks much alike the spawn of a cichlid. In Pyrrhulina, the male alone takes care for the eggs, like in labyrinth fish. And it is very serious with that! Possible tankmates have to take good care not come too close to the spawning site! When the offspring hatches and leaves the leaf the male´s job is done and it turns back to the behaviour of a regular tetra…

For our customers: P. spilota have code 286782 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus

12. July 2019

Among the driftwood catfishes are some quite attractive coloured species. This is a bit astonishing, for these catfishes are usually strictly night active and hide during daytimes in caves or crevices. However, well settled animals usually come out of their wholes at feeding times in the aquarium.

Trachelyopterichthys taeniatus belongs to the really attractive species. It is not a small fish, but attains a total length of about 15 cm. This is worth knowning, for small fish, like cardinals, are among the common food items of the catfish. Otherwise it is peaceful against tankmates. In T. taeniatus an internal insemination appears. For that reason in males the first rays of the anal fin are modified. The eggs are laid later without the males. As far as we know this pretty fish has not been bred yet under aquarium conditions, but this may simply be due the fact that it is only very rarely offered. Currently we have some very nice about halfgrown specimens from Venezuela in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 297503 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras knaacki

12. July 2019

Corydoras knaacki originates from the Madre de Dios region in Peru and belongs to a group of “classical” Corydoras, which is very close to the type species of the currently not as valid recognized genus Hoplisoma Swainson, 1838 – Corydoras punctatus (Bloch, 1794). In the hobby, the two species C. julii and C. trilineatus are best known from this group, which are offered very frequently and in different colour variants (or are these also species?) in the ornamental fish trade.i C. knaacki can easily be distinguished from all described species of the Hoplisoma group by the massive longitudinal line in the middle of the body, which begins approximately at the rear edge of the dorsal fin and ends at the caudal fin, in combination with the species-specific dorsal fin pattern, in which the first fin ray and the membrane are dark pigmented to the spine and the remaining fin rays are spotted, as well as the significantly black-and-white banded caudal fin. 

Before the scientific description of the species in honour of Joachim Knaack, this cory was called Corydoras sp. “Morse” or Corydoras sp. CW 32.

From the Madre de Dios come at least two further nearly identical looking, scientifically still undescribed species. Corydoras sp. C120 (see Datz 12/2003), CW 62 and CW 109 are described by Peruvian exporters as Corydoras sp. “Manu4” and differ from C. knaacki approximately in the way in which different populations currently assigned to C. trilineatus differ from each other. Another, practically identically colored species is Corydras sp. “Manu2 Semi Longnose”, which to our knowledge does not yet have a C or CW number and has a longer muzzle (a longer mesethmoid).

For our customers: the species has code 232853 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Leporacanthicus triactis VARIETIES

8. July 2019

Currently we received an import from Venezuela, which included small, only 3-4 cm long specimens of Leporacanthicus triactis, also known as L91. Among them are an unusually large number (approx. 10) of unusually beautifully drawn variants. 

Normally small L91 do not look much different than the adults, only a little lighter in basic tone. But the color variations are really a show in bright orange and black. Such colour variations of L. triactis have been known for a long time, but are only rarely available and therefore highly sought after. At least we haven’t seen so many at once.

For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 091Y-1 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Brochis multiradiatus BRED

5. July 2019

The big emerald-corys of the genus Brochis clearly differ from all species of Corydoras through the long back-fin, that contains essentially more fin-rays. While Corydoras have 7-8 rays in the back-fin, Brochis have 10-18. The care of all Brochis is easy and hardly differs from that of the remaining corys, however, the breeding succeeds only rarely. Merely B. splendens is bred in southeast-Asia in good numbers and an undescribed species from Bolivia, CW 035, was successfully bred by Hans-Georg Evers. He reported on that in the magazine “Amazonas” No 50.

The young of Brochis splendens look completely different than the adults. From the remaining Brochis-Arten, the youth-form is unknown – until now!

A breeder from Hungary, Pasaréti Gyula (he is also editor of the Hungarian aquarium magazine “Akvarium Magazin”, “cracked” Brochis multiradiatus and achieved an extensive brood from a group consisting of 10 males and 4 females. The breeder fish were imported by us and originate from Peru. The young we can offer at the moment are only 2 months old and already 3-6 cm tall! They are very attractively colored and so one wonders, how come, that such beautiful armoured catfish never appeared in the trade before?

Male breeder

Female breeder

A pair of the breeders

The answer is probably to be found in the fact that Brochis species spawn exclusively in the rainy season, when ornamental fishing is impossible, and the young grow so fast that at the beginning of the dry season, when the catchers can collect again, they already look like adults.

For our customers: the animals have code 212212 (3-4 cm) and 212213 (5-6 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer and Pasaréti Gyula

Barbodes lateristriga

5. July 2019

The black banded barb or spanner barb is an old friend in the aquarium, although it is somewhat out of fashion. In former times it was called Barbus or Puntius lateristriga, at present it is assigned to the genus Barbodes.

The pretty, peaceful animals are widespread in Southeast Asia, where they mainly inhabit clear waters, such as shallow sections of lakes and ponds or small rivers. Here, they roam in loose troops of usually 5-10 animals. There are numerous variants of the species, some of which can be assumed to be separated one day as independent species. Therefore, it is important to breed only with animals of one locality in order to avoid unintentional hybrids. The animals we can offer at the moment are wild catches from Thailand.

When feeding these barbs, which are usually 6-8 cm long in nature, but can easily double that size in an aquarium, you have to make sure that they also get plant food components, otherwise the aquatic plants are in danger. Tender plant species should generally not be used in aquariums with larger barb species. 

Barbodes lateristriga is a productive free spawner. They have no special demands on the water composition, however, the middle body spot can shine in soft, acid water instead of white splendidly yolk yellow. The water temperature should be in the range of 22-28°C.

For our customers: the animals have code 369853 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Flexipenis vittatus

5. July 2019

Once more we are able to offer a beautiful dwarf livebearer that proofed to be a bit problematical in respect of breeding – not keeping! – in a long time sight under traditional aquarium conditions. However, under the open skies of Southeast Asia they breed pretty well.

Flexipenis vittatus is also often placed in Gambusia. Males become 2.5 – 4.5 cm, females 4 – 6 cm long. In nature, this livebearer inhabits Mexico (Atlantic slope).

In contrast to Gambusia Flexipenis has a highly developed courtship display, meanwhile the males present their pretty yellow-black dorsal fins in a very attractive way. It is wise not to keep these fishes year-in year-out at too high water temperatures. In living rooms no extra aquarium heater is necessary. Temperatures may lie between 18 and 26°C.

For our customers: the fish have code 415073 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Gambusia: derived from the Cuban term “Gambusino” for something unimportant. Flexipenis: means “with pliant sexual organ”. vittatus: Latin, means “Striped”.

Suggestion of a common name: Small flag livebearer, Blackline mosquitofish

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Danio feegradei

3. July 2019

Danio feegradei was first described by the famous Indian ichthyologist S. L. Hora in 1937 by a single specimen originating from the Thandwe river in Myanmar (former Burma). Since then no reports have been published about new findings in the same river nor in other areas.

Only in 2007 this beautiful barb fish has been imported and is now available for the dedicated aquarium hobbyist. As with all representatives of the Danio family, D. feegradei is a schooling fish and therefore should be ideally kept in a group of minimal 6 individuals of the same species. It is a beautiful, peaceful and fast swimming fish. 

Text: Izaak den Daas, photos: Frank Schäfer

Hoplias malabaricus “Venezuela”

1. July 2019

We have already mentioned it: currently we have three species of the genus Hoplias from Venezuela in our stock. The common wolf tetra (Hoplias malabaricus) has a huge distribution area, but it is very likely that this “species” proves to be a species complex consisting of several, at least partially undescribed species. 

With the “Hoplias malabaricus” from Venezuela we noticed for the first time that males and females are very easy to distinguish. For the photo session we simply have chosen two presumable couples due to the belly circumference. When they were to be brought back to their conspecifics after the shooting, we saw that the tail of the two suspected females behind the dorsal fin is considerably shorter than that of the suspected males. These Trahiras are, by the way, relatively tolerable among each other – provided there is enough food.

For our customers: the animals have code 258703 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Tropheus sp. “Phoenix”

28. June 2019

The cichlids of the genus Tropheus are widespread around the gigantic Lake Tanganyika in numerous locality-variants. The sometimes very different looking animals testify to rising and sinking water levels over the millennia. As strict Aufwuchs eaters, Tropheus cichlids are not able to migrate over larger sandy areas and so the stone reefs of the lake quickly become geographically isolated, resulting in different colour variations.

The Tropheus “Phoenix” is however not a naturally occurring form, but a breeding product. The bright blue eye and the golden yellow body colour are reminiscent of the population found near Namansi, Tanzania, on the eastern shore of the lake. They are very attractive fish, which we can offer in limited numbers at the moment.

For our customers: the animals have code 586303 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hoplias curupira

28. June 2019

Right now we have three Hoplias species from Venezuela in our stock. Hoplias curupira belongs to the real rarities and is accordingly sought after among predatory fish fans. With a final length of about 40 cm the stocky species remains relatively small. It belongs within the genus Hoplias to the so-called H.-lacerdae group, which besides H. curupira also includes H. lacerdae (Rio Ribeira de Iguape and Rio Uruguay), H. intermedius (Rio Sao Francisco, upper basin of the Rio Paraná, and Rio Doce), H. brasiliensis (from rivers of the Atlantic coast from Rio Paraguaçu to Rio Jequitinhonha) and H. australis (Rio Uruguay). 

Hoplias curupira has a quite wide distribution in the north of South America, it occurs in the upper Orinoko basin, in coastal rivers of Guyana and Surinam and in tributaries of the Amazon (Rio Negro, Trombetas, Tapajós, Xingu, Tocantins and Capim). Within the group, the blunt, almost round head profile is characteristic of H. curupira.

Since H. curupira was only scientifically described in 2009, there was often confusion with the large and highly aggressive H. aimara (synonym: H. macrophthalmus), which we will introduce to you shortly. The colouring is an unreliable characteristic of Hoplias species, since the animals can change it in a flash, but H. curupira is often very darkly coloured, which is why the species is also called “Black Trahira”. As the pictures show, they can also be bright with long stripes.

For our customers: the animals have code 258606 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Trichogaster leerii

26. June 2019

The Pearl Gourami (Trichogaster leerii) is an absolute classic among the ornamental fish. The species is always available in the petshops all over the world and they are usually quite cheap. These traded fish are bred ones. Wild collected ones are hardly ever offered; the species is endangered in the wild, because the habitats become destroyed in a very great amount. Sadly the quality of the bred fish sometimes is not as good as it should be. This is due to the low price the breeders get for the animals. But currently we have obtained wonderful, fully coloured specimens from a local breeder.

For our customers: the fish have code 469504 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Garra sp. Red Tail

24. June 2019

After many years we were finally able to import some full-grown (8-10 cm long) specimens of this as rare as beautiful and interesting sucking barb species. Garra sp. Red Tail is still scientifically undescribed, although the collecting site (the Kasat river in the west of Thailand) is well documented. For the history of discovery of this species please see https://www.aqualog.de/blog/garra-sp-rotschwanz-godzilla-kommt-vom-kasat-river/

The article also documents the impressive fighting behaviour of this species, in which the males open their forehead processes (scientifically: proboscis) like horns and then wrestle with each other like bulls.

The next related species in Thailand is Garra fuliginosa Fowler, 1934, from which Garra sp. Red Tail differs clearly in color.

Of course, this Garra species is also a good algae exterminator, but it is more adviced to be kept for its own sake and to promote algae growth for the benefit of the fish than to degrade the animal to a stone cleaner.

For our customers: the animals have code 416484 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers. Available in small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Centrodoras brachiatus

19. June 2019

In two large specimens (they are currently 20-25 cm long) we have received the extremely rarely imported Centrodoras brachiatus from Peru. The up to 40 cm long catfish are widely distributed in the Amazon system and also occur in Brazil and Colombia.

Typical is the form of the lateral bone row, whose shields are very big directly under the dorsal fin and then quickly become much smaller towards the tail.

Although the species was described scientifically as early as 1872 and has a large distribution area, practically nothing is known about its wild life. The large tooth cushion in the lower jaw indicates that the animals may graze on growth.

What is striking about our specimens is that they often “hold their breath”. After strong breathing movements they stop breathing again and again for a longer time (at least you don’t see anything of it). This is a behaviour that we have not yet observed in fish! 

For our customers: the animals have code 214616 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Fundulopanchax spoorenbergi

14. June 2019

Only extremely rarely, this pretty, maximum 7 cm long killifish is offered in the trade. Formerly, Fundulopanchax spoorenbergi was placed in the genus Aphyosemion. The species appears from Nigeria to Cameroon.

No fear of short-lived Killifishes: this species is approximately as long-lived as other popular aquarium-fish, like Guppys or Platys. It should be noted that the males of Fundulopanchax spoorenbergi like to quarrel and are always ready to mate. Therefore, numerous hiding places in the aquarium for inferior males and annoyed females have to be provided. Even if killifish in general are not well suited for typical community aquariums (they simply get lost there), they can still be kept problem free together with small tetras and barbs of the region.

For our customers: the animals have code 314283 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Moenkhausia simulata

14. June 2019

We obtained a somewhat irritating import of a very rare species of tetra last week from Peru. In all probability, it is Moenkhausia simulata; however, our new import differs slightly from the previously known M. simulata in coloration. All other tetra species with a pattern of several horizontal stripes (Astyanax lineatus, A. kullanderi, A. superbus, Bario spp., Hollandichthys spp., Hyphessobrycon hexastichos, Markiana nigripinnis, Moenkhausia agnesae, M. latissima, M. rara, M. simulata and Pseudochalceus lineatus) either look completely different and/or have a completely different distribution area. Possibly, the fish imported by us is a scientifically undescribed, M. simulata very similar species.

The sex-difference is particularly interesting with this species. Our fish are currently 4-5 cm long and obviously sexually mature. The  adipose fin of the males is clearly bigger than that of the females and rusty-black with the dominant male in the aquarium. Among themselves, these tetra are quite robust. As large as possible, well structured aquariums and as large a number of specimens as possible ensure that the aggressive actions are not reflected in fin damage. Otherwise, the care requirements of the fish do not differ from those of other species that have been cared for in the aquarium for a long time, e.g. the Buenos Aires tetra (Hyphessobrycon anisitsi).

For our customers: the animals have code 269453 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Colisa fasciata wild

13. June 2019

Actually, nobody knows exactly what Colisa fasciata is; because the specimen on which the first description is based was lost in the turmoil of the French Revolution and where it is supposed to come from (Tranquebar in the south of India) there are no gourami at all. That’s why everything that isn’t Colisa lalia, C. chuna or C. labiosa is currently called simply C. fasciata. 

The beautiful wild catches, which we have just received from Bengal again, are characterized by their particularly narrow stripes. This special form normally grows to about 4-5 cm, very rarely to 6-7 cm, so its size is comparable to the breeding forms of the dwarf gourami (C. lalia).

The peaceful, sometimes somewhat shy animals should be cared for in well planted aquariums with other peaceful fish. They are most beautiful at 26-32°C, but one should consider that the water temperature in the natural habitats can drop to 16°C depending on the season. While these animals barely live one year in nature, they often reach 4-5 times of that lifespan in an aquarium.

For our customers: the animals have code 411203 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Garra spilota

11. June 2019

Algae are probably the most widespread of all the hazards that can hit an aquarium. However, algae are not a bad thing in themselves, they just do not correspond to our aesthetic ideas. In nature, algae growing on stones, plants and pieces of wood and the microorganisms living in them – together they are called „Aufwuchs“ – are the food basis for many fish species, which are therefore often used in aquariums as algae eaters.

Among the Asian algae eaters, the genus Garra is very species-rich. A species from Burma that is striking due to its spot pattern is Garra spilota, which we are currently able to offer again. Like all Garra species, this species, which grows up to 8 cm long, is an excellent algae exterminator. Among each other and against other fish Garra spilota are completely peaceful.

For our customers: the animals have code 416473 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma pantalone

29. May 2019

Two species of so-called Lyratail-Apistogramma come from Peru, which are very similar to each other: A. martini and A. pantalone. Both are among the most delicate and difficult Apistogramma species ever, but this is not a law of nature, but depends on circumstances in nature that have not yet been understood. At the beginning of the discovery of these species about 10 years ago, they were considered almost impossible to keep. At present, however, we are receiving imports that do not cause more difficulties than, for example, A. agassizii. 

We have just received a very nice import of A. pantalone. The females resemble in their colouring the Panda dwarf cichlids (A. nijsseni and Co.), from which they can be distinguished however very easily by the tail fins. The females of A. pantalone have above and below prelongations in the tail fin (the other types of the group have round tail fins).

For our customers: the animals have code 626243 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon peruvianus

27. May 2019

Three species of tetra in northern South America are obviously close relatives to each other and often confused: Hyphessobrycon loretoensis from Peru, H. metae from Colombia, and H. peruvianus, again from Peru. From these, H. loretoensis has been portayed here: http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/hyphessobrycon-loretoensis_de_1188.html.

Currently we were able to import the second Peruvian species once more, H. peruvianus, in wonderful, large specimens. It can be distinguished best from its close relative, H. loretoensis, by the coloration of the caudal fin. In H. peruvianus the black longitudinal band extends far in the caudal fin. Above and below it is often accompanied by red spots. The lobes of the caudal fin are hyaline. In H. loretoensis the black band ends shortly after the caudal fin origin. The caudal fin is completely red.

Regarding the aquarium maintanace there is no great difference between the two species, both are extremely beautiful fish that fit perfectly for any blackwater community tank.

For our customers: the fish have code 261453 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Hyphessobrycon: ancient Greek, means “small Brycon”. Brycon is another genus of tetras. peruvianus: means “originating from Peru”. loretoensis: after the Loreto province in Peru. metae: after the Rio Meta.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

New Bettas (1): Spade Tail

24. May 2019

Once again Kamphol has provided us with very special breeding fighting fish, which currently enjoy particular popularity among the breeders of these fish jewels in Thailand. The “Spade Tail” is one of them.

Basically there are different possibilities in animal breeding to get to new forms. One way is to inbreed as closely as possible, whereby hidden (“recessive”) genetic traits come to bear and become visible. The second way leads via crossing with closely related species. The latter way is very common with swordtails and guppies, but also works with Bettas. Local wild bettas (B. imbellis, B. smaragdina and others) have probably always been crossed with the domestic animal forms of Betta splendens. The Spade Tail cannot deny Betta smaragdina in its pedigree…

For our customers: the animals have code 391016 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

New Bettas (2): “Alien Blue”, “Alien Steel Blue” and “Alien Green”

24. May 2019

These new Betta types were certainly also bred by crossing in wild species, in this case Betta stiktos seems to have been involved; “Alien Green” looks de facto like a B. stiktos. They are all very slender Bettas, they have much more of the heritage of the Betta smaragdina alike forms to which B. stiktos belongs than of Betta splendens. The behaviour is also more similar to that of wild bettas from the B. smaragdina group than that of the immediate B. splendens group. They are – at least from the photographer’s point of view – almost too peaceful, the fights short and little ritualized. However, we advise against keeping several males together, as this could end badly in the long run; after all, one wants to enjoy the sight of these beautiful animals from specimens with undamaged fins. 

For our customers: “Alien Blue” has code 391020, “Alien Steel Blue” code 391022 and “Alien Green” code 391021 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pseudotropheus sp. “Acei”

22. May 2019

It is hard to understand why such a well-defined and unique species has not yet been scientifically described, although the animals have been kept and bred in the aquarium for decades. And yet it is; “Acei” is a pure popular name and not a scientific name. The species can be found in several different coloured populations in Lake Malawi. In contrast to many other species of the Pseudotropheus relationship it is not a rock dweller (“Mbuna”), but the fish are specialized in sandy areas, where they are mainly found where trees or branches have fallen into the water near the shore. There these animals, which do not form any territories in nature, graze in troops (usually three to ten animals, but there are also populations which form swarms with several hundred individuals), the Aufwuchs from the branches. In the „Acei“ males and females are colored to a large extent equally. In the nature, these fish usually don’t become longer than 12 cm, rather rarely up to 14 cm (males) or 12 cm (females), in the aquarium, however, they can become almost 18 cm long because of the essentially more substantial food and the at least 3-4 times so long life span (compared with wild animals). 

In the hobby currently most widespread is the yellow finned local form, which occurs e.g. near Msuli; this is also the variant, which we currently have in the stock.

For our customers: the animals have code 568204 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Channa melasoma

20. May 2019

From the mountainous part in the north of Thailand, the legendary Golden Triangle between Thailand, Burma and Laos, we received two pairs of Channa melasoma. Originally this species, which inhabits clear forest streams, was described from Borneo. With approx. 30-40 cm of final-length (our animals are, including tail fin, approximately 20-25 cm long), C. melasoma belongs to the medium-size species of snakehead. 

Although our four specimens proved to be quite peaceful and quiet contemporaries, one must never forget that snakeheads are generally individualists and one must always expect to come across an aggressive and unpredictable specimen.

In the couple photographed, for example, the female is completely relaxed and shows this by his bright color dress, while the male is constantly slightly annoyed and his dark excitation color hardly ever reduces. However, there are no colour differences between the sexes, both animals look completely the same in the corresponding mood. The male has slightly more developed fins and a broader head. 

Channa melasoma belongs to the group of snakeheads that do not perform mouthbrooding. Both parents guard the spawn and the yellow, with two black longitudinal stripes drawn young fish.

For our customers: the animals have code 409199 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers. Only four animals available!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Endler Guppy “Blue Tiger”

17. May 2019

There are two different ways of breeding new Endler or Dwarf Guppies. One is to cross different color varieties of the pure species Poecilia wingei (Endlerguppy) with each other or to select and intensify certain color characteristics, which occur within a population, by selective breeding. The other way is to cross Endlerguppy and “normal” Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) to transfer certain color characteristics of the “normal” Guppy to the Endler without losing the dwarf character of the Endlerguppy. This is achieved by backcrossing the hybrids to the parent species Endlerguppy until the desired phenotype (i.e. the outer appearance) has developed.

The “Tiger”-Endler has been bred in this second way and it exists already some years; however, the blue color of the “Blue Tiger” is new. We have received such animals from an Endler breeder now for the first time; they are still quite uneven in their characteristic, but very, very promising!

For our customers: the animals have code 419128 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Synaptolaemus latofasciatus

17. May 2019

Finally we managed to import again some specimens of this unusual “striped sock” from Venezuela. The species – there is just the one in the genus Synaptolaemus – was long known under the name S. cingulatus, until Britzki et al. discovered that the species described as Leporinus latofasciatus by Steindachner in 1910 was identical with S. cingulatus. Because S. cingulatus was described about 40 years later, the principle of priority applies and the older name must be used.

S. latofasciatus is found in the Orinoco, the Casiquiare, the Rio Negro, the drainage of the Rio Tapajos, and the upper Rio Xingu, but it is thought that the species is frequently overlooked and has an even wider distribution. The individual populations may differ somewhat in coloration – the Ventuari fishes have the highest percentage of red in the body rings, those from the Xingu are more yellow – but in general Britski et al. were unable to find any differences that would justify the description of new species or subspecies.

This extraordinary headstander grows to around 10-12 cm long. It is specialized in grazing the undersides of pieces of wood. A quite unusual characteristic of the type is the “frayed” lower lip. Like all headstanders the species is somewhat aggressive towards conspecifics, but several specimens can generally be maintained together. We think on the basis of our observations that males are somewhat smaller and daintier than females. These fishes have proved to not be particularly delicate, though the species needs to be kept somewhat warmer than usual, with 24 °C the lower limit of the recommended temperature range.

For our customers: the fish have code 294883 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Callochromis pleurospilus “Kigoma”

15. May 2019

This sand cichlid originates from Lake Tanganyika, where it is found almost all over the lake with the exception of the extreme south. Our animals are descendands from fish that were collected at Kigoma Bay; fully coloured males (unfortunately our quite young, 4-6 cm long animals do not show this yet) of this local variant are also called “rainbow callochromis” because they are so colourful. An invalid trade name for this form is “Callochromis greshakei”. The species becomes only rarely over 10 cm long and can therefore still be counted well among the dwarf cichlids. It inhabits shallow shore areas with sandy bottom and sprinkled stones. There, the animals live in big swarms. When in danger, these cichlids dig in itself – like a flounder – lying on the side. Only one eye remains uncovered by the sand. So the animal observes its surroundings, until the danger is past.

Callochromis pleurospilus are mouth breeders in the female sex. The females are silvery all their lives and have no markings in their fins.

For our customers: the animals have code 503562 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras panda

13. May 2019

The panda cory from the Rio Ucayali in Peru belongs to the most popular species of the genus. This applies both to the aquarists, who have a community aquarium, and to the breeding aquarists, because Corydoras panda is quite easy to breed and productive – if you know how to do it, of course. We have currently a good number of German offspring of the panda cory in the stock. It is really worth it to keep these half grown animals in a larger group, because then they show a very nice swarm behavior.

For our customers: the animals have code 240002 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Oryzias woworae XXL

10. May 2019

The neon rice fish was the absolute sensation during its aquaristic discovery in 2010. At that time two neon rice fish were known: the “real” O. woworae from the small island of Muna and an O. cf. woworae from the main island Sulawesi. The most important optical difference between the two was seen in the courtship display. With the “real” O. woworae the males in the courtship display become very dark, almost black, with O. cf. woworae rather somewhat brighter than normal. Additionally the “real” O. woworae has a strong orange-red belly edge in males, which is missing in O. cf. woworae. In 2013 two more neon rice fishes were described from Sulawesi; the O. cf. woworae was separated as an independent species, O. wolasi, from O. woworae. In addition, a much more slender species compared to O. woworae and O. wolasi was described as O. asinua (so far only known from the administrative district Kendari on Sulawesi). This neon rice fish is a bit paler coloured than the other two species and has found no further distribution in the hobby.

We have now received XXL bred ones of the “real” Oryzias woworae from Taiwan. With over 4 cm of length, they are clearly bigger than their wild living cousins, who remain at least 1 cm smaller. Some years ago (2013) the breeders complained that the dark coloration of mating O. woworae males decreased from generation to generation. This problem seems to be overcome, our Taiwan-bred fish get very, very dark at the courtship display… 

For our customers: the animals have code 340134 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Macrochirichthys macrochirus

10. May 2019

Everybody should be fooled by this unusual barb from Southeast Asia on some occasion! The wonderful 18-22 cm long specimens from Indonesia were sent to us under the name Rhaphiodon vulpinus, a predatory tetra from South America. Apart from the great shyness, the animals were in perfect condition, which is why we didn’t want to stress them unnecessarily by flattening our noses at the aquarium; so we kept enough distance for the first impression so that they didn’t get excited and thought: very beautiful R. vulpinus, long not seen such good animals, what they breed in Indonesia meanwhile…

But the keeper has to inspect them more closely in order to be able to detect early indications of a possible parasite infestation and so in this case Jan Wessel asked us whether we were sure with the determination. There would also be those predatory barbs from Asia? And Jan was absolutely right! Our new arrivals have neither an adipose fin, as is obligatory for the predatory tetras, nor teeth in their jaws – these are missing in all cyprinids. Got caught! But the similarity is really amazing!

Macrochirichthys macrochirus reaches a length of about 70 cm. Young fish eat insects, adult animals are fish eaters. Unfortunately the widespread species – it occurs from Indonesia to Thailand – like so many larger river fish in the region is threatened by environmental changes and pollution. The animals are peaceful among each other, but one has to take into account their great shyness by aquariums that are as large and rich in cover as possible. For this reason, photographing these fishes, which tend to panic, is hardly possible. It has proved to be very useful to cover the front glass of the aquariums with black foil to a large extent, so that the sensitive animals are not constantly disturbed by passing care personnel.

For our customers: the animals have code 425098 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pseudanos winterbottomi

8. May 2019

In the past years we received this rare headstander, scientifically described only in 2005, which is known from the Orinoco in Venezuela and the Tapajós in Brazil, only very occasionally as a by-catch from Venezuela. Mostly the animals were found among Anostomus ternetzi or Pseudanos trimaculatus. Now we could finally import some specimens of this beautiful species.

Pseudanos winterbottomi becomes about 15 cm long, so it belongs to the medium-sized headstanders. The color change ability is amazing. Above all young animals are brightly ochre colored and have a dark vertical stripe. This remains lifelong, however, is not clearly recognizable in all mood-colorings. A golden shine, that becomes visible with frontlight, lies over everything. In the age, the fish become darker altogether, the tail fin turns deep orange, the golden shine shimmering in the reflected light is present above all on the back scales. The entire colour scheme is reminiscent of delicacies and fruit offered at Christmas, which is why we propose the popular name “Chocolate Headstander”.

This fish has to be cared for like all other headstanders, i.e. in large aquariums rich in cover and planted as well as possible. For headstander conditions, the species should be classified as peaceful. Both conspecifics and other fish are usually left alone. The best company are other headstanders, e.g. the already mentioned species, but also other, peaceful tetra, cichlids and catfish. 

The chemical composition of the water is insignificant, the animals should be cared for at 26-28°C. When feeding, pay attention to the need for vegetable food, otherwise aquarium plants will be eaten. P. winterbottomi eats all common ornamental fish food.

For our customers: the species has code 283744 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers. Only available in limited quantities!

Lexicon: Pseudanos: means “false Anostomus”. winterbottomi: dedication name for Richard Winterbottom, curator emeritus for ichthyology at the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada.

Proposal of a common name: Chocolate Headstander

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Desmopuntius pentazona

6. May 2019

The five banded barb is one of the most beautiful small barbs. Originally it comes from the river Baram on Borneo, which flows through the Malaysian part (Sarawak) of the big island. Once the black water species was regarded as delicate, its breeding as a high school, but these problems have long since been solved. Nowadays, D. pentazona, which was formerly assigned to the genera Barbus or Puntius, is sold almost exclusively as bred ones. 

Five banded barbs are always beautiful, but the most beautiful they are in soft, slightly acidic water, which is equipped with dark ground (a layer of peat) and abundantly planted. When taking care of these animals, it is important to note that they are distinct schooling fish. 20-30 animals are a fascinating sight and delight the keeper with their interesting and varied behaviour. The females lack the red in their fins, which makes them easy to recognize. The gender ratio is irrelevant for the composition of the swarm, but more males mean more action.

For our customers: the animals have code 370702 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Haplochromis sp. “Thick Skin” (CH44)

3. May 2019

Unfortunately many Haplochromis-like cichlids of Lake Victoria are threatened by extinction due to profound environmental changes. The giant perch (Lates niloticus) introduced there, the turbidity of the water due to eutrophication and the resulting mass growth of the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) are the best known causes. For this reason, a conservation breeding programme is being run for a number of species, in which numerous (unfortunately not enough) hobby aquarists are taking part.

One of the species that have been repeatedly imported from Lake Victoria since 1993 and are therefore also available in the hobby is the “Thick Skin”. There do exist several colour variations of this species, which can be assigned to geographical regions. The animals that we can offer at the moment correspond well to the animals of Kisumu (Kenya) and have few, quite wide vertical bandages on the flanks. 

H. sp. “Thick Skin” becomes sexually mature with 5-6 cm of length, however, the animals can become more than twice as big. Since they must be counted to the very aggressive species of the genus, big tanks and big groups, in which the aggression can distribute, are urgently to be advised. The number of females should predominate in the groups. 

Clear water with a pH value always clearly above 7 is the prerequisite for beautifully colored animals, which are not only beautiful to look at, but also give the keeper the nice feeling of doing something for species protection.

For our customers: the animals have code 532502 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Acrochordonichthys rugosus

3. May 2019

If this catfish came from South America, then one would count it without question to the banjo catfish. But in reality, Acrochordonichthys rugosus comes from Southeast Asia, where it is widespread and science has known about it for a long time, but from where it is only rarely exported as an aquarium fish. A special feature of the fish is that it is polychromatism, i.e. there are many different patterns within the same population. This is neither a sexual characteristic nor a question of age, but simply individual. Since Acrochordonichthys rugosus has only small, barely functional eyes and is strictly nocturnal in nature and lives hidden in dead leaves in dark waters, it can be assumed that the colouring plays no role for the intraspecific communication of these fish.

In behaviour A. rugosus resembles the banjo catfish. Often the fish rest for hours and days at the same spot. If the keeper is then worried and pushes the animals to see if they are still alive, they show the same defensive behaviour as the banjo catfish do: they place the tail fin at the tip of the snout. The close relationship of the banjo catfish (Aspredinidae) and the moth catfish (Akysidae), to which A. rugosus belongs, is obvious, but South America and Southeast Asia have already separated 100 million years ago and in Africa in between there is no catfish known that is closely related to the two groups. Amazing!

When transporting A. rugosus one should be a little careful. Strongly stressed animals can secrete a milky secretion from a gland, which at least has a poisonous effect on some fish and can possibly be fatal in the comparatively small water volume of the transport bag. However, there is no observation of deaths in community aquariums in which A. rugosus is maintained. The secretion therefore probably serves to ward off predators.

For our customers: the animals have code 361822 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Anchoviella alleni

3. May 2019

We received a very special fish from Peru: Anchoviella alleni, one of the very few representatives of the sardine family (Engraulididae) that lives exclusively in freshwater. The species attains a maximum length of about 10 cm. Our specimens have about half of that size. The supposed males are more slender, slightly larger and the swim bladder has a different shape, compared with the supposed females.

For our customers: the fish have code 204032 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras gracilis

29. April 2019

The habitats of Corydoras gracilis in the entry of the Rio Madeira are clearly off the beaten track of ornamental fish collectors; furthermore, the nimble little animals, which know how to hide themselves perfectly in the maze of branches that have fallen into the water, are difficult to catch one by one. That is why Corydoras gracilis is one of the rarest species of Corydoras in the trade and when it appears, it is correspondingly expensive. We are therefore very pleased to be able to offer a good quantity of this rarity as a wild catch at the moment.

The 3-4 cm long Corydoras gracilis is one of the species that is much more in the open water than on the ground. If the very lively little animals rest on the ground, they stretch their bodies, put on their fins and are perfectly camouflaged as sticks.

For our customers: the animals have code 230274 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus “Orinoco”

26. April 2019

From Colombia we received an import of the striped wolf tetra, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus. The systematics of these almost over the entire South America spread fish is poorly understood. Only the one species, H. unitaeniatus, is recognized commonly, but there are a lot of synonyms, among them the (without justification) occasionally recognized species H. cinereus (Trinidad and Tobago) and H. gronovii (French Guyana). The Orinoco colour variant that we have just imported is often referred to on the Internet as H. cinereus or “Golden Trahira”.

With a final size of 20-25 cm, H. unitaeniatus remains relatively handy for a Trahira. They are very aggressive and among each other incompatible predatory fish (don’t be deceived by the photos, this is only possible so peacefully for a short time), which, like all Trahiras or wolf tetras have an auxiliary respiration and must regularly draw air at the water surface. Compared to females, males have darker orange fins and a larger anal fin. 

For our customers: the animals have code 258504 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Betta splendens “Black Samurai”

25. April 2019

Once again we have received a beautiful fighting fish breeding form, this time even in pairs: the animals are called “Black Samurai” in a melodious way. They are very lively fish, true temperament bolts, which actually deserve the name “fighting fish”. Excited males make little difference between males and females, both are heavily turned on. For breeding attempts it is absolutely recommended to only use absolutely ripe females, otherwise there could be bloody honeymoons…

For our customers: the animals have code 390083 on our stocklist. Please note that we only deliver to wholesalers. Only available in small quantities!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Rasbora kalochroma

23. April 2019

One of the undoubtedly most beautiful Rasbora species is R. kalochroma – and one of the most sensitive. They are typical black water fish which react very sensitively during the acclimatisation phase to increased bacteria contamination, which occurs almost inevitably in “normal” water. When we were now offered 1-2 cm long youngsters, we took advantage, because young fish are basically much more adaptable than adult animals. And the plan worked out! We now have very beautiful, well adapted Rasbora kalochroma in our stock.

The colouring of the fish in the photos is only a drab copy of the colouring they show in well equipped black water tanks; unfortunately you cannot photograph in such water or the colours would appear completely unnatural. In the past, R. kalochroma was considered to be the adult form of the dwarf rasbora (Boraras maculatus); however, the similarity is not very great from today’s point of view (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/boraras_maculatus_en/). Rasbora kalochroma becomes about 8-10 cm long and is a peaceful fish that appreciates the company of conspecifics.

For our customers: the animals have code 452300 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Trichogaster trichopterus „Golden Red Eye“

18. April 2019

The Spotted Gourami, Trichogaster trichopterus, is one of most widespread species of fish in Southeast Asia. Its range starts in the west at the burmese/thai border, it contents the Sunda islands and reaches in the East to China. Additionally the species has been introduced almost worldwide as a food fish in tropical climates.

Crossing of different natural populations leads very fast to cultivated forms. This effect is well known from other ornamental fish also, like Guppy or Angelfish. In these species the initially plan free crossing of specimens led to many cultivated forms, too.

The golden cultivated form of the Spotted Gourami is known for a long time already. It is part of the daily stock in any pet shop worldwide. But currently the breeders have tried to produce a better quality in this fish and this resulted in what we call „Golden Red Eye“, a sport that has brillant colours and a ruby-red eye.

For our customers: the animals have code 470022 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Leucaspius delineatus

18. April 2019

The moderlieschen (Leucaspius delineatus) is the most recommended fish species for smaller garden ponds. Due to its miniature size of usually 4-5, rarely 8-12 cm it fits even for the smallest ponds, which must have, however, a minimum depth of 80 cm in central Europe to enable a survival during winter.

        

The funky name „moderlieschen“ derives from an old German word meaning „small fish without mother“. This small fish was often overlooked for long times. Sometimes they can reproduce in large numbers and then people believed that the fish were raining from the sky. Even this legend contains some thruth: the eggs of the moderlieschen are very sticky and can by chance attach to the feet of waterfowl. So the moderlieschen can colonize even formerly fishfree waterbodies via airmail.

Moderlieschen belong to the carp family. As an extreme exception among this relationship the male moderlieschen takes care of the brood. The eggs are attached in rows at reed. If you can observe a reed stalk moving although there is no wind at all it is very likely that a male moderlieschen moves the stalk to transport oxygen rich water to the eggs.

Moderlieschen are completely harmless and are reliable mosquito-larvae exterminators as they love to feed on them. So one who has moderlieschen in the garden pond hardly ever has mosquito plagues. Moderlieschen are schooling fish and should be kept at least in groups of 10 specimens.

For our customers: moderlieschen have code 857003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply to the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Garra sp. Sunset-Goldscale

16. April 2019

We received once more this new, impressive species of Garra from India. The most striking feature of the species is that they have large, shining scales on the flanks. The position and number of these scales differs individually. Depending on the light these scales shine bright blue, orange-red or golden. The fully grown males (the photographed specimen is about 9.5 cm long and the largest individual we have seen so far) have a very impressive horn (scientifically called proboscis) on the forehead and tubercles on the snout. The shape of the proboscis is species-specific.

A great number of species of Garra have been described recently scientifically as new from India. Our fish resemble most to Garra gotyla, but more detailed and time-consuming studies are necessary before one can decide, if this first idea proofs to be right. In any case these algae-eaters are not only valuable, but also attractive and interesting!

For our customers: the fish have code 416442 (4-6 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma borellii “Opal”

12. April 2019

We have received from a German breeder wonderful, fully grown Apistogramma borellii in two selections, “Opal” with red pattern on the head and “Reitzigi” with bright yellow head. With both forms, the males have dorsal fins of almost body height – fantastic animals! All photos of this post show animals of the “Opal”-form.

For general information about Apistogramma borellii see here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/apistogramma-borellii-paraguay-wild/

For our customers: the “Opal” have code 628704, the “reitzigi” code 615505 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Copella nattereri

12. April 2019

It took until the year 2006 that the tetra specialists Axel Zarske and Jaques Géry found out that the species described as Copella nattereri was practically not present in the hobby and that the red spotted Copella, which was named C. nattereri until then, was not known to science yet! So Zarske and Géry described the long time known Copella finally as Copella meinkeni.

The “real” Copella nattereri is an extremely beautiful fish, which we can offer currently from Peru. Once one has seen the fish alive it is almost impossible to confuse it with C. meinkeni. In C. nattereri there is a black band along the flanks that contains only one row of relatively large, deep red spots.

Copella species are kept best in realtively dark aquaria that should be decorated with dead leaves, peat and aquatic plants. Here they develope their full coloration. Basically these fish are peaceful and accept any type of usual fish food. Males become bigger than the females and have enlarged fins.

For our customers: Copella nattereri has code 219813 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras simulatus

10. April 2019

From Colombia comes the pretty long-snouted Corydoras simulatus. There it lives in the same rivers – the Rio Meta and its tributaries – as the round-snouted Corydoras metae. Because the latter have been known for a long time already, the scientific describers of C. simulatus chose the species name “simulatus”, in the sense of “only apparently a metae”. Apart from the different head form, C. simulatus have other barbel structures than C. metae and a pattern in the tail fin, which C. metae always lacks.

In fact, many C. simulatus are colored like C. metae, but there is also a color variant with a dark wedge on the flank as C. metae never shows, and there are forms of C. simulatus that stand between these two extremes. From aquarium experience we know that all these colour variants of C. simulatus mate with each other and cross fertilely; they are therefore really only colour variants and not different species. 

For our customers: C. simulatus has code 246504 on our stocklist, C. metae 236505. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pethia (formerly Barbus or Puntius) erythromycter – Lipstick barb

8. April 2019

This unique dwarf barb (max. 4 cm total length) from Burma has a red “moustache”. In males it is more pronounced than in females, but in P. erythromycter the ladies also have a moustache. Until its scientific description in 2008, the species was called Barbus cf. puntio.

This species is best cared for at room temperature. During the courtship display the males appear to be covered with soot, because the scales then get fine dark edges. They are absolutely peaceful fish, which can be cared for in community tanks without any problems.

For our customers: the animals have code 372752 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hey, hey, hey, hey, little pirate…

5. April 2019

This is the chorus of a Rodgau Monotones´ song about a small employee who breaks out of his hated everyday life and puts on an eye patch to continue living as a pirate in the future. We had to think of this song when a magnificent Leiarius pictus from Peru arrived on Wednesday. The animal is already a good 30-35 cm long, so it is certainly sexually mature (the maximum length for this species is 60 cm). Of course he will have a completely different and probably much longer and more pleasant life in the aquarium than in nature, but we were reminded of the little pirate when this beautiful fish calmly turned around and presented his side that had been turned away from us until then. Here the eye is missing! No question, the fish lost that in the hard fight for survival in nature. The wound has healed excellently and for fish the facial sense generally does not play such a big role, because they have numerous other sensory organs. So we hope that our little pirate will soon find a new home despite his physical blemish.

For our customers: the animal has code 265307 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nothobranchius palmqvisti

5. April 2019

Yes, this pretty magnificent killifish actually writes itself “palmqvisti” and not, as one would think, “palmquisti”; this spelling with “v” was used in the first scientific description in 1907 and may not be changed. Palmqvists Nothobranch is an old acquaintance in the hobby and was first imported in 1958 and soon also bred with good success. Nothobranchius species are typical seasonal fish whose spawn, hidden in the bottom, has to be stored dry for a while before being returned to the water, whereupon the young hatch very quickly. 

For our customers: the animals have code 337003 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sensational: Red Pseudohemiodon apithanos!

3. April 2019

Recently we received red chameleon whiptails (Pseudohemiodon apithanos) from Colombia. The coloration of the eight specimens (a ninth was a “normal” apithanos, which we also received) is really fantastic. Red variants can be found in different loricariid catfish, think of Hemiloricaria and Ancistrus, but for the genus Pseudohemiodon they are not known yet. 

The individual coloration of this species is of secondary importance, each animal can change color massively in a very short time. However, the red colouring remains in all moods, as the pictures, which we attach to this post in addition to the photos taken in the photo tank to show the variance of the animals, clearly prove.

For our customers: the animals have code 284219 on our Stocklsite. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Gastromyzon viriosus

2. April 2019

We were able to import this charming zebra hillstream loach from Indonesia. The determination of the numerous species of Gastromyzon from Borneo (more than 30 different species are known from the island) is quite tricky, many species look quite similar to each other. So we cannot exclude the possibility that our fish will proof to be a different species. Currently our fish are still youngsters, only 2.5 cm long. It is known from G. viriosus – the species can attain a maximum length of about 5 cm – that the fish develop bright yellow fins when fully grown. Despite the small size of our fishes the sexes can be quite easily told apart. The males have a broader head, are darker in coloration and have axillary pores above the pectoral fins; these pores are lacking (or not visible with the bare eye) in females.

For our customers: the fish have code 416582 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Syncrossus berdmorei

29. March 2019

The tiger loaches (Syncrossus) are a genus of comparatively large (about 15 cm), beautiful loaches. Formerly they have been added to the genus Botia. Currently five species are distinguished, among them Syncrossus berdmorei. Sadly this species is offered only occasionally, because it belongs to the most colorful species of the genus. The natural distribution of S. berdmorei is in Burma, Tenasserim province; there are also reports that the fish has been found in Thailand.

Tiger loaches are – generally speaking – a bit quarrelsome. So it is best to keep them in larger groups. One can compare the aquarium biology of these loaches best with cichlids from Lake Malawi. In these cichlids it is also recommended to keep them in groups, for otherwise aggressive behaviour can become a problem. In respect of water conditions and feeding, all Syncrossus species are undemanding. They are perfect snail-eaters!

For our customers: the fish have code 398004 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Dichotomyctere ocellatus (formerly: Tetraodon biocellatus)

29. March 2019

The green pufferfish (genus Dichotomyctere) are the best known aquarium pufferfish. They are brackish water animals, which, in case they should be cared for in fresh water, paying special attention to their pH value. A pH below 8 does not get them in the long run and the water should be as hard as possible. The easiest way to care for them is in brackish water, 5-10 grams of sea salt/litre are enough.

Dichotomyctere species can sometimes become quarrelsome and then bite off the fins of other fish. One must therefore be a little careful when keeping them in a community tank. It is best to care for them in groups, 6-10 specimens are ideal.

The smallest Dichotomyctere species is D. ocellatus; it becomes only 8 cm long and is extremely pretty. Very early it was confused with the dragon pufferfish (Pao palembangensis) and therefore it can be found in the older literature under the name Tetraodon palembangensis. Of this the common name Palembang puffer remained, but it is also often called „Figure Eight Puffer“ due to the pattern on the back. 

We currently have very nice specimens in different sizes in stock.

For our customers: the animals have code 262504 (4-5 cm) and 262505 (5-6 cm, these are the photographed specimens) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Peckoltia sp. L135

27. March 2019

Currently is season for one of the most beautiful members of the genus Peckoltia, namely L135. The species originates from the Rio Negro and can be easily recognized by the “wormline-pattern” on the head. Only two other species of Peckoltia show a similar pattern: P. braueri from the Takutu river and P. sp. L121 from Guyana. But both have a different, less contrasting pattern on the body.

L135 becomes about 15 cm long. The males differ only slightly in body proportions from the females. In our pictures is the orange animal a male, the white one a female, but the colour represents only the variability in respect of the basic coloration and is not a sexual difference. This makes it difficult to assort pairs. On the other hand the attractive species has already been bred successfully in the aquarium.

For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 135-1 (4-6 cm) und 26480-L 135-5 (11-14 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Betta pi

25. March 2019

Why is an endangered, mouth-breeding fighting fish called like the mathematical circle number? Not so long ago, in 1986, the first of the these big fighting fishes was discovered in Malaysia by travelling labyrinth fish enthusiasts and described as Betta waseri in honour of Alfred Waser, a primordial rock of the labyrinth fish scene. These thoroughly peaceful fighting fish are strictly bound to peaty waters and with the draining of the peat swamps and the creation of endless oil palm monocultures, they, along with all other animal and plant species adapted and bound to this biotope, have come under severe distress.

Later, similar large fighting fish were also found in other places where these biotope conditions existed, and it was found that lip and chin drawing was the best way to distinguish between the species. They are very similar in all other respects. And so Betta pi from the south of Thailand came to its name, because the lip and chin drawing, which is to be seen in some (unfortunately not all) mood colorings, looks like the circle number and/or the ancient Greek letter, which is used as a sign for the circle number, the Pi (π).

Unfortunately, Betta pi is not very beautifully coloured. Why does a pacifist need war paint? But it would be nice if a few more aquarists would take care of the peaceful cigars, whose males with caudal fins can grow about 10 cm long (females stay a bit smaller), so that they don’t fall into oblivion. Therefore, the occasional import is very desirable. The natural stocks are not damaged thereby of course. 

Betta pi is very suitable for quiet community tanks with black water fish of the same region, e.g. pearl gourami (Trichgaster leerii), harlequin barbs (Trigonostigma heteromorpha), etc.

For our customers: the animals have code 386904 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Andinoacara rivulatus

22. March 2019

Once colourful large cichlids were so popular that imports from Ecuador were organised mainly because of them. On the pacific side of the country live the “Green Terror”, so the then still Aequidens rivulatus named gold seam cichlids were called, and the “Red Terror”, then Cichlasoma festae, today Mesoheros festae. Both species become easily over 20 cm long (the maximum-size of M. festae lies even with 25 cm), are extremely colorful, but can also distribute neatly.

These times are long past and M. festae has become almost a rarity in the trade. Almost all animals offered under this name are in reality Mayaheros urophthalmus. But Andinoacara rivulatus, as the Green Terror is now called, is still available from time to time; we have now once again got very pretty specimens, they are offspring from Indonesia. 

The gold seam cichlid is an open breeder with a biparental family. A leading pair with juveniles is one of the most beautiful sights you can have in an aquarium.

For our customers: the animals have code 610003 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Melanotaenia boesemani Red

22. March 2019

The blue-red Boesemans rainbow fish has not disappeared from the aquariums since its aquaristic discovery in 1981. For a time, it was so sought after that it was caught on a massive scale for export; these animals went almost exclusively to Japan, where were paid insane sums for them. There were even fears of overfishing of the animals, which occurre only in a very small area, and therefore an export ban was imposed. All animals on the market are bred ones for decades, so overfishing of the natural stocks has long ceased.

Melanotaenia boesemani Red is a breeding selection that does not occur in the wild. They are beautifully coloured fish and the perfect starter species for everyone who wants to try rainbow fish for the first time, because neither the care nor the breeding are difficult. However one should consider that these fish are very long-lived and easily reach 10-12 cm, also 15 cm are probably possible. One should therefore have sufficiently large aquariums (from 120 cm edge length) available for them, because in too small aquariums they cannot live out themselves properly.

For our customers: the animals have code 427313 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma cf. taeniata

20. March 2019

Nobody knows exactly what Apistogramma taeniata is, because the species was described in 1862 after a specimen, which is today in a very bad condition and the verbal description is more than scarce. At the time of the description, the genus Apistogramma did not yet exist, no one had any idea of its variety of forms. After all, the fish that we can currently offer are very similar to those that the Apistogramma specialists regard as A. taeniata.

For our customers: the animals have code 629502 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Cherax alyciae “Blue Kong”

18. March 2019

This crayfish was regarded as a particularly pretty variant of the zebra-lobster (Cherax peknyi) until recently and was called “Blue Kong” in the trade melodiously. Chris Lukhaup, Rury Eprilurahman and Thomas von Rintelen described it scientifically as Cherax alyciae in June 2018. We have just received these very attractive animals as wild catches from Indonesia.

Cherax alyciae is an almost ideal aquarium crayfish, as it is easy to keep and breed and, unlike many other crayfish, usually leaves the fish alone. However, it attacks aquatic plants and often digs them up during its expeditions through the aquarium. Therefore, only robust species are suitable here, ideally those that can be tied to stones and roots. The crayfish’s main food consists of dead leaves, of which there should always be enough in the aquarium.

For our customers. the animals have code 483028 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & phptos: Frank Schäfer