25d. Perchlike fishes (4): South American Dwarf Cichlids (134)

Laetacara curviceps

25. September 2023

Long before the Apistogramma species became popular, another dwarf cichlid from Brazil captured the hearts of aquarists: Laetacara curviceps, the Flag acara. At that time it was still called Aequidens curviceps. For some time it has unfortunately become quiet around him. Now we have once again received beautiful offspring of this small, peaceful and beautiful cichlid.

For our customers: the animals have code 604002 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Wallaciia compressiceps (= Crenicichla c.).

11. August 2023

The dwarf spezies among the pike cichlids have recently been separated as an independent genus Wallaciia (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/the-crenicichla-have-been-reclassified/). They include W. compressiceps, which occurs only in the Tocantins and Araguaia rivers in Brazil. It is one of the smallest, the prettiest and the most aggressive pike cichlid species. Although it only grows to a maximum length of 10 cm, females always remain smaller, the animals should be provided with at least a 120 cm aquarium. Otherwise they can attack each other like small, biting terriers.

The males can be distinguished from the females already from the relatively small size of 4-6 cm by the clearly denser and more intensive striation of the softly rayed parts of the anal and dorsal fin as well as the caudal fin. In the latter, the stripes are either indistinct or even absent. In addition, males have a red stripe in the dorsal fin that is absent in females; however, this stripe is only seen when the animal spreads the dorsal fin.

If you can meet the space requirements of the little ruffians, you should definitely take care of them once. They are beautiful and relatively easy to breed. To do this, let pairs find each other from a group of animals. Like all pike cichlids they are cave breeders with parent family. The requirements for the water composition are easy to meet, they need a pH in the neutral or slightly acidic range, so they are by no means black water inhabitants! The water temperature should be between 26 and 28°C. Dry food is rejected by the fish, but any kind of frozen and live food is accepted.

For our customers: the fish have code 669202 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma allpahuayo (2)

7. August 2023

From Peru a beautiful dwarf cichlid regularly comes to us, which is called “Apistogramma juruensis” on the exporter´s lists. The animals are very similar to A. cacatuoides and to A. juruensis, but can usually be easily distinguished from both by one coloration feature: a black chin spot, which was decisive for the common trade name in our country: Black Chin. The species was finally described scientifically by Römer et al. in 2012 as Apistogramma allpahuayo. It originates from an area near Iquitos, which belongs to the drainage of the Rio Nanay. For pictures of this form see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/apistogramma-allpahuayo-2/

As said, the black chin spot is normally a very good identification mark of the species. Now we have received a shipment of these animals that shows the chin spot almost not at all. Additionally it is noticeable that in “normal” A. allaphuayo the membranes of the first three dorsal fin rays are black in excited males, in the newcomers only the first two. All in all the differences are only minor, but they show once again that in Apistogramma you always have to expect a certain range with regard to pattern characteristics.

For our customers: the animals have code 622723 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma kullanderi

7. June 2023

The “Giant Apistogramma” caused a flurry of excitement when it was discovered in 2009 during an expedition to the Serra do Cachimbo (Pará, Brazil). The discoverers, J. L. O. Birindelli and M. Sabaj Perez, reported on this great fish in various journals, initially under the name A. sp. “Gigas”. Then in 2014, Varella and Sabaj Perez formally described it as Apistogramma kullanderi.

The breeding coloration of adults is very beautiful and impressive. With a good 8 cm standard length, i.e. without tail fin, A. kullanderi in the male sex is twice as large as the many, many other Apistogramma species usually are, which after all are not called dwarf cichlids without reason. The import of A. kullanderi turned out to be a bumpy affair, because in the same area (upper Rio Curua) there is a second still undescribed Apistogramma species, which does not occur together with A. kullanderi, but looks darn similar when young. When importing young animals one buys the famous (expensive) pig in a poke and the disappointment was regularly big, when the hoped for A. kullanderi turned out to be the gray mice of the second species after a few weeks. 

In the meantime there are well established breeding strains of the “real” A. kullanderi and for the first time we have German offspring available in wholesale. The animals still show only a hint of their later beauty, but we present them here anyway. The photographed pair will grow in our show facility and we hope to be able to provide pictures of adult animals in their full splendor and glory in about half a year.

For our customers: the fish have code 623443 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma psammophila

31. March 2023

The two-banded dwarf cichlid, Apistogramma diplotaenia, is one of the dream fish of many Apistogramma lovers. The species originates from the Rio Negro drainage in Brazil. Unfortunately, this fish is also one of the most demanding species of the genus and even minor carelessness – e.g. a missed water change and the resulting increase in bacterial load of the water – is very resented. 

Because of its unique coloration, A. diplotaenia was previously considered to be unmistakable until 2019 when a twin species, A. psammophila was described from the Rio Atabapo in Colombia. In fact, it is impossible to distinguish the two species in the juvenile stage without knowledge of their origin. There is one distinct feature that differentiates A. diplotaenia and A. psammophila, and that is vertical black stripes on the belly of A. psammophila, which never occur in A. diplotaenia. Unfortunately, this stripe coloration cannot be provoked well. It is obviously only shown depending on the mood, but in which mood? Strongly stressed animals fade completely and during aggressive actions the stripes are also not visible or at most indicated. Apparently they are best seen in relaxed, rather “bored” animals. A second characteristic is the shape of the caudal fin (round in A. diplotaenia, lanceolate in A. psammophila), but this is only clearly visible in fully grown males and therefore irrelevant for juvenile determinations.

In any case we are very proud to be able to offer this precious specimen. For the care of this fish we recommend only experienced specialists. It seems to us that the fish, although they are still very small with 2-3 cm and just sexually mature, are extremely incompatible with each other. There are no damage fights, but constant stress seems to be enough to harm the immune system to such an extent that severe diseases occur.

For our customers: the animals have code 626632 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale. Only very few specimens available!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. Amaya

27. January 2023

New catch areas bring immediately new species! That these are also wonderfully colored animals, as in the case of the bright red Nannostomus or the Apistogramma sp. Amaya (also called A. sp. Cenepa II) presented here, is surprising. Because Peru is really well collected! But let’s not be surprised, but enjoy the beautiful new imports! The Rio Amaya in Peru is a tributary of the Rio Morono, which in turn is a left bank tributary of the Amazon, which there, in its upper reaches, is called Marañón. Both the Rio Amaya and the Rio Morono flow not far from the border of Peru with Ecuador. 

The photographed males of Apistogramma sp. Amaya are 4-5 cm long (including caudal fin) and obviously sexually mature. With their bright yellow chests and two-tipped, red-fringed caudal fin, they are truly beautiful. Among themselves the males are quite aggressive, at least clearly more aggressive than other Apistogramma, but more reserved towards the female. Naturally, there is no long-term experience with this novelty, but for the time being we recommend keeping them in pairs or one male with several females rather than keeping them in a group of both sexes.

For our customers: the fish have code 614963 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale. Unfortunately, the animals are already sold out, but we did not want to deprive you of this unusual beauty.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma panduro

28. October 2022

In Apistogramma panduro from Peru (drainage of the Rio Ucayali, east of Jenaro Herrera) the females are absolutely emaciated. They are at least as beautiful as the males, if not more so; they fight as if they were males, and they show marked polychromatism. Polychromatism, or multicolorism, is when animals are individually, not species-specifically, differently colored. 

The phenomenon of polychromatism is found among Apistogramma in males of many species. There are e.g. red, blue or yellow morphs, which all live together at the same locality. In A. panduro on the other hand all males look more or less the same, but each female can be recognized by its individually distinctive black markings.

At the moment we can offer A. panduro in splendid wildcatches and as beautiful offsprings.

For our customers: the animals have code 626203 (wild catch) and 626213 (offspring) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma eremnopyge

14. October 2022

When this beautiful Apistogramma first arrived in January 2003, we were thrilled. At that time we wrote: 

„King Barbarossa lives!

A new, wonderful dwarf cichlid has now been imported from Peru for the first time. The species is still unknown both scientifically and aquaristically.

The species is collected in the Tapiche river, a tributary of the Ucayali river, near Requena. Mr Edgard Panduro named the species Apistogramma “BARBAROJA”, i.e. “red beard”, because of the conspicuous red spots on the face. While in the last time mainly new species and new variants around Apistogramma cruzi and A. nijsseni made the hearts of the dwarf cichlid fans beat faster, this Apistogramma is from a completely different site. It reminds in various respects of A. bitaeniata, which is also one of the most beautiful Apistogramma species. At first sight, however, the new “Redbeard” can be distinguished from all known Apistogramma species by the large tail spot, which has not yet become known from any dwarf cichlid in this form.“

Then, in July 2004, Ready and Kullander described the species as Apistogramma eremnopyge based on specimens collected two years earlier by Oliver Lucanus in the Rio Pintuyacu (drainage of the Rio Itaya), 48 km on the road from Iquitos to Nauta (Loreto Province in Peru).

Since then, unfortunately, it has become quite quiet about this pretty little fish. Sexually mature wild specimens are usually not larger than 5 cm, females always stay smaller, but it is of course possible that the species grows a bit larger if kept in aquaria for a long time. In any case, it is a true dwarf cichlid.

We are very happy to have this species in our fishhouse again after a long time. Currently it is called Apistogramma “Diamond” in the trade, in the past it was sometimes called Apistogramma sp. “Fresa” or “Strawberry” (both mean strawberry).

For our customers: the animals have code 628792 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Dicrossus filamentosus

1. July 2022

The checkerboard cichlid (Dicrossus filamentosus) is the most typical dwarf cichlid in the habitat of the cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi). It is found in Brazil (Rio Negro drainage) as well as in Colombia and Venezuela (Orinoco drainage). Males have a lyre-shaped caudal fin and grow to almost 8 cm long; the caudal fin of females is rounded. Females always remain smaller than males. In the wild, they probably spawn for the first time at about 3 cm in length. 

Females of the checkerboard cichlid that have already spawned can be recognized by their blood red pelvic fins. In virgin animals the pelvic fins are colorless. This dwarf cichlid lives in harem associations, one male caring for several females. The species is an open-breeder, so spawns on the surface of solid objects, preferably plant leaves. 

In feeding, Dicrossus filamentosus (formerly known as Crenicara filamentosa) is unproblematic, but reproduction is only successful in water that is very close to natural conditions: practically no hardness and pH around 5. In community tanks, however, the fry are usually eaten by Cardinal and Co. despite the good brood care by the female.

For our customers: the animals have code 668007 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma agassizii Peru wild

20. May 2022

The dwarf cichlid Apistogramma agassizii has a distribution area that extends through practically the entire Amazon. With many of its genus comrades it is completely different, they often occur only locally and form then also location variants. Agassiz’ dwarf cichlid has so far successfully resisted all attempts to divide it. It is true that some particularly striking colorings are known – for example the “Tefe” with its zigzag pattern or the red-backed “Santarem”. But it is shown again and again that even with these extremes only relatively few males correspond to the ideal picture and with a larger number of wild-caught there are always also normally colored males. And the females all look the same anyway….

The matter does not get easier if you consider that almost every Apistogramma species in nature shows polychromatism (= multicolorism) of the males. So there are males with e.g. a higher proportion of red, those with a higher proportion of blue, etc. Under aquarium conditions one can select for the desired color within a few generations and then get uniform looking strains. But in nature it is not like that.

We have very pretty wild-caught Apistogramma agassizii from Peru, i.e. the upper reaches of the Amazon, in the stock right now. As is usual with wild-caught fish, they are about 30% smaller than their cousins that grew up in the aquarium when they reach sexual maturity. In the wild, there just isn’t as abundant food. But the coloration of the „wild ones“ is really very, very pretty, both the animals with more red and the animals with more blue in the tail fin.

For our customers: the fish have code 614073 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma barlowi (= sp. mouthbrooder)

4. May 2022

The first reports about the brood care behavior of this dwarf cichlid in the early 2000s were a sensation. Mouthbrooding Apistogramma – one had never heard of it before. Later it turned out that things are complicated. Some of the females of A. barlowi, as this species is now called, show quite normal Apistogramma brood care behavior. They spawn in burrows, the male guards the territory with his harem, and the female cares for spawn and young. However, some of the females take the young into their mouths after hatching and keep them there until they are independent. These females are thus so-called larvophilic mouthbrooders. And in isolated cases it even happened that also the male takes parts of the brood into the mouth and takes part in the brood care!

So with Apistogramma barlowi, which originates from the Pebas district in Peru, one can make really exciting observations. It is by no means understood yet if brood care behavior is inherited or if it is a plastic behavior linked to certain environmental factors (yet to be explored).

For our customers: the fish have code 624983 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma diplotaenia German bred

16. March 2022

The double stripe (= the translation of the word diplotaenia) is still a rare occurrence in the aquarium. For successful breeding you have to reach pretty deep into the bag of tricks of water chemistry and the animals are also relatively unproductive. This unusual Apistogramma species originates from the black water of the Rio Negro, where it lives mostly over bare sandy bottoms in larger breeding colonies. With a maximum total length of 5 cm (i.e. including the caudal fin) it belongs to the smallest cichlid species at all.

Like all Apistogramma species it is polychromatic, i.e. there are different color variations within a population. The best known are blue colorings of A. diplotaenia (see e.g. https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/many_fantastic_apistogramma_arrived__en/), but there are also yellow-red animals. The latter predominate in the magnificent German offspring we can offer right now. In addition, we have just a few wild catches in the stock. For more information and pictures see also https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/apistogramma_diplotaenia_en/

For our customers: the animals have code 618641 (wild) and 618652 (bred) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. Wilhelmi

2. March 2022

More than 20 years ago (1999) Mario Wilhelm brought back from an expedition to Brazil for the first time this beautiful dwarf cichlid from the Rio Abacaxis. An alternative name to Apistogramma sp. Wilhelmi is therefore A. sp. Abacaxis. This river, a well known area for discus fishes, belongs to the drainage of the Rio Madeira. A. sp. Wilhelmi is not yet described scientifically, consequently there is no scientific name for the species.

Apistogramma sp. Wilhelmi belongs, together with the numerous variants of A. agassizii, A. gephyra and A. pulchra in the closer relationship of A. agassizii. A. sp.Wilhelmi differs from the other species of this complex, among others, by the much broader longitudinal band and a unique sexual dichromatism: the males A. sp. Wilhelmi have a purple chin patch.

Unfortunately A. sp.Wilhelmi is a bit shy and therefore needs time to get accustomed and to develop the full color splendor. But then it more than compensates the patience of the keeper. For the care of the fish the usual Apistogramma rules apply: germ-poor water, secondary plant materials (dead leaves, peat, alder cones), sandy soil, varied nutrition. With animals maintained in this way, no significant problems are to be expected.

At the moment we have nice offsprings of this dwarf cichlid in stock.

For our customers: the animals have code 630703 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply to wholesalers.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Dieter Bork and Frank Schäfer

Mikrogeophagus ramirezi “Black”

26. November 2021

Black butterfly cichlids have been around for a few years and many breeders do an excellent job on them, so that really beautiful and healthy animals come on the market. We have now received a strain of Black Rams, in which the blue of the scales is limited to the rear half of the body (in many strains the blue extends over a whole body) and in which additionally the intensely rust-red fins are striking. We think: très chic!

For our customers: the animals have code 686833 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Biotoecus dicentrarchus

29. October 2021

The dwarf cichlids of the genus Biotoecus were shrouded in mystery for decades. The first species, B. opercularis, was scientifically described as early as 1875. It originated from the Amazon River basin in Brazil, a well-collected area for aquaristic purposes, and yet the first import was not accomplished until the mid-1980s and early 1990s. The species was considered one of the most delicate aquarium fishes around. Its nice pastel colors and unusual breeding behavior – as sand dwellers, the fish like to build small “castles” for egg laying – nevertheless made it a sought-after keeper among specialists.

In 1989 a second species of the genus, B. dicentrarchus, was described from the Orinoco basin. Preserved animals differ from B. opercularis almost only by tiny anatomical details, which have to be examined under the microscope. Thus one looked with each of the (rare!) imports of Biotoecus very exactly whether differences were recognizable.

Nowadays Biotoecus are everything else than everyday fishes, but by far not so sensitive. The ever improving catching, transporting and keeping methods on site are the reason for this. And so both B. opercularis and B. dicentrarchus, when offered, arrive here in good to very good condition and present no one with unsolvable problems. The distinction between B. dicentrarchus and B. opercularis is very simple: B. dicentrarchus has free, extended rays in the front part of the dorsal fin, so that a “cockatoo” shape of the dorsal fin is formed here. In B. opercularis, all rays in the dorsal fin are approximately the same length.

For care a bottom of fine sand is the most important, in addition warmth (26-30°C), humic substances (from dead leaves, alder cones, peat, etc.) and if possible no or only extremely peaceful company, because Biotoecus are stress sensitive. If you now also do good water care and create low-germ conditions, you will have a lot of fun with the animals.

At the moment we have very nice B. dicentrarchus from Colombia in our stock.

For our customers: Biotoecus dicentrarchus has code 634483 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nannacara taenia

10. September 2021

Nannacara taenia is with a maximum of 5 cm total length one of the smallest cichlids at all. Additionally it is absolutely peaceful and therefore an ideal fish for community aquariums. The species was described in 1911 from aquarium fishes believed to have been exported via Manaus. However, these animals were never found again in the much fished Rio Negro area around Manaus. It was not until 1987 that they were rediscovered in the lower Amazon and subsequently found in several more Amazon tributaries in this region.

Like all Nannacara species the species is an open breeder. It is difficult to distinguish the sexes. It is said that only the females – but this is also due to mood – show vertical stripes from time to time. Unfortunately, N. taenia is so rarely kept that general statements on this subject are difficult to make. Best is to buy a troop of 10-12 animals and just let the pairs find themselves.

At the moment we can offer nice offsprings of this species.

For our customers: the animals have code 684253 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Mikrogeophagus ramirezi wild

1. April 2021

Because of the enormous popularity of the butterfly cichlid or blue ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi), there are mainly offspring and breeding forms on the market. Also the wild-colored offsprings differ clearly from the wild species: they are considerably larger (4-5 cm body length without caudal fin compared to 2-3 cm with wild-caught fish) and at the same time twice as heavy! 

The original home of the blue ram is in the hot Llanos in the Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela. We obtain them fairly regularly from there, although in much smaller numbers than the offspring, because at first glance the wild cousins appear more colorless and inconspicuous, which is why offspring sell much better in the trade. The wild cousins are rather something for connoisseurs and experts.

Recently, when we had jumbo offspring in the stock again, we wanted to photograph a wild-caught male and an offspring male together to demonstrate the difference, but the offspring – probably due to their body mass – intimidated the natural cousins so much that they did not approach each other – the offspring dominated in the tank, the wild-caught hid. That’s why the wildlings remained alone in the photo tank for a while after the offspring rams had already moved out again. After a short time they felt so well there that they marked out territories and showed by their lively nature and their beautiful color, why they became one of the most popular ornamental fish at all!

For our customers: the animals have code 686513 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma allpahuayo

19. March 2021

For a long time this beautiful dwarf cichlid from the basin of the Rio Nanay in Peru sailed under the name “cf. juruensis” or “sp. Black Chin”. Only the scientific description of the species in 2012 put an end to the confusion. 

Great similarity exists to A. juruensis and A. cacatuoides. From both species living Apistogramma allpahuayo (the species name refers to the type locality, small streams flowing into the Quebrada Allpahuayo in the Reserva Nacional Allpahuayo Mishana) can be distinguished by the pitch black chin area, which is only rarely not well visible in very few mood situations.

These are very beautiful, easy-care dwarf cichlids. Males grow to about 7 cm, females to about 4 cm. One should offer them, like all Apistogramma species, preferably germ-poor water, sandy soil and structure-rich furnished aquariums. In nature a large part of the food of Apistogramma species consists of decaying plant parts (dead leaves etc.). The fish do not digest the plants (they cannot do that), but the numerous microorganisms living in the “compost”. In the aquarium you must therefore be careful not to feed too fat, the digestive system of these fish is set up for high fiber food. Wrong feeding (e.g. too much worm food) makes Apistogramma inevitably ill. 

Apistogramma allpahuayo is a black water inhabitant and shows accordingly in soft, sour water the most beautiful colors. The temperature can be between 24 and 28°C.

For our customers: the animals have code 622723 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. Oregon

12. February 2021

The attractive Apistogramma sp. Oregon comes from the wider surroundings of Iquitos in Peru. Don’t ask us why this one is called “Oregon” – we don’t know that either. It belongs to the closer relationship of A. nijsseni, but differs clearly from this species by the bulky body structure, the large tail spot and a group of black spots on the lower half of the caudal peduncle.

This beautiful fish is quite hardy and adaptable, but it has been shown that for long-term care and breeding, very soft water with a pH of 5-6 is most favorable. In hard water with higher pH, the fish first become paler and then start to care. It is still unclear whether the soft acidic water is actually a physiological necessity or whether the animals – like so many fish from comparable habitats – just cannot tolerate the higher bacterial load in harder and more alkaline water.

According to the information available so far, A. sp. Oregon is known from only one forest pool. This does not necessarily mean that it does not exist elsewhere, but it has not been found so far. Therefore imports of the animals occur only in large time intervals, breeders should strive for them.

For our customers: the fish have code 625112 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Literature

Römer, U. & D. P. Soares (2019): Beiträge zur Biologie von Apistogramma-Arten: Apistogramma sp. „Oregon“, ein selten gepflegter Zwergbuntbarsch aus dem peruanischen Amazonas-Tiefland in Loreto. DCG-Informationen 50 (8): 174-183 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma elizabethae

23. December 2020

This wonderful dwarf cichlid belongs to the rarest and most wanted species of Apistogramma in the trade. Nevertheless the animals are not very difficult to keep at all. If the fish is kept under the correct conditions it belongs to the hardier species of the genus. There do exist elder reports on the fish that say the opposite, but we learned in the meantime that the limited number of specimens available at this time led to this erroneous point of view. We currently have medium sized wild collected and fully grown offspring of the “Red Belly” selection in stock. The pictures in this post show the “Red Belly”, pictures of wild collected ones can be found here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/apistogramma-elizabethae-2/

The successful keeping of these beautiful fish requires the basic rules of Apistogramma keeping: clean, bacteria-poor water (this can be settled the most easy way in soft water with an pH between 5.5 and 6.5), diversified food and at least on some places in the tank fine sand on the bottom. Especially the sand is important and the meaning of it often underestimated. In fact the sand is more important than the water chemistry (hardness, pH). In the wild, these fish feed mainly on particles they find in the sand. To find them the fish takes a mouth full of sand, chews the sand and releases the sand through the gill openings. Food particles attach on special anatomical structures on the gill arches and can be swallowed subsequently. In case an Apistogramma can find no sand it comes in a situation comparably to humans that get no opportunity to clean their teeth. This may work for a while, but in most cases sooner or later one becomes sick of it.

For our customers: the wild collected fish have code 618723, the bred ones 618704 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Suggestion of a common name: Elizabeth´s Dwarf Cichlid

Lexicon: Apistogramma: ancient Greek, means “with unreliable line”. It is not known whether the lateral line organ or the pattern is meant. elizabethae: dedication name for Elizabeth Cabot Cary Agassiz (1822-1902), the second wife of Louis Agassiz, who travelled with her husband on the famous Thayer expedition (1865-66) and wrote on the topic later. The name refers to the close relationship of A. elizabethae and A. agassizii.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Nannacara sp. “Crique Canceler”

27. November 2020

The Goldeneye cichlid (Nannacara anomala) is a classic among aquarium fish. Already 80 years ago this species taught the aquarists what emancipation means, because here the female is the absolutely dominant fish. And the female often is only half as big as the maximum 8 cm long male.

Dwarf cichlids from the closer relationship of N. anomala can be found everywhere along the coast of the Guyana countries, where they inhabit the many smaller rivers, which usually flow into the sea without detour. Everywhere these Nannacara look somewhat different. It is not researched whether they are local variants, subspecies or even independent species. From a research trip, aquarists brought back collected Nannacaras from Crique Canceler (French Guyana, northwest of Roche Brigandin, west of Anse Canceler)and bred them, we can now offer these beautiful animals for the first time.

For our customers: the fish have code 684452 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma cacatuoides Yellow wild

16. October 2020

The Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid is one of the most popular members of the genus Apistogramma and found in petshops all over the World. Almost exclusively bred specimens of very colourful sports are traded. These do not appear in the wild.

However, “the” wild form of A. cacatuoides does not exist at all. Like so many other Apistogramma, this one is polychromatic in males. This means that even within one population males can look very different. The biological sense of the phenomenon is not understood at all. But the polychromatism is without any doubt the reason why in so many cases Apistogramma sports can be developed after only a few generations of breeding the fish.

Currently we have wild collected specimens of A. cacatuoides from Peru in our stock, where many males show a particularly high degree of yellow in coloration.

For our customers: the animals have code 617234 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma agassizii „Tefé“

21. August 2020

There are many colour varieties of Apistigramma agassizii. The species – as it is currently understood – occurs in the complete Amazon river area in Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. The most wanted variety is probably the „Tefé“ variety. It is, however, not really proven that this variety really comes from the Rio Tefé, a right hand tributary of the Amazon in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. The trade name „Tefé“ was created at a time when a lot of money was payed for these fish and the people who collected them were not interested at all to share their knowledge about the collecting sites. The only thing that can be taken for granted in the Tefé-Agassizii ist that it is a blackwater form.

The Tefé-Agassizii is as variable in coloration as any other A. agassizii. A. agassizii is a polychromatic species. In the Tefé-Agassizii this polychromatism appears mainly in the individually changing content of orange or yellow in the fins and the neck. But all males of the Tefé-Agassizii have the typical zigzag-pattern on the belly. The females look almost like all females of A. agassizii, but can be recognized by the orange-red seam along the dorsal fin.

For our custimers: the animals have code 614833 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Laetacara araguaiae

22. June 2020

Finally we were able to import once more this charming dwarf cichlid. The fish was known in the hobby under the name of Laetacara sp. “Buckelkopf” ( = humphead) before the scientific description. For more informations, please click https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/laetacara_araguaiae_en/

For our customers: the animals have code 603002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma bitaenata Brazil

8. June 2020

Apistogramma bitaenata is one of the most beautiful species of the genus. And it is known for a very long time in the hobby already. Elder hobbyists will know the species maybe under the name of A. kleei, other, well known synonymys are A. klausewitzi and A. sweglesi. The species has a very wide distribution in Amazonia. It is known from Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. Most often wild collected fish come from Peru. A great number of local varieties is known.

We obtained now very beautiful wild collected A. bitaeniata from Brazil. These fish are not only very pretty but show a very unusual pattern in the caudal fin. This feature is rather known so far from the two close relatives of A. bitaeniata, namely A. paucisquamis and A. mendezi.

For our customers: the fish have code 615103 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma nijsseni

15. May 2020

The Panda Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma nijsseni) was an absolute sensation when it was first introduced at the end of the 1970s. The breeding was successful right away, but it took several years before it was understood that the – often extreme – male surplus observed in the offspring came from too high water temperatures during breeding.

Since this problem has been solved, the panda dwarf cichlid is almost always available as offspring and only very seldom wild caught cichlids come to us. Our animals currently in the stock are German offspring and very lively and stable.

For our customers: the animals have code 625003 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma rubrolineata

20. December 2019

The Bolivian dwarf cichlid Apistogramma rubrolineata is one of the true rarities in the trade. The species was only discovered in 2001 and scientifically described in 2002. The scientific name of the species refers to the seven brown-red longitudinal stripes that this species has. However, they are to be seen in full expression only in certain moods in dominant males. In the normal case, these fish look like on the photos. They are very pretty animals, which we can offer currently as German offspring in excellent quality.

For our customers: the animals have code 628053 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text Frank Schäfer, photos Frank Schäfer & Dieter Bork

Dicrossus maculatus xxl German Bred

6. December 2019

The checkerboard dwarf cichlids (Dicrossus) belong to the most beautiful of all dwarf cichlids. However, they are very demanding concerning the chemical water composition, at least when it comes to breeding. Then they need almost distilled water with a pH value around 5. Any bacterial load is only poorly tolerated. For this reason, Dicrossus are only very rarely reproduced by professional breeders, for the high amount of work required is hardly rewarded in the trade.

Now, however, we have received truly wonderful, fully grown German offspring from D. maculatus. Of course the animals are not cheap, but their colourfulness justifies the price. The males are more than twice as big as the females. One should keep this species, as in nature, in a harem association, i.e. per male with 3-7 females.

For our customers: the fish have code 668514 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Laetacara dorsigera Wild

11. November 2019

Finally, after several years, we received again beautiful wild collected specimens of this charming dwarf cichlid from Paraguay. Males become around 8 cm, females about 6 cm long. The species is very pretty even in “normal” mood, but when they come in breeding condition they get a lilac colored throat that makes them even more attractive!

For our customers: the animals have code 605002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma atahualpa

1. November 2019

Before its scientific description this beautiful species of dwarf cichlid from Peru was known in the hobby as the „Sunset-Apistogramma“. And in fact the body coloration of a female during brood care reminds one in a sunset. The scientific name, atahualpa, refers to the last great ruler of the Inka empire: Atahualpa. He was captured by the Spain Pizarro in 1532 and in 1533 executed; this was the sunset of the Inka empire.

Currently we obtain beautiful wild collected specimens of A. atahualpa.

For our customers: the animals have code 614913 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma iniridae

19. July 2019

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

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

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

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

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

Common name: Inirida dwarf cichlid

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma pantalone

29. May 2019

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma borellii “Opal”

12. April 2019

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma cf. taeniata

20. March 2019

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma regani

1. March 2019

This dwarf cichlid was scientifically described in 1980, long before it was recognized how enormously species-rich the genus Apistogramma is. The exact determination of this species is correspondingly tricky. It is essentially based on the pronounced zebra crossing, which the animals show above all when they are worried. The species is little known in the hobby because it is only very rarely available. We have now received Apistogramma from Brazil which we assign to the species A. regani. This fish is also named A. sp. “Gelbwangen” (= “yellow cheek”) in literature.

The fish have a pronounced colour change ability. A characteristic which only becomes apparent at second glance, but which seems to be very characteristic at least for the variant we have just imported, is the red spot on the tail root of the animals. 

The care of Apistogramma regani is typical for Amazonian dwarf cichlids, our specimens have so far proved to be very robust and healthy animals.

For our customers: the animals have code 628103 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma cacatuoides Double Red

25. February 2019

Of course this beautiful #breeding #form of the #cockatoo #dwarf #cichlid (#Apistogramma #cacatuoides) is not a #novelty, but such beautiful specimens, as those, which we just received from a #German breeder, are a #rarity!

Photos & Text Frank Schäfer

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Apistogramma uaupesi

14. January 2019

Apistogramma uaupesi is certainly one of the most beautiful dwarf cichlids. Adult males can be very variable colored, therefore A. uaupesi got several German popular names, like “Rotkeil-Apistogramma” or “Blutkehl-Apistogramma” (= Red Wedge and Blood Throat). In nature, however, all color variants occur together, so it is not a matter of locality forms, but of an intraspecific polychromatism.

We could just import beautiful wild catches from Brazil. 

For our customers: the fish have code 630423 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

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

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.

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

Apistogramma gibbiceps

24. November 2017

Currently we received once more this pretty dwarf cichlid from the Ro Negro basin. It is a typical company of the cardinal tetra in the wild. The species Apistogramma gibbceps cannot be confused with any other species of Apistogramma when it shows the species-specific vertical bars on the belly. Sadly these bars are not visible anytime. Sometime these fish depict – this depends on the mood – only a horonatl stripe or even only a round spot in the center of the body. The very conspicious bar under the eye is visible only when the fish are in aggressive mood.

As in so many species of Apistogramma these fish show an obvious polychromatism in males. This means different colour morphs occur together in the natural habitat. The most obvious morphs in our current stock are blue headed and yellow headed fish. Experience has shown that it is possible to breed even red headed males from yellow headed ancestors in a few generations by selection.

For our customers: the fish have code 620003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Taeniacara candidi

17. November 2017

This dwarf cichlid from Brazil is a very pretty species. Currently we have charming wild collected specimens in a good number in stock. Principically speaking Taeniacara – there is only one known species, T. candidi – is a very elongated Apistogramma. So the aquarium biology is quite comparable in both genera. That means the fish need fine sand as bottom (at least in a part of the aquarium) and that the dwarf cichlids need caves or comparable places to spawn. The female alone is responsible to take care for eggs and freshly hatched youngsters.

However, there are also several very special and unique elements in the behaviour of Taeniacara candidi which led some dwarf cichlid enthusiasts to the opinion that T. candidi is the most interesting species of Southamerican dwarf cichlids at all. The specimens we currently have imported are still small, so we add some picts of fully grown specimens from our picture archieves to this post.

For our customers: the fish have code 687912 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma bitaeniata „Putumayo“

25. August 2017

Apistogramma bitaeniata is one of the most beautiful species of Apistogramma anyway. But the local variety from the Rio Putumayo in Peru sets one on the top – gorgeous animals reached us last week! The males with their fantastic, large finneage are really breathtaking. The females are a total contrast and look almost under-developed compared with the males. But nevertheless the male´s whole magnificence has only one goal: to impress the tiny females…

For our customers: the fish have code 615353 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Laetacara curviceps

11. August 2017

Quite a long time before the species of Apistogramma became popular in the hobby, another species of dwarf cichlid from Brazil was a favorite aquarium fish: Laetacara curviceps, the flag acara. At these times it was called Aequidens curviceps. Sadly the fish became rather rare in the past years. So we are glad that we can offer currently very nice German bred specimens of this small, peaceful and beautiful cichlid.

For our customers: the animals have code 604002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. Marandu

8. August 2017

We received from Peru for the very first time this new, interesting and beautiful species of Apistogramma; sadly no further information on the origin is available. As the new fish cannot be applied for sure to an already described species, we simply adopted the name the exporter gave to the fish.

Marandu belongs to the closer relationship of Apistogramma moae. A. moae is a member of the A. eunotus complex that comprises several similar species, among them A. eunotus and A. cruzi. Very obvious in A. sp. Marandu are the very conspicious horizontal stripes along the belly and the blueish shining bands that accompany the primary stripe; the latter is shown as a series of single spots most of the time.

Apistogramma sp. Marandu is for sure a very interesting and beautiful novelty and we are proud and happy that we could manage its first importation now.

For our customers: the fish have code 630833 on or stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma atahualpa

12. July 2017

Before its scientific description this beautiful species of dwarf cichlid was known in the hobby as the „Sunset-Apistogramma“. And in fact the body coloration of a female during brood care reminds one in a sunset. The scientific name, atahualpa, refers to the last great ruler of the Inka empire: Atahualpa. He was captured by the Spain Pizarro in 1532 and in 1533 executed; this was the sunset of the Inka empire.

Currently we obtain beautiful wild collected specimens of A. atahualpa.

For our customers: the animals have code 614913 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Wild Rams

28. March 2017

Due to the regularly offered, amazing bred sports of the Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) one tends to forget, how breathtaking beautiful the wild collected fish is already. Currently we have fully grown, wild collected Rams from Venezuela in stock. By the way: wild collected Rams become only about 5 cm long (in males), females even stay smaller, so this species is definitely a dwarf cichlid!

For our customers: the animals have code 686515 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma borellii Paraguay wild

11. March 2017

Recently we received beautiful wild collected specimens of A. borellii from Paraguay. This species is an ideal aquarium fish. In contrast to many other species of the genus A. borellii is completely undemanding regarding water chemistry. Even in medium hard, slightly alcalic water the species thrives well and even breeds. The behaviour of A. borelli is similar to most other Apistogrammas: it is a polygamous species (that means each male breeds with several females), a cavebrooder, and the female has to do the most work in respect of taking care for the fry. However, A. borellii is among all the different types of Apistogramma the one that fits best to human ideals: it is even possible to keep it in pairs and every now and then even males take care for the brood. It is recommended to keep the fish in unheated aquaria during some weeks of the year. This will lead to a longer life in A. borellii and healthier fish.

During the current photosession we observed by chance that the neck-pattern of the fish formes so-called „eyespots“. These eyespots make the fish look by far bigger for possible predators. To the best of our knowledge this phenomenon has not been been mentioned for any Apistogramma species so far!

For our customers: the fish have code 615703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Apistogramma: ancient Greek, means “with unreliable line”. It is not known wether the lateral line organ or the pattern is meant. borellii: dedication name. 

Common name: Umbrella cichlid, Yellow dwarf cichlid

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma elizabethae

24. February 2017

On wednesday we received wild collected Apistogramma elizabethae. Anytime we get such rarities we take an even closer look than anyway on the fishes wether they really belong to the ordered species and if bycatches are among them. Apistogramma elizabethae can be told apart from other, similar species by an unique feature: alarmed fish loose much of their coloration and show two horizontically arranged oval spots on the flanks. This double spot can be also seen under special light conditions in relaxed fish, but it is much less obvious then.

So we took our documentary photos and discovered a male that looked totally different from all Apistogramma-elizabethae males we have ever seen before: it had broad vertical bars on the belly! We selected the fish and two others to take a closer look in the phototank. But here the male didn´t show that coloration anymore. Instead it came very quickly in mood for sexual activities and delivered a fabulous combat with his likeness in a small pocket mirror. These fish are simply gorgeous!

For our customers: the animals have code 618712 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma eunotus „Rio Tapiche“

22. February 2017

Apistogramma eunotus is among the species of Apistogramma with the deepest body of all. The species can be told apart from other, similar species, best by the large blueish spot on the opercle.

We obtained recently very different specimens of A. eunotus from the Rio Tapiche in Peru. They differ in many respects from typical A. eunotus. The fully grown males have prolonged fin lappets in the dorsal fin (not prolonged in males of normal A. eunotus), a well marked pattern in the caudal fin (no pattern in the caudal fin in normal A. eunotus) and the caudal fin has in fully grown males a prolongation on the upper and the lower edge (no prolongation at all or only a slight prolongation on the upper edge of that fin in normal A. eunotus).

Are these difference enough to establish a new species? This is not our decision. There have been some descriptions of new species of Apistogramma recently, but none of them seems to be identical with our new importations. It is very interesting that the newly imported Apistogramma eunotus „Rio Tapiche“ seems to represent a link beween the normal A. eunotus found in Peru and the Apistogramma species of the A.-macmasteri-complex found in the Orinoco drainage.

For our customers: the fish have code 618904 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma trifasciata „Rio San Martin“

14. February 2017

We received very nice German bred specimens of that dwarf cichlid. The specimens are descendants of the yellow-headed population that has been initially collected by the well known dwarf cichlid specialist and ichthyologist Dr. Wolfgang Steack in the Rio San Martin (Rio Guapore basin). He portrayed that population in detail in the DCG Sonderheft 2008 (March, 2008). Our breeder told us that this variety proofes to polychromatic. Among the offspring every now and than also more or less blue-headed specimens appear.

For our customers: the fish have code 630152 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma personata Mitu

10. February 2017

The identity of this dwarf cichlid – it belongs to the absolute top-rarities – is under discussion. It is a fact hat it has been collected for the first time in 1995 by Uwe Werner and company near Mitu, Colombia. The city of Mitu is placed at the banks of the Rio Vaupes. Uwe was able to bring some live specimens with him, but sadly they did not breed successfully. These fish were introduced in the hobby literature under the name of A. personata. Uwe Römer in his book „Cichliden Atlas“ identifies these fish as Apistogramma brevis. However, both species – A. brevis and A. personata – are only very poorly studied, so currently it is not possible to decide which opinion is the right one. We simply named them Apistogramma personata Mitu because they are better known in the hobby under that name.

In respect of coloration this species is not a burner, but very interesting. The ability to change the colours is enormous – all pictures show the very same three specimens, one male and two females. A very interesting fact is that the male shows eyespots on the opercles when it is very excited; in cool moods these eyespots are hardly visible.

For our customers: the fish have code 626484 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in small numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma borellii WILD

22. July 2016

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We received beautiful, wild collected specimens of this dwarf cichlid from Paraguay. The species belongs to the members of the genus Apistogramma that are kept and bred in aquaria for decades already. The splendid males become almost double as large as the females. The peaceful and pretty species can be kept during the summer months in garden ponds or other tanks placed in the garden or on the balcony.

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For our customers: the animals have code 615703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. Nanay

18. July 2016

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When we unpacked these large, fully grown Apistigramma from Peru we thought initially: wow, that kind of Apistogramma was never here before! The species-specific features of the fish are: stripes on the underside of the belly, an orange colored spot on the basis of the pecoral fin, a more or less clearly recognizeable orange zone over the belly, and elongated tips of the caudal fin in fully developed males.

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The research made clear: no, the fish has been here already, and even several times. The species belongs in the closer relationship of Apistogramma moae. The names applied on it were Apistogramma sp. „Baby face yellow tail“, A. sp. „Frank“, and A. sp. „Nanay“. We adopted the latter name for our recent imports, because bred specimens were sold under that cheironym. In captive bred fish the orange zone over the belly becomes even more splendid than in wild collected ones.

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We are very glad that we have this rare guest once more in our fishhouse. They are splendid animals!

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For our customers: the fish have code 628684 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

A cryptic species of Dicrossus?

19. April 2016

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Dicrossus filamentosus, the checkerboard cichlid, is a permanent guest in our fishhouse. The beautiful dwarf cichlids make gorgeous aquarium inhabitants.

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Last week we obtained a shipment of large specimens from Manaus, almost exclusively males. We decided to photograph them due to their brilliant coloration.

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During selecting the models for the photo aquarium two unusual facts became obvious. First: one of the males was extraordinary deep bodied. And twice: there was no female in the shipment that showed the typical red ventral fins of sexually active females.

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Instead the selected female showed two features that were also found in the unusual deep bodied male: the black marks along the side were almost quadratic (instead of rectangular) and there was a small black spot on the basis of the ventral fins (lacking in “normal” checkerboards).

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Of course this can be pure chance. But it is also possible that the unusual checkerboards represent a hidden, so-called cryptic, different species. Since genetic analyses (DNA-analyses) have become so cheap, it has been found that cryptic species, which can be hardly told apart from well known species by external features, but which are totally different from a genetic point of view, are comparatively common.

For our customers: the Dicrossus filamentosus we currently have in stock have code 668002 (sm) and 668005 (lg-xlg) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma macmasteri Tame

14. April 2016

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624624-apistogramma-macasteri-tame-mann1

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It was back in 1996 when Uwe Werner presented in the Aqualog South American Cichlids II a dwarf cichlid under this name. The city and municipality of Tame are located in Colombia in the Arauca Department at the Rio Arauca. Here the unusual Apistogramma macmasteri have been collected. Sadly it became soon after lost for the hobby….

624624-apistogramma-macasteri-tame-mann-droht

624624-apistogramma-macasteri-tame-mann-frontal

624624-apistogramma-macasteri-tame-balz

624624-apistogramma-macasteri-tame-aggro-mann

Now we were able to manage an import of a few wild collected specimens of that variety. The fish are large, almost fully grown. Hopefully it is possible now to establish a stable aquarium population with these really nice animals.

624624-apistogramma-macasteri-tame-frau-neutral

624624-apistogramma-macasteri-tame-frau-droht

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For our customers: the fish have code 624624 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Only very few specimens available!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Teleocichla centrarchus

17. February 2016

Teleocichla
are small cichlids from Brazil. They love comparatively strong current.
The genus is a close relative of the pike cichlids (Crenicichla). The
genus teleocichla has been discovered only late, in 1988; currently 18
different species are known, 10 of them are still undescribed
scientifically. Genus type is T. centrachus; we can offer now once more
some wild collected specimens.

Teleocichla
centrarchus is one of the largest members of the genus. It attains a
maximum length of about 12 cm (males) and 8 cm (females) respectively.
Like in all Teleocichla the air bladder is reduced. So the fish swim
hardly ever in the water column. Very small tankmates will be eaten, but
in general this species can be considered a peaceful one.

T.
centrarchus originates from the Rio Xingu. This means it should be kept
comparatively warm (28-30°C). There are 6 additional species of
Teleocichla known from the Xingu. All species of Teleocichla look very
similar when frightened; so it can never be excluded that also some
specimens of other Teleocichla are among our T. centrarchus.

For
our customers: the fish have code 687933 (4-5 cm) and. 687934 (5-8 cm)
on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale
trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Teleocichla centrarchus

17. February 2016

Teleocichla centrachus from Rio Xingu probably is the most imported Teleocichla. In addition, it is the type species of this kind. As the males have a maximum length of approx. 10cm, you can certainly still call them dwarf cichlids. The females, being mostly only 8cm maximum, are a little smaller and rather soon show a pink belly by which they show their readiness to spawn to the male. Really the care and even the breeding of T. centrachus is not too difficult, as long as you pay attention to the correct nutrition. Because they greedily eat hunks like Krill, Mysis or Red Blood Worms, but they stuff that much into themselves that they will die from it sooner or later. It is better to feed them with small living or frozen food like Artemia (frozen or newly hatched), Daphnias, Cylops or Lobstereggs. The breeding is not difficult, as long as you offer these fish a flat and tight cave to deposit their eggs and if you take care of them in soft or middle hard water. Since they are peaceful to other species and do not destroy plants either, you can thouroughly keep them in a community-tanks, provided that the right nutrition can be guaranteed.(Photo & Text von T. Weidner)

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien, Rio Xingu

Mikrogeophagus altispinosus

29. January 2016

The
Bolivian Ram, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus, is by far less popular than
its well known cousin from Venezuela, the Common Ram (M. ramirezi).
Maybe this is due to the fact that the Bolivian is traded almost
exclusively as bred ones, because there are no commercial exports from
the area where the species occurs naturally? But the bred ones are also
very pretty fish, aren´t they?

For our customers: the animals have code 686013 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma agassizii Tefé II and A. geisleri

7. December 2015

We
received very nice wild ciollected specimens of this variety of A.
agassizii. One must not confuse these fish with the variety known as
“Tefé I” (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archive/dwarfcichlids-en/Apistogramma_agassizii_Tefe_en/),
which is distinguished from all other varieties of A. agassizii by the
additional rows of zigzag-bands on the belly. The variety “Tefé II” is
characterized by a yellow front back, numerous blue spots in the face
and a red seam on the dorsal fin.

Along
with the A. agassizii Tefé II we obtained a good number of A. geisleri
as bycatch. A. geisleri is one of the rarest apistogrammas in the hobby
at all. The small species is difficult to determine (from a scientific
point of view). The charming fish are very lively and show an
astonishing and very fast change of pattern. This is interesting enough
and compensates the rather drab coloration.

For our customers: A.
agassizii Tefe II have code 614773 on our stocklist, A. geisleri
619203. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma diplotaenia

2. December 2015

This
dwarf cichlid is one of the most unusual members of the large genus
Apistogramma. The very slim animals have a pattern of two longitudinal
stripes. This is unique among Apistogramma and makes A. diplotaenia
unmistakable.

Sadly
this species is offered only very rarely. Currently we have both wild
collected fish (see photos) and bred ones in stock. Our wild-caught
males almost loose the double stripes in dominant or aggressive mood and
get a orange-yellow band instead. But all in all in Apistogramma
diplotaenia the females have the trousers on and are the more attractive
fish, too.

For
our customers: the fish have code 618642 (wild caught) and 618642 (bred
ones) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the
wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Biotoecus opercularis

2. December 2015

This fish probably represents the most interesting species of dwarf cichlids from Amazonia. Currently we were able to import it once more. B.opercularis is for sure not demanded due to its coloration. As typical sand cichlids they do not have pop-art colours, but shining pastel shades. The same phenomenon can be found in the sand dwelling cichlids of Lake Tanganyika. Nevertheless well adapted animals are really beautiful. Moreover our recently imported specimens (they came via Manaus) have brilliant orange ventral fins.

However, the aquarist’s interest in these fishes is not due to the attractive appearance of the fish, but due to their unique breeding behaviour. Every enthusiast should have once in a lifetime observed the male Biotoecus building up a hill from fine sand. Once this hill is erected, the male digs a pit and in this pit the fish spawn.

For our customers: the fish have code 634492 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Biotoecus: ancient Greek, means “house of life”. The authors of the genus believed Biotoecus to carry their young in their gills. opercularis: refers to the distinct black mark on the gill cover (Latin: operculum).

Suggestion of a common name: Sandhill dwarf cichlid

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien / Brazil
Verfügbare Größe in cm 3-4

Biotoecus opercularis

2. December 2015

We received beautiful, fully grown wild collected Biotoecus opercularis from Brazil. Formerly these sandhill-builders (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archive/dwarfcichlids-en/biotoecus-opercularis-3/)
were said to be extremely demanding and difficult to keep. Our recent
imports, however, are very, very stout and healthy animals!

For our customers: the fish have code 634493 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis

9. November 2015

Among
the dwarfs this is the smallest: Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis. This
species from Peru is one of the smallest species of cichlid at all. The
maximum size is given in literature with 5 cm (males) and 4 cm
(females). However, this must refer to very old aquarium specimens. Wild
collected ones are mature and fully grown with 3 cm (males) and about
2.5 cm (females). All these sizes are total length (inclusive caudal
fin).

Males
and females look very much alike; males can be always recognized by the
blue spots in the caudal fin, which are lacking in females.

Wild
collected animals almost always have more or less developed black spots
on the body and/or fins. This is completely harmless and can be
compared with freckles in humans. These black spots do not inherit and
can be found in wild collected specimens only. So it is very likely that
they are a skin reaction on a attack of a (unsuccessful) parasite that
does not appear in aquaria. In any case animals with black spots do not
show any difference to animals without black spots in respect of health
and longevity.

For our customers: the fish have code 626712 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma cacatuoides wild

3. November 2015

The Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid is one of the most popular members of the genus Apistogramma and found in petshops all over the World. Almost exclusively bred specimens of very colourful sports are traded. These do not appear in the wild.

However, “the” wild form of A. cacatuoides does not exist at all. Like so many other Apistogramma, this one is polychromatic in males. This means that even within one population males can look very different. The biological sense of the phenomenon is not understood at all. But the polychromatism is without any doubt the reason why in so many cases Apistogramma sports can be developed after only a few generations of breeding the fish.

Maybe the phenomenon is comparable to the situation found in guppys. Here the females always select the most colourful male for mating. On the other hand, the most colourful males will be always the first victims of predators. This is the reason why males in guppy populations with a low predatory pressure are very colourful even in the wild. In the aquarium no predators exist. This, in combination with the selection by the breeder, form very fast very colourful sports – it takes only a few generations.

Currently we have wild collected Apistogramma cacatuoides in stock, which most probably originate from the surroundings of Pucallpa, at least for sure from the Rio Ucayali basin.

For our customers: the animals have code 617203 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

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

Apistogramma commbrae

12. October 2015

The species Apistogramma commbrae is only very occasionally available. The species has been described back in 1906 already and has a very wide distribution: Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. But from this region mainly the close relatives of A. commbrae, namely A. borellii and A. trifasciata become exported. This is not easy to understand, because A. commbrae is a really attractive fish. The males can be recognized by the nice face pattern, which resembles to the “Masken-Apistogramma” (now: A. paulmuelleri) from Peru.

For our customers: the fish have code 616702 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

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

Laetacara fulvipinnis

2. September 2015

Only
very rarely this beautiful dwarf cichlid becomes imported. Nevertheless
it is known in the hobby for quite a long time. Since 1978 it was named
“Aequidens sp. Orange Fin”, later, after the splitting of Aequidens and
Laetacara in separate genera, Laetacara sp. “Orange Fin”. The
scientifical valid description appeared only in 2007, when Staeck and
Schindler named the species Laetacara fulvipinnis. The natural
distribution of the species is in Venezuela, where it inhabits the upper
reaches of the rivers Orinoco and Rio Negro.

After
many, many years we were able now to import L. fulvipinnis. Our recent
imports are large, fully grown fish. The largest males are almost 9 cm
long (including the caudal fin)! Like all members of the genus Laetacara
the fish are comparatively peaceful and do not destroy plants. The
species is an open brooder with a pair family.

For our customers: the fish have code 683304 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Gorgeous Dicrossus maculatus arrived!

26. August 2015

Dicrossus
maculatus belongs for sure to the most beautiful dwarf cichlids at all.
But we hardly ever have seen so pretty specimens like the ones we
currently were able to import!

The
photos are taken from specimens we currently have in stock. The water
in the photo-tank has been coloured with dead leaves to a strong amber
colour in order to make the fish feel as comfortable as possible.
However, on the photos this gives a impression of more yellow-orange
coloration on the body than is extant. But we hesitated to correct this
by Photoshop, for the overall colours would look unnatural in that case.

For our customers: the animals have code 668506 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Crenicara cf. punctulatum Lake Tapana

17. April 2015

It was only quite recently that we were able to import Crenicara puntulatum from Peru. We reported on that importation here: http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/news/Crenicara_punctulatum_Checkerboard_cichlids_part_1_en/.
Now we received fully grown specimens from Brazil with an information
on the collection site: Lake Tapana. These fish differ in some points
from all so far described populations of Crenicara punctulatum.

The males have
strongly enlarged fins and in both sexes an orange spot above the
operculum can be extant. The pattern of the operculum reminds one rather
in the closely related species Crenicara latruncularium, but the fin
formula is identical with C. punctulatum. This new population (or
species) of Crenicara is in any case very attractive.

For
our customers: the animals have code 669014 on our stocklist. Please
note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very
limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma rupununi

4. March 2015

Finally
we were able to import again this dwarf cichlid after quite a long
time. Most probably our specimens originate from Amapá in Brazil. It is
quite tricky to distinguish A. rupununi from A. steindachneri in small
wild collected specimens. However, our recently imported fish are quite
large already (some males are already about 5 cm long). In no specimen
is any prolongation of the uppermost and lowermost rays of the caudal
fin visible. The lyratail of ripe males of A. steindachneri is the best
feature to distinguish the two species; so we think that our new imports
belong to A. rupununi.

For our customers: the animals have code 628143 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma gephyra Bred

24. February 2015

Do you know the difference between Apistogramma gephyra and A. agassizii? No? Well, you are in good company with that! Both species are really difficult to tell apart. They also appear at least in some places together in the natural habitat, so the origin is of no help. Both species never hybridize in the wild. This is the best evidence that they represent really two different species.

The best way to tell the two species apart is to look at the dorsal fin of adult males. In A. gephyra there is a red seam in that fin, which hardly ever appears in A. agassizii males.

Currently we have some fully grown specimens of German bred A. gephyra in stock. They have been bred by a enthusiast who is really deep in Apistogramma. These fishes give the lie to the often heard sentence “Apistogramma gephyra looks like a colourless A. agassizii”, for – as you can see from the pictures – these A. gephyra are really beautiful fishes!

Keeping Apistogramma gephyra is problem-free. Only for breeding purposes it is often necessary to use very soft, acidic water. Like all Apistogramma species A. gephyra needs a gravel in the tank that is composed at least in some places of fine sand.

For our customers: the animals have code 619513 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm 4-8

Apistogramma viejita Variety II

18. February 2015

Apistogramma
viejita originates from Colombia. However, in the ornamental fish trade
almost exclusively bred specimens can be found. There do exist several
varieties even in the wild, which differ mainly in coloration
(especially the content of red is very different), but also in respect
of the development of the dorsal and caudal fins. Sadly the varieties
with the best developed fins usually have the least content of red
coloration. The variety from Puerto Gaitan (found in the Rio Manacacias,
an affluent of the Rio Meta, here is the type locality of A. viejita)
is a good example: gorgeous fins, but dull colours.

Colour
variety II of Apistogramma viejita has the biggest content of red
colours. The breeders also select for red and this is how the
breathtaking specimens have been developed which we can offer currently
in show size. Even the females look great, but they reach only half of
the size of the males.

For our customers: the fish have code 630604 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma baenschi (= Inka I)

10. February 2015

Apistogramma
baenschi from Peru is for sure among the most beautiful species of
dwarf cichlid. The male combines splendid colours (especially the
wonderful caudal fin) with a fantastic high dorsal fin and the female is
also a real eyecatcher due to its unique tiger pattern. Currently we
have both wild collected and bred specimens in stock (the photos are
taken from our bred specimens).

For
our customers: the fish have code 628813 (wild) and 628823 (bred) on
our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale
trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. Diamond Face

4. February 2015

We
received some German bred specimens of that rare Apistogramma from one
of our breeders currently. Initially this fish was imported in 2009 It
was said to originate from the Rio Jutai in Brazil, a left hand affluent
to the Amazon river (which is called Solimoes there). Since then to the
best of our knowledge no additional specimens have been imported. The
fish is present only in the tanks a few specialized hobbyists now.

For our customers: the fish have code 618604 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Dicrossus maculatus – Checkerboard cichlids part 3

26. January 2015

This splendid dwarf cichlid is known to science since
1875, but almost never found in home aquaria. This is a great pity,
because there are hardly any species that are as beautiful as this one
and simultaneously as peaceful! Males become around 9 cm long, females
about 6 cm.

The animals we currently have in stock originate from
the rio Tapajós basin in Brazil. In contrast to its close relative
Dicrossus filamentosus (the only member of the genus that is almost
permanently available in the trade), D. maculatus is said to prefer
white water. However, this has no meaning for the maintenance of D.
maculatus in the aquarium. By far of more importance for a successful
keeping than hardness and pH are a low level of bacteria in the tank and
a gravel composed of fine sand.


However,
if one wants to breed this species, almost distilled water
(conductivity less than 50 µS/cm) and a pH below 5.5 is necessary, for
otherwise the eggs cannot be fertilized and develop. Like all other
checkerboard cichlids D. maculatus is polygamous. This means one male
mates with several females. The female alone takes care for spawn and
offspring.

For our
customers: the fish have code 668504 (large) and 668506 (xlg) on our
stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Frank Schäfer and Aqualog archieves

Dicrossus foirni (= sp. Rio Negro): checkerboard cichlids, part 2

26. January 2015

Finally
Dicrossus foirni is available again! This extremely rarely imported
dwarf cichlid was formerly known in the hobby under the name of
Dicrossus sp. “Rio Negro”. These fish are a real eyecatcher when fully
grown. Keeping this jewel is not complicated at all, but for breeding
extreme water conditions are necessary (pH below 5, hardness practically
zero), for otherwise the spawn will not develop. A little movie about
that species can be found on our facbook-site: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1430331670514501&set=vb.119893808211837&type=3&theater

For our customers: the animals have code 668802 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Ursula Glaser-Dreyer, Frank Schäfer

Crenicara punctulatum – Checkerboard cichlids, part 1

26. January 2015

Currently
we have several species of checkerboard cichlids (genera Crenicara and
Dicrossus) in stock. Most of them are real rarities in the hobby, among
them Crenicara punctulatum. We obtained this pretty species from Peru.

Males
of Crenicara punctulatum can attain a maximum length of about 12 cm, so
this species is not a dwarf cichlid in the strict sense. But as this
species is very peaceful the fact that they grow to a bit larger size
doesn´t matter too much. Crenicara punctulatum belongs to the very few
species of freshwater fish that can change the sex.  As far as it is
known, all newborn specimens are females. One can recognize sexually
active females easily by the bright orange ventral fins. If no male is
present in the tank, the strongest female will change from a functional
female to a functional male. This phenomenon is very common in marine
coral fish and known under the term of “protogynous hermaphrodism”.

Keeping
Crenicara punctulatum is pretty easy. However, these fish need a larger
place filled with fine sand in the tank. This sand is checked for food
day-in and day-out. The species is an open brooder. Males mate with
several females. The male has to defend the territory while the females
look for the eggs and offspring.

For
our customers: the fish have code 669003 on our stocklist. Please note
that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited
numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma agassizii Tefé

13. October 2014

We received extremely beautiful wild collect specimens of this most desirable variety of Apistogramma agassizii. The fish show the stripes on the belly, which are so characteristic for the Tefé-variety and additionally they have the yellowish-reddish back of the Santarém-variety. Gorgeous!

For our customers: the fish have code 614772 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Apistogramma: ancient Greek, means “with unreliable line”. It is not known wether the lateral line organ or the pattern is meant.

agassizii: dedication name for Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz (1807-1873), an important naturalist.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft B
Verfügbare Größe in cm 4-6

Ivanacara (= Nannacara) adoketa

18. June 2014

Finally
we could import again some wild collected specimens of this
breathtaking beautiful dwarf cichlid. The fish are very lively and have
very nice colours. All pictures were made in our fishhouse and show our
current stock!

Moreover we can offer German bred ones.

For more informations on Ivanacara adoketa see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archive/dwarfcichlids-en/Nannacara_adoketa_en/ and http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archive/dwarfcichlids-en/Nannacara_adoketa_2_en/



For
our customers: the animals have code 683474 (wild collected, 4-6 cm)
and 683481 (bred specimens, 3-4 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that
we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Teleocichla proselytus

7. May 2014

We received this very rarely offered
dwarf cichlid from the Rio Tapajós in Brazil. Like in the humphead
cichlids of the genus Steatocranus in Africa, Teleocichla have a reduced
swimming bladder; because of that they exclusively live near the
bottom. Our specimens have very nice orange colours in the fins.

For our customers: the fish have code 688052 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma cacatuoides Mega Orange

1. April 2014

An
orange sport of the cockatoo dwarf cichlid is already known for quite a
long time. But now we received for the first time a new strain that has
really wonderful orange coloration. The breeder calls it “Mega Orange” –
and we agree!

For
our customers: the fish have code 617343 on our stocklist. Please note
that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very
limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. Xingu / Vielfleck

14. March 2014

We received wonderful, fully grown bred specimens of this beautiful dwarf cichlid. The species is still undescribed scientifically.

For our customers: the animals have code 628744 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma urteagai

17. February 2014

This pretty dwarf cichlid from the Madre de Dios region in Peru is offered only very occasionally. The species is quite undemanding and thus a perfect subject for beginners who want to collect first experiences in keeping and breeding dwarf cichlids. A. urteagai does not require any special water conditions, this is another advantage of the species.

For our customers: the fish have code 630433 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Apistogramma: ancient Greek, means “with unreliable line”. It is not known wether the lateral line organ or the pattern is meant. urteagai: dedication name for Urteaga Cavero, one of the discoverers of the species.

Suggestion of a common name: Madre de Dios dwarf cichlid

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Text & Photo: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma uaupesi

17. February 2014

This is without any doubts one of the most attractive dwarf cichlids. Fully grown males show a very variable coloration, a fact that led to different common names in the past, like “Rotkeil-Apistogramma” (which means “Red-Wedge-Apistogramma”) or “Blutkehl-Apistogramma” (which means “Blood-Throat-Apistogramma”). However, according to most current knowledge, all these varieties appear in the wild together and do not represent different local varieties.

Currently we can offer wonderful, fully grown bred ones and very healthy, half grown wild collected ones. The bred ones have code 630404, the wild ones 630412 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Ram Electric Blue Orange Head

18. September 2013

We received a small number of German bred specimens of this spectacular new sport.

For our customers: the animals have code 686752 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Biotoecus dicentrarchus

17. September 2013

We have very nice, healthy specimens of this extremely rare dwarf cichlid from Venezuela in stock. For more information, please see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/news/Biotoecus_special_en/


For our customers: the fish have code 634483 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma agassizii Super Fire Red

27. August 2013

We received extraordinary beautiful specimens of this sport. Available in limited numbers only!

For our customers: the animals have code 614883 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. STEEL BLUE

27. August 2013

We received German bred ones of this magnificent Apistogramma. Very colorful!

For our customers: the fish have code 628613 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Frank Schäfer, Rainer Hoyer

Laetacara araguaiae

31. July 2013

Finally we were able to import once more this charming dwarf cichlid. The fish was known in the hobby under the name of Laetacara sp. “Buckelkopf” ( = humphead) before the scientific description. For more informations, please click http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/news/Laetacara_araguaiae_en/

For our customers: the animals have code 603002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. Masken has been described as Apistogramma paulmuelleri

17. June 2013

Currently more than 80 species of Apistogramma are described and scientifically accepted. About 60 additional species are already known, but not described scientifically. A pretty species of Apistogramma has been imported from Peru since the middle of the 1980ies. Due to the nice pattern of red and blue colours in the face, the species has been given the provisionally name Apistogramma sp. Masken (the German term Masken means mask).

The species seems to be restricted to the Departamento Loreto in Peru, where it lives in soft (6-149 µS/cm), acidic (pH 4.5 – 5.6) and warm (25-30°C), clear water. However, the species has proofed to be quite adaptable in aquaria and can be kept and bred under variable conditions. Males attain a total length of about 6 cm, females of about 4 cm.

Currently we have very nice wild collected specimens of Apistogramma paulmuelleri in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 628733 on our stocklist. Please note that we we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Apistogramma: ancient Greek, means “with unreliable line”. It is not known wether the lateral line organ or the pattern is meant. paulmuelleri: dedication name for the biogeographer Paul Müller (1940 – 2010).

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Biotoecus special

8. May 2013

For the first time ever we can offer both species of Biotoecus that have been described scientifically so far at the same time! Both species are among the rarest fish in the trade and this is the reason why it is so remarkable to have both of them in stock. Moreover, we can offer for the first time the population of Biotoecus opercularis from the Rio Curua.

Biotoecus for sure are not demanded due to their coloration. As typical sand cichlids they do not have pop-art colours, but shining pastel shades. The same phenomenon can be found in the sand dwelling cichlids from Lake Tanganyika. Nevertheless well adapted animals are really beautiful.

However, the aquarist’s interest in these fishes is not due to the attractive appearance of the fish, but due to their unique breeding behaviour. Every enthusiast should have once in a lifetime observed the male Biotoecus building up a hill from fine sand. Once this hill is erected, the male digs a pit and in this pit the fish spawn.

Biotoecus dicentrarchus originates from the Orinoco drainage in Venezuela. Our specimens are still comparably small, but as can be seen on the photos from our supplier they will become very nice when fully grown. B. dicentrarchus are even rarer in the trade than B. opercularis.

Regarding aquarium maintenance and breeding both species differ hardly. One should keep them in soft and acidic water at temperatures of around 24°C (slightly higher for breeding). The bottom in the tank must, however, be composed at least partially from sand. Biotoecus are very peaceful animals, even against small other species, and feed readily on any type of usual fishfood. Males and females can be best told apart by comparing the shape of the ventral fins (larger and more colorful in males). Moreover, females stay much smaller (3-4 cm) than males (5-6 cm).

For more informations and pictures of B. opercularis from the vicinity of Manaus, please see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/biotoecus-opercularis_de_1230.html

For our customers: B. opercularis “Curua” has code 624492, B. dicentrarchus code 634483 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Both species are available in very limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma paucisquamis and A. mendezi

3. May 2013

Apistogramma mendezi

Although Apistogramma mendezi can be imported only occasionally and is also rarely bred the beautiful species is known to develop a great number of local varieties. Additionally males of the very same local population show a high degree of polychromatism. The term polychromatism means that animals can show a differing individual colour pattern which leads to the observation that different colored animals can be found together.

Currently we have a very attractive morph of A. mendezi in stock. The caudal fin of the fish has broad, longitudinal stripes in the lower part and round spots in the upper. Moreover the so called “belly stripe” below the lateral stripe is very distinctive in this population. It is very likely that this contrasting pattern is a result of the necessity that the females have to recognize the males of their own species. For our population of A. mendezi lives along with (= syntopically) the following, very similar species:

Apistogramma paucisquamis

This dwarf cichlid also lives in the dead leaves along the shores of blackwater streams as A. mendezi does. Usually these very similar species of Apistoramma live in geografically distinct areas. But it was suspected already for a long time that A. mendezi and A. paucisquamis could live syntopically in some regions eastern from Barcelos in the Rio Negro. Our specimes were imported mixed, so we think that they live together in the wild.

As in most cichlids, the females of Apistogramma choose the males and not the other way round. If similar species occur together, this leads usually to the fact that the males have to have a very distinct coloration, for otherwise the females cannot choose the correct males. In Apistogramma paucisquamis the males are characterized by the vertically striped caudal fin.

One might think the the fish do look very different, based on the pictures in this newsletter. But this misleads in so far, as the fish look very much alike when frightened or in neutral mood.

Like all Apistogramma species these two attractive dwarf cichlids need clean, germ-poor water and a bottom of fine sand . Hardness an pH are of lesser interest as long as the fish should be kept only, but for breeding attempts they need extremely soft and acidic water. Especially males of A. mendezi are quite gruff against the females, so the breeding tank should be rather large. Regarding food both species are undemanding and feed readily on any type of usual fish food, even dried ones.

For our customers: A. mendezi has code 624813 on our stocklist, A. paucisquamis 626313. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon. Apistogramma: ancient Greek, means “with unreliable line”. It is not known wether the lateral line organ or the pattern is meant. mendezi: dedication name for Chico Mendez, an eco-activist who fought against the destruction of the rainforest and was murdered by cattle barons in 1988. paucisquamis: Latin, means “with only few scales”, which refers to the low number of scales around the caudal peduncle.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Brasilien / Brazil
Verfügbare Größe in cm 4-6

Biotoecus dicentrarchus

3. May 2013

Currently we can offer an absolute rarity from Venezuela: Biotoecus dicentrarchus. In this dwarf cichlid the male attains a maximum length of about 6 cm, the female of about 4-5 cm. The fish are sandbottom dwellers. For breeding the male builds a large sandhill where the pair is spawning.

For our customers: the fish have code 634483 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. Xingu (Vielfleck)

2. April 2013

Apistogramma sp. Xingu is a Brazilian species of Apistogramma which is still undescribed scientifically. Like many Apistogramma species this fish has a number of varieties. We just received beautiful large bred specimens of the “Vielfleck”-variety (Vielfleck = many spots).

For our customers: the fish have code 628744 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma velifera

27. February 2013

This pretty dwarf cichlid was known in the hobby under the names of Apistogramma sp. “Segelflossen” (=sailfin), A. sp. “Puerto Ayacucho” and A. sp. “Vierstreifen” (= four stripes) until it became described scientifically. The species has never been imported on a regular basis and currently no importations appear at all. So we are quite happy that we can offer wonderful, fully grown German bred ones currently.

The fish are not very demanding, although they live in the wild in quite extreme water: hardness less than 1° dH, pH around 5. They are often found along with Altum angels.

It is very interesting to watch the males displaying (by the way: males are comparably quarrelsome against other males). The male starts displaying by swimming laterally to the female. At that stage only the anteriormost part of the dorsal fin becomes unfolded. Now the male turns more and more in a head-down position and finally enfolds the complete dorsal fin. It happens now and then that the male stands even vertically in the water.

Males of Apistogramma velifera become about 7 cm long, females become only 4 cm long. Sometimes the males participate in keeping the offspring in this species.

Lexicon: Apistogramma: ancient Greek, means “with unreliable line”. It is not known wether the lateral line organ or the pattern is meant. velifera: Latin, means “bearing a sail”.

Common name: Sailfin-Apistogramma, Four stripes Apistogramma

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm (4) - 7

Nannacara sp. Sourourou

4. February 2013

Nannacara sp. Sourourou

The funny name of the species, which has not been researched by scientists so far, derives from the collecting site, the Crique Sourourou in French Guyana. This Crique flows near the coast and is a tributary to the rivers Sinnamary and Kourou. It has been collected in 2002 by Wolfgang Staeck, who brought it to Germany and created the common name. According to this author, Nannacara sp. Sourourou is identical with the fish that is called Nannacara sp. Mana in the hobby.

The very pretty fish is a close relative of Nannacara aureocephalus and attains a similar size. Males can become about 8 cm long, females around 6 cm. The very obvious difference in size between the sexes is typical for many Nannacara species. The small females get a very special coloration during broodcare and take care for the eggs – Nannacara are open brooders – very aggressively.

Keeping Nannacara sp. Sourourou is not difficult at all, but for breeding the species demands very soft and acidic water conditions. Our specimens in stock are German bred ones, sexually mature and show already their splendid colours.

For our customers: the fish have code 684404 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Nannacara: means “small Acara”. Acara is a Tupi word for cichlid. aureocephalus: Latin, means “with a golden head”.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

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

Many fantastic Apistogramma arrived!

26. November 2012

Our staff member Harald Jahn returned this week from his trip to Brazil and soon after him came the very special selected Apistogramma he ordered from the fishermen. Of course the fish have to settle a bit before we can make nice photos of them, so we show you the species in the famous pictures made by Dieter Bork from fully grown males.

The following species reached us:


Apstogramma diplotaenia – one of the most wanted Apistogramma at all, code 618641


Apistogramma elizabethae – the red bellied variety from Sao Gabriel, code 618712


Apistogramma mendezi Santa Isabel – also a red bellied variety of that beautiful animal, code 624782


Apistogramma mendezi – even the “normal” variety is a real eyeburner and rarely seen in the market, code 624812


Apistogramma sp. Miua – similar to the former, but with a different caudal fin pattern, code 624822


Apistogramma sp. Wilhelmi – a breathtaking beautiful relative of A. agassizi with a lilac chin spot, code 630713

All species are, however, available in limited numbers only. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Crenicichla compressiceps

13. November 2012

The season for this wonderful dwarf cichlid has started. Males attain a maximum length of about 8 cm, females stay smaller and become only 6-7 cm long. Both sexes of the variety we currently have in stock has black bands in  the vertical fins. Males can be recognized best by the overall shape (larger and more slender). Moreover, in males the black vertical bands are more intense and the males have a bright red band in the dorsal fin which is lacking in females. Finally, it is quite easy to recognize a female by its behaviour, for in Crenicichla compressiceps the females are the ones that wear the trousers.

For our customers: the animals have code 669203 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Apistogramma sp. BOLIVIA GOLD

29. October 2012

The shipment from the Madre de Dios region in Bolivia also contained a pretty new species of Apistogramma. The fish is without any doubt a close relative of A. luelingi. Due to its bright yellow coloration we provisionally named it “Bolivia Gold”. Our largest males have a length of about 4 cm, the females are even much smaller. So this new Apistogramma obviously represents a real dwarf species.

For our customers: the fish have code 630853 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer