The black shark is of course no shark at all, but a cyprinid or carp. It is a very large growing species, attaining almost a metre in length and 7 kg in weight. Like many other large carps it is a very much sought for food fish in Southeast Asia. So it is bred in aquaculture. This is the way how juveniles sometimes enter the ornamental fish trade. They are very attractive animals for owners of real large tanks.

Despite the zoological relationship the name “shark” is a good description, because the species owns a large dorsal fin which is often presented during display. An albino sport is also known from that species, which could be named “white shark”….

For our customers: the fish have code 422485 (wild form) and 422493 (albino) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm	6-8

The pearl danio (Brachydanio albolineatus) is the type species of the (sub-)genus Brachydanio. It belongs to the most popular species of ornamental fish in the world and is almost anytiome available in any petshop. However, the other Bracydanio in the closer sense are by far less well known. Among them is Brachydanio roseus that originates from the northern Thailand, northern Laos, and northern Burma.

Currently there is much discussion wether the gender of Brachydanio is masculine (like Danio) or feminine (both Danio and Brachydanio were thought to be feminine by the authors of Brachydanio). If it becomes evident that Brachydanio has to be regarded as feminine, all specific names that are adjectives, like albolineatus (= with a white stripe) or roseus (= rose-coloured), and end by the Latin masculine suffix – us have to be changed to the feminine form with the suffix -a, eg albolineata or rosea. However, we do not follow this opinion. Danio has been described in 1822 as a subgenus of Cyprinus. A subgenus has always the same sex as the genus, so Danio is masculine. Brachydanio has been described in 1916 as a subgenus to Danio, so it also has to be masculine.

Currently we have very pretty wild collected B. roseus in stock.

The species Brachydanio roseus is distinguished from B. albolineatus by the almost totally lack of the rosy (white in preserved specimens) stripe on the caudal peduncle. Displaying males of B. roseus get a bright red shining belly. Lika all Danios, B. roseus is a perfect community fish: lively, colourful, absolutely peaceful, and easy to maintain. One should keep Danios always in groups (10 specimens upwards), they feel better when kept along with conspecifics. B. roseus becomes around 5-6 cm long.

For our customers: the fish have code 413722 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

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

We
received this interesting fish from Taiwan. It can be kept as well in
unheated aquaria as in garden ponds. The species usually attains a
length around 12 cm. This means that our specimens are adult already.
Maximum size recorded is around 20 cm. Males have a by far larger anal
fin than the females. The species is peaceful and accepts readily any
type of usual food.

For our customers: the fish have code 361903 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

This
Rasbora originates from the west coast of Sumatra. It attains a maximum
length of about 5 cm. The “hot” name of the species is not only a
reminder on the volcanos in the area, where R. vulcanus appears, but
also due to the bright red-orange colours the males develop during
mating. The females are lighter coloured, but they also have an
interesting breeding coloration: the anterior centers of the scales
become black!

Rasbora
vulcanus is a close relative to Rasbora reticulata. The latter is found
exclusively on the island of Nias and does not appear on Sumatra. R.
reticulata can be distinguished best from R. vulcanus by the presence of
dark stripes on the outer edges of the caudal fin, which are always
lacking in R. vulcanus.

For our customers: the fish have code 453113 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Bitterling of Central Europe is a small cyprinid, reaching a total length of 6-8 cm. It is very famous, because it lays its eggs as a parasite of freshwater mussels in the gills of living mussels. The behaviour accompanying this parasitic breeding strategy is extremely interesting and makes the Bitterling an ideal aquarium or garden pond inhabitant.

There are about 40 different species of Bitterling, all originating from Asia and all show the very same breeding behaviour. And in fact the European Bitterling isn´t a native European citizen at all, but an invasive species. The first Bitterlings appeared around the years 1150 and 1560 in Central Europe. They came along with the Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and survived in and nearby the artifical carp ponds. Then they became extinct again during the “Little Ice Age”. Bitterlings came back only in the end of the 18th century, again along with Common Carps. In the years between 1960 and 1980 the population of the Bitterling in Central Europe declined dramatically. It was thought at the time that this was due to the environmental pollution. But recent investigations make it much more likely that this decline was due to cold spring months during that period.

So it is not only unnecessary, but in fact harmful to protect the Bitterling in natural invironments.

Nevertheless makes the Bitterling a perfect aquarium and garden pond fish! It has brillant colours. It is unnecessary to heat the tank for this “coldwater fish”, but temperatures up to 26°C are acceptable. One needs mussels to breed Bitterlings. The species of mussel doesn´t matter for the Bitterling. The fish takes it as it comes. One should be aware that mussels are difficult to keep in a long time sight in aquaria. They die of starving, because in the clean aquarium water are not enough small algae and other infusoria on which the mussels can feed. But the mussel must not be released – under no circumstances! – in the wild after it has done its job! There are many different species of mussels in the trade, some of them exotic, and the could do a lot of harm in nature!

It is a general rule: all animals and plants that are sold in petshops and garden centers are bred especially in farms for keeping them in aquaria and garden ponds. Not one specimen must be released ever in the wild!

For our customers: the Bitterling has code 802303 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Once more we were able to import this gorgeous, medium sized barb – it attains a length of 8-12 cm – from southern India. For more informations on the species seehttp://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archive/barbs-asboras-danios-en/Dawkinsia_formerly_Barbus_rohani_en/. The photos show a mating male (recognizable by the tubercles on the snout and the red caudal fin) of our current importation.

For our customers: the fish have code 370914 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The
Harlequin barb (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) belongs to the most popular
ornamental fish worldwide. The beautiful colours and the peaceful mood
make them ideal inhabitants of a community tank. One can hardly believe
today that once it was impossible to breed that species. In the 1930ies
the breeders hard to learn that water chemistry can be very important
for the breeding of fish and they learned it from the harlequin barb!
Nowadays millions and millions of that beautiful fish leave the breeding
farms each year.

So
it is not surprising that over the years also mutants appeared that
were also bred from then on. The two best known are the blue and the
golden sports. Despite the coloration they show no difference to the
wild form: they are beautiful and peaceful community fish that should
always be kept in small schools.

For our customers: “Blue” has
code 452523, “Gold” code 452563 on our stocklist. Please note that we
exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The great variety of species of Labeo from Africa is hardly known in the hobby. Even for scientists the determination is difficult. Only in 1990 a new species was detected in the Niger basin! This brings the number of Labeo-species known from the Niger to four: Labeo parvus, L. roseopunctatus, L. senegalensis, and L. coubie.

Recently we were able to import beautiful Labeo coubie from Nigeria. This species can attain a maximum length of 75 cm and a weight of up to 5 kg. Of course such giants appear only every now and then. Most specimens become only 25-30 cm long. Nevertheless the fish is suited for large aquaria only.

Our fish are currently 10-15 cm long. The smallest show a fade caudal spot, which is not present in larger conspecifics anymore. The bigger the fish are the larger is the dorsal fin. In our largest specimens it is a wonderful, sailshaped fin! Against conspecfics the fish are quarrelsome, as it is known from the whole relationship of the Labeo and Epalzeorhynchus group. However, they do not hurt each other. But one should keep them either solitary or in larger groups in the aquarium. It is very unlikely that two or three specimens together will do well on a long time sight.

At the first glimpse the fish seem to be of grey colour, but look nevertheless nice. This is due to a purple red spot of each scale. Also the membranes of the fins have a purplish shine.

For our customers: the animals have code 142253 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Labeo: this name refers to the enlarged lips of the members of that genus. coubie: after the vernacular name of the species on the fish market in Cairo (Egypt) from where the type specimens originate.

Common name: African carp

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nigeria
Verfügbare Größe in cm	10-15

The Siamese Dwarf Rasbora (Trigonostigma somphongsi, formerly Rasbora somphongsi) has been described scientifically in 1958 on the basis of specimens that were imported by the ornamental fish trade by the end of 1957 from Thailand. So the exact type locality was unknown from the beginning. In the original description nothing but “Thailand” was mentioned, later, in the more exact scientific description, Meinken wrote that they originate from “southern Menam (Thailand)”.

In the past 20 years the species was thought to be extinct in the wild. In the entrance in the international Red List the author (C. Vidthayanon, 2013) names as area of distribution the basin of the Mae Khlong near Ratchaburi in central Thailand. The species could not be found there anymore due to habitat destruction. The only reason, why the species was consideed as “critically endangered” and not as “extinct in the wild” was the fact that every now and then single specimens were spotted among mixed catches of other ornamental fish species. However, it was not known where these animals had been collected. It was clear: the species still exists! But nobody knew where…..

Now it was finally possible to rediscover the habitat of the fish in the wild again! And we were able now to import successfully some specimen!. Of course collecting small fish in the wild has no influence on natural populations at all. In contrast: it was only due to the interest of enthusiastic hobbyists the the species could be re-discovered again. So conservation acts become possible only now. One can only hope that the authorities do not regulate the trade with live animals (which is completely senseless, as everybody nows, for the trade with live specimens is not a serious treat for wild populations of small fish at all), but hopefully protected areas will be build up. Here the fish should be allowed to be collected, but the nature in its whole would be protected.

Keeping the charming animals in the aquarium is completely undemanding. The fish become only 2-2.5 cm long. Like all the close relatives of the fish (eg the harlequin barbs Trigonostigma heteromorpha, T. espei, and T. hengeli) they spawn on the underside of broad plant leaves. T. somphongsi prefers to live in schools, but for spawning the pairs most often separate themselves from the conspecifics. The males even defend a small spawning territory for a short time. So-called V-tanks are ideally suited for the extensive breeding of this species. Here young fish can be usually separated on a regular basis.

The list of species of ornamental fish that have been discovered by hobbyists and the ornamental fish trade is much enriched by this charming fish. Hopefully it can be also placed on list of species finally safed from extinction, too. We hope that many hobbyists show interest in that fish and ask for it in the pet shops. This would maybe even make a commercial breeding possible, another important step for protection of the species.

For our customers: the fish have code 452888 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Literature:
Meinken, H. (1958): Rasbora somphongsi, eine neue Zwergrasbora. XXIX. Mitteilungen der Fischbestimmungsstelle des VDA. Die Aquarien- und Terrarienzeitschrift 11 (3): 67-69
Meinken, H. (1958): Rasbora somphongsi nov. spec., eine neue Rasbora aus Siam (Pisces: Cyprinidae, Unterfam. Rasborinae). Opulusca Zoologica Nr. 19 (Oktober 1958): 1-6
Vidthayanon, C. (2013): Trigonostigma somphongsi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. . Downloaded on 16 January 2015.

Lexicon: Trigonostigma: means “triangle spot”. somphongsi: dedication name for the discoverer and ornamental fish exporter Somphongs. Rasbora: after the vernacular name of one of the species in Bengal.

Suggestion of a common name: Siamese Dwarf Rasbora

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Aquarium Glaser

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm	2-2,5

For the first time ever we could import this pretty barb from Thailand. At first we thought the fish would belong to the species Opsarius ornatus, but after they has settled all of our fish showed a clearly marked caudal spot, which is typical for O. bernatziki, but lacking in B. ornatus. Another very similar species from Thailand, O. signicaudus, also has a well marked caudal spot, but here it extends on the caudal fin. Some scientists do not see Opsarius as a separate genus, but include all species mentioned here under Barilius.

O. bernatziki can grow to a length of more than 10 cm, but usually stays much smaller (7-8 cm). Regarding the aquarium biology Opsarius can be best compared with Devario. However, Opsarius love a stronger current. So one should keep Opsarius species in a tank that reflects a biotope as it can be found in a brook a small river. All Opsarius are peaceful schooling fish. Male of O. bernatziki can be recognized by the bigger head and larger fins.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm	6-8

We
can offer only very rarely wild collected fishes from the USA. But
currently we have some species of minnow in stock, among them the very
pretty Chrosomus erythrogaster. These fish do not need a heater, but
feel also very comfortable at temperatures over 24°C. Maximum size for
that species is 10-12 cm, currently the fish are 5-7 cm long.

For
our customers: the fish have code 411043 on our stocklist. Please note
that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in limited
numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Two
beautiful species of barb are continiously confused in the ornamental
fish trade, because they look much alike as juveniles: Barbonymus altus
and B. schwanefeldii. Both are known in the international trade as
“tinfoil barbs”. In German they are named “bream barb” what refers to
the deep body of adult fish.

The
main differences in coloration are found in the caudal fin. B.
schwanefeldii has always distinct black stripes on the upper and lower
margin of the caudal fin, which are always lacking in B. altus. This
feature is visible in all sizes of the fish. However, the red coloration
of the fins becomes more intensive with every day the fish grow. In
small juveniles the fins are only light reddish or pink. Both species
attain a length of 15-25 cm, but it seems that B. schwanefeldii tends to
grow larger than B. altus.

Currently
we have very pretty Barbonymus altus in stock, which are already 10-12
cm long. At that size they are almost as pretty as the adults, but not
that deep in body. We also have small ones in stock (5-7 cm). B.
schwanefeldii is currently rather rare in the trade. Almost any
specimens listed under the name “schwanefeldi” on the exporter´s lists
in Thailand and Vietnam are in fact B. altus. Both species are wide
spread all over Southeast Asia. They are bred as food fish and for the
ornamental fish trade.

For
our customers: B. altus with a size of 10-12 cm have code 371405 on our
stock list, the ones with 5-7 cm 371403. Please note that we
exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

For the first time ever we were able to import a quite bizarre species of carp from Southeast Asia: Bangana behri. This up to 45 cm long relative of Labeo has in adult state a horn on the head and a lot of tubercles in the face. In its native range – the Mekong basin – the species is a highly demanded food fish. The pictures from a fish market in Laos have been kindly provided by Mike Meuschke.

Currently our specimens are 6-8 cm long, so they still have to grow a bit. The fish is not only interesting for public aquaria, but might also be a interesting species for heated koi ponds. Most probably the species will be quite useful here, for Bangana behri is reported to feed mainly on algae in the wild. However, as it is a tropical species, water temperatures must not be under 20°C on a long time sight.

Against conspecifics Bangana behri are – as most Labeo-type fish – a bit quarrelsome. In our fishhouse about 30 specimens are together in a tank and so they live peacefully together; but it can be expected that two or three specimens will not do so good. So one should keep them either solitary or in larger groups, a rule that is also true for almost all fish of the Labeo relationship.

Another interesting by-catch reached us along with Bangana behri and possibly these two fish are the first time ever specimens in Europe: Labeo pierrei. This Labeo even grows up to 80 cm. Sadly one has to be concerned a bit about this fish. Scientific authorities have placed the species as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. This is the last warning stage before a species is regarded to be endangered. The catches of Labeo pierrei, which is a much sought for food fish, are heavily decreasing.

For our customers: the fish have code 368682 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Bangana: the native name for one of the species in Bengal. behri: dedication name for Otto Behr from Lopez, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania.

Common name: Two-headed carp

Postscriptum: Due to the unique head structure this species is also placed in the monotypical genus Incisilabeo. The full correct name is in that case Incisilabeo behri Fowler 1937

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Mike Meuschke & Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm	6-8

The
genus Rasbora is a very specious one and contains currently 82
described species. Nevertheless only comparatively few species have been
ever kept in aquaria. R. sarawakensis reaches about 5 cm in length and
originates from a part of Borneo that belongs to Malaysia. We were able
to import the pretty schooling fish, which is completely undemanding,
for the first time now.

For our customers: the fish have code 452882 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Golden barb is an artificial sport that is said to have derived from the half-banded barb (Barbus semifasciolatus). However, nobody can say this for sure. The fish appeared in the 1960ies in the aquarium trade and is said to have been bred by an aquarist named Thomas Schubert of Camden, New Jersey, US. That is the reason why the fish is often referred to as “Barbus (or Puntius, both is wrong) schuberti”.

The Golden barb is an absolutely peaceful fish that never disappeared again and is always available in pet shops all over the world. In more recent times other sports have been developed, among them animals that have two or three colours on the body. These fish are called “Koi Golden barb” in the trade. We currently have very nice specimens of that sport in stock which we received from a breeder.

Regarding keeping this fish it is not necessary to make many words: it thrives very well both at room temperature and at 28°C and hardness and pH are of no meaning for the fish. As long as the water is drinkable for humans, the Golden barb will like it. And the species feeds virtually on any type of food that is produced for ornamental fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 371343 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	3-4

We could import this pretty fish finally once more via Singapore. The two species of the genus Trigonopoma were placed in the genus Rasbora for a very long time. The second species, T. pauciperforata, the glowlight rasbora, occurs interestingly very often syntopically with its close relative.

In die elder aquarium literature Trigonopoma gracile was usually named Rasbora taeniata. The first importation to Germany was as early as 1913; at that time is was not yet known to science yet. Persons interested in the history of the species and the different names should study the paper of Zarske in the Aquaristik Fachmagzin 213 (June/July 2010), which can be downloaded for free from Dr Axel Zarskes homepage at Senckenberg Museum. Sadly it is available in German only.

The pretty rasbora attains a maximum length of about 5 cm. In the natural habitat it can be found along with fish like harlequin rasboras (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) or chocolate gouramis (Sphaerichthys osphronemoides). The rasbora is a perfect community fish for tanks with soft and acidic water, a dark bottom (place some peat on it) and delicate water plants.

For our customers: the fish have code 452002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

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

This
dwarf rasbora becomes only about 3 cm long. The species is new in our
stocklist. The scientific description of the fish was under the name of
Rasbora spilocerca, but nowadays it is placed in the monotypic (this
means the genus contains only one species) genus Rasbosoma. The natural
distribution of the charming fish is the lower Mekong basin of Laos,
Thailand, and Cambodia. Before its scientific description in 1987 it was
always thought to represent juveniles of Rasora trilineata, the
scissortail rasbora.

Rasbosoma
spilocerca is an ideal fish for nano tanks. We suggest the common name
dwarf scissortail rasbora for it. The species is completely undemanding
regarding the water chemistry (hardness, pH) and can be kept and even
bred in any type of tap water. Ideal water for breeding has proofed pH 7
and GH 4°dH. The water temperature can be between 22 and 28°C.

For our customers: the animals have code 452872 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We
obtained for the first time ever a small number of a new species of
Rasbora from Burma. The new fish is without any doubts a close relative
of the Indian species Rasbora rasbora but differs in details of the tail
fin pattern. Currently our fish are 3-4 cm long.

For
our customers: the fish have code 448102 on our stocklist. Please note
that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very
limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

When
the talk is about bitterlings one initially thinks for the European
Bitterling, Rhodeus amarus, which is currently banned in the UK. In
fact, there are more than 70 species of these fascinating brood
parasites that deposit their eggs in live freshwater mussels. We were
able now to import a species of bitterling from Hongkong that most
probably represents the species Rhodeus ocellatus.

The
males are extremely colorful and have the typical pimples on the snout
and above the eyes that are associated with the breeding season in so
many species of cyprinid fish of temperate zones. The females have a
dark spot in the dorsal fin and often show at least a small part of the
ovipositor that looks a bit like a worm.

Bitterlings
can be kept in garden ponds (please make sure that they cannot escape
from there in the wild!) or in indoor aquaria. They do very well with
water temperatures up to 26°C, but of course no heater is needed to keep
these fish. Bitterlings are omnivorous fish that thrive very well with
flakes. In nature they feed mainly on algae.

For our customers: the animals have code 802202 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Beautiful Cyprinella lutrensis in stock!

There
are many species of small cyprinids in North America, but only very few
of them have made a career as ornamental fish. In contrast to the
European minnows the Red Shiner (Cyprinella (formerly: Notropis)
lutrensis) is a completely undemanding fish and does not need low water
temperatures. The species can be kept in outdoor ponds and indoor
aquaria likewise. However, no heater is needed. The males look very
beautiful, but nowadays even the females become more and more colorful.
Currently the fish in the trade are almost exclusively bred ones from
Singapore. The maximum length for the species is usually 7 cm, in very
rare occasions the fish grow up to 9 cm.

For our customers: the fish have code 867004 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Red line shark (Sahyadria denisonii, formerly known as Barbus denosonii or Puntius densonii) is a very popular aquarium fish. Currently it is traded almost exclusively as bred specimens from Indonesia.

For the first time ever we now received an import of S. denisonii from a new collection area in India. So far the species was collected only in the state of Kerala, but the new variety has been collected in the state of Karnataka, which is situated south of Kerala.

Compared with the S. denisonii known so far the new variety has more red colours and is thus even more attractive than the (already wonderful) strains currently present in the hobby.

For our customers: the animals have code 369473 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm	4-6

Currently
we can offer large, 12-15 cm long males of this spectacular species of
barb that reached us from Hongkong. Zacco are coldwater fish that can be
kept either in unheated aquaria or in garden ponds. They love strong
current! Smaller specimens (7-10 cm, both sexes) are also in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 479104 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

After
a long time we were able once again to import this beautiful species of
Labeo from the Congo. Scientifically speaking, the name “variegatus” is
regarded only as a synonym of Labeo cyclorhynchus nowadays. However, it
is pretty difficult to substitute a well known name – like Labeo
variegatus –  in the aquarium hobby by a new one. The checkered variety
of Labeo cyclorhynchus (we exclusively have these fish in stock) occurs
in the wild, but bears no scientific name on its own. It is maybe best
compared with the so called OB-morphs in Mbuna cichlids from Lake
Malawi. The “normal” variety of Labeo cyclorhynchus is hardly ever
imported, so we have to show you here an elder picture from a former
importation for comparison.

Labeo
cyclorhynchus becomes about 16 cm long. Like all Labeos these fish are
quarrelsome against conspecifics, but especially L. cyclorhynchus is
regarded to be quite peaceful against other species of fish. Usually
this species has long, sickle-shaped dorsal fins. But one of our
specimens has a “normal”-shaped dorsal fin. This possibly is a sexual
dimorphism. Possibly the “Variegatus”-morph is most often linked to male
specimens? So far nobody knows this…

For our customers: the fish have code 142264 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Genetic investigations showed that there is not only one species of harlequin barb, but a number of sibling species, which have to be described scientifically yet. This becomes very obvious when we come across wild collected specimens. The depicted animal, for example, is a wildcaught from southern Thailand. It is much more elongate than the “normal” aquarium strain of T. heteromorpha.
Text 6 photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Thailand

Barbus jae is one of the smallest species of barb from Africa. It has been described from the river Dja in Cameroon. Sadly nowadays imports from Cameroon are very rare, so one has to be really lucky to find this jewel in a local pet shop. B. jae becomes only 2-3 cm long. Breeding B. jae is not complicated, but not effective and so the species is not bred by professional breeders. One should keep this small fish that is found in forest-streams at temperatures of about 20-22°C. Other water parameters are of minor interest. The male of B. jae are polychromatic. This means that each male has an individual coloration.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Kamerun /Cameroon

We received this sport of the goldfish from China. The animals are suited not only for the garden pond (they are completely winterhardy), but look also very nice in lateral view.

For our customers: the fish have code 808202 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We
received this new, impressive species of Garra from India. The most
striking feature of the species is that they have large, shining scales
on the flanks. The position and number of these scales differs
individually. Depending on the light these scales shine bright blue,
orange-red or golden.

The fully grown males
(the photographed specimen is about 9.5 cm long and the largest
individual we have seen so far) have a very impressive horn
(scientifically called proboscis) on the forehead and tubercles on the
snout. The shape of the proboscis is species-specific. A great number of
species of Garra have been described as new from India scientifically
in recent times. Our fish resembles most to Garra gotyla, but more
detailed and time-consuming studies are necessary, before one can decide
if this first idea proofs to be right. In any case these algae-eaters
are not only valuable, but also attractive and interesting!

For
our customers: the fish have code 416442 (4-6 cm) and 416443 (6-8 cm)
on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale
trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

We
obtained extremely beautiful, fully grown specimens of the Orange barb.
We want to take the opportunity to bespeak one more of the numerous
changes in genus names in small barbs from Asia.

Desmopuntius
– the name means “prisoner-barb” and refers to the striped pattern that
is shown by all species included at least as juveniles and reminded the
author in prisoner´s cloths – contains currently the following eight
species:

Desmopuntius
endecanalis, D. foerschi, D. gemellus, D. hexazona, D. johorensis, D.
pentazona, D. rhomboocellatus und D. trifasciatus.

For our customers: the fish have code 370923 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Once more we were able to import this impressive barb from South India. It is a very close relative of D. exclamatio, but differs in details of coloration.

For our customers: the fish have code 369666 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited numbers only!

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

The Copper-red Congobarb is astonishingly only an insider tip among aquarists and even experienced hobbyists often never have heard of it. This beautiful fish attains a maximum length of only 4-5 cm, only in rare exceptions they become up to 7 cm long. These barbs are absolutely peaceful schooling fish. Currently we can offer the rare species after a long time once more.

For our customers: the fish have code 100832 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Once more we received a small jewel from the Congo basin. Again, a somewhat larger number of the Butterfly Barb Barbus hulstaerti could be imported, which was lost in the hobby for a long time. The colour variety with the large spot on the side is called “Lompole” after the collection site.

The lively fish reaches 3-4 cm in length and fascinates by its wonderful colours. Males and females can be distinguished by the diffrent coloration of the dorsal fin.

In their area of origin they live in flat, shady and comparatively cool jungle waters. The discovery site data indicate with water values of pH around 6; and a total hardness under 5° DGH no excessive problems for their maintenance.

Due to the complicated political situation in the Congo the availability of wild collected specimens is not secured, therefore ambitious breeders should take care of this swimming gem to secure their existence in our aquaria.

For our customers: the fish have code 101862 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Barbus: means “the bearded”. hulstaerti: dedication name for the collector, R. P. Hulstaert.

Common name: Butterfly barb

Text: Klaus Diehl, photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	D. R. Kongo / D. R. Congo
Verfügbare Größe in cm	2 -3

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

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

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

For our customers: the animals have code 815701 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht/bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	4-5

Fresh fish can be most easily recognized by the red gills. Thus the Labeo boga, which we currently obtained from India, must be very fresh. Why the gill covers in this peaceful, schooling species, which can attain a length of about 30 cm and is a much sought for food fish in its home county, are that translucent is unknown.

For our customers: the animals have code 422453 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

The Giant or Malabar Danio is one of the most popular aquarium fish at all. The species takes some time to settle when brought in a a new tank and until then it looks a bit silvery. But when the males get in brooding mood they leave no doubts why this species of fish is a favorite ornamental fish for more than 100 years now. The photos show animals of our current stock which we imported from Sri Lanka.

For our customers: the fish have code 413703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Wir haben derzeit bildhübsche Boraras merah im Stock. Die Art ist
sehr eng mit B. brigittae verwandt und zumindest in manchen Populationen
sehen die Weibchen wie B. brigittae aus, die Männchen wie B. merah
(siehe auch http://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/barben-baerblinge-danios/Boraras_brigittae_Boraras_merah_de/). Bei der jetzt importierten Population scheinen aber beide Geschlechter in B.-merah-Färbung vorhanden zu sein.

Für
unsere Kunden: die Tiere haben Code 452752 auf unserer Stockliste.
Bitte beachten Sie, dass wir ausschließlich den Großhandel belefern.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

The Cherry barb, Barbus titteya, is a favorite aquarium fish for decades already. The species is quite variable regarding coloration in the wild already. It lives endemic on the island of Sri Lanka. The sport called Super Red has been developed by selective breeding. Currently we can offer very beautiful animals from a German breeder.

For our customers: the fish have code 372634 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Golden barb is an artificial sport that is said to have derived from the half-banded barb (Barbus semifasciolatus). However, nobody can say this for sure. The fish appeared in the 1960ies in the aquarium trade and is said to have been bred by an aquarist named Thomas Schubert of Camden, New Jersey, US. That is the reason why the fish is often referred to as “Barbus (or Puntius, both is wrong) schuberti”.

The Golden barb is an absolutely peaceful fish that never disappeared again and is always available in pet shops all over the world. In more recent times other sports have been developed, among them animals that have two or three colours on the body. These fish are called “Koi Golden barb” in the trade. We currently have very nice specimens of that sport in stock which we received from a breeder.

Regarding keeping this fish it is not necessary to make many words: it thrives very well both at room temperature and at 28°C and hardness and pH are of no meaning for the fish. As long as the water is drinkable for humans, the Golden barb will like it. And the species feeds virtually on any type of food that is produced for ornamental
fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 371343 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	4-5

For the first time ever we have this beautiful species of shark in stock. Of course it belongs to the barb family, but species of several barb genera that have a similar body shape, are commonly called “shark” in the hobby. In our fishhouse it got the nickname “top-model-barb”, for it is very pretty, but looks also very skinny. However, Cyclocheilichthys janthochir is neither fastidious regarding food, nor uptight in any other way.

The species originates from the island of Borneo, where it occurs in typical black water. The maximum size reported is around 20 cm. Currently our specimens are 5-7 cm long. Each centimeter the fish grow they become more beautiful, for the fins become more and more red.

Cyclocheilichthys janthochir is a schooling fish and for sure an enrichment for any large community tank.

For our customers: the animals have code 412833 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

One of the advantages of the aquarium hobby is that there exists a species of fish for any thinkable taste. Most of our readers will for sure prefer the pretty Pseudomugil cf. paskai, but the plump and drab coloured Cyprinion semiplotum is also worth a look.

This species of carp attains a maximum length of about 60 cm and originates from the north of India, Nepal and Bhutan. However, specimens larger than 30 cm are hardly ever found in the wild. According to the exporter, one can collect the species only a few weeks per year (august-spetember) and even at that time they are anything but common. The IUCN Red List lists the species as vulnerable. Population has declined for 30% in the last decade and it is presumed that it will shrink for another 30-50% in the decade coming. The reasons for that decline are overfishing, deforestation and pollution of the habitats. This unique carp lives exclusively in clear mountain streams in the Himalaya, which flow to the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. The specimens currently traded are said to originate from the Sankosh and Torsa rivers in North Bengal. However, collecting young specimens for the aquarium trade has no effect at all on the population. But due to the declining populations is is not very likely that the fish will appear on the ornamental fish market in the future again.

Almost nothing is known on the aquarium biology of this omnivorous species. It is said that it can be best compared with that of Labeo-kind fish. This means that one should keep the fish in larger groups, for otherwise they may develop an aggressive behaviour. It is self explaining that fish of that size should be kept in large aquaria. Hardness and pH are of lesser interest, but one should keep in mind that the species originates from subtropical regions and thus they should be kept not too warm (14-24°C).

For our customers: the fish have code 412952 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Cyprinion: this refers to the relationship of the Common carp (Cyprinus): semiplotum: means “half swimming”.

Common name: Assamese kingfish

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm	3-5

We have received a good number of this extremely beautiful fish from our proved breeder. For further information, please check http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/notropis-chrosomus-_de_1010.html.

For our customers: the fish have code 439391 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

One of the earliest sports that developed in goldfish is the double tailfin. Simple goldfish with a double tailfin are called Wakin.

Red-and-white pattern belongs to the most popular and most beautiful colour sports in goldfish. Red-and-white fish are called in general Sarasa. The Wakin Sarasa is also called Wakin Hoe Kim.

Wakin goldfish are completely frost-resistant. However, one should keep in mind that our fish have been bred in Asia and are currently used to temperatures between 18 and 22°C. One should keep them indoors until the water temperature in the garden pond has reached at least 16°C. When autumn comes the fish adapt problem free to the slowly sinking water temperatures.

Wakin goldfish become as large as the common goldfish, eg 15-20 cm as a rule and around 30 cm maximum length.

For our customers: the fish have code 808701 (4-6 cm) and 808702 (6-8 cm) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	4-6

Finally we received wild collected specimens of this pretty barb again. Maximum size, keeping etc. is exactly as in the well known tiger barb. Barbus partipentazona originates from the south of Thailand.

For our customers: the fish have code 370603 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

It does not happen very often that we feel unable to determine an imported species at least roughly. But when a few weeks ago a shipment containing very small (about 1 cm) Rasboras from Thailand arrived we could name the fish only provisionally “Rasbora sp. Dwarf”. In the meantime the fish have grown happily and now we can say the importation brought a species in our fishhouse we have never been able to import before: Rasbora paucisqualis. This charming species attains a maximum length of 3-4 cm.

Regarding coloration Rasbora paucisqualis is intermediate between the typical rasboras with a dark longitudinal stripe and the harlequin rasboras (Trigonostigma). However, nothing is known so far about the spawning behaviour of the species. It would be very interesting to know wether this species spawns in a normal “Rasbora-like” matter or upside-down like the Trigonostigma species.

In any case the nice species is an enrichment of the assortment of available species of dwarf fish from southeastern Asia.

For our customers: the animals have code 448002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Rasbora: after a common name of one of the species used in Bengal. paucisqualis: means “with few scales”. Trigonostigma: ancient Greek, means “with a triangular spot”.

Common name: Largescale rasbora

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm	2-3

We received breathtaking, large Acheilognathus tonkinensis (Giant or Rainbow Bitterling). Fot more information, please click http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archive/coldwater-fish/Acheilognathus_tonkinensis_en/
For our customers: the animals have code 800154 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

The bitterlings are a subfamiliy of the great and diverse carp family. So far only very few species have been introduced in the hobby, but there do exist about 70 species and subspecies which are classified in 4 genera. It is a sad thing that only so few aquarists are interested in bitterlings, for all species are brillant colored and are very interesting due to their brood-parasitism (all species of bitterling place their eggs in living freshwater mussels where they hatch).

Now we were able to import once more one of the most magnificent bitterlings at all from China: Acheilognathus tonkinensis. This very deep bodied species becomes about 10 cm long and originates from southern China, Vietnam, and Laos. The males a shimmering in all colours of a rainbow, whereas the females are rather dull colored and look like a typical “whitefish”. Keeping these subtropical animals is without problems. It is not necessary to heat the tank as long as it is placed in a house; this makes the fish energy saving and environmental friendly. Bitterlings feed on all types of commercial fishfood and are extremely peaceful to all tankmates. Plants are usually ignored; if a bitterling starts nibbling on plants, the keeper should add more plant material to the fishfood.

For our customers: the fish have code 800154 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Acheilognathus: ancient Greek, means about “without lips on the jaws”. tonkinensis: after a geographical term (“Tonkin”) for the northernmost part of Vietnam.

Suggestion of a common name: Rainbow bitterling

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	China
Verfügbare Größe in cm	8-10

We could import this breathtaking beautiful barb from the South of India (Kerala). The species is an ideal ornamental fish for larger show aquaria. It attains a length of 12-15 cm. One should keep Barilius bakeri always in schools (from 5 specimens upwards), otherwise they are often very quarrelsome.

For our customers: the fish have code 372802 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

We received once more very pretty Danio dangila from India. This species is the type species of the genus Danio. D. dangila attains a maximum length of about 12 cm. Each individual has a bit different pattern. The coloration reminds one in Damascus steel.

For our customers: the fish have code 413403 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Only very few species of barbs from Africa became established as ornamental fish, although a great number of small species occurs there. Only one single species is bred on a regular basis and can be found in the trade quite often: Barbus fasciolatus, the African banded barb. This fish is a real beauty! A well known synonym of the fish is Barbus barilioides.

The African banded barb attains a maximum length of about 6 cm. It is a schooling fish and should always be kept in groups of at least 12 specimens. Otherwise the fish will be shy and dull colored. Properly kept fish are wonderful to look at. A dark bottom and plenty of plants make the fish look best.

Against all possible tankmates these barbs are completely peaceful. Plants are also ignored usually. Initially this species originates from southeastern Africa (Angola, Botswana, D. R. Congo, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe), but in the hobby exclusively bred specimens are available.

Currently we have very nice, large and fully colored German bred ones in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 369002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Barbus: Latin, means “the bearded one”, referring to the barbels. fasciolatus: Latin, means “with tender stripes”. barilioides: means “similar to a Barilius”; Barilius is another genus of barb.

Common name: African banded barb

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	3-5

We received fantastic wild collected fish of both species of Danio from Burma. They are close relatives of the well known zebra fish (Danio rerio), reach a comparable size and can be kept and bred in the very same way. Danio quagga has been thought to be a mere variety of D. kyathit for a long time, but is regarded now as a full species.

For our customers: Danio kyathit has code 413612 on our stocklist, D. quagga 413603. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

This pretty flying barb is imported only very occasionally. It originates from the north of India. The species attains a length of about 5 cm and is a peaceful schooling fish that uses to swim in the upper layers of the water column.

The coloration of Chela cachius is very interesting. If there is a dull lightning of the tank, the fish looks rather drab. If the light comes from the front, the silvery scales shine in all colours of the rainbow. But the very special feature of the species is the deep blue colour in the inner layers of the skin. In a properly lightened tank, Chela cachius is a real eyecatcher. Depending on the angel of the light the fish shines in many colours or blooms in bright blue.

Regarding the keeping the fish is not demanding at all. It can be compared best with the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) or the Ruby barb (Pethia conchonius), both of which swim in the wild along with Chela cachius. The water chemistry is of lesser meaning and the temperature may range between 18 and 28°C. The fish feed readily on any type of usual fish food, but only from the water surface or during the sinking process. Chela cachius do not feed from the bottom of the tank.

For our customers: the animals have code 409402 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Chela: after the indigenous name for the genus in Bengal. cachius: after the indigenous name for the species in Bengal.

Suggestion of a common name: Sky-blue flying barb

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm	4-5

For the first time ever we can offer this beautiful species of blackwater Rasbora. The fish attains a maximum length of about 5 cm. In its natural habitat the species is restricted to peat swamps in the central parts of Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of Borneo). Here the pH is very low. Nevertheless the species adapts very well to normal aquarium conditions and is not difficult to keep at all. However, the water has to be very clean, especially the bacterial pressure should be as low as possible. Under these conditions the fish display wonderful colours. Males can be recognized (among other features) by the much brighter red colours of the fins.

For our customers: the fish have code 453843 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indonesien / Indonesia
Verfügbare Größe in cm	4-5

We received wonderful wild collected specimens from Borneo. The males have a lot of red in their basic coloration. Keeping and breeding are comparable to the better known close relative, Barbus pentazona.

For our customers: the animals have code 370923 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

The Flying barbs of Southeast Asia represent the same type of fish as the Hatched fishes do in South America. For the first time ever we have the pretty Esomus caudiocellatus from Burma in stock. The absolutely peaceful species attains a maximum length of about 5-6 cm.

For our customers: the fish have code 415592 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photo: Frank Schäfer

Owing to the great demand we have stocked the last specimens available from our supplier in Taiwan now. These specimens of the gorgeous predator are probably the last ones available for quite a long time. For more information, please check http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/news/Elopichthys_bambusa_en/

For our customers: the fish have code 414903 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Once more we received a nice shipment of this very striking black-and-white sport of the goldfish.

For our customers: the fish have code 817502 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Code number: 817503

Photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	5-7

We received wonderful, about 6-8 cm long Opsarius pulchellus from Thailand. The common name “Butterfly danio” reflects perfectly all the beauty of this grace. Read more on the fish here: http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/opsarius-pulchellus_de_1355.html

For our customers: the animals have code 439904 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

This is one of the most beautiful new entries in the hobby in the past few years. However, the species is known scientifically already since 1931, when Hugh M. Smith, one of the greatest experts for the fishes of Thailand, described the species. And even Smith observed the extraordinary beauty of the fish and named it “pulchellus”, the Latin word for “beautiful”.

The animals are close relatives of the Danios. In nature, they settle in cool, clear mountain streams of northern Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. The type locality is Mekang (not Mekong, as can be found erroneously in some literature) near Pang Chao.

Usually the species becomes 7 cm long; females stay generally smaller than the males and are much more elongate. The largest specimen known so far was 10.5 cm long. The wonderful fish are very peaceful and do not care for plants. Regarding water chemistry they are undemanding; medium hard water with a neutral or slightly alkaline pH is equal to the conditions in nature.

So far, nothing has been published about the breeding behaviour of the species. However, it is very likely that they spawn in the gravel. The fish take readily any type of fishfood that fits the size of the mouth. All in all, Opsarius pulchellus is a perfect addition for the aquarium hobby.

For our customers: the fish have code 439904 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Opsarius: from ancient Greek, means “small fish”. pulchellus: Latin, means “beautiful”.

Suggestion of a common name: Butterfly danio

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm	6-7

The gardenpond season starts up! The Tench, a species initially native in Europe and western Asia, is a perfect pond and aquarium fish. Nowadays the Tench has a worldwide distribution, because it is a very delicious food fish, too. The Tench is very tolerant regarding the water temperature: it is totally winter hardy on the one hand and has no problems at all in summer, when the temperature rises up to 26°C on the other. Due to its low oxygen requirement the Tench inhabits muddy waters in the wild.

Currently we have two sports of the Tench in stock, the wild coloured – also called Green Tench – and the wonderful golden sport. Among the latter ones are many three-coloured specimens, which are very rare (not assorted available!). The Tench can reach a length of about 40 cm (the largest one reported had 70 cm). Our specimens are currently 8-10 cm long and thus fit also perfectly for coldwater aquaria.

The Tench is not only a beautiful fish, but also very useful. Among all fish species native in Europe the Tench is spezialized most in feeding on small molluscs. Thus the Tench can be used in any pond or tank where snails become to numerous. However, in the absence of snails the Tench also feeds readily on any usual type of fish food. Against other fish, may they belong to the own species or not, the Tench is completely peaceful. Males can be distinguished from the females by the shape of the ventral fins, which are much larger in males. The Tench is an egg-scatterer that does not take care for its eggs at all.

For our customers: the Tench has code 878802, the Golden Tench 879003 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Tinca: this name was already in use in ancient Rome for the Tench.

Common names: Tench or Green Tench (for the wild coloured sport), Golden Tench (for the golden or threecoloured sports)

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	10 - 12

We have this large barb that originates from the south of China and the north of Vietnam in stock for the first time. The usual length of the fish is up to 40 cm. At this length they weigh about 1.5 kg. However, the largest S. denticulatus captured so far had a weight of about 30 kg. Spinibarbus denticulatus is one of the most important food fishes for aquaculture in its native range, for it grows fast, has a high tolerance regarding water temperature (the range of water temperature in its natural environment is between 9-16°C in winter and 25-30°C in summer), and the species is a specialized plant feeder that is able to transform worthless weeds, grass etc. in protein of high value.

However, we are less interested in the quality of the flesh of the fish, but in its potential use as aquarium or garden pond fish. Our specimens currently are 10-12 cm long and look rather dull. But the common name Chinese Phoenix barb has been given with some reason on the fish. When the fish grows it becomes – starting on the head – fire red. A picture of a larger fish can be found here:
http://fugupuff-fugupuff.blogspot.de/2011/02/spinibarbus-denticulatus.html

For our customers: the fish have code 455893 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Spinibarbus: means “barb with a spine”; this refers to the dorsal fin spine. denticulatus: means “with small teeth”; this refers to the structure of the dorsal fin spine.

Suggestion of a common name: Chinese Phoenix barb

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	China
Verfügbare Größe in cm	10 - 12

For the first time ever we received youngsters of this highly interestingly fish species. Maximum length reported for Elopichthys is about 2 m. This species is one of the very few real predators among the carp-like fish. Currently the genus Elopichthys is regarded to be monotypical, but there might exist a second species in the north of Vietnam, which is characterized by larger scales and and a more anteriorly placed dorsal fin.

Elopichthys bambusa occurs in China and Siberia. So it can be kept easily in garden ponds and has no problems during the winter in central Europe.

As everybody knowns, carps have no maxillary teeth at all. Elopichthys has solved that problem and developed strong horny sheets along the maxilla. So the mouth of the fish works like a strong scissor. Moreover the mouth´s tip has a hook on the lower jaw and a notch in the upper jaw; so the predator is enabled to hold strongly its prey.

In the wild Elopichthys bambusa prefers to hunt nearby waterfalls and rapids. Against conspecifics the fish are completely peaceful, at least in our facility.

For our customers: the fish have code 414903 on our stocklist. Please note that we eclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Elopichthys: means “fish like an Elops”; Elops is another genus of fish. bambusa: means “belonging to bamboo”.

Common name: Yellowcheek

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Asien / Asia
Verfügbare Größe in cm	6-8

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	3-4

The island of Borneo is divided, politically speaking, in three parts: Kalimantan belongs to Indonesia, Sarawak and Sabah belong to Malaysia and Brunei represents an independent state. Kuching is the biggest town on Borneo. It is located in the northwest, in Sarawak (Malaysia). Ornamental fish are collected there only very occasionally. However, recently we were able to manage an import from there that contained a number of very interesting fish species. Among them were barbs that were sent under the name of Barbus kuchingensis. This species really exists, but shows only two vertical bands on the anterior body and a black spot right above the anal fin. Our fish looked completely different from that and showed a much more contrasting pattern.

• 

Our research showed that our new fish in all probability represents the first (?) import of the “real” Barbus everetti. It is already known for some time that all fish in the hobby that are termed “B. everetti” in reality belong to the species Barbus dunckeri. This correct name is only slowly adopted by hobbyists worldwide due to the fact that the real B. everetti was not present in aquaria so far and thus there was no need for a change of the name.

Our new entries are beautiful fish in any way. It can be supposed that they will reach a similar size as the close relative B. dunckeri, eg 10-12 cm, and that they will reach sexual maturity at a length of about 6-8 cm. Keeping is totally problem free. The water should be soft to medium hard, pH range should be between 6.5-7.5 and the water temperature should be between 24-28°C. Fish that are kept under the described conditions are very lively and colourful. These barbs feed readily on any type of usual fishfood.

For our customers: the fish have code 369862 on our stocklist.We have only a very limited number in stock. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Barbus: Latin, means “the bearded”. everetti: dedication name for Alfred Hart Everett (1848-1898), the collector of the species. dunckeri: dedication name for Georg Duncker (1870-1953), ichthyologist and former custos of the Naturhistorisches Museum Hamburg (= Hamburg museum for natural history).

Suggestion of a common name: Kuching-Clownbarb

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indonesien / Indonesia
Verfügbare Größe in cm	4 - 7

This nano gem reached us from the south of India; the charming dwarf fish reaches a maximum size of 3 cm. For our customers: the tiny animal has code 409502 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

You think you know quite well the rosy barb? Please take a look on our photos of the fantastic wild collected ones we currently have in stock and think about it. In fact wild collected rosy barbs – our specimens originate from the vicinty of Calcutta, the type locality of Barbus conchonius – look completely different compared with the aquarium strains. Males of the wild ones become metallic black and get a red caudal peduncle. Each scale is ornated with a bright silver spot – gorgeous!

Obviously the aquarium strains of the rosy barb do not belong to the species Barbus conchonius at all, but this is a different story.

Regarding keeping the wild collected rosy barb there is no difference compared with the domesticated ones. They are pretty hardy fish and very easy to keep.

For our customers: the fish have code 364335 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Barbus: Latin, means “the bearded one”, referring to the barbels. conchonius: after the common name of the fish in Bengal.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm	6-8

There are only very few predatory species among the barbs. Like all Cyprinidae, they do not have teeth in their jaws, but only in the throat. So it is not that easy for a barb to fix a food fish. Among the rare exceptions are the barbs of the genus Hampala. There are 6-7 accepted species. H. macrolepidota is by far the most widespread species of the genus. It attains a maximum length of around 70 cm (average length in the wild: 20-30 cm). Currently we have beautiful, 4-6 cm long juveniles in stock. The schooling fish are very peaceful against all tankmates of similar size and feed readily on any usual type of fish food.

For our customers: the fish have code 419692 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

It was only last year that this beautiful Indian barb has been described scientifically. It originates from the south of India. Presently it is only known from hill streams in the Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu. It differs from the other Indian barbs of its closer relationship (eg D. arulius, D. assimilis, D. exclamatio, D. filamentosa, and D. tambraparniei) by the coloration. Especially diagnostic is the shape of the caudal spot, which is teardrop-shaped in D. rohani and circular in D. assimilis and D. filamentosa, the two species that look most similiar to D. rohani. Moreover, the caudal fin of D. rohani has no pattern, whereas in D. assimilis and D. filamentosa this fin has black markings.

Males and females can be easily distinguished by the shape of the dorsal fin which is filamentous in males. Like all these Indian barbs D. rohani is a wonderful schooling fish for larger aquaria. The species attains a length of around 8-12 cm.

For our customers: the fish has code 370914 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Barbus: Latin, means “the bearded”. rohani: dedication name for Rohan Pethiyagoda, an ichthyologist that works mainly on the freshwater fishes of Sri Lanka and India. Dawkinsia: dedication name for the biologist Richard Dawkins (“The Selfish Gene”).

Suggestion for a common name: Golden Scaled Indian Barb

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm	8 -10

The dwarf rasbora that is traded under the name of “Boraras micros RED” for some years already, has been described now scientifically and has been named Boraras naevus. The species is distinguished from all other spotted Boraras species known so far by the sexual dichromatism. The B. naevus males develope a much bigger shoulder spot than the females. Regarding keeping and breeding the charming dwarfs do not differ in any way from their congeneers. This means, they should be kept in small, well planted tanks with a dark ground in soft and acidic water. Under these conditions the dwarf rasboras are astonishingly long-living and enjoy their keeper for many years. Boraras naevus reaches a maximum length of 1.5 – 2 cm.

For our customers: Boraras naevus has code 452822 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Boraras: Boraras: anagram of Rasbora, referring to the reverse ratio of abdominal and caudal vertebrae in Boraras compared with Rasbora. naevus: Latin, means “spot” or “mark on the skin”; refers to the prominent shoulder spot of the species.

Suggestion of a common name: Strawberry rasbora

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Thailand
Verfügbare Größe in cm	1 - 2

Scardinius erythrophthalmus GOLD

The rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) is the only species of freswater fish native in Central Europe that is specialized in feeding on soft water plants and algae. Thus it is a perfect helper for garden ponds where algae and especially duckweed should be reduced. As the rudd likes to swim in the upper regions of the water column it is easier to observe it than koi or goldfish, which often like to swim near the bottom. The rudd is an indigenous fish species and thus completely frost restistant.

The rudd usually grows to a length of 15-20 cm. The fish becomes sexually mature in its second year of life. At that age it is usually 8-10 cm long. Maximum length given for the rudd in literature is about 50 cm, but it is very likely that most often such giants are hybrids of the rudd with other cyprind fishes.

The golden rudd is a sport ot the rudd that is bred in fishbreeding facilities.

For our customers: the fish have code 878553 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Scardinius: derived from Scarus, which was a name for a nowadays unidentifiable species of fish in ancient Greece. erythrophthalmus: Latin, means “with red eyes”.

Common name: Golden rudd

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	8 -10

At the first glimpse this pretty Rasbora may look a bit colorless; however, if the fish is kept in the perfect milieu (blackwater conditions and dimmed light) it looks really beautiful.

Due to a number of anatomical specializations, the species has been recently placed in a new genus, namely Kottelatia; so the most actual scientific name is Kottelatia brittani.

Obviously K. brittani has been often confused with another small cyprinid, Pectenocypris korthausae. The latter has an identical coloration, but is much more slender and has a more prolonged snout.

Our animals (wild collected) are about 3 – 3.5 cm long, sexually mature and the females exhibit a belly full of eggs. So the maximum length for that species given in literature (around 5 cm) seems to be a bit exaggerated.

For our customers: the fish have code 451112 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: brittani: dedication name for M. R. Brittan, who revised the genus Rasbora in 1954. Kottelatia: dedication name for Maurice Kottelat, one of the most experienced ichthyologists specialized in the freshwater fish of Southeast Asia. Pectenocypris: from ancient Greek, means something about “Comb-Carp”. korthausae: dedication name for Edith Korthaus, who was editor of the German aquarium magazine “Das Aquarium” and discovered the species.

Suggestion of a common name: Taillight rasbora

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Singapur / Singapore
Verfügbare Größe in cm	3-4

Rasbora lacrimula

For the first time ever we can offer this beautiful Rasbora, which has been described scientifically only in 2009. R. lacrimula is endemic in the Mahakam basin, Kalimantan Timur Province on Borneo.

Regarding coloration this new Rasbora reminds one in R. reticulata and R. vulcanus, but R. lacrimula stays much smaller. Maximum length observed is around 4 cm.

The new species is a lively, undemanding schooling fish and a perfect addition (not at least due to the unique orange fins) to any tank for Southeastern Asian fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 452803 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Rasbora – the native bengali name for Rasbora rasbora. lacimula: Latin, means “little teardrop”, referring to the drop-shape of the lateral band on the caudal peduncle.

Suggestion of a common name: Dwarf volcano rasbora

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indonesien / Indonesia
Verfügbare Größe in cm	3-4

This tiny, hardly 10 cm long species originates from North America. The overall coloration is similar to that of the European minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) in its eclipse plumage, thus the popular name “Fathead minnow” was chosen for the fish. However, there are important differences regarding life history between the two species.

While the European minnow is a stenoecious fish that needs cool and oxygen-rich environments, the fathead minnow can be found in a rich variety of habitats and is one of the most undemanding coldwater fishes at all. Water temperature may be between 4 and over 30°C. The fish can be found as well in cool and clear springs as in muddy and warm pools. As Pimephales promelas is widely used as bait, it can be found in most parts of North America.

This opportunism makes the fathead minnow an ideal fish for small garden ponds. The golden sport of the fish is in fact the only “goldfish” that can be kept with a good conscience in such miniature pools. Here the fathead minnow is very useful as it feeds on mosquito larvae. However, in regions with winter temperatures below 0°C the fish have to be hibernated in a cool and dark, but frost free bucket or aquarium. In large ponds that are deep enough and do not freeze to the bottom in winter the hardy fish can also hibernate in the pond.

Pimephales promelas is also a very interesting and easy to keep aquarium fish. Males develop odd stingy warts during the breeding season and become almost black. The species belongs to the rare cyprinids that care for the brood. The eggs are laid under or on roots, stones etc. and the male guards them until the fry swims free. Thus it seems very likely that the warts on the head are somehow connected with the broodcare. Maybe the males use them in a similar matter against potential eggfeeders as cattle do with their horns against a potential aggressor.

For our customers: the wild colored fish have code 870014, the golden sport code 870004 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Pimephales: abbreviation of the ancient Greek Pimelecephales which means “fat head”. promelas: from ancient Greek, means “black ahead”. Phoxinus: a name used for a river fish in ancient Greece; it is not identifiable nowadays anymore.

Common name: Fathead minnow

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Nachzucht / bred
Verfügbare Größe in cm	4 - 6

Code: 413692

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

This extraordinary barb originates from the South of India. It is a very close relative to the well known Black Ruby Barb (Barbus nigrofasciatus) from the nearby island of Sri Lanka, from which it differs mainly by coloration. What makes B. narayani so attractive is the unique lilac-blue hue that is shining on the body when the fish swims.

Regarding keeping and breeding Barbus narayani no essential differences to the Black Ruby Barb exist. It is also of a comparable size, eg it reaches about 5-6 cm total length.

For our customers: the animals have code 370102 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Barbus: Latin, means “the bearded one”, referring to the barbels. narayani: dedication name for C. R. Narayan Rao, who donated the collection of fishes from the Chauvery river to the Zoological Survey of India that contained among others this species that was then new to science.

Suggestion of a common name: Lilac barb

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm	3-4

Many species of Indian barbs belong to the most popular ornatmental fish at all. This is due to their brillant colours, the peacefulness and the easy keeping of these fish. A new species – Barbus manipurensis, which we can offer currently – has the potential to become also such a evergreen. The fish has been described scientifically only in 2000. It originates from the Indian state of Manipur. The fish´s name derives from that state, too. The closest relatives of B. manipurensis are the Red Sunspot Barb (B. stoliczkanus) and the Odessa Barb (B. padamya).*

At least the wild collected B. manipurensis, which we offer now, are the smallest of the three and reach only a total length of 3-4 cm. That makes them an attractive alternative for aquarists that own only smaller tanks.

Males in breeding coloration cannot be taken for mistake due to the wonderful red stripe along the body that also led to the popular name of the fish (jasper is an opaque variety of silicia, which is used as a gemrock, especially the red varieties), but it is also possible to distinguish the sexes on the basis of another, always visible feature: the iris of males is bright red, the iris of the female yellowish.

*All mentioned species can also be applied to the genus Puntius.

For our customers: the species has code 370012 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Barbus: Latin, means “the bearded one”, referring to the barbels. Puntius: from the Bengal term “Punti” for such barbs. manipurensis: after the Indian state of Manipur. stoliczkanus: dedicated to the collector of the species, Ferdinand Stoliczka (1838-1874). padamya: padamya is the Burmese word for “ruby”.

Suggestion of a common name: Red Jasper Barb

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm	3-4

Code number: 408003

Photo: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Taiwan, Southern China

Back in 2005 we were able to import this pretty species from Burma for the first time. This appeared under the provisional trade name Danio sp. “Pantherinus” (see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/danio-sp-pantherinus-_de_699.html). In 2009 the species was formally described as Danio aesculapii. It was named after the ancient Greek god of medicine, whose regalia were a stick with one or two snakes wrapped around it. The colour pattern of D. aesculapii is referred to as snakeskin pattern, thus the name. Am I allowed to give the weisenheimer? Thanks! The symbol of Aesculapius probably does not show snakes on a bar at all, but the Guinea worm wrapped on a stick. The Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis) is a parasite of humans who infect themselves via drinking water containing infected small crustaceans. The male Guinea worm dies after mating,but the female lives on and builds up a boil with the size of a gidgeon’s egg in the skin. When this boil gets contact with water, the very thin skin in its center brakes off and the female Guinea worm protudes a part of its body to release larvae in the water. The up to one meter long but only 1.5 mm thick Guinea worm can be removed only by wrapping it about 10 cm per day (not more, otherwise there is danger of disruption and a heavy bacerial infection) on a stick. This disease is or was (it seems to be almost extinct nowadays) far spread in tropical Africa and Asia, but unknown in ancient Greece. So the symbol of the healer showing a stick wrapped with Guinea worm was mistaken as the bar with snakes. This should just be noted in the margin….

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

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

Three very similar species of dwarfish barbs occur in the central Congo basin. All of them become only 3-4 cm long. Additional forms are already known, but not researched scientifically yet. The three described species are B. candens, B. hulstaerti, and B. papilio. They live in shadowy brooks that have a acidic (pH 5.0 – 5.7) and cool (21-23°C) water.

Barbus candens, the one we were able to import recently, is the largest of the three, it becomes about 4 cm long. It is a very beautiful and peaceful species that fits perfectly for nano tanks. As in all members of the group, males may be recognized by the coloured dorsal fin, which is hyaline in females.

For our customers: the species has code 100694 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Barbus: Latin, means “the bearded one”, referring to the barbels. candens: Latin, means “shining, glittering, white gleaming”; hulstaerti: dedication name; papilio: Latin, means “Butterfly”.

Suggestion of a common name: Blacknose Butterfly Barb

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

For the first time we have a golden sport (the scientific word for that phenomenon is xanthoristic) of the Stone moroko (Pseudorasbora parva) in stock. Like all our garden pond fish the specimens are bred ones.

The Stone moroko originates from Asia, where it occurs naturally in the northeastern parts (former USSR, China, Japan, etc.). In the 1970ies it was introduced to Central Europe along with fish imported for stocking waters for fishing purposes. Since that time it spreads all over the continent in a high speed. The Stone moroko is a vigorous species and absolutely undemanding. This is the explanation for its great success. It often becomes the only species of fish after some time in a biotope.

Stone morokos are able to tolerate a broad range of temperatures and are absolutely undemanding in respect of water chemistry. Thus they fit perfectly for very small garden ponds, rain barrels etc., in which no other species of fish would be able to survive. Here they feed on the moskito larvae and that makes them quite useful. However, during winter the fish have to be kept in a cool tank in the cellar, for even those hard guys are not able to survive deep-freezing.

The maximum length of Stone morokos is around 7 cm. They take broodcare. The eggs are attached on hard substratum and are guarded by the male until they hatch.

For our customers: the fish have code 802512 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Pseudorasbora: ancient Greek, means “false Rasbora”. Rasbora is another genus of fish. parva: Latin, means “small”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

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

We have received a good number of this extremely beautiful fish from our proved breeder. For further information, please check http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/notropis-chrosomus-_de_1010.html.

For our customers: the fish have code 439393 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Notropis: means “ridged or keeled back”; the name was chosen probably due to the poor state of conservation of the type specimen. chrosomus: means “colorful”.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Danionella are extremely small cyprinids, which never grow larger than 2 cm. The species that was discovered first – Danionella translucida – was thought to be the smallest cyprinid in the world, until the even smaller genus Paedocypris was discovered.

Currently, four species are recognized by science, three from Burma and one from northern India. It was only last year (2009) that a new species from Burma was described and given the unusual name Danionella dracula. Although no cyprinid has real teeth on the jaws it was found in males of the new Danionella that under the mikroskope small teeth-like extensions on the jaws became visible. The two foremost pairs of “teeth” are even fang-like, which reminded the describers on the fangs of the legendary vampire Count Dracula. Sadly these “teeth” are not visible in live specimens.

Danionella are not difficult to keep at all. However, due to their small size they need tiny live food and should be kept in one-species-tanks. But they are neither getting sicknesses easily nor are they delicate. They are kept best at room temperature (18-22°C). They spawn in javamoss or on filter foam. Water chemistry is of little importance, best is medium hard water and a neutral pH.

For our customers: the fish have code 413412 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Burma
Verfügbare Größe in cm	1.5-2

Now available again! We are pleased to be able to offer you Garra flavatra. Their attractive pattern as well as their reddish fins make it the most beautiful Garra species. In our first news (see news v. 16.12.05) it was offered under the trade name Garra spec. “Panda”, in the meantime resulted the species affiliation to Garra flavatra. Since the first imported fish were very fast out of sale, we are glad to get them again in our stock. About their way of life little is known, it is about a first in 2004 scientifically described species. Thus here is a lot to discover for engaged aquarist, particularly as still no reports about successful spawning are present. Due to their small size ( < 10 cm) and beautiful colouring Garra flavatra is one of the most interesting recent discoveries of the last years and possesses with security a large aquaristic potential.(Photo F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl)

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Myanmar

The algae-eating suckermouth barb Garra flavatra from Burma is a quite beautiful fish. In contrast to all other species of algae-eaters this is a species which is kept due to its own attractivity.

In our show-room the fish now revealed a secret they kept so far: they develope deep red fins!

Keeping Garra flavatra is very easy. They like water temperatures between 18 and 26°C (better cooler than warmer). The remaining water parameters are of no meaning for them. The up to 9 cm long fish are kept best in groups. They are completely peaceful against each other as well as against other species.

For our customers: we currently have bred ones (416460) and wild collected ones (416461) in stock. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Lexicon: Garra: an indigenous name for those fishes in Bengal. flavatra: Latin, means “yellow-black”, referring to the coloration.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Currently we offer a beautiful surface dwelling fish for community tanks for fishes from Asia: Chela laubuca. The absolutely peaceful species attains a total length of around 6 (rarely 8) cm. Keeping and breeding is comparable to that of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) which shares the same habitats as Chela laubuca in nature.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indien / India
Verfügbare Größe in cm	6-8

 

The zebrafish, Danio rerio, is one of the best known lifeforms of this planet and an important subject of scientific research. The beautiful fish is also one of the most popular aquarium fishes of the world. It is native in the river systems of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra in India.

Ten years ago Fang Fang, a scientist specialized in Danio, described a new species of Danio from Burma under the name D. kyathit. The species, however, is known much longer, but had been misidentified formerly as Danio rerio. Although live fish of both species hardly can be confused one must keep in mind that scientists usually work with preserved material. In preserved material details of coloration are usually hardly not recognizable.

It was though for a long time that in the wild a spotted and a striped variety of Danio kyathit would appear. But in 2009. Sven Kullander and Fang Fang described the striped fish as a new species, D. quagga. Both Danios can be kept and bred as easily as the zebrafish.

Since the early 1960ies a Danio species is kept and bred in our tanks which has never been found in nature: the leopard danio, D. frankei. Sadly nowadays pure strains of D. frankei probably don´t exist anymore, as the species has been and is continously crossed with Danio rerio. But the findings in Danio kyathit and D. quagga make it likely that there is somewhere a place in India where a wild spotted Danio may exist…. Probably this place is somewhere in the extreme east of India. This region is still a white spot on the map of science, as scientific research is impossible there due to political reasons. So we have to leave the solution of this problem to upcoming generations.

For our customers: Danio kyathit „spotted“ has code 413613, D. quagga code 413603 and bred ones code 413593 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply to the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Burma

Dieter Vogt described in 1978 a subspecies of Rasbora urophthalma (please see the entry for Boraras urophthalmoides in our fisharchives) from Borneo. He named the fish Rasbora urophthalma brigittae, a dedication name in honour for his wife Brigitte. The German name is „mosquito rasbora“. This is not because the fish are as tiny as mosquitos or as red as moskitos after having a dinner, but due to the fact that there were so many mosquitos at the collecting site that fishing became a real pain.

Today the mosquito rasbora is regarded as a full species in Boraras and thus the correct name is Boraras brigittae.

Borars brigittae was found initially in Banjarmasin in the South of Borneo. 1991 another dwarf rasbora was discovered, also in the South of Borneo, but about 400 km further in the west. This new dwarf rasbora is distinguished from all other species known so far by the very large shoulder spot with a golden ring. It was described by M. Kottelat as Rasbora merah and its correct name today is Boraras merah.

Interestingly B. brigittae also occurs in some of the habitats of B. merah. The population of B. brigittae found there is distinguished from those from the type locality by the much narrower stripe along the side. Depending on which species is dominating a peculiar habitat one imitates the other in coloration. For example: if more B. merah live in the habitat B. brigittae changes coloration so much that one has to look very close on the individual fish to be able to distinguish them. In aquaria both species can interbreed. It is unknown if they do this in the wild.

Obviously this is a case of speciation occuring directly before our eyes!

For our customers: B. brigittae has code 451102, B. merah 452752 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply to the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Indonesien / Indonesia
Verfügbare Größe in cm	1-2

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

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Vietnam
Verfügbare Größe in cm	1-2

The Dwarf rasbora (Boraras maculatus, formerly known as Rasbora maculata) is the species of genus Boraras (which currently comprises five species, all of them will become presented in the upcoming days) that is known for the longest time in the hobby. None of these species grows bigger than 2-3 cm and thus they are perfect candidates for the so-called nano-aquaria. All like to be kept in soft and acidic water, rather dark tanks, that should nevertheless be well planted (best use swimming plants), fine live food (although they also take readily dried food) and company of their own kind.

The Dwarf rasbora inhabits the malayian peninsula, southern Thailand and Sumatra. Initially it was often thought to represent the juvenile of the much larger growing species Rasbora kalochroma, but observations of the fish in aquaria and their successful breeding left no doubt on the validity of the species.

There do exist lots of varieties of the Dwarf rasbora which may proof to be different species one day. Typical for all of them is the large shoulder spot, which is in any cases bigger than the eye. The ground coloration of the body depends on the variety and can be light orange up to deep red. Some populations have an additional black spot (all Dwarf rasboras have three black blotches: one on the shoulder, one on the origin of the anal fin, and one on the caudal fin base) on the beginning of the caudal peduncle right above the anal fin.

For our customers: the species has code 452702 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply to the wholesale market.

Text and photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Malaysia
Verfügbare Größe in cm	1-2

Currently two species f the genus Tanichthys are known in the hobby: the White Cloud Mountain minnow Tanichthys albonubes, and the Jewel Minnow, T. micagemmae. The White Cloud is available exclusively as bred specimens, wheras the Jewel minnows is also imported as wild collected fish. The Jewel minnow has been discovered in 2001 in Central Vietnam.

The maximum size of the Jewel minnow is less than 3 cm, so the species is an ideal fish for the so-called nano-aquaria. Males and females can easily become distinguished by the shape and colour of dorsal and anal fin, which are much larger and more colorful in males.

The Jewel minnow should be kept and bred in schools. The fish are completely peaceful among any other fish. If they are kept in a one-species tank no additional heater is necessary in indoor aquaria. The species spawn in fine plant material. The offspring swims close under the water surface. If the parental are fed properly and with a good variety of food, usually some of the young survive even in the community tank (surface plants are necessary, especially Riccia).

Tanichthy micagemmae is a real gem and every fishkeeper should have tried it.

For our customers: the fish have code 459002 on our stockliste. Please note that we exclusively supply to the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	Vietnam
Verfügbare Größe in cm	2

Currently extremely beautiful bred specimens from Cyprinella lutrensis are exported from SE-Asia. This up to 7 cm (very rarely up to 9 cm) long cyprinid originates from North America up to Mexico where several subspecies are known. So one might think that this species is a coldwater fish. In fact the species can tolerate a wide spectrum of water tempertaures. One can keep these beautiful and peaceful fishes in the garden pond, in the unheated indoor tank or in the tropical aquarium. They should be always kept in schools, as they need to live in community of their own kind. The peaceful, omnivorous fishes do not require any special water conditions. The males develope white pimples on the head during breeding season, as many other cyprinids do as well. It is a freespawning species that does not care for the eggs or offspring in any way. Breeding is quite easy, even in aquaria.

For our customers: the animals have code 867004 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply to the wholesale market.

Text and photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	USA bzw. Südostasien / USA, Southeast Asia resp.
Verfügbare Größe in cm	5-7

We can offer currently one of the most beautiful rasboras, Rasbora kalochroma, in perfect condition. The species originates from the islands Borneo, Sumatra, Banka, and Biliton and the Malay Peninsula. Here they inhabit waterbodies with very soft, acidic and deep dark brown water (so-called blackwater). Like many other fishes from these waters (a prominent example is the chocolate gourami) R. kalochroma is somewhat difficult to transport. In nature, they live in virtually bacteria free water. In the small amount of water that must be used for transport bacteria grow very fast. The stress caused by these masses of bacteria suppresses the immune system of the fish. This has in consequence that the fish are very sensitve against any diseases although under regular conditions these diseases would not harm the fish at all.

That is the reason why in former days species like Rasbora kalochroma were thought to be impossible to keep. The very sophisticated way ornamental fish are transported today solved the problem. Fast transport and UV-burners that effectively low down the bacterial pressure during the inital settlement of the fishes swept the stigma of unkeepability of R. kalochroma away. However, R, kalochroma are still demanding fishes, but any hobbyist is able to fullfil their needs.

And so we can hope that in the near future also the riddle of breeding the species will be solved. Until today virtually nothing is known about that……

For our customers: the animals have code 453202 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer

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

Goldfish are timeless classics. The number of different sports and colours seems to be neverending. Basicly all goldfish belong to the very same species, eg Carassius auratus. So every single sport is a mere variety and all the different goldfish can be crossed with each other. Most of the varieties that exist nowadays have a deep, short body. Most of them are known as „fantails“ in the hobby. These goldfish often die during winter in garden ponds in Central Europe. Their gut has a different form compared with the gut of a wild-type goldfish. So very often some food remains in the gut during winter and this leads to death in the end.

Among the „normal“ bodied goldfish varieties the Wakin is one of the most attractive for ponds. Wakin are defined as „normal“ goldfish with doubled caudal fin. They survive problem free the winter and grow to a relative big size (20-25 cm). The chinese name for the red-white Wakin is Hua he jin, whereas the Japanese name for red-white goldfisch is in general Sarasa. It is very likely that the original name „Hua he jin“ became what is nowadays „Hoe Kim“. In South East Asia, this highly attractive  red-white Wakin is bred and sold as Hoe Kim.

For our customers: the fish has code 808703 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply to the wholesale market.

By the way: all goldfish and varieties are depicted and explained in the unique AQUALOG „all goldfish and varieties“. Please click here for further informations.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

The doctor fish (Garra rufa) is famous due to the fact that the population of this fish that lives in the Kangal thermes in Turkey can be used to help people with bad skin diseases, like psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis and so on. This fish shows no shyness against humans at all, comes at once and behaves on the skin as it would do with its natural food: aufwuchs (algae and the small animals that live between them). It does remove dead skin and, thus, cleans up inflamed areas, permitting new tissues to grow. Especially juveniles are really mad for cleaning human skin and to eat algae. The self test made by myself to get the photos presented here clearly showed that the fish prefer to clean skin instead of wood, but nevertheless Garra rufa can be recommended as a wonderful algae eater. Which other species of algae eater can be presented to friends and visitors as a trained animal that swims to the hand as soon as you put it in the water?

Garra rufa can be easily kept in the aquarium in a temperature range between 16 and 30°C. It should be kept in a group. Maximum length is approx. 10 cm TL. For our customers: the fish has code 416451 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale market.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Among the most important ornamental fishes are the species of Harlequin barbs. Formerly they were addet to the catch-all genus Rasbora, but nowadays it is everywhere accepted that they belong to a genus on their own named Trigonostigma. There are four described species and one of unclear status. Four of them are regularly stocked by us and because they continously become confused, we will take the opportunity to show you the differences.

1. The real Harlequin barb, Trigonostigma heteromorpha
This species has the largest trinagel-spot of all species. The spot covers almost completely the hinder half of the body. Nowadays almost all specimens available in the trade are bred ones, but now and then we can also offer wild collected ones like the specimen depicted.

2. The Purple Harlequin barb, Trigonostigma espei
This species is sometimes also called “Elongated Harlequin barb”. It can be recognized by the size of its triangle spot that covers only the lower half of the hinder half of the body. The gap between the operculum border and the triangle spot as well as the back above the triangle spot is brillantly coloured with a deep purple red.

3. The Orange Harlequin barb, Trigonostigma cf. espei
This fish fits perfectly to T. espei with the exception of the basic colour which is a bright orange instead of a deep purple. This leads to much confusion with the following species (T. hengeli). Especially subadults can be confused easily. However, adults can be distinguished for sure by the colour of the gap between the border of the operculum and the triangle spot, which is a bright orange in T. cf. espei and white in T. hengeli.

4. The Small Harlequin barb, Trigonostigma hengeli
This Harlequin barb is the tiniest of all. The triangle spot is relative small and bordered by a bright orange line. The gap between the border of the operculum is whitish as well as the back above the triangle spot.

All four Harlequin barbs are wonderful aquarium inhabitants which develop fantastic colours when kept in soft and acidic black water. None of them becomes larger than 4 cm, in the wild they are usually much smaller.

Text and photos: Frank Schäfer

There is a good number of well known aquarium fish that bear no scientific name, so they „officially” do not exist at all! Only with a formal scientific description a name can be applied to a species that is binding for every person in the world. On the other hand, common names can be given merrily by every person. There do not exist any rules for them.

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

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

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

The smallest species of Danio known so far was now imported by Aquarium Glaser after some time again from Burma. The species is termed Danio sp. “Panther”, as it is not described scientifically yet. It becomes only 2-3 cm long. It is a schooling species that fits perfectly to smaller aquaria. Temperature should be chosen between 18 and 25°C.
For our customers: the species is listed in our stocklist under code number 413692
Please note that we exclusively supply the wholsale trade.

Text & Photo: Frank Schäfer

The goldfish is the eldest ornamental fish species in the world. For hundreds of years it has been bred on highest levels. Although the western aquarium hobby is unthinkable without the goldfish and its varieties the main breeding centres are still located in the east of Asia. It is very important to know where a goldfish has been bred, as their temperature tolerance varies immensely with the origin. In general goldfish (Carassius auratus) are among the most tolerant fish species of the world. They are adapted in the most extreme habitats in nature. So they can accept principally temperatures between 5 and 32°C. However, the different breeding strains have very different needs and a goldfish originating from Thailand or Singapore will never tolerate as low temperatures as a specimen from China.

The Pearlscales are very short goldfish. Each scale is formed like a little mussel. The must be handled quite carefully, as lost scales will be replaced by regularly formed ones. Since a few decades ago the Pearlscale goldfish were bred only in the Chinese province Kwangtung. Nowadays they are more common. The specimens available now from Aquarium Glaser originate from China.

Pearlscales are among the goldfish that are very suitable for keeping in aquaria, as they belong to the smallest varieties of the goldfish. Maximum body length is around 8 cm (fins go extra). Moreover, most Pearlscale goldfish are bred as “matt” ones. That means that the pigment that is responsible for the silver coloration in fishes – guanine – is mostly missing. So the Pearlscale goldfish have deep black eyes which look very attractive when the fish is looked at from the side instead of from the top.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft	China
Verfügbare Größe in cm	6

The males of this unique dwarf barb (maximum size around 4 cm) have a red “walrus moustache”. Until the scientific description of the species in 2008 it was known in the trade as Barbus cf. puntio.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Just this week we a a very limited number of the really beautiful fish! We will pass those to one of our breeders in order to assure a better availability in future. Our supplier from Asia will send us in approx two weeks some more of them….let's cross our fingers!