LIVEBEARERS T Phallichthys tico - - a dainty new ... - Aqualog

Aqualognews NUMBER 94 2 

In dieser Ausgabe lesen Sie: 

Wilde Killis aus Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 

Schmetterlingsbarben . . . . . . . . . . .6 

Neue Zebra-Plecos aus Peru . . . . . .9 

Jaguar-Skalare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 

Ein neuer Lebendgebärender . . .13 

Diskus-Wildfänge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 

Der Bayreuther Schwertträger . . .17 

Serranocirrhitus latus . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Cyperus helferi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 

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Placidochromis cf. phenochilus . . .24 

Meerwasser und Nano? . . . . . . . . .27 

Polypterus mokelembembe . . . . . .28 

Hyperolius riggenbachi . . . . . . . . . .30 

Vorschau: 

Die TERRALOGnews No 95 

erscheint am 17.11.2010 

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Filialen mit Zoofachabteilung


Wild killies 

from Peru 

by Wolfgang Löll 

T 

he first mention of the name in the 

literature dates from the year 1788, 

when D. J. Schoepf published a paper 

entitled “Beschreibungen einiger Nord- 

Amerikanischer Fische, vorzüglich aus den 

Neu-Yorkischen Gewässern” (= Descriptions 

of some North American fishes, mainly from 

the waters of New York) in the journal 

Schriften der Berlinischen Gesellschaft 

naturforschender Freunde. In this paper he 

gives the local common name for the abovementioned 

Fundulus as “Killfish”,but doesn’t 

explain it.There are two possible derivations 

for the name: the commonest is that the 

word killifish comes from the Dutch word kill 

(meaning river) plus fish,in other words,“river 

fish”.However,this Fundulus hardly ever lives 

in rivers; hence the second derivation may 

well be the correct one, according to which 

the phrase “killing bait” is used for a 

particularly effective angling bait. To the 

present day Fundulus heteroclitus is used as a 

bait fish in the area around New York.Be that 

as it may, the name killifish in no way reflects 

the behavior of these wonderful creatures in 

the aquarium! 

Wild-caught or captive-bred? 

Only a few groups of fishes have so many 

aquarium populations as the killifishes,or are 

bred to such a high level of (scientifically 

demanding) expertise. In theory there is no 

need to rely on imports for the hobby. 

Nevertheless the recent importation by 

Aquarium Glaser of a whole series of 

different wild-caught killifish species from 

KILLIFISHES 

The name “killifish” for the egg-laying toothcarps has become current 

all over the world.To the uninitiated it may sound somewhat brutal, but 

it has nothing to do with the English word “kill”. The name killifish 

originated in the New York area, where it was used for the species 

Fundulus heteroclitus macrolepidotus. 

Aphyolebias schleseri,male all Photos: Frank Schäfer 

Aphyolebias schleseri,female 

Peru is very welcome, as although 

inbreeding isn’t usually a significant problem 

in aquarium fishes (the high reproductive 

rate of fishes invariably permits any 

inheritable defects in captive-bred strains to 

be eliminated by careful selection), the 

majority of aquarium strains trace their 

ancestry to only a very small number of 

founder specimens. This means that often 

only very little is known about the range of 

natural intraspecific variation. The 

importation of comparatively large numbers 

of specimens can fill these gaps in our 

knowledge and thus help us understand the


Rivulus ornatus,female 

Aphyolebias peruensis,female 

biology of such species.The capture of these 

fishes for live maintenance poses no 

problems from a conservation viewpoint, so 

there is really no need to have a guilty 

conscience about buying wild-caught 

specimens. 

Seasonal fishes and survival specialists 

All the species discussed here live under 

extreme conditions in the wild. For starters, 

there are the classic seasonal fishes, 

including Austrolebias schleseri, A. peruensis, 

and Moema cf. pirana.Seasonal fishes is the 

term used for killifishes that in the wild 

sometimes inhabit waters that dry up the 

periodically. A feature they have in common 

is the ability to grow incredibly rapidly: from 

hatching to sexual maturity takes only a few 

weeks. And Moema cf. pirana, for example, 

Rivulus ornatus,male 

Aphyolebias peruensis,male 

can readily reach 15 cm long! But others, 

such as Austrolebias schleseri,attain barely 5 

cm in length. From the moment that they 

attain sexual maturity these fishes mate 

every day. The species discussed here are 

bottom-divers, ie the spawning pair dive


right into the substrate of the body of water 

and lay their eggs “underground”. 

In the wild the lifespan of such fishes is 

usually only a few months. Then their home 

waters dry up and they die. Only the eggs 

Moema cf.ortegai,male 

Rivulus retrocaudatus,male 

survive in the substrate and hatch many 

months later when it next rains. They live 

considerably longer in the aquarium. 

Moema cf.ortegai,female 

Rivulus retrocaudatus,female 

Rivulus, the “grasshoppers” 

The strategy of the Rivulus species is quite 

different. These slender fishes have learned 

to travel on land. In wet weather they jump 

out of the water and cling to damp terrestrial 

plants. In this way they significantly reduce 

predation pressure from piscivorous fishes 

and can simultaneously colonize small 

waters that in fact hardly deserve the name, 

such as damp meadows containing a few 

small puddles. These fishes live considerably 

longer than their fellow killies, the seasonal 

fishes. Rivulus are adhesive spawners that lay 

their eggs on plants, among fine roots, etc. 

The eggs usually develop within 2-3 weeks. 

Because Rivulus are particularly fond of 

mosquito larvae they are of great interest for 

the biological combating of mosquitoes.


L 

ong unavailable 

Although the first butterfly barbs 

reached Europe back in the 1960s and the 

secret of breeding them was also revealed at 

that time, they subsequently disappeared 

again from our aquaria.Breeding them is not 

a viable economic prospect for professionals. 

And then we had the Malawi and Tanganyika 

BARBS 

Butterfly barbs 

by Frank Schäfer 

The Congo is home to a group of dwarf barbs that are collectively 

termed under the name “butterfly barbs” on account of their dainty 

appearance. None of them grows larger than 3 cm. 

Barbus hulstaerti,male.This species has the most colorful fins. All Photos: Frank Schäfer 

boom, which swept numerous barbs and 

tetras from our tanks, as the vast majority of 

aquarists were prepared to reach deep into 

their wallets only for cichlids from the lakes 

of the Great Rift. 

No fashion lasts forever, but when interest 

once again turned to these little jewels it was 

impossible to obtain them. The terrible civil 

war in the Congo made access to the 

collecting regions impossible. 

It wasn’t until a few years ago (2006) that 

Roland Numrich of Mimbon Aquarium in 

Cologne,once again succeeded in importing 

butterfly barbs to Germany. He exhibited 

them at the Interzoo in Nuremberg, where 

they aroused great interest. Soon afterwards 

Aquarium Glaser and others were also able 

to import these fishes. 

The initial hysteria about these fishes has by 

now subsided somewhat and importations 

are more regular. Nevertheless butterfly 

barbs have remained comparatively 

expensive fishes, because the collecting 

regions can be reached only with great 

logistical difficulty and expense,and one fact 

Barbus hulstaerti,female 

hasn’t altered to the present day: these little 

fishes are rather unproductive and hence 

uninteresting to professional breeders. 

The species 

To date three species of butterfly barbs have 

been scientifically described:Barbus candens,


Barbus candens,male in excited mood. The mid-lateral spot is expanded. 

B. hulstaerti,and B. papilio.Two additional species are already known 

(see Schliewen, 2006), so there are at least five species, three of which 

are currently available in the trade. 

All species look extraordinarily similar and can probably be 

distinguished from one another only in live coloration. It is also in no 

way certain that the method of identification used here is actually 

correct, as all who have explored the region ichthyologically are 

agreed that every stream contains its own different-looking 

population of butterfly barbs. Perhaps they are also all different 

Barbus candens,Weibchen 

TIERÄRZTE IN IHRER NÄHE 

Jan Wolter 

Praktischer Tierarzt, 

Zierfischpraxis 

Tegeler Weg 24 

D-10589 Berlin 

Tel. 030 34502210 

K. Alexandra Dörnath 

prakt. Tierärztin 

MSc Wild Animal Health, MRCVS 

Tierarztpraxis Klein Mexiko 

Bennigsenstraße 1b 

D-28205 Bremen 

0421 4915000 

www.exotenpraxis-bremen.de 

species and any future revision will require 

the collection of live material from the type 

localities in order to be quite sure to which 

species the existing scientific names relate. 

The three species presented in this article are 

B. candens, male, neutral mood. 

currently being imported by Aquarium Glaser. Unfortunately they 

sometimes arrive mixed together and then it isn’t easy to sort out the 

appropriate females. 

Tierärztliche Praxis für 

Kleintiere Scharnhorst GmbH 

Leitender Tierarzt: 

Volker Borchers 

Bücherstr. 1 

44328 Dortmund 

T 0231 239051 

F 0231 239052 

I www.petdoc.de 

E info@petdoc.de 

Praxis für Kleintiere und Exoten 

Dr. med.vet.Jürgen Seybold 

Kleintierzentrum Mitteltal 

Max-Eyth-Str. 36 

72270 Baiersbronn-Mitteltal 

Telefon: 0 74 49 - 91 32 45 

Telefax: 0 74 49 - 91 32 51 

praxis@kleintierzentrum-mitteltal.de


Barbus sp.“Lompole”,male in neutral mood. This species remains very slender and small. 

Breeding 

In addition to their attractive coloration the 

butterfly barbs are also interesting on account 

of their method of reproduction. Specifically, 

unlike all the other small barbs, these species 

are not egg-scatterers or adhesive-spawners, 

but lay their eggs in the substrate,quite similar 

to many killifishes - with which they also share 

their habitat in the wild! 

And precisely like in the killifishes, some of 

the eggs at least take an immensely long 

time to develop. Although it has been 

reported that sometimes the young hatch 

after only three days, it usually takes around 

two weeks. And butterfly barbs also differ 

from their cousins in one additional detail: 

they spawn only at 21-23 °C. Other barbs 

breed at 26 °C upwards. 

Barbus sp.“Lompole”,displaying male. 

Barbus sp.“Lompole”,female. 

Literature: 

Evers,H.(2007): Gelungen:die Nachzucht 

der Schmetterlingsbarbe Barbus 

hulstaerti. Amazonas 3 (1): 52-57 

Sans, W. (1962): Barbus candens (Nichols 

et Griscom). Datz 10 (9): 264-266 

Schliewen, U. (2006): Barbus hulstaerti. 

Schmetterlingsbarbe wieder eingeführt. 

Datz 59 (7): 40


New zebra plecs from Peru 

by Harald Jahn 

Many armored catfishes (Loricariidae) are very variable in their coloration. This phenomenon is extremely 

strongly developed in species of the genus Hypancistrus and extends to individual coloration: in some species 

no two individuals are colored the same. In other genera the variation in coloration appears to be more 

geographical in origin. 

F 

rom a purely zoological viewpoint the 

species discussed here,first imported in 

June/July 2010 by Aquarium Glaser in 

Rodgau, Germany, probably belong to the 

L-NUMBERS 

species Panaqolus changae.P.changae is well 

known in the aquarium hobby and has 

already received several L- and LDAnumbers 

(LDA26, L206, L226). The first 

Panaqolus sp.“New Zebra Jutai”, light-colored 

specimen. 

specimens arrived in Europe in the mid 

1990s, and the species was scientifically 

described in 2002. It should be mentioned 

again here that L- and LDA-numbers do not 

necessarily indicate different species, but 

only that the specimens in question look 

different.The question of what constitutes a 

species and what is just a population is 

philosophical in nature and the subject of 

controversy in scientific circles. However, 

this question is of lesser importance for the 

aquarium hobby. If fishes from river X are 

red in color and those from river Y yellow, 

then fundamentally we should breed only 

with identically-colored specimens from 

the same source region, even if red and 

yellow happen to be currently regarded as 

the same species. 

Panaqolus sp.“New Zebra Jutai” 

The two new Panaqolus just imported by 

Aquarium Glaser should also be viewed in 

this light. The “New Zebra Jutai” reached 

Aquarium Glaser in June 2010. The 

significance of the locality “Jutai”is unclear,as 

Panaqolus sp.“New Zebra Jutai”, dark-colored 

specimen. 

the Rio Jutai lies in Brazil but these fishes 

undoubtedly originate from Peru. 

The importation contained two clearly 

distinguishable phenotypes: high-backed 

fishes with an almost white body base color 

and shallower-bodied individuals with an


orange base color. At present it is impossible to say whether this 

denotes sexual dichromatism or perhaps that two very similar 

species were represented in the consignment. Be that as it may, the 

imported fishes were 4-6 cm long, and the eventual length of P. 

changae is about 12 cm. 

Panaqolus sp.“Pucallpa” 

This may well be a local variant of P. changae. Juveniles of 3-4 cm are 

Panaqolus sp.“Pucallpa”,female 

long and fully sexable. 

the most attractively 

colored, but 

unfortunately the 

colors become 

ever duller with 

increasing age. 

The largest specimens 

imported 

were about 8 cm 

Wood eaters 

Panaqolus are chiefly wood eaters, just like their larger cousins the 

Panaque species. Soft wood is, essentially, an indispensable 

component of the diet of these fishes.In addition they can be offered 

numerous other foods, eg food tablets, dead leaves, cucumber, slices 

of potato, pieces of carrot, etc,but it is very important to avoid high 

Panaqolus sp.“Pucallpa”,juvenile all Photos: Frank Schäfer 

Panaqolus sp.“Pucallpa”,Männchen 

levels of protein as well as of carbohydrate. 

The digestive system of these fishes is not 

designed for such foods, and in the worst 

case scenario incorrect feeding can lead to 

the death of the fishes. Because they eat very 

large amounts efficient filtration is essential 

to remain in control of the resulting huge 

quantities of excreta. 

Breeding 

Panaqolus changae has proved to be 

relatively easy to breed. The breeding tank 

should, however, be rather large (say 120 cm 

upwards in length), as these fishes can be 

very rough in their courtship fervor. P. 

changae are typical cave-brooders. They 

have no special requirements as regards 

water parameters, and breeding usually 

Aquaristik 

Streng 

Spezialmischungen - Einzelsaaten - Zubehör 

91735 Muhr am See - Bahnhofstraße 48 

Telefon 09831 / 99 54 - Telefax 09831 / 88 835 

takes place in normal mains water at 28-30 

°C. It is very important to give the fry 

droppings from the parents to eat at an early 

stage, so that they obtain the symbiotic 

bacteria they require to survive,as it is known 

that no individual can obtain nourishment 

from plant material without such symbionts.


The Jaguar Angelfish 

by Roman Neunkirchen 

T 

his often leads to hybrids between 

different species, and invariably 

combines genetic material from 

individuals that are only very distantly 

related. The result is an increased 

F ANCY FISH 

Angelfishes are among the most popular of all ornamental fishes. 

Because the systematics of these fishes has to date been studied only 

very inadequately, individuals from totally different geographical 

regions have been (and still are) frequently mated to one another. 

Angelfish of the “jaguar” cultivated form. Photos: Frank Schäfer 

occurrence of genetically dictated changes that may affect 

coloration or even body form – we have only to think of the veiltailed 

forms. Accidental mutations can be genetically fixed 

relatively quickly through back-crossing to the parents. This is 

how new cultivated forms usually arise. 

Wild angelfishes - a single species? 

It is, of course, also the case that new variants can suddenly turn 

up in long-bred strains as a result of mutation. But this happens 

comparatively less frequently. Be that as it may, it is very 

noticeable that it is those species of aquarium fishes that already 

occur in the wild in a large number of different-colored 

populations – examples are the Guppy and Platy – that very 

rapidly give rise to a wide variety of 

cultivated forms. Here too the boundaries 

between “variant” and “species” are fluid 

and not sharply drawn, precisely as in the 

angelfishes. Pterophyllum scalare is very 

widely distributed in Brazil, French Guiana, 

Guyana, Columbia, and Peru and numerous 

local populations also have their own 

names in the hobby: examples are the 

“Peruvian Altum”, the “Redback”, the 

“Eimekei”, etc, all technically members of 

the species P. scalare. 

Cultivated forms – only for beginners? 

It is a great pity that the precise origins of 

cultivated forms of aquarium fishes are 

generally only very inaccurately or 

anecdotally documented. The reasons for 

this are manifold, but usually commercial 

interests are at the root of the secrecy.That


is a great shame, as cultivated forms teach 

us the mechanisms of evolution. They 

demonstrate – within a much reduced 

time-frame - in what directions an animal 

species can develop, where its genetic 

potential lies. At the same time the 

cultivated forms of ornamental fishes are 

still very young; the first importation of 

angelfishes to Germany took place in 1909, 

but the first cultivated forms didn’t appear 

until considerably later. 

The jaguar angelfish 

Although as far as we know this cultivated 

form has not previously been portrayed in 

the literature using photos taken in life, it 

has nevertheless been known for quite 

some time.The strain that Aquarium Glaser 

is now offering under the name “Jaguar 

Angelfish” originates from two specimens 

that were discovered by chance and 

purchased at a fish-club auction in autumn 

2009. These specimens were passed to a 

professional breeder who has now bred 

Jaguar angelfish 

them successfully, a good year later. 

Because it was necessary to pair the two 

original specimens with other angelfishes, 

at present only about 50% of the offspring 

turn out to be “jaguar”.Only the future can 

tell whether it will be possible to produce a 

strain of jaguar angelfish that breeds true.


Phallichthys tico - 

- a dainty new livebearer 

by Sarah Nieten 

The long copulatory organ in males is the reason for 

the genus name: the word Phallichthys means 

“penis fish”! 

T 

Phallichtys tico,male. Photos: Frank Schäfer 

he mating and reproductive habits of their study subjects 

have always been of particular interest to zoologists. Think 

what you will about zoologists: the size of the gonopodium (the 

term for the copulatory organ in male livebearing toothcarps, 

formed by the modification of the anal fin) is an important 

indicator of mating behavior without the need to observe the 

fishes for a long period of time. 

All a matter of length 

Livebearing toothcarps with a short gonopodium – these include 

the extensive Molly assemblage, to which the Guppy also belongs 

- as a rule have a highly differentiated and complicated courtship 

LIVEBEARERS 

behavior. In these 

species the female 

decides 

with which male 

she will mate and 

thus makes an 

active mate 

choice. 

By contrast, in 

species with a 

long gonopo-


dium mating takes the form of rape. In 

these species the male swims up behind 

the female with his gonopodium 

extended and inseminates her without 

her having any active choice of partner. 

Maintenance of Phallichthys tico 

Phallichthys tico is a small, fabulously 

beautiful species. Males grow to only 

about 2.5 cm, females up to 4.5 cm long. 

The species occurs only in the upper 

course of the river San Juan in Costa Rica 

and Nicaragua. These fishes are not 

particularly demanding as regards 

maintenance, although they do require 

constantly fresh, clean water with as low a 

germ count as possible. Water parameters 

Wild-caught discus 

by Klaus Diehl 

DISCUS 

The fascination exerted by discus is something the aquarist can escape 

only with difficulty. Even if the desire to keep them is perhaps not very 

marked, everyone finds them beautiful! 

Heckel Discus from the Rio Jatapu. 

are of lesser importance, though extremes 

should be avoided. Suitable values are pH 

7 – 7.5, a hardness of 3-10 °dGH, and a 

temperature of 24-28°C. In addition to 

frozen and dried foods, these little fishes 

also require vegetable fare. 

Phallichthys tico,female 

T 

he mythos surrounding these fishes, 

generally regarded as extremely tricky 

and demanding, originates from the days 

when we still knew very little about the 

ecological requirements of fishes.To be sure, 

during the 1950s and 1960s it was already 

rumored that pH value and water hardness 

were important parameters for many fishes; 

but in terms of equipment and animal 

medicine the aquarium science of those 

days was in no way comparable with our 

clearly advanced standards nowadays.

Aqualognews NUMBER 94 15


Royal Blue Discus “Novo Ariguana” 

Wild-caught discus 

The main difference in the maintenance of 

wild-caught discus (such as the splendid 

specimens illustrating this article, imported 

in summer 2010 by Aquarium Glaser), and 

captive-bred stocks lies in the multitude of 

potential parasites that they may bring with 

them from the wild. Every animal, be it wild 

or domestic pet, has a few parasites. This is 

completely normal and no reason for 

concern. But if the immune response of an 

animal becomes impaired (capture, 

transportation, unaccustomed food), then 

the parasites can proliferate out of hand and 

pose a threat to their host. For this reason 

only experienced aquarists, capable of 

dealing with the results of such a 

proliferation of parasites, should keep newly 

wild-caught discus. But once they are settled 

in their maintenance and breeding are no 

different than for tank-breds. They are 

splendid fishes that will give a huge amount 

of pleasure.


FANCY FISH 

Around the cities with Xiphophorus hellerii 

The Bayreuth Swordtail cross 

by John Dawes 

Bayreuth is a north Bavarian city with a population of around 73,000 

people. It is widely known among music lovers for its annual Bayreuth 

Festival of opera, and for its association with the German composer, 

Richard Wagner, who lived in Bayreuth between the years 1872 and his 

death in 1883. 

U 

Male of the Bayreuth Swordtail cross. Photos: Frank Schäfer 

Among fish lovers, Bayreuth is 

known as the city where a 

distinctive swordtail was exhibited for 

the first time in 1968 (reported in 

Nordbayerischer Kurier on 11 October 

of that year). In common with other 

varieties of swordtail, e.g. the Hamburg, 

Wiesbaden and Berlin swords, this 

particular variety adopted the name of 

the city, thus becoming known as the 

Bayreuth swordtail. 

This was not the first time, however, 

that a ‘Bayreuth-type’ swordtail had 

been produced. In fact, five years 

earlier, Hawaiian breeders Eric and 

Larry Nishida had crossed a red 

Simpson (high-finned) male and a 

normal-finned Hamburg female. 

Hamburg swordtails are predominantly 

black fish in which the body is overlaid 

with reflective green scales. While the 

black pigmentation can extend into 

the fins, some specimens have reddish 

or clear fins instead. 

The resulting offspring from this cross 

had high fins (a Simpson characteristic) 

and Hamburg body coloration, with a 

well-formed sword, bright red throat 

area and red fins. An article referring to 

this ‘Nishida Highfin-hellerii’ first 

appeared in the US hobby magazine, 

The Aquarium, in November 1963.


The Bayreuth specimens produced by 

Walter F. Ranninger in 1968 were first 

exhibited at a fish club show and 

auction as the ‘Bayreuth cross’. A little 

under a year later, in August 1969, the 

new fish was presented to the general 

public at the Second International 

Competition and Exhibition staged in 

Mönchengladbach, followed, another 

year later, by the same variety being 

produced by Karl W. Hamel from 

Bensheim in southern Hesse. 

In tips afforded to potential breeders of 

this fish, which can contain either red 

or yellow coloration, in addition to 

black, it is recommended never to cross 

two high-finned fish, but, rather, to 

choose a high-finned female and a 

normal-finned male. This reportedly 

results in more high-finned offspring 

than if the cross were reversed, i.e. a 

high-finned male and a normal-finned 

female. 

I have encountered a similar situation 

several times over the years, with 

hybrids produced between two related 

species sometimes ending up with 

more characteristics from their mother 

than their father, e.g. higher number of 

body spots in Limia vittata x L. 

melanogaster hybrids in which the 

mother was a L. vittata, and more body 

stripes when the mother was a L. 

melanogaster. 

The Simpson fin of this specimen is very beautifully developed. 

While, at first sight, this seems a little 

confusing – since both parents 

contribute equally in terms of 

chromosomes – there could be an 

explanation. Such a phenomenon is 

well known in biology and is referred to 

as cytoplasmic, extra-nuclear or 

maternal inheritance, i.e. inheritance of 

maternal characteristics which are not 

directly linked to the genes found in 

chromosomes. 

Because (in the vast majority of cases) 

sperm contain no cytoplasm, or very 

little, but eggs contain a lot, including 

genes not located on the 

chromosomes but in other structures 

such as mitochondria (involved in 

energy production), mothers may end 

up contributing more genetic material 

overall to their offspring than fathers. 

This can result in offspring inheriting 

and exhibiting a larger number of 

characteristics (not necessarily 

physical, but biochemical as well) from 

their mother than their father. 

This is not to say that the situation 

observed in Bayreuth swords is down 

to cytoplasmic inheritance…but it 

could, at least, have a bearing on the 

reported results. Will we ever know?


RARITIES 

In brief: 

Zenarchopterus 

dunckeri 

by Roman Neunkirchen 

Zenarchopterus cf. dunckeri from Taiwan. Photo: Frank Schäfer 

The halfbeak genus Zenarchopterus contains 20 species 

which all occur along the Pacific coast of tropical Asia. 

Maximum length is around 15 cm, with only a few species 

growing somewhat longer and all usually remaining 

significantly smaller. The species look extraordinarily similar 

to one another and the only way they can be identified with 

any certainty is on the basis of the externally visible sex 

organ in adult males, in which the posterior part of the anal 

fin is modified into a copulatory organ termed the 

andropodium. Only one species, Z. quadrimaculatus,exhibits 

any body patterning, while all the others are silver in color. 

Aquarium Glaser has now imported a Zenarchopterus from 

Taiwan, thought to perhaps be Z. dunckeri. 

Zenarchopterus are fascinating brackish-water fishes (salt 

content 5-15 g/l.) that always swim near the water’s surface. 

In the wild they feed on insects that fall into the water, while 

in the aquarium they will also take flake food very readily. 

Zenarchopterus are very peaceful among themselves and 

towards other fishes, but are easily frightened and hence 

should not be kept in combination with "outgoing" species. 

All species 

are probably 

egg-layers 

with internal 

fertilization, 

but as yet no 

detailed 

breeding 

reports are 

available.


Serranocirrhitus latus- 

- the Fathead Anthias is far 

from easy to maintain 

by Joachim Frische 

This anthias differs markedly in its behavior from other anthias from 

the genus Pseudanthias. 

MARINES 

Fathead Anthias Photo: Frank Schäfer 

N 

ot a “true” anthias 

Many anthias are popular in the marine 

aquarium hobby and generally problemfree 

in their maintenance. The challenge 

with the Fathead Anthias involves its 

feeding: in the past mine would eat nothing 

but larger crustaceans such as Mysis and – 

albeit less readily – Artemia. In my 800-liter 

aquarium, which has a rich population of 

Xenia, small Krill became their preferred 

food within a short time. My two specimens 

have proved to be cautious feeders that can 

be quickly scared away by greedy 

competitors for food. Unlike the norm for 

other anthias, the two of them are not 

unrestrained feeders that greedily gulp 

down whatever food is offered. 

Several meals a day 

This surprising behavior makes it necessary 

to give several meals of frozen food per day, 

as so far dried food has been rejected.Hence 

the maintenance of the Fathead Anthias is 

time-consuming in terms of feeding. 

Not group-forming 

These fishes spend most of the day in 

separate areas of the aquarium without too 

much swimming activity. Adult specimens 

attain a length of at least 13 cm. 

Fenner (2004) states that males are more 

orange-red in color while females have a 

relatively large amount of lilac in their 

coloration. I place no reliance on body 

coloration but hope for the protogynous 

hermaphroditism usual in anthias. 

Ecology in the wild 

Michael (1998) describes the social behavior 

as solitary or in pairs. He also states that he 

has sometimes seen the species in a group 

of three.They are tightly “bound”to the reef, 

where they always keep the underside of 

their bodies pointing towards the substrate. 

Preferred habitats are stony coral formations 

and aggregations of soft corals and 

gorgonians. Other authors report small 

groups on the outside of the reef where the 

drop-off descends into the fathomless 

abyss. 

Hawkfish or grouper? 

An interesting story lies behind the scientific 

name of the monotypic genus Serranocirrhitus. 

“Serrano” derives from the family


Serranidae (sea basses, groupers, and fairy 

basslets, including the anthias) and 

“cirrhitus” from the hawkfish family 

(Cirrhitidae). In naming this species in 1949 

its author, Watanabe, was unable to decide 

to which family the newly discovered 

species latus should be assigned.So he gave 

it the genus name Serranocirrhitus and 

placed it in the Hawkfish family. Thirteen 

years later Whitley described an attractive 

little perciform which he gave the name 

Dactylanthias mcmichaeli. Because the 

holotype differed somewhat in color from 

that of Watanabe, the two species were 

regarded as distinct until 1978. It was 

Randall who spotted this error in 1978 and 

recognized the purported two species as 

being just one. He placed it in the subfamily 

Anthiinae (anthias) of the family Serranidae 

(groupers, etc), where it remains to the 

present day. 

If, despite the time-consuming feeding, you 

are interested in keeping this unusual fish 

Literature: 

Fenner, R. (2004): Serranocirrhitus latus ist 

ein nicht alltäglicher Aquarienfisch. Das 

Aquarium 38(10), 41-42 

Michael, S.W. (1998): Reef Fishes,Volume 1. 

Microcosm Ltd. Shelburne. 

In my aquarium. Photo: Joachim Frische 

then your aquarium dealer can 

undoubtedly order them for you from a 

wholesaler of his acquaintance – for 

example Meeresaquaristik-Reising in 

Alzenau-Wasserlos, Germany, 

Fax +49 (0)6023 - 31502. 

Sex change in fishes 

In the vast majority of freshwater fishes sex 

is a permanent attribute that cannot be 

altered in the individual specimen. 

Things are very different in very many 

marine fishes. Here changing sex is almost 

the rule. 

We distinguish protogynous species, 

which begin life as females and have the 

potential to end up as males, and 

protandrous species in which the situation 

is reversed. Whether or not an individual 

changes sex depends on, inter alia, 

whether the other sex is present. Thus 

anemonefishes (Amphiprion) are protandrous, 

for example. But only the highestranking 

individual in a group can 

transform into a female. 

Serranocirrhitus latus is gloriously colored. Photo: Frank Schäfer


Cyperus helferi 

T 

PLANTS 

by Claus Christensen – www.AquaDiscover.com - Danmark 

A large percentage of the most popular aquarium plants come from 

Thailand. It is possible to find more than 25 species along a 200 km 

stretch in southern Thailand. 

The natural habitat of Cyperus helferi. Inset:Close-up of part of the section of bank seen above, with Cyperus 

helferi in the water. Photos: Claus Christensen 

his part of the country is also very suitable for visiting by travelers with no previous 

experience of the tropics, and provides an excellent opportunity to study our 

aquarium plants in the wild.This series of articles, of which this is the first, will cover a region 

that can be reached from the most popular holiday destinations 

such as Phuket, Khao Lak, and Krabi. The majority of travel agents 

offer charter flights to these destinations. So join me now on the 

first stage of our journey……. 

Bad luck with the weather 

It was November, and the rain bucketed down.The approached to 

the villages were flooded and the roads had transformed into 

streams. We were traveling south through Thailand and the rainy 

season should in fact have been over. But the weather gods had 

apparently decided to leave us in the lurch this time! 

20 kilometers south of Ranong we visited a place where we had 

been before and where we knew that Cyperus helferi grew. We 

were hoping to collect lots of seeds there to enable us to 

propagate new plants. Unfortunately it turned out that Cyperus 

wasn’t widespread there and the original discovery in 1991 had 

been simply a lucky one-off. But we did find Barclaya longifolia in 

flower there. 

During his first visit with a native collector Holger Windeløv had 

been told that Cyperus was just a weed and not suitable for the 

aquarium. This attitude is widespread – if you want to find good 

plants for the aquarium then you often need to look at things 

from a different perspective. 

The habitat of Cyperus helferi 

The little stream in which the plants were 

growing back then flowed through a small 

stand of bushes and small trees. The water 

was crystal clear, although the stream was 

used by the local population for bathing 

and washing clothes. Cyperus helferi grew 

in small populations at the edge of the 

stream in a substrate of fine white sand. 

Cyperus is widespread everywhere in the


Cyperus helferi in the aquarium. Photo:Jan Ole Pedersen 

Tropics, but only a few species are good 

underwater plants. Cyperus helferi was the 

first Cyperus species to be used in the 

aquarium. This plant requires a relatively 

large amount of light and the addition of 

CO2 encourages growth. 

The leaves grow from the base of the 

Thanks to Philips the mainten- 

ance of freshwater water purifier 

is now finally child’s play! 

by Philips 

Clear water, healthier fishes, and less effort on 

maintenance, with the Philips Tropical Water Purifier for 

tropical aquaria. 

T 

ropical freshwater aquaria normally 

require constant maintenance:uneaten 

food, fish droppings, and plant remains 

pollute the water and endanger the health of 

tropical fishes. But with the Philips Tropical 

Water Purifier for tropical aquaria all that is a 

thing of the past. Because this innovative 

piece of equipment releases very small, safe 

amounts of ozone into the water, waste 

products, bacteria, and viruses are 

transformed into harmless elements. In 

shoots. They are narrow, light green, and 

have smooth margins. Sometimes parts of 

the leaves are deformed in a zig-zag shape. 

In aquaria with good water movement 

these plants wave attractively in the 

current. 

Holger Windeløv, founder of the firm 

Tropica, was the first to introduce Cyperus 

helferi to aquarium culture. 

Ranong 

Ranong is a good place to stay in this 

region - the only spot within a radius of 

several hundred kilometers where you will 

find a hotel! In addition Ranong is an 

exciting town filled with impressions and 

aromas of the Orient - mysterious and 

wonderful. In the restaurant of the Jansons 

Terra Hotel we experienced the Thai 

version of karaoke: "Sing a song". The local 

musical talents took turns to try and 

entertain their public by singing 

melancholy songs of lost love. 

The evening was relatively cool, and we 

were soon hungry. The best Pad-Thai in 

addition the ozone limits the growth of 

algae. 

The result? Less effort on maintenance, 

crystal clear water, and healthier fishes for up 

to 150 days! The aquarium water needs to be 

changed only twice per year instead of a 

third 1/3 of the content every 3 weeks. And 

not only that: the device also neutralizes the 

toxic nitrite peak in newly established 

aquaria and hence makes it possible to add 

Ranong can be obtained at the night-time 

market. At first glance the standards of 

hygiene might appear somewhat 

dangerous for delicate European 

stomachs, but the food is fresh and 

painstakingly prepared. Pad-Thai consists 

of roasted vegetables with noodles and 

expensive spices and often includes 

aquatic plants such as Blyxa 

example. (to be continued). 

spp., for 

fishes after only 3 days instead of 2 to 3 

weeks. 

So that every aquarium enthusiast can enjoy 

these numerous benefits, the Philips Tropical 

Water Purifier for tropical aquaria now comes 

in 5 different models – each with a venturi or 

aerator – for aquaria of 10 to 700 liters. 

Further information can be found at 

www.ifeelgoood.com


MALAWI CICHLIDS 

Placidochromis cf.phenochilus “Tanzania” - 

not only beautiful, but also peaceful 


The generic classification of the 

Haplochromis-like cichlids of 

Lake Malawi is based on their 

so-called melanin patterns, in 

other words the black elements 

in the basic pattern. 

Unfortunately these pattern 

elements cannot be seen in the 

type specimen of Haplochromis 

phenochilus, described in 1935, 

so that its correct generic 

placement remains unclear to 

the present day. 

T 

Placidochromis cf.phenochilus,juvenile male. Photo: Frank Schäfer 

hese fabulous fishes, currently 

available as German tank-breds, 

undoubtedly belong to the genus 

Placidochromis and in all probability to the 

species phenochilus, but the species 

designation used above should be


employed by preference until the matter 

is clarified by science. 

Interesting behavior 

Placidochromis cf. phenochilus “Tanzania" 

is one of the most peaceful Malawi 

cichlids. It grows to about 17 cm long (in 

males, females remain smaller). In the wild 

it earns its living as a “follower”, in other 

words it swims in the wake of larger, 

bottom-churning cichlids such as 

Fossorochromis and Taeniolethrinops and 

snaps up any small organisms and other 

food particles stirred up and ignored by 

Halfgrown female. Photo: F. Schäfer Adult male. Photo: E. Schraml 

the big fellows. Because this behavior 

doesn’t allow for territoriality, they are 

able to get on peacefully with 

conspecifics and fishes of other species. 

Special characteristics 

One of the peculiarities of the 

"Phenochilus Tanzania" is that from the 

age of 1-2 years the males begin to 

develop white scales in their coloration. 

They attain adulthood at the age of 

around 4 years and their coloration 

remains static thereafter. Like Cyrtocara 

moorii, the Malawi Blue Dolphin Cichlid, 

full-grown males of Placidochromis cf. 

phenochilus “Tanzania" develop a nuchal 

hump, though it is nothing like as 

imposing by a long chalk. 

Tankmates 

Even as juveniles, members of this species 

are exceptionally beautifully colored, as 

can be seen from the photos. Because of 

their peaceful temperament these fishes 

should not be kept with aggressive 

mbuna. Other utaka or Aulonocara species 

are appropriate companion fishes. It is 

particularly interesting to keep them 

together with the big diggers, ie 

Fossorochromis or Taeniolethrinops. This 

Ulm aquarium hobby event 

30th October to 1st November 2010 

Highlights: 

Freshwater and marine aquarium hobby, 

reef aquaria, nano – the new trend. 

ULM.The preparations for the special new 

exhibition are in full swing. 

An ideal opportunity for enthusiastic 

aquarists, whether beginner or 

professional, to obtain information and 

make purchases. 

The wide range of products and retail 

goods at this specialist exhibition will be 

complemented by an informative lecture 

program. Hobby breeders will be selling 

their tank-breds at the fish auction. A 

splendid opportunity to swap knowledge 

and experiences with like-minded people 

and gain new inspiration. 

requires a large aquarium with an 

expanse of sand as décor. But these 

splendid fishes are certainly worth the 

effort involved, and observing such a 

community is something else!

Aqualognews NUMBER 94 26


Sea water and nano? 

by Jochen Franz & Team 

B 

Eviota pellucida grows to only 3 cm long. Photos: Frank Schäfer 

ut there is also no lack of critics of 

nano aquaria. However, nano aquaria 

are in no way a recent invention, and 

particularly small and delicate organisms 

have been maintained, studied, and bred in 

special aquaria containing only a few liters 

since the very beginning of the aquarium 

hobby. 

What are the negatives of nano? 

The main point of criticism of nano aquaria 

relates to the small water volume of these 

tanks, which makes them very sensitive to 

ZOO & CO 

negative influences. Overfeed slightly just 

once, and the water quality goes into 

meltdown. Negative changes in water 

chemistry can very rapidly prove 

devastating, particularly in marine tanks. By 

contrast the limited swimming space, an 

objection often raised by the uninitiated, 

plays no role given the correct population. 

Not for impulse purchases 

It is a fact that anyone who wants to run a 

nano aquarium must first of all do their 

homework and learn to be an aquarist. This 

The victorious progress of the nano aquarium 

knows no end. Everyone is talking about these 

miniature living worlds behind glass and there is 

no doubt that they are inordinately captivating. 

Trimma cf.cana ist is likewise tiny, with a maximum length of 2.5 cm. 

is even more important in the case of 

marine nano aquaria than for freshwater 

nanos. You cannot be an aquarist based on 

instinct or empathy alone, you have to 

“learn your trade”. But anyone who is 

prepared to do so can and will get a lot of 

pleasure from a nano aquarium, be it 

freshwater or marine. 

Your aquatic dealer will be pleased to advise 

you if the fascination of the nano-aquarium 

hobby is threatening to overwhelm you – 

you may as well give in gracefully!


P 

rior to that it was confused with 

Polypterus retropinnis. 

Sexual dimorphism 

Polypterus mokelembembe is an 

inhabitant of small blackwater streams 

in the Congo region and grows to about 

25 cm long. As in all Polypterus species, 

male and female can easily be told apart 

by the different form of the anal fin, 

which is more than twice as large in 

males as in females. 

Mating behavior 

During mating this anal fin is spread out 

like a bowl. The male swims side by side 

with the female and embraces her analfin 

region with his extended anal fin, 

thus ensuring the fertilization of the 

ANCIENT FISHES 

Polypterus mokelembembe - 

the cute monster from the Congo 


Bichirs (Polypterus) are so-called living fossils, and real fossils 60 million 

years old have been found that can be assigned to species still alive today. 

Yet there are only 16 species known, all of them from Africa. The smallest 

species and that most recently discovered is Polypterus mokelembembe, 

which was first described as a distinct species in 2006. 

Polypteus mokelembembe,Portrait 

eggs on their release into the water. 

Bichirs do not practice any brood care. 

The fry have external gills and hence 

look very similar to young newts. 

Aquarium maintenance 

In the aquarium Polypterus 

mokelembembe is very peaceful towards 

all tankmates that don’t represent 

potential food. They will eat larger live 

and frozen foods of all types, as long as 

the latter are of animal origin. P.


Mokele-Mbembe - 

the monster from the Congo 

In 1913 there was a German expedition to 

Lausnitz in the Congo under the 

leadership of Captain von Stein, in order 

to perform cartographic and geological 

research there. In his official report to the 

German government, von Stein wrote 

about a monster that wrought terror and 

dread among the people in large parts of 

the Congo basin and the regions around 

the lower Ubangi, the Sanga, and 

Ikelemba in Cameroon. The natives all 

portrayed this creature in the same way, 

independently of one another. Here an 

extract from von Stein’s report (translated 

from German): 

“The creature is gray-brown with a 

smooth skin and is the size of an 

elephant, or at least a hippo. It possesses a 

Female Polypterus mokelembembe. Photos: Frank Schäfer 

mokelembembe is somewhat more 

demanding than other members of its 

genus when it comes to water 

chemistry. The species prefers soft, 

slightly acid water, stained slightly 

brown by vegetable material. These 

water parameters are particularly 

desirable during the acclimatization 

period. Being forest-dwellers, these 

bichirs do not like either bright lighting 

or excessively high temperatures – 22- 

24 °C is just right. 

Like all bichirs Polypterus 

very long and flexible neck and 

purportedly only one tooth, which is, 

however, very long. Some natives state 

that it isn’t a tooth but a horn. The tail is 

long and muscular like that of a crocodile. 

It is thought to be dangerous to approach 

this monster in boats, as it overturns them 

and kills the people, but doesn’t eat them. 

The Mokele-Mbembe lives in underwater 

caves in steep banks. By day it crawls onto 

the bank to search for food. The creature 

is a plant-eater. I was shown its favorite 

food - a liana with large white flowers, 

milky sap, and fruits similar to apples. By 

the Sombo River I saw a path which the 

creature supposedly used to reach the 

lake in order to search for food; the plants 

mentioned above grew close to this path. 

However, the path was so heavily used by 

elephants, hippos, and other animals that 

there was no possibility of investigating 

the individual tracks.” 

mokelembembe is an air-breather. Even 

in oxygen-rich water they rise to the 

water’s surface from time to time to take 

in air. These fishes don’t like strong 

currents. 

As already mentioned they will take 

Birnbaumskamp 4b 

31139 Hildesheim 

Tel (05121) 47671 Fax 45750 

www.michalski-aquaristik.de 

mainly coarser frozen foods , but once 

acclimatized most specimens will also 

readily accept strong-smelling granulates.


T 

wo standard color phases and 

additional morphs are distinguished 

in Hyperolius. The difference 

between phases and morphs is that a 

phase can vary in the course of the 

individual’s life, while a morph remains 

constant throughout life. 

Color phases 

Immediately after the metamorphosis 

from tadpole to frog all Hyperolius exhibit 

the color phase “J”, with the letter “J” 

standing for “juvenile”. The majority of 

FROGS 

Hyperolius riggenbachi - 

what a stunner! 

by Thorsten Holtmann 

The reed frogs (Hyperolius) include 128 currently recognized species 

and are distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. This wealth of forms is 

interesting in itself, but Hyperolius go one further: all species exist in at 

least two color forms, in many cases more. More often than not the male 

and female don’t look alike! This includes the fantastic Hyperolius 

riggenbachi. 

Hyperolius riggenbachi,female all Photos: Frank Schäfer 

males remain in this color phase “J” all 

their lives, while all females and a small 

number of males change to color phase 

“F” with the onset of sexual maturity. 

Morphs or subspecies? 

In addition to the phases that occur in all 

species, there may also be morphs within 

a population, and these are permanent 

once the frogs have changed color. Thus 

there are individuals, particularly in phase 

F, which are quite different in appearance. 

Two subspecies of H. riggenbachi have 

been described, the nominate form and H. 

r. hieroglyphicus. The difference between 

the two is that H. r. riggenbachi in is 

tricolored in phase F, with a complex 

dorsal pattern composed of red, black, and 

white, while H. r. hieroglyphicus is bicolored


Females attain a length of about 4 cm. 

in phase F, ie the dorsal pattern comprises 

only black and white. Nowadays there is a 

tendency to regard the two forms not as 

subspecies but simply as morphs, as firstly 

the phase J coloration is the same in both 

of them, and secondly the distribution of 

H. r. riggenbachi lies in the middle of that 

of H. r. hieroglyphicus.The photos show all 

the hieroglyphicus morphs. The species is 

distributed in the highlands of western 

Cameroon and the adjacent part of 

Nigeria. 

Breeding 

This Hyperolius species lays its eggs on 

land in the immediate vicinity of water. 

Hyperolius riggenbachi,male.Males remain smaller than females at about 3 cm in length. 

Hyperolius riggenbachi,female 

After hatching the tadpoles wriggle into 

the water. Because males predominate in 

importations (they congregate to call and 

hence can easily be collected in large 

numbers), the species is nowadays also 

bred for the pet trade. 

If you are now filled with the desire to 

keep these splendid frogs, then your pet 

dealer can undoubtedly order them for 

you from a wholesaler of his 

acquaintance, for example Tropenparadies 

in Oberhausen, Germany, fax +49 

(0)208-665997.

LIVEBEARERS T Phallichthys tico - - a dainty new ... - Aqualog

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