Author Archives: Frank Schäfer

Pelvicachromis pulcher Albino

14. September 2018

Breeding forms are like certain foods: you like them – or not. But it is a fact that the aquarium hobby, like all other areas of domestic animal and plant care, cannot get along without breeding forms.

 

The albino of the krib, Pelvicachromis pulcher, is a breeding form whose charm is not obvious at first sight. The animals come mostly adolescent into the trade and are then simply white kribs. Well. Now we have full-grown animals in our stock. And the situation is very different. The red and yellow colour elements remain in the albino, only the black colours have been genetically lost. In reproductive mood, both the males and the females of the albino krib look quite wonderfully!

For our customers: the fish have code 559703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusiveky supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Guppy “Red Smoke”

12. September 2018

Glasbelly guppies do not produce guanine due to a genetic peculiarity – this is the silver dye that makes fish glisten. This makes them more or less transparent, as the guanine normally reflects the light and prevents transparency like a mirror. Mostly Glasbelly guppies are bred as albinos. If the black melanin also falls away, the view becomes perfect.

Not everyone likes albinos and therefore there are other established Glassbelly strains, but almost all are blonde, yellow-red in colour. We have now received a number of Glasbelly smoke guppies from a German breeder for the first time. They lack guanine, but not melanin. We think they are distinctive animals and also very vital.

The line was created by mating a normal coloured male with an albino glassbelly female. The young were all wild-coloured, i.e. with normal guanine expression, so the genes of the father were dominant as expected. However, according to Mendel’s rules, the second generation produced a proportion of glass belly with black eyes from which the „Red Smoke“ was bred. The strain isn’t fully bred yet, but that doesn’t matter. For ornamental fish breeding, it is a well-known fact that the path is the goal!

For our customers: the animals have code 419091 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale. Only available in limited quantities!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Polynemus paradiseus

10. September 2018

Currently we have a really unusual species of fish in our fishhouse: Polynemus paradiseus. The Polynemidae family is almost unknown to hobbyists, despite the fact that over the centuries 96 species have been described, 42 are still valid, and these fish are important food fishes in their home range. Two species of the genus Polynemus have only 7 spines in the first dorsal fin (most species have 8), namely P. paradiseus, a species decribed as early as 1758 by Linné and P. hornadyai, described in 1936 by Myers. While P. paradiseus has a very wide distribution along the whole eastern coastline of the Indian subcontinent to Thailand, P. hornadyai is known so far only from the Malayan part of Borneo.

We have some very charming youngsters of P. paradiseus from Thailand in stock. The fish come from aquaculture and are only 6-8 cm long, but the long filaments are much longer than the body inluding tail fin. These filaments serve as sensitive organs, comparable to the ventral fins of the gouramis (Colisa and Trichogaster). The origin of the filaments in Polynemus are the pectoral fins. Basically speaking, Polynemus inhabit river mouths and prefer brackish water. Maximum length reported for P. polynemus is 30 cm, but only very rarely specimens longer than 17 cm are collected.

These unusual fish should be kept in large aquaria with sandy bottom and as little furnish as possible; they need free space for swimming. They feed on small invertebrates, bloodworm is a perfect food for them. Against conspecifics and other fish, P. paradiseus are completely peaceful, but one must take care that other fish do not nip on the long filaments. These fish need high oxygen contents and are very sensitive against organic pollution of the water. In a long time sight they should be kept in strong brackish water (10-15 g salt/litre) or in pure marine water, although our specimens are adoipted to pure freshwater.

For our customers: the fish have code 443842 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Scleromystax barbatus

7. September 2018

No doubt: this cory from the south of Brazil, where it inhabits cool blackwater brooks near the coast, is among the most beautiful species of cory at all. Sadly it is not exported from Brazil currently. Keeping this fish is usually problem-free, but breeding is due to the high demands (cool, very clean water with a low pH) not that easy. Who is able to supply the fish 16-18°C in living rooms? Even the professional breeders from Southeast Asia cannot supply S. barbatus in a great amount. But of course there do exist breeders who know what to do. So we can offer quite regulary this wonderful fish, but always in limited numbers. Currently we have very nice young adults in stock. They are 5-6 cm long, but for sure they will grow 2-3 cm longer.

For our customers: the fish have code 224014 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hypoptopoma gulare

7. September 2018

The genus Hypoptopoma comprises small to medium sized loricariids. The largest species known becomes about 10 cm long. At the first glimpse they look much alike a Otocinclus, but larger. Typical for members of Hypoptopoma is the position of the eyes. They are placed in way at the side of the head that the fish can look over almost 360° when it sits on a plant. This feature can be found among the loricariids only in Hypoptopoma and Oxyropsis. The latter, however, has a flattened caudal peduncle, while in Hypoptopoma the caudal peduncle is oval in cross section.

Sadly determination of species of Hypoptopoma is a tricky thing, although in 2010 a throughout taxonomical revision of the genus was published.

We obtain quite often a species from Peru which we think is Hypoptopoma gulare. This species has been described scientifically from the surroundings of Loreto where collectors of ornamental fish often work. Maintaining Hypoptopoma is comparable to that of the much better known Otocinclus, but of course the larger Hypoptopoma need more food. So in case there do not grow enough algae in the tank it is necessary to feed the suckers with food tablets or slices of vegetables to make sure they find enough to eat. Against conspecifics and other fish Hypoptopoma are completely peaceful. They are open spawners, the male guards the eggs until they hatch. It is not possible to distinguish the sexes of this fsh externally.

For our customers: the fish have code 262292 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Poecilia caucana

5. September 2018

With an overall length of 3 – 5 cm the Cauca Molly (Poecilia caucana), originating from Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama belongs to the smaller livebearers. Remarkably is the yellow – orange coloured dorsal fin and a violet metallically shining along the body as well as the orange band in the proximal part of the caudal fin in males. 

The water equivalents (pH values of 8,2- 8.6, LF 360 and 420 Mikrosiemens/cm), based on different places where the animals are found in the area of the Rio Cauca, makes them to suitable aquarium inhabitants for the most Central European tap waters. These fish appreciate higher temperatures between 26 and 28°C. 

As an algae eater the Cauca molly is constantly on the search for food. All usual kinds of fish food are greedily eaten. With appropriate care a new generation will appear sooner or later. THe fish we can offer currently are bred ones from Southeast Asia.

For our customers: the fish have code 424713 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusiveky supply the wholesale trade.

Photos: Frank Schäfer, Text: Klaus Diehl

Clarias gariepinus

3. September 2018

The airbreathing catfishes of the genus Clarias are among the most important food fishes that are bred in aqua culture in the tropics. They are absolutely undemanding in respect of water quality and the fact that they readily accept any food as long as it contains enough protein makes them ideal candidates for aqua culture. They are fast growing and can survive for hours outside the water due to their breathing organ. So they can be offered alive on the foodmarkets, where other fish often rotten quite fast due to the heat. Mainly the species Clarias gariepinus is bred that way all over the world where the temperatures allow this. Initially this catfish originates from Africa. The species can effect huge ecological problems where it escapes.

Clarias gariepinus is not an aquarium fish in the usual sense. It is rather dull coloured and becomes too large for that. But it is an intelligent fish, a real personality that can be trained for example on whistles. Many breeders of ornamental fish keep a Clarias to have an opportunity to use deformed bred fishes as feeder fish and so to fulfill the animal wellfare laws.

For our customers: C. gariepinus has code 114854 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Neovespicula depressifrons

31. August 2018

The order of scorpionfishes is as well famous as famed. Without scorpionfishes a real bouillabaisse is unthinkable, without lionfishes public aquaria and marine hobbyists would miss a wonderful attraction, but all members of this order have venomous spines and can inflict very painful – in case of the stonefishes even eventually deadly – stings. Scorpionfishes are ususally marine animals, only one species of the family Tetrarogidae from Australia has become a freshwater species.

Neovespicula depressifrons belongs to the very same family, the Tetrarogidae. The species has a very wide distribution in the indo-west pacific region, attains a length of about 10 cm and is a marine species. But the 2-3 cm long juveniles are found in large numbers in freshwater and so they appear from time to time in the ornamental fish trade. The leaf goblinfish is an interesting and easy to keep animal, but it will not survive in a long time sight in freshwater. It needs brackish water or seawater. It is a peaceful species, but will feed on small fish. During the time of settlement these fish are fed best with live food items, later they readily accept frozen fishfood, too. One should be really careful when the fish have to be caught. The sting is usually harmless (exept one has an allergy), but is can be extremely painful.

For our customers: the fish have code 474001 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Potamorrhaphis labiatus

31. August 2018

The slender freshwater needlefish from South America are much sought for by specialists. Many years only one species was mentioned in the aquarium literature, namely Potamorrhaphis guianensis. This species really exists and is said to be fairly wide spread in South America. But it seems that the needlefish we obtain from Peru currently belong to another species.

There are four accepted species within Potamorrhaphis and after studying the scientific lterature it seems most likely that the Peruvian fish belong to the species P. labiatus. The differences between P. guianensis and P. labiatus mentioned in the scientific literature are not visible in live specimens; anyway, differences in coloration are much more important for us. The most distinctive feature in our Peruvian imports is that there are vertical stripes extending from the lateral stripe in direction of the back. In P. guianensis – judging from photos of live fish collected in Guyana – the lateral stripe is solid and has no extensions.

Potamorrhaphis labiatus attains a maximum length of about 18 cm. Against conspecifics the fish are absolutely peaceful. During the phase of settlement one must take extra care that the fish don´t panic, for otherwise they could heavily hurt the sensitive beak. However, minor wounds of that type are unavoidable and will heal without any complications.

Initially these predators have to be fed with live feeder fish, but well settled specimens accept after some time deep frozen fish from a forceps, too.

For our customers: the fish have code 281544 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Jupiaba sp. „Cherry Spot“

29. August 2018

We were able to import a new species of tetra from Venezuela which does not resemble to any species known to us. According to the collector the animals were collected in small brooks in the surroundings of Puerto Inirida. There are no doubts that our new imports belong to the Astyanax relationship in the broadest sense, most probably to the genus Jupiaba. However, the diagnistic character of Jupiaba – elongated, sharp pelvic bones – are not visible in life fish. But our animals remind in respect of the shape of the body in J. pirana and in respect of the longitudinal band in J. antheroides. Unique in our fish is the black pigmented lateral line organ and the prominent caudal spot which is accompanied by two brillant red spots. Currently the fish are about 7 cm long, very lively and with a slight tendency to panic. The settlement of the animals is so far without any problems.

For our customers: the fish have code 209353 on our stocklist. Please note thta we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

L137 Hypostomus soniae / Cochliodon soniae

27. August 2018

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Astronotus ocellatus Colombia

24. August 2018

We obtained very nice juveniles of the Oscar from Colombia. In contrast to the adults the juveniles are strictly schooling fish. In case of a real or imaginary danger the fish school performs a kind of globe. This behaviour also explains the otherwise illogical attractive pattern. In a school this pattern works as a camouflage, comparable to the wear of militairs.

However, one should not be fooled by the large innocent looking eyes of these fish, which are, by the way, real personalities. Oscars are predators and 5-6 cm long ones will readily take a guppy as snack. So the oscar is suited for community tanks only under certain circumstances. Tankmates must be large enough that they are not taken for food. In case this preference is fulfilled the oscar is on its best behaviour. Compared with other large species of cichlid, members of the genus Astronotus are rather peaceful creatures.

For our customers: the fish have code 632501 (4-6 cm) and 632502 (4-7 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Acestrorhynchus heterolepis and A. microlepis

24. August 2018

For the first time we were able to import Acestrorhynchus heterolepis, which has been described scientifically as early as 1878 by Cope from Peru. Our specimens originate from Venezuela; it was a mixed shipment of these fish and A. microlepis*. A. heterolepis has two dark horizontal bands, thus reminding a bit in A. isalinae; however, A. heterolepis is unique in the genus due to a patch of scales of different size immediately behind the opercle. At that place A. microlepis has a small black blotch.

Our specimens are currently 7-9 cm long; according to the scientific literature both species can attain a maximum length of about 35 cm.

* it is posssible the these fish belong to the species A. apurensis; A. apurensis and A. microlepis differ only in the length of the snout compared with the head length; it is impossile to tell both species apart without comparative material.

For our customers: the animals have code 202053 (A. heterolepis) and 202203 (A. microlepis) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Aphyocharax paraguayenis

22. August 2018

This small, about 4.5 cm maximum length reaching tetra belongs to the most attractive species of tetra at all. The species is very hardy and undemanding and can be easily bred in huge numbers. It is a fish of the subtropical regions and doesn´t even require a heater. In the wild, water temperatures between 16 and 30°C occur. However, one must keep in mind that temperature changes in nature usually take a lot of time.

Sadly the dawn tetra (this is one of the popular names applied to this fish by hobbyists) has one disadvantage: it sometimes bites of parts of fins and scales from other fish. It is still a mystery why this nasty behaviour sometimes appears. But probably, similar as in tiger barbs or flame tetras, the behaviour only appears when the school of dawn tetras is too small. Larger schools of 20 or more specimens have enough to do with conspecifics and usually leave other fish alone.

Another opportunity is to keep A. paraguayensis in a single species tank or only combined with some catfish. For example Corydoras hastatus lives in nature along with the dawn tetra in mixed schools. This is a fascinating look!

For our customers: the fish have code 206512 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Gnathonemus petersii – Peters’ elephantnose fish

20. August 2018

Most often this bizarre mormyrid is kept as a single specimen. This is due to the fact that small groups of this fish most often don´t do well in a long time sight and they can perform mobbing against each other even to death. However, in the wild these up to 30 cm long, but rarely longer than 15 cm found animals form sometimes really large schools. In our facility they are kept in groups of about 50 animals in tanks of 200 x 60 x 60 cm. Here the elephant fish forms schools and shows a schooling behaviour as it is hardly seen in any other fish in the aquarium.

More information on Gnathonemus petersii is provided here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/the_possibly_rarest_fish_in_the_world_lives_in_aquarium_glaser_s_fishhouse_en/

For our customers: the fish have code 133502 (7-10 cm) and 133503 (10-12 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras fowleri Variant

17. August 2018

Corydoras fowleri is a very rare and very beautiful species of Corydoras. The species originates from Peru. It is well known for its high degree of variability in respect of coloration. Our latest import contained specimens that looked very different from their conspecifics. They have a strong golden-bronze coloration of the neck and an overall metallic shine. We simply don´t know wether these fish represent a new variety or if they only show a phenomenon that can be fund quite often among Corydoras: freshly collected specimens of many species show much stronger colours than fish that live already for some time in the aquarium. The reason for that is most probably the fact that the fish in nature often live in very turbid water. When they are put in the clear aquarium water they change in a kind of camouflage-mode.

We have separated four of the aberrant specimens and will report on what has become of them at a given time.

For our customers: Corydoras fowleri has code 229804 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Catoprion mento

17. August 2018

 

Photos: Frank Schäfer

Panaque sp L330

15. August 2018

The „Full Spotted Royal Pleco“ belongs to the very attractive members of the wood-feeding genus Panaque. The species attains a maximum size of about 40 cm. Sadly in young fish the adult coloration cannot become even guessed, they are striped, like many other members of the genus. Only in halfgrown fish the spotted pattern has developed. We were able again now to import some 15 cm long (standard length, without tailfin) respectively 19 cm (total length, inclusive tailfin) long specimens of L330 from Colombia.

It is very interesting that these only halfgrown fish show some obvious sexual differences. A specimen with a yellow stripe in the caudal fin is – accoding to shape of head and body when looked from top – obviously a male, while the most likely female counterpart has only yellow corners of the caudal fin.

Sadly these comparatively large fish caused a kind of sand storm in the photo tank. Even after the water has been cleared there were attached to the mucus of the body sand particles. So please don´t worry, our fish don´t have an ick (Ichthyphthirius), but only harmless sand granules.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 330-7 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively suppyl the wholesale trade. Only very few specimens available!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Macrobrachium rosenbergii

13. August 2018

The largest species of freshwater shrimp at all is Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Males of the species can reach a length of 50 cm (inclusive the long arms), as is shown by the specimens we photographed years ago on a food marked in Thailand. Despite that enormous size the species does not get old. Scientific research found that the shrimps live only 1.5 years. In this time they sometimes wander more than 1.000 km upstreams of rivers and back again, for the larvae can hatch in marine environment only.

Macrobrachium rosenbergii is heavily used in aquacuture in southeast Asia. We import medium sized specimens (body length without the arms 6-8 cm) on a regular basis. Some females of that size from our current stock have spawned now!

For our customers: the animals have code 484554 on our stocklist. Please note that we excvlusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Micropoecilia picta Red

10. August 2018

This extremely beautiful livebearer has been discovered in 1991 by Dieter Bork in eastern Venezuela near Tucupita. Here it inhabits the floodplains of the Orinoco river. Bork was able to collect and export some specimens. Micropoecilia picta is very variable in respect of coloration. However, in contrast to M. parae, usually only one colour variety inhabits a given biotope. Nevertheless it is possible to develop certain strains during breeding in captivity.

The Red Picta is, like all members of the genus, a very demanding fish that can be kept and bred over longer periods only by very experienced hobbyists. Nevertheless M. picta is the least demanding species of the genus. We currently have very pretty young adults of M. picta Red in stock. The fish were bred in Thailand. To show you the extend of coloration these fish can have we added two pictures of fully grown specimens to this post; the remaining pictures show animals from our actual stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 268542 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Pseudochalceus kyburzi

10. August 2018

After many years we finally were able again to import this very beautiful tetra from Colombia once more. This species attains usually a length of about 5 cm, the largest one reported had about 8 cm in length. In respect of the general look and the behaviour Pseudochalceus kyburzi can be best compared with the emperor tetras (Nematobrycon). By the way: the species name – kyburzi – was chosen to honour the discoverer of the emperor tetra, William A. Kyburz of Colombia, at the time a famous exporter of ornamental fish.

For our customers: the fish has code 283802 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Telmatochromis vittatus

8. August 2018

Only comparatively rarely Telmatochromis vittatus from Lake Tanganyika can be found in the trade, despite the fact that this dwarf cichlid – it becomes only about 8.5 cm long – is perfectly suited for keeping and breeding in home aquaria. Maybe this is due to the fact that the fish look somewhat similar but not as brillant as Julidochromis species.

Keeping this fish is easy and can be compared with that of the several Lamprologus species. Like these, T. vittatus is a biparental cave brooder which is kept best by pair. Males become larger than females and develop a small hump on the head. The aquarists dedicted to T. vittatus like it very much due to the fact that this fish loves to feed on small snails. This led to the misleading popular name „Striped Snail Telmatochromis“. However, hobbyists think that a snail cichlid is a species that prefers to breed in empty snail shells; T. vittatus does not usually.

For our customers: the fish have code 576542 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Uca tangeri

6. August 2018

The eastern Atlantic from Portugal to Angola, is the origin of the fiddler crab Uca tangeri, where it inhabits sand and mangrove coasts. We obtain the animal from Nigeria. The to an enormous size grown major claw of the males is remarkable. It is used for attracting the females and for the fight between rivaling males. In their periodically flooded habitat they inhabit muddy burrows, which they leave at ebb-tide for the intake of food.

As omnivores they are not discriminating anything and feed on nearly each organic matter the sea is offering them. With the domestic care, frosted and granulated food can be fed, also different fruits and vegetables. For maintenance it should be tried to imitate their habitat, i.e. a land part with sand and gravel and a water part filled with brackish water should be present in the aquarium. Some hiding places give them retreat possibilities.

For our customers: the animals have code 489603 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Photos: F. Schäfer, text: K. Diehl

Squaliforma cf. emarginata L11

3. August 2018

Among the loricariid catfishes that are known by scientists for a very long time already is this species. It has been described initially 1840 under the name of Hypostomus emarginatus. Since then it has been placed in different genera, in 2001 in Squaliforma and in 2016 in Aphanotorulus, when Squaliforma has been considered to be a synonym of Aphanotorulus. However, that latest act is not followed by all scientists so far, so we are a bit conservative and stay with the placement within Squaliforma.

Sadly the collecting site of the type specimen of Squaliforma emarginata is not known. Not less than 5 L-numbers have been given for that species, all from different locations (L11 from Brazil, Rio Xingu near Altamira, L108 from Ecuador, upper course of the Rio Napo, L116 from Brazil, Rio Trombetas, L131 from Brazil, Rio Tapajós, L153 from Venezuela, Rio Apure). This fish (or very close relatives, who knows) is known currently from almost the whole of the Orinoco and the Amazon basins. As the fish we currently have in stock originate from the Rio Xingu the L-number 11 fits.

L11 can become as large as 40 cm and is known as a very peaceful member of the loricariid family that is very well suited for aquaria large enough. It is also a quite pretty fish!

For our customers: the animals have code 26480-L 011-4 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Channa sp. New Mimetic Orange Blotch

3. August 2018

Along with the yellow-lipped variety of Channa ornatipinnis this undescribed dwarf snakehead was collected. Currently the fish are about 12-15 cm long and seem to be fully grown; however, this cannot be said without some questionmarks. The whole habit and the coloration of the fish reminds one strongly in Channa andrao from North Bengal, but C. andrao has no ventral fins, which are present in the new species.

For our customers: the animals have code 409293 on our stocklist. Please note thta we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Xiphophorus hellerii „Kohaku“

1. August 2018

Red-white, koicoloured livebeares are very hip currently. Usually the commercial breeders do not name their creations by their genetic compostion – like private hobbyists do -, but name them instead with as fancy names as possible. The „Kohaku“ is a white albino swordtail with a bright red patch on the front part of the body. This sport is known for some time already with black eyes. This was named „Marlboro“ and the selection with the red patch on the front part of the body „Tanchu“. No doubt: the albino selection called „Kohaku“ is a real eyecatcher!

For our customers: the fish have code 421273 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply e wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Channa ornatipinnis

30. July 2018

When in 2007 the comparatibly small (about 20-25 cm) and very colourful species Channa ornatipinnis was described from the Rakhine State in Burma the fans of snakeheads were really enthusiastic. Soon after the first specimens appeared in the ornamental fish market. Since then the fish were offered regulary, but only from time to time. 

But: the imported specimens differed in a detail from the fish from the original description: the color of the lips! These are blue in the imported specimens, but yellow in specimens from commercial imports.

Now we obtained, more than 10 yers after, the „original yellow lips“ from a new source. Sadly the collectors do not want to tell us were the fish exactly come from. They are real beauties!

For our customers: the animals have code 409194 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras geoffroy

27. July 2018

For a very long time this species of Corydoras – the type species of the entire genus! – was a myth. Until now it is a top-rarity among the corys. So we are extremely glad that our proofed breeder for special cases, Kurt Jülich, was successful in breeding with wild collected specimens. We can offer this offspring now. The youngsters are still a bit drab coloured, so we are very grateful to Ernst-Otto von Drachenfels and Jürgen Glaser for supplying some pictures of adult fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 230212 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Ernst-Otto von Drachenfels and Jürgen Glaser

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi „Smoke“

27. July 2018

This is a very interesting and beautiful new sport of tetra. One can only guess that it belongs to the species Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi, but there is no other species known in the hobby that fits better.

Two characters make this fish very desirable: the extraordinary strong schooling behaviour and the intensive dark coloration of the body that is contrasting with the bright light head.

We have obtained these fish as bred ones from Singapore. Currently they are about 2-3 cm long, we suppose that threy will become – like the Black Neon – about 3-4 cm long.

For our customers: the fish have code 260922 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sperata acicularis

26. July 2018

The catfish of the genus Sperata can be easily identified due to the black spot in the adipose fin. Determination of the the four currently accepted species, on the other hand, is a tricky thing. Only S. seenghala, a widespread species from India, can be comparatively easily identified, because in that species the eye is positioned in the first third of the skull, at about half of the skull length in the other species. So bony structures of the skull and the foreback must be compared to identify the three remaining species, a thing impossible to do in live juveniles.

We currently could import Sperata acicularis or at least we obtained the fish under that name. But our supplier is very reliable and S. acicularis is the only species of the genus reported so far for Burma, so we have no reason to doubt.

Like all species of Sperata this catfish is a giant. The largest specimen reported so far was 180 cm long, but the usual size is 30-40 cm. As these catfish are very popular as food fish there are intentions to keep and breed them in aquaculture, but this has failed so far in a larger scale. Species of Sperata spawn in pits in the ground and guard eggs and fry.

For our customers: the fish have code 455862 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Myloplus schomburgkii “Big Black Stripe”

23. July 2018

Obviously many different varieties – or do they even represent different species, who knows? – of the attractive pacu Myloplus (formerly: Myleus) schomburgkii exist. We obtained recently very nice specimens from Colombia, which are characterized by the very broad black band over the body. Our fish are 9-12 cm long and only subadults; Myloplus schomburgkii attains a maximum size of more than 40 cm. 

For our customers: the fish have code 270514 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pseudocrenilabrus philander dispersus

20. July 2018

When in 1902 the Dwarf Egyptian Mouthbrooder (Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor) was imported for the very first time hobbyists were really enthusiastic about it. The mouthbrooding behaviour which lasts in that species a good time longer than the first release from the maternal mouth was simply fascinating for our ancestors to observe.

Some years later – 1911 – a similar species was imported. It became somewhat larger (5-6 cm in P. multicolor, 6-8 cm in the new species) and was determined as Pseudocrenilabrus philander dispersus or Brass Mouthbrooder, sometimes also as Southern Mouthbrooder. This species is much nicer in respect of coloration, but as easy to keep and breed as its cousin.

This fish was studied again 1990. The research resulted in the finding that it was not identical with P. philander dispersus, but an undescribed form, which was named Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor victoriae. Since then the same fish swims under both names – P. philander dispersus and P. multicolor victoriae – in the aquaria worldwide. Only very recently it was discovered that a great number of undecscribed species of Pseudocrenilabrus exists. We should wait until the results of that research are published before we should decide how to name the Brass Mouthbrooder correctly.

This is a wonderful aquarium fish with a splendid coloration and a fascinating behaviour. It can be kept very well in planted tanks, for the fish do not harm the plants. Due to the small size the fish also needs no large aquaria. However, one should not underestimate the potential of aggressivness in this golden flasher. One should never keep delicate or sensitive fish along with them.

For our customers: thev fish have code 567002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pterophyllum scalare Santa Isabel

20. July 2018

We received wonderful wild collected angelfish from the municipality of the city Santa Isabel at the Rio Negro. Like many other fishes from that area – mainly discus and Apistogramma – the angels show a high degree of red coloration on the body. The reason for that phenomenon is unknown to us. The water in the upper reaches of the Rio Negro is very soft and acidic. Like all larger wild fish, these angels have their experience with fin-eating piranhas. However, the angels are very healthy and stable and regenerate their finneage very fast. So after a few weeks nothing of the hurts of the wild will be visible any more.

For our customers: the fish have code 699835 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Ctenolucius hujeta

18. July 2018

This genus of South America gar characins contains only two species that are distiguished basically by the coloration of adult specimens (this means from about 15 cm length on): C. hujeta and C. beani. Both occur in Colombia; C. beani further occurs in Panama and C. hujeta in Venezuela. C. beani has an adult pattern with clearly visible longitudinal stripes which are lacking in C. hujeta. However, almost all traded specimens are bred ones and are usually placed in C. hujeta. Maximum size in both species is about 25-30 cm.

A genus-specific feature of Ctenolucius are the strange skin lappets at the end of the lower jaw. Very similar structures can be found in the West African characins of the genus Hepsetus, which are also very simial in the overall appearance. But while Hepsetus are often found in swamps and have an accessory breathing organ via a primitive lung, Ctenolucius are usually found in running waters. So it is unlikely that the skin lappets work as a breathing help, at least in Ctenolucius. However, the sense of these skin lappets remains still unknown.

Currently we have very nice, about 5-7 cm long bred Ctenolucius hujeta from Singapore in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 250501 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Lepisosteus oculatus

16. July 2018

The Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) is a living fossil. Gars live on earth since about 145 million years. Nowadays 7 species still exist, all native to North- and Central America. Gars are predators. They can survive in oxygen-poor waters due a primitive lung that enables them to breath air additionally to the gill breathing. So Gars are often  found in swamps and other oxygen-poor environments.

Some species of Gar are bred regulary in Indonesia. We obtain our fish from there. The most attractive species in respect of coloration is Lepisosteus oculatus. Usually this species becomes 60-90 cm long; the largest specimen known so far was 1.2 m long. The photographed specimens are 10-12 cm long. As Gars become quite tame in ponds or aquaria they can be fed after some time of settlement usually with dead fish from a forceps.

The Spotted Gar originates from the Mississippi and other rivers that flow to the Golf of Mexico. So it is a rather subtropical species and only contingently winter hardy in a garden pond; this should one keep in mind in case it is planned to keep the fish in outdoor ponds. Despite the Spotted Gar is a freshwater fish it is known to enter brackish waters occasionally.

Against conspecifics and other fish too large to feed Gars are usually peaceful. This makes them perfect subjects for public aquaria where they have lived as long as 70 years. In the wild, L. oculatus is said to live about 18 years.

For our customers: the fish have code 848013 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Monodactylus kottelati

13. July 2018

Monos are classics among the brackish water fishes. Much of the aquarium literature about them mentions that these fish can be adapted easily to freshwater. But – what should this be good for? Is it really that difficult to put some salt (10-20 g per litre) in water? If one keeps them in brackish water and at a water temperature of about 26-28°C these racehorses among the fishes will bring only joy for the keeper. Currently we import quite often Monodactylus kottelati from Thailand. This fish reaches a length up to 20 cm and should be kept in a large (!) school of conspecifics. Otherwise they can be very quarrelsome.

For our customers: the fish have code 436242 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Brotia herculea

13. July 2018

The specific name „herculea“ says it all: it is loaned from Hercules, the divine hero of the Greek mythology who had enormous powers. This snail attains a length of almost 10 cm! So the common name „Giant Tower Cap Snail“ is more than justified. The snail occurs naturally in Burma and Thailand where it inhabits rivers with at least partially muddy ground. The species is livebearing, males and females cannot be distinguished externally. The newborn snails are the total opposite of their parents: only 1-2 mm long and extremely tiny! This difference is the more obvious as the close relatives of B. herculea, Tylomelania, give birth to very large youngsters.

Brotia herculea feeds on detritus, which means all kind of dead and rotten material, may it be animal or plant matter. This snail is no algae eater at all. In the aquarium it is best fed with feed tablets. Water plants are left untouched by B. herculea.

For our customers: the snails have code 481311 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Tetragonopterus argenteus

11. July 2018

Currently we can offer wonderful, fully grown Tetragonopterus argenteus from Paraguay. The species attains a length of 8 – 12 cm. Formerly the genus Tetragonopterus was a catch-all genus for small characins from South America. Most of them are placed now in other genera, for example Hemigrammus, Hyphessobrycon, or Moenkhausia. But still the common name „tetra“ for characins is in broad use and tetra is nothing else than the abbreviation of Tetragonopterus. Nowadays only 9 species are placed in Tetragonopterus and only one, T. argenteus, can be considered as an aquarium fish.

For our cstomers: the fish have code 296006 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Microphis aculeatus

9. July 2018

Only very rarely we obtain the freshwater pipefish Microphis aculeatus from Nigeria. The fish belong to the free swimming members of the family and are very attractive. As in all pipefish the male has to care for the eggs until they hatch. The eggs are deposited in a pouch along the belly. So the male can be easily recognized by the totally different shape of the body. Moreover the up to 15 cm long males (females stay a bit smaller) have a pretty red stripe along the back and a nice pattern on the snout.

For our customers: the fish have code 149204 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma mendezi Santa Isabel

22. June 2018

Apistogramma mendezi belongs without any doubt to the most attractive members of the genus, but the animals we currently obtained from around Santa Isabel are even more attractive than usual. Of course the males of that population are as polychromatic as all Apistogramma males are, which means that hardly two males are looking identical, but most animals show a high degree of orange colours in fins and body and also most males have bloodred gill membranes.

For our customers: the fish have code 624784 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Gymnotus chaviro

22. June 2018

More and more species of Gymnotus become known to science. Gymnotus chaviro originates from Peru. Here it inhabits the basin of the upper Rio Jurua. The species is found together with its close relative G. carapo. The pattern of G. chaviro is species-specific. However, there is one usefull feature mentioned in the original description: the anal fin in G. chaviro is grey and black in G. carapo. This enables hobbyists to distinguish the two species, as it is very likely that they are at least occasionally collected and imported together.

The largest specimen of G. chaviro known so far was 27.5 cm long. In the original description (Maxime & Albert, 2009) a very interesting note can be found: sometimes G. chaviro can be seen in groups in the natural habitat! This could mean that this knife fish is rather peaceful against conspecifics and that there is a chance to keep several specimens together. All other species of Gymnotus imported so far proofed to be quite aggressive and could be kept singulary only. However, there are still no published observations on the aquarium biology of G. chaviro.

For our customers: the fish have code 255184 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Myleus cf. torquatus

20. June 2018

Shipments containing juveniles of silver dollars or pacus are always surprise packages. The juvenile coloration of many species is simply unknown and juveniles look totally different than the adults. So we can only guess that in our current case the fish from Venezuela may belong to the species Myleus torquatus.

The smallest babies, about 1.5-2 cm long, are very dark colored and have a light blaze on the forehead. They float through the water without much move and imitate a dead leaf. This can make the keeper pretty nervous, but is the normal behaviour. When the fish are a bit larger, 3-4 cm, they become lighter in basic colour and the blaze vanishes. A diffuse light band over the nape appears and an individually differing pattern of spots and stripes appears. The behaviour differs now, too: the fish become active swimmers and form schools with conspecifics.

If our new arrivals really belong to M. torquatus the adult fish will become about 20-25 cm long with a silvery basic colour, yellow fins and – this is species-specific for M. torquatus – a broad black band that borders the caudal fin. We will keep some specimens to see what will become of them. We are really curious for that!

For our customers: the fish have code 270630 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras sp. aff. sychri Longnose C53

18. June 2018

From the Rio Nanay in Peru originates a species-flock of very similar looking corys. They are distinguished externally basically by the shape of the head and the snout. All of them are very beautiful and suited very well for the aquarium. All have an impressive dark mask over the eye and clear fins. The body is spotted, the number of spots and the density differs individually a lot.

Two species of the flock are described scientifically already, namely Corydoras atropersonatus, which has a short, round snout and C. sychri with a long, pointed snout. Most probably the fish that has the code C97 is a variety of C. sychri. An additional species is the saddle-nosed C53, which represents obviously a still scientifically undescribed species.

This saddle-nosed fish (C53) is by far the rarest of the flock in the trade. We currently have very nice specimens of this rarity in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 240744 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hasemania nambiquara

16. June 2018

This is a very unusual species of tetra. For sure the placement in the genus Hasemania is only tentatively and needs further investigations, as is explicitly pointed out already by the describers (Bertaco and Malabarba, 2007). It was the combination of lacking adipose fin (very unusual in tetras) and certain features of the dentation that led to the decision to place them in Hasemania. However, the living fish reminds one much more in emperor tetras (Nematobrycon). H. nambiquara originates from the upper Rio Tapajós system.

We can offer currently for the first time ever some German bred ones. The species has been introduced to the aquarium hobby by an article of Peter and Martin Hoffmann in the German magazine DATZ 11/2017. During the photo session we observed that there are bright blue scales along the body sides in both sexes, but these are only visible in certain angles of light. If flashed directly the longitudinal band on the flanks looks uniformly dark.

For our customers: the fish have code 255442 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusiveyl supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hydrocynus vittatus

16. June 2018

The systematics of the wolf tetras from Africa remain unsatisfying. According to the most recent literature there do appear two species in Nigeria, namely Hydrocynus forskahlii and H. vittatus. Both are very similar to each other and at times they were regarded to be mere synonyms. However, currently they are (again) treated as valid species. The most important distinguishing feature is the black seam in the caudal fin in H. vittatus, which is lacking in H. forskahlii.

Hydrocynus vittatus is, compared with other species of that genus, comparatively small and becomes „only“ about 60 cm long. Of course this fish is nevertheless only suited for owners of really big tanks. Against conspecifics the fish are rather peaceful, so if one has such a big tank and interest in keeping Hydrocynus it is best to try to keep it in groups. Hydrocynus feed exclusively on fish. Specimens that have adopted to the aquarium readily accept frozen fish.

For our customers: the animals have code 141603 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Neolamprologus tetracanthus

13. June 2018

This species of cichlid from Lake Tanganyika lives in two different worlds. The fish attains a maximum length of about 20 cm; however, in the wild hardly ever specimens larger than 10-12 cm can be found. On the one hand this fish is a typical inhabitant of sandy areas. Here it feeds on small invertebrates. Most wanted are small snails, which are sucked out of their shells, but the species is not specialized at all and readily accepts all types of meat that fit the mouth.

On the other hand N. tetracanthus is a cave brooder and needs caves and crevices in rocks for that. Both sexes take very good care of eggs and youngsters and defend them aggressively.

This explains the sometimes very contradictory experiences aquarists make with that species in respect of aggressiveness. As long as the cichlids are not in breeding mood they are quite peaceful. It makes only little sense to defend territories on sand. But when the fish are in the mood for breeding they become pretty tough, because usually all potential breeding grounds in the rocky area are already housed by other fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 549501 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusiveyl supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon piranga

11. June 2018

Currently we can offer exclusively some top-rarities among the tetra family, all German bred. One of them is Hyphessobrycon piranga, which was introduced in the hobby by Peter and Martin Hoffmann in the German magazine Datz (issue 11/2017) under the unusual name of „Hyphessobrycon sp. non-red devil“. Despite the fact that the new tetra has a lot of red colours it is obviously not identical with the probably still undescribed species that is known as „Red Devil“ in the hobby and that develops inter alia much larger fins. The „non-red devil“ was described officially in march 2018 under the name of Hyphessobrycon piranga. The new species occur from rivers in the upper rio Tapajós catchment. 

The males of the pretty species have red fins, while the females remind one a bit in black neons (H. herbertaxelrodi) or H. nigricinctus. In the wild the fish are mature at a size of about 2 cm standard length (without fins), but in the aquarium they will grow a bit larger. The photographed bred ones are about 3 cm long. The photo made by Peter Hoffmann shows a pair of the breeders.

This tetra is a beautiful, easy to keep and very lively fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 261552 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Frank Schäfer & Peter Hoffmann

Neolamprologus cylindricus

8. June 2018

Among the small species of cichlid from Lake Tanganyika Neolamprologus cylindricus is one of the prettiest. The very obvious ringed pattern makes it unmistakable. In respect of behaviour N. cylindricus is best comparable with the species of the genus Julidochromis. Like these N. cylindricus form fixed pairs (in large aquaria a male may pair with more than one female). The eggs are spawned in caves or crevices and both parents guard the eggs and the fry.

A very typical behaviour of that species is the „stone-surfing“. This means the fish try to stay with their belly as close to the rocky ground as possible.

For our customers: the fish have code 544903 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hemiloricaria lanceolata Red

8. June 2018

It was back in the 1980ies that a brick-red sport of whiptail catfish appeared in the former GDR. The real origin of the fish stays a mystery, but it was possible to cross it with Hemiloricaria (formerly Rineloricaria) lanceolata. The strains that exist nowadays are most probably all hybrids. The initial red whiptail catfish belonged most probably to another species than H. lanceolata (see Evers & Seidel, Wels-Atlas, Vol. 1: 694, for details).

In November 2015 we obtained an importation of wild collected H. lanceolata from Paraguay. It contained a single brick-red male specimen. This animal – along with some regulary coloured females – was given to our proofed breeder Kurt Jülich who succeeded in breeding them! Now we can offer for the very first time brick-red whiptail catfish from that new strain.

For our customers: the fish have code 288524 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, Photos: Dirk Stojek & Frank Schäfer

Ctenopoma acutirostre

6. June 2018

Among the most beautiful anabantoids or labyrinth fish from Africa is Ctenopoma acutirostre, the Leopard bushfish. It can become 15-20 cm long. Its natural habitat is the Congo. It is collected there for the ornamental fish trade in the Stanley Pool region. Here the fish live under the swimming meadows of the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). At dawn  they start hunting. Like a dead fish they slowly thrive through the water column. The special leopard pattern suggests a rotting carrion. Small fish are attracted by the obvious easy food and find themselves eaten as soon as they try to taste it.

Luckily enough it is not necessary to feed live fish. C. acutirostre can easily be adopted to frozen food (bloodworm etc.). They also can be kept in community tanks given the fact that possible tankmates are at least as half as long the Leopard bushfish. So they cannot be swallowed anymore and become not attacked. Leopard bushfish are totally peaceful as well against conspecifics as against other fish. But one has to choose calm species as tankmates, for the Leopard bushfish does not like hectic atmosphere at all!

For our customers: the depicted wild collected fish have code 115003 opn our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Micronemacheilus cruciatus (= Yunnanilus c.)

4. June 2018

This charming free swimming dwarf loach originates from Vietnam. It attains a maximum length of about 3.5 cm. For quite a long time it was placed in the genus Yunnanilus, but currently mot scientists see them in the monotypical (this means the genus contains only one species) genus Micronemacheilus.

These fish are totally peaceful and love to swim along with conspecifics. They are very lively and can be easily fed with any type of ususal fishfood as long as it is not too big. The optimal water temperature can be between 18 and 26°C, the pH around the neutral mark, hardness is meaningless for these fish.

Miconemacheilus cruciatus is an ideal community fish for well planted tanks with other small fish of the southeast Asian region.

For our customers: the fish have code 478013 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Brotia armata

1. June 2018

Currently we can offer several species of the livebearing snails of the genus Brotia from Thailand. These snails are no hermaphrodites like many other snails, but the sexes cannot be told apart from external features. However, Brotia will never become a plague like many other snails do. They feed on algae and other Aufwuchs. Water plants are not part of their diet. In the wild these snails usually live in streams with some current. The water is medium hard, the pH between 7.5 and 8.5.

Brotia armata is a comparatively new snail in the hobby. It is quite similar to the better known B. pagodula, but both species can be told apart by the shape of the first convolution of the shell. This is grooved in B. armata, almost plain in B. pagodula. The species becomes 3-4 cm long. The small holes on the end of the shell are a species-specific feature and not a disease or damage.

For our customers: the animals have code 481310 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Mesonoemacheilus guentheri

1. June 2018

There are ten known species in the genus Mesonoemacheilus. They are small, 4-6 cm long, very lively loaches. All of them occur along the Western Ghats, a mountain chain along the west coast of India, the so called Malabar coast. These mountains border the inland against the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats are a so called hotspot of biodiversity. Almost each small river that flows to the sea contains its own, endemic  fish fauna, among them many loaches and among the loaches Mesonoemacheilus.

We were able ot import a good number of these charming fishes currently. Most individuals belong to the species Mesonoemacheilus guentheri, but there are also some individuals of other, closely related species, like M. herrei and the Zodiac loach, M. triangularis.

One should keep these fishes in a tank with fine sand bottom and some flat stones. Here the loaches will erect small territories. In this tank will occur a neverending swimming, hunting and quarreling. It will be never boaring to observe such an aquarium!

For our customers: the fish have code 429892 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively the whoilesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pterophyllum scalare „Belem Sky Blue“

30. May 2018

In the year 2015 along with an import of stingrays from Belem, Para, Brazil an angelfish was imported that was unknown to us until then.

Already in 2016, in the F1 generation, a few blue mutants with a red iris could be selected.

These blue angels from wild parents formed the basis of the selective breeding we performed; we called the fish „Belem Sky Blue“.

In the second generation were already several very nice fish in respect of coloration, size and finneage development.

The fish exhibit a very strong brood care, both parents take care for eggs and offspring, as is typical for wild strains of angelfish.

Only now the whole potential of blue colours and black pattern becomes visible.

So far the report of our breeder Kurt Jülich. We can offer now this fish for the very first time in good numbers.

For our customers: the fish have code 699893 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Kurt Jülich, photos: Jürgen Glaser and Frank Schäfer

Guppy Endler Red Chest Saddleback

28. May 2018

A few years ago we were able to import for the first time guppys that exhibited a black saddle bar over the back, starting at the base of the dorsal fin. These fish were called Yellow Half Tuxedo (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/brandnew_guppy_endler_yellow_half_tuxedo_en/).

An advancement of these guppys represents the Red Chest Saddleback. The breeder takes care that red pattern appears in the chest region. Moreover, the caudal fin pattern has much developed, compared with the typical Endler caudal fin pattern. We can offer the variety Red Chest Saddleback now as German bred ones. The strain itself has been developed by the Japanese breeder Hiroshi Sugino.

The „true“ females of the saddleback Endler guppys can be recognized by a dark spot at the upper base of the caudal fin.

For our customers: the fish have code 419125 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Indostomus crocodilus

25. May 2018

This Southeast Asian dwarf will never grow larger then 3 cm; we obatined the species recently again from Thailand. The gender difference is very easy to see, for the males have broad light seams along the dorsal, the ventral and the anal fins. Moreover, during breeding time the females are clearly more filled around the belly. The male fish shows guarding behaviour for spawn and fry until the young are free swimming; breeding occurs in tubes, for example pieces of bamboo. 

These are peaceful, quiet and slowly moving fish. Even the smallest aquarium is sufficient for these fascinating study objects. The substrate in the tank should be finest sand and the aquarium should be planted with fine-leafed plants and decorated with small stones and little pieces of bogwood. 

The food should consist of smallest live food. 

For our customers: the fish bhave code 411723 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Mormyrus rume

25. May 2018

We obtain comparatively often this interesting mormyrid from Nigeria. Sadly systematics of Mormyrus are confusing. According to the latest scientific state of the art currently five species of Mormyrus occur in Nigeria, among them M. rume. The shape of the snout is the best feature to distinguish the species. Formerly the fish portayed here was named M. longiristris, but this is obviously another species from Mozambique.

Although there do exist reports of up to 100 cm long Mormyrus rume catches of specimens longer than 30 cm are extremely rare. The size of the species is quite well known, for M. rume is a common food fish in its natural range.

In 2002 Fawole published a paper on the natural history of M. rume in Lekki Lagoon in Nigeria. He collected during the study (december 1999 until november 2000) in monthly catches a total of 225 specimens which were studied for development of the gonads, the size, gut content etc. The largest specimen in his study was 23 cm long, the smallest 13 cm. He found sexually ripe females from 13.5 cm standard length on, the whole year through females with ripe gonads were found so the species obviously reproduces the whole year through. The gut content was a bit astonishing for all specimens contained inter alia plant material.

In the aquarium, mormyrids are usually fed with food for carnivorous fishes, especially bloodworms are a very good food for them.

Nobody will keep Mormyrus rume for its brillant colours. Nevertheless they are are very interesting animals. Like all mormyrids they have a „language“ basing on electric impulses and the brain of Mormyrus is – compared with the body mass – very big. The tank should be heavily furnished and as large as possible. These fish should be kept solitary or in larger groups. Two or three specimens usually are very quarrelsome against each other in a long time sight. Many people who watch Mormyrus rume are reminded on the most popular mammal of the seas, the dolphin. And in fact, if one looks at M. rume from face to face the similarity is astonishing!

For our customers: the animals have code 152005 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Literature: 

Fawole, O. O. (2002): Morphometry and diet of Mormyrus rume in the Lekki lagoon, Nigeria. Revista de biología tropical, 50 (2): 689-694

Pethia padamya wild

23. May 2018

The origin of the Odessa or Rubin barb was unknown for almost 30 years. The first specimens appeared in the former USSR in Odessa. It was unknown for a very long time whether they represented a wild species or an artifical breeding product. Only 2001 the first wild collected specimens could be traced. Now it was clear that this fish is a wild species originating from Burma. Sven O. Kullander and Rald Britz described the species formally in October, 2008. Its correct name is now Pethia padamya.

We currently have gorgeous wild collected specimens in stock. The displaying males belong without any doubt to the most beautiful barbs at all.

For our customers: the animals have code 371114 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Literature:

Kullander, S. O. & R. Britz (2008): PUNTIUS PADAMYA, A NEW SPECIES OF CYPRINID FISH FROM MYANMAR  (TELEOSTEI: CYPRINIDAE). Electronic Journal of Ichthyology. October 2008 2: 56 – 66

 

Poecilia reticulata Guppy Kohaku / Koi

18. May 2018

The red-white albino guppy is a very attractive fish. The females are quite uniform in respect of coloration. They all have a red head and a red caudal fin. In males things are different. Initially they are colored like the females, but fully grown males develop an individually different degree of red pattern on the body; so in large males all specimens look different.

For our customers: the fish have code 419203 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pseudacanthicus cf. leopardus: L 114 big and small

18. May 2018

The L-catfish L 114 is a close relative of Pseudacanthicus leopardus (please see our entrance on LDA 7 for that); currently we have different sizes of the beautiful L 114 in stock, among them (very rarely offered) 25-30 cm long specimens which are almost fully grown and in any case mature and one of the smallest sizes we usually stock, 4-5 cm long specimens. Observing the animals the idea took place to photograph them together to document the astonishing change of coloration that appears in this species during individual grow. We had to be pretty patient until the small fish was in a good position compared with the large one, but finally we succeeded and could make some nice shots.

However, we do not recommend to keep fish of so different sizes together in a long time sight. Despite the large fish was absolutely peaceful even when the small one used the big one´s head as a hiding place one cannot exclude the possibility that big L 114 will feed on very small ones by chance…

For our customers: L 114 have code 26480-L 114 on our stocklist. Currently we have different sizes in stock. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Periophthalmus barbarus

16. May 2018

The mudskippers (Periophthalmus) are among the most fascinating fishes at all. One can observe mother nature´s laboratory and how an aquatic animal becomes a landdwelling animal based on the observation of these fishes.

The Atlantic Mudskipper (P. barbarus) attains a maximum length of about 15 cm and is one of the larger species of the genus. Males can be easily recognized by the enormous large first dorsal fin. However, males are very aggressive against each other and it is hardly possible to keep two of them together on a long time sight. The tank for mudskippers should be furnished as an aqua-terrarium. Females  are somewhat less aggressive. One can compare the level of aggressiveness best with certain species of cichlids, like Tropheus or Petrochromis. Mudskippers are very intelligent and belong to the few species of small fish that really become tame. If the keeper is interested in this the mudskipper can be trained for example to come on the keeper´s hand to take food from the fingers.

We have P. barbarus almost anytime in stock. Feeding them is simple, as they take readily any type of usual fish food, even flakes. A slight addition of seasalt (2-5 g/l) is positive for them, as it helps to keep the pH stable over 8. A lower pH is hardly tolerable for these fish.

For our customers: the animals have code 156503 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Ambastaia sidthimunki

14. May 2018

From northern Thailand originates the dwarfish Checkerboard Loach formerly known as Botia sidthimunki, then as Yasuhikotakia s. As it is a rather small (6 cm) and very peaceful species, it represents an ideal member for an asiatic community tank. There it can be kept together e.g. with small representatives of the genera Danio, Rasbora and Microrasbora. One should always maintain them in small groups of at least 5 animals, since they estimate the contact to conspecifics. In the group is always movement and such an aquarium never gets boring.

 

The water should not be too hard, and in the aquarium should be some retreat areas (bogwood, coconut bowls, bamboo canes etc.) available. For proper style tanks plants like Cryptocoryns, Javafern and other asiatic plants can be used. However, that can be done also with Echinodorus species and Neon Tetras, the Checkerboard Loaches won´t mind at all. In respect of feeding they are unproblematic; breeding in aquaria did probably not succeed so far. Since they belong in their homeland to the protected species, nowadays all traded A. sidthimunki are pond bred and originate from Thailand or Malaysia.

For our customers: the fish have code 405112 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Photo F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl

Hyphessobrycon elachys

11. May 2018

Among the smallest species of tetra is Hyphessobrycon elachys, the veilfin tetra from Paraguay. The species becomes only 1.5-2 cm long (standard length without caudal fin). The charming animals inhabit swampy areas in the Rio Paraguay drainage. The genus Hyphessobrycon, as it is currently defined, represents an artifical assamblage of species which are not very closely related. So the placement of H. elachys in Hyphessobrycon is only provisionally and for sure it will be placed in another genus in case of a revision of Hyphessobrycon. The veilfin tetra is unique by the shape of the anal fin in males, the very long ventral fins in males and teeth structures.

In the natural habitat Hyphessobrycon elachys lives in mixed schools along with with other, very similar tetras and Corydoras hastatus. It is almost impossible to tell H. elachys from these other tetras apart on basis of the coloration. So imports of the species are always a mix, sometimes H. elachys is hardly represented in them at all. So to a certain degree there are always bycatches among H. elachys, but our current import contains at least 90% veilfin tetras.

For our customers: the animals have code 262052 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Panaqolus albomaculatus LDA 31 Venezuela

9. May 2018

In one of the most current issue of the Datz magazine (Datz 3/2018) a new L-number has been published, namely L501. This is a Hypancistrus from Venezuela belonging in the closer relationship of Hypancistrus inspector/L201/L339. It differs from the so far known relatives by the almost unspotted fins and the rather pinkish/orange spots (instead of white spots).

By chance we have right now Panaqolus albomaculatus/LDA 31 from Venezuela in stock, which also have very bright orange spots. The fish are 9-12 cm long, which means that they are almost fully grown. The „typical“ LDA 31 come from Peru and have usually rather whitish spots. However, it is already known for quite a long time that LDA 31 is ahighly variable species (see Wels Atlas Vol 2).

So we decided to take a closer look on our fish and put a pair in the photo tank. They proofed to be without any doubts wood-eaters, as could be easily seen by the spoon-like teeth; Hypanacistrus have pointed teeth and are meat-eaters. So our fish from Venezuela are simply very pretty LDA 31.

For or customers: the animals have code 26480-LDA 031-4 on or stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Sciaenochromis fryeri „Iceberg“

7. May 2018

Many species of rock-dwelling cichlids from Lake Malawi – the so-called Mbuna – live on isolated places. These place are often many miles away from other suitable habitats. This geografic isolation leads comparatively fast to local colour morphs.

Other species of cichlid from Lake Malawi are not that much specialized and can live in a great variety of habitats. Consequently these species can be found all over the lake. Although even in these species some slight tendencies for local colour morphs are recognizable these differences are rather marginal. For example in Sciaenochromis fryeri: specimens collected in the south of the lake tend to have rather reddish anal fins while the conspecifics from the north have rather yellowish anal fins.

The sport „Iceberg“ has been bred by selection. The ancestors of the „Iceberg“ were individual mutants found near Maleri Island. This was more than 20 years ago. Nowadays the „Iceberg“ is among the most popular species of cichlid from lake Malawi. Currently we have very nice animals (6-8 cm long, which is almost half grown) in stock which are full in colour. However, only the dominant male has the ice-blue coloration all over the body, while in subdominant males this coloration is rather restricted to the forehead and the dorsal fin. This is quite interesting, for the initial intention to breed this fish was a simple aesthetic one; now it shows up that this coloration also serves for interspecific communication.

For our customers: the fish have code 574303 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Eirmotus octozona

4. May 2018

The Eightbanded barb (Eirmotus octozona) is a very delicate, slightly transparent dwarf barb from blackwaters of Malaysia and Indonesia. The males are much smaller than the females and sometimes even look as if they were half famished. But this is normal. Besides this males have comparatively larger ventral fins. The fish gets the most intensiv coloration in water that is rich in humin substances from peat, dead leaves and alder cones. Sadly this cannot be realised in photo tanks for technical reasons: the resulting yellow tinge of the pictures is quite irritating.

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

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

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

Lexicon: Eirmotus: refers to the rows of sensitive pores on the head. octozona: means “with 8 bars”

Suggestion of a common name: Eightbanded barb

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sphaerichthys osphromenoides

4. May 2018

Sphaerichthys osphromenoides is the most famous representative of the in southeast Asia indigenous chocolate gouramis. Like other chocolate gouramis Sphaerichthys osphromenoides is a delicate and at least while settling down a sensitive fish. 

It’s natural biotope are shore areas of small, still and slow-moving black water on the Malayan peninsula and Sumatra. As a typical black water fish it needs a acidic, soft water. Because the natural habitat of extreme black water fish is very pour of bacteria the adaptability to the high bacteria density in the aquarium is very low. 

Flakes are mostly not accepted and a feeding with live or frosted brine shrimp, mosquito larvae or fruit flies is indispensable. For the breeding the water-quality again needs to be inceased , but should succeed with a little luck. Interesting is the several weeks lasting mouth-broodcare. The chocolate gourami is no fish for beginners and it should only be fall into the hands of experienced hobbyist. 

For our customers: the fish have code 455803 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: K. Diehl, photos: F. Schäfer

Channa sp. 5-stripe

2. May 2018

This comparatively small species of snakehead originates from the north of India (Assam, North-Bengal). The species is not described scientifically yet. Initially it was erranously reported to originate from Kerala (which is in the south of India). The species is a mouthbrooder and attains a maximum size of 15-20 cm. Due to the origin in subtropical regions the species should be kept at times in cool water. In the wild, the water temperature differs (depending on the season) between about 12°C and 30°C.

For our customers: the fish habve code 409374 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Xiphophorus maculatus Platy Coral Kohaku

30. April 2018

White-red sports in Xiphophorus are pretty demanding for the breeder. Interestingly these fish are all usually born  in a crystal red coloration. Only after a few weeks the red breaks up and white patches become visible. Some of the fish become totally white when fully grown, others totally red, but most of them show red patches on a white background. But every spawn is something like a surprise package for the breeder. So breeders who want a uniform look of their fish wil not become happy with white-red Xiphos. But all others enjoy the variations in that sport.

We now obtained for the first time a white-red sport of coral platy from a German breeder. Coral platys differ from their normal cousins by the stout figure. The Platy Coral Kohaku is as variable as one is used to in the white-red sports of Xiphos.

For our customers: the fish have code 442582 on our stocklist. Please noite that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Caridina dennerli

27. April 2018

When the White Spot Bee Shrimp appeared about 10 years ago for the first time in larger numbers in the ornamental fish trade we all where really enthusiastic about them. Sadly we had to learn that the tiny animals are very sensitive against temporary distress, for example low temperatures during transportation, and die very quickly if their needs are not fulfilled in a perfect way. So the initial enthusiasm changed into disillusion and the shrimps became animals thought to be suited for specialists only.

Now we have German bred ones in stock. The breeder says that these shrimps are not difficult to keep at all. Of course even for these bred ones the water temperature should not fall below 25°C for longer times, the best temperature to keep and breed them is 27-30°C. We are very curious how hardy these shrimps will proof to be in a long time sight!

For our customers: the shrimps have code 481581 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Leporacanthicus triactis L91 Variety

27. April 2018

The tooth-nose Leporacanthicus triactis from Venezuela s a beautiful aquarium fish that has a number of advantages. Besides the very nice coloration it does not become too big (maximum size reported is about 30 cm, but most specimens in the wild stay much smaller) and it is an omnivorous fish that readily accepts all types of usual fish food.

From time to time very attractive individuals appear in the trade that show a reticulated to spotted pattern. We currently received only the seventh specimen in 20 years, so one can really call it a rarity!

For our customers: the fish has code 26480-L091Y-4 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

High End Guppys

25. April 2018

Currently we can offer several High Quality German Bred Guppys. This breeder is specialized inbreeding rare varieties that are offered by pair, which means that the genetically correct female is supplied along with the male. The sports illustrated here – „Full Platinum Albino“ and „Yellow Tuxedo“ – are only two of serveral ones we have in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 419097 (Full Platinum Albino) and 419093 (Yellow Tuxedo) on oir stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Goldfish Oranda 2-3 Colour

23. April 2018

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

Currently we received very nice Oranda 2-3 Colour that were bred in Singapore. These animals are colored individually very different and in all probability they will also change some of their colours during their individual lifetime, which can be as long as 30 years.

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

For our customers: the animals have code 815704 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Micracanthicus vandragti L280

20. April 2018

One could think that this unusual suckermouth catfish – it originates from the Rio Ventuari in Venezuela – represents the juvenile form of a Leporacanthicus, for example L240 or L241. But in fact L280 is a dwarf species that hardly ever becomes bigger than 5 cm. Until now only single specimens appeared in the trade, but our current importation contained a good number of fish; so we hope that a breeder will be able now to breed this charming species and that an aquarium population of Micracanthicus vandragti can be established. There are more than a thousand species of suckermouth catfish, but this one seems to be the best suited one for owners of small and medium sized tanks due to the small size in combination with the attractive coloration.

For our customers: the fish have code 26480-L 280-1 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pangio anguillaris

16. April 2018

The Kuhli loaches (Pangio, formerly Acanthophthalmus) form an important part of all smaller community tanks with a southeast Asian character. Here the small „watersnakeletts“ are cleaning and feed all the small food particles that might have been overlooked by the other fish. Of course the loaches have to be fed also; this is no problem at all for they readily take any type of usual ornamental fishfood. The tank should have at least a patch with sandy bottom, where Pangio love to burry themselves from time to time, in all other respects Kuhli loaches are hardy and undemanding fish.

Pangio anguillaris is only very occasionally available on the ornamental fish market. It originates from Indonesia. This species has no bands like many other species of Kuhli loach, but a salt-and-pepper pattern on a grey to golden (this depends on the light) background. Rumours say that this species can reach a length of 12 cm, but in the wild hardly ever specimens are collected that exceed a length of 5-6 cm.

For our customers: the fish have code 441052 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pethia conchonius Neon Red

13. April 2018

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Poecilia reticulata Guppy Yellow Taxi Glass Belly

13. April 2018

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Akysis portellus

13. April 2018

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

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Guyanancistrus guahiborum L106

11. April 2018

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

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Rasbora daniconius

9. April 2018

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

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

Photo F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl

Apistogramma trifasciata

6. April 2018

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras amapaensis

6. April 2018

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Exodon paradoxus

6. April 2018

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Sicyopus rubicundus

4. April 2018

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

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

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

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

For comparison: Sicydium zosterophorum

For comparison: Sicydium zosterophorum

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

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

Literature:

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

Potamotrygon wallacei

29. March 2018

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

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Symphysodon discus Blue Head Tumbira

29. March 2018

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Corydoras sp. C141 (2)

28. March 2018

We have the beautiful Corydoras sp. C141 – this species is obviously not described scientifically yet – in stock on a regular basis. The exact place of origin is still unknown, we obtain the fish under the wrong name of „Corydoras ornatus“ from Brazil. However, Corydoras ornatus is a different species.

Currently we have some tanks of C141 in show size (6-7 cm) in stock. In one of them the animals came in breeding condition. Wow! the usually creme-coloured dorsal spine got an orange tinge and the membrane behind the dorsal spine extended to a pennant in both sexes. 

The basic pattern is extremely variable in that species. Most specimens have three parallel horizontal stripes on the flanks, but the number of stripes can differ between two and six, quite often the stripes are dissolved in spots. All these varieties occur together.

For our customers: the fish have code 241725 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Acestrorhynchus isalineae

26. March 2018

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

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

Type specimen of Acestrorhynchus nasutus from Eigenmann, 1909

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Puntius sahyadriensis

23. March 2018

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

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

Photos: Frank Schäfer, Text: Izaak den Daas

Odonteleotris macrodon

23. March 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma gephyra wild

22. March 2018

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

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

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

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

Nannostomus harrisoni

19. March 2018

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

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nannacara anomala

16. March 2018

Here we have once more an animal that has delighted already our grandparents. Nannacara anomala, the Goldeneye cichlid from Guyana is an all-time ornamental fish classic. However, the fish we currently have in stock, are extraorbitant colourful. We obtained them from a hobby breeder who obviously spent a lot of love and enthusiasm in an animal that will – from a mercantile point of view – never become payed. But who says that the aquarium hobby has to be lucrative? A hobby should bring joy and satisfaction and who would dare to deny that these gorgeous Goldeneye cichlids bring both!

For our customers: the fish have code 683504 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Symphysodon discus „Heckel Nova Olinda“

16. March 2018

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

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Molly Copper Lyretail

14. March 2018

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pterophyllum scalare „Bicolor Blue“

12. March 2018

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Bryconalestes longipinnis

9. March 2018

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Bagarius suchus

9. March 2018

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hemigrammus levis Gold

7. March 2018

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

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

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Phallichthys tico

2. March 2018

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

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

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

Suggestion of a common name: Costa Rica Dwarf Livebearer

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer