Tag Archives: agulha

Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus

26. February 2021

Already in 1894 the three-banded flag tetra (Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus) was described scientifically; the animals on which the description was based came from the Brazilian state of Pará, more detailed information or illustrations are not available. From 1910 and in the 1920s, when the tetras advanced to the most popular aquarium fishes, also three-banded tetras came to Europe; these animals had a red, a white and a black longitudinal band over the entire body length – hence three-banded tetras. According to some sources, they came from the lower Rio Tocantins (whose lower reaches are in Pará), according to other sources from the southern tributaries of the middle Amazon (i.e. Rio Madeira, Rio Tapajós, Rio Xingu). A whole group of species has been named after the three-banded tetra – the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus group. They have a black longitudinal band as a common characteristic. From the Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus group many new species have been described in the last years and some more are already known but not formally described yet; this makes identification not easy.

We have now received very nice animals of this group with the locality Apeú, whereby it is not specified whether this means the district of the large city Castanhal in Pará or the small river Apeú, which flows through the district of the same name, but this forgives nothing. Freshly arrived the animals showed only two stripes, one light and one black, which is why we first determined the species as Hyphessobrycon agulha, but after a few days of acclimation red colored scales were also visible above the light longitudinal band. We are now of the opinion that this is indeed the “true” H. heterorhabdus, while the central Amazonian form mentioned in the old literature probably belonged to the species Hyphessobrycon sateremawe described only last year (2020). H. sateremawe differs from H. heterorhabdus by a much wider black longitudinal band.

For our customers: the animals have code 261103 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Two new tetras from the Rio Negro region: Hyphessobrycon paepkei and H. cf. agulha

5. May 2017

In a shipment containing Hyphessobrycon socolofi (Socolof´s bleeding heart) we found an extraordinary large number of bycatches. Allmost half of the shipment were another species, obviously a close relative of H. ornatus (Rosy tetra). We took a closer look and found the the bycatches were the Goldshoulder rosy tetra, H. paepkei. This species has been described only a few years ago, the type specimens also originated from our fishhouse. Usullay onyl a few specimens could be selected from shipments of other species, but this time we had quite a good number. So we decided to assort them. A nasty buisiness, but now we were able to offer the beautiful Goldshoulder rosy tetra for the first time on a regular basis. Regarding keeping this fish: it does not differ in any respect from well known, closely related aquarium fish, like the phantom tetras or the rosy tetras.

Another new species also reached us in former times in single specimens only from the Rio Negro region. Without any doubts the animals are identical with the tetra illustrated on page 472 of „the bible of tetra lovers“, Gery´s „Characoids of the world“. The caption says „Hyphessobrycon agulha, or close to it“. In contrast to all the different varieties of tetra that look similar this one has very attractive red stripes in the caudal fin. This new tetra is also comparable in respect of aquarium demands to a very well known one, namely the Black Neon, Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi.

Hyhessobrycon cf agulha

For our customers: Both species were available in limited numbers only and are sadly sold out already.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer