Author Archives: Frank Schäfer

Fluviphylax rubens

7. November 2025

The miniature lampeyes of the genus Fluviphylax are the smallest relatives of killifish. When fully grown, their body length is less than 2 cm standard length (i.e., without the tail fin), usually around 1.5 cm. Until recently, these dwarfs were only known from Brazil, from where we were occasionally able to import them, but that was quite some time ago; we also once received animals from Venezuela that are very similar to F. rubens (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/18-toothcarps-killis-and-livebearers/dwarf_lampeyes_fluviphylax_from_venezuela_en/). The eight scientifically described species of Fluviphylax are currently placed in their own family, the Fluviphylacidae.

It was not until October 2024 that the first species from Colombia was described, namely Fluviphylax rubens. We are very pleased to be able to offer this biological peculiarity for the first time (recognized).

The differences between Fluviphylax species are subtle, which is hardly surprising given how delicate these creatures are. The decisive criterion for us in classifying our Colombian import as F. rubens is primarily the males’ anal fin, which is enormously elongated in comparison to their body height. The strong red coloration that the type specimens in the field exhibited, and which led to the species name “rubens” ( = the reddish one), is only faintly visible in our males. However, this is a phenomenon that many red-colored fish exhibit in the early stages after importation and, in our opinion, is not particularly significant.

However, we were quite surprised to find that, upon reviewing the photos of our new arrivals, a second species could clearly be identified. We have not yet determined the species of these fish; in any case, it is not possible for us to sort our imported animals. This would cause too much stress for these miniature fish, which we want to spare them at all costs. The most striking difference between the species is easiest to see in reflected light photos. This makes the luminous marks along the edge of the belly particularly prominent. While Fluviphylax rubens has a row of luminous marks along the edge of its belly, the unidentified species has a continuous band. The unidentified species also has different body proportions (slightly more elongated) and a differently shaped anal fin. It is also known from Brazil that several Fluviphylax species occur in close proximity to each other at some sites (in this case F. obscurus, F. simplex, and F. zonatus, all from the Manaus area).

To our knowledge, successful breeding of Fluviphylax has only been reported once, namely by Bork and Mayland in 1994; Those with a special interest are referred to this article. There is not much to say about care at this point; such fish naturally belong in the hands of specialists who know what they are doing and are familiar with the available literature on these animals.

For our customers: these creatures have code 325691 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Literature:

Bork, D.& H. J. Mayland (1994): Fluviphylax pygmaeus. Ein (beinahe) unbekannter Poeciliidae, der erstaunlich große Eier legt. Das Aquarium, Heft 298 (4/1994):14-15

Huber, J.H. (2024): Short description of Fluviphylax rubens n. sp., a new so-called lampeye Cyprinodontiformes from Colombia with exceptionally few dorsal-fin rays. Cybium, 48 (4): 327-331

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

 

Apistogramma flabellicauda

7. November 2025

There are three species of Apistogramma that even a very experienced Apistogramma enthusiast cannot reliably distinguish from one another: A. uaupesi (scientifically described in 1980 from the Rio Uaupes in Brazil, previously given the common name “segelflossen ( = sailfin) apistogramma” by Schmettkamp, later referred to by various authors as “red-wedge ( = rotkeil)” or “blood-throated ( = blutkehl) apistogramma”), A. flabellicauda and A. lineata; the latter two were described in 2011 from the upper Orinoco basin in Colombia. It has been known for decades that A. uaupesi is extremely polychromatic, i.e., at least the males can look very different. Aquarists repeatedly report that different color forms always occur within the same brood. This corresponds to the situation in nature, where males with different colors and markings are found at the same location. Since A. flabellicauda and A. lineata have been described solely on the basis of color characteristics, which have not proven to be consistent in breeding stock, the validity of these two species is repeatedly questioned.

There is no “final” decision on this issue, nor is one to be expected. Basically, it doesn’t matter whether an Apistogramma is referred to as A. flabellicauda or A. uaupesi “upper Orinoco.” On the other hand, there is always the risk that the important location data will be lost when specimens are passed on to other enthusiasts. In such cases, it therefore makes sense to use a different scientific name, if one is available, regardless of whether it is considered valid or a synonym. Even if A. uaupesi, A. flabellicauda, and A. lineata are most likely synonyms according to the majority of existing species concepts, this is irrelevant for breeding practice. In breeding, it is important to preserve the genetic identity of populations, i.e., members of the same species that have no contact with each other under natural conditions. Only such animals are worth preserving from the point of view of species conservation and systematics, while crossbreeding of different local forms leads to a domesticated animal. Domesticated animals are certainly suitable for community aquariums, but have no value beyond that. 

Apistogramma flabellicauda, like the other two “species,” are adapted to fairly specific biotopes. It is widely reported that the substrate in their natural habitat consists of fine white sand. Within the biotope, it is primarily dead wood and dead leaf accumulations that structure the underwater landscape. The water is clear and clean, with a very low pH of around 4.5 and hardly any detectable hardness. These factors are important for care insofar as their effects on the fish must be imitated. Fine sand is needed for chewing, otherwise there is a risk of disease in the mouth and throat. Low pH and hardly any hardness ensure low germ pressure in the water. If this can be guaranteed in another way, both values can be neglected. Only for breeding is it necessary to ensure near-natural water values, otherwise the spawn will not develop. The water temperature should be in the range of 24-28°C, at the upper end for breeding and at the lower end for normal care. They will eat pretty much any standard ornamental fish food of a suitable size, but Tubifex and red mosquito larvae (bloodworm) should be avoided if they come from waters with high levels of organic pollution. However, well-rinsed and clean Tubifex and red mosquito larvae, which are low in bacteria, are considered safe, at least in our wholesale business.

For our customers: the animals have code 619152 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Bunocephalus aleuropsis and B. colombianus

7. November 2025

We received four larger (10-15 cm) banjo catfish from Colombia, which turned out to be four different species. The two Xyliphius specimens were identified relatively quickly; one is a specimen of X. lepturus and the other is an almost entirely black specimen of X. melanurus (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/xyliphius-cf-lepturus-und-x-cf-melanurus/). The two “real” Bunocephalus were more difficult to identify. One animal looks very similar to a “normal” B. coracoideus, but has significantly shorter coracoid processes (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/bunocephalus-coracoideus-4/ for what these are). This is probably B. aleuropsis, a species described from Peru as early as 1870, which is widespread in the Amazon region and apparently also in the Orinoco.

The second species has still not been identified with certainty; all characteristics strongly suggest B. colombianus, but our specimen has no recognizable coracoid processes, whereas the specimen on which the first description was based, the holotype, has very clearly pronounced processes. However, since our specimen has a very high back and is well-fed, it may also be that the coracoid processes are simply too far inside the body to be visible. However, a comparison of this animal with previous imports of B. colombianus (of which we unfortunately have no photographs of the abdomen) shows a great deal of similarity in appearance.

What is particularly striking about these two fish is how differently shaped their mouths are. While B. aleuropsis has a comparatively narrow mouth opening, that of B. colombianus is strikingly wide.

For our customers: B. aleuropsis has code 212863 and B. colombianus has code 212913 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Bunocephalus coracoideus

7. November 2025

Banjo catfish (Bunocephalus) are extremely common in nature. That’s why we always have them in stock. We usually refer to these animals as Bunocephalus coracoideus, which may be correct in many cases. But when you look at such a swarm of banjo catfish, you notice that there are always other species mixed in. As a rule, it is not possible to identify them with reasonable effort, let alone sort them, but it is extremely exciting to raise and observe a group of perhaps 20 of these animals in an aquarium. Then you notice how variable these animals are in coloration, that there are clear differences in anatomy (especially the bone ridges along the middle of the back in front of the dorsal fin), and also that there are species that prefer to burrow more than others.

As mentioned, Bunocephalus are usually not identified in more detail in the trade and are marketed under the name B. coracoideus. It gets tricky when Bunocephalus that are visually distinguishable from the “mainstream” are imported; we try to identify these as accurately as possible, of course. That is why we will briefly describe here what we currently understand to be the “real” B. coracoideus.

The species name “coracoideus” refers to a very characteristic feature of this species, the coracoid bones. These are bony processes that, in this case, support the pectoral fins. Since these bony processes lie directly under the skin, they are also clearly visible in living animals. According to current knowledge, B. coracoideus has the most pronounced coracoid bones in the genus Bunocephalus, which currently comprises 14 species. The ventral parts of the processes extend almost to the base of the ventral fins. A second feature that characterizes the species B. coracoideus very well are the bony protuberances along the middle of the head. Three distinct larger elevations can be seen here, and a small one immediately in front of the dorsal fin. This combination of features allows for a fairly reliable identification in most cases. Colouring is not such a good characteristic, as it is very variable. However, it almost always consists of a front part covering the head that differs from the colouring of the tail. A well-known synonym for B. coracoideus is B. bicolor; “bicolor” means “two-colored”.

B. coracoideus is widespread throughout the Amazon region and can therefore come to us from practically all ornamental fish exporting countries that have access to the Amazon. Currently, for example, we have some very beautiful specimens from Colombia in stock. However, genetic studies have shown that different populations of B. coracoideus, which are visually indistinguishable from one another, differ so significantly in terms of their genetic makeup that they should actually be considered different species. This is important to know in practice, especially when attempting to breed them. If you want to breed Bunocephalus, which is entirely possible, although not commonly practiced, you should always assemble your breeding stock from animals from the same import to avoid producing unwanted hybrids.

For our customers: B. coracoideus has code 212901 (2-3 cm) to 212907 (10-12 cm) on our stock list, depending on size. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Silver Molly Orange Spots

7. November 2025

Whenever one of our suppliers offers a “new variety,” we order a box to see what it is. However, we know from experience that the term “new variety” is often used very flexibly. The spectrum ranges from “old news, but new to our list” to “wow, we’ve never seen anything like this before.” 

This time it was a molly that was delivered to us as a “new variety” under the variety name “Spring.” Why does an orange-spotted silver molly remind you of spring? We don’t know. However, these animals from the group technically classified as Poecilia latipinna are not entirely uninteresting. The alpha male, i.e., the highest-ranking animal, is almost entirely orange in color. Many females and lower-ranking males, on the other hand, only have orange stripes. In between, there are all conceivable transitions. This results in a very colorful picture and corresponds quite well to the conditions in wild mollies, where only the alpha fish is colorful. A group of these mollies is therefore certainly an enrichment of the assortment, but individual fish are less so.

For our customers: the animals have code 432327 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hoplisoma colossus ( = CW45, Corydoras sp. „Lessex“)

31. October 2025

In 2009, we successfully imported a large, beautiful armored catfish from the Rio Jutai in Brazil for the first time. At the time, we referred to the animals as Corydoras sp. aff. armatus because their particularly high dorsal fin and general body shape were very reminiscent of C. armatus. However, C. armatus (current name: Hoplisoma armatus) never has a bright orange-yellow neck spot or orange-yellow gill covers like the new import. The exporters named the fish “Lessex”; later, Ian Fuller gave it the code number CW45. In 2023, the scientific description of the species was published as Corydoras colossus. Currently, C. colossus is classified in the genus Hoplisoma, so its correct name is Hoplisoma colossus.

So far, this species has only been found in the Rio Jutai. This river has dark water with a pH value of around 6 and very low hardness. The bottom usually consists of fine, white sand with larger deposits of dead leaves from land plants. The striking orange-yellow shiny areas are interpreted as a warning to potential predators, as both the dorsal fin and the pectoral fins are connected to poison-producing glands. Anyone who has ever been stung by a armored catfish knows that this can be very painful. Since the production of the poison is energy-intensive, it has proven advantageous in the course of evolution to warn potential predators first. If the predator (usually a bird) still tries to eat the fish, it experiences a painful surprise and avoids any prey with such conspicuous coloring in the future.

In the aquarium, Hoplisoma colossus are magnificent and undemanding armored catfish that adapt well to different water conditions. However, they develop their most beautiful coloration under nature-like conditions. The animals are easy-going omnivores that are very peaceful among themselves and towards other fish species. Like almost all armored catfish, H. colossus should be kept in groups. The water temperature can be between 24 and 30°C.

For our customers: the fish have code 222134 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pelvicachromis kribensis “Nyété” (formerly P. taeniatus “Nyété”)

31. October 2025

The city of Niété is located in the southern part of Cameroon and is part of the Océan department in the South Province. It is traversed by the Nyété River, which is a tributary of the Lobé River. The beautiful Pelvicachromis kribensis occurs there in a special color variant known in the hobby as “Nyété.” It looks very similar to the “Lobé” variant. The males of both species can be distinguished by the fact that the ‘Lobé’ males have no spots on their tail fin, in contrast to the “Nyété,” which are magnificently decorated in this respect; “Nyété” usually have 3-5 golden-rimmed eye spots in the upper part of the tail fin. This characteristic is inherited, making it a reliable distinguishing feature between “Nyété” and “Lobé.” 

Until a few years ago, all „emerald cichlids“ were grouped into a single species, Pelvicachromis taeniatus. Currently, three species are distinguished within this narrower family complex, namely P. taeniatus (Nigeria), P. kribensis (Cameroon), and P. drachenfelsi (Cameroon, formerly P. taeniatus “Wouri”).

This species should be kept under subdued lighting, otherwise the fish often become shy and pale. Soft, slightly acidic water best suits their needs. They will eat any standard ornamental fish food. The water temperature should mainly be in the range of 22-26°C; temperatures that are too high are less favorable for P. kribensis than the lower temperature range. It is important that at least part of the substrate consists of fine sand, which the fish like to chew on. Good water hygiene is crucial for the successful care of these fish, which is most easily achieved by regular and generous partial water changes. If this is neglected, P. kribensis quickly develop bacterial infections, which are usually incurable.

All Pelvicachromis have a mother-father family, in which the more colorful female is responsible for caring for the eggs laid in a cave and the newly hatched young. During this time, the male only defends the wider area around the spawning cave. When the young leave the cave, the mother and father join forces and raise the brood together. 

For our customers: the animals have code 562512 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Macropodus ocellatus

31. October 2025

The roundtail or Chinese paradise fish (Macropodus ocellatus, formerly M. chinensis) is a fish for connoisseurs and experts. For connoisseurs because it is extremely inconspicuous in its plain plumage – i.e. as a rule in the dealer’s tank. Those who are not familiar with it will therefore usually not buy it. But connoisseurs know: in their breeding plumage, the males of this species are truly wonderfully colored!

M. ocellatus is for experts because, as a fish from the subtropics (native to parts of China, Japan, and Korea), it must be kept in a seasonal rhythm. If this is not observed, the animals will not become in the mood to spawn, will remain pale, and their immune systems will be so severely compromised that they will sooner or later succumb to bacterial infections.

That is why an outdoor container—which can be an aquarium, a mortar tub, a small pond, or similar—is the ideal habitat for this species, which can become about 6-7 cm long in males and only 4-5 cm long in females. However, M. ocellatus is not truly winter-hardy in our latitudes. During the coldest time of the year, you must therefore ensure that the container either remains frost-free or that the fish are housed in an unheated but frost-free room during the frost period.

We usually receive our Chinese paradise fish in the fall from German outdoor keeping. Often we are given the location where they were initially found, but often we are not. The animals currently in our stock are such “nameless” ones. They are very strong, healthy fish 3-4 cm long, i.e., just reached sexual maturity.

For our customers: the animals have code 425402 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Saxatilia sveni (formerly: Crenicichla sveni)

31. October 2025

From Colombia (Rio Meta basin), we have obtained Saxatilia sveni, which is very rarely imported, together with Crenicichla (Batrachops) sp. “Belly Crawler” ( = C. sp. aff. sedentaria), which also occurs there. This representative of the former Crenicichla saxatilis group, which is currently grouped in a separate genus Saxatilia, grows to a considerable size, 25-30 cm. Our specimens are therefore still considered juveniles. However, they are already quarrelsome, which is why relatively large aquariums with numerous hiding places should be provided.

For our customers: the animals have codes 673533 (7-9 cm) and 673534 (10-12 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Crenicichla (Batrachops) sp. “Belly Crawler”

31. October 2025

The genus Crenicichla was once the largest of all cichlid genera, with 139 scientifically described species, 93 of which are generally recognized as valid species. In addition, there are a large number of species that are already known to aquarists but have not yet been scientifically studied. The genus has since been subdivided (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/25-perchlike-fishes/the-crenicichla-have-been-reclassified/). The “Belly Crawler” therefore belongs to the subgenus Batrachops, which currently includes nine accepted species.

The “Belly Crawler” is a species from fast-flowing areas in the Rio Meta basin in Colombia that has not yet been scientifically recorded. As with so many fast-flowing cichlids, the Belly Crawler’s swim bladder is greatly reduced, making it impossible for the fish to float in open water. But they don’t need to.

Scientifically speaking, the Belly Crawler is closely related to Crenicichla (Batrachops) sedentaria from Peru, which swims normally but looks similar, and C. (B.) geayi from the Orinoco basin in Colombia and Venezuela. The latter lives close to the bottom but can still swim normally.

Crenicichla (B.) sp. “Belly Crawler” grows to a length of approx. 23 cm (males) and 18 cm (females). The sexes can be easily distinguished by the coloration of the dorsal fin, where the female has a round spot that the male lacks. Like almost all Crenicichla, the species can be characterized as relatively quarrelsome, but fighting is usually limited to impressive threats with wide-open mouths and lowered gills. The species is – typical for Crenicichla – a cave breeder with a parental family.

For our customers: the fish have codes 672613 (7-9 cm) and 672614 (10-12 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hoplisoma sp. aff. concolor Rio Tomo CW217

24. October 2025

We consider the import of this beautiful new Hoplisoma to be sensational. According to the supplier, it comes from a small tributary of the Rio Tomo in eastern Colombia. The fishermen refer to this tributary as Cano Negro. The water is described as “crystal clear.” The Rio Tomo itself is a tributary of the Orinoco, approximately 650 km long. CW217 is the only armored catfish in the Cano Negro; there are no H. concolor there. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to our supplier for this information!

The new Hoplisoma “Rio Tomo” is undoubtedly a close relative of Hoplisoma concolor (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/hoplisoma-concolor-2/). Ian Fuller (www.corydorasworld.com) assigned the code number CW217 to this strikingly colored fish. It should be noted that despite the physical similarity between CW217 and H. concolor, fish with this coloration never occur among “normal” H. concolor. CW217 is therefore not a color variant in the usual sense, as color variants are always found sporadically in populations of normally colored animals. According to most common species concepts, CW217 would be considered a subspecies (i.e., a geographically isolated population of a species that is, however, consistent in its characteristics) or, according to the so-called phylogenetic species concept, a separate species.

It is hoped that breeding these magnificent fish will be successful. The coloration of the young fish would also provide important clues as to their species affiliation. We know from other twin species (e.g., Osteogaster rabauti and O. zygata) that they are difficult to distinguish as adults, but that the young look completely different. For the time being, however, CW217 is only rarely available as a wild catch and in small numbers. The sexes are quite easy to distinguish. Males have long, pointed pelvic fins, while those of females are comparatively short and rounded. In addition, males often develop long dorsal fins (which, unfortunately, does not mean that all fish with short dorsal fins are females). All pictures in this post show the same pair from our first import. We have just imported a few more specimens and will provide more pictures as soon as possible.

For our customers: the fish have code 226015 on our stock list; the animals currently imported are still in quarantine but will be available on the stock list shortly. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Phenacogaster cf. capitulata

24. October 2025

Currently (September 2025), 28 species are assigned to this genus. The genus was established in 1907 by Eigenmann for the species Tetragonopterus pectinatus, described in 1870 by Cope from Peru (Pebas). Cope’s description was not accompanied by any illustration, so Fowler drew the holotype in 1907, which he classified in the genus Astyanax. Based on this drawing, it would be difficult to recognize a Phenacogaster; no wonder, then, that Steindachner fabricated two synonyms for P. pectinata in 1876 and 1882: Tetragonopterus tabatingae and T. bairdii. That was it for the 19th century.

The characin specialist Eigenmann described two species in 1909 and three more in 1911, while Norman (1934), Ahl (1936), and Fowler (1941) each described one species. Thus, by the middle of the 20th century, nine species were known, although this is a simplified representation, as not all of them were classified under Phenacogaster. Conversely, the fish described by Fowler in 1911 as Phenacogaster bondi is now classified as Gymnocorymbus, which is undoubtedly correct.

Then there was a long period of silence surrounding this group of tetras. It was not until 1995 that another species description followed, together with a new diagnosis of the genus. Brazilian ichthyologist Zilda Margarete Seixas de Lucena, already senior author of the 1995 paper, discovered these small tetras for herself and began researching them. The result is impressive. One of the species described in 2023, P. lucenae, was named in honor of Lucena and is the 15th new species since 1995! In terms of color, Phenacogaster are certainly no revelation. Most are small, transparent fish, usually with a shoulder spot, often with a tail root spot. They look very, very similar. Anyone who wants to delve into the finer points of species differentiation should start with the 2010 work “Descrição de nove espécies novas de Phenacogaster (Ostariophysi: Characiformes: Characidae) e comentários sobre as demais espécies do gênero” by Lucena & Malabarba (free download here: https://www.scielo.br/j/zool/a/47FyqVP45DrQ3wNV9Jwqt3k/?lang=pt), which discusses all species recorded to date and provides an identification key.

We have now been able to import a previously unknown Phenacogaster species from Peru for the first time. It should be clear that, based on the above list, an exact identification is complicated, as most newly described species are only known from preserved material. But our little newcomer—the animals are about 3 cm long (including the tail fin)—has no shoulder spot, no tail root spot, and comes from Peru. That narrows down the selection. We are probably looking at Phenacogaster capitulata, which was described in 2010 from the Neshuya River basin (part of the Rio Ucayali basin).

When in mating mood, the presumed males develop pretty orange fins with a white tip on the dorsal fin. This makes them vaguely reminiscent of the hummingbird tetra (Trochilocharax ornatus) in color, but they are considerably paler. The neon colors in some pictures are a result of the flash; to the naked eye, the fish are mainly transparent. They are peaceful animals that are best kept in a dimly lit aquarium with dark substrate. Their large eyes indicate that these fish do not like bright light. In terms of care and food, the animals have proven to be completely undemanding in our experience.

For our customers: the animals have code 278312 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon acaciae

24. October 2025

Imagine you have a first import and don’t even realize it! That’s what’s happening to us right now with a tetra. We received some very beautiful, large Hemigrammus coeruleus from Colombia. At least, that’s what we thought. By chance, Peter and Martin Hoffmann, from whom we often and gladly receive rare tetra offspring, needed a few H. coeruleus. Some time later, they asked where they came from. When we answered (Colombia), they said: Flavio is right again: they are Hyphessobrycon acaciae. Flavio refers to Flavio Lima, the tetra specialist from Brazil (Universidade Estadual de Campinas). The two had asked him about the identification of the fish, as they had noticed some differences from the usual coeruleus. 

With the naked eye, it is almost impossible to tell the difference between freshly imported Hemigrammus coeruleus and Hyphessobrycon acaciae, even though they are classified in two different genera. Technically speaking, the only difference between the genera Hemigrammus and Hyphessobrycon is that the base of the tail fin is unscaled in Hyphessobrycon, but scaled in Hemigrammus. This is not noticeable in living fish underwater. It has been known for decades that four of the main groups of South American small characins (the genus pairs Hemigrammus/Hyphessobrycon and Moenkhausia/Astyanax) are artificially classified and do not represent a natural relationship. But the work involved is very lengthy and complex, and it will certainly take quite some time before we really understand it.

For us, this means that we will now always have to carry out a special examination when Hemigrammus coeruleus from Colombia arrive. Using a powerful magnifying glass, we have to check the tail fin for the characteristic scaling, as the subtle differences in coloration are not visible in freshly imported animals that have not yet acclimatized. In terms of general care requirements, the two species do not differ. Both species are peaceful schooling fish that can reach a total length of 5-6 cm (including the tail fin). For H. coeruleus, see here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/09-characoids-tetra-relationship/hemigrammus-coeruleus-4/

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Lugubria sp. Xingu1 (formerly: Crenicichla)

24. October 2025

In the 1990s, when Brazil’s large river cichlids experienced something of a boom, four species from the former collective genus Crenicichla also arrived in Europe for the first time. Due to the lack of a scientific name, they were designated Crenicichla sp. Xingu I – IV. All four grow to a considerable size for ornamental fish, reaching lengths of 30-40 cm, and are robust animals that can assert themselves. Very large aquariums are therefore a basic requirement for keeping these animals. They were banned from export for a long time, but Brazil has now lifted the ban. 

Strangely enough, Lugubria sp. Xingu I has not yet been scientifically studied. The young fish up to 5 cm in length are bright red, then they turn orange, which led to the nickname “French fries” for the fish. Adult specimens look completely different; the males are then brass yellow with vertical lines, the females gray-green with a bright red band in the middle of their bodies. At water temperatures above 30°C, when they are in breeding mood, the females look absolutely magnificent, with the entire middle of their bodies glowing coral red and their dorsal fins having a dazzling white edge, while their heads and tail stems are coal black.

We have young fish in our stock that are distinctly schooling fish. When kept in a school, they sometimes retain their beautiful coloration up to a length of 20 cm. Once they reach this size, the keeper must be careful! During “puberty,” before they become sexually active, these fish are extremely incompatible with each other! Only when the sexes are clearly recognizable can one attempt to pair them up. However, the small number of reported breedings —like all Lugubria species, these animals are cave breeders with a parental family—shows that this is rarely successful.

For our customers: L. sp. Xingu I/Orange has code 671801 (5-7 cm) and 671802 (6-8 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Heterandria formosa

24. October 2025

In old aquarium books, you can still read that the males of the Least Killifish (Heterandria formosa) could claim the title of “smallest fish in the world.” They grow to a maximum length of only about 2 cm, which is significantly smaller than the females, which grow to a length of up to 3.5 cm. But nowadays, 2 cm is no longer really competitive when it comes to records for small fish. With such lengths, you can hardly make it into the top 100!

There has been much speculation about what kind of fish is the smallest in the world. It is also not easy to come up with an objective method to find out. Fish grow throughout their lives. This makes it fundamentally difficult to provide reliable size data for fish. As with most livebearers, Least Killifish have both small and large males. This is genetically determined in these animals. In aquarium literature, the total length, i.e., including fins, is usually given. In extreme cases, this can be very misleading, as many fish species have elongated fin rays, such as the swordtail. A male with a sword as long as its body is not uncommon, but specifying the total length, i.e., from the tip of the snout to the end of the sword, as a measure of size makes little sense.

Be that as it may, we have just received a nice number of Least Killifish, including real dwarf males and also really large females. Most specimens are somewhere in between in terms of size.

The females of the Least Killifish only give birth to 1-2 young per day during a breeding period, but this continues over several days. They should therefore not be placed in spawning boxes, but in densely planted, small extra aquariums, from which the young are collected daily and transferred to a rearing aquarium.

The natural distribution of Least Killifish is in the eastern part of the United States. The climate there is not tropical, but subtropical. This should be taken into account when caring for them and the fish should not be kept too warm all year round. Ideally, they should be kept in tubs in the garden or on the balcony during the summer months. 

For our customers: the animals have code 421482 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Lentipes dimetrodon

17. October 2025

This dwarf goby, a relative of the of neon gobies (Stiphodon), was scientifically described in 1999. To date, the species is only known from coastal rivers in western New Guinea (Irian Jaya). However, since it undergoes its juvenile development in the sea, like all sicydiine gobies, it is more than likely that it is much more widespread.

The species Lentipes dimetrodon was described on the basis of six specimens, 5 males and 1 female. The largest male was 23.5 mm long, the female 19 mm (both measurements without tail fin). Unfortunately, the live coloration of the female remains unknown. Our animals are therefore probably fully grown (approx. 25-30 mm with tail fin). When you look into the holding tank, the jet-black little guys with bright blue-white fin edges immediately catch the eye. With their fins spread, they repeatedly rise into the free water column, impressing their conspecifics. 

A surprise awaited us in the photo tank. Suddenly, the little creatures developed a broad yellowish to salmon-colored zone in the middle of their bodies. Sometimes they are black, sometimes gray-brown in color. It is great fun to watch these lively aufwuchs eaters. Photographing them is less enjoyable, because these little creatures move at lightning speed and it is incredibly difficult to get a sharp photo of a swimming specimen with spread fins in front of the desired background.

Regardless, because these fish are very rarely available in the trade, it is really worth trying to breed them. Rearing saltwater fish is no longer an insurmountable problem. Of course, this would require being able to identify the females of L. dimetrodon. Unfortunately, we cannot do this…

For our customers: the animals have code 423622 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Glossolepis dorityi

17. October 2025

We have once again received offspring of this beautiful rainbow fish. For basic information, please refer to this post: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/17-rainbow-fishes-and-co/glossolepis_dorityi_lake_nenggwambu__en/

Unfortunately, it is quite likely that Glossolepis dorityi, which was only scientifically described in 2001, is already extinct in the wild. We quote here from the entry in the International Red List (IUCN): “This species is known only from Lake Nenggwambu (Lake Kali Biru), a small (4-5 hectares) floodplain lake in the Grime River system, about 60 km west of the Papua provincial capital of Jayapura, Indonesia, and nearby Lake Tum (erroneously called Lake Jaigum) (G.R. Allen pers. comm. 2019). Other searches have not found populations elsewhere, but it is possible it occurs in other lakes.” 

The population of Tum Lake ( = Jaigum Lake) could no longer be found in 2009, as Johannes Graf, an experienced traveler and expert on rainbow fish, discovered. In Lake Nenggwambu, the once crystal-clear water is now a murky broth, and all the underwater plants that used to grow there in abundance have disappeared. The cause lies in carp and tilapia that were released for food purposes.

The populations from both lakes (there are no color differences between the two) in human care still appear to be stable. You can help save this species from extinction by buying such fish for your aquarium. Only if breeders of the species can find homes for their offspring will they continue to breed them!

For our customers: the animals have code 417133 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Source:

Allen, G.R., Hammer, M. & Unmack, P. 2020. Glossolepis dorityi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161080437A161080455. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161080437A161080455.en. Accessed on 09 September 2025

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Poecilia wingei Endler Guppy Campoma No 46

17. October 2025

It is not without reason that guppys are among the most popular ornamental fish in the world, ranking high in the top ten. The play of colors is almost endless. This applies to the “classic” guppy Poecilia reticulata as well as its slightly smaller cousin P. wingei, the Endler guppy, and the countless hybrids that have been and are being bred between these species.

The wild forms of the classic guppy are rarely kept in aquariums, but wild forms of the Endler’s guppy are extremely popular. In order to designate them in a reasonably uniform manner, they have been numbered, although there is no binding reference register. The web pages on which the numbers were originally assigned no longer exist. This means that it is not possible to research them. So we do not know whether what we have now received as No.46 and are offering under this designation is identical to the original No.46. But that doesn’t matter, because we have pictures of it.

Incidentally, these “Campoma numbers” do not refer to different locations where they were found. Most of them were caught either together or in close proximity to each other. In nature, Campoma guppys are just as variable in color as classic guppies. Hardly any two males look exactly alike. However, selective breeding can be used to quickly establish the characteristics that are particularly appealing. As a result, the Campoma No.46 now look fairly uniform. However, if they are allowed to reproduce without strict selection, a wide variety of color variations will gradually appear. This is normal and does not indicate that they are hybrids.

For our customers: the fish have code 419018 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Bunocephalus coracoideus

16. October 2025

Banjo catfish (Bunocephalus) are extremely common in nature. That’s why we always have them in stock. We usually refer to these animals as Bunocephalus coracoideus, which may be correct in many cases. But when you look at such a swarm of banjo catfish, you notice that there are always other species mixed in. As a rule, it is not possible to identify them with reasonable effort, let alone sort them, but it is extremely exciting to raise and observe a group of perhaps 20 of these animals in an aquarium. Then you notice how variable these animals are in coloration, that there are clear differences in anatomy (especially the bone ridges along the middle of the back in front of the dorsal fin), and also that there are species that prefer to burrow more than others.

As mentioned, Bunocephalus are usually not identified in more detail in the trade and are marketed under the name B. coracoideus. It gets tricky when Bunocephalus that are visually distinguishable from the “mainstream” are imported; we try to identify these as accurately as possible, of course. That is why we will briefly describe here what we currently understand to be the “real” B. coracoideus.

The species name “coracoideus” refers to a very characteristic feature of this species, the coracoid bones. These are bony processes that, in this case, support the pectoral fins. Since these bony processes lie directly under the skin, they are also clearly visible in living animals. According to current knowledge, B. coracoideus has the most pronounced coracoid bones in the genus Bunocephalus, which currently comprises 14 species. The ventral parts of the processes extend almost to the base of the ventral fins. A second feature that characterizes the species B. coracoideus very well are the bony protuberances along the middle of the head. Three distinct larger elevations can be seen here, and a small one immediately in front of the dorsal fin. This combination of features allows for a fairly reliable identification in most cases. Colouring is not such a good characteristic, as it is very variable. However, it almost always consists of a front part covering the head that differs from the colouring of the tail. A well-known synonym for B. coracoideus is B. bicolor; “bicolor” means “two-colored”.

B. coracoideus is widespread throughout the Amazon region and can therefore come to us from practically all ornamental fish exporting countries that have access to the Amazon. Currently, for example, we have some very beautiful specimens from Colombia in stock. However, genetic studies have shown that different populations of B. coracoideus, which are visually indistinguishable from one another, differ so significantly in terms of their genetic makeup that they should actually be considered different species. This is important to know in practice, especially when attempting to breed them. If you want to breed Bunocephalus, which is entirely possible, although not commonly practiced, you should always assemble your breeding stock from animals from the same import to avoid producing unwanted hybrids.

For our customers: B. coracoideus has code 212901 (2-3 cm) to 212907 (10-12 cm) on our stock list, depending on size. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Garra qiaojiensis

10. October 2025

Many good aquarium fish have come to us from the extremely species-rich genus Garra. The “doctor fish” Garra rufa (https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/garra-rufa-2/), Garra flavatra (https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/08-carp-like-fishes-2-barbs-minnows-carps-goldfish-etc/garra_flavatra_en/) is very pretty, and Garra panitvongi (https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/garra-panitvongi-sp-red-tail-2/) is bizarre and beautiful.

Now we received two specimens of a Garra species as samples, whose beauty took our breath away. This is Garra qiaojiensis, which occurs only very locally in the Irrawaddy system of China and Burma. Our fish come from the Putao region in Burma. They are approximately 9 cm long. Based on certain characteristics (one specimen has a red spot on its shoulder, which the other fish does not have, there are also differences in the coloration of the pelvic fins, and one fish appears to be slimmer than the other), we believe that they are a pair.

What took our breath away next, however, was the price. Our supplier only had a small number of animals in stock, all of which we have now imported.

For our customers: the animals have codes 416383 (8-10 cm) and 416384 (10-12 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Spinipterus moijiri

10. October 2025

The discovery of a new genus of driftwood catfish—Spinipterus—is quite sensational. In 2011, the first species of the newly described genus (S. acsi) was described and the new genus was established for it. In 2019, the second species (S. moijiri) was added, which is significantly more attractive in appearance and displays a beautiful jaguar pattern when fully grown. In younger animals, the spots are still full, but later they become more ring-shaped. S. acsi grows to about 8 cm, S. moijiri to about 10 cm in length. S. acsi occurs in the upper Amazon basin (Peru, Brazil), S. moijiri in Peru (Rio Nanay) and Brazil (Rio Purus and Rio Japura). We obtained our animals from Peru.

They are very peaceful, strictly nocturnal catfish, which can be compared to Tatia from an aquaristic point of view. Both Spinipterus species have been successfully bred on several occasions. It has been found that these fish are best kept in groups. Unlike most Tatia species, they do not usually care for their young, but simply scatter the eggs freely in the tank. However, there have been isolated observations of females guarding the eggs in a tube.

As with all driftwood catfish, the sexes can be easily distinguished once they reach sexual maturity by the different shapes of their anal fins. The most important care measure for Spinipterus is certainly feeding. On the one hand, care must be taken to ensure that the animals get something to eat; this means that, at least in the early stages of acclimatisation, they may need to be fed even after the lights have been turned off. Conversely, once the fish have settled in and start appearing for feeding during the day, care must be taken to ensure that they do not become overweight. They are good and efficient eaters! They will happily eat any commercially available ornamental fish food. In nature, insects and their larvae are probably their main food source. Water hardness and pH are irrelevant, the water temperature can be within the usual range (24 to 28°C), and it does not matter if it is slightly higher or lower at times.

For our customers: the animals have code 295232 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nannostomus erythrurus

10. October 2025

The three-banded pencilfish, Nannostomus trifasciatus, is one of the most popular ornamental fish. It combines numerous characteristics that make it desirable: beautiful coloration, peaceful nature, small size, and easy feeding. However, few people know that the name “Nannostomus trifasciatus” actually refers to several species. The “real” N. trifasciatus is relatively rare in stores. It comes from the area around Manaus in Brazil and Tabatinga/Leticia in the border triangle of Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. Its distinguishing feature: above the broad, dark longitudinal band, there is an additional narrow red stripe. Unfortunately, this stripe is easily overexposed and is therefore often difficult to see in photographs.

The twin species, N. erythrurus, is very widespread. It was first described from Guyana, but is also found in Peru and in the lower reaches of the Amazon in Brazil. The red stripe mentioned above is always absent here; only a red shoulder spot is often found. The similarity between N. erythrurus and N. trifasciatus is so great that until 2013, N. erythrurus was usually considered a synonym of N. trifasciatus; N. erythrurus was described as early as 1909.

From time to time, we receive such beautiful N. erythrurus from Peru and Brazil that we also distinguish them as a special species. Otherwise, no distinction is usually made between the two species in the trade.

N. erythrurus and N. trifasciatus do not differ in terms of the positive characteristics listed above. Both are ideal aquarium fish.

For our customers: N. erythrurus has code 272013, N. trifasciatus code 272301-272306 (depending on size). Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sicyopterus microcephalus (incorrectly imported as S. longifilis)

10. October 2025

The genus Sicyopterus comprises the largest species of the increasingly popular sicydiine gobies, which include Stiphodon, Sicyopus, Sicydium, Lentipes, and others. All of these gobies undergo their larval development in the sea, while the adults live in pure freshwater and lay their eggs there. Since the larvae have hardly any yolk reserves, they must be carried relatively quickly into the sea by the current. This is why sicydiine gobies are only found in flowing waters and not very far from the sea. Depending on which ocean current the larvae are carried into, they may end up in freshwater far from their birthplace. This explains the sometimes huge distribution areas of many species.

 

Unfortunately, the detailed classification of the genus Sicyopterus is poorly understood. The approximately 27 to 33 currently recognized species (depending on the author) all look quite similar and are all very variable in color. Depending on their mood, age, and sex, they can have very different coloration. This makes them difficult to identify. It was not until 2018, for example, that Sicyopterus longifilis was first identified in Japan, a country that has been very well studied ichthyologically. Until then, only two other species of the genus were known from there, namely S. lagocephalus and S. japonicus. In clarifying the identity of the species new to Japan, the researchers (Maeda & Saeki, 2018) discovered that S. brevis, described in 1912 at the same time as S. longifilis from Ceram, is in fact only the female of S. longifilis (male).

The most important distinguishing feature of S. longifilis for us aquarists is the combination of very long, free dorsal fin rays (at least in males; the dorsal fin rays of females are also free and elongated, but not quite as long) and the absence of a notch in the middle of the upper lip; the latter is best seen when the animal is suctioned to the front glass. The animals we imported under the name S. longifilis have long, extended dorsal fin rays, but they also have another lip feature: papillae on the upper lip. These are typical for S. microcephalus, but are absent in S. longifilis. Therefore, the pictures shown here are most likely of S. microcephalus and not S. longifilis.

Sicyopterus should be kept in aquariums that resemble a stream, i.e., with sand, gravel, and rubble areas. A few roots won’t hurt, but planting should be kept to a minimum. The fish appreciate a strong current. They often burrow into the ground, especially under flat stones, where they also spawn. Sicyopterus are easy to feed. Naturally herbivorous, they enjoy all kinds of dry and frozen food, as long as it is not too coarse. Hardness and pH value are insignificant; any tap water suitable for drinking is also suitable for the care and breeding of Sicyopterus. The water temperature can be between 20 and 28°C. Sicyopterus are generally peaceful fish, and intraspecific squabbles are always harmless in nature, at least in our experience. The species grows to a length of approx. 10 cm (including tail fin).

For our customers: the fish have code 455163 (5-7 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Literature:

Maeda, K. & T. Saeki (2018): Revision of species in Sicyopterus (Gobiidae: Sicydiinae) described by de Beaufort (1912), with a first record of Sicyopterus longifilis from Japan. Species Diversity v. 23: 253-262.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Aspidoras raimundi C125 Red

12. September 2025

The genus Aspidoras has recently undergone a revision, resulting in several regroupings. Among other things, the species A. menezesi and A. spilotus, well known at least by name in the hobby, have been synonymized with A. raimundi. Cory-catfish enthusiasts agree that C125 and CW119 also belong here. More information on the wild type of A. raimundi can be found here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/10-catfishes/aspidoras-raimundi-ceara-2/

According to our breeder, who first supplied us with these animals 11 years ago, the red form with red eyes appeared spontaneously among his offspring of wild-colored C125. Their exact origin was/is still unclear to us; we only know that they came from Brazil. As you can see, the red strain has been well stabilized. The final size of these beautiful and peaceful armored catfish is 4-4.5 cm. The usual care recommendations for armored catfish apply.

For our customers: the animals have code 208582 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Literature:

Tencatt, LFC, Britto, MR, Isbrücker, IJH & CS Pavanelli (2022): Taxonomy of the armored catfish genus Aspidoras (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) revisited, with the description of a new species. Neotrop Ichthyol. 2022; 20(3):e220040. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2022-0040 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hoplisoma sp. CW127 BRED

12. September 2025

One of the most magnificent armored catfish to become available in recent years is undoubtedly the CW127 from the Rio Jamanxim. For more information, see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/corydoras-sp-aff-parallelus-cw127-4/

We now have German captive-bred specimens of these magnificent animals in stock for the first time.

For our customers: the animals have code 240262 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma eunotus “Orange Tail”

12. September 2025

In this day and age, when absurd debates are being held about banning private animal husbandry as far as possible (“positive list”), we must always remember the great successes that have been achieved with many fish groups thanks to the aquarium hobby. The genus Apistogramma is a prime example of this. Until 1977, 31 species were known, but only 20 of these were valid. Today, almost 100 valid species are known (94 to be precise), and there are still a few that are already known in the hobby but have not yet been scientifically described. This enormous increase in knowledge would have been unthinkable without the interest of aquarists in these fish. If we now consider that knowledge of species is the absolute prerequisite for every conceivable form of species protection, the example of Apistogramma clearly shows that wild imports do not threaten species, but on the contrary form the basis for their protection.

The “first wave” of Apistogramma discoveries in the early 1980s also included a species from Peru that became known in the hobby as the “orange-tailed Apistogramma”: A. eunotus. This species, which is quite large by Apistogramma standards—males can easily reach 8.5 cm in length—originates from lowland rivers in Peru and neighboring areas of Colombia. Like almost all Apistogramma, the males are polychromatic, meaning that males of different colors can be found at the same location. However, the orange-tailed color morph, which is considered particularly attractive in the hobby, is relatively rare. Very often, entire imports of A. eunotus do not contain any males with colored tail fins. However, we have just received an import from Peru with a high proportion of such fish.

Apistogramma eunotus is special in that it not only dislikes the highly acidic water values (pH below 5.5) required for breeding in many species of the genus, but actually avoids them. A. eunotus also does not appreciate high concentrations of humic substances, which are almost essential for many Apistogramma species. Breeding this typical cave spawner with a mother-father family is also successful in slightly alkaline water of medium hardness. In nature, very different values have been found in A. eunotus biotopes, but never very acidic water. The water temperature in the aquarium should be between 23 and 27°C; in the wild, values between 18 and 31°C have been measured. Like all Apistogramma species, this one also needs places with fine sandy soil to chew through. Feeding is unproblematic; any commercially available ornamental fish food of a suitable size is readily accepted.

For our customers: the animals have code 619002 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hemiodus semitaeniatus

12. September 2025

With 23 species, the genus Hemiodus is quite species-rich. The majority of species grow to a length of 15-20 cm, with the largest reaching around 30 cm. Previously, three genera were distinguished (Hemiodus, Hemiodopsis, and Pterohemiodus). However, the characteristics considered to be differences between the genera proved to be insufficiently relevant. Therefore, all three were merged back into one genus – Hemiodus. 

Hemiodus are sensitive to stress. Their capture, acclimatization, and transport can therefore only be successful with the utmost care. This is the reason why these fish are relatively rare in the trade. All species observed in aquariums to date exhibit a slanted swimming behavior. These elegant animals should always be kept in schools of at least eight, as individual fish can be very nervous. Another basic requirement is a large aquarium with plenty of free swimming space. Hemiodus are peaceful towards each other and towards fish of other species. There have been no reports of breeding in aquariums. Hemiodus can be described as undemanding in terms of water values (pH and hardness) and food (any standard ornamental fish food of a suitable size is readily accepted), but the water should be clear and rich in oxygen. A temperature between 24 and 28°C is probably optimal for all species.

The only species of the genus that is offered relatively regularly is Hemiodus gracilis. It has a characteristic pattern. A strong black longitudinal band begins approximately in the middle of the body and continues into the lower half of the caudal fin. Below this black band, the edge of the tail fin of H. gracilis is deep red – very attractive! H. semitaeniatus and H. goeldii are almost identical in color, but in both species the lower edge of the tail fin is white rather than red. H. semitaeniatus has significantly more scales in the longitudinal row than H. gracilis and H. goeldii (these have only about 50 fairly large scales in the longitudinal row, H. semitaeniatus has over 50, making the scales significantly smaller in relation to the body). You can easily shorten the scale counting by only counting the scales along the edge of the back before the base of the dorsal fin. Here, H. semitaeniatus has well over 20 scales, while H. goeldii has only 12.

We recently received „H. gracilis“ from Colombia, which unfortunately show no red in their tail fins. Closer investigation revealed that they are actually H. semitaeniatus. This species is widespread in South America: it has been reported in Brazil, Bolivia, Guyana, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. However, recent genetic studies on Hemiodus (Nogueira et al., 2020) suggest that this is more likely to be a species complex than a single species. The largest specimen of H. semitaeniatus measured to date was 20 cm long.

For our customers: the animals have code 258282 (4-6 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Literature:

Nogueira, A. F., C. Oliveira, F. Langeani & A. L. Netto-Ferreira (2020): Overlooked biodiversity of mitochondrial lineages in Hemiodus (Ostariophysi, Characiformes). Zoologica Scripta v. 50 (no. 3): 337-351.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pimelodus tetramerus

12. September 2025

The genus Pimelodus is quite species-rich, with 35 recognized species currently, and also very confusing due to a lack of recent revision. These South American catfish play only a minor role in aquariums. The only species regularly available in stores is Pimelodus pictus, the angel catfish, and P. ornatus is an expensive rarity sought after by specialists. Other species occasionally appear in small numbers in the trade, but are generally insignificant. With the species presented here, which we have occasionally been able to import from Venezuela or, as is currently the case, from Peru, the spectrum could be expanded by another species, as the animals are very attractive: Pimelodus tetramerus.

The species was described in 2006 from the Tocantins and Tapajos rivers in Brazil. Imports were made from the Rio Xingu, Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru. Grant (2021) suspects a species complex behind the various imports; although we do not rule out this possibility, the externally recognizable differences between animals from the various export areas are so minor that we do not distinguish between them. The size of the imported animals is usually around 6-9 cm; P. tetramerus grows to about 20 cm in length.

Unlike many other catfish, Pimelodus species are also active during the day. At least as juveniles, they are distinctly schooling fish, so you should always purchase 5-10 specimens at once. They are completely peaceful towards other fish, but smaller tank mates will of course be regarded as food. Pimelodus are as undemanding in terms of nutrition as they are in terms of water values, which is why even beginners can enjoy these beautiful fish. You just have to be careful with their extremely sharp fin spines. Both the pectoral fins and the dorsal fin have fin spines that are sharper than we have seen in almost any other fish species. It is therefore generally better to catch these catfish with a cup or similar, as there is a high risk of them becoming terribly entangled in any net.

For our customers: the animals have code 280113 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Literature: 

Grant, S. (2021): Pims; Pimelodidae, Heptapteridae and Pseudopimelodidae Catfishes. Neuenstadt am Rübenberge, 220 pp.

Ribeiro, F. R. V. & C. A. S. de Lucena (2006): Nova espécie de Pimelodus (Siluriformes, Pimelodidae) dos rios Tapajós e Tocantins, Brasil. Iheringia, Série Zoologia (Porto Alegre) v. 96 (no. 3): 321-327.

Harttia punctata

5. September 2025

From the species-rich genus Harttia—currently divided into 28 species—hardly any ever find their way into our aquariums. The fish are relatively close relatives of the popular royal farlowellas (Sturisoma and Sturisomatichthys) and resemble them in many behaviors, but are considerably more demanding. Harttia need very clean, oxygen-rich, and warm water to thrive; in addition, fine food, such as the fish’s natural diet (algae and the microorganisms living in it), should make up the majority of their diet. Even minor care mistakes can be fatal for such fish. It is obvious that even catching and transporting them poses particular challenges. On the other hand, healthy animals have even been bred in aquariums.

Harttia punctata is one of two species found together in the Rio Tocantins in Brazil. The most important difference between the two species – the other being H. duriventris – lies in the shields on the abdomen. In H. duriventris, the entire belly is covered with bone plates, while in H. punctata, large parts of the belly are bare. Overall, however, it has been found that the pattern on the belly is quite variable within the species. H. punctata and H. duriventris hardly differ in color, but H. punctata has more numerous, more contrasting spots. In two randomly selected animals from our current import, the abdominal shields correspond to H. punctata. Since all the fish are very similar in color, we think that they all belong to the same species. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that some H. duriventris may be hiding among them.

Just like Sturisoma and Sturisomatichthys, Harttia are not cave breeders, but open breeders. The eggs are preferably laid on stones with a strong current flowing over the surface and guarded by the male until they hatch. Sexual differences seem to be limited to the fact that the males have a slightly wider head and a wider, spiked first pectoral fin ray. Rearing is broadly similar to that of royal farlowella.

All in all, Harttia punctata are fish for truly experienced aquarists looking for a challenge.

For our customers: the animals have code 255384 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Literature:

Seidel, I. (2010): Ingos Harnischwelszucht. Tetra Verlag, Berlin-Velten, 272 pp

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sternarchorhynchus mendesi

5. September 2025

The number of species in the genus Sternarchorhynchus has exploded in recent years. In 1994, only four species were known, but by 2006, the number had risen to ten, and today (2025), 32 species are recognized! This makes Sternarchorhynchus the most species-rich genus within the Apteronotidae family. 

With a shipment of Apteronotus macrostomus (in the hobby known as A. leptorhynchus, see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/11-gymnotiformes-knifefishes-of-the-new-world/apteronotus-leptorhynchus-a-macrostomus-2/) from Colombia, we also received a single specimen of a Sternarchorhynchus species. According to the latest revision of the genus by de Santana & Vari (2010), there are seven species of the genus in Colombia: S. gnomus, S. marreroi, S. mendesi, S. mormyrus, S. oxyrhynchus, S. roseni, and S. yepezi. There are hardly any color differences between the species. Almost all are monochromatic dark brown with a light eel stripe; only S. gnomus lacks the light dorsal stripe or has only a faint one. If one follows the identification key for the species from the Orinoco in the aforementioned work, the shape of the mouth initially leads to S. oxyrhynchus; however, for those of us who are not deeply familiar with the subject matter, this characteristic is somewhat deceptive because we do not have good means of comparison.

The remaining key leads to S. mendesi (distinct dorsal stripe, no scales on the back). S. oxyrhynchus has 212–242 fin rays in the anal fin, making it a very elongated fish, while S. mendesi has 174–182. The photographed animal has approximately 177 anal fin rays (without an X-ray, slight inaccuracies in counting are possible at the very front and very back, but these are not critical for species identification). So it’s official: we have successfully imported Sternarchorhynchus mendesi for the first time!

This is remarkable in that S. mendesi is currently known from only eight specimens, all of which were found in the Río San Juan and Río Guanipa river basins in northeastern Venezuela. Apteronotus macrostomus, on the other hand, is caught in the Rio Meta basin in Colombia for export as an ornamental fish.

The largest specimen of S. mendesi known to date was just over 20 cm long. The imported fish has proven to be easy to care for so far; its current length is about 15 cm. At the end of its body, it has a small regenerative tail; as is well known, knifefish have the very unusual ability to regenerate lost parts of their spine at the end of their body, provided that no vital internal organs are affected. The animal proved to be completely peaceful towards even small tank mates (three-quarter-sized guppies). Sternarchorhynchus can be easily fed with frozen and live food in the aquarium; tubifex and bloodworm are particularly popular. South American knifefish have generally proven to be very adaptable in terms of water parameters such as hardness and pH value. The animals are mainly crepuscular, but come out of hiding during the day when feeding. The animals are only moderately compatible with conspecifics, see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/11-gymnotiformes-knifefishes-of-the-new-world/sternrachorhynchus-from-peru/. Since Sternarchorhynchus have sharp teeth in their mouths, they can theoretically injure each other. When keeping several animals together, it is therefore important to pay close attention so that you can intervene in time if necessary.

For our customers: the animal has code 293984 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Literature: 

de Santana, C. D. & R. P. Vari (2010): Electric fishes of the genus Sternarchorhynchus (Teleostei, Ostariophysi, Gymnotiformes); phylogenetic and revisionary studies. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society v. 159 (no. 1): 223-371.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor

5. September 2025

The longest-serving mouthbrooding cichlid in our aquariums is Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor. It was introduced to Germany from Egypt as early as 1902. The animals, which are usually 4-5 cm long—the maximum length given in the literature is 8 cm—have never died out in the hobby since then. It can even be assumed that these fish have been kept and bred in conservation breeding for over 100 years without “new blood,” i.e., without any new imports. Only recently has it become somewhat quiet around it. We are therefore very pleased to be able to offer it again.

P. multicolor cannot compete with the colorful mouthbrooding cichlids from Lake Malawi, even though it is very colorful. But its colors are iridescent and small, while its larger cousins are strikingly colorful. On the other hand, it is always a great pleasure to observe the brood care of this lively little animal. Unlike most Malawi cichlids, the mother P. multicolor keeps the young fish in her mouth for many days (about a week) after they are first released, in case of supposed danger and at night.

P. multicolor should be kept at temperatures between 20 and 28°C in well-planted tanks, which should also have some areas of bare sand. During the spawning season, the male builds a shallow pit and attracts the fairer sex by displaying his magnificent colors and surfing across the bottom with his tail fin, showing her the way to the love nest. They will eat any standard ornamental fish food of a suitable size, whether dry, frozen, or live food. Due to its relatively small size, P. multicolor does not need large aquariums, but the males should not be underestimated during the spawning season. Filled with hormones, they successfully take on significantly larger opponents, and harmless peaceful fish also have nothing to laugh about.

For our customers: the animals have code 566303 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Otocinclus cf. macrospilus = O. mangaba?

5. September 2025

The small sucker catfish of the genus Otocinclus are among the most popular “cleaners” in aquariums. They tirelessly clean all surfaces they can reach. Since they usually only grow to 3-4 cm, rarely up to 5 cm in length, and perform their cleaning activities very delicately, they do not damage even relatively delicate plants, but ensure that they look clean and fresh.

Unfortunately, most of the 20 currently accepted species look very similar to each other. In 1997, Scott A. Schaefer published a major revision of the genus, in which 15 species were distinguished. This revision was intensively discussed in aquarium circles, and attempts were made on its basis to finally assign the correct names to the species available in the hobby. The success was rather modest. The majority of Otocinclus traded still sail under the name “Otocinclus affinis,” although this inconspicuous species from southern South America is hardly ever found in stores. Most of the animals designated as such belong to the species O. vestitus.

A pretty and very hardy species has been imported from Brazil for decades. It is called “Otocinclus cf. macrospilus” because of the very large spot on its tail root. The word ‘macrospilus’ means “with a large spot.” The species Otocinclus macrospilus was scientifically described as early as 1942 and illustrated in a very good drawing. The specimens on which the description was based were found in the Rio Morona, upper Amazon basin, Loreto department in Peru. Although the animals imported from Brazil visually matched O. macrospilus well, the locations where they were found were very far apart. Research revealed that the Brazilian specimens are caught in the Rio Purus; at least some of them come from the political municipality of Lábrea, located on the Rio Purus. This prompted the addition of “cf.” (stands for ‘confer’ and means “compare with”) to express a certain reservation in the determination. Rightly so, as it now turns out. One of the recently newly described species—Otocinclus mangaba from the Rio Madeira basin—is much more similar to the Otocinclus from the Rio Purus. The Rio Purus and the Rio Madeira flow parallel to each other for long stretches toward the Amazon and are only about 200 km apart on average.

A feature that is rare in Otocinclus is typical of O. mangaba: the abdominal region between the large pectoral bone plates on the sides of the body is bare – just like in Otocinclus from the Rio Purus! The coloration of O. mangaba also corresponds very well to that of the animals from the Rio Purus. Some differences in detail are due to individual color variation, while others are mood-related. In the preserved holotype of O. mangaba, the large tail root spot appears to be divided into two parts, a front and a rear half. This is also the case in freshly imported animals, but this color feature largely disappears in well-acclimated animals.

Basically, it doesn’t matter which Otocinclus species you buy, as they are all excellent aquarium fish and outstanding cleaners. They should be kept in groups that are as large as possible, as they are social animals. And it is essential to ensure that they get enough food. Slices of vegetables (zucchini, potato, carrot, etc.) should always be available (replace daily, otherwise it will pollute the water), along with fine frozen food (cyclops, artemia, water fleas) and food tablets. This is the recipe for round and happy otos. Hardness and pH value are insignificant for these fish; any tap water suitable for drinking is suitable for their care. Males are smaller and slimmer, but there are no other differences between the sexes. Breeding is similar to that of armored catfish, i.e., the animals spawn in groups. Otocinclus do not care for their young.

For our customers: Otocinclus cf. macrospilus/O. mangaba have codes 274113-274116 on our stock list, depending on size. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Ivanacara bimaculata

29. August 2025

This cichlid was scientifically named and illustrated as early as 1912 under the name Nannacara bimaculata. However, it remained a phantom in the hobby. Its distribution area in Guyana (Potaro River) is considered one of the most difficult areas to travel to in South America. It was not until 1997 that Frans Vermeulen, together with Wim Suikers, was able to collect a few specimens and bring them back to the Netherlands. It became apparent that the species was very similar in behavior and appearance to I. adoketa, which at that time was still classified in the genus Nannacara. Consequently, the species was then incorporated into the genus Ivanacara, which was described in 2006.

To this day, this fish has remained a top rarity, as breeding it is just as challenging as breeding I. adoketa (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/ivanacara-adoketa-nannacara-a-2/). Everything that has been said about I. adoketa also applies to I. bimaculata, which is why we refer to the corresponding entry at this point.

We are delighted to now be able to offer these beautiful cichlids as 3-4 cm long offspring. The young fish we currently have in stock already give an idea of how beautiful these fish will become. Even at this size, males and females are quite easy to distinguish by their color. Incidentally, according to the literature, males of I. bimaculata can grow to a maximum length of 13 cm and therefore no longer quite meet the definition of “dwarf cichlid” – by definition, this title is reserved for species with a maximum total length of 10 cm. Females, however, remain smaller. According to our breeders, I. bimaculata remains much smaller than stated in the literature – at least this strain. Males are said to be fully grown at a total length of about 6 cm; very old animals may still grow 1-2 cm.

For our customers: the animals have code 684062 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Synodontis sp. aff. nigriventris ZEBRA

29. August 2025

The upside-down catfish Synodontis nigriventris is the most popular species from the species-rich genus Synodontis. The comical behavior of these animals, which prefer to swim belly-up, is certainly the main reason for this. In addition, the species remains small, well under 10 cm. In fact, we have never seen animals larger than about 7 cm (including the tail fin). More information about the species can be found here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/synodontis-nigriventris-4/

In addition to this species, we also occasionally have the “zebra” in stock. As far as we know, this species comes exclusively from the Lac Mai Ndombe area, a huge blackwater lake in central Congo. It differs from the “common” upside-down catfish in its extremely contrasting coloration, especially on the belly. The species name “nigriventris” means “with a black belly.” The belly of the common upside-down catfish is dark in color. If you look closely, you can see black dots on a dark background. In the “zebra,” however, the belly coloration consists of a complex marble pattern that is different for each individual fish. Overall, the pattern of the “Zebra” is reminiscent of the juvenile coloration of several Synodontis species. 

In terms of all care aspects and final size, the “Zebra” does not differ from the common upside-down catfish, except that it is perhaps even a little more social. It is almost impossible to photograph a single specimen when there are several in the aquarium.

For our customers: The animals have code 183413 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Tatia perugiae and Tatia cf. altae

29. August 2025

The driftwood catfish Tatia perugiae has become firmly established in the hobby. The species is small (4-6 cm), very pretty in color, and easy to breed in the aquarium. In addition, the animals are very peaceful and undemanding in terms of water composition and food. It is understandable that they usually only leave their hiding places to feed and then swim around busily. We source the species as offspring or from Peru. There are at least two color forms, one with relatively small and one with large dark spots (see collage of the two pictures on the right; all fish in this collage are sexually mature males). But overall, the species is highly variable in coloration, and each individual can be recognized by its personal spot pattern, which is as specific as a fingerprint.

Unfortunately, this species has already undergone several genus changes. It was first placed in Tatia, then in Centromochlus, then in Duringlanis, and now, in the most recent review by Luisa Maria Sarmento-Soares & Ronaldo Fernando Martins-Pinheiro (2020), back in Tatia. In the study by Calegari et al. (2019), which is only one year older, Duringlanis was still identified as a valid genus—in short, one should search for both genus names when compiling information on these fish.

In the same journal as Sarmento-Soares & Martins-Pinheiro, Henry W. Fowler described a very similar species from Colombia (Morelia, headwaters of the Rio Caqueta) as Centromochlus altae 75 years earlier. He wrote at the time that this species was very similar to Steindachner’s Centromochlus perugiae from 1882 (which originates from eastern Ecuador), but had a different pattern of spots.

We have occasionally been able to import Tatia from Colombia, which are probably T. altae. Apart from the shape of the spots, the very pretty yellowish base color of the Colombian animals is striking, especially in the head area. All other characteristics and properties correspond to T. perugiae. The differences in coloration between the two species (if they are species and not just location variants) can be most easily seen in the collage attached to this post. Tatia altae has a light net pattern of fine lines on a dark background, while T. perugiae has round dark spots scattered on a light background.

All driftwood catfish—including Tatia perugiae and T. altae—practice internal fertilization. The specially shaped anal fin serves this purpose. A fertilized female can therefore lay viable eggs later in the absence of males, which they prefer to do in round caves. It has been shown that these small Tatia species like it warm, with 26-28°C being the most favorable temperature.

For our customers: Tatia perugiae has code 295811 (bred) and (depending on size) 295820-295822 (wild) on our stock list. Tatia altae has code 295401 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Literature:

Calegari, B. B., R. P. Vari & R. E. Reis (2019): Phylogenetic systematics of the driftwood catfishes (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae): a combined morphological and molecular analysis. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society v. 187 (3): 661-773

Sarmento-Soares, L. M. & R. F. Martins-Pinheiro (2020): A reappraisal of phylogenetic relationships among auchenipterid catfishes of the subfamily Centromochlinae and diagnosis of its genera (Teleostei: Siluriformes). Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 167 (1): 85-146) 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hypoptopoma psilogaster

29. August 2025

The genus Hypoptopoma comprises small to medium-sized (the largest species is just over 10 cm long) armored catfish, which at first glance look like an enlarged version of Otocinclus. A characteristic feature of this genus is that the eyes are located on the sides of the head, giving a Hypoptopoma sitting on a plant stem an almost 360° field of vision. This feature is also found in the genus Oxyropsis, which, however, has a compressed, flattened caudal peduncle, while the caudal peduncle of all members of the genus Hypoptopoma is highly oval in cross-section. Furthermore, members of the genus Nannoptopoma have a similar eye position. With a maximum length of 3-4 cm, they remain significantly smaller than Hypoptopoma.

Unfortunately, species identification is a tricky business, even though a comprehensive revision of the genus was published in 2010. Once again, we received a beautiful Hypoptopoma species from Peru. The tail fin pattern is very striking, which led to its identification as Hypoptopoma psilogaster. In addition, the distribution area specified for H. psilogaster in the aforementioned revision fits: the Ampiyacu, Itaya, Nanay, Napo, and Yaguas rivers in the western Amazon basin. It is possible that we may also receive a mix of very similar species; we can never completely rule this out.

The maximum final size of H. psilogaster is given as 7 cm standard length, i.e. without the tail fin. The animals are peaceful both among themselves and towards fish of other species. Water temperatures can range from 22 to 28°C, with average values being most favorable. The hardness and pH value are hardly significant for care; any tap water suitable for drinking is also suitable for keeping these fish. In addition to algae and other growths, you should always offer these fish some vegetables (potatoes, zucchini, carrots, etc.) as food. It will be difficult to feed them solely on the algae growth in the aquarium. These catfish also like to snack on any standard ornamental fish food, with food tablets being particularly popular.

In any case, they are pretty animals and a different kind of algae eater than usual!

For our customers: the animals have code 262262 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Poecilia reticulata Guppy Tricolor Cobra

22. August 2025

The meaning and nonsense of commercial names for guppys is a matter of debate. But there is no doubt that the so-called Guppy Tricolor Cobra is a truly colorful guppy. To some, the term “colorful guppy” may seem like a pleonasm, like “white gray horse” or “cold ice.” Of course, guppys are almost always very colorful. But that refers to the overall impression of the fish. 

With the Guppy Tricolor Cobra, the uneven coloring is the actual breeding goal. Each of the males looks as if an experimental child had tried out the new paint box; hardly any two specimens are completely alike. Particularly attractive are the diverse body colors. Colorful body colors are not that common in guppys, or even desirable. Many breeds are deliberately bred with black bodies, for example, in order to bring out the luminosity of the tail fin.

For our customers: Guppy Tricolor Cobra has code 418404 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Andinoacara pulcher (formerly: Aequidens pulcher)

22. August 2025

There are relatively few aquarium fish for which a really common popular name has developed. Andinoacara pulcher (formerly: Aequidens pulcher) is one of them. It is regularly found in aquarium books under the name “Blue Acara”. The year of first introduction is given as 1906.

As with most well-known aquarium fish, it is no longer as easy to identify a species as it was almost 120 years ago. Trips to the areas of occurrence (in this case: Trinidad and Venezuela) have brought new insights. Many very similar, but in direct comparison certainly different forms were discovered. And so we cannot be one hundred percent sure that the Blue Acaras that we have been able to offer in their natural form again for a long time (nowadays the “Neon Blue” breeding form is usually kept, see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/andinoacara-pulcher-neon-blue-2/) are really Andinoacara pulcher or perhaps belong to another closely related species. These are German offspring, the origin of the ancestors, which were probably imported decades ago, can no longer be reconstructed.

Regardless, if you are looking for beautifully colored, rather big cichlids that neither reshape the entire aquarium to their taste nor regard every aquarium inhabitant as fair game for personal amusement, Blue Acaras are a good choice. The animals reach sexual maturity at 6-8 cm in length. The sexes are hardly distinguishable externally, which is why it is best to buy a group of 6-10 animals and give away any surplus once a pair has been found. The maximum length given in the literature is up to 18 cm. Of course, nobody knows how much aquarist’s fiction is hidden here. But you should reckon with 15 cm.

Andinoacara pulcher is an open brooder with a biparental family, i.e. both partners take care of spawn and fry. If possible, they prefer a transportable breeding substrate (e.g. a rough dead leaf or similar) to another solid substrate for spawning, but they are flexible. Any drinking water is suitable for maintenance and breeding. The water temperature for this fish can be in the range 22-28°C, it will also tolerate slightly higher or lower temperatures from time to time, but this should not become a permanent condition. They will eat any standard ornamental fish food of a suitable size.

For our customers: the animals have code 609501 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nomorhamphus celebensis and N. towoetii

22. August 2025

Most species of Nomorhamphus halfbeaks come from the island of Sulawesi (formerly: Celebes). Some, such as N. ebrardtii or N. rex, are mainly traded as wild-caught specimens, others, including N. liemi, are also bred. Black Celebes halfbeaks are very rare in the trade. We can sometimes offer captive-bred specimens of Nomorhamphus celebensis of 4-6 cm in length, sometimes also wild-caught specimens. Then it gets tricky, as we do not know the exact localities and without them an exact species classification is hardly possible. There are three scientifically described species of black Celebes halfbeaks: the aforementioned N. celebensis, plus N. towoetii and N. aenigma. Another species known in the hobby, which is characterized by an orange zone in the dorsal fin area, is still the subject of debate. At present, most authors consider it to be a color form of N. towoetii. Basically it wouldn’t matter, but there are behavioral differences. N. celebensis is the most peaceful of all halfbeaks, whereas N. towoetii is considered to be very quarrelsome. We are not yet aware of any evaluations of N. aenigma in this respect.

Let’s start with N. celebensis: This species may not be as colorful, but it is peaceful. You can socialize them well with each other as well as with fish of other species. During courtship the males become deep black with light vertical bands. In earlier reports (before around 1980), N. liemi, which had not yet been scientifically described at the time, was referred to as N. celebensis. These care and breeding reports, in which the males are described as very territorial, therefore do not refer to the “true” N. celebensis. While the males of this viviparous species stop growing at around 6 cm in length, the females can grow considerably larger at around 10 cm. When breeding, it is crucial to save the young from the parents, as they are very cannibalistic. Pregnant females should not be transferred to the litter aquarium too late, otherwise stillbirths may occur, but not too early either, as the lively animals like free swimming space. As you can see, even breeding supposedly “simple” livebearers has its pitfalls.

Now to N. towoetii: as already mentioned, this species is considered quarrelsome. It remains smaller than N. celebensis, females reach a maximum length of 8 cm, males 5-6 cm. The most certain difference between the two species N. celebensis and N. towoetii is that in N. celebensis the females always remain gray, while the females of N. towoetii can turn almost as black as the males. Currently (July 2025) we have been able to import wild-caught specimens, which should be N. towoetii due to the coloration of the females, but they are extremely peaceful among themselves and even like to swim in schools.

The strange shape of their mouths suggests that these fish mainly eat insects that fall to the surface of the water. In the aquarium, however, they are very fond of flake food. Care is easy in this respect. Nomorhamphus can be found in cool running waters. They do not necessarily need a strong current, but clean water. Good filtration and regular water changes are therefore essential. Unfortunately, there is serious misinformation about the occurrence of these fish, particularly in the scientific literature, which can lead to serious mistakes in keeping them. According to the literature, N. celebensis is native to Lake Poso and N. towoetii to Lake Towuti. However, they do not and did not occur there, but in the cool tributaries of the highlands, sometimes also in runoffs. In Lake Poso the water temperature is usually between 27 and 28°C, the water is slightly alkaline (pH around 8) and the water is relatively soft (total hardness around 5° dH, of which 4° KH). In the streams where Nomorhamphus live, however, the temperature hardly ever rises above 22°C!

Unfortunately, Nomorhamphus celebensis is (at least on paper) a critically endangered species. The main reasons given for this are the invasive fish species that have been introduced into Lake Poso, water pollution from various sources and intensive food fishing. However, this assessment is put into perspective when one considers that there are at most stray Nomorhamphus in the lake itself. There is no evidence of negative consequences of catching and exporting as aquarium fish; it is very unlikely that they exist. Nevertheless, it would be nice if a stable ex-situ population of these halfbeaks could be established; we have had to learn from bitter experience in the past how quickly a commercially unimportant fish species such as N. celebensis and N. towoetii can become extinct due to economic interests that are seen as overriding.

For our customers: the animals have code 438802 (as N. celebensis) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Papyrocranus afer

22. August 2025

The knifefish are very widespread in tropical Africa with three species. With a total length of about 60 cm, Papyrocranus afer belongs to the large knifefish, while a second African species, Xenomystus nigri, which also occurs in Nigeria, is one of the smallest (Old World) knifefish with a final length of 15-20 cm. The third, generally accepted species is Papyrocranus congoensis from the Congo, which is almost never available for the aquarium; it probably grows only slightly larger than 20 cm.

Strangely enough, there are hardly any aquaristic reports on P. afer, although at least some colour forms of P. afer have very attractively pattern. However, there is a breeding report by Ong Kay Yong, which appeared in the journal TFH in 1965. According to this report, P. afer is a paternal brood carer.

Among each other the animals are said to be very pugnacious. We cannot observe an increased incompatibility in P. afer, in our fishhouse 15 – 20 cm long P. afer live peacefully together in larger numbers (about 50 specimens). But in the long term we have not yet cared for the species, therefore one should take the warnings seriously and observe the fish well if one cares for several specimens, in order to be able to intervene quickly in case of possible disputes. 

Basically Papyrocranus are twilight and nocturnal predatory fish, which are to be cared for similar to their aquaristically better known Asian relatives of the genus Chitala. Although P. afer has several geographically assignable colour forms, they have not been described as independent species or subspecies so far. The animals we usually import from Nigeria are mostly light spotted forms.

Papyrocranus are obligatory air-breathers, which regularly swim to the surface of the water to catch their breath.

For our customers: the animals have code 155305 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Protocheirodon pi

22. August 2025

In 1977 the „bible for all characin friends“ was punblished: Jaques Géry´s „Characoids of the world“. Almost at the end of this book a picture of a so far undescribed glass tetra was published that had an extremely unusual air bladder. This animal was described only one year later – in 1979 – by Richard P. Vari  as a new species, Leptagoiniates pi. The specific name refers to the shape of the air bladder that reminds one in the ancient Greek letter pi (π). Due to the transpareny of the animals the air baldder can be seen very good in live specimens. It was not easy for Vari to place the new species in a already described genus, but finally he decided to place it in Leptagoniates due to anatomical reasons.

New techniques bring new ideas. Two independent molecular analysis showed that the two species placed so far in Leptagoniates (namely L. steindachneri and L. pi) are not closely related at all, but have to be placed even in different subfamilies: L. steindachneri in the Aphyocharacinae, L. pi in the Cheirodontinae. L. pi is a species that is very close to the basal evolutionary branch of the Cheirodontinae. So recently Vari, Bruno F. Melo, and Claudio Oliviera erected a new genus for L. pi, Protocheirodon. This genus is so far monotypical; this means it contains only one known species, Protocheirodon pi. The description of Leptagoniates pi was one of the very first publications of R. Vari. Sadly this publication was one of the last of Richard P. Vari and published posthumous. He died, aged 66, on January 15th, 2016 from cancer.

To the best of our knowledge Lepatagoniates steindachneri has not been imported yet as an ornamental fish. Protocheirodon pi, on the other hand, is available from time to time from Peru. The species has a very wide distribution in South America and can be found in almost all major river systems in the central and western part of Amazonia, including the Solimoes, the Purus, Madeira, and Ucayali. The fish is found unsually over sandy bottoms in quiet waters along the banks of the rivers and in backwaters. There is no sexual dimorphism described, but we feel that the females become bigger than the males. However, this is not proofed by anatomical examination.

Keeping Protocheirodon pi is not complicated at all. We suggest the common name „Crystal Tetra“ for the species. The company of other fish makes P. pi feel safe. This must not necessarily be conspecifics, other peaceful fish can also do that job. P. pi is not a schooling fish in the strict sense of the term. Once the fish have settled in a tank they will inhabit very small territories that will be defended in a harmless way against other Crystal Tetras. One can term P. pi as an absolutely peaceful species. The fish will readily take any usual fishfood that fits in size. Plants are ignored. P. pi attains a maximum lengst of about 5 cm.

For our customers: the fish have code 266003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Hoplisoma concolor

15. August 2025

Hoplisoma concolor (formerly Corydoras concolor) is a distinctive species from the Orinoco basin in Colombia and Venezuela. Its synonymization with Corydoras esperanzae was long overlooked, but is now completely undisputed. The first person to describe it, Castro, simply overlooked H. concolor in his 1987 work on the armored catfish of Colombia (the species had already been described by Weitzman in 1961), and the illustrations of C. esperanzae in this study clearly show H. concolor.

Typical for this species is the extremely steep forehead. The species name “concolor” ( = the monochromatic) essentially means that the species lacks a conspicuous melanophore pattern. However, there is an eye band (sometimes difficult to see, depending on the mood). Small juveniles have a fine dot pattern and can sometimes be confused with H. polystictus, which, however, does not have an eye band. H. polystictus is almost certainly very closely related to H. concolor, but originates from southern South America (Rio Paraguay basin). Adult animals cannot be confused.

The breeding of H. concolor is not diffucult ank possible – apart from major water changes – without any special triggers, similar to H. axelrodi. It is not often practiced because, although adult H. concolor are very beautiful. But young animals are very drab coloured and can therefore only be sold to connoisseurs.

For our customers: the animals have code 226004 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale customers.

Literature:

Castro, D. M. (1987): The fresh-water fishes of the genus Corydoras from Colombia, including two new species (Pisces, Siluriformes, Callichthyidae). Boletin Ecotrópica. No. 16: 23-57, Pls. 1-11

Text & photos. Frank Schäfer

Jordanella floridae

15. August 2025

This killifish from North America is one of the evergreens in the aquarium hobby and has delighted many generations of aquarists. Unfortunately it has become quiet around this attractive animal in the last years. But now beautiful American Flag fish are available again from Southeast Asian breeders. 

Jordanella floridae grows 4-6 cm long and is very temperature tolerant, which is why it is also well suited for stocking mini ponds in the warm season, where it reliably prevents the occurrence of mosquito larvae. Furthermore, filamentous algae are part of the food spectrum, which certainly does not annoy the pond owner. The eggs are also laid in algae cushions, the male defends the spawning ground against possible predators. In very small aquariums or miniature ponds, the American Flag is kept in pairs, otherwise group keeping is also possible without any problems.

Males and females are easily distinguished by the black spot in the dorsal fin, which only the females show.

As soon as the water temperature falls permanently below 15°C, you have to bring the American Flag into the house.

For our customers: the animals have code 327503 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Betta splendens Crowntail Black Orchid

15. August 2025

Crowntail bettas enjoy great popularity. Although the breeding form was probably already known in the 1960s and the gene for the crowntail factor is dominantly inherited, the fish only made their breakthrough in Central Europe and America at the beginning of this millennium. Their exact history is not documented, the first known verifiable mention was in Jörg Vierke’s labyrinth fish book from 1978, but crowntails had already existed for a long time by then. Freaks differentiate crowntails according to the number of splits in the free fin ray ends and several other criteria. But these are cases for specialists, such fine distinctions are not practicable in the trade.

We occasionally have wonderful black crowntails in stock under the name “Black Orchid” from a Thai breeding company. Black fighting fish have always been a special feature, as the color is inherited in a double recessive manner (i.e. “concealed”) and breeding them requires a lot of skill and breeding knowledge. The “Black Orchid” also has glossy cover colors, which makes it even more attractive.

The black crowntails should be kept in the same way as all other Siamese fighting fish, so under normal circumstances only one male should be kept per aquarium and care must be taken when socializing that the other fish do not pick at the fins. Overly lively fish species are not suitable as companions for bettas, as are veil guppies, which are very often attacked by bettas.

For our customers: the animals have code 390163 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Girardinus metallicus “Black Belly”

15. August 2025

The Metallic Topminnow, Girardinus metallicus, like all Girardinus species (currently 7 species are recognized), originates from Cuba. It is the only species that has been able to establish itself in the hobby. Black-bellied males do not occur in nature, at least nobody has ever found any there; in the hobby, on the other hand, one finds almost only these beautiful animals. 

While it is generally assumed that the black-bellied (only the males have this characteristic) Girardinus metallicus is a breeding form, there are also voices to the contrary, which indicate that the courtship behavior of the black-bellied is clearly different from the courtship behavior of the normally colored animals and that it is therefore perhaps an undescribed species.

Be that as it may: the Metallic Topminnow, which is usually 3-4 cm (max. 5 cm) long in the male sex and 5 cm (max. 9 cm) long in the female, is a very lively and beautiful livebearer, whose care can be recommended without reservation.

For our customers: the animals have code 416704 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nannoptopoma sp. Zebra Rio Tigre (LDA110)

8. August 2025

Armored catfish are known to be a very species-rich and diverse group of fish. The largest species can grow to a length of one meter; Nannoptopoma are among the smallest known species, reaching only about 3-4 cm in total length.

The genus Nannoptopoma is easily recognizable by its eyes, which are positioned very far to the sides of the head, allowing the fish to see both upwards and downwards. This eye position is otherwise only found in the considerably larger Hypoptopoma and Oxyropsis. At times, Nannoptopoma was even considered synonymous with Hypoptopoma, but the latest scientific research has reconfirmed the separation and independence of Nannoptopoma (Delapieve et al, 2018).

So far, only two species of dwarf sucker catfish of the genus Nannoptopoma have been scientifically described, namely N. spectabile and N. sternoptychum; in the hobby, we also know of two undescribed species from Peru, which were presented in Aqualog Bookazine #9 as LDA109 and 110. While N. spectabile and N. sternoptychum are not very striking in color and differ mainly anatomically (the pectoral fins are considerably longer in N. sternoptychum, and the species also has a row of conspicuous bone plates in the pectoral girdle area), LDA 109 and 110 are very attractively colored with high contrast and differ significantly from each other in color.

Freshly imported Nannoptopoma are quite sensitive, which is probably due to the quality of the holding conditions in their country of origin. Once they have successfully acclimatized (sturdy yogurt has proven to be a very effective food for rebuilding disturbed intestinal flora, Mike Meuschke, verbal communication), they are by no means extremely demanding. Sufficient dead leaves should always be available in the aquarium as a staple food (beech, oak, sea almond, small amounts of walnut). Some keepers recommend larger aquariums, which largely feed the animals on their own and offer more stable water conditions. In any case, Nannoptopoma species are only suitable for experienced aquarists, especially since they are often quite shy.

Nannoptopoma sp. Zebra / LDA110 from Peru (Rio Tigre basin) is anatomically closer to N. spectabile than N. sternoptychum and is also often referred to as N. spectabile in the trade. As with N. spectabile, the tips of the pectoral fins do not reach the base of the anal fin and there are no bony plates on the ventral side above the shoulder girdle. However, there is no doubt that LDA110 is a scientifically new, undescribed species, as N. spectabile is more or less uniformly brown in color. Nannoptopoma sp. Zebra Rio Tigre (LDA110) was and is also referred to as N. sp. “Peru,” which is unfortunate, as three of the four species mentioned here occur in Peru.

To our knowledge, breeding has not yet been reported, but the closely related N. spectabile has already been successfully bred in aquariums (Weidner & Dotzer, 2004). The reproductive behavior is reminiscent of Hypoptopoma, i.e., the animals are not cave spawners, but the eggs are laid openly (e.g., on one of the aquarium panes), but the males care for the brood until the young swim freely. Males and females seem to differ in LDA110 by the spines on their pelvic fins (with spines in the presumed males). In addition, the head coloration of some animals is rather reddish (presumed males), while others are rather pale (presumed females).

For our customers: the animals have code 271294 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Literature:

Delapieve, M. L. S., P. Lehmann A and R. E. Reis (2018): An appraisal of the phylogenetic relationships of Hypoptopomatini cascudinhos with description of two new genera and three new species (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Neotropical Ichthyology v. 15 (no. 4) e170079 (für den 18 Dez. 2017): 1-37

Weidner,T. & Dotzer,P.(2004): Klein, aber oho! Nannoptopoma cf. spectabilis. (Das Aquarium, 415,1:21-24): 2004/01:21-24

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nomorhamphus cf. kolonodalensis

8. August 2025

For the first time we succeeded in importing a highly interesting, apparently small half-beak species from Sulawesi (formerly Celebes), which is most probably N. kolonodalensis. This species was scientifically described in 2000. It is named after the Kolonodale region. The Black Sulawesi Halfbeaks Nomorhamphus celebensis and N. towoetii, which were imported together with this species, also come from this region. 

As far as we know, only images of live females of N. kolonodalensis have been published so far. These correspond very well with our animals. The males are polychromatic; some match well with the color description in the original scientific description, others do not. As some doubts therefore remain, we have decided to insert a “cf.” between the genus and species names to make it clear that we do not consider the identification to be entirely certain.

Our specimens are 4-5 cm long in both sexes (total length with caudal fin). The largest specimen mentioned in the first description was 67.9 mm long (without caudal fin). Presumably the fish will still grow a little. But they are already highly sexually active. Particularly striking is the frequent beak-opening displayed by the males as an act of display and courtship. It is therefore displayed against both males and females. We were unable to establish any correlation between coloration and beak-tearing activity. A male with completely colorless fins was just as active as one with orange fins. Only the particularly striking males with red-orange fins and strong black markings in the dorsal and anal fins showed restraint.

Because of this strongly pronounced imposing behavior, the small fish should be kept in large aquaria with plenty of current and cover in the surface area (tall plants such as Vallisneria, whose leaves float on the surface of the water). Suppressed specimens could otherwise be harmed by distress. However, we have not observed any physical injuries caused by bites. Nomorhamphus species require cool water between 18 and 23°C. Apart from that, care is not difficult. The water should be slightly alkaline. Flake food is readily accepted, but feeding fruit flies (Drosophila) and live midge larvae will certainly have a positive effect on their well-being and the number of offspring. All Nomorhamphus species are viviparous.

For our customers: the namils have code 438873 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Trichopsis schalleri

8. August 2025

Schaller’s Croaking Gourami is one of the unfortunately rarely available labyrinth fish. These pretty animals mostly come from central Thailand (they can be found comparatively far north and also in Vietnam) and grow to around 4 cm in length. This makes them slightly larger than the Dwarf Croaking Gurami (Trichopsis pumila 2.5-3 cm) and slightly smaller than the Large Croaking Gurami (T. vittata up to 6 cm).

They are very undemanding fish that are ideal for a community aquarium with small, peaceful fish from Southeast Asia – e.g. Rasbora species. In contrast to many other labyrinth fish, the males like to build their foam nest under a broad plant leaf or in caves, only rarely is it placed on the surface of the water.

Croaking gourami are so called because they can produce audible growling sounds. These sounds are produced by the fish running a bone over tendons that run over the air-filled swim bladder. Croaking gouramis play the guitar, so to speak. The croaking itself is a show of strength. The fish croak and whoever croaks the loudest wins. When mating, the males also croak to show that they are really great and strong. But the females also croak in this species and are very emancipated.

The sexes are difficult to distinguish in Trichopsis and can only be distinguished when the animals are ready to spawn. Then you can see in the backlight that the ovaries of the females rise diagonally backwards towards the middle of the body, so the intestines appear like a triangle. The testicles of the males are thin strands along the spine and are barely visible. This makes the intestines appear rounded towards the tail when viewed against the light.

Sometimes, but only very rarely find vertically striped animals can be found among our Schallers Growling Gurami. This phenomenon occurs in both sexes. It is not yet clear whether this is a mutation or another species.

The water values do not play a role in their care, any drinking water is suitable. The water temperature can be in the range of 24-28°C, or slightly higher for breeding. They will eat any ornamental fish food of a suitable size. Plants are not bothered by Croaking gouramis.

For our customers: the animals have code 470903 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Synodontis petricola ( = S. lucipinnis)

8. August 2025

The squeaking catfish (Synodontis) of Lake Tanganyika became world-famous when one of their species was found to have cuckoo breeding behavior. This involves the catfish sneaking their spawn to mouthbrooding cichlids. The catfish are not only hatched by the cichlids, but the brood parasites even feed on the young cichlid stepsiblings in the mother’s mouth. Many aquarists wanted to observe this fascinating and unique behavior and so the demand for Synodontis from Lake Tanganyika increased enormously. It soon became apparent that there were several species of catfish, some of which looked very similar. The identification of these catfish made life difficult for scientists and aquarists. However, it soon became apparent that many of the lake’s Synodontis do not exhibit cuckoo behavior, but are crevice spawners, depositing their eggs in rock crevices etc. and then leaving them to fend for themselves.

Among the non-parasitic catfishes, Synodontis petricola is the most frequently imported and bred species. Similar to the Tropheus cichlids of the lake, there are many different looking Synodontis petricola (“phenotypes”). It was long disputed whether these were different species. The Synodontis petricola-like ones are distinguished from the other similar-looking sqeakers in the lake by a snow-white dorsal fin spine, which makes them easy to recognize. A relatively small phenotype of this Synodontis petricola group was scientifically described in 2006 as Synodontis lucipinnis. It and a very similar, even smaller form were called “Dwarf petricola” in the hobby.

A major new study on the Synodontis of Lake Tanganyika and its inflows and outflows was recently published (September 2024) (Englmaier et al.). With freshly collected, extensive material and a re-examination of the museum material, both morphological ( = physical) and genetic characteristics were critically examined and put to the test once again. One of the findings was that S. lucipinnis falls within the variance of S. petricola and does not exist as an independent species. The authors confirm the large number of phenotypes in S. petricola, there are also (as was to be expected) genetic differences between them, but these differences are too minor to justify the establishment of separate species. In the same paper – this should only be mentioned here in passing – the cuckoo catfish S. grandiops is equated with the cuckoo catfish S. multipunctatus, so the valid name for the cuckoo catfish is again S. multipunctatus. And S. ilebrevis is synonymized with S. polli, the latter being the valid name.

Synodontis petricola is a beautiful squeaker that is one of the smaller species in the Synodontis genus, usually measuring 8-10 cm in length (very old animals may even reach 15 cm in huge aquaria). Their attractive coloration, lively nature and interesting behaviour are the reasons for their great popularity. S. petricola is currently offered almost exclusively as a captive-bred species and is a perfect catfish for Tanganyika cichlid aquariums, but also fits well in other societies. The water should have a pH value above 7.5 and be 25°C or warmer, otherwise the fish have no special requirements. They are usually peaceful with each other and with other fish. A few exceptions prove the rule. They will eat all common ornamental fish food. These catfish live in shallow water in the wild; in the wild they are only really active at night and at dusk. During the day they seek out dimly lit hiding places, which should also be offered to them in the aquarium. After acclimatization, however, S. petricola are often out and about in the aquarium during the day, especially at feeding times.

For our customers: these catfish have code 185400 (2-3 cm) to 185406 (12-14 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Literature:

Englmaier, G. K., R. Blažek, R. Zimmermann, V. Bartáková, M. Polačik, J. Žák, D. P. Mulokozi, C. Katongo, H. H. Büscher, L. Mabo, S. Koblmüller, A. Palandačić & M. Reichard (2024): Revised taxonomy of Synodontis catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) from the Lake Tanganyika basin reveals lower species diversity than expected. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society v. 202 (art. zlae130): 1-38.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Trochilocharax ornatus

31. July 2025

We were able to import this cute dwarf tetra from Peru for the first time in April 2003. Since then, we have succeeded in importing it from time to time. The fish was initially provisionally called “Heterocharax sp. – Orangefin Tetra” or “Hummingbird Tetra”, sometimes also referred to as “Tyttocharax sp.”. A. Zarske scientifically described the species in 2010 as Trochilocharax ornatus and also created a new genus for it. Depending on the lighting, the barely 2 cm long jewels shimmer blue or are transparent. This dwarf tetra is extremely lively and has so far proved to be easy to keep.

Males and females are very easy to distinguish, as the males have an elongated dorsal fin and colored ventral fins. The maximum length of these animals is less than 2 cm (excluding the caudal fin), males are significantly larger than females. The hummingbird tetras are adaptable with regard to close-up feeding and chemical water conditions. Any common ornamental fish food of a suitable size is readily accepted. They ignore other fish and plants.

Interestingly, these tetras have internal fertilization. It is not yet clear how they do it, but the females lay fertilized eggs on plant leaves and roots without the presence of males; of course, they must first be kept together with males. Apart from the tiny size of the young, breeding does not present any particular difficulties. You can find a free breeding report online (in German only) here: https://www.datz.de/suesswasser/243-der-kolibrisalmler-ein-zwerg-mit-innerer-befruchtung

For our customers: The fish have code 258332 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Heterocharax: means “deviant Charax”. Charax is a different genus of characin. Trochilocharax: after the scientific word for “hummingbirds”, Trochilidae, which in turn is derived from the ancient Greek word “trochilos”, which was used by Aristotle for a small bird. Charax is another tetra genus. ornatus: Latin, means “adorned”. Tyttocharax: ancient Greek, means “tiny charax”. Charax is another genus of characin.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Clibanarius africanus

31. July 2025

The cute hermit crab Clibanarius africanus has become a popular invertebrate. It is a euryhaline animal, which means that it can live in both pure freshwater and pure seawater. However, the life expectancy in pure freshwater seems to be limited to a few months, which is why it is better to keep the animal in brackish water. We keep our animals in weak brackish water with good results. We add 150 g of sea salt (for reef aquariums) to 100 liters of aquarium water. The animals thrive very well in this low salt density. Incidentally, the animals on which the first description is based were collected in the period 1890-1892 in the river near Bibundi in Cameroon, i.e. near the coast in fresh or brackish water. A typical characteristic of the species is the very long last leg limb, the tarsus, which is rare in this form within the species-rich genus Clibanarius.

Clibanarius are pure detritus eaters, i.e. they consume dead plant and animal matter, and in the aquarium also any common fish food. Normally we receive the animals with brown snail shells, which come from the species Tympanotonus fuscatus, but sometimes they also carry white shells of the snail species Pachymelania aurita.

The distribution of C. africanus extends along the Atlantic coast of Africa, the specimens we imported come from Nigeria where, according to the exporter, they are collected in the Majidun River near Ikorodu. These crabs are normally brown in color. However, we currently have a few specimens in stock that are a beautiful blue color.

For our customers: the animals have code 483123 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Clibanarius: Latin name for a heavily armored cavalry warrior. africanus: means “originating from Africa”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Xiphophorus hellerii “Berlin”

31. July 2025

The famous Berlin cross of the swordtail is the result of a gene transfer by hybridisation. Sounds complicated? The Berlin Swordtail is a breed originally produced by crossbreeding species, which was later adapted to the appearance of swordtails by displacement breeding. In red and yellow Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) strains, black-spotted animals occasionally appear as a result of spontaneous mutation. This color mutation is sex-linked and occurs only in female Platys. By crossing such black-spotted Platy females with red males of the swordtail one obtains hybrids, with which also the males can carry the black spot. These hybrids are, like all known crosses of different Xiphophorus species, intermediate between the parent species. I.e., they have gotten something from both parents regarding the appearance. The hybrid males are larger than normal Platys, but as high backed and stocky as these. The sword of the hellerii-father is hardly recognizable. Only by consequent crossing of the black spotted hybrid males to red female swordtails one finally got Berlin swordtails.

We almost always have Berlin swordtails in stock, as this pretty, very varied spotted breed has enjoyed great popularity since 1916, although breeding them is not easy and requires a great deal of knowledge of genetics. We obtain our Berliners from various breeders in South and South-East Asia, sometimes also from Europe or Israel.

For our customers: the animals have code 420913 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Guppy Endler Lime Green

31. July 2025

We always have a good selection of different Endler types in stock, including both natural and cultivated forms. Especially with the Endler-Guppy the boundaries blur very quickly, because certain colour characteristics can be stabilised by selection. The “Lime Green” is a selection of the “Green” (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/18-toothcarps-killis-and-livebearers/new_endler_sports_en/), but still very variable. 

For our customers: the animals have code 419113 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hoplarchus psittacus

25. July 2025

Hoplarchus psittacus is one of the very rarely available large cichlids from South America, which is called “Acara paragua” – parrot cichlid – by the indigenous population because of its red breast, which is reminiscent of the colors of some parrots in the Amazon region. Hoplarchus psittacus is the only species of the genus. It comes from the Rio Negro and the upper drainage of the Orinoco (Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela) and can reach a length of up to 40 cm. Most of our imports come from Colombia.

The animals are very quarrelsome with each other if they are not given sufficient individual space. Once they have this, they can be classified as peaceful, at least once the hierarchy has been established. This behavior is known from many large cichlids. The parrot cichlid is an omnivore and therefore vegetarian food should not be missing from the diet.

Unfortunately, the sexes are difficult to distinguish: Females remain smaller, have a flatter forehead and shorter ventral fins. But while dominant males are always easy to recognize, you can unfortunately only be sure about animals that look like females when they are spawning. Weaker males disguise themselves as females, thus avoiding aggression from the boss.

Breeding has only rarely been reported to date, which is probably due to the rare imports and the difficulty in distinguishing the sexes. While the water values for maintenance are of secondary importance, the water for breeding must be soft and acidic. The animals form a parental family. The pair digs a large and deep pit in the ground and spawns on the solid ground. Other breeders report spawning on flat stone slabs. Apparently the species is flexible in this respect or there are different spawning patterns depending on the population. The water temperature for maintenance should be between 24 and 28°C, for breeding 2-3°C more.

This species is relatively susceptible to hole-in-the-head disease and therefore hygiene in the aquarium should be a top priority.

For our customers: the animals have code 683023 (6-8 cm) to 683028 (18-22 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank schäfer

Danio kyathit and D. quagga

25. July 2025

From time to time we have beautiful wild catches of these two Danio species from Burma in stock, which are often characterized by particularly intense red tones in the fins. D. kyathit and D. quagga replace D. rerio, the zebrafish from India, in Burma. Apart from the coloration, the three species are absolutely identical, also in terms of care and breeding in the aquarium.

When the independence of the Burmese from D. rerio was discovered, it was initially believed that the spotted and striped animals from Burma were of the same species and merely color variants, which were grouped together under the species D. kyathit. Later it was decided to describe the striped Burmese as a separate species, D. quagga. However, there are always individual animals in the wild that represent intermediate forms – so-called intergrades – that are neither clearly D. kyathit nor clearly D. quagga. Nature is somewhat more complex than we would like it to be with our pigeonhole thinking.

Burmese zebrafish are beautiful, problem-free aquarium fish that are ideal for unheated indoor aquariums. The temperature requirements are 14-28°C, depending on the time of year, for breeding it may even be a little warmer, but if the animals are kept too warm permanently, they lose color and become susceptible to disease. The chemical composition of the water does not matter, any drinking water is suitable for keeping them. Any commercially available fish food is eaten, plants are ignored and zebrafish, which incidentally reach a size of 4-5 cm, are completely peaceful towards other fish.

For our customers: the spotted Danio kyathit has code 413613, the striped D. quagga code 413603 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Tetraodon schoutedeni

25. July 2025

In the 1960s Tetraodon schoutedeni was one of the most common freshwater puffers in the trade. Also the breeding of the animals succeeded regularly. The fish are free spawners without brood care. But the civil war in Congo changed the situation drastically and even nowadays catchers are reluctant to go to the occurrence areas of the species.

We are happy that now once again we succeeded in importing some animals. The fish are about 4-6 cm long, fully grown they are 7-10 cm. Males often remain smaller, seem to be more contrastingly colored and have longer snouts, but overall the sex differences are not particularly distinct. Tetraodon schoutedeni, also known as the Leopard Pufferfish, is considered one of the most peaceful pufferfishes, but one must always keep in mind with pufferfishes that they are individualists. Leopard Pufferfish are pure freshwater dwellers.

For our customers: the animals have code 191603 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale. 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

L200 Hemiancistrus subviridis and Baryancistrus demantoides

25. July 2025

L-numbers were never intended as a substitute for scientific species designations, but rather to illustrate the diversity of imported loricariids and simplify communication. This is why it happened more frequently that the same zoological species was given several L-numbers, e.g. L18, L81 and L177. They look different, but belong to the same species, namely Baryancistrus xanthellus. The reverse case – i.e. two different species being given the same L number – has hardly ever occurred. One exception is L200. Behind the L number 200 are two species that imitate each other and even belong to different genera. One L200 has been described as Hemiancistrus subviridis. It has a clear gap between the end of the dorsal fin and the beginning of the adipose fin. The second species, on the other hand, known commercially as “L200 Highfin” or “L200a”, has been described as Baryancistrus demantoides. Here the dorsal fin is connected to the adipose fin. The height of the dorsal fin is variable in both species and is not a species criterion. The two L200s are often imported together, as they occur in the same biotope at least in some places and are also caught together. Export countries for both L200s are Colombia and Venezuela, where they are found in the Orinoco, Ventuari and Casiquiare. Both species can interbreed, at least in the aquarium, and even in wildcaughts it is not always easy to classify them.

In individual cases, it is therefore not easy to decide which of the two catfishes is present. There are many L200 Hemiancistrus subviridis with high and long dorsal fins, so it’s easy to get it wrong. If you want to know exactly, you have to look at the mouth. In L200 Hemiancistrus subviridis the mouth appears horizontal-oval, the number of teeth is reduced and the tips of the teeth are wider. The latter makes the tips of the teeth look like bright dots in flashed images. The mouth of L200a Baryancistrus demantoides is vertically oval, the teeth are small and numerous, without widened tips. The coloration of the dorsal fin, which is usually (!) without markings in L200 Hemiancistrus subviridis, but usually (!) shows bright dots in L200a Baryancistrus demantoides, also often provides an indication. However, there are also L200 with dots and L200a without dots in the dorsal fin. It will probably never be possible to completely avoid having some L200a between L200 and vice versa.

Except for breeding experiments (they are typical cave breeders with a father family), it is not really important which of the two L200s you have. Both are very beautiful fish and good algae eaters, both have the same life requirements and grow to a similar size (20-25 cm). The hardness and pH value are of secondary importance for keeping them, although soft and slightly acidic water is usually less contaminated with bacteria, which is pleasant for the catfish. The temperature should be in the range of 26-30°C, so they are warm water fish. Both have a high food requirement, which must be taken into account, and the food should mainly be vegetarian. It appears that L200a Baryancistrus demantoides is somewhat more territorial towards conspecifics than L200 Hemiancistrus subviridis, but that is the whole difference from a maintenance point of view.

For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 200 (Hemiancistrus subviridis) and 26480-L 200A (Baryancistrus demantoides) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Chrosomus erythrogaster

18. July 2025

Unfortunately, only very few small fish species from the USA are represented in the hobby. One of the species occasionally offered is the very pretty minnow species Chrosomus erythrogaster. This species is widespread in the wild and common in suitable habitats. It is usually found in small mountain streams from Minnesota and western Pennsylvania, south to Arkansas and Alabama; there are also several isolated occurrences. We currently have German offspring of this peaceful schooling fish on offer.

The species reaches a maximum size of 10-12 cm, they usually grow to 5-7 cm long. The fish do not require heating, but still feel very comfortable at temperatures above 24°C. The chemical composition of the water (hardness, pH) is not important for keeping them; any drinking water is suitable. Any common ornamental fish food is readily accepted, plants are not bothered.

They are gravel spawners. Usually several males compete for one female. These fish do not practice brood care.

For our customers: the fish have code 411043 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Cichla sp. Royal Silk

18. July 2025

People with large aquariums often also want large fish. It’s amazing how many people with large or even very large aquariums there are nowadays; otherwise it’s hard to explain why the Tucunaré or peacock cichlids of the genus Cichla, which used to be considered specialist fish and only develop their most beautiful coloration from around 30 cm in length and can grow up to the metre mark, are now enjoying growing popularity not only among gourmets and anglers, but also among ornamental fish enthusiasts. The 16 currently recognized species have one thing in common: as juveniles, they are rather colourless and give little indication of what they will become.

Due to the fact that the aquaristic demand for cichlids has increased so much, there are now also a number of breeders who are involved in the breeding of species, especially those from remote areas. This almost inevitably results in color variants and mutants. After all, Cichla clutches contain thousands of eggs (9,000 to 15,000 eggs have been counted in Cichla ocellaris!), of which only a few survive in the wild, but the majority survive under aquarium conditions. In Cichla kelberi, for example, the breeding form “Spider” was created (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/25-perchlike-fishes/cichla-kelberi-spider-2/).

The breeding form “Royal Silk” has recently appeared on the ornamental fish market and is still traded as a top rarity. The animal photographed is only 8-10 cm long and already looks fantastic! Apart from the frightfulness typical of the genus, we can’t say anything else specific about the fish; the usual rules for keeping Cichla species in the aquarium apply.

For our customers: Cichla sp. Royal Silk has code 637053 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Caridina mariae Deep Blue Tiger Yellow Eyes ( = Neocaridina sp. Tiger)

18. July 2025

Tiger shrimps were among the first dwarf shrimp species to enter the hobby around 30 years ago. At that time, they were still simply numbered, the “Tiger” was Caridina or Neocaridina sp. V. Only specialists can clarify the genus affiliation of dwarf shrimps, there are no recognizable characteristics on live animals. In 2015, Klotz & von Rintelen finally gave the Tiger Shrimp its current scientific name, Caridina mariae. The original home of the animals, which are up to 3 cm long (males remain smaller), is Guangdong province in China.

The wild form is gray-brown transparent with the characteristic black tiger stripes. The first mutants soon appeared in the aquarium, and today the wild form is hardly ever seen in the hobby. Colorful cultivated forms have replaced them. These include a blue-colored mutant with yellow eyes. Under aquarium conditions, many species of dwarf shrimp cross, resulting in a constant stream of new color varieties. If you attach importance to pure breeding, you should therefore only keep one shrimp species per aquarium.

In nature, the water is extremely soft, but under aquarium conditions a certain hardness (3-4° KH) is more favorable, as otherwise the pH value becomes unstable. In addition, the water temperature should not rise above 25°C, at least not permanently. At room temperature (18-22°C) the animals are lively and reproduce abundantly. 20-40 eggs per litter are normal, the hatchlings are not bothered by the parents and immediately live as miniature versions of mom and dad. Tiger shrimps are growth eaters, but are happy to eat pretty much any common ornamental fish food. However, care should be taken to ensure that the protein content is not too high. Dead leaves (beech, oak, cattapa etc.) should always be available as a food source in every aquarium for dwarf shrimps.

For our customers: the animals have code 485442 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Literature:

Klotz, W.; von Rintelen, T. (2014). To “bee” or not to be—on some ornamental shrimp from Guangdong Province, Southern China and Hong Kong SAR, with descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa. 3889(2): 151-184

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Brycon cf. pesu1

18. July 2025

The genus Brycon comprises around 45 species, which are distributed across large parts of South and Central America. They hardly play a role in aquaristics, but are very important as food fish. They are medium-sized to large fish. The smallest species belong to the B. pesu complex (approx. 16 cm standard length, i.e. without caudal fin), while the largest – whose impressive appearance captivates the eye in underwater photographs and shapes our perception of Brycon species in general – can reach a standard length of over 70 cm.

The species Brycon pesu was scientifically described as early as 1845. Since then, all smaller Brycon species with a black caudal fin band and/or black adipose fin from Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Colombia, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela have been called “Brycon pesu”. It has been firmly assumed for decades that this is not a single species, but a species complex. The actual Brycon pesu would then probably only occur in the Guyana Shield. We have now received Brycon from the complex around B. pesu from the Araguaia/Tocantins basin in Brazil for the first time. The B. cf. pesu occurring there were only recently examined in a scientific paper (Panarari-Antunes et al, 2008). It was found that the two different color types of “Brycon pesu” from this water system are actually two different, genetically clearly representable species. One species has a red stripe in the anal fin as a clear external distinguishing mark, the other does not.

Unfortunately, we received the species without red stripes (the other one would certainly be even more attractive). We named it Brycon cf. pesu1 according to the suggestion in Panarari-Antunes et al. This Brycon may not have particularly striking colors, but in our opinion it is still an enrichment for the hobby. Tetras of this medium size class, which enliven an aquarium with medium-sized cichlids and catfish, are rather rare. There is not too much to say about the care requirements of Brycon cf. pesu1. They are lively schooling fish, playful and peaceful. As this is a first import, we are not yet able to provide any long-term experience. Our animals willingly accept any common ornamental fish food, the water temperature can be between 22 and 25°C, probably a little higher is also possible. Other fish species from the Araguaia/Tocantins have shown good adaptability to different water parameters (pH and hardness). In nature, the water there is soft and slightly acidic. The aquarium for Brycon species must be well covered, as they are excellent jumpers.

For our customers: the animals have code 212713 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Literature:

Panarari-Antunes, R. S., Prioli, A. J., Prioli, S. M. A. P., Júlio Jr, H. F., Agostinho, C. S., & L. M. Prioli (2008): Molecular variability in Brycon cf. pesu Müller and Troschel, 1845 (Characiformes: Characidae) from the Araguaia-Tocantins basin. Genetics and Molecular Research, 7(1), 95-106.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Panaqolus sp. L374

11. July 2025

There are several tiger plecos of the genus Panaqolus. First L2 was imported from the Rio Tocantins and introduced in 1988 in the very first “L-catfish article” in the Datz. In 1992, LDA1 from the Rio Negro was added, which was given the additional L number 169 in 1994. The tiger pleco presented in 2001 as LDA64 and a little later (2002) again as L306 comes from the Takutu River in the border region of Guyana and Brazil; this species is the only one that has been scientifically studied to date. It has been named Panaqolus claustellifer in 2016. Tiger plecos from the Rio Anapu in Brazil received two L-numbers. L374 comes from its upper reaches and L403 from its lower reaches. They received their L-numbers in 2004 and 2006. We received animals that were visually indistinguishable from L374 in 2014 with the locality designation “Alto Nhamunda” (https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/10-catfishes/10b-catfishes-suckermouths-plecos-and-l-numbers/panaqolus_sp_alto_nhamunda_en/). The Rio Nhamunda forms the border between the states of Amazonas and Pará. Almost all known localities of tiger plecos are therefore in the state of Pará in Brazil, the only exception being P. claustellifer.

There are two established aquarium strains of L374; the species is hardly ever imported as a wild catch. The first aquarium strain originates from animals imported by Jens Gottwald in 2003, the second from a strain imported by Transfish at the end of 2003. The two strains differ slightly in color in that the so-called Gottwald strain has more orange in its coloration, while the Transfish strain is somewhat more greyish. Both retain their contrasting coloration even in old age. The animals reach a length of 13-15 cm.

We can currently offer very nice offspring of L374 of the “Gottwald strain”. All tiger plecos are easy to care for. They require clean, low-germ water, which should not be too hard and slightly acidic. The water temperature can range from 25-29°C. All Panaqolus need soft wood as a basic food source and can be additionally fed all kinds of vegetables. Any common ornamental fish food is also accepted, but you just have to be careful that the specialized wood-eaters with their very long intestines do not get too much of it, otherwise there may be severe digestive problems. Only one species of tiger catfish should be kept per aquarium, otherwise they may cross-breed. They are typical cave breeders with a father family.

For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 374X-2 (5-7 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sewellia sp. Spotted (SEW01)

11. July 2025

The genus Sewellia includes the most popular and probably most beautiful of all hillstream loaches: Sewellia lineolata (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/sewellia-lineolata-2/). Enthusiasm for this fish continues to this day. Scientifically, considerably more species of Sewellia are known; a total of 18 species have been described to date, but the status of some species from Vietnam, which were named in a book on the fishes of Vietnam in 2006, is unclear, as the descriptions are not very informative and are accompanied by very poor pictures.

For example, it is not yet clear whether the Sewellia sp. Spotted from Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam, which is popular in the hobby, belongs to a scientifically new species or whether it is possibly identical to one of the three species named in the above-mentioned book, S. monolobata, S. polylobata or S. tetralobata. Maurice Kottelat, probably the best loach expert of our time, assumes that S. monolobata and S. polylobata are the same species. As a “first reviser”, he selects S. monolobata as the valid name for this case. Kottelat considers S. tetralobata to be a synonym (a more recent second description) of Sewellia albisuera.

We cannot decide or clarify these matters here; what is interesting is that among our currently imported S. sp. spotted is a specimen that corresponds very well with S. albisuera. It should also be noted that S. albisuera lives in the same river as the well-known S. lineolata. However, these two species are ecologically distinct. S. albisuera is adapted to very strong currents, S. lineolata is not.

So let’s just stick with the name Sewellia sp. Spotted or Sewellia sp. SEW01, as the species is also known among loach enthusiasts. This species, which grows up to around 6-8 cm long, is just as easy to keep in the aquarium and reproduces just as readily as S. lineolata. What the animals need is oxygen-rich, clear and low-germ water, a good current, regular partial water changes, water temperatures in the range 22-26°C and an aquarium richly decorated with stones. The water hardness and pH value are of secondary importance, extreme values should be avoided. The animals are uncomplicated omnivores and will accept all common live, frozen and granulated foods of a suitable size in addition to aufwuchs. They prefer to spawn in coarse gravel, but in our fishhouse they also make do with the coarse-pored filter sponge. And so one day the cute, black and white ringed young of this species appeared among their parents, uncles and aunts, who completely ignore these pretty little creatures.

For our customers: Sewellia sp. Spotted has code 455072 (md) to 455075 (xlg-sh) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Xiphophorus hellerii black

11. July 2025

The black breeding form of the swordtail Xiphophorus hellerii is also known as the Hamburg breeding form because the aquaristic tradition that is often cited states that it was first bred in Hamburg in 1912 by a breeder named W. Hoffmann. However, it is also undisputed that other black strains were created somewhat later independently of this. Black swordtails do not exist in nature. It is also not a cross between a black molly and a swordtail. The black coloration is the result of crossing wild platies (Xiphophorus maculatus) with green swordtails (X. hellerii).

Hamburgers are black swordtails whose scales usually have a green or blue sheen (“mirror”). The black coloration can extend to the fins, but most specimens have red, yellow or transparent fins. Black swordtails are not homozygous, at least to our knowledge there have never been any reports of homozygous black swordtails. Even after 18 generations of strict inbreeding, in which only black animals were mated, there are still red and green fish among the young of a black pair (D. Gentzsch in Das Aquarium, 1995, issue 309: 13-16).

Because it used to be believed that inbreeding was harmful in general and especially in the case of black swordtails, the doctrine that hamburgers should always be bred by crossing a black animal with other color forms applied until the end of the last millennium. Today’s black swordtails are correspondingly inconsistent in terms of coloration. Today, however, it has been proven that inbreeding in fish is generally harmless. Of course, there are also hereditary diseases in fish that can be exacerbated by inbreeding, but a good breeder can avoid such pitfalls by making the right breeding choices.

From an aquarium point of view, black swordtails are not only special in terms of color. They are relatively large swordtails, which should be kept in the largest possible aquarium in order to breed magnificent animals. Their preferred temperature is somewhat lower than that of many other X. hellerii; experienced breeders recommend 18-22°C. In addition, the late males of the black swordtails only become sexually mature really late (often only at around one year of age) (early males at around 3-4 months). Before that, they largely look like females, which has led to the myth of the sex change in swordtails. The sex ratio in litters is approx. 50:50. Black swordtails are not as fertile as many other X. hellerii, in which litters of large females can easily produce 150 young or more. Black swordtail females only produce a third of this number or less and do not become so bulky when they are about to spawn.

For our customers: black swordtails have code 420401 (small) to 420405 (show size) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hypostomus boulengeri

11. July 2025

Every aquarist probably knows the genus Hypostomus by name, to which 154 species are currently assigned (including Cochliodon, which is sometimes seen as an independent genus and sometimes as a synonym of Hypostomus). Of this huge variety, however, only one species is regularly found in the trade, namely Cochliodon basilisko, also known as Red Bruno. Hypostomus luteus is a popular aquarium fish among specialists. Another species is repeatedly mentioned, but is practically never found in the trade: H. plecostomus. The animals referred to as such in the trade are actually Glyptoperichthys (formerly: Liposarcus) pardalis.

Hypostomus boulengeri is also a real rarity in the hobby. However, it is frequently found in the wild. This explains why it repeatedly appears as by-catch among ornamental fish from Paraguay. This time there was a larger number of these suckermouth catfish among the “Red Bruno”, so we sorted them out. As we have pictures of various sizes between 3 and about 20 cm in length – the maximum achievable size is given as 24.5 cm standard length, i.e. without caudal fin, which corresponds to a total length of about 30 cm – we take the opportunity to document the change in coloration from small juvenile fish to adult animals and also the various individual and mood-dependent colorations.

Keeping these animals is very simple. H. boulengeri are generally peaceful with each other and with other fish, and fights between conspecifics are always harmless. Of course, the aquarium must not be too small in view of the expected final size. H. boulengeri are good algae eaters, but will happily accept any food in the aquarium. The water temperature should vary seasonally and be cooler (18-20°C) for a few months and warmer (24-28°C) the rest of the time. We have no information about breeding in an aquarium and it has probably never been attempted.

Incidentally, there is a second, very similar sibling species in the Rio Paraguay, namely Hypostomus formosae. The main external difference between H. boulengeri and H. formosae is the tip of the snout, which is naked in H. boulengeri and has normal shields in H. formosae. All the animals that we then looked at more closely had a naked snout tip, so they are H. boulengeri.

For our customers: H. boulengeri has code 262483 (4-7 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Brochis bifasciata ( = Corydoras bifasciatus)

4. July 2025

Given the current (June 2025) 159 C-numbers and 216 CW-numbers, you would think that all 203 scientifically accepted species of the subfamily Corydoradinae (i.e. Aspidoras, Brochis, Corydoras, Gastrodermus, Hoplisoma, Osteogaster and Scleromystax) would be appearing more or less regularly in the hobby. But this is not the case. Two longnosed species from the Rio Tapajós catchment, scientifically described in 1972 and 1976, are still a mystery: Brochis bifasciata and B. ornata (both originally described as Corydoras species). While it has still not been possible to import specimens of Brochis ornata that correspond exactly to the original description (there are, of course, all kinds of very, very similar-looking species), B. bifasciata has finally been imported recently.

Why is this beautiful long-snouted fish so rare? Nobody knows; the first scientific description was made, as already mentioned, in 1972. The type locality is given as follows: Creek at left bank of Rio Cururu, tributary of upper River Tapajós near Maloca do Conzale, about 7°45’S, 58°00’W, Pará State, Brazil.

Brochis bifasciata is the long-snouted version of the equally very, very beautiful Hoplisoma sp. CW127 (https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/10-catfishes/corydoras-sp-aff-parallelus-cw127-4/), which is also very difficult to obtain. According to the exporter, both species come from the Rio Jamanxim, a tributary of the Tapajós. Hoplisoma sp. C133 (https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/10-catfishes/10a-catfishes-corydoras-co/corydoras_from_the_rio_jamanxim_c_bifasciatus__en/), which is very similar to CW127 and lacks the black zone in the dorsal fin, which merges into a shoulder band running towards the belly, was also occasionally imported with the indication of origin “Tapajós”. This pattern is very typical for Hoplisoma sp. CW127 and is also found in B. bifasciata. For Hoplisoma sp. C133 there is an identically marked Brochis species, i.e. a long-snouted species, which to our knowledge has not yet been assigned a C or CW number. However, there is another CW number for a fish that is very similar to B. bifasciata and is also imported together with it: Brochis sp. CW135. These animals have a slightly different dorsal pattern. In our opinion, this falls within the variance of B. bifasciata, but who knows? Since the phenotype CW135 has so far only appeared in single specimens, we do not offer it separately from B. bifasciata. It should also be mentioned that in the type specimen of B. bifasciata the lower of the two longitudinal bands runs along the midline, i.e. where the two rows of lateral bone plates meet. In our current import, there are also specimens in which the second longitudinal band runs clearly below the midline. All in all, B. bifasciata appears to be as variable as B. pulcher, for example.

One thing is for sure: the Corydoras-like armored catfishes still offer enough exciting questions to keep generations of scientists and aquarists busy!

For our customers: Brochis bifasciata have code 224204 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Garra panitvongi ( = sp. Red Tail)

4. July 2025

This beautiful sucking barb was scientifically described in 2023 in honor of the meritorious naturalist Nonn Panitvong. Nonn found the animals together with other members of siamensis.org in 2006, so the location (the Kasat River in western Thailand) is well documented. For the history of the 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 behavior of this species, in which the males open their frontal processes (scientifically: proboscis) like horns and then wrestle with each other like bulls.

The closest related species in Thailand is certainly Garra fuliginosa Fowler, 1934, from which Garra panitvongi is, however, clearly different in color.

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

For our customers: the animals have code 416481 (3-4 cm) to 416484 (7-9 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Brachygobius mekongensis

4. July 2025

In the genus Brachygobius we find some of the smallest freshwater goby species. One of these dwarfs is B. mekongensis, a species that was only scientifically described in 2000. The late scientific recording of this species, which is widely distributed in the Mekong River basin in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, is due to the fact that it was previously regarded either as a juvenile of another species or as an eastern population of the Indian dwarf species B. nunus.

At less than 2 cm in length, B. mekongensis is fully grown. The females are somewhat larger and fuller than the males. There is even a breeding report on the animals from 1990, although H. Horsthemke incorrectly identified them as B. aggregatus – forgivable, as the species B. mekongensis had not yet been described at the time. According to him, B. mekongensis spawns on hard substrate (i.e. not in caves, like many other Brachygobius species). The approx. 30 eggs are guarded by the male until hatching.

B. mekongensis is a pure freshwater species, there are no reports from brackish water. In the wild, it prefers waters with abundant underwater vegetation, e.g. Vallisneria. The water depth is usually 0.3-1.5 m. The dwarf fish species Boraras micros and Indostomus spinosus, which are also occasionally encountered in the hobby, live together with it.

In the aquarium, the dwarf gobies are best fed with small live food. If the rain barrel or pond does not provide enough food, grindal worms, chopped tubifex and Artemia nauplii are a good substitute. B. mekongensis are not demanding in terms of hardness and pH value; any drinking water is suitable for maintenance and breeding. The temperature can be between 22 and 28°C.

For our customers: the animals have code 407152 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hypancistrus sp. L260 Queen Arabesque

4. July 2025

It is astonishing that this strikingly colored catfish from the Rio Tapajós in Brazil (state of Para) has not yet been scientifically recorded. Since 1998 it has carried the L-number 260 and since then has also been one of the regularly imported and bred L-catfish.

There are great similarities to L411 from the Rio Jari. Unfortunately, almost all L-catfish interbreed under aquarium conditions (there have even been reports of hybrids between H. zebra L46 and L260). You should therefore pay attention to species purity when putting together breeding groups. Otherwise there is a risk that aquarium strains – i.e. breeding forms – will be created and the original species will die out in the hobby. In view of the dramatic worldwide extinction of species (private animal husbandry is not responsible at all for this, just as an aside), we should try to avoid this.

Keeping L260 is easy. This omnivorous fish grows up to approx. 12 cm long and is considered to be relatively tolerant, both of each other and of other species. On the whole, the care of this species can be equated with that of the well-known Aquarium-Ancistrus, although L260 is less tolerant of poor water conditions. However, there are two important differences: L260 likes it warmer (26-30°C) and L260 hardly eats algae or other plant material. However, experienced keepers swear by raw potato pieces as supplementary food. This food can remain in the aquarium all day and is eaten with pleasure. This food has proved to be very effective, especially with somewhat lean wild-caught fish, in order to replenish them quickly.

For our customers: the animals have 26480-L 260-2 (6-8 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Rasbora daniconius

2. July 2025

From India we were able to import Rasbora daniconius, This minnow usually grows to 6-8 cm in length, the largest specimen ever measured supposedly measured 15 cm. The species is found in Bengal together with such well-known and popular ornamental fishes as zebra danio (Danio rerio), rosy barb (Pethia conchonius), dwarf gourami (Colisa lalius) and chameleon fish (Badis badis). Rasbora daniconius is a wonderful contrast fish to the above species in the community aquarium.

The animals are completely peaceful omnivores, plants are ignored. Like the majority of minnows, this species appreciates the company of its conspecifics and should be kept in a group of at least five, preferably 10-15 specimens. The water temperature can be between 18 and 28°C, any tap water suitable as drinking water is suitable for the care. R. daniconius are free spawners without brood care.

For our customers: the fish have code 451703 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Tawa”

27. June 2025

This new dwarf rainbowfish, which has obviously not yet been scientifically described, was only introduced to the aquarium hobby in 2019. As is so often the case with rainbowfishes, it was found during a privately funded and conducted research trip. Its provisional name Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Tawa” refers to the place where it was found in Papua New Guinea.

With a total length of normally 7 cm (several years old specimens are said to be able to reach 10 cm), this species is one of the smaller representatives of the genus. The combination of snow-white dorsal and anal fins and red caudal fin, plus an orange front ridge and blue tones on the flank, makes them highly attractive in terms of color. In the trade we have juvenile offspring about 4 cm long, which are of course not yet fully colored, but even these are already quite pretty!

For our customers: the fish have code 428803 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Trigonostigma espei

27. June 2025

Of the five species currently assigned to the genus Trigonostigma (harlequin barbs) – the well-known common harlequin barb T. heteromorpha, the most recently described T. truncatus, the dwarf T. somphongsi, T. hengeli and T. espei – the last two are often confused; unfortunately, this also happens to us from time to time if we are not very careful.

The reason for this is that both species look pretty darn similar in the juvenile stage, i.e. at 1-2 cm in length. When fully grown up, they can hardly be confused; both species remain about one centimeter smaller than the common harlequin barb at a total length of 3 – 3.5 cm. Adult T. hengeli have a zone between the edge of the gill cover and the colored, orange-pink band that accompanies the wedge spot, which is colored light brown-grayish beige like the back, while in T. espei the entire body, including the front body, is colored bright orange (females) to purple (dominant males) without any gaps. Only the wedge spot is naturally black. You can find pictures of T. hengeli here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/08-carp-like-fishes-2-barbs-minnows-carps-goldfish-etc/trigonostigma-hengeli-4/

If the origin is known, identification is also easy. T. hengeli is only found on the Greater Sunda Islands of Sumatra and Borneo, T. espei only in southern Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. But as I said, juveniles cannot be identified without knowing their origin. And at the beginning of the season (May/June) it is mainly juveniles that are on the market. T. hengeli are always sent from Indonesia as T. espei with a certain persistence. And so it is easy to explain how the misnomer sometimes reaches private aquarists and causes ongoing confusion.

All harlequin barbs are beautiful fish and highly recommended. T. espei require soft and acidic water for breeding. Like its well-known cousin, it usually spawns with its belly upwards on the underside of broad leaves of aquatic plants (e.g. Cryptocorynes), but is not quite as strict about this. Occasionally, spawn is also deposited on the upper side of the leaves in a normal posture. All ornamental fish food of a suitable size is eaten. The completely peaceful animals do not damage plants. The water temperature should be in the range of 24-28°C.

For our customers: T. espei has code 451951 (sm) to 451954 (lg-xlg) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Glyptothorax buchanani

27. June 2025

The mountain catfish (Glyptothorax) are virtually unknown in aquaristics. It is a very species-rich group (almost 120 accepted plus presumably numerous undescribed species) of mostly small, current-loving catfish. The extremely limited experience of keeping these catfish shows that (as with many stream fish) they are sensitive animals that do not tolerate heavy organic pollution or the associated bacterial load. In other words: aquaria that are as large as possible, well run-in, well-filtered and sparsely stocked are the basic prerequisite for keeping these fish successfully in the long term.

In terms of compatibility, it should be noted that most species are peaceful towards other fish and conspecifics. However, the latter in particular still needs to be researched. It appears that Glyptothorax buchanani stress each other. In any case, the breathing frequency of two animals that were initially kept together and then separated was considerably reduced when only one specimen was kept per aquarium.

As flowing water inhabitants, Glyptothorax are adapted to sandy substrate (in which they sometimes burrow) with larger stones. The chemical composition of the water is of secondary importance, but bear in mind that hard, alkaline water offers many bacteria more favorable living conditions than soft, acidic water. Due to their sensitivity to bacterial infections, we therefore recommend soft to medium-hard water and a pH between 6 and 7. These fish are also demanding in terms of diet. Dry food and granules are hardly accepted, at least not during acclimatization. Live food is preferable (white mosquito larvae and adult Artemia are ideal for hygienic reasons, but the animals also like to eat Tubifex and red mosquito larvae, as well as mayfly larvae and various small crustaceans), later the animals will also take frozen food.

We received Glyptothorax buchanani from Thailand. This species, which was described in 1945, is endemic to Thailand and therefore only occurs there. It colonizes the river systems of the Mae Klong and Chao Phraya. It becomes about 6 cm long (without caudal fin). Almost nothing is known about the reproductive behavior of Glyptothorax species, except that they undertake spawning migrations.

For our customers: the animals have code 417792 (4-6 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Piaractus brachypomus

27. June 2025

Internationally, the largest serrasalmid species are called “pacu”: the red bellied pacu (Piaractus brachypomus, formerly Colossoma brachypomus or C. bidens) from the Amazon system, its twin species P. orinoquensis, which has only been differentiated from it since 2019, the yellow pacu (P. mesopotamicus) from the Parana-Paraguay system and the black pacu or cachama (Colossoma macropomum) from the Amazon. They all grow to around 80 cm in length and weigh over 20 kg. They are kept in aquaculture as excellent food fish and one species – the red bellied pacu – is probably now widespread in the tropics worldwide. In their native countries, however, these pacus are called Pirapitinga and the silver dollars of the genus Myletes & Co are referred to as pacus.

Anyway, red pacus are a must in any display aquarium as they are impressive creatures. However, we do not import them as large fish, but as small fish just a few centimetres long. They are usually bred ones from South-East Asia. As juveniles, red bellied pacus imitate a notorious cousin, the Red Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri). In fact, they are almost indistinguishable from each other in terms of color. It is called Batesian mimicry when a harmless species imitates a defensive species and thus benefits from the fact that potential predators tend to be cautious.

Aquaristically, of course, it is known that piranhas represent the carnivorous branch of serrasalmids, while pacus are mainly vegetarians. Large animals love to eat fruit and nuts that fall from trees into the water. As this food is very rich in nutrients, the water under such trees is often heavily polluted with putrefactive substances and very low in oxygen. Pacus can withstand this and some species even develop an auxiliary respiratory organ at certain times in the form of a greatly enlarged, very well supplied with blood lip, through which additional oxygen enters the organism when the fish swims on the water surface.

Piaractus brachypomus is relatively unspecialized. It is also found in clean waters and as an opportunist it also eats small fish, shrimps etc., so it is not a pure vegetarian.

Keeping Pacus is easy, but only recommended for people who have huge aquaria. Piaractus brachypomus get on well with each other, but small fish are regarded as food supplements.

For our customers: the animals have code 218501 (4-6 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pygocentrus cariba ( = P. notatus)

25. June 2025

Pygocentrus are the most famous and aquaristically most important piranhas. In contrast to all other piranhas, Pygocentrus are always schooling fish. They are less keen on fin pieces of other fish than Serrasalmus and Pristorycon species and with their particularly sharp teeth they can bite whole pieces out of a body. However, the Pygocentrus species are by no means bloodthirsty monsters either, but opportunists that use any food – often of plant origin – that is available.

Pygocentrus cariba is a beautiful species that is regularly found in the trade and represents the shoaling piranhas in the Orinoco. The large humeral spot (= shoulder spot) is typical of the species and is most pronounced in adolescent and young adult fish. Very small animals (under approx. 4 cm in length) do not yet show the humeral spot. Very old animals, like all Pygocentrus species, tend to be very darkly colored, in which case the species can hardly be distinguished. The species name cariba is only available via a caption (which authors before 1993 usually considered insufficient); Fink (1993) revised the genus Pygocentrus and established cariba as the correct species name for the shoal piranha with shoulder spot (principle of the “first reviser”), whereby the name P. notatus, which was previously considered valid, became a synonym.

This piranha usually grows to a maximum length of approx. 25 cm, the largest length stated in the scientific literature is 27.9 cm total length (including caudal fin).

For our customers: P. cariba has the code numbers 292600 (2-4 cm) to 292607 (18-22 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon peugeotorum ( = H. peugeoti)

20. June 2025

It’s amazing how many new, attractive tetra species have been discovered recently! Among them is Hyphessobrycon peugeotorum, which was only scientifically described in 2013 under the name H. peugeoti. It originates from the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso (middle drainage of the Rio Juruena, upper basin of the Rio Tapajós). The unusual species name does not refer to the French car builders, but (quotation): “Hyphessobrycon peugeoti is patronymic to the Peugeot family, who invented the Peugeot pepper mill mechanism in 1842 and whose manufacturing business led to the establishment of a carbon sink reforestation project in the fazenda São Nicolau, in central Brazil, and eventually to the discovery of this new species.” According to the rules of zoological naming, in this case (naming after several individuals, not after a single individual) the Latin plural genitive must be chosen for the species name – i.e. the word ending -orum – and not, as happened, the Latin singular genitive ending in -i.

Apart from that, Hyphessobrycon peugeotorum is a beautiful fish that we can offer as offspring. The species grows to a length of 4-5 cm and is completely peaceful. An experience in the photo tank indicates how the animal should be cared for in order to achieve optimum coloration. In our fishhouse, a male showed mating coloration and developed a black caudal fin (in normal coloration, the caudal fin is transparent and colorless). We caught the animal and some conspecifics, put them in the photo tank and waited. It shouldn’t normally take long for the now decolored animal to show mating colors again. Not so! Nine days passed and nothing happened. We warmed the water, added humic substances, fed live food, changed the water – everything you do to get tetras going. Nothing. Then we darkened the tank considerably! And now it worked. Apparently Hyphessobrycon peugeotorum likes it a bit dim. To each his own!

For our customers: the animals have code 261499 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos. Frank Schäfer

PS: As we have learned, an objection was raised against the change of the species name peugeoti to peugeotorum, so that the species is currently more frequently referred to as H. peugeoti again.

Nematobrycon lacortei

20. June 2025

The Rainbow Emperor Tetra (Nematobrycon lacortei) is certainly one of the most attractive tetras in South America. Its home is in western Colombia where it is caught in the catchment area of the Rio San Juan. Males and females can be easily distinguished by the color of the iris. Already in small juveniles the males have a red, the females a blue iris.

To the same genus belongs the usually better known emperor tetra Nematobrycon palmeri. Nematobrycon can only be described as schooling fish to a limited extent, since the males at least occasionally defend territories against conspecifics – and this can happen quite violently. Your aquarium should therefore contain structure-forming elements such as roots and large plants.

Emperor tetras can be kept in medium hard water, but for breeding it should be soft and acidic. They will eat almost all offered foods, for a good spawning it is recommended to feed black mosquito larvae (Culex) regularly.

For our customers: the fish have code 272504 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Photos F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl

Tocantinsia piresi

20. June 2025

We just received one of the very rare imports of a very peculiar representative of the Auchenipteridae (driftwood catfish): Tocantinsia piresi. These catfish were first discovered in 1974 in the Rio Tocantins near Porto National in the state of Goiás in Brazil. Because they did not fit into any known genus, Mees described them as a new genus – Tocantinsia – and the species as the new species T. depressa. 10 years later, Mees discovered that he had produced a double description. As early as 1920, Miranda Ribeiro had described and illustrated a catfish from the Rio São Manoel (today better known as Rio Teles Pires, one of the two headwaters of the Rio Tapajós), Mato Grosso (also Brazil) as Glanidium piresi, which corresponds to T. depressa in all recognizable details. It is now known that the species is relatively widespread. In addition to the river systems already mentioned, the catfish is also found in the Rio Xingu, for example, where ecological studies have even been carried out on its reproductive biology.

At around 50 cm in length, Tocantinsia piresi is one of the large driftwood catfish. In the Rio Xingu, females reach sexual maturity at a slightly smaller body size (33.76 cm) than the males at 34.84 cm. The maturity of the gonads (testes and ovaries) was during the period of lowest water in the dry season. Stomach examinations of animals from the Rio Tocantins revealed that the fish are omnivores that eat both plant material (fruits, seeds, flowers) and animal material (frogs, insects, spiders, millipedes). However, almost all of their food was of terrestrial origin, i.e. it came from the land into the water.

In the aquarium, T. piresi are above all very fond of hiding. This must be taken into account when keeping them. The animals are best kept in a dimly lit aquarium with lots of larger stones between which they seek shelter. The stiff pectoral fins with their thick spines make the animals relatively immobile, and a dense tangle of plants in which they become entangled is the last thing they need. Our animals are peaceful with each other. The coloration is quite variable, we chose the darkest and the lightest individual of our import for the photo session. As the fish are currently approx. 10 – 12 cm long and not yet sexually mature, the sex difference that is usual for the catfish – an anal fin that has been converted into a mating organ in the male – is not yet recognizable. We therefore do not know whether the coloration is related to the sex.

For our customers: the animals have code 297233 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos. Frank Schäfer

Ancistrus sp. “Gold Albino”

20. June 2025

Albinism is a mutation that can occur in almost any animal species, including humans. The word is derived from the Latin “albus” = white. The expression of the mutation is admittedly different. In some forms of albinism, some melanin (the black cell pigment) is still produced, in other forms hardly any or none at all. A conspicuous feature of albinos are the red eyes, which come from the fact that the blood vessels in the back of the eyes shine through. In addition, albinos are lighter colored on the body up to a complete white animals. But there is also the paradoxical case of black colored albinos with red eyes. This can happen when the genes for melanin production in different parts of the body are located in different genetic regions and are only partially affected by the mutation.

The Ancistrus Gold Albino is an albino breeding form, in which all black is missing, but the red color cells in the body are strongly developed. This is the reason for the intense golden-orange coloration. The eyes are always red in this breeding form. The fish enjoy great popularity because of their pretty color. Normally such fish are traded only in relatively small specimens, most often in sizes of 3-6 cm. They reach this size relatively quickly. Fully grown animals, however, become about 15-16 cm long. By then they are often many years old, so actually priceless, if you count care costs and labor. But sometimes – even if very rarely – such chunks come to us!

For our customers: the fish have code 204061 (2-3 cm) to 204068 (12-15 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Tetraodon lineatus “bred”

13. June 2025

The up to 40 cm long Nile pufferfish (Tetraodon lineatus) is a magnificent freshwater species from Africa. We have presented it in detail here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/tetraodon-lineatus-15-20-cm/

For some time now, we have also bred specimens of this species from Indonesia in stock. In Nigeria – the home of these fish – fewer and fewer people want to earn a living as fishermen. There too, the so-called work-life balance plays a major role and an air-conditioned office seems more attractive to many than a job in the wild. Although ornamental fish catchers earn significantly more than their colleagues who catch fish for food, there are now supply bottlenecks for some species for the reasons mentioned, which are then filled by bred fish.

We have noticed that the offspring are considerably more tolerant towards conspecifics than individuals from wild waters. We can keep these fish, which we receive in sizes of around 2 cm, together without any problems. They also get along wonderfully when they have grown to 6 cm. We haven’t had them here for longer than that.

These may already be the first signs of domestication. Because behavior is just as hereditary as external characteristics. When establishing a breeding stock, you will always select individuals that get along particularly well. Later, animals that have shown themselves to be peaceful during rearing will be used for further breeding, as only then is stress-free rearing possible on a larger scale.

For our customers: the offspring have code 190310 (2 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Oxyeleotris marmorata

13. June 2025

Most gobies live in the sea. And most gobies stay small, usually less than 10 cm. So Oxyeleotris marmorata, the Marbled Sleepergoby, is an exception in more than only one respect. The species is a giant among the gobies and becomes more than 50 cm long. And usually it lives in pure freshwater; only occasionally it is found in brackish water.

Oxyeleotris marmorata is a predator. A short look in the open mouth of the fish says more than thousand words. The species can swallow fish that have about have of the length of the goby itself. However, when kept in an aquarium this creature becomes very tame and can be easily fed via a forceps. Juveniles also feed on earthworms and frozen fish food.

The Marbled Sleepergoby is a calm fish that will not swim if it is not necessary. So the species does not need – compared with the size of the fish – very large aquaria. However, they are kept best alone, only one fish per tank, because they can be pretty pugnacious against conspecifics.

Oxyeleotris is a cave spawner that produces tens of thousands of eggs. The eggs are really tiny. There are no reports of a successful breeding in captivity, but most probably it has never been tried at all. The species has a very wide distribution in South-East Asia and is very common wherever it appears.

We have obtained juveniles from Thailand recently, so fans of predatory fish have now the chance to risk an attempt.

For our customers: the fish have code 440972 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nomorhamphus ebrardtii

13. June 2025

We imported very nice specimens of the halfbeak Nomorhamphus ebrardtii. This livebearing fish lives endemic (this means: exclusively there) on the island of Sulawesi, formerly known as Celebes. Here the species occurs mainly in smaller brooks. Maximum length of N. ebrardtii is around 6-7 cm.

The bright orange-red fins are very striking as well as the orange stripe on the belly is. However, the intensity of the colours depends much on the social postion of the individual fish. These fish have a strict hierarchy in both males and females. Only dominant specimens have the full strength of coloration. One should keep Nomorhamphus either by pair or in groups of 10 specimens upwards.

The fish need clean, oxygen-rich water. The pH should be neutral (around pH 7). They feed almost exclusively from the water surface. In the natural habitat they feed mainly on insects and most probably on pollen, on the aquarium they take readily food flakes (which should be rather small) and freeze-dried food items.

For our customers: the fish have code 438822 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Ancistrus sp. “Snow White Longfin”

12. June 2025

When asked: “May it be a little more?”, many Ancistrus enthusiasts answer: “Yes, I’d love to!”. The result is Veil Ancistrus, which are now available in pretty much all colors of the popular aquarium Ancistrus. Of course, the “Snow White Longfin” are still quite exclusive and only available from time to time. There are both red-eyed and black-eyed specimens of Ancistrus sp. “Snow White Longfin”. This is not always easy to recognize, which is why no distinction is usually made between the two varieties in the trade.

For our customers: the animals have code 204078 (4-5 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon montagi

6. June 2025

With over 130 species, the genus Hyphessobrycon has become very confusing. New species are still being discovered. It has long been known that Hyphessobrycon is an artificial collective genus and that the species in it are not necessarily closely related to each other. For this reason, “groups” have been defined within Hyphessobrycon from time to time since the 1970s in order to better structure them.  One of these groups is that of the flag tetras, the so-called Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus group. It is characterized by the fact that three different coloured longitudinal bands can be seen in life, namely one red, one black and one white. However, depending on the assessment of the respective researchers, other characteristics are also used to differentiate between groups, such as the presence or absence of spots in the shoulder area ( = humeral spots) or on the tail root.

Hyphessobrycon montagi clearly belongs to the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus group in terms of coloration, although the red longitudinal band is limited to a short piece on the caudal peduncle. However, this species, which was only scientifically described in 2014, has two species-specific unique features: two  humeral spots, which are arranged in a specific way, and an additional caudal root spot. In the most current, DNA-based review of all tetras (Melo et al. 2024), H. montagi is nevertheless placed in the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus group. According to current opinion, it includes H. amapaensis, H. cantoi, H. heterorhabdus, H. ericae, H. montagi, H. sateremawe and H. wosiackii. Externally very similar is the Hyphessobrycon agulha group with Hyphessobrycon agulha, H. clavatus, H. eschwartzae, H. herbertaxelrodi, H. klausanni, H. loretoensis, H. lucenorum, H. margitae, H. metae, H. mutabilis, H. peruvianus, H. wadai and H. zoe. However, both groups do not appear to be monophyletic, i.e. their members must be placed in different genera in the long term despite external similarities.

Some of the tetras in the two groups mentioned are aquarium veterans, others have never been kept and bred alive in the aquarium. We now have H. montagi – originally from Brazil: headwaters of the Rio Arapiuns (Rio Branco and Rio Aruã), the lower Rio Tapajós basin and small, direct tributaries of the Rio Amazonas (Igarapé da Ponte) in the state of Pará – available as German offspring for the first time. The animals differ very strikingly in their behavior from the well-known H. heterorhabdus and H. amapaensis. At least our offspring of H. montagi are much more involved in shoaling behavior. Although tetras are generally referred to as “schooling fish”, this is only true to a very limited extent. In reality, most tetra species prefer a certain degree of individuality in everyday life. They only show true shoaling behavior very rarely, namely when they feel threatened. One of the few exceptions are the rummy noses (Petitella bleheri & Co.), which actually always swim in shoals. And Hyphessobrycon montagi are very similar to these animals in their behavior.

The aquarium care of H. montagi is simple and typical of tetras. There are hardly any external differences between the sexes, the females are just slightly more robust. In the wild, females ready to spawn can be found from March to August. The animals live there in clear streams between 0.8 and 20 m wide, clear water with a moderate current, sandy bottoms with accumulations of leaves and at a relatively high water temperature of around 29°C. Adaptability to other water parameters is good, however. The only thing to watch out for is clean, low-germ water. They will eat any ornamental fish food of a suitable size.

For our customers: H. montagi has code 261373 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Literature:

Melo, B. F., R. P. Ota, R. C. Benine, F. R. Carvalho, F. C. T. Lima, G. M. T. Mattox, C. S. Souza, T. C. Faria, L. Reia, F. F. Roxo, M. Valdez-Moreno, T. J. Near & C. Oliveira (2024): Phylogenomics of Characidae, a hyper-diverse Neotropical freshwater fish lineage, with a phylogenetic classification including four families (Teleostei: Characiformes). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society v. 202 (no. 1): zlae101: 1-37

Ancistrus “Snow White”

6. June 2025

White animals – preferably as pure white full albino with red eyes – exert a special attraction on many people. The white coloration gives them the impression of special purity and innocence. It is therefore no wonder that albinos sooner or later appear in the trade from almost all very frequently kept and bred animal species.

Albinos also exist in nature, because only a single gene is responsible for albinism. If this gene mutates, albinism occurs. Humans can also be born as albinos. In wild animals, albinos have a very low probability of survival as they are too conspicuous to potential predators. In the wild, adult albinos are therefore extremely rare and perhaps this also contributes to many people’s fascination with this color morph.

Overall, however, albinism is a relatively common mutation that occurs spontaneously time and again. In fish farms, where thousands of young animals are reared, it is therefore only a matter of time before albinism occurs. In the common bristlenose or Ancistrus (this species has not yet been clearly assigned to any wild species and is probably a hybrid that only occurs in human care), there are essentially two albino strains. “Normal” albinos in Ancistrus have a yellow body base color and red eyes, while the body color of the “Snow White” is really pure white. There are Snow Whites with black and red eyes; however, no distinction is usually made between the two in the trade. In terms of care and breeding, Snow White-Ancistrus do not differ from their other colored conspecifics, which is why they will not be discussed further here, with one exception: experienced breeders recommend keeping Snow White no warmer than 26°C, as experience has shown them to be more sensitive at higher temperatures.

For our customers: Snow White has code 204073 (4-6 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pareiodon cf. microps

6. June 2025

The parasitic catfish of the subfamily Stegophilinae within the pencil catfish (Trichomycteridae) are famous and notorious as “Candirus”. They often specialize in blood as food and swim like little vampires into the gill cavity of large catfish, where they bite into a blood vessel and pump themselves full of the red elixir of life. Apparently they use the ammonium traces in the breathing water of the large catfish as a guide when hunting. When humans urinate underwater in the habitat of such Candirus, it can therefore happen that a Candiru swims into the urethra. If this happens, it is a death sentence for a human being without the help of a surgeon, as Candirus have spines on their heads with which they attach themselves to the urethra, making it impossible to pull them out. Needless to say, the stray Candirus soon die. A putrefaction process then begins and the infected people die from a severe urinary tract infection.

The genus Pareiodon belongs to these Candiruses. At present, only one species is assigned to the genus Pareiodon, namely P. microps, which is widely distributed in the Amazon basin. The photographed specimen comes from Peru. P. microps is too large for a human urethra. Adults reach a length of 9 cm (without caudal fin) or 11 cm (with caudal fin). P. microps is known to bite pieces out of the skin and gills of large food fish caught in nets.

It goes without saying that such animals only belong in the hands of researching specialists who know exactly what they are doing. The last time we had these catfish in the house was in 2006; they also ate tubifex and small food fish under aquarium conditions. We are now offering them again, but – for the reasons mentioned – only in very small numbers. We are only presenting this animal here because of its extreme rarity in the trade and as a warning, in case it should accidentally end up in a fish shipment.

For our customers: P. microps has code 276414 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Once again: Geophagus mirabilis

6. June 2025

Due to a misunderstanding, we inadvertently posted some wrong pictures last week. Instead of the Geophagus mirabilis described in the text, they were breeding specimens of G. sp. “Jatapu”, a scientifically undescribed species that we will soon be able to offer. Here are the correct pictures of fully grown Geophagus mirabilis.

Our heartfelt thanks to Uwe Werner, who first noticed the mistake and sent us the beautifully correct pictures, and to Andreas Jekel, who also helped to clear up the error. All pictures of the corresponding homepage entry show the real G. mirabilis: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/geophagus-mirabilis-3/

Rubricatochromis guttatus “Yellow Sunshine”

6. June 2025

The red jewel cichlids (Rubricatochromis, formerly Hemichromis) have been appearing in thermal waters in Central Europe for decades and seem to feel very much at home there. The first documented cases date back to the 1970s from the warm streams of Villach (Carinthia, Austria), but in the meantime they have appeared almost everywhere where the water temperature does not fall significantly below 20°C, even in winter. Apparently they are released there by people who have grown tired of the animals in the aquarium. This is – quite rightly – strictly forbidden! The only strange thing is that there have been so many releases of this cichlid species, as a large number of other cichlids are kept in aquaria much more frequently. There is a whole range of species in Rubricatochromis, but it is probably always R. guttatus, originally from coastal rivers in western Africa from Sierra Leone to Cameroon, that establishes itself in thermal waters.

The breeder writes to us about the origin of the “Yellow Sunshine”: “The parents come from a tributary of the Klinkenbach in Saarland (near the municipality of Schiffweiler). Until recently, this tributary was heated to a constant 30 degrees by a mine drainage system. However, the pit drainage was shut down in the autumn of 2024 and all the tropical fish that have established themselves there over the years (Molly, Guppy, Amatitlania nigrofasciata and the Rubricatochromis) have probably disappeared forever.” 

A striking feature of these Rubricatochromis “Yellow Sunshine” is the lemon yellow body color. In principle, Rubricatochromis guttatus is a polychromatic fish species, i.e. there are numerous color variants within one and the same population. In wild-caught specimens you will usually find all the transitions from moss green to deep red and the number of highlights (iriodophores) varies between barely present and starry sky-like. Aquarists usually select animals for breeding that are as red as possible and adorned with as many iriodophores as possible, which led to the breeding form marketed as “R. lifalili”. In the stream in Saarland, however, the undirected breeding choice obviously went in a different direction towards yellow!

As the only known occurrence of this color variant is extinct, it is now up to aquarists to decide whether or not the “Yellow Sunshine” will be preserved in the hobby. In the photo tank, the pair proved quite willing to contribute to the preservation of the species and soon spawned a large clutch of eggs.

For our customers: Rubricatochromis guttatus “Yellow Sunshine” has code 537552 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

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Geophagus mirabilis

30. May 2025

All Geophagus species are beautiful, but some are more beautiful than others. Since 2009, aquarists have known of a beautiful earth eater that only occurs in the Rio Aripuanã catchment in Brazil. Accordingly, the species was initially referred to as Geophagus sp. “Aripuana”. In January 2015, the beautiful species was scientifically described for the first time. Since then it has been correctly called Geophagus mirabilis. With Geophagus mirabilis, the species name – mirabilis means extraordinary, wonderful, admirable – says it all, because when fully grown, this species from the is one of the most beautiful representatives of its genus.

   

The animals grow to just over 16 cm long (without caudal fin, i.e. with caudal fin about 20 cm).  The species name refers to the pattern of markings: the black pattern, consisting of a series of spots along the flanks, is scientifically significant, as this is a clearly recognizable species characteristic even in preserved animals. On the other hand, describers also cite the beautiful markings on the head of living animals as the reason for the species designation.

One could also think of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale about the ugly gray duckling, because young G. mirabilis are quite inconspicuous. Only when they grow up do they become magnificent swans – sorry – cichlids. A wonderful transformation! We would like to thank our breeder for providing the pictures of the magnificent breeding animals.

From time to time we are able to offer some offspring of this beautiful earth eater. This Geophagus is a biparental, larvophilic mouthbrooder. This means that both parents work together and take turns in caring for the brood, the eggs are laid on stones, roots, etc. and the larvae that hatch from them are cared for in the mouth.

For our customers. The animals have code 678752 (4-5 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Frank Schäfer & Uwe Werner 

Metynnis “hypsauchen” ( = M. altidorsalis)

30. May 2025

Silver dollars are the herbivorous counterparts to the carnivorous piranhas. Among them, the genus Metynnis – recognizable by its long, flat adipose fin – is the most important aquaristically, as its members still fit reasonably well into standard aquariums with a final size of 15-20 cm. Representatives of other genera can grow considerably larger. One species in particular has been represented in the hobby for decades as the “silver dollar”, albeit almost always with an inaccurate scientific name.

In fact, this fish, which used to be referred to in the trade as M. schreitmuelleri and M. hypsauchen, is actually M. altidorsalis. Due to the sometimes very confusing nomenclature of these tetras, we will not go into further detail here. The fact is that the “silver dollar” M. altidorsalis is regularly available in the hobby in good numbers as offspring from Southeast Asia and is usually traded under the name M. hypsauchen. The small black spots on the dorsal fin are a fairly good way of recognizing this species. Juveniles are usually silver-colored on the body, but adult specimens often show a black shoulder spot and irregular dark bands on the back. Males and females differ clearly in the shape of the anal fin, which in the female is narrow and evenly straight or slightly convex at the front edge, but in the male is broadly bulging in the front area and has a broad black edge.

Just for the sake of completeness: the species Metynnis hypsauchen really exists, M. schreitmuelleri (and others) are a synonym, the species is widely distributed in the Amazon, Rio Paraguay and northern Guyana Shield systems (Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela), but is rarely encountered in the hobby. The “true” M. hypsauchen can be recognized in adults by the black ventral fins (colourless in M. altidorsalis) and by the fact that in sexually mature males the front of the anal fin is divided into two lobes of unequal size (only a single lobe in M. altidorsalis). Juveniles of many Metynnis species are very similar to each other. As far as we could research, Metynnis hypsauchen has no black dots in the dorsal fin (M. altidorsalis always has).

Originally, M. altidorsalis comes from rivers of the northern and eastern Guyana Shield, i.e. Guyana, French Guiana and Surinam. However, as breeding of this tetra with a maximum length of 14 cm has been successful since the 1950s, the species is rarely imported as a wild catch.

Metynnis are schooling fish and should always be kept in larger groups (from 8 specimens upwards). They are herbivores and, in the long run, even hard plants such as Anubias fall victim to them. A Metynnis aquarium is therefore decorated with root wood, stones, bamboo etc. Even though the fish will generally eat any commercially available ornamental fish food, plant material (leaf lettuce, dandelion etc.) should be a fixed part of the diet. The chemical composition of the water is irrelevant for their care, the temperature can be between 22 and 30°C. Silver dollars are free spawners on fine root tufts etc. and do not practice broodcare.

For our customers: the animals have code 267812 (3-4 cm) and 267814 (5-7 cm, photos) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Micropterus salmoides

30. May 2025

Large mouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) originally come from the eastern United States where they inhabit waters from the Canadian border to Mexico. Since the 1880s, they have been introduced to Europe (and elsewhere) as sport and food fish and are now found wild in many areas. They are among the 100 most dangerous invasive species in the world. So here is our appeal to common sense once again: please never release any animals or plants from the trade into the wild. This is strictly forbidden and can cause enormous damage, even if they are native species.

Our large mouth bass come from a breeding farm and are intended for owners of large garden ponds or display aquariums.

These animals prefer shallow, low-flow, well-warmed waters with strong vegetation, which they need as protection from predators and cover for stalking.

They can grow up to 100 cm long and weigh 15 kg. However, the normal length that these fish reach is between 40 and 60 cm. As predatory fish, they feed on fish, crayfish, aquatic insects and their larvae. Eggs are laid in spring depending on the water temperature. Spawning takes place in bottom nests built by the male in the form of shallow pits, eggs and larvae are guarded by the male until about a month after swimming free. The differences between the sexes of these fish, which belong to the sunfish family (Centrachidae), are only very slight and hardly recognizable. The females are often somewhat lighter in color.

For our customers: the fish have code 853005 (12-20 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hoplisoma (formerly Corydoras) sp. CW49

29. April 2025

Two beautiful new panda catfish (Hoplisoma) arrived from Colombia in 2010. As these species have not yet been scientifically studied, they have been assigned the code numbers CW49 and CW51. At first there was some confusion as to whether they were different species or just two color forms of the same species. Both have already been bred in the aquarium and have proved to be pure. This strongly suggests that they are two different species.

According to information on Ian Fuller’s website “http://www.corydorasworld.com”, where the CW numbers are also assigned, CW51 originates from the border area between Brazil and Colombia, where it is found in a small creek near the settlement of Villa Bittencourt. The location is close to the point where the Apaporis flows into the Rio Caqueta. This information comes from Heiko Bleher. According to the same source, CW49 comes from Colombia, also from a small creek that flows into the Rio Ica, close to the Indian settlement of Boa Vista.

Basically, the two differ in the shape of the black saddle spot. In CW49 it is about as wide as the dorsal fin, in CW51 it is significantly wider and only ends at the base of the adipose fin. How far this saddle patch extends towards the belly varies somewhat from individual to individual and is less variable in CW49 than in CW51. For pictures of CW51 see: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/corydoras-sp-cw-51-2/

There is also a somewhat more long-snouted form of CW49, which is more likely to belong to the genus Brochis in the sense currently used. As far as we know, this form has not yet received its own CW number. It appears to be very rare in the trade.

We can currently offer offspring of round-snouted (i.e. normal) CW49.

For our customers: Wild-caught CW49 have code 240194, offspring 240199 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Acipenser gueldenstaedtii

29. April 2025

Sturgeons are fascinating, ancient fish that have lived on earth for around 200 million years. Unfortunately, almost all species are threatened with extinction in the wild; the main reason is – as always – habitat destruction. As sturgeons have a complex migratory behavior and most species live partly in the sea and partly in fresh water, they are particularly vulnerable to environmental disturbance, as they need many different habitats to remain intact. In addition, sturgeon eggs (caviar) are a popular delicacy. As adult females are killed during spawning migration before they have had a chance to reproduce, this type of fishing is particularly destructive. For decades, sturgeons have therefore been kept in aquaculture in order to be independent of the constantly dwindling wild populations for meat and caviar production. As a by-product of this aquaculture, young sturgeon of various species are always sold in the pet trade in spring, during the garden pond season. Their shark-like swimming style and sometimes their beautiful appearance are fascinating and tempt many a fish lover to buy them. It should always be borne in mind that sturgeons grow large. The smallest species available in the trade is the sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus), which grows to around 60 cm in length (see: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/acipenser-ruthenus-2/).

Acipenser gueldenstaedtii is a medium-sized species with a maximum length of 2.3 m and a weight of over 100 kg. It originates from the Black Sea and its tributaries and is popularly known as the Waxdick or Russian sturgeon. However, the latter name often leads to confusion with A. baerii (Siberian sturgeon), which is why Waxdick should be preferred. Even though the Waxdick is usually a migratory fish in nature, it can remain in freshwater for its entire life; there are also stationary freshwater populations of the species in nature. Due to its particularly contrasting coloration, the Waxdick is one of the most beautiful sturgeons. Due to its expected size (around 150 cm is normal), it is only suitable for large ponds. If you want to keep sturgeons, you should read a good book to find out more about these very special animals, which can live for 50 years or more.

Please note that animals and plants sold in pet shops are intended exclusively for stocking aquariums and garden ponds. Under no circumstances should they be released into the wild, even (and even more so) if they are threatened with extinction! This will only cause great harm and will not have a positive effect.

For our customers: the animals have code 800503 (15-20 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Alestopetersius caudalis

29. April 2025

The yellow Congo tetra (Alestopetersius caudalis) is a popular and frequently offered ornamental fish. The species originates from the Congo, where it is at home in the lower reaches of the African river. Wild-caught fish are very rare in the trade. The species was first imported around 1950 and was soon bred. The animals in the trade today are almost without exception captive-bred, mostly from Indonesia, but other professional breeders in Europe and Asia also have the species in their range. 

On the occasion of the presentation of a small video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uXLpgRDoME), the question was raised via the comments function as to whether the animals shown (captive-bred from Indonesia) are not Alestopetersius tumbensis rather than A. caudalis. In fact, the two species are extremely similar and they also occur together – at least in places. From a scientific point of view, the most important difference between the two is the shape of the teeth: five-pointed in caudalis, many-pointed (8-9 points) in tumbensis. The different tooth shape was considered so important that a separate genus Duboisialestes was even established for tumbensis (plus bifasciatus). In addition, preserved specimens can be distinguished by their black markings. In A. caudalis, a broad dark longitudinal band extends from the shoulder patch to the caudal fin, whereas in A. tumbensis the longitudinal band is much narrower and there is a clear gap between the shoulder patch and the longitudinal band. Unfortunately, you can’t see this at all in live specimens, or can only see a hint of it.

The question came as a surprise to us, because although the species A. tumbensis (the genus Duboisialestes was declared a synonym of Alestopetersius by Munene & Stiassny in 2012) was described in 1951 on the basis of specimens imported into the Netherlands for the ornamental fish trade, it has not been mentioned in the hobby since then as far as we know. We do not kill animals for identification purposes, but we were able to recognize the shape of the teeth from a macro photograph of the mouth of one of our fish: clearly five-pointed, i.e. A. caudalis.

The exact species identification of African small tetras is and remains a complex matter. Not only aquarists have difficulties with this, but also professional ichthyologists. The markings given in the scientific papers (especially black bands, stripes etc.) are, as already mentioned, often only vaguely recognizable or not recognizable at all in living animals. The lesson for us from this story is that we will look twice as closely the next time we import wild-caught yellow Congo tetras. Perhaps we will discover A. tumbensis among them and then be able to provide a live photo of the species (as far as we know, none exists so far). Who knows, maybe you can also see differences between the two species in live animals …

By the way: general information on Alestopetersius caudalis can be found here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fisharchive/alestopetersius-caudalis-2/

For our customers: the animals shown in this post, captive bred from Indonesia, have code 138004 (xlg) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Literature:

Boulenger, G. A. (1899): Matériaux pour la faune du Congo. Zoologie.–Série I. Poissons nouveaux du Congo. Quatrième Partie. Polyptères, Clupes, Mormyres, Characins. Annales du Musee du Congo (Ser. Zoologie) v. 1 (fasc. 4): 59-96, Pls. 30-39.

Géry, J. (1995): Description of new or poorly known Alestinae (Teleostei: Characiformes: Alestidae) from Africa, with a note on the generic concept in the Alestinae. aqua, Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology v. 1 (no. 4): 37-64.

Hoedeman, J. J. (1951): Studies on African characid fishes I. The tribe Alestidi. Beaufortia v. 1 (no. 3): 1-8.

Mbimbi Mayi Munene, J. J. & M. L. J. Stiassny (2012): A new Alestopetersius (Characiformes: Alestidae) from the Kwilu River (Kasai basin) of central Africa; with a phylogeny for the genus and synonymy of Duboisialestes. Zootaxa No. 3166: 59-68.

Poll, M. (1967): Révision des Characidae nains Africans. Annales, Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Série in 8o, Sciences Zoologiques No. 162: 1-158

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sarcocheilichthys parvus

29. April 2025

The genus Sarcocheilichthys from China has the potential to become a new star in the ornamental fish sky. There is a complex of small (6-7 cm) species within the genus in southern China, which are characterized by a broad longitudinal band. The males of all three species develop very pretty vermilion fins at spawning time. The females, on the other hand, develop a long egg-laying tube, as we know from bitterlings. It is not known whether Sarcocheilichthys also spawns in mussels. The fish of this genus inhabit smaller rivers and do not require additional heating if the aquarium is kept indoors. 

One of the three species is Sarcocheilichtys parvus. Even if it is not spawning season, the males give an idea of how pretty they will be. You can find pictures of all three species here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/08-carp-like-fishes-2-barbs-minnows-carps-goldfish-etc/sarcocheilichthys-parvus-2/

Sarcocheilichthys parvus are a pure joy in the aquarium. They are peaceful, sociable animals that adapt well to aquarium life. Any common ornamental fish food is readily accepted, but it should not be too coarse, as the mouth of Sarcocheilichthys parvus is small and made for pecking. From a scientific point of view, Sarcocheilichthys belong to the gudgeon family (Gobioninae) and not to the bitterling family (Acheilognathidae).

For our customers: the animals have code 433753 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Literature: 

An, C.-T., E Zhang & J.-Z. Shen (2020): Sarcocheilichthys vittatus, a new species of gudgeon (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the Poyang lake basin in Jiangxi Province, South China. Zootaxa 4768 (no. 2): 201-220.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Awaous flavus ( = A. strigatus)

25. April 2025

The butterfly goby (Awaous flavus, formerly known aquaristically under the synonym A. strigatus) has a large distribution area along the Atlantic coast of South America. They are found in the lower reaches of rivers in Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia and on islands off the coast. Adults of this species, which is a maximum of 10 cm long, live in fresh water or shallow brackish water (approx. 0.4‰), but the larvae develop in the sea. This also explains why the species is found on islands in the Caribbean. The animals that we are currently able to offer for the first time in a long time come from Brazil.

In the wild, the butterfly goby feeds on small particles that it filters out of the sandy, muddy bottom. In the aquarium, the animals are problem-free feeders, but the food particles must not be too coarse. The males – recognizable by their greatly enlarged mouths, the colourful first dorsal fin and wider dark fringes in the fins, but to be absolutely sure, you have to look at the gential papillae, which are shaped differently in males and females – become territorial when it comes to reproduction. Otherwise these gobies tend to be sociable. However, A. flavus requires a firm substrate for spawning, such as a flat stone, a root or similar. Such substrates are rather rare in the sandy-muddy biotope they inhabit, and the males defend a good spawning site with corresponding intensity. The fight between two males is spectacular: with wide open mouths, they push each other back and forth face to face, not unlike a deer fight.

The numerous eggs are attached to the ceiling of a cave and are tiny; the male guards the clutch. The eggs often hatch after just 13 hours and the larvae are passively drifted into the sea, where they develop in the plankton. As far as we know, rearing in the aquarium has not yet been successful, but has probably not yet been seriously attempted.

The aquarium for butterfly gobies should be sparsely decorated at the bottom and have as large an area as possible. The height is of secondary importance. The bottom should consist of fine sand, at least in some areas, into which these fish occasionally burrow. The water temperature can be in the range of 24-28°C.

We have also made a small film about these fish, which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eiMbj4IoNo

For our customers: the animals have code 209903 (6-8 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Parodon sp. cf. pongoensis

25. April 2025

The Parodontidae are a relatively small group of bottom-dwelling tetras. The family consists of three genera with a total of approx. 32 species. The genera are distinguished from each other by two characteristics: firstly, the number of unbranched rays in the pectoral fin: one each in Parodon and Apareiodon and two in Saccodon; and secondly, the lack of teeth in the lower jaw in Apareiodon and Saccodon, whereas Parodon has teeth there. Unfortunately, the dentition features are not recognizable in living animals, which is why species identification and even genus assignment is often only very vague, as all species have a fairly generalized appearance. The differentiation of species in scientific descriptions is also mainly based on the shape of the teeth. In the hobby, however, the family Parodontidae is only occasionally represented by a single species, namely Apareiodon affinis from Paraguay (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/09-characoids-tetra-relationship/apareiodon-affinis-2/), which is why they are rarely encountered.

We have now been able to import a member of the Parodontidae from Peru. As all the specimens arrived alive, it was/is not possible to identify them precisely. However, only three species of Parodontidae are known from Peru so far: Parodon buckleyi, P. pongoensis and Saccodon wagneri. So we started by looking at the descriptions of these three species, which fortunately are all illustrated. This enabled us to quickly rule out Saccodon wagneri, which was described in 1863, as in this species the dorsal fin is so far forward that its end is still before the base of the pelvic fins. In our fish, the dorsal fin sits roughly above the pelvic fins. This leaves Parodon buckleyi, described in 1887, and P. pongoensis, described in 1942. Both look very similar; however, P. pongoensis is known in scientific collections with specimens from the vicinity of Pucallpa (drainage of the Rio Ucayali), while P. buckleyi is reported much further north. As the Pucallpa region is an important area for ornamental fish collectors, it is quite likely that our specimens come from there and belong to the species Parodon pongoensis. However, we do not have any final certainty about this, which is why we refer to the species on our stock list as Parodon sp. cf. pongoensis (the “sp. cf.” means “not exactly determined, but very similar to”).

Apart from the occurrence in Peru, which is also the type locality of P. pongoensis (forest brook, foothills at Pongo de Manseriche, Marañón River drainage, Peru), this species is widespread and also occurs in the drainage of the Orinoco in Colombia, adjacent to Peru in Ecuador and further south in Brazil (state of Goiás, Formosa, river Água Quente, tributary of the Paranã, catchment area of the Tocantins). The maximum length is probably around 12 cm. In larger animals, the lower caudal fin lobe turns more and more black; this is not yet visible in our juveniles, which are currently 3-4 cm long.

We have not noticed any special features in terms of care so far. The lively animals like to swim in groups with their own kind. Other fish are hardly noticed. The water temperature can be between 22 and 26°C. The water values are unimportant as long as the water is clean. They feed on aufwuchs and can be used as “algae eaters”. However, they will also eat pretty much any common ornamental fish food that fits in their mouths. P. pongoensis is therefore a diurnal algae eater for South American aquaria, a stylish alternative to the always somewhat secretive suckermouth catfish.

For our customers: the animals have code 275882 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Macrobrachium spinipes

25. April 2025

Macrobrachium rosenbergii is the largest and therefore frequently bred large-armed shrimp in aquaculture for food purposes. We have this impressive species more or less regularly in our program for specialists and show aquariums. For the biology and pictures of this species, see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/31-crayfishes-shrimps-crabs-snails-mussels/macrobrachium-rosenbergii-3/

M. spinipes is closely related to M. rosenbergii and has often been confused with it in the past (for the complex name history of the two species, see Shy, Wowor & Ng, 2013). It grows to the same size and reaches a weight of over one kilogram. The natural distribution ranges from Australia to the Philippines. This species has also been in aquaculture in Taiwan, for example, since the 1980s, but for a long time it was not distinguished from M. rosenbergii, although the two species were given different popular names, because breeders, fishermen and traders were well aware of the differences. In 2013, Shy, Wowor and Ng cleared up the confusion. 

Larger specimens (over 5 cm carapax length; the carapax is the head shield in crabs and shrimps) of M. rosenbergii and M. spinipes look very similar. Both are gray-blue in color, M. spinipes has fine yellowish lines on the carapace, which are missing in M. rosenbergii. The easiest way to distinguish between the two species is by the color of the inner antennae, which are bright blue in M. spinipes and reddish or whitish in M. rosenbergii. 

But the juveniles of M. spinipes are spectacularly differently colored, with longitudinal stripes all over the body and a bright red rostrum. We can occasionally import such specimens from Taiwan. They are undoubtedly very desirable, but one must not forget in the initial rapture how large they grow. In addition, large Macrobrachium are real predators that can hardly be kept together with small fish (unless the fish are to be used as food). M. spinipes are also very quarrelsome among themselves. They are best kept individually, otherwise limb losses are inevitable.

The larvae of M. spinipes develop in the sea, just like those of M. rosenbergii, while the adults are pure freshwater inhabitants. The larvae are successfully reared using Artemia nauplii as food. Under aquarium conditions, however, they are unlikely to be bred and reared as they take up a lot of space.

For our customers: the animals have code 485002 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Literature: 

Shy, J.-Y., Wowor, D. & P. K. L. Ng (2013): A new record of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium spinipes (Schenkel, 1902) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from Taiwan, with notes on its taxonomy. Zootaxa 3734 (1): 045-055

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Inlecypris auropurpureus

25. April 2025

Lake Inle in Burma has a high proportion of endemic fish species, i.e. those that are found exclusively there. One of these is Inlecypris auropurpureus, a Danio with vertical stripes on a golden band. The number and shape of the stripes are slightly different in each individual. Inlecypris is closely related to the malabar danio (Devario) and the genus has even been declared a synonym of Devario at times; however, most scientists do not currently agree with this. 

Inlecypris auropurpureus is very undemanding in terms of aquarium care. It is a very peaceful schooling fish that should be kept in aquaria that are not too small so that its swimming abilities can be fully appreciated. The maximum length of the species is 8-10 cm, but animals over 5 cm in length are rarely found in the wild.

The water in Inle Lake is hard and the pH value is slightly alkaline (central part of the lake: pH 7.6 – 8.8, tributary of the lake: pH 7.1 – 7.2). The water temperature during the day is in the range of 21.3 – 28.8°C, the air temperature can fluctuate between 5°C (minimum temperature) and 38°C (maximum temperature) (all data according to: Khaung et al., 2021). Inlecypris can and should therefore be kept in normal tap water; for many species from Inle Lake it has also proven to be a good idea not to heat the aquarium at times, i.e. to keep the animals at room temperature (18-22°C). This has a positive effect on the immune system. 

A good flake food serves as a basic diet; the animals go wild for approach food (e.g. Drosophila) and black mosquito larvae. Such food should be given whenever possible. The animals will thank you with bright colors and liveliness. The sexes of Inlecypris auropurpureus differ mainly in terms of body shape, females are somewhat paler in color and rounder in the abdominal area. They are prolific spawners; spawning takes place on or near fine plants. Inlecypris do not practice brood care.

For our customers: the fish have code 421823 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Literature:

Khaung, T., Iwai, C. B. & T. Chuasavathi (2021): Water Quality Monitoring in Inle Lake, Myanmar from the floating Garden Activity. Malaysian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Vol. 17: 593-608

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

L66 is now Hypancistrus seideli

17. April 2025

The scientific processing of loricariid catfishes with L-numbers is progressing. The confusing variety of forms that some species develop is a problem that is almost impossible to solve, even for ichthyologists, i.e. professional fish experts. In a recent study, a team of scientists looked at two Hypancistrus species from the Rio Xingu, namely L174, which is now called Hypancistrus yudja, and L66, which was named in honor of our well-known and beloved Ingo Seidel.

For the species diagnosis of H. seideli, the scientists decided to use the pattern of markings as the most important diagnostic feature. After examining a large number of specimens from the entire distribution area of the animals (in the entire lower Xingu channel from the outermost downstream part of the Volta Grande do Xingu to the confluence with the Rio Amazonas), they came to the conclusion that all variations (L66, L236, L287, L333, l399, L400, LDA69) can be assigned to this one species. This is largely consistent with the observations of aquarium breeders, who have found that the young of a pair of the same phenotype can exhibit a huge variety of patterns. The researchers also note that H. seideli colonizes a wide variety of habitats and is not nearly as specialized as many other Hypancistrus species. Thus, the diversity of patterning and body shapes is probably an outward expression of different habitats and not a species trait.

The good news is: due to its great adaptability and wide distribution, Hypancistrus seideli can currently be classified as “least concern” under species conservation aspects, in contrast to the highly endangered H. yudja (L174), which we will report on separately later.

For our customers: H. seideli has code 26480-L 066- on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Literature:

Sousa, L. M. de, E. B. de Sousa, R. R. de Oliveira, M. H. Sabaj Pérez, J. Zuanon & L. Rapp Py-Daniel (2025): Two new species of Hypancistrus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the rio Xingu, Amazon, Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology v. 23 (no. 1): e240080: 1-25.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer