OPICAL DISCOVERY A M A Z O N A S V o l u m e 7 • N u m b e r 6 | M E D A K A • A N D E A N
Marvelous Medaka
A N C I S T R U S
• R A I N B O W F I S H A D V E N T U R E S
❙
Collecting Mexican Cichlids Ancistru trus s ❙ New Andean Ancis ❙ Rainbowfish Adventures
NOV/DEC NOV/D EC 20 2018 18
CONTENTS • VOLUME 7, NUMBER 6 EXECUTIVE EDITOR |
Ann Whitman
Matthew W. Pedersen, Michael J. Tuccinardi, Stephan M. Tanner,, Ph.D. Tanner
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EDITORIAL by Ann Whitman
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LETTER FROM EUROPE by Friedrich Bitter
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A fish for many interests by Friedrich Bitter
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Colorful new varieties of Medaka (Oryzias latipes). Images by F. Bitter
AQUATIC AQUA TIC PLANTS
Recognizing nutrient deficiencies in aquarium plants by Maike Wilstermann-Hildebrand
DEPARTMENTS 88
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REPORTAGE: SEARCHING WEST PAPUA FOR NEW RAINBOWFISHES
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A M A Z O N A S 3
S A N O Z A M A 4
LETTER FROM THE
EDITOR
Dear Readers, By November, the autumn foliage has already peaked in crimson, yellow and orange, and fallen to the ground here in Vermont, the chilly Northeast. My summer tubs of Water Lilies and breeding colonies of Platies ( Xiphophorus sp.), Mexican Mollies (Poecilia sphenops), Orange-finned (Danio kyathit) and Gold-Ring Danios ( D. tinwini), White Clouds (Tanichthys alboneubes), and Bloodfin Tetras ( Aphyocharax anisitsi) are safely back in their warm winter aquariums. The plant tubers are tucked into plastic bags of peat and the equipment stored away. This is the time of year when I like to relax a bit and take stock of my fish room and goals, clean up the projects that got put aside “for later,” and start planning for next year. Medaka ( Oryzias latipes), our feature fish in this issue, will likely inhabit at least one of my tubs. These killifish are gaining popularity in North America and I’m intrigued with fish that thrive outdoors and show well in patio ponds. Part of my winter downtime involves a healthy dose of dreaming about travels to warm, distant places to see native habitats, perhaps collect some fish and plants, and experience the thrill of seeing the tropical plants, birds, amphibians, and fish in the wild that I have enjoyed for so long in my hobbies. So far, I admit, much of my armchair occupation has been just that—bucket-list dreams. Perhaps 2019 will be the year that I finally make it to Peru or one of the other South or Central American destinations on my list. If you share my travel dreams, you will enjoy flying over and driving the backroads of Papua to search for Rainbowfish with Johannes Graf, Gary Lange and their companions. Or, maybe exploring the watersheds of southern Mexico for big cichlids is on your checklist. Intrepid explorer HansGeorg Evers begins his new column, What’s Up?, this month with a collecting adventure in the Andes Mountains of Peru. So, step away from the day-to-day for a little while, settle into an armchair, and travel to faraway places with our adventurers. Get inspired.
L
T
Ann Whitman
Vacations by the water are a must, such as this warm, sandy beach in West Mabou, Nova Scotia, Canada.
A M A Z O N A S 5
LETTER FROM
EUROPE
Dear Readers, As we prepare for winter, I’m already dreaming of spring. For a growing circle of aquarists, late spring is the time for preparing small ponds and tubs for populating with fishes from temperate and even tropical latitudes. This is precisely why once we are devoting part of this issue to detailed coverage of the Japanese Ricefish, which has an ever-increasing number of fans, and not only in its native land. This colorful killifish is an ideal subject for stocking seasonal outdoor containers. We’ve covered the basic requirements of these attractive fish, introduced a few of the cutting-edge Japanese breeders, and given you lots of photos to get you excited for this fascinating species. Have we awakened your interest? In addition, we take you to Mexico, South America, and Papua to collect new fishes with some of the top explorers in our hobby. Lakes and rivers everywhere are home to creatures with the potential to enrich the interest we all share. Seeing photos and reading first-hand descriptions of their natural habitats allows us to prepare our aquariums to suit their needs, so that our fishes feel at home right from the start, and are free to be what we love them for: a little piece of nature in our homes. Happy reading! Friedrich Bitter
S A N O Z A M A 6
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AQUATIC
View of the Río las Piedras, a tributary of the Río Madre de Dios in southern Peru and habitat of Sturisoma graffini .
Inset: Freshly caught Sturisoma graffini .
article & images by Hans-Georg Evers •
Whiptail catfishes: new nomenclature A new species of the whiptail catfish genus Sturisoma has recently been recognized. LondoñoBurbano (2018) has described Sturisoma graffini from southern Peru as the eleventh species of the genus, whose distribution is considered strictly cis-Andean, occurring in the Amazon lowlands (Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru), the Orinoco Basin (Colombia, Venezuela), the La Plata Basin (Argentina, Paraguay), as well as in the drainages of the Rupununi and Essequibo on the Guyana shield. FIRST
THE GOOD NEWS:
Changed generic placement
S A N O Z A M A 8
The Sturisoma species are bottom-dwelling fishes with relatively short finnage and shorter rostrums compared to the closely-related, trans-Andean genus Sturisomatichthys. From the aquarist’s viewpoint, the best-known members of the genus Sturisoma, which was recently revised by Covain et al. (2016), are S. nigrirostrum and S. robustum. Catfish experts among our readers will doubtless be wrin-
kling their eyebrows and asking themselves why I haven’t mentioned S. aureum and S. festivum. And that brings me to the bad news in this short article. Both last-named species live in the trans-Andean part of Colombia and were unequivocally assigned to the genus Sturisomatichthys by Covain et al. (2016) based on genetic studies, and since then have been known as Sturisomatichthys aureus and Sturisomatichthys festivus. According to Covain et al. (2016), the two genera are most closely related to Farlowella and together they constitute a tribe of their own that is monophyletic. Have I confused you? Or even ir ritated? Please don’t blame me, or Raphaël Covain and his co-authors for that matter! I regard this new classification as generally sensible, although I have my doubts at least in the case of Sturisomatichthys panamensis (a taxon used incorrectly for S. festivus for decades by some unwilling-tolearn aquarists!), whose external appearance is much more reminiscent of the cis-Andean species; moreover,
like the latter group, it inhabits sandy biotopes and is hardly ever found on wood, unlike the other species of the genus Sturisomatichthys. Other parts of the repeatedly cited work by Covain et al. (2016) are a lot more controversial in my view and that of other catfish enthusiasts, and raise a lot more doubts. But fortunately, that isn’t relevant here. Aquarists will now have to change their ways once again, and in future speak of Sturisomatichthys instead of Sturisoma where the most popular members of the whiptail catfishes are concerned.
Aquarists will learn a new name. This popular whiptail catfish, formerly classified as Sturisoma festivus, is now correctly termed Sturisomatichthys festivus.
Stur isoma are different
Returning our attention to the genus Sturisoma, S. ni grirostrum and similar species are usually found on sandy bottoms. I have always caught these fishes on sandbanks in larger white-water rivers using a seine net. In the aquarium, too, they prefer to rest on the bottom, moving little, if at all. I well remember a pair of S. nigrirostrum that I kept for a number of years. The two fishes lay motionless next to each other on the sand in the current. They were there in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, and also at night, when I tiptoed in to look for them with a flashlight. In all those years, I never saw them anywhere else in the aquarium.
The underside of the rostrum is dark in color in Sturisoma graffini —a characteristic of the species!
The newly recognized species Sturisoma graffini was described from the drainage of the Río Madre de Dios in southern Peru. The majority of the specimens on which the description is based were collected in the area of the Manu National Park (small affluents of the Río Manu and in the Manu itself), though specimens from the drainage of the Río Tambopata are also mentioned. The species is in fact distributed further downstream in wide parts of the Madre de Dios basin. I have, for example, caught it several times in the way described above on extensive sandbanks in the Río las Piedras. The water temperature in the Río las Piedras can fluctuate between 71.5 and 80.5°F (22 and 27°C) in the space of a few days. The visibility in this typical whitewater river was very low and was no more than a few centimeters on every occasion I visited it. The species is distinguished from all other members of the genus by its dentition, and otherwise mainly by a broad, dark dorsolateral longitudinal band extending at most to half-way along the caudal peduncle. The underside of the rostrum is black, while by contrast the remainder of the underside of the body is light. Once again, I see several catfish experts wrinkling their eyebrows. And I have myself wondered whether that is enough to diagnose a new species? Fortunately, I’m not a scientist and hence cannot comment. A brief anecdote in conclusion: the species was named in honor of Greg Graffin, who has a doctorate in zoology but is probably better known as the lead singer of the punk rock band Bad Religion! REFERENCES
Covain, R., S. Fisch-Muller, C. Oliveira, J. H. Mol, J. I. Montoya-Burgos, S. Dray (2016): Molecular phylogeny of the highly diversi�ed cat�sh subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes, Loricariidae) reveals incongruences with morphological classi�cation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 94: 492–517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2015.10.018 Londoño-Burbano, A. (2018): A new species of Sturisoma (Loricariidae: Loricariinae) from the Madre de Dios River basin, Peru, with a key to all congeners and comments on the type series of Sturisoma rostratum. Journal of Fish Biology . doi:10.1111/jfb.13560
A M A Z O N A S 9
AQUATIC
A new miniature sleeper goby from northern Brazil Microphilypnus hypolyrasimeion is a recently described miniature sleeper goby.
Microcharacidium sp. shares the habitat with Microphilypnus hypolyrasimeion.
This Microphilypnus specimen reached Germany in 2015 as a bycatch.
S A N O Z A M A 10
Z T E H . K . S : M O T T O B ; Z T I R B . R : E L D D I
M & P O T
by Ole Arnold Schneider • Many South American representatives of the characin, cichlid, and catfish families are well-known, widespread, and popular in the aquarium hobby. But South American gobies, let alone sleeper gobies, are far less common. Some truly tiny gobies in Latin America are still being discovered and definitely invite a second look.
of goby species in Australia or East and Southeast Asia, there is a relatively sparse spectrum on the North and South American continents, so, it is hardly a surprise that the New-World representatives also rarely appear in the aquarium hobby. The gobies discussed here, however, remain hidden in a completely different way: they are the smallest of all the freshwater sleeper gobies, so you first have to find them. Given their tiny stature they would probably be perfect for the nanoaquarium, but there remains a shortage of imports. COMPARED
TO THE DIVERSITY
Three genera The Latin-American miniature sleeper gobies belong to three genera that are found predominantly in fresh water, but sometimes also in brackish. Members of Leptophilypnus , the first genus, are found only in Central America. According to the most recent revision of the genus by Thacker et al. (2006), there are a total of three valid species. The largest can attain a standard length of just over 2 inches (55 mm) and is the longest of the small fish discussed here. Originally, a number of species were described in a genus of their own, Microeleotris , but this has now been absorbed into Leptophilypnus . The habitats of Leptophilypnus species, in part, include coastal brackish-water regions on the Central American land bridge, where their distribution extends its entire length, from Panama to Mexico (Espinosa-Pérez et al., 2014). The second genus in this group is Leptophilypnion , whose name similarity to the first genus offers plenty of opportunity for confusion. The scientific description of the genus was comparatively recent, as it was first erected in 2013 by Roberts, and to date it comprises just two species, both from northern Brazil. The outlook for these doesn’t look very bright, however: the type material was collected decades ago and, despite interim searches in the wild, as well as in zoological collections, no further specimens have been found. One of the two species may even already be extinct, as the area around the type locality, in the vicinity of the Brazilian city of Santarém, has been extensively deforested in the course of increasing the area available locally for soybean cultivation (Roberts 2013). The two species are absolutely tiny with a recorded
maximum standard length of only about 3/8 inch (9-10 mm), and even their live coloration remains unknown. The members of the third genus, Microphilypnus , described in 1927 by the American ichthyologist George S. Myers, are true dwarfs with a maximum length of only an inch (25 mm). The most recent revision of the genus was performed in 2011 by Caires and de Figueiredo, and subsequently another species was added two years later (Caires 2013). Thus, to date there are four valid members of Microphilypnus . All the species are found exclusively in South America, where they are distributed across Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, and Bolivia in the drainages of the Amazon and the Orinoco (Thacker et al., 2006). In their natural habitats, they are often found near the bank, sometimes in still, very shallow water in oxbow lakes, inundation zones, and small watercourses, where they live over soft bottoms and hide in mud or leaf litter.
Camouflage alliances? Microphilypnus species are not only well camouflaged in this environment, but may also be practicing a form of mimicry together with other ver y small aquatic denizens. Observations suggesting such a hypothesis originate from a study by Carvalho et al. (2006), who found that the sleeper gobies share t heir habitat “conspicuously inconspicuously” with small characin and shrimp species. The Microphilypnus species observed by them in the field as well as in the aquarium were predominantly M. ternetzi and occasionally M. macrostoma (Caires pers. comm., Caires & de Figueiredo 2011, Caires & ToledoPiza 2018). These apparently live in close association with the characin Priocharax ariel and three shrimp species from the rock and partner shrimp family (Palaemonidae): Pseudopalaemon amazonensis , P. chryseus, and Palaemonetes carteri. In the wild however, the shrimps very clearly predominate in numbers. All species have the common feature of a light brown speckled coloration and a transparent body, by virtue of which they are ideally adapted to their environment. In addition, they all have a similar body shape and a short length, which makes it difficult (at least from a human perspective) to spot them. While the characins swim in the open water near the bottom, the gobies and shrimps live directly on the bottom and are active mainly at night. Gobies, characins, and shrimps also exhibit very different flight reactions, from which the authors deduce a possible additional method of confusing attackers. As is so often the case, however, a lot more research into these inter-relationships and phenomena is required before more definite pronouncements on the subject are possible. Aquarists could certainly make an important contribution to this by means of longterm behavioral observations.
A M A Z O N A S 11
A newly described species Microphilypnus hypolyrasimeion , a fifth species of the genus, was described at the beginning of the year, and here too there are indications and assumptions about living relationships of this type (Caires & Toledo-Piza 2018). The species, which was collected in northern Brazil back in 2011, was found together with Microcharacidium sp. and
bottom of page 10 is probably that species as well (Britz, pers. com.). But, to date there is no information about deliberate or commercial imports, and equally little is known about reproduction or other aspects of the species’ way of life. The sites where Microphilypnus species are found are often located deep in the interior of South America, making it probable that the development of the larvae may play out entirely in fresh water, so the chances of successful breeding in the aquarium don’t seem all that bad. Hopefully, some specimens will eventually find their way into enthusiasts’ tanks, so that one day there will be more to report about them. Obrigado! I would like to thank Manoela
Marinho, Ralf Britz, and Stefan K. Hetz. All three provided photos for for this article, article, without which it wouldn’t have been possible at all. I would also like to heartily thank Ralf Britz and Rodrigo A. Caires for their expert supporting information and willingness to help. Collecting locality for the new sleeper goby in the Igarapé Tibarrá, a tributary of the Rio Negro, upstream of Santa Isabel do Rio Negro.
Odontocharacidium sp., two currently still-undescribed, miniature characins. The visible similarities in markings, coloration, and size between Microcharacidium sp. and Microphilypnus hypolyrasimeion are impossible to ignore. In addition, both species are only a few millimeters long. There are are an astonishing astonishingly ly large number number of of very small fishes in the fresh waters of South America, with 213 species currently listed that measure less than one inch (26 mm) in length (Toledo-Piza et al., 2014). But, they include only seven goby species, and M. hypolyrasimeion, currently with a maximum recorded standard length of barely 5/8 inch (15 mm), is the smallest member of its genus known to date. Its small size and attractive pattern of red-brown spots, speckles, and lines on the fins and transparent body would certainly make the species an interesting fish for the nano aquarium.
Scarce imports
S A N O Z A M A 12
Unfortunately, miniature sleeper gobies are not yet commercially unavailable. Only single specimens have reached the aquarium hobby as bycatches, in shipments of Cardinal Tetras, for example (Hetz, pers. com.). Microphilypnus ternetzi is probably the species most commonly found in the wild, and the fish shown at the
REFERENCES
Caires, R. A. (2013): Microphilypnus tapajosensis , a new species of eleotridid from the Tapajós basin, Brazil (Gobioidei: Eleotrididae Eleotrididae). ). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 24 (2): 155–160. Caires, R. A. & J. L. de F igueiredo (2011): Review of the genus Microphilypnus Myers, 1927 (Teleostei: Gobioidei: Eleotridae) from the lower Amazon basin, with description of one new species. Zootaxa, 3036: 39–57. Caires, R. A. & M. Tole Toledo-Piza do-Piza (2018): A new species of miniature �sh of the genus Microphilypnus Myers, 1927 (Gobioidei: Eleotridae) from the upper Rio Negro basin, Amazonas, Brazil. Copeia, 106 (1): 49–55. Carvalho, L. N., J. Zuanon & I. Sazima (2006): The almost invisible league: crypsis and association between minute �shes and shrimps as a possible defence against visually hunting predators. Neotropical Ichthyology , 4 (2): 219–224. Espinosa-Pérez, H., A. Martínez & D. Sepúlveda (2014): Leptophilypnus Espinosa-Pérez, guatemalensis Thacker & Pezold, 2006 (Gobiiformes: Eleotridae): �rst record in México. Check List , 10 (6): 1535–1537. Myers, G. S. (1927): Descriptions of new South American fresh-water �shes collected by Dr. Carl Ternetz. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology , 68 (3): 107–135. Roberts, T. R. (2013): Leptophilypnion, a new genus with two new species of tiny central Amazonian gobioid �shes (Teleo (Teleostei, stei, Eleotridae). aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology , 19 (2): 85–98. Thacker, C. E., F. L. Pezold & R. D. D. Suttkus (2006): Redescription Redescription of the dwarf neotropical eleotrid genus Leptophilypnus (Teleostei: Gobioidei), including a new species and comments on Microphilypnus . Copeia, (3): 489–499. Toledo-Piza, M., G. M. T. Toledo-Piza, T. Mattox & R. Britz (2014): Priocharax nanus, a new miniature characid from the Rio Negro, Amazon Basin (Ostariophysi: Characiformes), with an updated list of miniature neotropical freshwater freshwater �shes. Neotropical Ichthyology , 12 (2): 229–246.
O H N I R A M . M
A M A Z O N A S 13
S A N O Z A M A 14
A M A Z O N A S 15
AQUATIC catfishes also exhibit comparable similarity. In some cases, up to three different species with very similar markings have been recorded in the same biotope. For this reason, Müllerian mimicry—in which a poisonous species is imitated by a non-poisonous one—was assumed in earlier publications. But Lima and Sazima demonstrated very nicely that, in this case, both species have a gland at the base of the first pectoral fin ray that produces a poisonous secretion as a defense against enemies. If the fish is attacked, the pectoral fins are spread and the gland releases the secretion. It is transmitted along the first pectoral fin ray, which is modified into a pointed spine, and injected into the predator. So the predator not only gets stabbed, but also has to endure the pain of the poison. Any aquarist who has handled one of these mailed catfishes can confirm this: it is very painful (just how painful depends on the species) and can last for hours. In this case, where both species are poisonous, the correct term is Batesian mimicry. Luiz Tencatt (pers. comm.) has found these glands in all the mailed catfishes he has studied. So it can be assumed that Batesian mimicry is the norm in mailed catfishes. This and further observations show that research on the mailed catfishes is still far from complete.
Delightfully rare!
A pair of Corydoras tukano.
by Hans-Georg Evers
S A N O Z A M A 16
• Fishes from the
upper Rio Negro in the Brazil/Colombia border region rarely reach the aquarium hobby. It is even rarer for mailed catfishes from the Rio Tiquié to turn up in the trade. The mailed catfish Corydoras tukano was described from this remote river and has been imported now and then in the past. In a few cases, there was also a similarly colored longer-nosed or “saddle-snout” among the imports, which was quickly given the code number CW 11. Flavio Lima, one of t hose who deREFERENCES scribed C. tukano, also caught this saddle-snout, along Britto, M.R. and Lima, F.C.T. 2003. Corydoras tukano, a new species of with the type material of the species—but he had only corydoradine cat�sh from the upper rio Tiquié, upper rio Negro basin, Brazil (Ostariophysi: Siluriformes: Callichthyidae). Neotrop Ichthyol 1 (2): 83–91. a few specimens, and they didn’t represent sufficient material for a first scientific description. Lima, F.C.T. and I. Sazima. 2017. Corydoras desana, a new plated cat�sh from the upper rio Negro, Brazil, with comments on mimicry within Renewed collections in 2006 and 2008 yielded small Corydoradinae (Ostariophysi: Siluriformes: Callichthyidae). aqua, Int J numbers of CW 11, which were caught with the far comIchthyol 23 (1): 19–32. moner C. tukano. Eventually, enough specimens were accumulated for Lima & Sazima (2017) to describe the species Corydoras desana , a very rare guest in our aquariums. as Corydoras desana, a short time ago. Pier Aquatics of Wigan, UK, has managed to import a number of C. desana. Because of the very high price, such treasures usually go to Asia, where aquarists are more willing to splurge. The very similar coloration of the two species is striking. Other mailed
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A M A Z O N A S 17
COVER
STORY
Introducing Medakas A fish for many interests article & images by Friedrich Bitter • Many fish species require close attention to every detail if you want to maintain them successfully and maybe even breed them. Happily, the Japanese Ricefish ( Oryzias latipes) is not among that challenging group. These small, colorful fish take virtually anything in their stride and reward you with offspring without too much coaxing.
Male of a Yang-Guifei variant known as the “Silver Banded”; the term “Hikari” is used for specimens like this with “doubled” dorsal and caudal fins. Compare to fish with wildtype fins at top of page 20.
S A N O Z A M A 18
A breeding group of young Medakas from a yellow-red strain; the numerous reflective scales on the back and flanks are called “Lamé”, like the flashy fabric they resemble.
have been kept as pets for centuries throughout their native range and beyond. This ordinarily drab schooling fish has been selectively bred into an astonishing array of colors and patterns, often resembling those seen in fancy Goldfish and Koi. Unlike those much larger species, however, Medaka require only modest investments in space, equipment, and maintenance in return for their fascinating behavior and simple beauty. MEDAKA,
ALSO KNOWN AS JAPANESE RICEFISH ,
Housing requirements A standard 15 to 20-gallon (57 to 75-l) aquarium is a good start for a group of about 10 to 15 Medaka. In tanks used exclusively for breeding or rearing, I use little or no bottom substrate in the interests of easier monitoring and cleaning. Any mulm that accumulates can be siphoned off, leaving no residue. If, on the other hand, the aquarium is to be more decorative with plants and rocks or bogwood, I introduce a suitably deep layer of sand or fine, natural-colored river gravel. I avoid coarse-grained substrate because uneaten food invariably sinks to the bottom, disappears between the stones, and pollutes the water unnecessarily. Incidentally, during scientific research— which decades ago discovered the Japanese Ricefish to be an ideal model organism—small breeding groups are put into aquariums of as little as 1.3 gallons (5 l) volume to breed. Although this type of housing is necessary for highly controlled
scientific laboratories, such small containers are unacceptable for aquarists who wish to keep Medakas. Small volumes of water do not allow the fish to display their natural behavior, and maintaining stable water quality is very difficult. The fish will live longer, healthier lives in an environment better suited to their needs. Luckily for the wallet, Medakas are undemanding inhabitants of nearly any environment in which they find themselves. In theory, you can even keep them in an aquarium with no filter, but I prefer a separate filter chamber or a sponge filter, in both cases powered by an air lift. Power filters, whether internal or external, are also suitable, but they often produce a high flow rate, and Oryzias latipes do not like to constantly swim against a current. An aquarium heater can be added, if necessary. These fishes begin their reproductive activities from about 68°F (20°C) upwards, with the optimum breeding temperatures being 75–79°F (24–26°C). High temperatures will shorten their lifespan, however, which must be considered. You can actually get by without any additional aquarium heating in most homes, which imitate the temperature fluctuations between day and night that also occur in nature. Keeping Medaka outdoors will demonstrate the adaptability of these fish. It can be significantly warmer, especially at midday in the height of summer and, although Medaka can tolerate higher temperatures, it’s best to provide shade
A M A Z O N A S 19
MED���-�IFFIC!
Fish of the Miyuki strain “Super Long Line Light”; the deeply notched dorsal and prolonged anal fin clearly identify it as a male.
or place containers out of direct sun. Anyone who forgets to bring their fishes indoors in autumn, will find that they can also survive temperatures as low as 45°F (8°C). That leaves the lighting. Modern LED systems are my first choice. They produce very little unnecessary waste heat and illuminate the aquarium more than adequately. I have set up a series of open-topped aquariums in which plants such as Umbrella Palm (Cyperus alternifolius) can grow as tall as they like. Even if there is permanent contact with the lighting they rarely suffer any damage, and the light intensity is perfectly adequate for the sun-loving plants in the aquarium.
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S A N O Z A M A 20
Medaka feel most at ease in a well-planted aquarium where they will display their brightest colors. I have experimented with submerged aquatic plants as well as emersed marsh plants that can be kept indoors. These fish are also suitable for an open-topped aquarium, such as a paludarium or vivarium, where structures of stone and wood extend above the water’s surface, as long as the water is well below the top of the glass to prevent the fish from jumping out. The emersed landscape can be planted with additional greenery, such as mosses, if sufficient moisture is present. Submerged cushions of mosses are also particularly popular with Medakas for depositing their eggs.
Water parameters Given the number of aquariums I have, I needed to come up with a solution for less time-consuming maintenance. As mentioned, Oryzias latipes has a broad tolerance when it comes to water parameters. I have now moved away from making numerous small water changes. Instead it’s a case of “thinking big”: in 40-gallon (150-l) aquariums with half-grown to adult fishes, which are actually quite temperature-tolerant, I change at least 90% of the volume once a month. Even in winter I use fresh tap water, with the sole limitation that it flows only slowly into the tanks. The fishes can cope with this without problems and there are no losses. Water changes may be a different matter in the living-room, where you can’t always work with the garden hose. Plus, the temperature should be adjusted so that the plants and companion fishes don’t suffer any damage. Routine water changes, whether 20% weekly or up to 90% monthly, will keep the water within the safe zone for these fish. Unlike many other fish species from tropical and subtropical areas, Medakas do not like extremely soft water. In their natural range, they are instead adapted to medium-hard to hard water. If you need to alter your water, either harden it with crushed oyster shell or limestone or add 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons of marine salt per gallon. Oryzias latipes is able to live in brackish water, which would confirm its high degree of adaptability. However, note that salt will limit the plants and companion fishes suitable for living in your Medaka aquarium.
We do have to be careful with the pH value. A pH just below 7 is the lowest recommended, but it is better to always keep it between 7 and 8. Avoid décor that can lower the pH, such as dried leaves or peat fiber. Decorative wood should be well-soaked before being placed in the aquarium, and feeding should be in moderation. Regular water changes will also help maintain the pH. Yang-Guifei variant “Silver Banded” male
Feeding Ever since I became interested in Medakas, I’ve been studying the different aspects of their diet. Some other species in my set-up require live food, so I was immediately happy that my first Ricefish imports were satisfied with commercially prepared foods, and even completed their entire life cycle on such foods.
SPECIES FACTS: JAPANESE RICEFISH Size: Up to 1.75 inches (4.5 cm)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) Order: Beloniformes (beloniforms) Family: Adrianichthyidae (ricefishes) Subfamily: Oryziinae Genus: Oryzias Species: Oryzias latipes
Native range: Japan
Habitat: The natural habitat of the Japanese Ricefish includes pools, ponds, and stagnating streams on coastal plains and in lowland areas. In some regions of Japan and Korea, they have even been recorded in tidal pools. They are also found in association with human activity, in rice fields and their irrigation channels.
Preferred water parameters: pH 7.0–8.0 Hardness 8–20° dGH Temperature 64.4-75.2°F (18–24°C) To some extent, O. latipes will tolerate a much wider range of water parameters, although higher temperatures will shorten their natural lifespan.
Reproduction: Adhesive eggs with a development time of between 6 and 16 days, depending on temperature.
Age at sexual maturity: Open-topped aquarium with Medakas in the living-room; the LED lighting also provides for emersed growth of the plants.
On average around 4 months in captive-bred fish Average life expectancy: 14–15 months
A M A Z O N A S 21
Here we see a female shedding her eggs on fine-leaved plants, watched by two males.
Courting male of a dark Orochi strain; the breeding objective is to produce completely black specimens.
S A N O Z A M A 22
On my most recent trips to Japan, I visited various breeders, looked at the range of foods available in pet stores, and listened to the remarks of Fumitoshi Mori, a journalist and specialist author of many aquariumhobby books and magazine articles. I found that there are already many types of food specifically made for these popular fishes. Japanese Medaka foods vary in composition and quality. Granulated food has proven successful, especially the types that float for a long time and disintegrate slowly, as the fishes prefer to take food at the water’s surface. I now work with just two granule sizes, namely 0.2–0.3 mm for the youngsters and 0.3–0.5 mm for half-grown to adult fishes. Hikari makes a number of different formulations. Unlike the fry of many other fish species, Medaka feeding should take place within the first 24 hours after hatching. Even the fine granulated food would still be too big for the little fry immediately after hatching, so I process it to a very fine powder in a mortar, and then sprinkle very tiny portions on the water’s surface. Fumitoshi Mori advised me to also feed fine, freshlyhatched Artemia nauplii for the first two or three days of life and I would see a qualitative improvement. I have noticed that different Medaka strains produce differentsized young, however. Artemia nauplii are initially too
big for some, but I can still bring them through using powdered food. Incidentally, decapsulated Artemia eggs, which have a small diameter, are also readily eaten by the young. After being warned that they could swell up in the digestive tract and damage the fishes, I initially soaked them before feeding. Nowadays I use a small spoon to scatter them on the water’s surface directly from the pack— without any negative effects on the offspring. Let’s get back to granulated food. The Asian trade offers it in a variety of different recipes. Some are aimed primarily at growth and these are not bad for young Medakas, as long as they are still growing and haven’t yet reached sexual maturity. Thereafter, growth foods may become a problem, at least for some females. They rapidly increase in girth, which is the beginning of the end. This can be countered by serving appropriate portions that are eaten relatively quickly. Fasting for several days does not harm the fishes in any way and is rather useful. I find it best to feed lower-calorie foods to sexually-mature individuals. If you cannot find the Japanese food varieties, take advantage of what the domestic market offers. If I catch enough live food in our pond, the Medakas also receive copepods and the smallest water fleas now and then. The fish may not be particularly good
Spontaneous mutations sometimes occur as well; this male actually belongs to the “Black Rim” strain which normally has dark-colored scales on the back.
Male (above) and female (below) of an orangeyellow strain called “Yang Guifei”; note the gender-specific split dorsal and elongated anal fin of the male.
A M A Z O N A S 23
The gender differences in fin and body shape are also clearly visible in these “Black Rim, Red Color” fishes; gravid female below.
S A N O Z A M A 24
Under magnification, fine adhesive threads are visible on the eggs. The threads adhere to plants and spawning mops, making the eggs easier to shed.
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A M A Z O N A S 25
Newly-hatched fry in a rearing container; feeding can now begin.
Developing fry are visible in these Medaka eggs.
hunters, but they are good enough to overpower small mosquito larvae and glassworms before they pupate.
Breeding
Female of the author’s “Blue & Black Lamé” strain. Note the sparkling scales along the back of the fish.
I can’t give any hints for putting together the right breeding pairs or groups, as this depends on strains and variants and would go beyond the scope of this article. For targeted breeding under controlled conditions, however, I proceed as follows: The aquarium equipment is limited to an air-powered sponge filter. I offer the females several acrylic yarn mops as a spawning medium, some floating, some lying on the bottom. The preferred sites for shedding eggs vary with the individual, but I find most of the eggs in the mop near the bottom. You only rarely get to see any of the mating behavior itself, as it usually begins early in the morning. The males display with their fins spread in front of the females and can occasionally be really persistent. If a female is willing to mate, she doesn’t flee but surrenders to the male’s advances. At the climax of mating, the male snuggles tightly against his partner and embraces her with his dorsal and anal fins. The pair release their eggs and sperm at this time, so the fertilization of the eggs is external. The females then often carry the eggs around for hours in a cluster at the anal opening. Later, usually not until the early afternoon, they shed the eggs on the chosen substrate. Ideally, the eggs are deposited individually, but sometimes it is the entire cluster that remains in or on the substrate. By the way, yarn mops aren’t the only spawning medium that can be used. Slashed sponges are typically used in Japan, but you can also use spawning floss, or just mosses and other fine-leaved aquatic plants. I prefer dark brown or black spawning mops as they are easier to monitor.
Hatching the eggs
S A N O Z A M A 26
Don’t worry about handling Medaka eggs! Simply take one spawning mop at a time out of the breeding aquarium in the evening and gently squeeze it out. If all has gone well, you should find individual eggs between the strands of yarn. Their diameter is less than 1.5 mm, plus
initially they are almost crystal clear; any milky or white eggs are unfertilized or dead. Take a clear egg between two fingers. It shouldn’t burst if everything is okay. I always use plastic containers with a volume of 1 to 4 quarts (1–4 l), filled with aquarium water for collecting the eggs. Try to shake the egg from your fingers in the water. It has fine barbs, so sometimes you have to roll it between your fingers before it sinks to the bottom. The development of the fish larva can be easily observed through the clear egg membrane during the daily monitoring. The time to hatch varies depending on the incubation water temperature, taking anywhere from 6 to 16 days before the barely 5 mm long youngsters rupture their egg shells. Initially, the fry still has the remains of the yolk sac on which to feed, but after only a few hours it goes searching for food.
Lifespan Even in the best-case scenario, the lifespan of our colorful O. latipes is rarely more than two years, but this also applies to many other aquarium fishes. Ricefishes gamble on a high reproductive rate and an exceptionally rapid succession of generations. Thus, I see the first gravid females among my Medaka offspring as early as the end of the third month of life. They subsequently produce eggs every day for months, so there is no shortage of fry if you have enough space for the fish. Already popular throughout Asia, Ricefish are poised to enter the North American and European hobby. Their easy maintenance, small size, and breeding behavior make them ideal for beginners, while well-seasoned hobbyists will enjoy the fascinating genetics and challenge of maintaining some of the dozens of color forms. Make room for Medakas!
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A M A Z O N A S 27
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STORY
by Fumitoshi Mori & Friedrich Bitter • Japan has has long been been famous for breeding breeding ornamental fish with highly developed patterns and colors, such as Koi and Goldfish, that can be viewed from above. Add Medaka, Oryzias latipes to this list. Small enough to be kept in bowls and tubs, these diminutive diminutive jewels are ready ready to fill the growing growing niche for paludarium and patio pond fish. The cultivated forms pictured in this article and many other color variants are gradually finding their way into t he hobby.
View from the top: top: Multicolored Medakas HOMES IN JAPAN tend to be smaller on average than in the western world, and not only in the cities. In addition, people there feel a closeness to nature that also finds expression in their lifestyle. Thus, it is not uncommon for Medakas to be kept in bowls, basins, tanks, tubs, and miniature ponds both inside and outside the home, often in conjunction with aquatic or marsh plants, although these are usually employed in a minimalist fashion. Since maintenance in such containers also means that you have to observe the fishes mainly from above, this method of viewing is increasin increasingly gly determining choice of fishes and breeding objectives in traditional
Japanese Medaka Medaka culture. Originally monochromatic, monochromatic, nowadays the most popular fishes are those with extravagant color patterns and markings on their backs, which can often only be seen at a second look or on closer inspection. But you need to take your time with these fishes and let them work on you! Sometimes the names for these variants are based on Koi and fancy Goldfish forms, but it certainly doesn’t do justice to the little Ricefish to call them miniature Koi. If you look around on the Internet for photos of cultivated Medaka forms, it isn’t difficult to find relevant illustrations on social networks and extracts from
Multicolored Medakas are becoming increasingly popular; this is a male male of the Tricolor Kouka variant.
S A N O Z A M A 28
R E T T I B . F
Assorted containers and plantings suitable for Japanese Japan ese Ricefish. Ricefish.
printed publications. The problem is that the names of these cultivated forms—and by now there are more than 800—usually remain a mystery for westerners, as they are written in Japanese or Chinese characters. In order to give the increasing number of Medaka enthusiasts outside Japan some idea of where we stand at present, we gathered up photos representing a small selection of small selection of cultivated forms. The fishes were usually photographed from above in dark containers, contai ners, corresponding to the special method of observation required.
aquarium, at least for the first few weeks. In this way, you can see at first glance whether sufficient food is available and whether the young are doing well in general. Only after approximately six weeks, when the youngsters can cope with somewhat coarser food granules, should they be transferred into prepared outdoor pools. There they have the opportun opportunity ity to consume consume algae algae and the organisms it contains in addition to the prepared food provided. You can see that the fishes are making use of the natural food, not only from their behavior, but also from the change in the color of their feces.
Still aquarium fish! Of course, aquariums still play an important role in breeding Medakas. When kept in outdoor containers, Medakas (and other fishes) can normally be viewed only from above. Anyone who wants to breed seriously and not just strive for the most convenient form of mass reproduction, should always be able to view his fishes from the side as well. This is primarily important for judging the body and fin form of the breeding groups. The use of an aquarium aquarium doesn’t have to be limited to the selection of fishes and breeding pairs. It also makes sense to let the youngsters grow up under supervision in an
The sun helps Medakas will find and make use of the warmest areas in their living quarters, especially at those times when the water temperature is still relatively low. When the rays of the sun strike one side of the container, the water heats up faster there, and soon many fishes will have gathered in precisely that spot in order to benefit from the higher temperatures. In fact, optimal temperatures significantly affect the growth rate of the fishes. A second aspect, which which cannot be mentioned often enough in connection with outdoor maintenance, is increased color intensity and stronger contrast in the body markings due to exposure to direct sunlight. This
Ricefish can be observed only from above when they are kept outdoors.
A M A Z O N A S 29
1 2
5
7
4
9
11
.
13
14
S A N O Z A M A 30
1. Akari 2. Awa Tricolor 3. Ujo Kohaku 4. Akari 5. Akari
6. Longfin Albino Miyuki 7. Beniazami 8. Ujo Tricolor 9. Akebono
10. Unshu 11. Aurora Yellow Miyuki 12. Black & White Lamé
13. Konjikiyasha 14. Amber Lamé 15. Kabuki 16. Beniazami
I R O M . F
3
6
8
10
16
12
.
15
A M A Z O N A S 31
18 17
21
20
23
26 25
S A N O Z A M A 32
19
22
24
27
I R O M . F
17. Clear Brown 18. Zensin 19. Tainaikou
20. Kurenai 21. Shirobuchi Lamé 22. Zensin
23. Sanshokumiyuki 24. Sanshokurame 25. Koutei
26. Red & White Lamé 27. Nijikujyaku
A M A Z O N A S 33
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It is somewhat warmer where the sun hits the side of the container; the majority of fishes quickly find their way there.
becomes particularly apparent when you compare Medakas caught outside in late autumn with siblings that have grown large under artificial light in the aquarium. The benefit of sun exposure is especially dramatic in strains with shades of red, orange, and yellow and dark color elements. By contrast, sunlight has hardly any visible effects on the Miyuki cultivated strains (fishes that exhibit predominantly blue and gray shades), or on the white forms. Their colors remain practically unchanged. Outdoor risks
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Anyone listing the benefits of a move outdoors shouldn’t forget to mention the possible disadvantages. First of all, there are the weather hazards. Prolonged heavy rainfall can cause the container to overflow and wash away young fishes, though this can be countered by a safety overflow or use of a manual dip bucket. Large amounts of “acid rain” can cause the pH to drop to levels that are critical for the fishes. The safest way to counter a pH drop is immediate large water changes. In the final analysis, even the most glorious weather can end in catastrophe due to a heat wave, the intensity of the sun, or the exposed location of the containers, such as near the south-facing wall of the building. Such combinations can send water temperatures soaring. Although Japanese Ricefishes are rightly regarded as extremely temperature-tolerant, the 104°F (40°C) mark is the top edge of their limits. Possible countermeasures include shading the container, aerating the water or adding fresh tap water, so that the fishes aren’t subjected to such extreme temperatures. The strikingly colored Medakas may also be in danger from the animal world: predatory flying aquatic insects can arrive and immediately start attacking the fishes. Others, such as dragonflies, may lay their eggs in the containers, and then it will be their larvae that actually go hunting for fish. Smaller containers can be covered with coarse gauze or screen to prevent the invasion of large flying insects. On the other hand, it doesn’t matter if mosquitoes reach the water’s surface as their larvae will enrich the menu of the Ricefish. Incidentally, it is for precisely this reason that Koi and Medakas are kept together now and again in Japan. The appetites of the little fish ensure that a mosquito infestation never occurs. Unfortunately, the colorful, often eye-catching appearance of these fishes and the top-swimming behavior that makes their owners happy, also attracts the attention of larger predators. Cats, birds, raccoons, and frogs find Medaka easy prey. And once the uninvited guests get a taste for Ricefish, that will quickly be the end of the outdoor population. The only solution is a sturdy
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A M A Z O N A S 35
Modern plastic containers can be placed in highly visible and unusual locations with little effort.
covering for times when you aren’t in the immediate vicinity. But despite all the risks, keeping Ricefish outside has its own special charm! Plants: decorative and useful
The majority of people who are interested in Medakas certainly don’t regard breeding their fishes as a priority. Instead, they desire their fishes and the container in which they live to fit as harmoniously as possible into their surroundings and perhaps even become a real eye-catcher in the process. Many containers of differing shapes, sizes, and materials now are available for miniature outdoor pools, and specialist businesses also offer a wide range of attractive marsh and aquatic plants. Take the time to check out the cultivation and care instructions for these plants, such as the recommended planting depth and the water level, for example. Vari-
ous floating plants, species of rushes and horsetails, and even Umbrella Palm (Cyperus alternifolius) have proven suitable. Although not all of these plants are winterhardy, they are usually fairly inexpensive and some can be brought indoors for winter cultivation. Given the rapid growth of many plants, such as Duckweed, it is important to thin them out occasionally so you can still see the fish. “Less is more” should be your motto, although partial shading of the water’s surface can also be beneficial. Some floating plants produce dense roots that serve as an ideal spawning medium and also provide excellent hiding-places for the offspring. Plant growth also ensures that nutrients are removed from the water, significantly reducing pollution. Even so, nobody should shy away from regular water changes! The outlook
Medakas combine so many positive characteristics and possibilities that they not only represent a new challenge for old hands, but also encourage beginners to get involved. The newcomer’s first good fish-keeping experiences may take place outdoors, but it isn’t such a major step from a small pool to an aquarium of their own— and our hobby can always use new aquarists!
S A N O Z A M A 36
Large enamel bowl, dark substrate, Medakas, and a Water Chestnut (Trapa natans) as greenery. Editor’s note: Trapa natans is an invasive and prohibited plant in parts of the US.
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A M A Z O N A S 37
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Three Medaka breeders, three different approaches article & images by Fumitoshi Mori • While we’re only just beginning to work with Medaka in the West, Japanese hobbyists have kept them for hundreds of years. Japan already has clubs and exhibitions for Oryzias latipes, and interest in this species continues to grow. The author, who has just published his latest book on Medakas, visited three breeders whose fish are very popular with fans of the hobby. CAN COMBINE YOUR HOBBY with your profession, the work feels significantly easier. For a writer and Medaka enthusiast such as myself, I have such an opportunity when doing research for new books. I visit breeders all over Japan and get first-hand information and photographs of their operations as well as new and popular strains of fish. Here’s the story of three Japanese Medaka breeders I visited:
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The enthusiast
A. Two tricolor Medakas with partially transparent scalation from Yuji Ikeya’s Mitarai strain.
Yuji Ikeya is 36 years old and has been professionally breeding Medakas for three years. He has been fascinated by aquatic life since his childhood and investigated the waters in his area when he was a young boy. It was rare for him to come home without new fishes. Nowadays he breeds full-time. During my visit in summer 2017, he had about 650 containers of various sizes kept outdoors, but the number has since doubled. The reasons for this are his ambitions as a breeder, as well
B. This color variant from the House of Ikeya is called “Congo”. C. Ikeya developed his Matsui Longfin from albino Miyuki.
as the numerous visitors who come to him from all over Japan. “Some come by every few months,” he told me, “and naturally they always want to see something new.” The increased number of breeding containers allows him to develop new variants through crossing and selection. Yuji Ikeya often pursues 50 cross-breeding projects simultaneously, although not all of them produce the desired success. “But, if the result is an occasional fish that meets my expectations, I must first of all establish a strain with them, and ultimately get it to breed true. This takes several generations,” he explains. “Fortunately, the succession of generations is very rapid in Medakas.” Over the years, he has created more than 20 new pure-strain varieties—and there is no end in sight. Only time will tell whether he can manage without help in the long term, given the extent of his breeding ambitions. Be that as it may, his friends from the area rally round for the Medaka Festival that he
A
S A N O Z A M A 38
B
Yuji Ikeya has now expanded his capacity to 1300 containers.
1
organizes every year, helping him to manage everything and assisting the visitors with information and advice. They, too, work with Medakas in their spare time, and Yuji Ikeya has gradually schooled them in what is particularly important when breeding. “It is very important to have a good eye for a fish when choosing the right breeding stock, because it often depends on little details,” he says, based on experience. His results readily demonstrate that he has no problem with that. Examples of the breeding strains established by Yuji Ikeya and currently popular in Japan include the Kuro-Meshi, Raikiri, Congo, and Night Sky variants. Incidentally, some evenings he still sets out to catch dwarf shrimps and native fish species for his customers in streams and rivers; a real do-it-yourself-man!
2
1. These containers are used for rearing. The strain and/ or breeding crosses are always labeled on each bin. 2. Closely packed rows of breeding and rearing containers; space must be utilized optimally.
3
3. These containers house fish that are ready for sale.
C
A M A Z O N A S 39
A
B
C
D
E
S A N O Z A M A 40
A. A Kirameki from the House of Tarumi; the scales are predominantly dark-patterned. B. This fish belongs to the Mebina strain, an in-house development of recent years. C. A yellow Miyuki with numerous reflective scales, termed Lamé in Japan. D. The reflective metallic colors are particularly striking in this Yozakura Medaka. E. A Kirameki with an interesting pattern of blue, orange, and black elements.
Masaharu Tarumi is developing his cultivated forms in completely new directions.
1
The trendy one Masaharu Tarumi is 37 years old and lives in Ehime Prefecture in western Japan. He has also moved his Medakabreeding operation outside, but the containers are housed in a foil tunnel. The enclosure gives him a certain temperature benefit during the cooler times of year, but can sometimes be a problem in the heat of summer. When I visited his breeding area, the first thing I noticed was the neat rows of unusual white containers framed by wooden beams. “Recycling,” answered Tarumi with a smile when I enquired, “I get the empty plastic containers from an 2 ice-cream parlor nearby, first-class containers for breeding and rearing, and free as well.” One has to agree! In my view, given the breeding strains he has developed, Tarumi is one of the “young nonconformists” of the Medaka hobby, i.e. those breeders who don’t follow the traditional colors as much. They have developed completely new variants that exemplify a totally different aesthetic, mostly based on viewing from above and with elaborate color patterns. It is not without reason that Tarumi’s fishes are currently very much in fashion, and individuals from his breeding strains are considered the most valuable in our country. One of his outstanding attributes is his eye for interesting specimens, which he sometimes selects for himself when visiting other breeders in the western part of Japan and then 3 incrosses into his strains. He also has a very good idea of what he is doing and what the eventual outcome should be. With only about 200 containers, his capacity is certainly limited, but he values the fact that his breeding is still just a hobby. Only a very few specimens are offered for sale, and most of his offspring are given to close friends. “The price is difficult for me to calculate,” he told me during my visit, “and I’ve never felt it important to earn money that way.” As with many hobby breeders, for him it is more about recognition and the shared experience. For some time, Tarumi has been the head of a small but exclusive breeders’ association, to which admission is granted only after a thorough examination. Together they organize three or four events per year involving the Medaka, the biggest being a sales day, in the course of which more than 1,000 visitors crowd into the breeding room and around the display containers set up in the open air. The majority, however, want only to look at the pretty fishes bred by the hobby association. The names of some of the well-known strains from the House of Tarumi are Kirameki, Mebina, Yozakura, Sekitonischiki, Kizakura, and Ayanishiki. I am fairly sure that the “Medaka Exchange Association Ehime” and its Medaka variants will in time cause a lot of excitement countrywide. And there’s no doubt that Tarumi-san, with his emphasis on quality, will be at the heart of it.
1. View of the main area of Mr. Tarumi’s breeding facility. 2. Eggs and fry are housed in recycled ice-cream containers. 3. The facility also provides plenty of space for breeding tanks.
A M A Z O N A S 41
C
A
D B
The master
A. A splendid example of the Akebono strain from the House of Kodera. B. This is a Konjiki Yasha, actually a mixed-color Miyuki. C. Another specimen from the Akebono strain, with bold patterning. D. The Japanese term for Ricefish with this coloration is Karen.
S A N O Z A M A 42
When it comes to listing the best Medaka breeders in Japan by name, Yoshikatsu Kodera, now 68 years old, must always be included. He has been known for first-class quality for years. When I visited him, he told me that his ornamental-fish facility is constructed so that every day the first rays of the sun hit the breeding containers. This allows the adult fishes to become active early in the day, especially when it comes to reproduction. “I always put six to ten fish together to form a breeding group,” he told me, “and that promises a good daily harvest of eggs.” One fish in the facility immediately caught my attention. “How did you breed this Akebono?” I asked. He explained to me that it took a total of four years before the fish of this strain achieved their current appearance. “It started with a cross between Yang Guifei and Miyuki Lamé,” said Kodera, “and this was repeated once again.” Kodera then used a cross between Yang Guifei and normal Miyuki. Thereafter, it was a matter of progressing via stringent selection. After the incrossing of the Miyuki, some of the whitish offspring had black dots. These subsequently gave rise to specimens with small spots of yellow color. In subsequent generations, he selected for those specimens in which tiny, often only millimeter-sized, reddish spots appear between the yellow. I think that the big plus point of Yoshikatsu Kodera is his stringent selection. He doesn’t go for mass production, but isolates fish that appear to be suitable for further breeding as soon as he sees them. Only these are used for breeding, and in this way, he develops his strains with clearly defined color patterns. Before Kodera started with Medakas, which he has been breeding for more t han
10 years now, he was involved in the breeding of tropical aquarium fishes such as Discus and Ranchu Goldfish. When I questioned him further about the Akebono, he replied, “You have to pay attention to pedigree with any species of fish that you genuinely want to breed rather than just mass-produce. I already had breeding experience with other livestock, and that made it easier for me to create my own Medakas.” Kodera’s first Ricefish were plain white specimens. I looked again at the single Akebono I had noticed at the start of my visit. What was different about it, why had Kodera selected it for further breeding? What made it so unique? There is a very wide range of variation in multicolored specimens with established colors. Was it the reflective blue color of the eyes? “There is a baseline,” explained Kodera, “that you have to leave behind if you want to reach a new goal. I put the parents of this specimen together specifically to obtain this head pattern, even though the parents themselves did not exhibit it.” The names of the most best-known cultivated strains developed by him are Akebono, Karen, and Konjiki-Yasha. There are many Medaka lovers in the area around Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, and breeding has reached a high level. But Kodera remains unmatched. He manages not only to imagine a certain type with his inner eye, but also to realize it step by step. In this way, he gives the world completely new strains that breed true. He also wants to improve his Akebono still further in the future. A completely new form is in the pipeline, and I have a strong desire to visit Yoshikatsu Kodera again soon! With so many excellent Medaka breeders and exciting new varieties emerging in Japan, I will have no trouble finding more ways to combine my work with my hobby.
UNBELIEV�BLE �OLO�! AFTER
60 DAYS
1
Outstanding Color Enhancing Benefits Triggers Feeding Response In Most Live Food Eating Fish 2
Uniquely Designed To Mimic The Shape And Movement Of A Frozen Blood Worm
3
1. A breeding container; stringent selection of breeding stock is the rule. 2. Mr. Kodera’s breeding facility is partly indoors. 3. The Medaka containers in the outdoor area can also be shaded.
SEE VIBRA BITES™ IN ACTION!
�NOTHE� FEEDING OPTION FO� ���NIVO�ES
A M A Z O N A S 43
RE PORTAGE
Mexican cichlids Cichlid habitat: Río Almoloya
Matías Romero—a fish-collection destination article & images by Michael Pilack
•
Mexico is large and, from the aquarist’s
viewpoint, offers a multitude of destinations and habitats. Every one of them is worth a trip, and many are home to their own special cichlids. The rivers around the village of Matías Romero in southern Mexico are one such rewarding destination.
Not yet full grown, but already attractive—Maskaheros regani from the Río Almoloya.
S A N O Z A M A 44
Female Trichromis salvini guarding fry in the aquarium.
Below: Young pair of Maskaheros regani in front of their clutch on a piece of slate.
THE VILLAGE OF MATÍAS ROMERO lies in the southern federal
state of Oaxaca in Mexico. Geographically speaking, it is situated in the narrowest part of the country, where the Atlantic side is separated from the Pacific by the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Its position alone made the area of interest as long ago as the time of the Spanish Conquest. There has repeatedly been talk of a canal, navigable for shipping, linking the Pacific coast with the Atlantic since the two coasts are separated by only about 160 miles (256 km). This project has never been
realized, however, despite being planned and measured several times. A number of rivers belonging to the upper drainage of the Río Coatzacoalcos have their sources in the area around Matías Romero. These beautiful, small to medium-sized rivers are home to a number of cichlids that can generally be found elsewhere, but there are also cichlids that only occur in this region. Observing them here is, of course, a fantastic experience, especially for fans of these Central American fishes.
A M A Z O N A S 45
Numerous possibilities If you have chosen Matías Romero as your destination, then there are eight cichlids on the collecting list. Numerous rivers with well-known and melodious-sounding names can be included in your itinerary, and the majority are easily accessible via surfaced roads. Access to the rivers is available near balnearios (spas or specially designed bathing areas), or near bridges. Nowadays, however, there are signs prohibiting fishing on almost every bridge. I see this as primarily positive, as it means that, in many areas, the local residents are valuing the native fish species once again and protecting them by fishing bans. On the other hand, as a result of the bans, it has become almost impossible for aquarists to go unchallenged into a river to net juvenile fishes. Of course, we didn’t feel good anyway about doing something that may be prohibited, even if the fishes are put back into the water after taking pictures. Sometimes we ended up talking to the residents and explaining what we wanted to do. This was usually registered with a smile, but sometimes we simply had to do as we were told and leave the river empty-handed. To start our collecting journey, we began on the Atlantic side of the Río Coatzacoalcos drainage.
The cichlids Trichromis salvini
This fish may remain relatively small, but shouldn’t be underestimated when it comes to temperament. Salvinis, also known as Salvin’s and Yellow Belly Cichlid, can be found throughout Southern Mexico, from Grijalva to Guatemala. Its appearance is rather variable, depending on provenance. The variant living in the upper Coatzacoalcos is not quite as high-backed compared to other local forms, and the red component can be described as modest, at least in males. This variant is also rather lacking in metallic blue spots. Instead, it exhibits an attractive yellow with fragmented black bands. The species inhabits virtually any suitable bodies of water, by preference living in quieter areas. Half-grown
Thorichthys callolepis observed underwater during brood care.
S A N O Z A M A 46
fishes like to wander along the bank zones in small groups, while larger individuals are usually solitary. In brooding pairs, the male exhibits a larger territory while the female remains in the immediate vicinity of the fry and tries to keep them together. Trichromis salvini assumes the role of predator in this area. There are no Parachromis, Petenia, or Chiapaheros in the upper Coatzacoalcos drainage, and none of the Rocio that perform the role of predatory fishes elsewhere. Maskaheros regani
The genus Maskaheros, erected in 2015, includes just two species. One of these is Maskaheros regani , commonly called Almoloya Cichlid, which occurs only in the aforementioned drainage of the Río Coatzacoalcos. You usually encounter only juveniles in the river itself, and larger fishes are hardly ever to be seen. They are too quick to flee to safety. The opportunity to observe adult specimens occurs only if you have the luck to come across a brooding pair. This species does not display much of its splendid coloration during brood care. While rearing their young, the parents appear rather pale with only a few black areas on the body. In the aquarium, however, you can admire their full beauty at other times. They are somewhat timid fishes, and this should be born in mind when choosing tankmates. Given an adult size of up to 14 inches (35 cm) in males, these cichlids should be provided with an aquarium with a bottom area of at least 72 x 24 inches (180 x 60 cm). It isn’t uncommon for pairs to form from a group of juvenile fishes and then remain together all their lives. Unfortunately, they don’t breed all that often in the aquarium, which is why this beautiful species is very rarely available for sale. Thorichthys callolepis
The genus Thorichthys is represented by two species in the upper Coatzacoalcos. Thorichthys callolepis, the San Domingo Cichlid, has a rather small distribution and is
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A M A Z O N A S 47
rather unusual in many respects. The most striking feature of T. callolepis is the lack of the opercular spot seen in every other species of the genus. It is atypical in form and color as well. These little jewels can be rather susceptible to stress in the aquarium, sometimes resulting in problems such as inflammation of the digestive tract. Obviously, this makes it difficult to establish the species in the hobby, which is a shame given its beauty and rarity. A species aquarium, with at most some livebearers as tankmates, is the best solution for successful care, supported by a varied, low-protein diet. At present there is no real danger of this species disappearing from its rather limited natural distribution. This may rapidly change, however, as environmental pollution is increasing in many places in Mexico. Obviously, the same concern applies equally to all the other species occurring there.
Thorichthys panchovillai , first described in 2017; seen here immediately after capture.
an important character for distinguishing them from T. callolepis under water. The prerequisites for successful maintenance in the aquarium are identical to those of T. callolepis. These rules apply to the majority of Thorichthys species, albeit not as rigorously as for T. callolepis. As an aside, this species was named after the notorious general of the Mexican Revolution, José Doroteo Arango Arámbula, better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or the diminutive of that name, Pancho Villa. Paraneetroplus bulleri
Paraneetroplus bulleri is another endemic cichlid, i.e. a species occurring only in this region. The body form and lifestyle of members of this genus are rheophilic (adapted to fast-flowing waters). Thus, P. bulleri is usually found out in the current, and even the young seem to cope with the current with ease. Even so, pairs seek out calmer reaches of water for spawning. Adult specimens exhibit an attractive red on the head and unpaired fins. During brood care, the body colors become much lighter and up to five black longitudinal stripes become visible on the lower half of the body. In English-speaking countries, these fishes are called Sarabia Cichlids, as the type specimen originated from the Río Sarabia. Günther named the species bulleri in honor of the collector, and also erected the genus Paraneetroplus in the same work. This cichlid grows rather slowly and isn’t sexually mature until the age of two years, by which time it is a good 6 inches (15 cm) in total length. In view of its expected eventual size of 12 inches (30 cm), P. bulleri should be provided with an aquarium at least 78 inches (200 cm) long and 24 inches (60 cm) wide, decorated with a number of water-worn pebbles and boulders, and fitted with a current pump. Vieja zonata
Thorichthys panchovillai
S A N O Z A M A 48
The second Thorichthys species recorded in the area was only recently scientifically described (Del Moral-Flores, López-Segovia & Hernández-Arellano, 2017). Previously, we knew the species as Thorichthys sp. “Malatengo” or Thorichthys sp. “Coatzacoalcos”, as it was first recorded in the Río Malatengo (upper Coatzacoalcos drainage). It also occurs in the other rivers, however. In terms of appearance, T. panchovillai is initially reminiscent of T. maculipinnis and is one of its closest relatives. Like all Thorichthys species, T. panchovillai exhibits a striking striped brood-care dress. In normal coloration, these fishes have an attractive red head and belly, and the body is adorned with metallic blue spots. Females show a distinct black spot on the dorsal fin. Both sexes have an opercular spot;
A member of the genus Vieja also lives in the area under discussion. For quite a long time, this species was known as Vieja sp. “Coatzacoalcos”. Recent information suggests, however, that it is Vieja zonata, a view with which I
Half-grown Paraneetroplus bulleri ; adults can attain 12 inches (30 cm) in length.
A M A Z O N A S 49
These fishes are thought to be Vieja zonata.
concur, but which still needs to be confirmed scientifically. Buller recorded this species in the Río Sarabia as long ago as between 1889 and 1893 and listed it as Cichlasoma guttulatum. The unusual thing about this rather large species is that it looks somewhat different in almost every river; no major differences, but sufficient reason to always cite the collecting locality for the original specimens, if known, when passing on their offspring. But whether from the Río Junapan or the Río Grande, this beautiful species attains an eventual size of well over 12 inches (30 cm). For this reason, these fishes require an aquarium of appropriate size. On the other side
We now come to another special feature of Matías Romero. The uplands of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
form the watershed between the Atlantic and Pacific. This area can be crossed from coast to coast in a few hours by car, so we also had the opportunity to visit rivers that drain into the Pacific. It has always been assumed that a different fish fauna is to be found on the Pacific side compared to that of the Atlantic drainage. This assumption has now been challenged with V. zonata being recorded in the upper Coatzacoalcos. Although Pacific-slope V. zonata differ in appearance from Atlantic-slope conspecifics, I have also observed differences in their behavior. Pacific-slope specimens proved to be appreciably more aggressive in my aquariums, both intraspecifically and towards other species. This is rather a shame as, in my opinion, the Pacific-slope variant is somewhat more attractive. Additional cichlids are found in the Pacific affluents, as detailed below. Asta ther os ma crac anthu s
S A N O Z A M A 50
Astatheros macracanthus is a resident of the Pacific slope, from the Río Tehuantepec in Mexico down to El Salvador. The Blackthroat Cichlids are in truth no miracle of color, but even so they’re an interesting species that is worth maintaining. With an eventual size of 12 inches (30 cm), I would be inclined to class it as a medium-sized cichlid. Nevertheless, the bottom area of the aquarium should measure at least 72 x 24 inches (180 x 60 cm). For a long time, young A. macracanthus swim around the aquarium together quite inconspicuously. This changes with the onset of sexual maturity. Gray to black individuals with a slight blue sheen change to strongly contrasting black and white fishes, and announce the imminence of spawning with violent courtship. The larvae hatch three to four days
after spawning, and after another four days the fry become freeswimming. Freshly-hatched Artemia nauplii are a suitable first food and are very well accepted. On one occasion, traveling aquarists brought home young wildcaught specimens that later turned out to be natural hybrids between V. zonata and A. macracanthus. Amph iloph us tr imacu latus
The situation with Amphilophus trimaculatus is quite similar to that with V. zonata: the species was thought to be restricted to the Pacific side, but there have now been reports of the Trimac Cichlid occurrence in the upper Coatzacoalcos area on the Atlantic slope, as well. I personally haven’t seen this species there while diving, but there is no reason to doubt the information. Amphilophus trimaculatus is a heavyweight from the aquarist’s point of view, both in terms of bulk and length—these fishes can grow to a good 16 inches (40 cm) long—and also as regards their behavior. Consequently, appropriate aquariums and experience are prerequisites for successful maintenance. I am reluctant to use the term “aggressive” that is so frequently bandied about. Instead, I would prefer to interpret such behavior as an indication of special requirements regarding swimming space and tankmates. Thus, maintenance of this fish in the aquarium isn’t impossible and, given appropriate conditions, A. trimaculatus can even become a pet, scoring highly by virtue of its impressive appearance, fabulous colors, and interesting behavior. Incidentally, along with one or two other cichlids, this species forms the basis of the Flowerhorn Cichlid, a hybrid that is very popular, particularly in Asia.
This pair of Amphilophus trimaculatus has only just formed.
Like many other large cichlids, Astatheros macracanthus requires a spacious aquarium.
Three-day stop The village of Matías Romero is often just a three-day stop for aquarists traveling in Mexico. Because of the typically short period of time, it is usually only the wellknown sites that are visited: the rios Almoloya, Junapan, Sarabia, and El Corte, to name but a few. I am, however, of the opinion that you can also easily spend a week or more in this area, exploring other, new routes and investigating other rivers. There are undoubtedly still many places that have not yet been fished. But, is that not the case with any region in Mexico? REFERENCES
Regan, C. T. (1905): A revision of the �shes of the American cichlid genus Cichlosoma and of the allied genera. Annals and Magazine of Natural History , 16 (7): 60–77; 225–243; 316–340; 433–445. Del Moral-Flores, L. F., E. López-Segovia & T. Hernández-Arellano (2017): Descripción de Thorichthys panchovillai sp. n., una nueva especie de cíclido (Actinopterygii: Cichlidae) de la cuenca del Río Coatzacoalcos, México. Revista Peruana de Biología, 24 (1): 3–10.
A M A Z O N A S 51
RE PORTAGE
Wim Heemskerk, Henni Ohee, and the author searching for rainbowfishes in the Kali Putui.
Searching West Papua for new
rainbowfishes S A N O Z A M A 52
E G N A L . G
by Johannes Graf • What’s it really like to collect undiscovered fish species in remote places? Traveling through the island of New Guinea in search of rainbowfishes requires ingenuity, patience, an adventurous spirit and more than a fair share of luck. With the help and goodwill of friends and local villagers, this well-seasoned team found many attractive new species for the hobby.
LAST YEAR I
once again set out on a trip to New Guinea to find new rainbowfishes. It was an eventful tour with numerous experiences and impressions that are difficult to describe in words, but the long journey to get there was definitely worth it. I made the trip together with Gary Lange, Wim Heemskerk, and Henni Ohee, plus Marten Luter Salossa for part of the time. A difficult arrival
As with the previous trips, we first flew via Jakarta to Jayapura. But something that sounds so simple included almost two days of travel. To make matters worse, a tropical storm prevented our landing in Jayapura, so our plane, which was already circling above the airport, had to divert because of low fuel and had to make an interim landing on Biak, an island offshore. We spent about six hours there waiting for the storm to run its course. We were able to land in Jayapura at the second attempt, and were met there by Henni Ohee. Although we had already completed the immigration formalities in Jakarta, a separate permit from the district police is required for travel to West Papua. You shouldn’t get caught without this permit, as otherwise there will really be a lot of trouble. This procedure took the entire rest of the day. Excursion to the Kali Putui
We had already made various arrangements in advance, including booking the flight to Oksibil, a town about 170 miles (274 km) to the south in the Bintang Mountains. Before that flight, we had a free day, which we used for a trip to an interesting river we had discovered on a previous trip, the Kali Putui. In a rented car, we set out from Sentani, traveling along Lake Sentani and the base of the Cyclops Mountains via the tangle of streets of Abepura and Jayapura. This region is more densely populated every time I go there, and nowadays can be described as a highly urbanized area. There is no longer any room for nature. The drive takes about an hour, after which the route runs along the Pacific coast until the road bends inland. We passed the Arso area, a community of Indonesians resettled from the overpopulated islands of Java and Sulawesi. In the interests of simplicity, the individual parts of the settlement are numbered, with each actually being a town in itself. After just under an hour, we reached the Kali Putui. We had been there two years ago, but at that time there were only gardens. Now houses were being built as well, but they weren’t finished.
Above: We already knew Chilatherina sp. “Kali Putui” from an earlier trip.
F A R G . J
Left: Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Putui” was a new, undescribed species.
A M A Z O N A S 53
Sorong
WEST PAPUA Meyado Jagiro Bintuni Jayapura Sentani Kali Putai
PAPUA
Dekai Oksibil From our home base in Sentani, Papua, New Guinea, we reached our collecting destinations after flights to Oksibil and Sorong and Bintuni, West Papua.
Arafura Sea
Merauke
S A N O Z A M A 54
Above: Habitat of our new Melanotaenia sp. “Iwur”. Left: Melanotaenia sp. “Iwur” in all its glory.
E G N A L . G : M O T T O B ; E E H O . H : E L D D I M ; H T R A E E L G O O G : P O T
We traveled south, heading steadily downhill. Soon the vegetation changed and gave way to the usual rainforest, but the altitude was still too high for rainbowfishes. We took a brief look at the main river, one of the headwaters of the Digul: too cold, too strong a current. So, we continued downhill. It’s funny when suddenly Google Earth no longer agrees with the reality: the road actually goes much further than shown by the satellite image.
The team traveling south from Oksibil in a borrowed pickup truck.
We were able to catch fishes undisturbed, and discovered a new species of Melanotaenia that hid among the Chilatherina and wasn’t noticeable at all at first glance.
Off to Oksibil
F A R G . J : M O T T O B & E L D D I M ; K R E K S M E E H . W : P O T
Yet another new species Arriving at the end of the road, we met a team of construction workers excavating the road further with a powerful bulldozer. They had pitched their camp by a nearby river. We took a look and again found the current too fast and the water too cold. However, we were now only 1312 feet (400 m) above sea level and that was definitely rainbowfish country, so we searched all the small streams that crossed our way. Many of these waters weren’t permanent but simply carried rainwater away. Even so, we didn’t have to search long at all to find a permanent stream. Quietly standing on the bank, we were able to make out movements in the water that we identified beyond doubt as those of rainbowfishes. The nets now finally came into play. This was very typical of these journeys through Papua: a day traveling to fish for half an hour. The three of us rapidly captured our quarry, and it was fairly obvious that we had found another new species, even though we would still have to wait for the results of the DNA analysis to be sure. We called this form “Iwur”, after the region of the same name in which we currently found ourselves. We then made the long journey back to Oksibil with our catch.
The next day we flew to the town of Oksibil very early in the morning. That meant getting up during the night and driving to the airport. The Indonesian domestic airline Trigana operates this route and flies there using twin-engine ATR 72-500 aircraft. After a one-hour flight over the central mountain cordillera of New Guinea, we landed in Oksibil, which is situated 4430 feet (1,350 m) above sea level. There are no rainbowfishes here, but two roads start there, one leading south and the other west. Both are dead ends, but they are continually being extended and one of these days they will connect Oksibil with Merauke on the south coast and Dekai far to the west. At present, however, Oksibil is accessible only by air and is supplied entirely by aircraft. Everything—all the food, every liter of gasoline, entire vehicles, heavy construction equipment, building materials for the houses— is flown in by planes and cargo helicopters. Accordingly, a liter of gasoline costs several times more than in Jayapura. However, Oksibil was the home of one of Henni’s relatives, who provided us with a car. It’s the same everywhere in Papua— you need to know someone who knows someone who has what you require. The vehicle proved to be a pickup with four-wheel drive, in good condition, and with a very friendly and helpful driver. He told us that flying this truck Specimen of Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Muaib” discovered in a tributary. in by helicopter was more expensive than Background: Seining for rainbowfish in the fast-flowing Kali Muaib. its purchase price!
A M A Z O N A S 55
Chilatherinafasciata
“Kali Muaib” is virtually indistinguishable from Melanotaenia in the net.
A second Iwur site The next morning, we set off early and drove west on the other road. After about an hour, we found that the road was still running at too great an altitude and, according to the satellite photo, that would be continue to be the case for quite a while. So, we turned around and used the rest of the day to drive along the same road as the day before in the direction of Iwur, to catch a few more specimens of the new rainbowfish. On arrival we found a second, very attractive biotope, in which large numbers of the new rainbowfish were darting around. Fishing there was a real pleasure. The stream, which was about 80 inches (2 m) wide, contained beautiful low banks of gravel and rocks and was surrounded by forest.
At the Kali Muaib
S A N O Z A M A 56
We used the following day, before our flight to Bintuni, for a drive to the river Kali Muaib. I had always wanted to go there. The Kali Muaib lies largely unnoticed between the two major river systems, the Grime (where there are Chilatherina fasciata in the rivers and Glossolepis dorityi in a number of lakes) and the Sermowai (almost mythical because of Melanotaenia corona, which has never been found there again). The drive took about three hours this time, one of them just to travel along Lake Sentani. It is quite difficult to get to the Kali Muaib. With the aid of satellite photos for orientation we finally managed to get to the river via minor roads. The main river was impossible to fish. It looked dangerous on account of crocodiles, and the mud along the shoreline was so deep that you would inevitably have become stuck. So, we ventured along the main river on dirt tracks—despite being in a normal road vehicle! What looked like a tributary proved to be just a temporary watercourse. After a long search, we finally discovered a natural stream flowing into the Kali Muaib downriver. At last we were able to fish. Armed with seine
net, frame nets, and, of course, our camera equipment, Wim and I climbed down the steep bank. The stream had only a slight current, and its water was slightly whitish-cloudy. There was no life whatsoever to be seen in the water. We did a test run with the seine, and lo and behold, there were fishes in it! They looked like Chilatherina fasciata. They were slender in form, but their colors wouldn’t be apparent until later, in the aquarium. At one point, I stopped short as we pulled up the net: there was a Melanotaenia in it! That was particularly interesting for me, as ever since I started traveling around Papua in search of rainbowfishes, I have been hunting for the phantom Melanotaenia corona, which purportedly originates from the Sermowai, but definitely doesn’t occur there. The closest relative of M. corona is M. lorentzi (formerly classified as Chilatherina , but now assigned to Melanotaenia on the basis of DNA analysis). And that is where the chaos begins: a large number of different Melanotaenia representatives from rivers in the north of New Guinea have been lumped together under this name, but in reality, they are all separate species. Because almost all the species of this large complex are similar looking and not outstanding in appearance, hardly anyone is interested in them. And now we had a new, previously unknown representative of this complex in the net. “Yet another lorentzi,” was the way Gary labeled our discovery. He was right, but maybe one of these days it will be M. corona in the net. In any case, I bagged everything that looked like a Melanotaenia . It is incredible how difficult the two species are to tell apart in the net. You wouldn’t believe it to see them side by side in the aquarium.
Another flight The next morning, we took the plane from Oksibil to Sorong on the western tip of New Guinea. We planned
F A R G . J
Our party with our hosts in Meyado.
to travel on from there to Bintuni, to take a look at the southern side of the Vogelkop Peninsula. We met up with Marten Luter Salossa in Sorong and flew on to Bintuni the next morning. As the planes got ever smaller, the journey slowly became interesting: to Sorong it was still a Boeing 737, but now we were flying in a Cessna Caravan with 12 seats and direct communication with the pilots. On arrival in Bintuni we were initially disappointed to find that the car organized for us wasn’t there. But Marten has a friend in Bintuni, Raymond, who found another off-road vehicle in next to no time. Again, it proved to be the case that you must know someone who knows someone. The four-wheel pickup came with a driver and two helpers. That is quite usual when traveling in such areas in Papua, because often the vehicle has to be pulled free. Would that be possible in Germany—a pickup, driver, and two helpers for a three-day tour, after only 40 minutes with no prior warning?
At the village of Meyado We now headed west to the interior of the southern side of the Vogelkop. Our destination was the little village of Jagiro, as we had information that a very beautiful rainbowfish had been caught there years ago. Gary had taken photos of this fish in Papua in 2005. It was a long way to Jagiro. We traveled all day on very bad roads and arrived in the afternoon at Meyado, a large village on the way to Jagiro, populated by immigrants from the other Indonesian islands. The Bupati Desa
The habitat of the new rainbowfish Melanotaenia sp. “Meyado Village”.
E E H O . H : M O T T O B ; F A R G . J : E L D D I M ; E G N A L . G : P O T
Caught as small juveniles, our Melanotaenia sp. “Meyado Village” have now become very attractive adults in the aquarium.
The rented pickup in Bintuni, loaded with the necessary tools and gear, included a driver and two helpers.
A M A Z O N A S 57
7
test kits
Melanotaenia sp. “Jagiro
Village” in the photo cuvette at the collecting site.
For comparison, Melanotaenia sp. “Jagiro Village” photographed in 2005 in an aquarium in Sentani.
easy to use extremly accurate quick results
(the mayor) gave us a very friendly welcome and was very interested in our collecting activity. After some searching we also found a place to stay, and as there were still a few hours of daylight available we decided to make use of them. The Bupati consulted with several locals and told us that there was a small side road heading south that crossed some watercourses. So off we went with the back of the pick-up full of people who all wanted to come along. Of course, our friend, the Bupati, came, too! After about an hour’s drive we crossed a small river with tea-colored water, and of course we wanted to take a look at it. Steep banks and deep mud made fishing difficult, but Wim managed to catch a large number of very small (half inch/1 cm) rainbowfishes with the frame net. We were unable to catch larger specimens, so the little ones went into the bags; they could grow on in their own good time.
The black water of the Kali Jakora is home to newly discovered rainbowfishes. E E H O . H : M O T T O B ; E G N A L . G : E L
S A N O Z A M A 58W e L o v e
D D I
M & P O T
F i s h
www.sera-usa.com
A M A Z O N A S 59
These youngsters turned out to be another undescribed species. This easy-to-maintain species has a beautiful red posterior body, black mid-body, and a fire-red margin to the second dorsal fin, and is a wonderful addition to our hobby. We have named this fish Melanotaenia sp. “Meyado Village” until such time as it is scientifically described. The journey continued, and after a while we came to a stream with black water such as I had never seen before. We learned that it was called the Kali Jakora. Whatever plants grow there must release enormous amounts of humic substances. The visibility in full sunshine was less than 4 inches (10 cm)! Surprisingly, however, the water parameters at both locations were almost the same. We recorded 30 or 40 μS at 79°F (26°C). Here, too, the water margins were bordered by practically bottomless mud. Raymond and I nevertheless accepted the challenge and climbed down to the water. Raymond exhibited true natural talent—as in everything else to do with fishes. There was absolutely nothing to be seen in the black water, so we simply walked through the water, fishing blind with the frame nets. And we were successful: we netted tiny juvenile rainbowfishes less than one-half inch (1 cm) in length, completely black in color. Once again, we were unable to catch adult specimens, but the youngsters looked different to those from the first site. Unfortunately, we were able to catch only a few, and packed them all the more carefully as a result. When they grew to adulthood, these fishes turned out to be another unidentified species, which deviates completely from the known pattern of the rainbowfishes of the Vogelkop. It is a small, shiny metallic blue species
At the collecting site near the remote village of Jagiro.
S A N O Z A M A 60
Our Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Jakora” show an unusual pattern for the rainbowfishes of the Vogelkop Peninsula.
with translucent red fins that we dubbed Melanotaenia “Kali Jakora”. Given the correct lighting these fishes display an ethereal beauty. I hope that it will be possible to establish a breeding strain in captivity. As the day was by then well advanced, we drove back to Meyado and our quarters, the home of an Indonesian family. In the evening, our hostess even cooked us an opulent meal of chicken, fish (tilapia, of course), rice, and preserved jackfruit, which we greatly enjoyed.
Very remote: Jagiro The next morning, we set off at sunrise for our actual destination, Jagiro, still a drive of several hours away. We finally arrived before noon. White people were a sensation in such a remote village. The entire population came running to marvel at us. A note to fellow travelers: always stay friendly, take photos with the people! We explained our objectives to the chief and were allowed to drive to the river, which flows close past the former landing strip. That, of course, explained how once upon a time some fishes from here came to be in an aquarium in Sentani. The landing strip has been abandoned since then, as the road now leads to Jagiro. At the end of the landing strip, the river makes a turn around a bank of gravel; it’s a peaceful place where you could even have a picnic. Of course, the villagers accompanied us in numbers and marveled at our fishing activities. That sort of thing is particularly embarrassing if you don’t catch anything, but luck was on our side and we netted a number of rainbowfishes of all sizes the very first time we used the seine. We didn’t have to do anything more ourselves, as enthusiastic villagers grabbed the seine and had great fun landing quantities of rainbowfishes. We didn’t need that many at all. We took photos of some of the larger specimens, picked out sufficient individuals of a size suitable for transportation, and released the rest. But we didn’t catch any really full-grown specimens.
E G N A L . G : M O T T O B ; F A R G . J : P O T
Top: Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Dagu” in the photo cuvette. Middle: Adult male Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Timbuni” in full color.
You never know how transporting fishes will go. Of the fishes I brought back with me from that location, only a trio survived, which I am now trying to breed. I hope that I succeed, because the species is very beautiful, judging by the photos from 2005. On the way back to Meyado we tried our luck in various other places. We were able to register rainbowfishes in the Kali Dagu as well.
Back to Bintuni The following day, we made our way back to Bintuni, and we planned to fish in waters along the way that we had had no time for on the outward journey. One of these rivers was the Kali Moysi, where we discovered a really interesting rainbowfish—dark green to blue, depending on the light, with red fins and black caudal-fin rays. It should certainly do well in the aquarium hobby, as it is extremely attractive in color and apparently very tolerant regarding water parameters. We also stopped at a stream we had noticed previously. It was spanned by the ruins of an old steel railway bridge from the colonial period when coal was mined in this area. The name steenkol is still familiar among the local people, and we had already passed t he former mining area. We once again scrambled into the stream and looked for fishes. Steel girders lying in the water prevented the use of our fishing gear under the bridge, but we nevertheless found a number of rainbowfishes here as well as a little further upstream, and they looked noticeably different from those at t he previous site. Suddenly, we had an adult male in the net. What a sight! It gleamed yellow and orange in the sun. We learned from our companions that this stream was called Kali Timbuni.
F A R G . J : M O T T O B ; E G N A L . G : E L D D I
M & P O T
Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Moysi”
is splendidly colored.
Although we brought back only smaller specimens, these fishes have grown on very well back home, and also rapidly produced offspring. So far, however, no male has developed the colors of the individual we found and photographed in the field, but t hat may still come about, as our fishes are still a long way from full-grown. The colors of the wild-caught adult were truly extraordinary! The water in the habitat was relatively hard (parameters 20°dGH, 14°KH, pH 8, 390 μS, 80.5°F (27°C)), but these Melanotaenia are coping with my softer water without problems.
Off to Lake Ayamaru The next morning, we flew back to Sorong with the Cessna Caravan and even the same pilot. On arrival, we first had to go to the police station and hang around there for half a morning until we obtained our travel permit for Lake Ayamaru. We wanted to go there for a very special fish, Pseudomugil reticulatus . This blue-eye had not been
A M A Z O N A S 61
The attractive Pseudomugil reticulatus belongs to the blue-eyes.
Wim, who is a total blue-eye fan, finally got his wish with the help of local v illagers.
imported for a long time and it was high time to add some fresh blood to the captive strains. Henni Ohee had previously accompanied Gerry Allen on a collecting trip to Ayamaru back in 1999 and caught a large number of P. reticulatus in a ditch in the village of Ayamaru at that time. That made us confident of finding this blue-eye there. Catching this species was Wim’s most ardent desire for this trip. First of all, however, there was a drive of several hours in front of us. The road was surfaced, but not particularly good. Marten drives a pretty hot tire and made every effort to get us to Ayamaru as soon as possible, as we had only one day for our search. We arrived towards evening, tired out, and found a small hotel—expensive, but the only accommodation in the place. We used the remaining daylight for initial exploration, but without success.
S A N O Z A M A 62
number of swampy areas. It was simply as if we had been jinxed: again and again we thought that we finally had P. reticulatus in the net, but the fishes always turned out to be young rainbowfishes. We were on the go all day in the scorching sun without finding a single blue-eye. As darkness fell, we halted the search and returned, frustrated, to Ayamaru. We had only a few hours left on the following day, as we had to be back in Sorong by the evening so as not to miss the plane to Sentani the next morning. We sat together for a long time that evening, but had no idea where else we could search. Eventually, Marten took his leave of us, as he was spending the night with relatives in the village.
At last!
In the morning, Marten reappeared and said we should drive past his relatives’ house in the village, as they had Searching in vain a bucket containing a few fishes that they had caught Very early the next morning we started our search for the previous night. We went there. On the terrace stood P. reticulatus. Henni’s former collecting site within the a bucket, Wim looked in it then turned away, frustrated village couldn’t be found again, too much had changed, and shaking his head: no blue-eyes. I wanted to make and everything was more developed than it was in 1999. another video, so I looked in the bucket, looked again We examined every water-filled ditch, without success. So and then a third time. Viewed from above, the fishes were far too chubby for rainbowfishes. I took one out by the search radius kept on expanding, and eventually we searched the entire area below Lake Ayamaru. hand—it was P. reticulatus! Sheer enthusiasm broke out, Melanotaenia boesemani was practically ubiquitous Wim was in seventh heaven. We thanked Marten’s relanearly everywhere we fished. We also looked in the outtives a thousand times, they celebrated with us, and we flow from Lake Ayamaru, the Kali Kromsa, as well as in a packed our precious new charges extremely carefully in the breathing bags we had brought with us. Our desire to see the collecting site triggered a certain amount of discussion among Always popular: the locals, which Henni couldn’t follow Melanotaenia in full, as the conversation was conducted boesemani from Lake partly in the tribal language. Finally, we were Ayamaru. led to a fabulous biotope a few kilometers away. It was the men’s bathing area of a village! Even Henni was allowed to come as no-one was bathing there at the time. Crystal-clear blue water, with shoals of fishes in it—big M. boesemani, cichlids, barbs, but no blue-eyes. In my opinion, the water was much too open for blue-eyes. We made
E G N A L . G : M O T T O B ; E E H O . H : T H G I R P O T ; K R E K S M E E H . W : T F E L P O T
Group photo at the men’s bathing area, which is sited slightly hidden in the rainforest near Ayamaru.
enquiries and were told that the small fishes came out only at night.
Departure and return journey
E E H O . H
It was now high time for the journey back to Sorong. The next morning, we said goodbye to Marten. Without him and Raymond, our travels on the Vogelkop wouldn’t have gone so splendidly. We checked in with more than 66 pounds (30 kg) of excess baggage for the flight to
NEW
Sentani, where we spent barely a day before continuing to Jakarta. We said goodbye to Henni, without whom the trip wouldn’t have been possible. In Jakarta, the rest of us went our separate ways: Gary flew back to the USA, while Wim and I came back to Europe. Our hearty thanks to the IRG (Internationale Regenbogenfisch Gesellschaft/International Rainbowfish Association), which supported our trip. Thanks!
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A M A Z O N A S 63
WHAT’S UP?
article & images by Hans-Georg Evers •
Collecting Andean Ancistrus The waterfall of the Quebrada Honda that we nicknamed “Shangri La” is the habitat of two Ancistrus species. Inset: Ancistrus sp. L 392 from the Amazonian lowlands around Puerto Maldonado inhabits the white water habitats of the Río Madre de Dios and its lowland affluents.
S A N O Z A M A 64
, Mr. Bob Dylan became famous by publishing his song “The Times They Are A Changin’”. Well, this is actually very true and the song came to my mind when the American publishers of AMAZONAS changed their set-up. Over the years, staff and management of Reef To Rainforest Media, LLC, became friends and I, in my position as a “retired” editor-in-chief, get a chance to play a smaller role under a new “flag” now. Stephan Tanner is an almost life-long, dear friend of mine and I want to take the opportunity to say two things. First of all, I want to thank Reef To Rainforest, in particular Judy Billard and James Lawrence and their staff, for the professional and very inspiring cooperation over the years. And secondly, I wish Ann Whitman and her team the best of luck for the next years of the English version of AMAZONAS! IN
THE YEAR OF MY BIRTH
I now have the wonderful opportunity to entertain you, dear readers, in every forthcoming issue with some pages on the latest news on aquarium fish. New imports, scientific findings or even spectacular breeding successes will be the topics for me as a columnist for the English-language edition of AMAZONAS. I am starting in this issue with some loricariid catfishes that just recently received new L-codes in the German magazine DATZ . I know that some of these Southern Peruvian species are available in the American aquatic scene, and it may help the pleco community to correctly identify these same fish when discussing or even trading them. The neotropical catfishes of the family Loricariidae, to aquarists better known under their common name “plecos”, are widespread all over the South American continent and parts of Central America. Amongst them,
A M A Z O N A S 65
Ancistrus sp. L 504 from the Río Chaquimayo.
Ancistrus sp. L 505 from Shangri La with the red iris.
The second species from Shangri La, Ancistrus sp. L 506.
Ancistrus sp. L 507 from the Quebrada Amazonas.
S A N O Z A M A 66
Ancistrus sp. L 508 from the Río Araza.
Ventral look at L 507 out of the breeding season. The males only show very short barbels along the edge of the snout.
the bristlenose catfishes of the huge genus Ancistrus are by far the most common ones, very well known to aquarists. Most of the many forms inhabit rivers, creeks and lakes of the lowlands. Actually, every river basin has its own species, and sometimes several different species in different kinds of habitats. Only a few people know that the distribution of the large genus Ancistrus continues to the sub-Andean regions and even to altitudes up to approximately 5000 feet (1500 m) above sea-level!
Three trips I had the great opportunity in 2014, 2015, and 2016, to visit the southern state of Peru, Madre de Dios, and go collecting in the many rivers and affluents of the mighty Río Madre de Dios. Several trips took us along the relatively new road from Puerto Maldonado, the capital of Madre de Dios, into the direction of Cusco, the famous town in the higher Andes. T he little village of Quince Mil was our base f rom where we explored the many crystal-clear creeks and rivers crossing the highway. The Río Inambari, one of the bigger affluents of the Río Madre de Dios, collects all the water from these rivers, many of them isolated by higher mountain ridges and steep valleys. The weather in the Andes, like in other mountain ridges, can change from one moment to the other and small shallow creeks can tur n into furious wild waters within a few minutes when heavy rains are splashing down. Fishing in these rivers can be very dangerous. A few years ago, the Peruvian ichthyologist Fonchi Chang lost her life and drowned in such a situation. Some of the rivers we tried to explore were out of reach for us, as the water was only reachable for experienced free climbers, but not for fishermen with all their equipment. However, we were still able to sample
a good number of creeks and rivers along our way. Starting from the lowlands, we searched our way uphill to altitudes of around 5000 feet (1500 m). In the higher regions, only catfishes of the families Trichomycteridae and Astroblepidae are living in the shallow, fast-flowing, rocky habitats. Only in the lower, warmer waters below 5000 feet (1500 m) did the first Ancistrus end up in our nets. Boulders, rocks, and pebbles are the perfect habitat for cave-dwelling fishes, and the cave-breeding Ancistrus species find plenty of crevices to quickly hide under when a stomping Homo sapiens comes along. While the Ancistrus species of the lowlands are mostly widespread throughout a smaller or bigger river drainage, the sub-Andean species probably inhabit much smaller areas. Over millions of years, these forms were isolated by the mountain ridges and had enough time to evolve into separate species. Surprisingly, there is only one species scientifically described from the Andes of Peru and Bolivia, Ancistrus megalostomus Pearson 1916. Just recently, the Canadian ichthyologist Nathan Lujan and co-authors (Lujan et al. 2015) revised the Andean Ancistrus and the closely related genus Chaetostoma and described the two trans-Andean genera, Andeancistrus and Transancistrus. But, on a species level, most of the forms we found appear to be undescribed. That was the main reason for me to publish L-numbers for t hese forms. Now we can all talk about t he same fish without giving them funny trade names, which only lead to confusion and misnaming, especially in case these forms ever get a good scientific name. A few years ago, I (Evers 2005) gave L-numbers to some of the lowland forms around Puerto Maldonado. L 392, a black species with few white spots, and L 393, a b eautifully darkish-brown reticulated species on an orange body, are in the hobby now and have been spawned.
A M A Z O N A S 67
Another lowland form from around Puerto Maldonado, in the drainage of the Río Manuripe, is Ancistrus sp. L 393.
Ancistrus sp. L 509 shows a
somewhat unusual body shape. We could not find a single specimen with barbels on the snout.
Very attractive Ancistrus sp. L 510 from the Río Araza.
S A N O Z A M A 68
The species Unfortunately, the whole region of the lower Río M adre de Dios drainage suffers from illegal gold mining. It is a kind of gold rush going on that brought in thousands of people who are even entering the protected areas, like the Manu Nature Reserve and the Tambopata National Park. We saw big excavators and other heavy equipment right in the river beds when searching for still-intact biotopes. And this is all illegal! I remember a situation while we, a bunch of American aquar ists and I, were just happily turning stones to find the pursued catfishes when some armed guys turned up to chase us out of the river, telling us we are destroying their water source with our collecting activities! That actually happened in the Río Chaquimayo, 820 feet (250 m) above sea level. The clear, fast flowing water had 78°F (25.5°C) and a conductivity of only 38 µS/cm. We found Ancistrus sp. L 504 here, a tiny 3-inch (7.6-cm) species with brooding males that developed a massive “beard ”. L 504 also inhabits the close-by Río Avispa (945 feet, 75.7°F, 55 µS/ cm) (288 m, 24.3°C). Passing the busy town of Mazuco, we searched our way uphill. The American Lance Peck explored this area in search for fish previously in the early 2000s. What luck for me to have had Lance as a travel companion and guide on my trips in 2015 and 2016! He knows all the good places and how to find them. He brought me to the Quebrada Honda (1250 feet, 70.5°F, 65 µS/cm) (383 m,
Male of L 504 with an impressive “beard”.
21.4°C), a hidden river that we followed upstream to a beautiful little waterfall, named “Shangri La” by Lance. Directly under the waterfall, clinging on the rocks and rapidly hiding behind the stones, we could see, and later collect, two Ancistrus species. L 505 shows black markings on a light to dark-brown body. The most outstanding character of L 505 is the red iris. One can recognize this species on the first sight. L 506, the second, larger species in the Quebrada Honda, has a similar coloration but lacks the red iris, has a broader body and the caudal fin rays show no black pigmentation. Close to the little town of Quince Mil, we left the main road and followed a small dirt Typical habitat of Andean Ancistrus. road that lead us to the Quebrada AmazoRelatively cold, shallow and with fast running waters over a bed of rocks and nas (1611 feet, 71°F, 64 µS/cm) (491 m, boulders. 21.7°C). The Ancistrus sp. L 507 from here can grow up to 3 inches (7.6 cm). The males develop big bristles on the head only in the breeding season, which occurs in September. Out of the season, the males only show some small bristles along the edges of their heads.
Rio Araza
Illegal goldmining in the Río Chaquimayo. Excavators and other heavy equipment are destroying the whole river bed.
The most impressive panorama of the region I encountered was upon entering the river bed of the mighty Río Araza, an affluent of the Río Inamabri. Close to Quince Mil, at an altitude around 2460 feet (750 m) above sea level, we passed a narrow gallery of trees, and stepped right into a beautiful scene. Fast-running waters poured over big rocks and boulders, framed by the green rainforest and a cloudy sky. The Araza (69°F up to 73°F (20.6°C up to 22.7°C), 55 µS/cm, measurements taken several times in July 2015 and September 2016) is hardly fishable in the middle portion. The current is too strong and it is nearly impossible to collect the adult specimens of at
A M A Z O N A S 69
Ancistrus sp. L 511 has
bright blue eyes.
Fully adult Ancistrus sp. L 512 shortly after collecting.
least three different Ancistrus and a Chaetostoma species. The smallest Ancistrus of the three found here is L 508. The males show no big bristles at all, but have some short odontodes at their cheeks. The marbled coloration of the biggest fish (3 inch, 7.6 cm) tells them apar t from the two other species. L 509 grows much bigger, at least 5 inches (12.7 cm). We never could find any male fish with bristles or odontodes on the head. Maybe they only develop the bristles in the breeding season? L 510 is a real beauty. Their slate-colored body is adorned with bright white spots. Adult males of around 4-inch (10-cm) size show orange bristles, and all fins are display a pale orange hue. Green Ancis trus
Kept in an aquarium, L 512 changes its coloration but still is a very attractive catfish!
Semi-adult Ancistrus sp. L 512 shortly after collecting show a green hue under the sunlight.
S A N O Z A M A 70
Leaving the Río Araza brought us higher into the Andes. The Río Saucipata is an easily accessible stream with wild waters. Turning stones is an exhausting job to do here. One person (preferably a tall and strong ex-football player like my friend Jay Lindamood) lifts bigger rocks and stones while the catcher (preferably me!) quickly puts the net under the rock to catch the falling pleco. In the Saucipata (2635 feet, 71°F, 32 µS/ cm) (803 m, 21.6°C, 32 µS/cm), we found a small Ancistrus L 511 with a faint coloration but bright blue eyes! The males again showed only very small bristles along their heads’ edges. Maybe they also develop the bristles during the breeding season? The collection site of the last new Ancistrus I am presenting here will remain a secret. It is a really beautiful fish and was already discussed on the Internet and in social media as the “Green Ancistrus”. I know there are commercial fishermen in Cusco that are already exploiting the rivers for Corydoras weitzmani, using poison to get the shy fishes more easily. I strictly oppose such a greedy and destructive behavior and therefore will not tell t he place where we collected L 512. Adult specimens can grow up to 5 inches
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A M A Z O N A S 71
The Río Araza at Quince Mil provides spectacular scenery.
(12.7 cm). Freshly-caught semi-adult specimens show a bright green hue over the body, especially when exposed to the sunlight, with a bright golden pattern of spots and wrinkles on their body. In the aquarium, this coloration turns into a silvery pattern on a grey body, still making L 512 a very attractive fish. The American aquarists Jeanette and Andrew Blumhagen were able to breed L 512 in the aquarium and already published their findings in this
magazine earlier this year ( AMAZONAS July/Aug 2018). They proved that the males of L 512 only develop their bristles during the breeding season, something that was new to me for the genus Ancistrus. But, it is obvious that at least some of the sub-Andean Ancistrus species of Southern Peru are doing this. Well, here ends my report on the Andean Ancistrus. I would like to thank all my travel companions, especially Lance Peck, Ian Fuller, Michael Barber and Felix Manami of Go Wild Peru, a company that organizes field trips for aquarists, making travelling in this corner of the planet so easily available. REFERENCES
Blumhagen, A. & J. Blumhagen (2018): Search for the missing barbels: A new mountain river loricariid. AMAZONAS July/August 2018, 7(4): 70–76. Evers, H.-G. (2005): Harnischwelse aus dem Río-Madre.de-Dios-Einzug. D. Aqu. Terr. Z. DATZ , 58 (9): 36–37. Evers, H.-G. (2018): Antennenwelse aus den Anden. D. Aqu. u. Terr. Z., DATZ 71 (8): 44–49. Nathan K. Lujan, N. K., V. Meza-Vargas, V. Astudillo-Clavijo, R. Barriga-Salazar & H. LópezFernández (2015): A Multilocus Molecular Phylogeny for Chaetostoma Clade Genera and Species with a Review of Chaetostoma (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Central Andes. Copeia 103 (3): 664–701.
S A N O Z A M A 72
Lujan, N. K., V. Meza-Vargas & R. BarrigaSalazar (2015): Two New Chaetostoma Group (Loricariidae: Hypostominae) Sister Genera from Opposite Sides of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, with the Description of One New Species. Copeia 103 (3): 651–663.
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A M A Z O N A S 73
HUSBANDRY
& BREEDING
Pearly Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika
Altolamprologus calvus by Wilhelm Klaas • Unusual body shape, vivid markings, and peaceful behavior give these Tanganyikan cichlids a special place in the aquarium world. Although not difficult to breed, Altolamprologus calvus are always in high demand.
, importations from Lake Tanganyika in the 1950s included Altolamprologus calvus. For many years these cichlids, characterized by black bodies and numerous little white spots, were always available in the ornamental fish trade, but then sales of these Pearly Cichlids fell off. However, interest in this cichlid, with its bizarre body form and fascinating behavior, hasn’t disappeared completely. I regard A. calvus as one of the loveliest of all Tanganyikan cichlids, with its laterally compressed and high-backed body form. It wasn’t till 1978 that these Pearly Cichlids were scientifically described by Poll under the name Lamprologus calvus, on the basis of specimens that Pierre Brichard had caught in Zambia in 1977. The species was reassigned to Altolamprologus by Poll (1986). The type locality is Chipimbi, on the southwest coast of Lake Tanganyika. RIGHT
S A N O Z A M A 74
FROM THE BEGINNING
A splendid male Altolamprologus calvus “Black Pectoral.”
In addition to Altolamprologus calvus and the more commonly encountered A. compressiceps, another member of the genus is known, but so far it remains undescribed. This third species is small and rears its broods in empty snail shells. For this reason the species is sometimes encountered in the trade under the name Altolam prologus sp. “Sumbu Shell.” Altolamprologus belongs to the tribe Lamprologini.
Body of a predator The body of A. calvus is strongly compressed laterally, similar to those of the leaf-fishes of the genus Nandus. Its narrow form allows it to squeeze between rocks in search of prey, which it quickly inhales. When an A. calvus raises its dorsal fin, it presents an impressive high-backed body form, excelled only by that of A. compressiceps. By comparison, A. calvus appears somewhat more slender, and this is an important characteristic for differentiation. In addition, in A. calvus the forehead between the eyes lacks scales. In fact, “calvus” is the Latin word for bald. The species usually has 12 or 13 spines in the anal fin, compared to A. compressiceps, which has only 9 to 11 spines, and a scaled forehead. According to Konings (1993), the scales are very thick.
N E S E I L R E B O . M
Half-grown individuals exhibit coarser white spotting and have a lighter base color.
Male A. calvus are sometimes more than twice as large as females. It isn’t uncommon for a male to measure around 6 inches (15 cm) while females get no longer than 2.75 inches (7 cm), although typically, females reach about 4 inches (10 cm) long.
Geographical variation Three geographical variants are known: 1.) The typical population from Cape Chipimbi has a pitch-black body covered in numerous little silvery spots. In addition to those found in the type locality, populations have been recorded between Tembwe and Cape Kachese. 2.) A yellow form is found in Nkamba Bay. 3.) A white variant inhabits the rocky biotopes at Cape Chaitika and Kapemba.
Maintenance in the aquarium It is best to begin with a number of young specimens from a breeder or the trade. Eventually, you may see noticeable differences in growth, but there is still no guarantee of being able to pick out a harmonious breeding pair. Sometimes a pair can be put together successfully at an early stage, but sometimes the putative female remains permanently behind the heater or the internal filter. Occasionally the male “changes his mind” and suddenly accepts the partner. Of course, with a bit of
S R E V E . G . H : M O T T O B ; N E S E I L R E B O . M : P O T
luck it is also possible to buy a large pair right away and establish them in their new home without major problems. When starting out with a group of young fish, the largest ones often turn out to be males. Pearly Cichlids don’t require a particularly large aquarium. A tank 24–40 inches (60–100 cm) long will suffice. The aquarium should be set up to suit a specialized cave-brooder, with rockwork to simulate the rocky landscape of the natural biotope. It is important to provide enough caves to permit the fishes to define their own territories. The shells of large marine snails are accepted as an excellent substitute for crevices in the rockwork, and some aquarists use capped PVC elbows. These make it fairly easy to remove the fry after they hatch. Altolamprologus calvus are very peaceful aquarium occupants. They don’t like lively company, which tends to make them rather secretive. Besides, they aren’t very good at holding their own against more aggressive fishes. They are best kept with other calm-tempered fish from a similar habitat. These fish require a very nutritious diet on a permanent basis, and in particular when you want them to ripen and spawn. Water fleas and krill are
The empty shells of marine snails are readily accepted by females as breeding caves.
A M A Z O N A S 75
their preferred foods, but these cichlids won’t turn their noses up at brine shrimp or mysis either. They require alkaline water typical of Lake Tangan yika, but otherwise aren’t especially fussy about water chemistry, apart from an obligatory weekly water change. They do need clean water and stable conditions, so small, regular water changes are best. The water temperature should be around 77°F (25°C), the total hardness 7–9°dGH, and the pH 7.5 to 9.0.
has laid her eggs. This is usually followed by a brief spell of guarding, which ends after about 10 days when the young leave the cave or shell. The brood then disperses all over the tank, so if you want to rear the fry, now is the time to remove predators from the aquarium. Rearing the fry is very laborious, as they grow strikingly slowly and it can be several years before they are sexually mature. For this reason, A. calvus always commands a high price.
Breeding and rearing
It’s worth it!
Altolamprologus calvus are not particularly territorial for cichlids. The female prefers to move about, seeking new caves for brood care. In the species’ natural habitat, this is usually a rocky crevice, into which the female is just able to fit. The male takes on the guarding of the brood, often those of several females in his harem with whom he has paired. If a female is ready to spawn, she signals this clearly. Although the male can’t get into the spawning cave, he is able to fertilize the eggs laid inside. He expels his milt above the entrance to the cave, and the sperm come into contact with the eggs as the result of his fanning his fins, supplemented by the movements of the female. This can be readily observed in the aquarium when a male makes quivering movements with his body, for example in front of the entrance to a large snail shell in which the female
S A N O Z A M A 76
Anyone who fancies trying a rather special cichlid from Lake Tanganyika should take the opportunity to keep this unusual and peaceful African species. It is a real treat to watch Altolamprologus calvus in the aquarium, hunting among the rocks, and guarding their fry. REFERENCES
Boulenger, G.A. 1915. Catalogue of the Freshwater Fishes of Africa in the British Museum, vol. III, pp. 1–526. Brichard, P. 1989. Pierre Brichard’s Book of Cichlids and All the Other Fishes of Lake Tanganyika . T.F.H., Neptune City, New Jersey. Konings, A. 2015. Tanganyika Cichlids in their Natural Habitat , 3rd ed. Cichlid Press, El Paso, Texas. Poll, M. 1974. Contribution á la faune ichthyologique du lac Tanganika d’après les récoltes de P. Brichard. Bull Inst Royal Sci Nat Belg 88 (1): 99–110.
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A M A Z O N A S 77
CENTURY
S A N O Z A M A 78
SPECIES
N A M R O N N O R A A
The Paradise Fish, Macropodus opercularis by Michael Kokoscha •
A M A Z O N A S 79
The classic wild form of Paradise Fish, Macropodus opercularis.
If ever there was an aquarium fish that deserves to be called “classic” it is the Paradise Fish (Macropodus opercularis). After all, this was the very first tropical aquarium fish to reach Europe and North America and hence represents the beginning of our hobby. The Paradise Fish has been known to science since the mid-eighteenth century, when it was first described. It came to Europe in 1869 from China, when an officer on a French ship took around 100 of these fishes aboard at the request of the French consul; 22 of them arrived in France alive. Most then went to Parisian ichthyologist and public aquarium director Pierre Carbonnier, who was the first to breed them successfully. FIRST PARADISE FISH SPECIMENS appeared in Germany five years later, but at the exorbitant price of 50 Marks (almost $300 in current dollars) per pair, they were far too expensive to become widespread. Subsequently, in the 1890s, the Berlin
THE
breeder Paul Matte managed to cross the Paradise Fish with one of its relatives, the Roundtail Paradise Fish (Macropodus ocellatus), and achieved a lot of success with the resulting splendid fishes, also known as Paradise Fish.
The albino form of M. opercularis is very popular.
S A N O Z A M A 80
L E D I E S O G N I
Because of its beauty and undemanding nature, the original Paradise Fish also attracted increasing numbers of devotees in the rapidly developing aquarium hobby. Naturally, the ease with which it could be bred had a downside: haphazard mass production resulted in increasing numbers of miserable specimens in the trade. The Paradise Fish was to be found in almost every shop, but it had lost a lot of its original attractiveness. Wild-caught stocks have again been imported from Vietnam and eastern China, largely by members of the Internationalen Gemeinschaft für Labyrinthfische (International Labyrinthfish Association, IGL). New species of Macropodus are also being discovered and described.
Low tech living
S R E V E . G . H : M O T T O B ; L E D I E S O G N I : P O T
A blue variant of the Paradise Fish. It was undoubtedly not just its beauty, but also its robustness that encouraged the spread of the Paradise Fish. Although they are nominally warm-water fishes, they will generally tolerate temperatures of 64.5°F (18°C). Wild-caught stocks from northerly locations even appear to require cool overwintering at 53.5–59°F (12–15°C) in order to remain in good health. Paradise Fish will also do very well in a garden pond, at least during the summer months in northern locations. There is no doubt that the low oxygen requirement of Paradise Fish also contributes to their being able to survive in low-tech aquariums. They belong to the labyrinthfishes, and hence have an auxiliary respiratory organ (the labyrinth) with which they can breath atmospheric air taken in at the water’s surface. Like many other labyrinthfishes, Paradise Fish deposit their spawn in bubblenests The bubblenest is the center of the territory. After hatching, the larvae remain constructed by the males. Mating takes in the bubblenest until their yolk sacs are consumed. place beneath the nest, and the eggs then float up into it. The bubblenest is the center of the territory and the fish vehemently defend it. This has contributed to their bad reputation for being the tiniest of pond foods, and, in an emergency, the aggressive, although the size of the aquarium also plays finest proprietary fry foods) until they are around a week a part in their behavior. If there is sufficient space, the old, when they can begin to take Artemia nauplii. There female sticks to defending the outer part of the territory, may be several hundred eggs, so you should never try to but if the aquarium is too small the male will attack her rear all the fry, but concentrate on those with the best if she comes too close to the nest. form and markings. Rearing the tiny fry can be a bit tricky. Once they become free-swimming they are no longer protected REFERENCES by their parents, who may even eat them under certain Sweeney, M.E., Bailey, M.C., and Norman, Aaron. A PocketExpert Guide: circumstances. The fry require very fine foods (rotifers, Tropical Fishes. Microcosm/TFH, 2009. Neptune City, New Jersey.
A M A Z O N A S 81
AQUATIC
PLANTS
Boron deficiency
Iron deficiency
Calcium deficiency
Potassium deficiency
Magnesium deficiency
Manganese deficiency
Phosphate deficiency
Nitrogen deficiency
S A N O Z A M A 82
Healthy leaf
Recognizing nutrient deficiencies in aquarium plants article & images by Maike Wilstermann-Hildebrand • Determining the causes of disfiguring plant symptoms isn’t always easy. Damage from nutrient deficiencies or excesses often have similar patterns to those from pests and diseases. Recognizing common deficiency symptoms, however, is the first step to finding a solution.
to different types of nutrient deficiency are characterized by where the first symptoms appear and whether or how they spread out across the plant. Terrestrial and some aquatic plants take up nutrients from the substrate via their roots. In submersed plants, nutrients enter the stems and leaves directly from the water. After uptake, some nutrients are readily transportable within the plant and can be moved quite easily and rapidly from one leaf to another or into the roots. These include nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, for example. Other nutrients, such as iron and manganese, become integrated into the plant in forms that make transportation to other parts of the plant impossible. Nutrients are required mainly in the young parts of the plant at the growing points and hence are transported there by priority. If a plant lacks a particular nutrient from its environment, it seeks to mobilize reserves from the older leaves, and if necessary breaks down its own mass in order to provide the growing parts with the required elements. Transportable nutrients then migrate from the old leaves to the growing point and serve for the production of new leaves. For this reason, it is the old leaves that turn yellow first in the event of nitrogen deficiency. With the deficiency of nutrients that cannot be transported around the plant, such as iron, the old leaves will remain healthy. The shortage of THE
INITIAL CLUES
Chlorosis. Yellow leaves aren’t always due to a deficiency. Top: a cultivated yellow form of Shinnersia rivularis; middle: a cultivated yellow form of Hygrophila difformis; and bottom: a Gymnocoronis spilanthoides suffering from a massive iron deficiency. In the color variants, the leaf veins are yellow, while the interveinal areas are green. In the case of iron deficiency, the areas between the veins are yellow while the veins themselves remain green.
A M A Z O N A S 83
Top left: Iron deficiency in Anubias coffeifolia: the leaves become light green to lemon yellow in the event of iron deficiency. The longer the shortage persists, the more leaves are affected. Top right: Manganese deficiency: these Echinodorus are suffering severe manganese deficiency due to massive over-fertilization with iron. Nutrient balance is key. Opposite page: Boron deficiency: an extremely high pH has hindered nutrient uptake and caused symptoms of severe boron deficiency in these Water Lilies.
S A N O Z A M A 84
iron will first show in the young leaves at the growing point where they become increasingly chlorotic (lacking in chlorophyll) and hence yellow in color.
Diagnostic guide to deficiency symptoms in aquatic plants Symptoms visible in all parts of the plant:
• Variegated plants lose their variegation and turn green; plants sickly; stems thin, leaves in rosette-forming plants small; stemmed plants with long internodes and few leaves (“leggy” appearance): insufficient light . • Leaves and stems of frogbit plants (several species share this common name) glassy: copper toxicity . Symptoms begin with the older leaves:
• Older leaves light green to yellow in color: nutrient loss from old leaves following planting or transplantation. • All leaves become lighter, starting with the oldest; plants small, with little branching: nitrogen deficiency, root damage, or putrefaction in t he substrate. • Young plants and cuttings fail to thrive; in older plants, first the veins of older leaves and stems discolored reddish, later dirty dark-green to blue-green leaves throughout the plant; plants stiff (rigidity); possible die-off of leaves from the tip down; reduced growth: phosphate deficiency . • Chlorosis in the interveinal areas giving the plant a marbled appearance; leaf veins and edges initially remain green; chlorosis may lead to necrosis: magnesium deficiency . • Edges of leaves become chlorotic between the veins, creating a light-colored margin to the leaf; all leaves affected if the deficiency continues: calcium deficiency .
• Large chlorotic patches on the surfaces of the leaves, later containing small spots to larger areas of necrosis; holes sometimes develop; shortened life-span of leaves: potassium deficiency . Symptoms begin with the younger leaves:
• Mosaic-like chlorosis in the interveinal regions of young leaves; veins remain green; progressing to larger
yellow patches and necroses or black dots: manganese deficiency . • Chlorosis in the interveinal regions of young leaves: zinc deficiency . • Youngest leaves small, twisted and/or deformed: lack of calcium, boron, zinc, or copper. • Young leaves light green to lemon yellow, pink, or white; leaf veins initially remain green: iron deficiency .
A M A Z O N A S 85
• Youngest leaves, including veins, light green to yellow; leaf veins lighter than surface of leaf; limited new growth: sulfur deficiency . • Youngest leaves initially deep-green to blue-green, later chlorotic; die-off including the tips of shoots: boron deficiency . • Die-off of tips of shoots: lack of calcium, boron, or copper.
Diagnosis challenges The diagnosis of deficiency symptoms is relatively easy if only a single nutrient is in short supply. It is more difficult when several nutrients are involved, or plants show symptoms of toxicity due to over-fertilization, algicide, or fish medications. Some nutrients must be balanced with others. Over-fertilization with iron, for example, hinders the uptake of manganese and molybdenum. In addition, the lack of one nutrient can cause symptoms similar to those of a different nutrient deficiency. For example, the metabolism of nitrogen is regulated by enzymes that contain sulfur and molybdenum. If one of these nutrients is lacking, this can cause nitrogen deficiency in some plants and nitrogen toxicity in others. In leguminous plants (peas, beans, clover), for example, a shortage of calcium hinders the production of root nodules for symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. For
this reason, calcium deficiency can lead to symptoms of nitrogen deficiency in these plants. Unsuitable pH values likewise have a negative effect on nutrient uptake. Most nutrients are only available for plant uptake within a certain pH range. If the pH is too high or too low, the nutrients become “bound up” in forms that plants will not be able to use. Too high a pH disrupts the uptake of boron, for example. In the wild, aquatic and marsh plants live in symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi and various other microorganisms that help them to take up nutrients, such as phosphate and iron, more effectively. There has been no research into the occurrence of such micro-organisms in the aquarium. Thus, deficiency symptoms may occur even when all necessary nutrients are available. Another factor to consider is the specific plant itself. Some aquatic plants have a greater need for certain nutrients. Amazon Sword and Madagascar Lace plants, for example, require more soluble iron in the substrate than other aquarium plants. When diagnosing the underlying problems with aquatic plants, it is important to examine the plant as a whole and also to monitor culture conditions, via visual checks and water tests, in order to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.
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S A N O Z A M A 86
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A M A Z O N A S 87
AQUARIUM
CALENDAR compiled by Janine Banks
OCTOBER 11–13
13
19–21
20
21
28
28
4
Honolulu Aquarium Society Show and Auction Honolulu, HI Facebook
Quad City Fish Swap Davenport, IA Facebook
4
Fort Myers Aquarium Society Swap Meet Fort Myers, FL Facebook
St. Catherine & Area Aquarium Society Annual Auction E. Thorold, ON Canada scaas.info
10
Motor City Aquarium Society Fall Auction Madison Heights, MI motorcityaquariumsociety.com
11
Missouri Aquarium Society Autumn Auction St. Louis, MO missouriaquariumsociety.com
11
Tropical Fish Club of Burlington Annual Auction So. Burlington, VT tfcb.org
16–18
24th Annual Ohio Cichlid Association Extravaganza Strongsville, OH ohiocichlid.com
17
Tampa Bay Aquarium Society Annual Auction Plant City, FL tbas1.com
18
Greenwater Aquarist Society Fall Swap Joliet, IL greenwateraquaristsociety.org
The Aquatic Experience Seacaucas, NJ aquaticexperience.org Greater Detroit Aquarium Society Fall Auction Royal Oaks, MI greaterdetroitaquariumsociety.org Green Bay Aquarium Society Auction Kaukauna, WI gbasonline.org Boston Aquarium Society Annual Auction Beverly, MA bostonaquariumsociety.org Jersey Shore Aquarium Society Fall Auction Manasquan, NJ jerseyshoreas.org
NOVEMBER 3–4
4
S A N O Z A M A 88
San Diego Aquarium Society 70th Annual Show San Diego, CA sandiegotropicalfish.com Greater Akron Aquarium Society Fall Auction Tallmadge, OH gaas-fish.net
For a more complete listing of upcoming events, visit www.reef2rainforest.com/events. To submit your event, contact: Janine Banks,
[email protected]
DECEMBER 2
Greater Chicago Cichlid Association Swap Meet Hoffman Estates, IL gcca.net
2
Milwaukee Aquarium Society Swap Meet New Berlin, WI milwaukeeaquariumsociety.com
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A M A Z O N A S 89
Sources Look for AMAZONAS Magazine in these outstanding local aquarium shops. UNITED STATES
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1245 S Garfield Ave, Unit B Traverse City, MI 231-943-2130 www.aquallations.com
Hawaii
Moby Dick Pet Store
Kalihi Pet Center 1199 Dillingham Blvd Ste C-101 Honolulu, HI 808-841-5234 www.kalihipets.com
Idaho Fish Aquariums & Stuff
California
6112 W Fairview Ave Boise, ID 208-377-1119 www.�shaquariumsandstuff.net
Ocean Aquarium
Illinois
120 Cedar St San Francisco, CA 415-771-3206 www.oceanaquarium.blogspot.com
Fish Planet
Colorado
839 Waukegan Rd Deerfield, IL 847-945-4700 www.the�shplanet.com
Animal Attraction Pet Store
Indiana
2518 11th Ave Greeley, CO 970-353-3400 www.monsterreef.com
Iowa The Flower Bed
Maine
90
A World of Fish 1516 E 66th St Minneapolis, MN 612-866-2026 www.worldof�sh.com
New Jersey Aquaridise 415 Rte 18, Ste 8 E Brunswick, NJ 732-967-9700
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Creatures Featured
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Mike Schadle Aquarium Literature Dealer �
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Florida
Sealife Aquarium
1127 N Cedar St Lansing, MI 517-339-1762 www.preusspets.com
New York
1105 6th St Nevada, IA 515-382-3546
314 SW Pinckney St Madison, FL 850-973-3488 www.cf-pet-shop.com
Preuss Pets
The Fish Factory
Neptune’s Tropical F ish 1970 E County Line Rd, Unit A Highlands Ranch, CO 303-798-1776 www.neptunestropical.com
3700 Sashabaw Rd Waterford, MI 248-673-2520 www.mobydickpets.com
Easy Aquariums 664 Main St Gorham, ME 207-887-4141 www.easy-aquariums.com
Maryland House of Tropicals 7389F Baltimore Annapolis Blvd Glen Burnie, MD 410-761-1113 www.houseoftropicals.net
197 Wolf Rd Albany, NY 518-435-1738 www.bensonspet.com
Benson’s Pet Center 3083 Rt 50 Saratoga Springs, NY 518-584-7777 www.bensonspet.com
Eddie’s Aquarium Centre 1254 Loudon Rd Cohoes, NY 518-783-3474 www.eddiesaqua.com
The Fish Place 141 Robinson St North Tonawanda, NY 716-693-4411
Oregon The Wet Spot Tropical Fish 4310 NE Hancock St Portland, OR 503-287-3339 www.wetspottropical�sh.com
Pennsylvania Reef To Rift 1540 Cowpath Rd Hatfield, PA 267-263-2027 www.reeftorift.com
Rhode Island Aqua Life Central 389 Wickenden St Providence, RI 401-441-5334 www.aqualifecentral.com
Texas
Benson’s Pet Center
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12 Fire Rd Clifton Park, NY 518-373-1007 www.bensonspet.com
391 El Dorado Blvd Webster, TX 281-286-2238
Benson’s Pet Center
Petworld ~ The Aquatic Place
213B N Comrie Ave Johnstown, NY 518-705-4267 www.bensonspet.com
Benson’s Pet Center 118 Quaker Rd Queensbury, NY 518-793-6655 www.bensonspet.com
2700 Carson St Fort Worth, TX 817-577-1955 www.petworldaquatics.com
Vermont Pet Advantage 350 Dorset St South Burlington, VT 802-860-1714 www.thepetadvantage.com
Virginia
The aFISHionados 825 Erin St, Unit 3 Winnipeg, MB 204-295-5375 www.cichlaholic.com
Pet & Aquatic Warehouse 2408 Wards Rd Lynchburg, VA 434-239-6787 www.petaquaticswarehouse.com
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Skoolz of Fish 1503 Chamberlayne Ave Richmond, VA 804-496-1481 www.skoolzof�sh.com
SWEDEN
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Darkness ’Zine
Stormgatan 5 26138 Landskrona 0046-418-402831 www.ojzoo.se
Danai Yanawan (Am) Phone: 089-1832372 (+66 89 1832372)
Abacus Aquatics 168 Halfway St Sidcup-Kent 020-8302-8000 www.abacus-aquatics.co.uk
Washington
JAPAN
Aquarium Zen 920 NE 64th St Seattle, WA 206-619-1624 www.aquariumzen.net
J’s Aquarium 1-20-16 Furujima Naha City, Okinawa
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Big Al’s Aquarium Supercentres
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3511 99th St Edmonton, AB 780-435-3474 www.bigalscanada.com
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Y oung wild-caught male Badis laspiophilus from West Bengal.
Badis laspiophilus
1|
S A N O Z A M A 92
If you are ver y lucky you sometimes come across new and unusual species. I had actually ordered Badis singenensis from Buxar in India. When the box of fishes arrived, I initially put them in quarantine. The daily offerings of pond food (Cyclops and sifted Daphnia ) clearly agreed with them. After almost four weeks, I caught six vigorous fish out of the aquarium and put them in the photo tank. As I often do, I subsequently posted a photo of my new arrivals on Facebook—and labeled it B. singenensis . Only a few hours passed before Andrew Rao got in touch and told me that my fishes were B. laspiophilus. I made the comparison—and Andrew was absolutely right. He ought to know, as he discovered the latter species. Badis laspiophilus was described from the drainage of the Torsa River in West Bengal, India. The species is one of the smaller members of the genus and attains barely 1.5 inches (4 cm) total length. Phylogenetically speaking, it belongs to the B. singenensis species group, but can readily be distinguished by eye from the other species. My fishes are currently kept over sand in a 40-inch (100-cm) tank. To give the fishes a sense of security, I positioned several bricks vertically, thereby providing lots of individual small caves which were willingly accepted. If live food is added to the aquarium, however, the little Badis quickly swim to the open areas to secure their share. The significantly plumper bodies of the females, who are somewhat paler than the males, indicate that very little stands in the way of breeding.
My current water values are a pH 7.0–7.8, general hardness 11°dGH, conductivity about 400 μS, and a temperature of 68°F (20°C). I will increase the water temperature slightly in the breeding aquarium. But generally speaking, you can keep fishes from this species’ area of origin a little cooler in winter, as that corresponds to the natural conditions —Friedrich Bitter
Ambassis interrupta
2|Christian I was able to catch a new halfbeak Together with Hans-Georg Evers and Jeffrey
species in the Sungai Lembo during our Sulawesi expeditions in January 2015 and Februar y 2017. At the same time, we netted some attractive glassfishes of the species Ambassis interrupta. They were swimming along in small shoals in the fast-�owing open water of the river. The name glassfish is particularly suitable in the case of this species, as you can see bones and some of the internal organs through the transparent skin. The second fin-ray of the front dorsal is ver y long and shimmers brownish red, the two dorsal fins are almost always upright, giving the fish a majestic appearance. The tips of the pelvic fins along with the anal fin are white in color. In 2015, some half-grown specimens found their way into one of my show tanks (48 x 24 x 20 inches / 120 x 60 x 50 cm). Here too they exhibited interesting shoaling behavior. After the fishes had grown on—the largest males now measured about 2.75–3.25 inches
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During our Timika expeditions, Hans-Georg Evers, Jeffrey Christian and I were able to record this species practically everywhere. These fishes are generalists and hence can be found in virtually every habitat: in A small group of young clear- and black-water rivers as well Ambassis interrupta in my as in ponds, pools, and swamps. Lembo tank. These sleeper gobies are very robust and can even cope with oxygen shortages and temperatures above 86°F (30°C). The specimens that I brought back to Germany with me came from a residual pool at the edge of the river Mimika. I have now been maintaining them for three years and have man(7–8 cm) in length—they also exhibited increased aged to breed them several times. This form seems to territorial behavior, mostly towards the evening. They occupied small territories, and drove off even hetbe full-grown at around 5 inches (12 cm). erospecific fishes from the area, and appeared to be —Andreas Wagnitz waiting for females. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to observe a mating; perhaps this takes place only in concealed places. Danio sysphigmatus According to the literature, the species often spawns in the estuaries of the rivers. The fry of glassfishes As there is no existing popular name for this are probably very tiny and need the finest live food. In fish species from Myanmar, I would like to sug2017, I again brought back some young glassfishes gest the name Chain Danio, which hasn’t previously from the Lembo, and currently have two groups of them been used for any other species. for further study. I hope to find a way to breed them. Together with Danio dangila, D. assamila, D. cat- They are very suitable as aquarium fishes and acenatus, D. concatenatus , and D. meghalayensis , Danio cept food in almost any form. Keeping them together sysphigmatus forms the chain danio phylogenetic group with other pelagic fishes, e.g. rainbowfishes, works within the genus. All of its members possess relatively very well. Glassfishes of the genus Ambassis are widelong barbels, a more or less pronounced shoulder spot, spread in the Indo-Pacific region. Ambassis interrupta and above all, a dot-and-line pattern on the �anks, occurs throughout Indonesia and beyond. reminiscent of a chain. These fishes, which measure just under 3 inches —Andreas Wagnitz (7.5 cm) in length, were discovered in small streams in the mountains. Higher aquatic plants are found only rarely there, and the stream beds are characterized by Mogurnda cingulata “Mimika” sand, gravel, rocks, and dead wood. Sleeper gobies of the genus Mogurnda are exclusively freshwater fishes and occur in AustraA male Mogurnda cingulata lia, New Guinea, and on the Aru Islands. They are well from the Sungai Mimika. suited to the aquarium hobby and relatively easy to breed. The eventual size of fishes of this genus ranges from 3 to 8 inches (8 to 20 cm), depending on the species. Unfortunately, only few aquarists get involved with this phylogenetic group, as these fishes have a bad reputation. This is because they are often kept with unsuitable tankmates, and then, of course, there are sometimes negative consequences: many sleeper gobies are predatory fishes, and hence carnivorous. But they also exhibit very interesting behavior, and many species are gorgeous, both females and males.
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A M A Z O N A S 93
Chain Danios swim non-stop in the aquarium.
The typical body pattern, with several light spots linked together in a band, is the reason for the suggested popular name.
Female Elassoma gilberti "Wacissa Spring" exhibits a brownish marbling on the body; the unpaired fins are smaller than in males.
The aquarium for these indefatigable swimmers should have a volume of at least 30 gallons (112 l) and offer plenty of open swimming space. Densely vegetated areas are best created at the ends and as a background. An internal or external filter will provide the required oxygen input and water movement. In addition, regular water changes should be made to minimize pollution of the water. Ideal water values: temperature 61–79°F (16–26°C); pH 6.5–7.5; Hardness <20°dGH. In the wild, these danios prefer to take aquatic insects and those that land on the water; in the aquarium they are omnivorous and easy to feed. I predominantly use high-quality food granules, but live and frozen foods, as well as �ake, are also readily accepted. Danio sysphigmatus is an egg scatterer that releases eggs and milt on or among fine-leaved vegetation. These fishes are, however, particularly fond of eating their spawn, so you should at least make it difficult for them. A spawning grid or mesh can be fitted so as to keep the fishes away from the eggs, which are vir tually non-adhesive and sink to the aquarium bottom. Anyone who finds that too complicated can use a layer of coarse gravel several centimeters deep instead; that way at least some of the eggs will disappear into the interstices. If you want to keep Chain Danios, it is very important to cover the aquarium tightly, especially at the corners. When they are looking for food, and even more so when frightened, they may dash around the tank and, in extreme cases, jump out if there isn’t an adequate cover to prevent them. —Friedrich Bitter
Elassoma gilberti Every year in late spring the pygmy | 5 sunfishes of the genus Elassoma
Male Elassoma gilberti "Econfina River, Perry FL" in breeding coloration.
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once again find themselves in the spotlight. There are seven recognized species and their main distribution region is in the southeastern United States. Even in more northerly zones, they can be kept and bred outdoors once the spring and summer nights are milder again, provided you have a good source of live food. The species featured here, E. gilberti , known in the United States as the Gulf Coast Pygmy Sunfish, occurs exclusively in
A R I E C R E T Y N O H T N A : M O T T O B & M O T T O B M O R F D N O C E S ; R E T T I B . F : P O T M O R F D N O C E S & P O T
northwestern Florida and southwestern Georgia. These fishes, which attain only an inch (2.5 cm) in length, are found predominantly among dense vegetation and accumulations of fallen leaves, where they hunt for small organisms such as tiny crustaceans and worms. Aquariums with a volume of 10 gallons (37 l) or larger will suffice for maintenance and also breeding. Their tank should be densely planted with mosses, for example, while Elodea, Hornwort and other stem plants can be used as well. Males are temporarily territorial during the breeding season and also defend the eggs laid by the female(s) in their territory. The species is very adaptable as regards water parameters. Although soft, slightly acid water is usually cited as ideal, the fishes will breed adequately even in medium-hard water with a pH around 7.5. The accepted temperature spectrum is 59–80.5°F (15–27°C). A diet consisting predominantly of live food is important. Frozen food is accepted only to a limited extent. The sexes can be distinguished easily (see photos). Unfortunately, the offspring are often predominantly one sex, which may be due to various water parameters during the gender-determining phase of development.
Male of the unidentified, newly imported cardinal minnow from Central Vietnam.
Ripe female of a new geographical variant of Tanichthys .
—Friedrich Bitter
Tanichthys sp. “Da Nang” Six years ago, Ingo Seidel reported in the German | (Nr. 41, Mai/Juni 2012) on a new cardinal 6 AMAZONAS
R E T T I B . F
minnow from Vietnam, which had already been commercially imported to Europe in 2009. Ingo obtained a pair of these fishes in 2010 and was able to breed them successfully. I don’t know how long this strain sur vived in the aquarium and since then I have heard nothing about their precise identity or further imports, either. I am very interested in Vietnamese fishes and have been able to observe and catch them myself during several trips. In autumn 2017, I took advantage of the opportunity to order a number of fish species directly from this southeast Asian country as part of a shared importation. They were supposed to include Tanichthys micagemmae, the smallest species of its genus known to date. During unpacking, I was quite amazed to find another fish in the bag, whose external appearance matched neither T. micagemmae nor T. thacbaensis. I had obtained young wild-caught specimens, so nothing conclusive could be stated about external appearance yet.
Enquiries by the importer to the exporter revealed that the fishes were supposedly caught in the general area around Da Nang. In addition to the very informative article by Ingo Seidel already-mentioned, by inputting the keywords “Tanichthys” and “Da Nang” into a search engine, I came across additional sources on the Internet. My experiences regarding maintenance and breeding are almost identical with Siedel’s data, and the fishes proved easy to maintain in a wide range of water parameters. Unlike Siedel’s fishes, however, my imported fishes exhibit a slightly different base color, and the number of branched anal-fin rays mentioned by Siedel differs: his new species showed 9 and my specimens have 8, which is the same as some other already described Tanichthys species. While they can generally be described as pretty, it hasn’t yet been possible to clarify the exact identity of these cardinal minnows conclusively. Only further research will determine their true identity. —Friedrich Bitter
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UNDERWATER
EYE
Longfin German Blue Ram (Microgeophagus ramirezi) male in full display.
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by Hristo Hristov
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