Alternative name Anablepsoides peruanus.

Rivulus peruanus was described by Regan in 1903 after it was dicovered by P. O. Simmons in the same year.

The original type localty was at 800 meter altitude in eastern Peru at a place then named Perim, nowadays Perené at the Rio Perené.

The types are stored in London at the BMNH museum. Nr. 1903.11.5.2

the species is known as a valid species.

It was never recollected at this location but the identification of the current populations from Serra Cira Mountains (Foersch, 1976) Pan de Azucar (Mc Darmit 1961) Panguana, near Rio Llullapichis (Luling, 1976) and Tournavista, (Krause, 1963) are believed to be correct. This however is not certain.

Rivulus peruanus is part of the superspecies group R. amphoreus and R. intermittens.

Its spreading is large and situated at the foothills of the andes in Amazonian Peru where it can be found together with R. rubroliniatus and or R. irridescens.

One of the known collecting sites is Rio Llullapichis in Peru where German scientists from Munich study the environment in a biological reserve called Panguana.

In 1965, A.J. Klee mentionned a fish Rivulus peruensis but this is a Nomum Nudum as this was meant to be R. peruanus.

Keeping and breeding is easy but a good cover of the aquarium is necessary because there ability to jump, even true the smallest opening, is unbelievable.

This species can, if there is enough space for them, housed in a tank with more males than one only and several females. If separated before and brought together again however, they can be very agressive to each other and fight to become dominant to others. The best way to have much offspring is to put a pair or an trio in a small tank from 10 liters with a small filter in it or with some airation. On the bottom some peat moss or dark gravel and a floating "mop" to give space for laying there eggs. The fish will, if they become a rich varity of life food, spawn during there whole adult life and produce daily between 5 to 15 eggs.

The eggs should be collected by hand and stored for about 14 days in a small container. Eggs are 1.6 mm and amber colored. It is wise, to add to the water you store the eggs in, some acryflavine to provent fungus coming up.

After hatching the young fry can eat fresh artemia nauplii without any problem. It takes 4 to 5 months to raise them to maturity. Often the number of males is far above the number of females. For some species this can become a major problem for the breeder as he has to raise many young fishes and so become able to distribute a few pairs to other hobbyists. Recent personal tests laerned that lower pH levels during the time of hatching gave a higher percentage of females. To achieve this I use some peat moss that I add to the container with the egss just before they are ready to hatch. This peat moss also is a good way to prevent eggs to become attact by fungusses.

There lifespan can be up to 3 years in captivity.

Remarks :

Max. size 5.5 cm.
Dorsal 10.1,
Anal 16.0,
D/A 10.1,
LL scale count (average)45.0
Pre- dorsal length to % SL – 73.0 %
Depth to % SL – 18.0 %