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FRESHWATER AQUARIUMS & TROPICAL DISCOVERY<br />
<strong>Angels</strong><br />
Rising<br />
❙ Fire & Ice<br />
Channa<br />
❙ New Blue-Eyes<br />
❙ Cory Mystery<br />
Deaths<br />
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013
EDITOR & PUBLISHER | James M. Lawrence<br />
INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHER | Matthias Schmidt<br />
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Hans-Georg Evers<br />
CHIEF DESIGNER | Nick Nadolny<br />
SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD |<br />
Dr. Gerald Allen, Christopher Brightwell, Svein A.<br />
Fosså, Raymond Lucas, Dr. Paul Loiselle, Dr. John<br />
E. Randall, Julian Sprung, Jeffrey A. Turner<br />
SENIOR EDITORS |<br />
Matthew Pedersen, Mary E. Sweeney<br />
CONTRIBUTORS |<br />
Juan Miguel Artigas Azas, Dick Au, Heiko Bleher,<br />
Eric Bodrock, Jeffrey Christian, Morrell Devlin,<br />
Ian Fuller, Jay Hemdal, Neil Hepworth, Maike<br />
Wilstermann-Hildebrand, Ad Konings, Marco<br />
Tulio C. Lacerda, Michael Lo, Neale Monks, Rachel<br />
O’Leary, Martin Thaler Morte, Christian & Marie-<br />
Paulette Piednoir, Karen Randall, Mark Sabaj Perez,<br />
Ben Tan, Stephan Tanner<br />
TRANSLATOR | Mary Bailey<br />
ART DIRECTOR | Linda Provost<br />
DESIGNER | Anne Linton Elston<br />
ASSOCIATE EDITORS |<br />
Louise Watson, John Sweeney, Eamonn Sweeney<br />
EDITORIAL & BUSINESS OFFICES |<br />
Reef to Rainforest Media, LLC<br />
140 Webster Road | PO Box 490<br />
Shelburne, VT 05482<br />
Tel: 802.985.9977 | Fax: 802.497.0768<br />
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Judith Billard | 802.985.9977 Ext. 3<br />
ADVERTISING SALES |<br />
James Lawrence | 802.985.9977 Ext. 7<br />
james.lawrence@reef2rainforest.com<br />
ACCOUNTS | Linda Bursell<br />
NEWSSTAND | Howard White & Associates<br />
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SUBSCRIPTIONS | www.amazonasmagazine.com<br />
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AMAZONAS, Freshwater Aquariums & Tropical Discovery<br />
is published bimonthly in December, February, April,<br />
June, August, and October by Reef to Rainforest Media,<br />
LLC, 140 Webster Road, PO Box 490, Shelburne, VT<br />
05482. Application to mail at periodicals prices pending at<br />
Shelburne, VT and additional mailing offices. Subscription<br />
rates: U.S. $29 for one year. Canada, $41 for one year.<br />
Outside U.S. and Canada, $49 for one year.<br />
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: AMAZONAS,<br />
PO Box 361, Williamsport, PA 17703-0361<br />
ISSN 2166-3106 (Print) | ISSN 2166-3122 (Digital)<br />
AMAZONAS is a licensed edition of<br />
AMAZONAS Germany, Natur und Tier Verlag GmbH,<br />
Muenster, Germany.<br />
All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this<br />
issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.<br />
COVER:<br />
Pterophyllum altum: Wild pair<br />
from the Rio Atabapo.<br />
Photos: B. Kahl<br />
<br />
4 EDITORIAL by Hans-Georg Evers<br />
6 AQUATIC NOTEBOOK<br />
COVER STORY<br />
24 THE LATEST ON PTEROPHYLLUM:<br />
Species and forms of angelfishes<br />
by Heiko Bleher<br />
32 A LIFE WITH ANGELS<br />
by Bernd Schmitt<br />
42 PTEROPHYLLUM ALTUM:<br />
The King of the Río Orinoco<br />
by Simon Forkel<br />
48 ANGELFISH: GENETIC TRANSPARENCY<br />
CHANGES EVERYTHING<br />
by Matt Pedersen<br />
FEATURE ARTICLES<br />
58 FISHKEEPING BASICS:<br />
Common health problems in Corydoradine catfishes<br />
by Ian Fuller<br />
66 FISH ROOM:<br />
Serious fishrooms: breeding aquarium fishes<br />
for the wholesale trade<br />
by Walter Hilgner<br />
74 HUSBANDRY & BREEDING:<br />
With flashes of brilliant color, a new blue-eye is here!<br />
by Hans-Georg Evers<br />
78 HUSBANDRY & BREEDING:<br />
Chilatherina sentaniensis: long sought, finally found<br />
by Thomas Hörning<br />
82 REPORTAGE:<br />
From Thailand: new snakeheads<br />
by Dominik Niemeier and Pascal Antler<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
88 RETAIL SOURCES<br />
90 SPECIES SNAPSHOTS<br />
94 SOCIETY CONNECTIONS<br />
98 UNDERWATER EYE<br />
AMAZONAS 3
EDITORIAL<br />
AMAZONAS<br />
4<br />
Dear Reader,<br />
AMAZONAS founding editor Hans-Georg Evers<br />
It has actually taken a lot of work to reach a point where we could present a classic genus<br />
to a public that is interested in more than just colorful pictures accompanied by the same<br />
old stale verbiage. Unfortunately, many classic aquarium fishes suffer from being considered<br />
“common” beginners’ fishes and, hence, beneath the interest of advanced aquarists.<br />
But the freshwater angelfishes in the genus Pterophyllum are quite a special genus of cichlids.<br />
With just three recognized species, the group is easy to summarize, but also includes<br />
both easy-to-keep “bread and butter” fishes, with numerous exotic strains and cultivated<br />
forms, and rare wild forms that are often very difficult and time-consuming to keep and<br />
breed.<br />
We want to use this issue to spread the word among aquarists who have been working<br />
extensively with angelfishes for many years and know what they are doing. That may<br />
sound highly contradictory, but it won’t deter us from our goal of introducing these<br />
majestic fishes to our readers. We have deliberately placed the emphasis on the wild forms,<br />
in order to increase awareness of these beautiful fishes. In the past there have been real<br />
battles of opinion in certain circles, especially regarding the majestic Altum. So don’t be<br />
surprised if some statements in the individual articles appear somewhat contradictory.<br />
One thing is crystal clear, however. <strong>Angels</strong> are gorgeous fishes for beginners and experts<br />
alike. I am quite sure that after reading our cover feature you will pay more attention the<br />
next time you find yourself standing in front of a tank of angelfishes.<br />
We also have a couple of real stunners in this issue. The very attractive Paska’s Blue-<br />
Eye has been tracked down and is being bred—and a new star in the mini-fish heavens has<br />
found its way into the aquarium. We take you with us for a look inside the fishrooms of<br />
Walter Hilgner, a truly passionate breeder of many desirable fish species and a former hobbyist<br />
who admits to losing the battle with one of his aquarium “addictions.” And readers<br />
of our English edition will find an enlightening piece by Ian Fuller on the mystery of sudden<br />
death and the treatment of other maladies peculiar to Corydoradinae catfishes.<br />
I wish you happy reading and continued enjoyment of the aquarium hobby!
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AMAZONAS 5
AQUATIC<br />
AMAZONAS<br />
6<br />
NOTEBOOK<br />
by Dr. Mark Sabaj Pérez—Special Report to AMAZONAS<br />
Damming the Río Xingu: field update<br />
With the specter of an ecosystem-killing hydroelectric<br />
dam project moving ahead in Brazil, the eyes of many<br />
concerned observers, especially those interested in the<br />
fate of native fish species, are on the Lower Xingu River.<br />
For two weeks, from October 3–17, I joined Brazilian<br />
colleagues on a fishing expedition to the Lower<br />
Xingu near Altamira, Brazil. (I am Collection Manager<br />
of Fishes at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.)<br />
During this time of year, the Xingu is at its lowest<br />
seasonal point, and many species of fish become crowded<br />
together, making them easier to find and catch.<br />
The collecting group included Dr. Leandro Sousa, a<br />
professor at the Universidade Federal do Pará, Altamira<br />
campus, who is part of a team of Brazilian scientists<br />
conducting aquatic surveys of the Lower Xingu in the<br />
stretches that will be affected by the construction of the<br />
Belo Monte Dam. Dr. Mariangeles Arce, an expert on the<br />
molecular evolution of thorny catfishes (Doradidae), is<br />
also on the team; she recently completed<br />
her doctoral degree at the Pontifícia Universidade<br />
Católica do Río Grande do Sul<br />
in Porto Alegre, Brazil.<br />
Expedition team (left to right): Edson,<br />
Zezinho, Dani, Dr. Mariangeles Arce,<br />
Dr. Mark Sabaj Pérez, Dr. Leandro Sousa.<br />
Damming and diversion of the Río Xingu,<br />
below, will displace tens of thousands<br />
of indigenous people in the heart of the<br />
Amazon basin and threaten native stocks<br />
of fishes caught for food and export<br />
to aquarists.
The expedition consisted of four separate trips. The<br />
first was a day trip by car to a tributary of the Río Penatecaua,<br />
a small, isolated tributary of the Amazon about<br />
50 miles (80 km) west-southwest of Altamira on Route<br />
230. The second was another day trip, this time by boat<br />
(voadeira in Portuguese), to a<br />
shoal made up of sand, gravel,<br />
and platelike conglomerates and<br />
a rocky outcrop in the Río Xingu<br />
about 9 miles (15 km) upstream<br />
from Altamira.<br />
The third and fourth trips<br />
were also by voadeira. On the<br />
third we ventured upstream on<br />
the Xingu to its major left-bank<br />
tributary, the Río Iriri, and then<br />
proceeded about 9 miles (15 km)<br />
up the Iriri to a large waterfall,<br />
Cachoeira Grande. The fourth<br />
trip took us downstream of Altamira,<br />
into the large, bell-shaped<br />
curve in the Lower Xingu called<br />
Volta Grande (Big Bend) and as<br />
far as Cachoeira do Jericoá, about<br />
34 miles (55 km) east-southeast<br />
of Altamira, where the Xingu<br />
suddenly drops through a series<br />
of powerful waterfalls. We also<br />
made a stop at the Río Bacajá, a<br />
small right-bank tributary of the<br />
Xingu. Two of the most skilled<br />
and respected pleco fishermen<br />
in Altamira, Dani and Edson, as<br />
well as our skipper, Zezinho, and<br />
our cook, Rai, accompanied us on<br />
the last two trips.<br />
The expedition netted and<br />
preserved about 2,500 specimens,<br />
including tissue samples of about<br />
350 individuals for molecular<br />
analysis, from a total of 11<br />
Scobinancistrus aureatus, described<br />
by Burgess in 1994 from the Lower<br />
Xingu. Known as the Sunshine<br />
Pleco or Goldie Pleco, it is one<br />
of the species threatened with<br />
extinction by the Belo Monte<br />
project.<br />
sites. The pleco hunting was<br />
extremely good, with about 25<br />
species recorded, most caught<br />
by Dani and Edson. Highlights<br />
included two species of Scobinancistrus<br />
(S. aureatus and S.<br />
paRíolispos), three species of<br />
Baryancistrus (B. chrysolomus,<br />
B. niveatus, and B. xanthellus), the rare Leporacanthicus<br />
heterodon, two species of Hypancistrus, H. zebra and<br />
one undescribed (L174), two or three Spectracanthicus,<br />
including one undescribed (L020), and a beautiful specimen<br />
of an undescribed Pseudacanthicus (L025).<br />
The specimens were divided between and vouchered<br />
at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and<br />
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia in Manaus,<br />
capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. The purposes<br />
of the expedition were 1) to collect additional specimens<br />
and tissue samples of undescribed species under study<br />
by Mark, Leandro, Mariangeles, and colleagues; 2) to<br />
take photographs of live fishes, their habitats, and the<br />
conditions of the river; 3) to test logistics and collecting<br />
gear for future expeditions to the Lower Xingu; and<br />
4) to contribute to baseline estimates of fish diversity in<br />
vaRíous stretches of the Lower Xingu pRíor to its modification<br />
by the Belo Monte Dam complex. The expedition<br />
was funded in part by a generous donation from Julian<br />
Dignall and PlanetCatfish.<br />
Dam construction in progress<br />
Construction on the Belo Monte Dam complex appears<br />
to be progressing swiftly, despite legal challenges and the<br />
protests of indigenous tribes whose lands and livelihoods<br />
are threatened.<br />
We did not visit the construction site, but caught<br />
a glimpse of the temporary low dam of rocks, sand,<br />
and mud being built across the entire channel in the<br />
upstream portion of Volta Grande (a site known as Pimental).<br />
Here the river channel is divided into a number<br />
of streams by islands and small shoals. The low dam<br />
has been creeping across the Xingu all year, and now<br />
only the largest section of the river, along the western<br />
bank, remains unimpeded. Leandro said that early in the<br />
construction, the Xingu overpowered the low dam in<br />
what was locally regarded as a big victory for nature. But<br />
since then, the dam builders have been the victors. From<br />
time to time, groups of indigenous peoples gather at the<br />
construction site to protest the dam. Their protests are<br />
largely peaceful and largely ignored.<br />
AMAZONAS 7
AMAZONAS<br />
8<br />
TM<br />
Top: Xingu version of Peckoltia sabaji,<br />
a species described by Armbruster in<br />
2003 based on Essequibo specimens.<br />
Bottom: New species of Hypancistrus<br />
(L174) to be described by Leandro<br />
Sousa, found along rocky ledges over<br />
52 feet (16 m) deep. Deep water habitat<br />
may become scarce for such species<br />
after water is diverted from Volta Grande.<br />
Toward the end of our expedition,<br />
the rainy season began and the Xingu<br />
started to rise. Presumably, construction<br />
of the dam will be suspended,<br />
given the increased flow of the river.<br />
Once the river subsides again next<br />
year, the low dam (assuming it<br />
remains intact) will not take long to<br />
complete. Eventually, a more permanent<br />
dam will be built at Pimental,<br />
impounding the Lower Xingu to form the Calha do Xingu Reservoir, which<br />
will extend upstream to about half the distance between Altamira and the<br />
mouth of the Río Iriri. From the reservoir, the Xingu’s water will be diverted<br />
through two large canals being dug toward Belo Monte near the downstream<br />
limit of Volta Grande.<br />
Some have estimated that more earth is being displaced for these diversion<br />
canals than was removed during the construction of the Panama Canal. The<br />
portion of Volta Grande that is not inundated by the reservoir will be effectively<br />
“short-circuited” by the canals. No one knows exactly how much water will be<br />
diverted through the canals to generate electricity via Belo Monte. Therefore, no<br />
one knows exactly how much water will remain to fill the complex labyrinth of<br />
narrow channels that make up the downstream portion of Volta Grande.<br />
Experts estimate that Volta Grande will retain only one-third of the water<br />
it normally contains at flood level. In the low-water season, many of the shallow<br />
channels could become isolated and go completely dry, resulting in heavy<br />
losses for resident fishes and other aquatic organisms. One thing is for sure:<br />
much of the Belo Monte Dam complex will be completed soon…perhaps by<br />
the end of the next dry season.
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AMAZONAS 9
AQUATIC<br />
AMAZONAS<br />
10<br />
NOTEBOOK<br />
A new mailed catfish<br />
of the Corydoras aeneus group<br />
Above: Male<br />
Corydoras sp.<br />
CW 68<br />
by Erik Schiller In September 2009 my friend Ingo Seidel told me that he had<br />
obtained a new mailed catfish with attractive yellow fins, which was slightly reminiscent<br />
of Corydoras zygatus. The good news was that the collecting locality for this “new<br />
species” was known. Jens Gottwald had caught the fishes at the Río Aripuaná in Brazil.<br />
This fish has received the code number CW 68 on Ian Fuller’s CorydorasWorld site.<br />
Corydoras zygatus, the Blackband Cory, comes from Peru, from the Río Huallaga system in the Río<br />
Santiago. However, locations are also known from the Río Pindo in Ecuador. Because the distances<br />
between these locations in Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil (Río Aripuaná) are extremely large, I originally<br />
called this new mailed catfish from the Río Aripuaná Corydoras sp. “Río Aripuaná”. But because the<br />
species has now been classified as CW 68, this code number should be used instead.<br />
Corydoras sp. CW 7 is another similar species. The precise location for this species is not<br />
known, but it is a bycatch with Corydoras zygatus. So these catfishes definitely don’t come from<br />
Brazil!<br />
Naturally, I was very interested, but my space is limited, with 25 aquariums. So for the time<br />
being, Ingo kept the small group of specimens. But because he had also acquired a large number of<br />
other new catfishes, there was no question of breeding the Corydoras from the Río Aripuaná right<br />
away. Two years passed before I picked up three Corydoras from Ingo in September 2011. Unfortunately,<br />
there was no longer any sign of the yellow fins, but in both sexes the dark stripe above the<br />
midline was readily visible. I received a trio of one female and two males—a good starting point for<br />
successful breeding.<br />
SEIDEL I.
I. SEIDEL<br />
Spawning at low pressure<br />
The Corydoras sp. CW 68 were given a 60-L (15-gallon) aquarium with fine sand and a large<br />
piece of bogwood as shelter. After good feeding with live food, the female rapidly developed<br />
eggs. These catfish were extremely retiring in their habits. I only rarely saw them at feeding<br />
time. That changed a little when I introduced eight Nannostomus beckfordi.<br />
While many mailed catfishes change color during courtship and the spawning process,<br />
with the coloration of male specimens becoming bolder and that of females a little paler, this<br />
pattern is completely reversed in Corydoras sp. CW 68. After several water changes with cooler<br />
water, the base color of the males lightened up. The catfish were iridescent greenish below<br />
Above: When they are<br />
about six weeks old and<br />
.75 inch (2 cm) long, a<br />
bluish iridescent spot<br />
appears on the young<br />
fishes’ sides.<br />
Below: The females of<br />
CW 68, with their plump<br />
body form, are particularly<br />
reminiscent of Corydoras<br />
zygatus from Peru.<br />
AMAZONAS 11
AQUATIC<br />
AMAZONAS<br />
12<br />
NOTEBOOK<br />
the midline. Under lateral lighting this makes a nice<br />
color combination with the post-occipital scute, which<br />
changes color to yellowish. The dark stripe becomes even<br />
more prominent in females. Excited swimming around in<br />
the evening during a period of falling barometric pressure<br />
made me hopeful. But early the next day, all the fish were<br />
once again resting quietly beneath the bogwood. After<br />
feeding them with live Artemia I went to work. Great was<br />
my jubilation when I came back to my fish room and saw<br />
that the corners of the aquarium were full of eggs. After<br />
collecting and transferring them to a separate container I<br />
counted around 80 eggs.<br />
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Problem-free rearing<br />
The first larvae hatched after five days at 23°C (73°F).<br />
All the fertilized eggs (around 90 percent) hatched into<br />
catfish larvae. Another four days later the fry were managing<br />
freshly hatched Artemia nauplii without problems.<br />
Just a day after they started feeding the fry began to show<br />
color. A dark band developed, starting in the head region<br />
and running to the pectoral fin insertion. As a result the<br />
head appeared to be separated from the rest of the body.<br />
After around five more days, several dark dots appeared<br />
along the back. After 14 days the head region,<br />
set off by the black band, looked more yellowish and<br />
created a contrast with the rest of<br />
the finely dotted body. There were<br />
four large, dark dots along the line<br />
of the dorsum, and a further row<br />
of smaller dots marked the midline,<br />
below which occasional additional<br />
dots could be seen. The size of the<br />
little catfishes was now around .5<br />
inch (1.3 cm).<br />
After a further 10 days, when the<br />
fish were almost five weeks old, the<br />
transparent base color was replaced<br />
by a yellowish shade. At this age the<br />
catfish averaged about .7 inch (1.8<br />
cm) long. At a length of around .75<br />
inch (2 cm) a dark, bluish, iridescent<br />
spot developed beneath the<br />
dorsal fin. This spot grew longer with<br />
increasing age. In this way the broad,<br />
dark band typical of Corydoras sp.<br />
CW 68 developed. And the yellowish-looking<br />
post-occipital scute also<br />
became apparent at this time.<br />
Next time, I caught the Golden<br />
Pencilfish out of the tank and added<br />
an airstone to circulate the water vigorously<br />
in one corner of the aquarium.<br />
Two days later I was able to<br />
watch the Corydoras trio spawning.<br />
The eggs were distributed at random<br />
around the aquarium. Each time four<br />
to eight eggs were transported by the<br />
female in her pelvic-fin pouch and<br />
attached to a substrate. A day later<br />
the eggs looked milky. Again, there<br />
were around 80 of them.<br />
Even though Corydoras sp. CW<br />
68 isn’t a miracle of color, it is still a<br />
further new species that we haven’t<br />
ever been able to keep in our aquariums<br />
before.<br />
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13
AQUATIC<br />
AMAZONAS<br />
14<br />
Right: Preserved<br />
specimen of<br />
Panaqolus koko from<br />
the Maroni.<br />
NOTEBOOK<br />
Above: Preserved<br />
specimen of Peckoltia otali<br />
from the Maroni River.<br />
Four new loricariid catfishes described<br />
from the Guiana Shield<br />
article and images by Ingo Seidel With the aid of a new molecular biological technique<br />
known as DNA barcoding, ichthyologists Fisch-Muller, Montoya-Burgos, Le Bail, and<br />
Covain have sought to clarify the phylogenetic relationships of a number of ancistrines<br />
of the Panaque assemblage from the Guiana Shield. In so doing they simultaneously<br />
described four loricariid catfish species so far unknown in the aquarium hobby and<br />
undertook a redescription of Hemiancistrus medians, the type species of its genus.<br />
As an important byproduct of their research results, Fisch-Muller, Montoya-Burgos, Le Bail, and Covain<br />
(2012) undertook the long overdue validation of the genus Panaqolus, which for years has been<br />
regarded as a synonym of Panaque by leading ichthyologists (e.g. Armbruster 2004). It seems, however,<br />
that despite their very similar dentition, there are no close phylogenetic links between the two
genera; instead, Panaqolus is thought to be very closely<br />
related to the genus Peckoltia, whose members are very<br />
similar in appearance and size.<br />
New Peckoltia species<br />
A total of three species of the genus Peckoltia and one<br />
Panaqolus species were newly described from French<br />
Guiana and Surinam. The new Peckoltia simulata from<br />
the River Oyapock, which forms the<br />
border between French Guiana and<br />
Brazil, is very similar to Peckoltia<br />
oligospila (also known as L 006)<br />
from the Brazilian federal state of<br />
Pará. The species is apparently not<br />
identical with the similar Peckoltia<br />
species L 055, which has purportedly<br />
been imported in the past from that<br />
river and has dark cross-bands on<br />
the caudal fin (which is dark-spotted<br />
in P. simulata and P. oligospila).<br />
I am unaware of there being<br />
any specimens of this species in the<br />
aquarium hobby to date, and the<br />
same applies to the species Peckoltia<br />
capitulata, which is native to the<br />
River Approuage. Unfortunately, for<br />
this reason I am unable to provide<br />
pictures of these species here. So far<br />
both Peckoltia species are known only<br />
from specimens with a maximum<br />
total length of some 3–4 inches<br />
(8–10 cm), but that may not be the<br />
absolute eventual size of these species.<br />
Peckoltia capitulata possesses a<br />
somewhat more elongate body than<br />
P. simulata and likewise exhibits<br />
black spots, but these are absent on<br />
the head region and elsewhere widen<br />
into broad crossbands.<br />
By chance I obtained a number<br />
Hemiancistrus<br />
medians is the only<br />
species of its genus.<br />
Below is a young<br />
specimen.<br />
Left: View of<br />
the unusual<br />
dentition of<br />
Panaqolus koko.<br />
Right: View of<br />
the dentition<br />
and papillae of<br />
Hemiancistrus<br />
medians.<br />
of specimens of the other two new species, Peckoltia otali<br />
and Panaqolus koko, from my friend Jens Gottwald, who<br />
had preserved them for scientific purposes during a collecting<br />
expedition by Panta Rhei GmbH from Hannover.<br />
Both species occur together in the Maroni, the river that<br />
forms the border between French Guyana and Surinam.<br />
So I am now in the fortunate position of being able to<br />
illustrate at least these two species here.<br />
AMAZONAS 15
AMAZONAS<br />
16<br />
AQUATIC<br />
Peckoltia otali is another 3–3.5-inch (8–9-cm) long brown Peckoltia species<br />
with black spots connecting to form irregular bands. It is one of the smaller<br />
Peckoltia species in which males are very heavily bristled, and may be fairly<br />
closely related to two species well known in the aquarium hobby, namely L<br />
038 and L 080. Hence it is not surprising that during the bar-coding, Fisch-<br />
Muller et al. established striking differences between this and the other two<br />
new Peckoltia species, which they classified as genetically fairly close to P.<br />
oligospila.<br />
The species Panaqolus koko is likely to be the subject of future major discussion<br />
among ichthyologists, as it is a very unusual fish. When I examined<br />
this species in detail before the publication of its description, I classified it as a<br />
member of an undetermined genus, as the combination of body form, odontode<br />
(dermal tooth) growth, and dentition distinguished it from all other<br />
genera known to me to date.<br />
I found its assignment to the genus Panaqolus very surprising, as all other<br />
members of the genus that I am aware of possess a broader body form and<br />
spatulate teeth with a single cusp. Only Panaqolus maccus purportedly (according<br />
to Schaefer & Stewart 1993) exhibits a certain variability in dentition<br />
when young, with a possible second cusp.<br />
The new Panaqolus koko is uniform black-brown in color, with an unusually<br />
pointed head and slender form. All the specimens I have examined are<br />
thought to be half-grown and already have unusually striking odontodes such<br />
as I have never previously seen in any other Panaqolus species at this age. And<br />
while the teeth were spatulate overall, they were unusually large and possessed<br />
a second large lateral cusp. The species may attain a total length of around<br />
4.3–4.7 inches (11–12 cm).<br />
Is Hemiancistrus monotypic?<br />
Ichthyologists have hitherto avoided differentiating the catch-all genus Hemiancistrus<br />
from Peckoltia; in the past it has been a depository mainly for assorted<br />
black-spotted armored catfishes that don’t fit well in other genera. But<br />
Fisch-Muller et al. have established that Hemiancistrus medians, type species of<br />
the genus Hemiancistrus, is not closely related to Peckoltia and Panaqolus.<br />
The authors believe the genus Hemiancistrus should be regarded as monotypic,<br />
as the other species currently assigned to this genus are probably not<br />
closely related to the type species.<br />
Hemiancistrus medians is a very unusual loricariid, which may now also<br />
have been imported alive to Europe, probably for the first time, by Panta Rhei<br />
GmbH. This armored catfish, which grows to around 9.8 inches (25 cm) long,<br />
is most closely reminiscent of the members of the genus Baryancistrus, but<br />
has unusually large eyes, heavily ridged scutes on the sides of the body, and<br />
truly extraordinary papillae in the mouth cavity. The smaller specimens have<br />
noticeably fewer, but extremely large black spots on the body, and these become<br />
smaller and more numerous with increasing age. These black spots look<br />
very attractive on the yellowish-brown background.<br />
REFERENCES<br />
NOTEBOOK<br />
Armbruster, J.W. 2004. Phylogenetic relationships of the suckermouth armoured catfishes<br />
(Loricariidae) with emphasis on the Hypostominae and the Ancistrinae. Zool J Linn Soc 141: 1–80.<br />
Fisch-Muller, S., J.I. Montoya-Burgos, P.-Y. Le Bail, and R. Covain. 2012. Diversity of the Ancistrini<br />
(Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Guianas: the Panaque group, a molecular appraisal with<br />
descriptions of new species. Cybium 36 (1): 163–93.<br />
Schaefer, S.A. D.J. Stewart. 1993. Systematics of the Panaque dentex species group (Siluriformes:<br />
Loricariidae), wood-eating armored catfishes from tropical South America. Ichthyol Expl Freshw 4 (4):<br />
309–42.
AMAZONAS 17
AQUATIC<br />
AMAZONAS<br />
18<br />
NOTEBOOK<br />
article and images by Hans-Georg Evers<br />
New Rams<br />
Above: The<br />
“Super Neon<br />
Blue Gold”<br />
ram’s behavior<br />
is similar to that<br />
of the wild form.<br />
The light falling<br />
from above<br />
accentuates the<br />
orange body<br />
color of the male<br />
in the middle.<br />
Right: Lovely<br />
male of the new<br />
“Super Neon<br />
Blue Gold”,<br />
bred by Peter<br />
Günnel.<br />
The breeding skill of the well-known breeder Peter<br />
Günnel, Sr., has recently produced a number<br />
of very attractive new cultivated forms of the<br />
popular Butterfly Dwarf Cichlid Mikrogeophagus<br />
ramirezi. It seems he has gotten hooked<br />
on rams, with the goal of breeding new, stable<br />
forms from the “Electric Blue” cultivated form<br />
by in-crossing particularly high-backed German<br />
strains. He has now achieved this goal, and<br />
he admitted to me that he is proud of<br />
what is probably his loveliest cultivated<br />
form so far.<br />
The “Super Neon Blue Gold” has been in<br />
the trade for some months now. I obtained a<br />
number of specimens of this lovely cultivated<br />
form, whose body base color is a brilliant<br />
orange-gold, from Peter via the firm Von Wussow<br />
Importe (Pinneberg). Adult males exhibit a<br />
powerful body form with iridescent turquoiseblue<br />
dots on the sides of the body and a gorgeous<br />
blue coloration on all the fins. The<br />
dorsal fin is edged with orange. Males<br />
also exhibit this orange on the<br />
head region, especially on the
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AMAZONAS<br />
Volume 2, Number 1<br />
January/February 2013<br />
AMAZONAS 19
20<br />
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AQUATIC<br />
NOTEBOOK<br />
The females, too, are a brilliant blue.<br />
Male of the new “Perlmutt”<br />
cultivated form.<br />
Females of the “Perlmutt”<br />
cultivated form positively<br />
shimmer.<br />
forehead. Even the females of this lovely cultivated form are a brilliant light<br />
blue, but they don’t exhibit the orange quite as strongly.<br />
A second new form, also bred by Peter Günnel, is called Mikrogeophagus<br />
ramirezi “Perlmutt”. Particularly in females, the mother-of-pearl effect is accentuated<br />
by a large number of highly reflective metallic scales.<br />
We now have two more very attractive cultivated forms of the Butterfly<br />
Dwarf Cichlid to admire.<br />
Who knows what the future holds next for rams?<br />
TM
AMAZONAS<br />
22<br />
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Book review by Hans-Georg Evers<br />
Ian Fuller, an expert on mailed catfishes whose fame extends far beyond his<br />
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AMAZONAS 23
AMAZONAS<br />
24<br />
COVER<br />
STORY<br />
Pterophyllum sp. 1 from<br />
the Río Nanay in Peru. The<br />
reddish brown spots on<br />
the flanks are typical. This<br />
species is also erroneously<br />
known as the “Peruvian<br />
Altum” because of its<br />
mouth form and<br />
body height.<br />
The latest on Pterophyllum:<br />
species and forms of angelfishes<br />
by Heiko Bleher For years there has been disagreement regarding the names of the<br />
various angelfishes we keep and the species to which they belong. Heiko Bleher<br />
shares his personal experiences and discusses the forms he has collected during<br />
his travels and imported for the aquarium hobby.<br />
I first made the acquaintance of an angelfish in the early 1950s, in my mother’s fish and plant hothouse<br />
in Frankfurt on Main, where, as a little lad, I had to keep out of the way of her free-roaming 6.5-foot (2-m)<br />
caiman. The daughter of Adolf Kiel, the “Father of Water Plants,” my mother had inherited his passion for<br />
adventure and collecting wild things, something she passed on to me. It was also she who told me about the nomenclatural<br />
confusion attaching to the angelfish: in 1758, Carl von Linné, the father of the binomial scientific<br />
nomenclature of all species, assigned a number of fish species to the genus Zeus.<br />
It was Schultze who first described the species Zeus scalaris in a work by Hinrich Lichtenstein (1823), from<br />
N. KHARDINA
TOP LEFT: N. KHARDINA; OTHERS: H. BLEHER<br />
Pterophyllum sp. 5, from the Río Apaporis in Colombia.<br />
a specimen from the Amazon River, purportedly from Barra, the<br />
mouth area of the Río Negro.<br />
Nomenclatural confusion<br />
But eight years later, Cuvier reassigned the angelfish to the marine<br />
genus Platax and called it Platax ? scalaris from “Bresil” (Cuvier<br />
& Valenciennes 1831). Next, Jakob Heckel erected the genus<br />
Pterophyllum (meaning “leaflike fins”) in 1840 and assigned the<br />
species the new name of Pterophyllum scalaris.<br />
Then, François de Castelnau, a French naturalist, described<br />
another angelfish, which he collected from “Pará, Bresil”<br />
during his Amazon expedition (1842–1847), as Plataxoides<br />
dumerilii Castelnau, in 1855, although Heckel<br />
had established Pterophyllum as the name of the<br />
genus some 15 years before.<br />
The confusion did not stop, as additional<br />
angelfishes were collected in the lower course of<br />
the Atabapo, an extreme blackwater tributary of the<br />
Río Guviare, which empties into the upper Orinoco.<br />
The Atabapo forms the border between Colombia and<br />
Venezuela for almost its entire length. In 1903 one of the<br />
best-known ichthyologists, Jacques Pellegrin, described the angelfishes<br />
caught there as a subspecies of Pterophyllum scalare and<br />
called them Pterophyllum scalare altum. The name related to the<br />
unusually high body form and size. To the present day this is the<br />
largest angelfish, the most majestic, elegant, and extraordinary of<br />
them all.<br />
My mother told me that the most recently described angelfish,<br />
Pterophyllum eimekei Ahl, 1928, may be the smallest, and<br />
supposedly originates from the Río Negro. But later on, just like<br />
P. dumerilii, it was regarded as a synonym of P. scalare. However,<br />
in my opinion, P. eimekei is definitely a valid species.<br />
Despite all the scientific attention, it wasn’t until 1907 that<br />
an importation of live specimens from the lower Amazon region<br />
Pterophyllum sp. 3<br />
is endemic to the Río<br />
Jutai in Brazil.<br />
Pterophyllum<br />
sp. 2 from the<br />
drainage of Lago<br />
Paricatuba, lower Purus<br />
basin, in Brazil. Note the threadlike<br />
extensions to the anal fin.<br />
Right: The striking coloration at the<br />
base of the dorsal fin is species-typical<br />
for Pterophyllum sp. 3 from<br />
the Río Jutai.<br />
I discovered this eight-banded<br />
species, Pterophyllum sp. 4, in the<br />
Brazilian Río Demini, a tributary<br />
of the middle Río Negro.<br />
AMAZONAS 25<br />
25
AMAZONAS<br />
26<br />
Pterophyllum altum<br />
from the Río Ventuari in<br />
Venezuela, a tributary of<br />
the upper Orinoco.<br />
Pterophyllum<br />
altum from the Río<br />
Atabapo, upper<br />
Orinoco basin, the<br />
type locality of the<br />
species.<br />
Right: Pterophyllum sp. 6 lives in<br />
Lago Aiapuá, lower Purus basin,<br />
Brazil.<br />
reached Germany. The first successful<br />
breeding took place in 1911, although<br />
the breakthrough in the breeding of the<br />
angelfish, then known as the “king of<br />
aquarium fishes,” didn’t take place until<br />
the 1920s. The first imports to the United<br />
States date to about 1915, with two<br />
unmated fish reportedly selling for $75,<br />
a princely sum at the time and roughly<br />
equivalent to almost $2,000 in current<br />
terms. Prices began to drop in the early<br />
1920s when breeders in the both Germany<br />
and the U.S. found success.<br />
New species descriptions<br />
Between 1953 and 1955, my three siblings<br />
and I traveled with Mother through<br />
what was then the most impenetrable<br />
jungle on Earth, covering a distance of<br />
more than 1,550 miles (2500 km) under<br />
the greatest of hardships, in order to collect<br />
almost countless plants and fishes.<br />
For months on end we lived among<br />
natives, and I got to see my first wild<br />
angelfishes. Nowadays there is nothing<br />
but soybean plantations in the area—not<br />
a single virgin tree remains.<br />
Ten years later I financed my studies in ichthyology at the University of<br />
South Florida by working at one of the largest aquarium-fish farms in the<br />
world. Because the people at Gulf Fish Farm were familiar with the work<br />
of my mother and the pioneering work of my grandfather, I was asked to<br />
set up a unit for propagating aquarium plants and breeding fishes. Two<br />
buildings were made available to me. Orders, particularly for angelfishes,<br />
poured in. After some deliberation, a number of alterations, and the<br />
establishing of large ponds for the breeding of Cyclops and Daphnia, I was<br />
producing more than 10,000 angels a week, and within a month<br />
they attained a body diameter of around 1.5 inches (35–40 mm), a<br />
saleable size.<br />
Ross Socolof, the owner, was the person who introduced me to the<br />
Altum Angelfish, but it was another five years before I saw these incredibly<br />
beautiful angelfishes, whose fins can grow up to 17 inches (45 cm)<br />
high, and catch some small specimens. Starting in 1970 I imported and<br />
sold this species worldwide and made Pterophyllum altum accessible to the<br />
aquarium hobby, zoos, and enthusiasts.<br />
In 1963, ichthyologist Jean-Pierre Gosse<br />
described Pterophyllum leopoldi from the<br />
Río Solimões. However, this angelfish<br />
also occurs in the Río Negro,<br />
and in 1965 I recorded it in the<br />
Manacapuru region, where I<br />
also collected the Red-Back<br />
Angelfish and the discus that<br />
later became known as the Royal<br />
Blue. In those days, most aquarists<br />
weren’t so interested in wild-caught<br />
angels; tank-breds predominated. In ad-<br />
TOP: AQUAPRESS/H.-J. MAYLAND; OTHERS: H. BLEHER
H. BLEHER<br />
dition, it turned out that the Red-Back Angel hardly ever displays<br />
its bright red color under less than optimal maintenance, and<br />
usually looks rather like Pterophyllum eimekei.<br />
My Manacapuru-Amazon adventure was the first of over 400<br />
collecting trips I have made to the Amazon region, where I have<br />
always kept an eye out for angelfishes. As recently as December<br />
2011 I recorded a variant in a lagoa a long way from the Río Yavari<br />
(which forms the boundary between Peru and Brazil).<br />
Forms and species<br />
Here I will list the forms of angelfishes that I have recorded over<br />
the course of many years. They include what are possibly new species,<br />
and they are certainly distinguishable from one another on<br />
the basis of external appearance.<br />
Pterophyllum sp. 1: This angelfish is found only in the Río<br />
Nanay drainage and is clearly recognizable by the black spot situated<br />
dorsally below the start of the long dorsal rays and extending<br />
vertically on the dorsum. In no other angel is this so distinctly<br />
expressed. In addition, this form is almost always characterized<br />
by its rust-brown spots, sometimes distributed all over the body;<br />
the slightly upturned mouth (which leads to its sometimes being<br />
confused with P. altum and known as the Peruvian Altum in the<br />
aquarium hobby); and the five or six reddish stripes on the dorsal<br />
and caudal fins.<br />
Pterophyllum sp. 2: So far, I have been able to find this angelfish<br />
only in the Lago Paricatuba drainage in the lower Purus<br />
basin. It is distinguished from all others by the veil-like prolongation<br />
of the anal fin (this is undoubtedly a good place to look for<br />
the origins of all veil-finned angels). It always has seven stripes on the dorsal<br />
fin and seven running irregularly across the caudal fin. As in the majority of<br />
angelfishes, the stripes on the anal fin are rarely expressed.<br />
Pterophyllum sp. 3: I first found this splendid angelfish many years ago<br />
(1997) in the Río Jutai (Amazonas State), and only there. It is readily recognizable<br />
by the two striking black spots (sometimes merging into one) on the<br />
Above: Pterophyllum altum from the Río<br />
Inirida in Colombia.<br />
Below: This Pterophyllum scalare from the<br />
Río Negro is often sold as tank-bred P.<br />
altum in the aquarium hobby.<br />
AMAZONAS AMAZONAS 27
AMAZONAS<br />
28<br />
base of the dorsal fin. These spots are almost always surrounded by bright blue. This angel<br />
always has a red eye and the mouth is turned slightly upward. There are six or seven stripes<br />
visible on the dorsal fin, while those on the caudal fin are only rarely apparent.<br />
Pterophyllum sp. 4: To date I have caught this form only once, and that was in the Río<br />
Demini drainage (a tributary of the Río Negro). It is the only angel I have found so far<br />
that exhibits eight striking bands.<br />
Pterophyllum sp. 5: This angel, which I found in the ichthyologically unexplored Río<br />
Apaporis (Colombia), is distinguished from all other angelfishes by its small number of<br />
dorsal-fin rays. Other differences include its large, silvery scales, the striking, large humeral<br />
spot immediately behind the eye, and the very irregular eight or nine stripes, often<br />
more like spots, on the dorsal fin. By contrast, the caudal fin has only three to four broad<br />
reddish stripes.<br />
Pterophyllum sp. 6: Like Pterophyllum sp. 5, the angel that I found in the Lago Aipauá<br />
(Río Purus basin) has larger scales. But a very striking feature is the extremely wide<br />
posterior black band extending from the extreme end of the dorsal<br />
to the last ray of the anal fin. In addition, there are five to six<br />
broad black stripes clearly visible on the dorsal, somewhat<br />
less striking on the caudal fin. The pectoral fins are the<br />
longest I have ever seen in any angelfish except Pterophyllum<br />
altum.<br />
Pterophyllum altum: This species was<br />
described by Pellegrin in 1903. Natasha<br />
Khardina and I have examined the<br />
specimens in the Paris Museum (the jar<br />
apparently hadn’t been opened since 1903).<br />
The three specimens originated from the lower<br />
Atabapo, Río Orinoco, Venezuela.<br />
Pterophyllum scalare: This species was described<br />
by Schultze in 1823 on the basis of a single specimen<br />
collected by M.H.C. Lichtenstein, zoologist and<br />
first director of the Berlin Zoo. Here I illustrate for the first<br />
time the variants that I assign to this species—all with precise<br />
collection site data. This species is often labeled as Pterophyllum<br />
altum (Río Negro Altum) in the aquarium hobby and sometimes in the<br />
Pterophyllum scalare from the Río Negro in Brazil.<br />
Pterophyllum scalare<br />
from French Guiana,<br />
possibly a distinct<br />
species?<br />
TOP: AQUAPRESS/PLANQUETTE; BOTTOM: H. BLEHER; OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM RIGHT: N. KHARDINA; OTHERS: H. BLEHER
Pterophyllum cf. eimekei from Lago de Serpa<br />
in Brazil. The markings of this fish match the<br />
description in the work by Ahl (1928).<br />
The Red-Shoulder Angelfish from<br />
the Río Arapiuns, a tributary of<br />
the lower Tapajós, is classified as<br />
Pterophyllum cf. eimekei.<br />
Pterophyllum<br />
cf. eimekei<br />
from the Río<br />
Javari, Peru.<br />
The Red-Back Angelfish<br />
from Lago Manacapuru<br />
in Brazil is likewise<br />
to be assigned to<br />
Pterophyllum cf.<br />
eimekei.<br />
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30<br />
scientific literature. Most, if not all, of the so-called P.<br />
altum cultivated forms can be traced back to this scalare<br />
variant. Perhaps the real P. altum from the Río Atabapo<br />
is being bred for the first time as I write these words. The<br />
fishes I have seen worldwide to date under the name P.<br />
altum are not the same as the majestic fishes that I was<br />
the first to import.<br />
Pterophyllum eimekei: This angel was described by<br />
Ahl in 1928. It was described from the lower Río Negro<br />
and later declared a synonym of P. scalare. I am,<br />
however, of the opinion that this, the smallest<br />
of all the angelfishes, should be regarded<br />
as a valid species. Because this is not<br />
Pterophyllum cf. eimekei from the<br />
Río Cuiuini, often called the<br />
Santa Isabel Angelfish in the<br />
aquarium hobby, is<br />
notable for its<br />
red fins.<br />
the place to make the case for taxonomic changes (that<br />
should be reserved for a scientific publication), the form<br />
is presented here under the designation Pterophyllum cf.<br />
eimekei.<br />
I am sure that it has the largest distribution in the<br />
middle and lower Amazon basin. All the so-called Red-<br />
Shoulder and Red-Back Angelfishes from the Manacapuru,<br />
Cuiuni (aka Santa Isabel), and Tapajós should also<br />
be assigned to this form.<br />
Pterophyllum leopoldi: This angel was described by<br />
Gosse in 1963. The type locality is “Furo du village de<br />
Cuia, left bank of Ro Solimões, ca. 90 km upstreams [sic]<br />
of the Manacapuru, Brazil,” but I have also recorded it<br />
elsewhere in the Solimões and Río Negro. This angelfish,<br />
which doesn’t grow all that large, is immediately<br />
recognizable by its downturned mouth and broad, dark<br />
shoulder spot.<br />
I hope that I have managed to give a good summary<br />
and inspired further clarification of the different variants,<br />
species, and forms.<br />
REFERENCES<br />
Freshly caught<br />
Pterophyllum leopoldi from<br />
the Río Negro, Brazil.<br />
Ahl, E. 1928. Übersicht über die Fischen der südamerikanischen Cichliden-<br />
Gattung Pterophyllum. Zoologischer Anzeiger v. 76 (nos 7/10) (art. 13):<br />
251–55.<br />
Cuvier, G. and A. Valenciennes. 1832. Histoire naturelle des poisons, vol. 8,<br />
book 9. Des Scombéroïdes. Pp. i–xix + 5 pp. + 1–509, pls. 209–45.<br />
Heckel, J.J. 1840. Johann Natterer’s neue Flussfische Brasilien’s nach<br />
den Beobachtungen und Mittheilungen des Entdeckers beschrieben<br />
(Erste Abtheilung, Die Labroiden). Annalen des Wiener Museums der<br />
Naturgeschichte 2: 325–471, pls. 29–30.<br />
Schultze, in Lichtenstein, M.H.C. 1823. Verzeichniss der Doubletten des<br />
zoologischen Museums der Königl. Universität zu Berlin, nebst Beschreibung<br />
... Berlin. Verzeichnis der Doubletten des zoologischen Museums der Königl.<br />
Universität zu Berlin, nebst Beschreibung: i–x, 1–118, Pl.<br />
Pellegrin, J. 1903. Description de Cichlidés nouveax de la collection du<br />
Muséum. Bulletin du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (Série 1), v. 9<br />
(no. 3): 120–125. TOP: N. KHARDINA; BOTTOM: H. BLEHER
H. KÖHLER<br />
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32<br />
A life<br />
with<br />
angels<br />
This specimen of the Blue Angel<br />
demonstrates very nicely that it is<br />
probably a back-cross with a White<br />
Pearl Angel, as evidenced by the<br />
change in the scales on the flanks.<br />
A sight that has fascinated me all my life.<br />
My living-room tank is home to a group of<br />
Pterophyllum cf. altum from the Orinoco.
H.-G. EVERS<br />
by Bernd Schmitt Angelfishes are among the classics of the aquarium<br />
hobby, and a wide variety of cultivated forms are offered for sale. Unfortunately,<br />
many of the specimens being sold in the trade are mere<br />
shadows of the angelfishes of the past. There are, nevertheless, still wild<br />
strains that not only look attractive but also permit interesting observations.<br />
Bernd Schmitt relates his experiences, accumulated over several<br />
decades of maintaining angelfishes.<br />
As a 10-year-old boy, I made two pilgrimages every week from our town to a pond in the<br />
next village. The pond contained bright-red water fleas (Daphnia), and I quickly filled<br />
my little bucket with them. My curiosity was often aroused by a sunken greenhouse<br />
visible behind some bushes near the road, where, I learned, aquarium<br />
fishes were being bred.<br />
When I first descended the steps into this bubbling and gurgling<br />
paradise, my life changed, and the aquarium hobby’s pull has never let<br />
me go. At the rear of the greenhouse stood what was a huge aquarium<br />
in those days, with a stout steel frame. In this tank there was a pair<br />
of angelfishes, surrounded by a shoal of .75-inch (2-cm) fry. The<br />
aquarium I had then was too small to keep these splendid fishes,<br />
but that changed later on, and there have been only a few interruptions<br />
in my involvement with these fishes.<br />
Back then there were differing opinions regarding the scientific<br />
names of these fishes, and that is still the case—probably because<br />
Zebra <strong>Angels</strong>, one of the most<br />
popular cultivated forms, are bred<br />
in large numbers by professional<br />
breeders.<br />
COVER<br />
STORY<br />
Above: Ghost<br />
<strong>Angels</strong> are one<br />
of the cultivated<br />
forms that fans<br />
of wild forms find<br />
difficult to get<br />
used to.<br />
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34<br />
Above, left to right:<br />
Over the<br />
generations, this<br />
strain of what used<br />
to be the Golden<br />
Angel has developed<br />
into more of a “Silver<br />
Angel” through lack<br />
of selection for color.<br />
I have been breeding<br />
this Blue Angel for a<br />
long time.<br />
A splendid Koi Angel<br />
male, bred by the<br />
Wilhelm family.<br />
Short and splayed<br />
ventral fins, short<br />
dorsal fins, and<br />
poor growth are,<br />
unfortunately,<br />
all too common.<br />
Poor-quality<br />
specimens like this<br />
one reduce the<br />
majestic angelfish to<br />
an almost circular<br />
form and shouldn’t<br />
be allowed into<br />
circulation.<br />
Right: True Black<br />
<strong>Angels</strong> are rarely<br />
seen nowadays, but<br />
the “Half-Black”<br />
cultivated form is<br />
very popular.<br />
of their vast distribution region. The discovery of more new local forms, coupled with a lack of<br />
any serious systematic study of this wealth of species (and not only in Pterophyllum), results in<br />
a rough but by no means definitive picture, so I will largely refrain from systematic arguments—<br />
they would be beyond the scope of this article and would contribute nothing new.<br />
When I was a young boy, it was enough to know that my angelfishes sailed through life with<br />
the scientific name Pterophyllum scalare. I was also immensely proud of being able to pronounce<br />
the name correctly (TAIR-oh-FY-lum skuh-LAR-ee). Even the discovery that there was another,<br />
smaller species, Pterophyllum eimekei, didn’t particularly bother me; very soon it<br />
was thought these two forms couldn’t be separated. They were merrily crossed<br />
with each other, even in the absence of imports.<br />
Veiltail, Smoke, and Ghost<br />
As it turns out, angels have a high potential for changes in<br />
finnage and coloration. The first Veiltail <strong>Angels</strong>, which<br />
came from a breeder in Gera (Thüringen),<br />
have probably passed into oblivion<br />
today—heaven be praised! Veiltail<br />
<strong>Angels</strong> brought their breeders a<br />
good price, since nobody cared<br />
about things like deformity in<br />
those days. Black <strong>Angels</strong> followed,<br />
but these soon showed not inconsiderable<br />
signs of degeneration. And the<br />
same was true of a series of black versions<br />
of other species. In Hoplosternum,<br />
for instance, black specimens were regularly<br />
blind. It was also not uncommon for<br />
pure black specimens to be infertile.<br />
Crosses between the Black Angel and the<br />
original form produced Smoke <strong>Angels</strong>. People<br />
repeatedly resorted to these Smoke <strong>Angels</strong> in<br />
order to avoid deformed specimens or completely<br />
unviable embryos.
H.-G. EVERS<br />
During a trip with Dr. Hans-Joachim Franke to what was then Czechoslovakia, at the end of<br />
the 1960s, we discovered the Marbled Angel at a friend’s house. Jochen brought some back, as<br />
he made his living from breeding fishes, and they sold well. I didn’t get involved—I didn’t think<br />
these cultivated forms could ever compare with the wild forms.<br />
Soon thereafter, Franke crossed the Marbled Angel into the Black Angel, so as to revitalize the<br />
Black strain in this way. That is the reason why, when you breed with Black <strong>Angels</strong> nowadays,<br />
there are always Golden <strong>Angels</strong> among the offspring. They probably all go back to this strain. In<br />
those days, homozygous strains—that is, fishes that breed true—were regarded as an expensive<br />
luxury, but that was the only way to obtain 100 percent black individuals.<br />
But the development of cultivated forms continued unabated. The potential was far from<br />
exhausted: Ghost <strong>Angels</strong>, Zebra <strong>Angels</strong>, Half-Moon <strong>Angels</strong>, White <strong>Angels</strong> (so-called “White<br />
Pearl”), Blue <strong>Angels</strong> (apparently a back-cross with White Pearl, as they sometimes exhibited<br />
the same changes in scalation), and Red <strong>Angels</strong>. The Red <strong>Angels</strong> came about<br />
through intensive breeding work by Frank Wilhelm in Kamsdorf (Thüringen),<br />
who used long-term selective breeding to produce Koi <strong>Angels</strong><br />
and “Red Devils” from the Marbled Angel. He even obtained pure<br />
red specimens, although he was only partially successful in fixing<br />
the red color on the belly region of the fishes.<br />
Mass production<br />
Ever since people started keeping fishes for aesthetic reasons, they have<br />
disagreed about what makes an attractive cultivated form. A “Red Devil”<br />
can be a real sight for sore eyes, but “can” is the operative word. Many<br />
of the fishes sold as angels in the pet trade today have had their wings<br />
severely clipped. Their form is only vaguely reminiscent of the unique<br />
original fish. Dorsal and anal fins are mere stumps, the ventral fins often<br />
often twisted like corkscrews. The colors and markings of these fishes<br />
are faded and washed out.<br />
The cause of this is usually rearing under cramped conditions and/<br />
or an unbalanced diet. Infrequent or insufficient water changing is usually<br />
involved as well. This type of “mass production” never produces optimal<br />
specimens. Many other fish species likewise fail to thrive under such inadequate<br />
rearing conditions, a few as badly as angels. It also takes several genera-<br />
Below: On the<br />
rear half of the<br />
body, this form still<br />
has the “Smoke”<br />
component, a<br />
formerly popular<br />
cultivated form.<br />
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36<br />
tions to produce good fishes from<br />
such degenerate stock. Deformity of the ventral fins almost always indicates artificial rearing<br />
and the use of Trypaflavine (Acriflavine). This fungicide, frequently used as a medication for<br />
certain diseases in our fishes, is a mitosis toxin—in other words, it prevents cell division and<br />
thus causes damage during development of the embryo. In addition, it is classed as a carcinogen<br />
because of this property and<br />
may not be used as a medication<br />
in the production of food fishes.<br />
If angelfishes are to be reared<br />
artificially—and a professional<br />
fish breeder quite simply has<br />
to do it that way—then methylene<br />
blue should be used. It is<br />
a relatively mild oxidant and<br />
causes no damage when used at<br />
light-blue levels.<br />
Of course, the crowning<br />
achievement is to have angels<br />
practice brood care. But that<br />
doesn’t always happen right<br />
from the start. The prerequisite<br />
is a fully compatible pair that<br />
has formed from a group. If the<br />
aquarium is large enough and<br />
well arranged, the rest of the<br />
group can generally remain in<br />
the tank. This will serve to stimulate<br />
the brood-care instinct of<br />
the pair. Naturally, such broods<br />
are blessed with far fewer fry, but<br />
the sight is more than adequate<br />
compensation.<br />
Peruvian Altums<br />
Over the decades, numerous,<br />
mostly wild-caught populations<br />
have passed through my tanks.<br />
I have had some strange experiences<br />
with the so-called Peruvian<br />
Altum from the Río Nanay. They<br />
Above, left: <strong>Angels</strong> are<br />
bred in the thousands<br />
by large breeding<br />
enterprises like this one<br />
in Asia.<br />
Above, right: This<br />
Half-Black Angel<br />
(upper corner of tank)<br />
at a breeding farm in<br />
Singapore is diligently<br />
tending its young,<br />
despite the low water<br />
level, and attacked<br />
the approaching<br />
photographer. This<br />
demonstrates that the<br />
brood-care instinct<br />
is generally retained,<br />
even in professional<br />
hatcheries.<br />
Left: Old male Peruvian<br />
Altum. Unfortunately,<br />
the red-brown dots on<br />
the body have been<br />
obliterated by the<br />
camera flash.<br />
TOP: H.-G. EVERS; BOTTOM: H.J. AUGUSTIN
MIDDLE: H.J. AUGUSTIN; OTHERS: H.-G. EVERS<br />
Tank-bred offspring<br />
of my Red-Back<br />
<strong>Angels</strong>. These fish<br />
need lots of space,<br />
plenty of food,<br />
and good water if<br />
they are to grow<br />
into such splendid<br />
specimens.<br />
Right: Red-Back<br />
<strong>Angels</strong> from the<br />
Manacapuru<br />
spawning on a<br />
suspended plastic<br />
tube.<br />
Below: Group of<br />
“Red Devils”, an<br />
intense red-orange<br />
cultivated form<br />
developed from the<br />
Koi Angel.<br />
are named for their steep upper head profile,<br />
although they have nothing to do with the<br />
Pterophyllum altum found in Venezuela and<br />
Colombia. I selected a number of specimens<br />
from an import consignment and soon had<br />
young. Then suddenly, in the second brood,<br />
four youngsters turned up with a fleshcolored<br />
to reddish base color, interrupted<br />
only by a few rather small black markings.<br />
The eyes were dark, so they weren’t albinos,<br />
but probably xanthic specimens. All four<br />
were females. They were hardly full-grown<br />
before the black speckles developed into very<br />
obvious tumors, and the fishes died within<br />
a short time. No other brood ever produced<br />
specimens like this.<br />
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38<br />
Unfortunately, the tank-breds became increasingly<br />
more aggressive, and specimens acquired from aquarists<br />
who had obtained them from me as youngsters brought<br />
no improvement. When the male killed the female even<br />
in a 6.5-foot (2-m) aquarium, I finally decided to give up.<br />
Red-Back <strong>Angels</strong><br />
I had high hopes of a new strain: Red-Back <strong>Angels</strong> from<br />
Manacapuru. It was incomprehensible that such a gorgeous<br />
fish could have remained unnoticed for so long<br />
by collectors so close to Manaus. The fish were not only<br />
gorgeous, but without doubt the most peaceful angels<br />
ever to swim in my tanks. I kept a group of 11 individuals<br />
in a 210-gallon (800-L) aquarium, with a few Ancistrus<br />
looking after the bottom region.<br />
It happened that three pairs spawned simultaneously<br />
on plastic tubes suspended in the tank no more than a<br />
foot (30 cm) apart. All the pairs were shepherding their<br />
broods, and I even observed fry leaving their own parents<br />
and swapping broods.<br />
I find it remarkable that these Manacapuru <strong>Angels</strong><br />
apparently don’t live to be as old as those from other<br />
strains. After just two or three years they already showed<br />
signs of aging, and the intervals between spawns became<br />
increasingly longer. Unfortunately this strain is also<br />
becoming less common. I had hoped that such splendid<br />
fish wouldn’t disappear through crossing into the general<br />
mish-mash, but I am already seeing “Manacapuru<br />
<strong>Angels</strong>” that are no such thing on sale in many places.<br />
The reason is probably the lack of patience common in<br />
breeders; these fish aren’t easy. They have a particular<br />
need for lots of rearing space, if you want to rear attractive,<br />
high-backed specimens.<br />
Surinam Altums<br />
Some years ago, a form of angelfish with red-brown spots<br />
arrived from Surinam. They were termed Surinam Altum<br />
“Red Spotted”. These splendid angels with blue-violet<br />
fins had nothing to do with Altums, although growing<br />
juveniles looked very similar. But how did they get to Surinam?<br />
Arend van den Nieuwenhuizen told me that once<br />
upon a time, a consignment of fishes was left stranded<br />
in the capital, Paramaribo, after a plane from Manaus<br />
stopped off there. Out of pity for the fishes, the entire<br />
consignment was tipped into a lake near the airport,<br />
where there are now said to be Cardinal Tetras and angelfishes.<br />
Could the fish in my aquariums be those?<br />
Wherever they came from, they are beautiful fish, although<br />
initially they presented huge problems. Individual<br />
wild specimens kept suffering dreadful breakouts on the<br />
head and below the dorsal fin. The best solution was to<br />
paint these areas with potassium permanganate, although<br />
the cure was only temporary. A number of juveniles from<br />
the first brood also died of this strange plague. But after<br />
that the disease appeared to have been conquered.<br />
A number of other strains also offer a challenge. In<br />
the Río Negro region, in particular, there are a number of<br />
forms that may represent a link with Pterophyllum altum.<br />
Altum <strong>Angels</strong><br />
Altum: the word sends many aquarists, especially angelfish<br />
fans, into raptures. When, some years ago, I saw a<br />
brood-caring pair of Altums at Dr. Norbert Menauer’s in<br />
Soest (it was actually a trio—the pair tolerated the addition<br />
of a solitary individual), they attacked us through<br />
the glass, even though the young had long since abandoned<br />
their shoaling behavior. Naturally, we included<br />
Left: This “Red<br />
Devil” bred by me<br />
exhibits a very large<br />
amount of red and<br />
meets the breeding<br />
standards originally<br />
set by the Wilhelm<br />
family. Even the<br />
belly region is<br />
reddish.<br />
Opposite page:<br />
Despite my<br />
intensive efforts,<br />
my Pterophyllum cf.<br />
altum, bred by Dr.<br />
Norbert Menauer,<br />
have not yet shown<br />
any inclination to<br />
breed.<br />
H.-G. EVERS
H.-G. EVERS<br />
Breeding angelfishes<br />
<strong>Angels</strong> are rather unreliable parents when it comes to<br />
brood care in the aquarium. Because the likelihood of<br />
good care of the clutch and fry depends on having a<br />
compatible pair, it is advisable to start with a group. This<br />
requires a large aquarium with plenty of suitable cover.<br />
<strong>Angels</strong> are very fond of spawning on vertical wood or<br />
leaves with a large surface area. They will also accept suspended<br />
plastic tubes or spawning cones like those used<br />
in discus breeding. Conveniently, you can easily influence<br />
the area where the fishes spawn. If the rest of the<br />
fishes can retire out of sight behind décor marking the<br />
territorial boundary, the male can assume the territorial<br />
defense and the female can care for the clutch. This<br />
division of labor immediately does away with one major<br />
cause of the eggs being eaten.<br />
But even the largest aquarium has its limits, and<br />
even optimal arrangement of the décor doesn’t help in<br />
the case of some angelfish strains. The aggression of the<br />
brooding pair necessitates the removal of the remaining<br />
members of the group. There are, of course, lots of other<br />
factors that can still spoil everything: for example, other<br />
fishes (such as catfishes) may eat the eggs during the<br />
night. A dim room light may help the parents to remain<br />
in control during the hours of darkness. But a sudden<br />
change in lighting or precipitate activity in front of the<br />
tank can disrupt things too.<br />
The larvae, which hatch after two to three days (depending<br />
on the temperature), are attached in a concealed<br />
spot that has been thoroughly cleaned. Around the seventh<br />
day after spawning, the fry swim free. They are best fed<br />
with Artemia nauplii, initially with freshly hatched nauplii.<br />
Later the Artemia should be supplemented with cod-liver<br />
oil, salmon-oil capsules, or something similar. You can<br />
also alternate with Cyclops nauplii or other very fine pond<br />
foods. Beware of feeding too many Cyclops nauplii! At the<br />
high temperatures required (angelfishes should be kept<br />
and bred at 26–30°C), they metamorphose rather rapidly<br />
into Cyclops, and “stingers” can eliminate the entire<br />
brood. But anyone who has observed brooding angels isn’t<br />
deterred by the effort he or she may have to invest.<br />
Commercial breeders rarely rely on pairs brooding.<br />
They remove the clutch and transfer it to a small rearing<br />
tank with conditioned fresh water. A fairly regular<br />
stream of air bubbles not far from the clutch will ensure<br />
a good oxygen supply. Because of the lack of parental<br />
care, an anti-fungal has to be added. Methylene blue has<br />
proved effective. A stock solution is added drop by drop<br />
to the hatchery until the water is a light blue color. This<br />
doesn’t have to be removed immediately after hatching;<br />
it is not a mitosis toxin like Trypaflavine, for example.<br />
The aeration can, however, be reduced so that the<br />
larvae can develop in peace. Dead eggs should be removed,<br />
as they will only pollute the water. Gentle water<br />
changes can also be undertaken (using the drop method,<br />
as they will dilute the methylene blue). When feeding<br />
starts, it is important to do regular water changes. You<br />
should transfer the fry into large rearing aquariums if<br />
you want to raise big, beautiful angels.<br />
AMAZONAS 39
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40<br />
some of the young in our luggage on the journey home.<br />
The wild-caught individuals supposedly originated from<br />
the Río Orinoco in Venezuela, from the area around<br />
Puerto Ayacucho. They were much more compact and<br />
beefier in their body form than the true Pterophyllum<br />
altum from the upper Orinoco drainage.<br />
But despite intensive efforts and a 370-gallon (1,400-<br />
L) aquarium, I had no success, and neither did Dr.<br />
Menauer. It was all over by the day after the beginning of<br />
courtship and the cleaning of the chosen spawning site.<br />
However, the fish grew into splendid specimens. Food is<br />
provided in abundance in my tanks, as I still go “ponding”<br />
almost every day. Good feeding is indispensable<br />
for breeding condition and for the rearing of the young<br />
The parents of this variant,<br />
which I have bred for several<br />
generations, came from<br />
Surinam. The precise origin of<br />
the species is a mystery.<br />
Below: Sadly, this disease<br />
syndrome often occurs in<br />
offspring of the Surinam<br />
Angelfish.<br />
brood. Cyclops, Daphnia,<br />
Moina, glassworms, and<br />
mosquito larvae are on the<br />
menu—and not just as frozen<br />
food! Unfortunately,<br />
the excellent menu wasn’t<br />
enough for my Altums.<br />
What was my mistake?<br />
Was it rare to succeed with young fish of the next generation,<br />
as with Heckel Discus? The only answer is to keep<br />
on trying!<br />
Blackwater Altums<br />
In the past year, I finally got to see the blackwater Altum<br />
underwater in the Río Atabapo and in the net. The<br />
fishes reared by Dr. Menauer probably originated from a<br />
population living in the Orinoco, probably at Puerto Ayacucho,<br />
where the Orinoco is a whitewater river. But that<br />
can be deceptive, as there are not only black-, white-, and<br />
clearwater rivers in South America, but also mixed-water<br />
zones, as is the case at Puerto Ayacucho. Some way to the<br />
south, two mighty blackwater rivers, the Sipapo and the<br />
Atabapo, empty into the upper Orinoco.<br />
The fishes from the pure blackwater of the Atabapo (pH<br />
4.5 at a conductivity of around 30 μS/cm in March 2011)<br />
are much more high-backed and filigreed than those from<br />
the Orinoco. Their beige-brown base color also differs from<br />
the blue-green of the Orinoco fishes. In the Atabapo fishes,<br />
red dots predominate on the head region, but the dots are<br />
blue in those from the Orinoco. Unfortunately, we weren’t<br />
allowed to export the fishes from Venezuela. Imports from<br />
there are getting more and more scarce.<br />
When these fishes do reach our shops, they are usually<br />
from Colombia. That is often a death sentence for<br />
Altums, as they are transported from the lowlands to<br />
Bogota, in the highlands. At this altitude, with unheated<br />
tanks, everything depends on how quickly the fishes are<br />
subsequently dispatched. The sensitive Altums are often<br />
chilled and the losses reach 100 percent. But healthy<br />
specimens may soon reach us again.<br />
Because they are now being bred successfully in Germany,<br />
hopefully that will continue in the filial generations,<br />
so that these fishes can be permanently retained in<br />
our aquariums.<br />
H.-G. EVERS
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AMAZONAS 41
AMAZONAS<br />
42<br />
COVER<br />
STORY<br />
Pterophyllum altum:<br />
H.-G. EVERS
O. KLAWONN<br />
Group of tank-bred<br />
Pterophyllum altum, whose<br />
parents were wild-caughts<br />
from the Río Inirida—the<br />
so-called Siegrist strain.<br />
Right: P. altum from the Río<br />
Atabapo at the around four<br />
years. This form exhibits a<br />
lot of red on the back.<br />
B. KAHL; INSET: S. FORKEL<br />
by Simon Forkel For more than four years I have been intensively<br />
involved in the breeding of Pterophyllum altum, the<br />
Altum Angel. I began with captive-bred stock before I ventured<br />
to breed wild-caughts. Not only water and food quality,<br />
but also the conditions under which the fry are reared, are<br />
keys to successful breeding of this coveted species.<br />
My first tank-bred Pterophyllum altum originated from Switzerland. They<br />
were bred by Adolf Siegrist, who had been breeding these majestic fish<br />
since 1993. I found these fish particularly pleasing, as they had a<br />
high body form, a lot of red on the head and back regions, and long<br />
fins. I subsequently obtained tank-breds from Horst Linke, who<br />
had reared very large numbers over a period of many years.<br />
Since 1994 I have been working professionally in the<br />
aquarium hobby, and I have also been able to obtain<br />
wild-caught fish from my wholesalers. I was thus<br />
fortunate enough to obtain healthy imports from<br />
Colombia and Venezuela, which has become<br />
very difficult in recent years. According to the<br />
exporters, these fish originated from the<br />
Río Orinoco, the Río Inirida, and the Río<br />
Atabapo, the type locality of this species.<br />
I noticed that Pterophyllum altum from<br />
the Río Orinoco exhibited a greater blue<br />
component, with red dots on the head and back<br />
regions; that specimens from the Río Inirida had<br />
more red spots on the head and back regions; and<br />
that those from the Río Atabapo had a very large<br />
amount of red all over the head and back regions.<br />
Two specimens demonstrated this particularly clearly.<br />
Luckily, they were a pair!<br />
So I had sufficient broodstock to start breeding<br />
Pterophyllum altum. My first success was with<br />
18-month-old specimens from the Siegrist strain, and<br />
shortly thereafter with fish of the Linke strain as well.<br />
Since then I have also crossed the two strains. I also persuaded a<br />
wild-caught male from the Río Atabapo to spawn with a female of the<br />
Siegrist strain. Recently I also managed to mate a female from the Río<br />
Orinoco with a male of the Linke strain. But crossing Pterophyllum<br />
altum with P. scalare was never part of my plan. My favorites are the<br />
wild-caughts from the Río Atabapo, as they exhibit a very large red component,<br />
and the wild-caughts from the Río Inrida.*<br />
Spawning at low pressure<br />
When an 18-month-old pair formed from a group of tank-breds of the<br />
Siegrist strain, I placed them in a tank measuring 48 x 24 x 24 inches (120<br />
the King of the Río Orinoco<br />
AMAZONAS 43
AMAZONAS<br />
44<br />
Wild-caught pair<br />
from the Río Atabapo.<br />
Below: Pterophyllum<br />
altum can be kept with<br />
discus, which have<br />
similar requirements.<br />
Group photo of my<br />
Alenquer Discus.<br />
x 60 x 60 cm) (114 gallons/430 L). However, these fishes<br />
aren’t full-grown until they are 36 months old. In my experience,<br />
breeding pairs, especially the females, don’t grow as<br />
fast, as they need all their energy for spawning.<br />
These fishes spawn up to eight times at intervals of a<br />
certain number of weeks in a single spawning phase from<br />
October to July. Then there is usually a pause. If all goes<br />
well, the pair begin spawning again in October. Naturally,<br />
it is very unusual for them to spawn so often, but we are,<br />
after all, dealing with tank-breds. In wild-caught fishes<br />
the main spawning time is usually in the period from<br />
April to June and then again in October and November.<br />
Good water quality is essential in order to induce a<br />
breeding pair to spawn. A varied diet of frozen food is<br />
also important—above all glassworms, Artemia, bloodworms,<br />
and krill.<br />
I adjust the water parameters in the breeding tank to a<br />
conductivity of 100–150 μS/cm and a pH of 5.5–6.0. A few<br />
days later, the angels usually rigorously clean the spawning<br />
cone, and with a little luck and patience they will start<br />
spawning at a temperature of 82°F (28°C). A low-pressure<br />
weather system can also stimulate the fishes to spawn.<br />
After the eggs are laid, I move the cone with the<br />
spawn to a separate 16-gallon (60-L) tank with the same<br />
water parameters as the breeding tank. The rearing tank<br />
must be matured for a long time. This is achieved with<br />
an internal filter with two foam cartridges; the bottom<br />
O. KLAWONN
OPPOSITE PAGE AND BOTTOM RIGHT: B. KAHL; TOP: S. FORKEL<br />
Left: Captive-bred pair<br />
of the Siegrist strain<br />
spawning.<br />
Right: Larvae attached<br />
to the spawning cone<br />
shortly after hatching.<br />
Below: A wild-caught<br />
pair of P. altum from the<br />
Río Atabapo. With age,<br />
these fish usually exhibit<br />
a thickening above the<br />
kink in the snout.<br />
AMAZONAS 45
AMAZONAS<br />
46<br />
Above: The young are fed four to<br />
five times per day to guarantee<br />
optimal growth.<br />
Captivebred<br />
pair of<br />
Pterophyllum<br />
altum of the<br />
so-called<br />
Siegrist strain<br />
from the Río<br />
Inirida.<br />
is covered with a .75-inch (2-cm) layer of quartz<br />
sand. The benefit of this is that on hatching, the<br />
larvae don’t fall straight onto the bottom glass,<br />
which could be coated with bacterial slime that<br />
might have a negative effect on the development<br />
of the larvae. I practice artificial rearing. This has<br />
the advantage that I never have problems with<br />
gill-worms or flagellates.<br />
Even if the clutch looks good and contains<br />
600–800 eggs, it remains to be seen how the eggs<br />
will develop and how many larvae actually hatch<br />
after 60 hours at 86°F (30°C). Initially I had a<br />
lot of problems with this. Naturally, there should<br />
also be an airstone about 2 inches (5 cm) from<br />
the cone, to supply the larvae with the necessary<br />
oxygen and provide water movement.<br />
Rearing in deep tanks<br />
If the brood develops well, around 500 larvae<br />
hatch and swim free after eight days. I feed the<br />
fry freshly hatched Artemia nauplii four times a<br />
day. In addition I change around 20 percent of<br />
the water every day in order to remove uneaten<br />
food, as this rapidly pollutes the water.<br />
After around three weeks I transfer the young<br />
Altum <strong>Angels</strong> to larger tanks, about 100 youngsters<br />
to 114 gallons (430 L) or 200 fry to 190 gallons<br />
(720 L). This is necessary for the young angels<br />
to grow and develop long fins. It is inevitable<br />
that some poorly developed youngsters have to be<br />
culled. Only thus can I rear high quality fishes.<br />
A twice-weekly 50 percent water change<br />
B. KAHL
S. FORKEL<br />
1.<br />
Juvenile wildcaught<br />
from<br />
the Atabapo<br />
at 8 weeks.<br />
2. Tank-bred from<br />
the Río Inirida at<br />
14 weeks.<br />
is necessary to keep the nutrient levels low. From the<br />
fourth week on I also feed frozen Cyclops, which they<br />
eat greedily after a brief hesitation. From the fifth week<br />
on I offer frozen Artemia several times a day, and from<br />
the sixth week I feed frozen glassworms as well.<br />
I continue thus until the tenth week, when the<br />
youngsters have usually reached a saleable size of<br />
3–4 inches (8–10 cm) across.<br />
The youngsters are kept in tap water with a pH of 7.5, a<br />
carbonate hardness of 4°KH, and an electrical conductivity<br />
of 280 μS/cm at a temperature of 82°F (28°C). A tank<br />
depth of 24–28 inches (60–70 cm) is necessary in order<br />
to ensure optimal growth with beautiful long fins, and, of<br />
course, regular water changes and several feeds per day. In<br />
this way the young Altum <strong>Angels</strong> can attain a height of 8<br />
inches (20 cm) within six months and a good 12 inches<br />
(30 cm) after 12 months. A full-grown specimen can<br />
achieve a height of 16 inches (40 cm) after 36 months!<br />
I have also induced wild-caught Pterophyllum altum<br />
from the Río Inirida and the Río Atabapo to spawn. This<br />
happened at water parameters similar to those used for<br />
the tank-breds of the Siegrist strain. Egg development has<br />
One of my parent fishes<br />
from the Río Inirida.<br />
3. Tank-bred from<br />
the Río Inirida at<br />
11 months.<br />
proved very problematical with the wild fishes. I<br />
succeeded only at the third spawning, by optimizing<br />
the water quality even further. I was then able<br />
to rear large numbers. The wild fishes have by now<br />
spawned frequently and the results keep getting better.<br />
Breeding these fish requires a lot of time and patience.<br />
I hope that this article and its accompanying photos<br />
will encourage all aquarium-fish enthusiasts to keep<br />
these magnificent ornamental fishes. The fact that tankbreds<br />
are already available makes rearing and maintenance<br />
easier than it is with wild-caught stocks.<br />
Additional photos and videos can be found on my<br />
website at www.skalarezucht.de.<br />
* Editorial note: Individuals of the forms named sometimes<br />
differ considerably from each other, as well as from those that<br />
originate from the actual habitat of Pterophyllum altum—the<br />
clear-flowing waters of the upper Río Orinoco, for example the<br />
Río Inirida, the Río Atabapo, and the Río Ventuari (see article<br />
on page 22). So for this article, we have chosen only photos<br />
that, according to the author, show specimens that demonstrably<br />
originate from the Río Inirida or the Río Atabapo.<br />
AMAZONAS 47
AMAZONAS<br />
48<br />
COVER<br />
STORY<br />
Angelfish: Genetic Transparency<br />
Changes Everything<br />
article and images by Matt Pedersen, with additional images by Mellow<br />
Aquatics and Raiko Slavkov Aquarists who know me would<br />
argue that I am a marine fish breeder. I made a name for myself<br />
as the first and only person to breed the “impossible to keep<br />
alive” Harlequin Filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostris).<br />
Only the folks who know me really well understand that I<br />
don’t discriminate on the basis of salt content! My recent<br />
fishroom expansion finally gave me the space to seek<br />
out one of my next challenges in fresh water.<br />
An F2 “50%<br />
Manacapuru” Silver<br />
(wild-type) angelfish. This is<br />
genetically a blank canvas (+/+) in<br />
the designer-breeder’s mind. However,<br />
it is the second generation (F2) grandchild<br />
of a wild outcross. Its grandparents were a<br />
Platinum Veil (g/g - V/+ - pb/pb) and a wild<br />
Manacapuru Angelfish. Given the genetics<br />
of its grandparents and parents, this<br />
outwardly wild-type fish could carry hidden<br />
recessive genes (Gold and Philippine<br />
Blue).<br />
I am in love with the Altum Angelfish (Pterophyllum<br />
altum), and I am no stranger to the difficulty this<br />
species represents (insert expletives here). I always<br />
tell marine breeders, “Start with something easy and<br />
similar to your end goal.” In doing so, you make the<br />
beginner mistakes early on, leaving you prepared to later<br />
handle the complexities of something more sensitive<br />
or challenging. I had never bred the ubiquitous Freshwater<br />
Angelfish (P. scalare), so it made sense to learn with<br />
the classic angelfish before tackling the Altum.<br />
However, while getting my feet wet with angelfishes,<br />
I was quickly sidetracked by the intriguing world of<br />
angelfish genetics. This forever altered my viewpoint on<br />
the breeding of “designer fish” in the face of an ongoing<br />
need to consider the conservation implications of what<br />
we do as fish breeders.<br />
A revelation<br />
The free and open discussion of angelfish genetics<br />
among breeders provided an excellent model to bring<br />
back to the saltwater side of the breeding world, where<br />
the fledgling “designer clownfish” craze had me questioning<br />
whether there was a future for the original<br />
wild form of something like the Common Ocellaris<br />
Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris). Five years ago, I<br />
bemoaned the “guppification” of clownfishes, insisting<br />
that designer forms could push wild forms out of the<br />
aquarium world. Through my work with the Lightning<br />
Maroon Clownfish (a mutation discovered twice on the<br />
reefs of Fisherman’s Island, Papua New Guinea) and my<br />
surprise exposure to the fascinating world of angelfish<br />
MATT PEDERSEN
MELLOW AQUATICS<br />
genetics, I’ve definitely softened my rhetoric. Hybridizing between species is still a tremendous<br />
conservation issue simply because hybrids can’t be undone, and they can wreak<br />
havoc if inadvertently introduced into a species preservation–oriented breeding program.<br />
Loss of distinction between geographic races is equally concerning, particularly because<br />
history tells us that some races wind up being unique species after closer examination.<br />
However, designer breeding—that is, working with genetic mutations within a species—<br />
can prove to be at least tolerable in the conservation mindset, so long as the genetics are<br />
known and the path back to the wild form and geographic provenance isn’t lost.<br />
I need only point out that the standard wild-type, or Silver, angelfish is still around,<br />
though perhaps it’s not as popular as something like a Platinum, Pinoy, or Koi these days.<br />
Nevertheless, the unadulterated wild-type angelfish remains a tool of breeders looking to<br />
strip particular genetics out of a complex domestic form. Given a robust genetic understanding,<br />
angelfish breeders seek out high quality wild stock to outcross with domestic<br />
breeding lines, as this can often impart desirable traits such as fin length and conformity,<br />
repairing the degradation caused by generations of inbreeding. The value of wild forms has<br />
led some breeders to specialize in preserving these unique geographic populations. Such<br />
commendable efforts preserve the raw materials of breeding, helping to ensure that these<br />
variations will remain available to breeders and hobbyists in the future.<br />
By virtue of its genetic usefulness, the wild-type, or Silver, angelfish will persist.<br />
Whether today’s domesticated angelfishes represent a single species or not is open to debate,<br />
so the conservation merits of designer angelfish breeding are certainly questionable.<br />
From wild-type (opposite<br />
page) to insanely WILD:<br />
a selection of classic and<br />
ultra-modern designer<br />
angelfishes offered by<br />
Mellow Aquatics.<br />
Top row, left to right:<br />
Gold (g/g), Gold Marble<br />
Pearlscale (Gm/g - p/p),<br />
Crowned Koi (Gm/Gm<br />
- S/S)<br />
Bottom row: Gold Marble<br />
Platinum with Crown<br />
(Gm/g - pb/pb), Blue<br />
Pinoy Zebra Lace Veil<br />
(D/+ - Z/+ - V/+ - pb/pb),<br />
Mellow All Orange Koi<br />
(Gm/Gm - S/S).<br />
49<br />
AMAZONAS 49
AMAZONAS<br />
50<br />
Despite this preservation shortfall in domesticated angelfishes,<br />
one thing has become clear: in a world where<br />
the community ethic has embraced the open-sourcing of<br />
genetic knowledge, any angelfish breeder with the genetic<br />
raw materials can recreate and refine the desired genetic<br />
result.<br />
Angelfish genetics:<br />
a history of standardization<br />
In no small part, the late Dr. Joanne Norton is credited<br />
with laying the foundation for most of the current<br />
understanding of angelfish genetics. From 1982 to 1994,<br />
Norton published no fewer than 18 articles in Freshwater<br />
and Marine Aquarium (FAMA) covering her extensive<br />
personal work divining the genetic basis for the myriad<br />
of forms being produced around the world. It is fair<br />
to say that Dr. Norton demonstrated how an aquarist<br />
can single-handedly change the aquarium hobby and<br />
industry, and, without a doubt, the tradition of genetic<br />
transparency was indoctrinated through Dr. Norton’s<br />
visionary contributions.<br />
The Angelfish Society (www.theangelfishsociety.org,<br />
TAS) was founded in 2000 and incorporated in 2003 as<br />
Classic Forms<br />
Top row, left to right:<br />
Halfblack Veil Angelfish (V/+<br />
- h/h), Black Angelfish (D/g)<br />
(a.k.a. Hybrid Black),<br />
Koi Veil Angelfish<br />
(Gm/g - S/S - V/+)<br />
Philippine Blue Influences<br />
Bottom row, left to right:<br />
Pinoy Veil WiFi (Widefin)<br />
Ghost Angelfish (D/+ - S/+<br />
- V/+ - pb/pb), Blue Marble<br />
Angelfish (M/+ - pb/pb)<br />
a not-for-profit organization. While the Society provides<br />
and performs many functions, it also perpetuates the<br />
tradition of Dr. Norton’s work. The current website includes<br />
a repository of the 18 seminal works she published<br />
in FAMA, but takes it a step further with the phenotypes<br />
library that’s readily available online (http://www.theangelfishsociety.org/phenotype_library_2007/NewIndex.<br />
html). This phenotype library covers all the known genetics<br />
as uncovered by Dr. Norton in the 1980s and ’90s,<br />
and was last fully updated in 2007.<br />
This genetic canon is generally well regarded as a<br />
definitive starting point, although observable traits may<br />
be the result of multiple genes or what breeder Frank<br />
O’Neill routinely refers to as “genetic modifiers.” Then<br />
there are occasional mysteries that stand in stark contrast<br />
to the assumed-proven genetics. Current TAS president<br />
Tamar Stephens points out, “The genes that we have<br />
listed [in our phenotype library] are all genes that follow<br />
Mendelian genetics. With multigenic traits, multiple<br />
genes contribute to the overall effect, making the results<br />
unpredictable.” That unpredictability may be the reason<br />
why many traits have yet to reveal their genetic secrets.<br />
The Angelfish Society has taken on the role of the<br />
MATT PEDERSEN; BLACK ANGELFISH: MELLOW AQUATICS
MATT PEDERSEN<br />
official organization to standardize the names, symbols, and formatting<br />
used for angelfish genes, and in doing so basically implies unofficial<br />
common names used for phenotypes. Many breeders do abide by<br />
these names. However, Stephens points out that TAS doesn’t “try to<br />
establish standard naming for common names…if someone wants to<br />
sell me a Gm/Gm–S/S, I know what I am getting genetically, whether<br />
it is called a ‘koi,’ a ‘panda koi,’ a ‘pumpkin’ angelfish, or whatever<br />
one can dream up.”<br />
It is only community acceptance, and use of the proposed standards,<br />
that validates TAS as an authority. To maintain credibility, TAS<br />
employs a rigorous, science-based methodology when considering<br />
the canonization of new genetics. This requirement has meant that<br />
at least one new genetic mutation obtained community acceptance a<br />
few years ago, yet is not currently recognized in TAS standards. This<br />
disparity between communal belief and the official record has caused<br />
some to question the legitimacy of TAS.<br />
Accepting and standardizing genetic discoveries<br />
The mutation in question is the phenomenal “Philippine Blue” gene,<br />
which some believe originated in Asian fish farms. From there, the<br />
gene was ultimately investigated, popularized, and named by Ken<br />
Kennedy in the Philippines. In 2009, seeing a lack of recognition for<br />
this mutation by TAS, members of the angelfish breeding community<br />
moved forward with creating their own “standards” following the<br />
TAS model (see http://www.angelfishusa.net/Philippine_Blue.pdf).<br />
It could be argued that this was necessary to facilitate discussion and<br />
allow progress within the breeding community.<br />
Stephens provides insight into the current Philippine Blue conundrum:<br />
“I realize that not having the new phenotypes on [the TAS]<br />
website has made us look bad. I think people got excited about creating<br />
beautiful angelfishes with the blue effects caused by this gene,<br />
and I think that is wonderful. Unfortunately, without the offspring<br />
counts, we would be doing pseudoscience, not real science. Some of<br />
our members are now doing offspring counts, and we anticipate having<br />
that data soon.”<br />
Philippine Blue Influences<br />
Top: Blue Silver Angelfish (pb/pb)<br />
Bottom, left:<br />
Platinum (front) and Platinum Marble Veil (back)<br />
- (g/g - pb/pb) and (M/g - V/+ - pb/pb). The black<br />
marble pattern on the back fish is obscured by the<br />
fish in the foreground.<br />
Bottom, center:<br />
50% Manacapuru Ghost Veil Angelfish with<br />
either one or two blue alleles (S/+- V/+ - pb/pb?),<br />
showing the combtail trait as well. With Platinum<br />
Veil X wild Manacapuru grandparents, this fish<br />
also has the potential for a hidden gold gene. Test<br />
matings could expose the presence or absence<br />
of gold and determine the number of blue alleles<br />
present.<br />
Bottom, right:<br />
F2 50% Manacapuru Ghost Angelfish with<br />
single Philippine Blue allele and hidden recessive<br />
pearlscale allele (S/+ - p/+ - pb/+)<br />
AMAZONAS AMAZONAS 51
AMAZONAS<br />
52<br />
Stephens really hits home the importance of performing<br />
sound science and utilizing hard data when<br />
discussing the communally held notion that the Philippine<br />
Blue gene is a recessive mutation. “Although most<br />
people believe it to be recessive, I also have information<br />
that leads me to believe it is probably partially dominant,<br />
meaning it expresses to some extent in single dose, then<br />
more fully in double dose,” says Stephens. Lee Gordon<br />
might concur, observing that “one dose has been shown<br />
to cause a range of phenotypic effects.”<br />
Many breeders don’t share these sentiments and feel<br />
that TAS’s position is a political one. Consider the view-<br />
ANGELFISH GENETICS 101<br />
Understanding the Terms<br />
Aworking mastery of genetics allows the angelfish<br />
breeder to turn the wild-type angelfish into a painter’s<br />
canvas, selecting the mates with the appropriate genetics<br />
to create, or recreate, any particular designer form<br />
he/she chooses. Don’t be put off by the technical information<br />
presented. To be blunt, the basic rules of poker are<br />
probably more complicated than this. (Also, to be honest,<br />
one can be a master breeder knowing what outcomes to<br />
expect when crossing different strains or color forms and<br />
not using the genetic jargon, but most elite breeders use<br />
the following terms.)<br />
To date, the understood genetics of angelfishes follow<br />
some pretty basic rules, using the following jargon and<br />
functionality. The Angelfish Society created a genetic<br />
point of Rob Wilden, who wrote, “I would say that there<br />
is no doubt that [Philippine Blue] is a recessive gene<br />
mutation at a new locus. Far more work has been done<br />
on this by many breeders throughout the world, and the<br />
supporting evidence is far stronger than for many of the<br />
genes that Norton identified.”<br />
Angelfish breeder John Melograna also believes that<br />
the Philippine Blue gene is recessive, but cites confusion<br />
caused by variable expression ranging from blue to green.<br />
Melograna suggests that multiple factors could be in<br />
play, including genetic modifiers, interactions with other<br />
known and unknown genes, or maybe even a second new<br />
shorthand (based on scientific standards) for use in discussions,<br />
which we’ve leveraged here.<br />
We must remember genotype, referring to the genetic<br />
code of an individual fish, and phenotype, referring to the<br />
outward, visibly discernible results of the genotype.<br />
A locus is the place in the DNA or gene sequence for<br />
a particular gene, and the plural of locus is loci. At each<br />
locus, there is one gene or allele (a copy of the gene)<br />
inherited from each parent.<br />
In freshwater angelfishes, at least eight unique loci are<br />
identified and named, and the pairing of alleles at each locus<br />
is of particular interest. Most known loci only have two<br />
types of alleles, the default “wild” type or a mutated form.<br />
A good example is the albino locus—here a parent fish<br />
BIOMEDICAL/SHUTTERSTOCK
allele at the same locus. The data that TAS and Stephens<br />
crave drives the science that could address these questions.<br />
For the moment, the disconnect between the community-formed<br />
governing body and breeders at large remains,<br />
with most breeders working under the assumption<br />
that the Philippine Blue allele is recessive, at a new locus,<br />
and using the abbreviation “pb” when discussing it.<br />
Frontiers of designer breeding<br />
Of course, there is no shortage of new discoveries in the<br />
angelfish world, and breeders around the globe are only<br />
scratching the genetic surface, with the Internet allowing<br />
collaboration like never before. Traits like “Glitter”<br />
(seen in wild fishes and domesticated lines) keep breeders<br />
can only have wild type alleles or albino alleles. These two<br />
alleles result in offspring with three possible combinations:<br />
wild/wild, wild/albino, or albino/albino. Other<br />
loci have a myriad of allele options. The Zebra/Stripeless<br />
locus is one example. A fish will only have two alleles for<br />
this locus, but the breeder has the choice of the wild-type<br />
allele, the Stripeless allele, and the Zebra allele; three<br />
options to fill only two spots, resulting in six possible<br />
combinations (wild/wild, wild/Stripeless, wild/Zebra,<br />
Stripeless/Stripeless, Zebra/Zebra, and Stripeless/Zebra).<br />
All of this is further clarified by the various forms of<br />
genetic expression, and this, combined with the understanding<br />
of angelfish genetic loci, allows breeders to represent<br />
the known genetics of their angelfish in a standardized<br />
format using letters and punctuation. The wild-type<br />
allele is represented by a +. There are three basic forms of<br />
expression: Recessive, Dominant, and Partially Dominant.<br />
Recessive mutations require two copies of the allele<br />
to affect the phenotype or appearance of a fish, and are<br />
represented with lowercase letters. Thus, (a/a) = a homozygous<br />
pairing (both alleles are the same) = an outwardly<br />
albino fish.<br />
If the genetics are (a/+), this is a heterozygous pairing<br />
(mixed alleles) and in this case, the fish would carry<br />
a hidden albino gene that should not affect the outward<br />
appearance of the fish.<br />
Dominant traits require only one copy of the allele to<br />
fully change the phenotype, and the phenotype will look<br />
the same regardless of whether there are one or two copies<br />
of the allele present. Dominant alleles are represented<br />
with capital letters. Zebra is a dominant mutation; be it<br />
(Z/+) or (Z/Z), the fish will outwardly appear “Zebra”.<br />
Partially dominant mutations express differently,<br />
changing the phenotype with only a single copy of the<br />
allele, but changing it again when there are two copies<br />
present. The aforementioned Stripeless allele, when in a<br />
heterozygous state (S/+), creates an angelfish with broken<br />
or absent bars called a “Ghost”. However, if the angelfish<br />
winds up with two stripeless alleles (S/S), the phenotype<br />
is altered again, resulting in a fish with translucent gill<br />
scratching their heads. The same could be said for two<br />
fin traits, the long-standing “Combtail” trait that most<br />
breeders believe only shows up in veil but not standard<br />
finned fish, and the newer “Widefin” variation, which<br />
may turn out to be rather complex genetically. Breeders<br />
have used selective breeding to push the expression of genetics<br />
as well, which is why, today, we can see “high coverage”<br />
or even “full coverage” Koi Angelfish, in which the<br />
typical white base coloration with orange or red crown<br />
and black marbling has been replaced by fish showing<br />
only black marbling with an orange to red base coloration<br />
covering areas that formerly would have been white.<br />
Along the lines of traits that are being refined, we<br />
now have a very interesting trait, dubbed “Snakeskin”,<br />
covers and a complete absence of any striping; this fish is<br />
known as a “Blushing” or “Blusher”.<br />
This all comes to a head when you start mixing things<br />
together. Different alleles on the same locus produce still<br />
different phenotypes such as the Clown Angelfish, having<br />
one each of the Stripeless and Zebra alleles (Z/S). Then,<br />
add in multiple mutations on multiple loci, and you further<br />
digress from the standard wild form.<br />
For example, you could have an albino Veil Clown Angelfish<br />
(a/a – V/+ – Z/S) or a Smokey Leopard Pearlscale<br />
Blue Angelfish (Z/+ - Sm/+ - p/p - pb/pb). Make it even<br />
more complex when you consider epistasis, where the<br />
alleles at one locus can hide/alter/nullify the effects of<br />
other alleles on other loci, often shorthanded as genetic<br />
modifiers.<br />
In perhaps the ultimate display of genetic prowess,<br />
genetic calculators can now allow you to “test” the pairing<br />
of two known genotypes to determine what you’ll<br />
get. Small scale commercial breeders can use genetics to<br />
customize pairing to provide a diverse range of offspring<br />
from a single pair of fish, saving on space allocated to<br />
broodstock: case in point, I have one pair of fish that, due<br />
to their disparate genetics, can yield exactly 48 unique<br />
genetic combinations in their offspring as determined by<br />
an online genetics calculator!<br />
A solid understanding of the genetics at play can even<br />
help the detective fish breeder to implement test matings<br />
whose progeny can reveal parental genetics that were<br />
otherwise obscured.<br />
Rearing conditions and environment can have<br />
significant impacts on the expression of these alleles, a<br />
classic example being the generally recessive halfblack<br />
trait, which at times seems to develop only if low light<br />
conditions are provided. In truth, selective breeding and<br />
genetics that we don’t completely understand create a<br />
vast diversity of potential forms within a seemingly small,<br />
restrictive framework of known genes. Ultimately, genetics<br />
is only the starting point; knowledge of genetics won’t<br />
substitute for good husbandry and breeding choices in the<br />
quest to produce top quality angelfish.<br />
AMAZONAS<br />
53
AMAZONAS<br />
54<br />
Some of the latest examples of cutting-edge selective angelfish breeding<br />
focus on enhancing the expression of existing traits. High-Coverage Koi<br />
Angelfish (Gm/g - S/S) like the young one shown at right took decades to<br />
develop.<br />
Snakeskin is an emerging trait whose genetics are not yet understood.<br />
Shown below in the first row are two views of Carol Francis’s female<br />
Platinum Snakeskin (g/g - pb/pb), the original fish used to start her<br />
Snakeskin breeding lines.<br />
At bottom, two views of a young Blue Smokey Leopard Snakeskin<br />
Angelfish (Z/+ - Sm/+ - pb/pb) from Francis’s breeding are just starting<br />
to show the unique iridescent snakeskin patterning. Some of Francis’s best<br />
broodstock now exhibit this net-like patterning over their entire bodies.<br />
TOP: N. KHARDINA; BOTTOM: H. BLEHER
MATT PEDERSEN<br />
Angelfish GENETICS BREAKDOWN<br />
Canonized Loci<br />
Albino Locus—Alleles include:<br />
wild type (+)<br />
albino (a) recessive<br />
Dark Locus—Alleles include cascading dominance of:<br />
Dark (D)<br />
Marble (M)<br />
Gold Marble (Gm)<br />
wild type (+)<br />
Gold (g) recessive<br />
Halfblack Locus—Alleles include:<br />
wild type (+)<br />
halfblack (h) recessive<br />
Pearlscale Locus—Alleles include:<br />
wild type (+)<br />
pearlscale (p) recessive<br />
Smokey Locus—Alleles include:<br />
Smokey (Sm) partially dominant<br />
wild type (+)<br />
Streaked Locus—Alleles include:<br />
Streaked (St) dominant<br />
wild type (+)<br />
Veiled Locus—Alleles include:<br />
Veiled (V) partially dominant<br />
wild type (+)<br />
Zebra/Stripeless Locus—Alleles include:<br />
Zebra (Z) dominant<br />
Stripeless (S) partially dominant<br />
wild type (+);<br />
Community Accepted Loci<br />
Philippine Blue Locus—Alleles include wild type (+); Philippine blue (pb) recessive?<br />
Emerging / Suspected Mutations / Requiring Investigation<br />
Combtail—may be recessive, purported only visible on veil and superveil angelfishes,<br />
but possibly in standard fin fish as well.<br />
Eye Color—in the past suggested linked to sex, may sometimes be influenced by<br />
other genetics; indeterminate.<br />
Widefin—a very obvious trait that may express on a continuum; genetics indeterminate.<br />
Threadfin—multiple extensions on dorsal, anal, and caudal fins; genetics indeterminate.<br />
Snakeskin—a subtle trait at this time; genetics indeterminate.<br />
Glitter—genetics indeterminate, seen in both wild and captive lines;<br />
may interact with or be related to Snakeskin.<br />
Bulgarian Green—thought recessive at new locus, (bg) being used<br />
in discussions; genetics under investigation.<br />
Lost Mutations genetic traits assumed extinct,<br />
but could re-emerge or be rediscovered.<br />
Naja Gold—recessive<br />
Hong Kong Gold—recessive<br />
F2, 50% Manacapuru Angelfish with their first spawn.<br />
The female is a Blue Ghost (S/+ - p/+ - pb/pb); the male<br />
Ghost (front) has either one or two pb genes as well.<br />
AMAZONAS 55
AMAZONAS<br />
56<br />
Slavkov’s Bulgarian<br />
Green Gene<br />
Bulgarian Seal Point<br />
Pearlscale at left (D/<br />
Gm - S/+ - p/p - bg/<br />
bg), and Bulgarian<br />
Seal Point (D/Gm -<br />
S/+ - bg/bg)<br />
which was initially brought to the breeding community by Hawaiian breeder Neil Oyama. What’s<br />
exciting is the notion that this could be the genesis of body patterning akin to what can be seen<br />
now in discus. Carol Francis’s pursuit of the expansion of this Snakeskin trait has many breeders<br />
curious—the trait certainly seems to be hereditable. There is also a growing suspicion that Glitter<br />
and Snakeskin have some sort of genetic relationship, although Francis dismisses this notion.<br />
The next big gene?<br />
Perhaps the most interesting new development is the emergence of what some are calling a new<br />
mutation, currently termed the Bulgarian Green (bg) gene. This potentially unique mutation was<br />
discovered by Raiko and Ilia Slavkov, proprietors of Malavi in Bulgaria, in a phenotype that has been<br />
dubbed the Bulgarian Seal Point. Many questions have arisen. Is it really something new? Is Bulgarian<br />
Green recessive? Is it on a new locus? Or is it a new allele on the highly complex Dark locus?<br />
Raiko is convinced that what they’ve found is a previously undiscovered recessive gene, exposed<br />
through 10 years of inbreeding with Dark Gold Marble (D/Gm) and Hybrid Dark (D/g)<br />
lineages. Assuming that our current understanding of the Dark locus and Gold Marble allele<br />
is correct, the Slavkovs performed a test cross of a Blushing Bulgarian Seal Point to a wild-type<br />
angelfish. The results revealed offspring that had either the Dark allele or the Gold Marble allele,<br />
both of which are thought to occupy the Dark locus. Since the Silver angelfish would have<br />
neither, the conclusion is that the Blushing Bulgarian Seal Point parent is contributing either a<br />
Dark allele or a Gold Marble allele to the offspring of this test cross. Raiko explains, “It is not<br />
possible to have a third gene in this locus.” In other words, the allele that drives the Bulgarian<br />
Seal Point cannot be on the Dark locus.<br />
Raiko states that “the crosses I’ve made showed that Bulgarian Green is a new recessive gene<br />
in a new locus. The effect is that the new gene hides the black color in the body area (stripes,<br />
spots, or completely black body) [in] the phenotypes we know. The black color in the area of the<br />
fins does not change.”<br />
It has taken a couple of years of breeding, with the capacity of a hatchery, for Raiko to come<br />
to these conclusions. It will take hard data provided to the Angelfish Society for the Bulgarian<br />
Green gene to be added to the genetic canon. Even if the Slavkovs don’t furnish such data,<br />
someone else might. There is a possibility that Bulgarian Green will be the next big gene making<br />
COURTESTY RAIKO SLAVKOV/MALAVI
its way into the tanks of angelfish breeders; the Slavkovs<br />
report that they are selling their angelfish “on the local<br />
market,” so there is “no risk of losing the gene.”<br />
A new mutation like Bulgarian Green always starts as<br />
a mystery. It is the diligent breeder or amateur scientist<br />
who may be able to figure it out and further our understanding<br />
of designer angelfishes.<br />
The benefits of genetic transparency<br />
In my opinion, the standardization and open nature<br />
of angelfish genetics has leveled the playing field. Since<br />
anyone can truly remake a Koi or Platinum angelfish, the<br />
emphasis in breeding shifts toward producing a better Koi<br />
or a better Platinum, or focusing on conservationoriented<br />
breeding to maintain<br />
domestic populations of various<br />
geographic races, or challenging<br />
sister species like Pterophyllum altum.<br />
In other words, breeders are forced<br />
to compete on the quality of their<br />
fishes, and that is a winning scenario<br />
for everyone. Knowing the genetics,<br />
breeders working with a particular<br />
phenotype can easily plan outcrosses<br />
back to wild fishes to strengthen<br />
their lines. This seems to result in<br />
improved conformation and has<br />
intrinsic benefits for overall genetic<br />
fitness. With the right selection of<br />
offspring, most phenotypes can be<br />
recreated in only one or two generations<br />
of sibling crosses. Of course,<br />
there are plenty of low-quality, massproduced<br />
angelfishes out there, but<br />
for the discerning retailer and the<br />
demanding enthusiast, finding a truly<br />
stunning fish isn’t that hard. Genetic<br />
transparency within the angelfish<br />
breeding community has raised the<br />
bar for everyone.<br />
Matt Pedersen is a 30-year veteran<br />
aquarist, 2009 MASNA Aquarist of the<br />
Year, and accomplished marine fish breeder.<br />
He is an associate publisher for Reef to<br />
Rainforest Media and a senior editor for<br />
AMAZONAS and CORAL magazines.<br />
Special thanks are extended to Carol Francis<br />
(<strong>Angels</strong> by Baskington), Raiko Slavkov<br />
(Malavi, Bulgaria), John Melograna<br />
(Mellow Aquatics), Frank O’Neill (Indianwood<br />
Angelfish), Lee Gordon (Angelmania),<br />
Tamar Stephens (The Angelfish<br />
Society), Ted Santos (House of Orange),<br />
David Labell (Angelfish USA), Steve Ry-<br />
bicki (<strong>Angels</strong> Plus), and Rob Wilden (The Aquatic Habitat, UK)<br />
for their collaboration and contributions to this article.<br />
LINKS<br />
TAS Repository of Dr. Norton’s original articles:<br />
http://www.theangelfishsociety.org/articles/norton/index.html<br />
TAS 2007 Phenotypes Library: http://www.theangelfishsociety.org/<br />
phenotype_library_2007/NewIndex.html<br />
Superior <strong>Angels</strong> Genetics Calculator: http://superiorangels.com/<br />
angelfishgeneticscalculator<br />
Finarama’s Genetics Section: http://www.finarama.com/genetics/<br />
Raiko Slavkov’s test mating that disproved the “Dark Locus” theory for<br />
the Bulgarian Green allele: http://angelfish.net/VBulletin/showpost.<br />
php?p=266304&postcount=231<br />
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AMAZONAS 57
FISHKEEPING BASICS<br />
Common health problems<br />
in Corydoradine catfishes<br />
The Corydoras sp. C007 “Missiones”<br />
pictured at right with red blotches, after<br />
successful treatment.
Top right: C. sp.<br />
C007 “Missiones”<br />
showing the red<br />
blotches within<br />
two hours of the<br />
appearance of small<br />
red spots. Once this<br />
condition takes hold<br />
it spreads rapidly, and<br />
the whole body of the<br />
fish turns red.<br />
Bottom right: C. sp.<br />
C007 “Missiones”.<br />
After another hour<br />
the red area has<br />
doubled in size; at<br />
this point the fish has<br />
only a slim chance of<br />
survival.<br />
How many of you have purchased a group of<br />
new, long-sought-after corys, only to find that they have all died in the bag on the<br />
way home? I can assure you it is an unforgettable experience.<br />
This scenario has been known for quite a long time, and I first<br />
became aware of the problem more than 20 years ago after losing<br />
a group of newly purchased Corydoras trilineatus (Three-Lined<br />
Cory). All of them were dead when I got home. At the time I<br />
just thought that the fishes I had purchased were of poor quality,<br />
even though they had actually looked very good in the shop. I<br />
subsequently contacted the store and the owner offered to replace<br />
them, so I returned, taking the fishes with me. We were both at<br />
a loss as to what had happened—the rest of the stock in the shop<br />
looked in perfect condition.<br />
The replacement fish were duly packed and the bag placed on<br />
the counter while we talked about other fishy things. Suddenly, the<br />
shop owner saw one of the fish roll over in the bag, followed quickly<br />
by a second. We immediately opened the bag and instinctively put<br />
all the fishes in a container of fresh, clean water from their original<br />
AMAZONAS 59
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stock tank. Within a few minutes they were all looking just fine, showing no<br />
sign of any further problems. All made the trip home without any recurrence of<br />
the problem.<br />
Self-poisoning<br />
So why does this happen? Well, from my observations over the years I have<br />
discovered that many, if not all, catfishes of the subfamily Corydoradinae<br />
(Aspidoras, Brochis, Corydoras, and Scleromystax) release toxins when under<br />
extreme stress. At first it was not known from where or how the toxins were<br />
released. It was only several years after my original encounter with the problem<br />
that I first noticed a mucus-like substance being exuded by a Corydoras<br />
under stress—in this case, from under the base of the left-hand gill plate. The<br />
fish releasing the mucus was the female of a pair of Corydoras sterbai (Sterba’s<br />
Cory) that were being exhibited at the Catfish Study Group Open Show in<br />
Wigan, England, in 2002. I immediately took a photo (reproduced at left),<br />
and this is the only photographic record of this phenomenon that I am aware<br />
of. In this particular case, the water in the show tank was replaced, and the<br />
fish quickly made a full recovery and went on to win its class.<br />
The strength of the substance seems to vary according to the species, with<br />
Corydoras trilineatus apparently being the most toxic. The term “poor travelers”<br />
was frequently applied to several species before the phenomenon now<br />
known as self-poisoning was understood.<br />
I believe this behavior to be a natural defensive mechanism that is probably<br />
present in many other genera of fishes, and not just the Corydoradinae.<br />
I suspect it is primarily a defense against predation, with the toxin being<br />
released when the fish is grabbed by a larger predator, an attempt to cause the<br />
latter to release its grip and affording the prey a chance to escape.<br />
How does this theory translate into hobby terms? The aquarist represents<br />
the predator, catching the cory in a net and putting it into a bag or small<br />
container. The fish is, of course, put under stress and instinctively releases its<br />
toxic fluid. Here we deviate from the predator/prey situation because, although<br />
the cory has been released from the net, it is still under stress and in a<br />
state of shock; in the wild it could simply swim away in the copious toxin-free<br />
water of its native river, but in a plastic bag or show tank it cannot escape<br />
from the poisonous fluid it has released. As a result, in a very short space of<br />
time the fish starts to be affected by the poison that has now fully dispersed<br />
into the water. The cory appears to stop breathing, and the fish is dead within<br />
a few minutes.<br />
This problem can and does happen whenever we transport corys, be they<br />
new fishes from a shop, a group of young you are taking to a friend or a shop<br />
to sell, or even specimen fishes you wish to exhibit at a show. The first indication<br />
of the existence of a problem is small bubbles forming at the edge of<br />
the water’s surface in the bag or other container; the fishes may be breathing<br />
rapidly, although usually the opposite is the case—their breathing slows down<br />
or even stops altogether.<br />
Mucus being released from<br />
the gills of a female Corydoras s<br />
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AMAZONAS 61
AMAZONAS<br />
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Avoiding trouble<br />
As long as you follow a few basic procedures, it is quite a<br />
simple matter to avoid losing corys through self-poisoning.<br />
Before catching your fishes, take enough water for<br />
transportation from their tank and put it into the bag or<br />
container to be used. Then fill another, larger container<br />
with water from the cory tank, catch the fishes, and put<br />
them into this second container. Next, disturb them<br />
several times over the next few minutes—this can be done<br />
simply by chasing them with a small net, enough to make<br />
them skittish but not enough to cause them to panic and<br />
try to jump out. This should create enough stress to cause<br />
them to release their toxins. The fishes should then be removed<br />
from the second, larger container and placed in the<br />
smaller transportation container; you can then discard the<br />
water from the second container. You will probably notice<br />
that this waste water has a slightly pungent smell.<br />
A further tip (and one that might elicit a comment<br />
or two from the animal rights fraternity) is that when<br />
buying corys, you should try to ensure that they are<br />
stressed enough by the person catching them to make<br />
them release their toxins before they are put into a bag or<br />
other transport container. Sometimes the inexperienced<br />
shop assistant is the best person to catch your new corys,<br />
mainly because he or she will tend to chase them around<br />
a little more than an experienced person.<br />
I know I am repeating myself, but it is important to<br />
spot the first signs of a potential problem, which is small<br />
bubbles forming around the edge of the water surface; the<br />
water may also start to take on a yellowish tinge and begin<br />
to go cloudy. Quick action is required: you must re-bag the<br />
fish in new, clean water. Most, if not all, aquatic shops will<br />
gladly re-bag fish if you think there is a problem, and you<br />
could even ask for some extra water in an empty container<br />
(taken from the tank before the fishes are caught) and<br />
spare bags, in case re-packing is required halfway home.<br />
The species I have found to be most susceptible to<br />
self-poisoning are C. adolfoi, C. arcuatus, C. melini, C.<br />
metae, C. panda, C. rabauti, C. sterbai, and C. trilineatus.<br />
However, care should be taken with all Corydoras species.<br />
Red Blotch Disease<br />
Another phenomenon that appears to be prevalent only<br />
in armored catfishes, and particularly in corydoradine<br />
species, is commonly known as “Red Blotch Disease.”<br />
Very little is known about its cause, although it is almost<br />
certainly related to water quality. This condition, too,<br />
can manifest in the confines of a transportation bag,<br />
especially if the water put into the bag is of poor quality<br />
or comes from a source other than the tank in which the<br />
fishes were kept.<br />
The first signs to appear are small red spots on the<br />
body scutes; these are actually small skin hemorrhages<br />
that are showing through from beneath the scutes. These
can, and will, rapidly expand to form large red patches<br />
(see the photos at the beginning of this article), and if<br />
the condition is not treated quickly the fish will die.<br />
The condition is not infectious or contagious, and<br />
tankmates will develop it only as a result of the prevailing<br />
water conditions that affected the first (probably the<br />
weakest) fish.<br />
If treated as soon as it appears this condition can be<br />
halted. First, completely change the water. If the problem<br />
occurs in the transportation bag, it may be too late to do<br />
anything, but if it is spotted partway through a journey,<br />
even changing some of the water for non-carbonated<br />
bottled drinking water will give the fish a fighting<br />
chance. If you first notice an affected fish in an aquarium,<br />
the remedy would be a very large water change—at<br />
least 60 percent.<br />
The next step is to check for anything that could have<br />
caused pollution, such as a blocked or clogged filter or<br />
an unnoticed dead fish, which was the cause of the worst<br />
outbreak I have ever seen. This took place in a 24-gallon<br />
(90-L) community stock tank; a pair of Ancistrus tamboensis<br />
wedged themselves into a small ceramic pipe,<br />
could not get out again, and died. Because they looked like<br />
they were in a mating embrace, I did not realize they were<br />
stuck or that they had died. The ensuing pollution caused<br />
a very rapid decline in water quality, and about half of the<br />
corys in the tank developed red blotches and died.<br />
I immediately did a large water change of around 80<br />
percent (19 gallons/72 L). Once the tank had been refilled<br />
it was treated with a full dose of Melafix from API. This<br />
botanical product is intended for the treatment of open<br />
wounds and abrasions, as well as fin and tail rot, and is<br />
the only medication I know that helps with Red Blotch<br />
Disease. At first Melafix causes coarse foaming (large<br />
bubbles) at the surface—the addition of two airstones will<br />
create good water movement and help to keep the surface<br />
moving. This is essential to ensure maximum oxygenation,<br />
especially if the problem has arisen in a mixed community<br />
tank that has surface-dwelling species. After 24 hours<br />
the foaming will have completely ceased. At this point<br />
I changed another 30 percent of the water and added<br />
another half dose of Melafix. All the affected fishes were<br />
totally clear of the red blotch condition after 48 hours. The<br />
photo on page 60 shows the previously pictured fish with<br />
red blotches, after successful treatment.<br />
Parasites<br />
Apart from the conditions discussed above, the main ailments<br />
that seriously affect corydoradine catfishes are parasites.<br />
Flukes and intestinal worms occur most often, and<br />
as a general precaution all newly imported wild fishes<br />
should be treated to prevent future problems. If left to<br />
their own devices, some parasites will become established<br />
in an aquarium, though it may be several months after<br />
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their introduction before they become a real problem.<br />
A typical sign of external parasites (such as flukes) in<br />
corydoradine catfishes is flicking and/or rubbing against<br />
solid objects, similar to the response to Ich (White Spot,<br />
or Ichthyophthiriasis). Inflamed gills and rapid breathing<br />
can also indicate that gill flukes are present. There<br />
are numerous commercial treatments on the market designed<br />
to eradicate these pests, and your aquarium dealer<br />
can advise you. There are also several DIY treatments, including<br />
potassium permanganate, which can be administered<br />
in a hospital or quarantine tank. The recommended<br />
dose is 10 ml/L. The purple color is a little off-putting,<br />
but the treatment is very effective. Biological filters are<br />
badly affected by potassium permanganate, however,<br />
so it is advisable to remove them during treatment. Salt<br />
(sodium chloride, NaCl) also works well against flukes,<br />
but rather than using a low dose over an extended period<br />
in the community tank, as is often recommended (which<br />
means repeated water changes to remove it after treatment),<br />
I much prefer to give the fishes a short-duration<br />
dip in a small hospital tank with a concentrated solution<br />
of 30 g/L. The dip should last for up to 15 minutes, or be<br />
terminated if the fishes appear to be in distress.<br />
Indications that intestinal worms are present vary<br />
depending on the parasite species, and there may be no<br />
signs at all. The usual sign of Camallanus (a genus of<br />
parasitic nematode worms) is red, thread-like worms<br />
protruding from the anus. With other species it may be<br />
demonstrable that a fish has a worm infection only on<br />
dissection. Symptoms indicating the possible presence<br />
of worms are weight loss or abdominal swelling due to<br />
intestinal blockage, and the latter will almost certainly<br />
result in the death of the fish.<br />
There are several commercial worm treatments on the<br />
aquatic market, most of them derived from treatments<br />
used for worms in mammals. Levamisole is a prime<br />
ingredient in pig and sheep wormers; it is very effective<br />
and a main ingredient in many commercial branded<br />
treatments. Camallanus worms can be eliminated using<br />
fenbendazole, levamisole, and praziquantel, available as<br />
branded treatments. Your aquarium dealer or veterinarian<br />
can advise you if necessary.<br />
Because internal parasites are so difficult to detect,<br />
you can never be sure the fish you have just purchased is<br />
not harboring such “passengers.” My advice is always to<br />
treat newly imported fishes, especially wild specimens, as<br />
a preventative measure during the quarantine period.<br />
Don’t panic!<br />
Although all this may sound alarming, corydoradine catfishes<br />
are generally less disease-prone than a lot of aquarium<br />
fishes, and many aquarists never experience any<br />
health problems with them at all. However, prevention is<br />
invariably better than cure, so the sensible fishkeeper will<br />
always try to be aware of what may go wrong so he can<br />
avoid problems or nip them in the proverbial bud.
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FISH ROOM TOUR<br />
article and images by Walter Hilgner Many aquarists dream of turning their hobbies<br />
into careers, and many have fallen on their faces trying. Here Walter Hilgner, one of those<br />
who have succeeded, explains how he got there and how he breeds a number of species.<br />
Serious Fishrooms<br />
Breeding aquarium fishes for the wholesale trade<br />
Part of the<br />
rearing unit<br />
at Aquarium<br />
Dietzenbach.<br />
On the right<br />
are large<br />
breeding<br />
tanks for<br />
cichlids and<br />
Synodontis,<br />
on the left<br />
the rearing<br />
unit for<br />
rainbowfishes,<br />
Sturisoma,<br />
and others.<br />
I started out in the aquarium hobby as a boy<br />
at the beginning of the 1970s, with Melanochromis<br />
auratus, Pseudotropheus johannii (still<br />
known as Pseudotropheus daviesi in those days),<br />
Pelvicachromis pulcher (Kribs), and Steatocranus<br />
casuarius (Blockheads). Three aquariums became<br />
six, then ten, then more and more. There are no<br />
rehab clinics for this type of addiction.<br />
In 1984 I reached my goal at last. My business<br />
was registered and my garage and cellar were<br />
stuffed full of aquariums (total volume: 4,000<br />
gallons/15,000 L). As my water was hard and<br />
alkaline (general hardness 21°dGH, pH 8.5), I<br />
bred mainly East African cichlids, which I sold to<br />
aquarists and aquarium dealers, so I had constant<br />
contact with people who shared my interest. But<br />
times change! Today’s aquarists prefer large markets<br />
and avoid cellar dealers, so I had to start selling<br />
my tank-bred fishes to the wholesale trade.<br />
The move to the wholesale trade<br />
Aquarium Dietzenbach, in the Rhein-Main area<br />
of Germany, wanted to establish their own fishbreeding<br />
unit. After two minutes of none-toodelicate<br />
haggling with the owner, Herbert Nigl, it<br />
was all settled, and I moved in as a tenant (such<br />
things are possible when you’re hooked on breeding).<br />
I brought my own stock and tank-breds to<br />
the new premises and expanded my range considerably.<br />
In addition to rare livebearers, Synodontis,
Sturisoma, gobies, killifishes, and other newly<br />
imported fishes, I was able to obtain practically<br />
anything and set up to breed it—paradise<br />
indeed.<br />
But what is the point of breeding aquarium<br />
fishes in the wholesale trade? Uninteresting<br />
species aren’t bred in Asia for economic<br />
reasons. In the case of cichlids, some dealers<br />
sell only the attractive males. How can anyone<br />
become fascinated by our lovely hobby if<br />
he or she misses out on observing courtship<br />
and brood care? I believe it is important for<br />
the hobby to offer a large variety of species<br />
and not just the usual “bread and butter.” If<br />
rare aquarium fishes can be bred in adequate<br />
numbers in captivity, it is possible to dispense<br />
with collecting in the wild.<br />
It rapidly became clear to me how small<br />
my home aquarium setup had been. The<br />
scale on which I now operated was a lot<br />
more demanding. Jobs such as breeding live<br />
foods, reinvigorating breeding strains at the<br />
right time, recognizing diseases early on, and<br />
keeping filters functional took more time as<br />
the size of the breeding unit and the number<br />
of fish species increased.<br />
The aquarium fishes from the East African<br />
lakes are very robust, not very susceptible<br />
to disease, and easy to breed. Problems can<br />
arise with more disease-prone species. The<br />
constant arrival of new fishes is accompanied<br />
by a fresh supply of pathogens. It is very<br />
difficult to perfectly isolate the breeding and<br />
rearing areas from the newly imported fishes.<br />
Water maintenance, varied feeding, and<br />
regular monitoring of water parameters are<br />
essential.<br />
Food must also be provided for the numerous<br />
different fish species. Artemia is easy.<br />
My hatching containers hold up to 5.25<br />
gallons (20 L) of water, so there are always<br />
sufficient brine shrimp available. Plankton<br />
is a more difficult affair. The cultures must<br />
be constantly tended in order to be able<br />
to feed rotifers regularly. I feed them with<br />
condensed milk. I monitor the population<br />
density of the unicellular organisms daily<br />
with the microscope. Powdered and flake foods and various<br />
sizes of granulate are used in accordance with the<br />
species and size of the fishes.<br />
Here are some of the species I breed and their peculiarities:<br />
Synodontis and Aulonocara<br />
For organizational reasons, our aquarium units are numbered.<br />
Our Unit 5A, consisting of 90 large and 115 small<br />
Above: This<br />
incubator unit in<br />
the laboratory is<br />
used to hatch the<br />
eggs of species<br />
that don’t practice<br />
brood care. The<br />
eggs are placed<br />
in the tubes, and<br />
water is circulated<br />
via a UV unit to<br />
keep them in<br />
constant motion.<br />
Hatched larvae<br />
rise to the top and<br />
are washed into<br />
the rearing tanks,<br />
where they stay<br />
until their yolk sacs<br />
are exhausted.<br />
Right: This block of<br />
small aquariums is<br />
used for breeding<br />
Lake Tanganyika<br />
cichlids. The fishes<br />
are kept in pairs.<br />
tanks with centralized particulate and nitrate filtration,<br />
houses predominantly East African cichlids, Synodontis,<br />
and Sturisoma.<br />
When breeding Synodontis lucipinnis (often incorrectly<br />
known as Synodontis petricola “Dwarf” (S. petricola<br />
grows larger and has large spots on the head, while S.<br />
lucipinnis has smaller spots) and S. polli, we use two-part,<br />
closed-ended plastic pipes with a diameter of 6 inches<br />
(15 cm) as breeding caves. In the upper half there is an<br />
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68<br />
A female Aulonocara jacobfreibergi has spat out her brood<br />
during transfer. Along with her own young there are a<br />
number of much larger Cuckoo Catfish fry.<br />
opening 1.5 inches (4 cm) across. Because these catfishes<br />
are fond of eating their own eggs, the lower half of the<br />
pipe is removable and separated from the upper by a<br />
piece of mesh. The strongest male occupies the breeding<br />
cave and the females constantly try to follow the displaying<br />
male into the opening in the pipe.<br />
As early as the second day, there are eggs in the lower<br />
half. The spawn is removed and placed in a rearing tank.<br />
The larvae hatch after just 24 hours. As soon as the yolk<br />
sacs are exhausted I feed them with Artemia nauplii. The<br />
young fishes change color several times before they are<br />
full grown.<br />
The unique mode of reproduction in Synodontis<br />
multipunctata makes this upside-down catfish extremely<br />
interesting and has earned it the trade name of “Cuckoo<br />
Catfish”, as it insinuates its eggs into the clutches of<br />
spawning mouthbrooders. The eggs are around 1 mm<br />
across and orange-yellow in color. The larvae develop more<br />
rapidly than those of the mouthbrooders, whose eggs and<br />
larvae serve the little catfish as food. Artificial hatching<br />
of Synodontis multipunctata appears to be impossible<br />
because of their mode of feeding during their first days<br />
of life. We breed the Cuckoo Catfish together with the<br />
Malawi Butterfly, Aulonocara jacobfreibergi, and species<br />
of the genus Protomelas. After around 14 days the female<br />
releases up to 15 little catfishes from her mouth instead of<br />
The Cuckoo Catfish, Synodontis<br />
multipunctata, spawns in the same<br />
pit as mouthbrooding cichlids, so the<br />
eggs find their way into the female<br />
cichlid’s mouth, where they are<br />
brooded to term.<br />
A young Synodontis multipunctata<br />
swallowing an Aulonocara larva.<br />
The little Cuckoo Catfishes are real<br />
brood parasites, and will consume<br />
the entire cichlid brood in the<br />
mouth of their mother before they<br />
have used up their yolk sacs.<br />
her own brood. To our annoyance, the mouthbrooders stop<br />
spawning after a while and a new breeding group has to be<br />
put together.<br />
The little Synodontis multipunctata are feeding machines.<br />
By the age of three weeks the little “parasites”<br />
attain a length of .75 inch (2 cm). Within two months<br />
they are already 2 inches (5 cm) long.<br />
The mouthbrooding Aulonocara and Protomelas are<br />
maintained in groups of four or five males and around 20<br />
females. A cultivated form known in the trade as Aulonocara<br />
jacobfreibergi “Eureka”, in which the red color is<br />
The Synodontis egg<br />
traps described in<br />
the text.
Above: The little Synodontis multipunctata grow on very quickly.<br />
Right, top: Synodontis lucipinnis (False Cuckoo Catfish), better<br />
known as Synodontis petricola “Dwarf”, is bred in large numbers<br />
using the egg traps.<br />
Right: A young Synodontis polli bred at our facility.<br />
Below: A breeding pair of Aulonocara jacobfreibergi “Eureka”.<br />
We keep a large group of these mouthbrooders together with<br />
Synodontis multipunctata, the Cuckoo Catfish, which insinuates its<br />
eggs into the clutches of the cichlids.<br />
particularly well expressed, is widespread in the aquarium<br />
hobby. Even the albino form exhibits a lot of red. The skyblue<br />
dorsal fin contrasts attractively with the red.<br />
Like the majority of Lake Malawi cichlids, Aulonocara<br />
jacobfreibergi is a mouthbrooder. The development time<br />
from spawning to leaving the mouth is three weeks. Larvae<br />
that are released too early are placed in an incubator, in<br />
which they are kept constantly in motion. Depending on<br />
the size of the female, 20–50 fry per brood can be expected.<br />
Neolamprologus spp.<br />
Our Unit 5B consists of 48 small aquariums housing<br />
shell-dwelling cichlids and other pair-forming cichlids.<br />
Neolamprologus leleupi displays marked intraspecific<br />
aggression. Trying to make a random pair usually ends<br />
in the death of the female. It is wise to raise a group of<br />
around 12 individuals together and feed them heavily<br />
with a varied diet. When a female has filled with eggs<br />
and is seen quivering in front of a large male, I put them<br />
both in a separate breeding tank. As a rule the pair spawn<br />
on the ceiling of a cave (for example, a coconut shell)<br />
during the next few days.<br />
The larvae hatch on the third day and swim free after<br />
another 12 days. They are fed several times daily with Artemia<br />
nauplii. To achieve the ideal coloration, they should<br />
receive this food until they are .75 inch (2 cm)long.<br />
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70<br />
Pairs of shell-dwelling<br />
cichlids, like the attractive<br />
Neolamprologus calliurus,<br />
are placed in small<br />
aquariums to breed.<br />
To create breeding pairs of the shell-dwelling cichlid<br />
Neolamprologus brevis, I select a large and a small<br />
individual from a group of fish of the same age and place<br />
them in a separate aquarium. Typically the pair hit it off<br />
right away and occupy the snail shells provided without<br />
problems. It is advisable to use the shells of French edible<br />
snails (escargots). The female always swims in first,<br />
then the male follows. The belly of the female becomes<br />
marbled yellow prior to spawning.<br />
It is difficult to establish the precise moment of<br />
spawning. The mother fish rarely leaves the shell. To see<br />
We use these clay pipes for breeding small<br />
cave-spawners that practice brood care.<br />
See opposite page, bottom.<br />
the developmental stage of the eggs you can carefully<br />
hold the shell up to the light, first making sure it is full<br />
of water. You will see either the eggs attached to the shell<br />
wall or the free-swimming fry.<br />
Rearing to saleable size takes place in Units 1 and 2,<br />
each containing 60 aquariums with a volume of 80 gallons<br />
(300 L) apiece.<br />
Pseudomugil gertrudae<br />
My breeding stock of Spotted Blue-Eyes, Pseudomugil<br />
gertrudae, are the local variant Aru II, from the Indonesian<br />
Aru Islands south of New Guinea. In<br />
April 2009 we obtained 30 specimens about<br />
1.25 inches (3 cm) long. They were fed with<br />
Artemia nauplii and Cyclops.<br />
I began the first breeding attempts after<br />
three weeks, placing a wool spawning mop<br />
in the aquarium and weighing it down with<br />
a stone. After eight days I removed the mop.<br />
On examining the strands I discovered shiny<br />
eggs, 1 mm across, everywhere. The next<br />
day I discovered the first 3-mm-long youngster.<br />
More little P. gertrudae appeared every<br />
day. The hatch didn’t end after eight days,<br />
as expected, but continued for a few days<br />
longer. With this peaceful aquarium fish, the<br />
difference in size resulting from the different<br />
hatching times doesn’t matter. I feed the fry
with infusorians and Artemia nauplii.<br />
After two months some of the young have attained a<br />
size of .75 inch (2 cm) and the males are already developing<br />
their splendid finnage.<br />
Fundulopanchax gardneri<br />
I keep the sexes of our Fundulopanchax gardneri separated.<br />
There are four adjacent, shallow aquariums, one for<br />
The Peacock Gudgeon,<br />
Tateurndina ocellicauda, is<br />
bred regularly.<br />
Neolamprologus pulcher “Daffodil”<br />
is one of the Lake Tanganyika<br />
cichlids that we breed regularly. The<br />
photo shows a pair with tiny fry.<br />
males and three others holding 10 to 12 females apiece.<br />
The fishes are fed heavily for two weeks in order to condition<br />
them for breeding. Thereafter I fill the aquariums<br />
occupied by the females with a layer of boiled peat granules,<br />
1.25–1.5 (3–4 cm) thick, and add the males. They<br />
are fed with live glassworms so that no leftover food can<br />
accumulate in the spawning substrate.<br />
Ten days after the start of the breeding attempt I<br />
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Above: Pseudomugil gertrudae, the Spotted Blue-Eye from the Aru<br />
Islands south of Papua New Guinea, is bred in large numbers.<br />
Left: For breeding killifishes, rainbowfishes, and blue-eyes we use<br />
spawning mops made of artificial wool, which are transferred to the<br />
rearing unit when sufficient eggs have been laid.<br />
remove the peat, put it in a fine-meshed net, and squeeze<br />
out the water with my hands. I then put the still slightly<br />
damp peat into a plastic bag and store it at around 77°F<br />
(25°C), affixing a label detailing the contents and the<br />
date of removal. After three weeks have elapsed the peat<br />
is placed in a rearing tank filled with aquarium water.<br />
After just an hour the first fry swim free. During their<br />
first days of life they are fed with infusorians and Artemia<br />
nauplii. Once they are .75 inch (2 cm) long, they can eat<br />
coarser frozen foods as well. Frequent feeding will ensure<br />
continuous growth.<br />
The aquarists of tomorrow<br />
During seminars to educate staff in the pet trade, and<br />
based on comments made by groups of visitors, we have<br />
noticed that the breeding of ornamental fishes and<br />
reptiles helps create increased interest. That led us to the<br />
idea of inviting school classes to our facility. We divide
Top: We also breed rare livebearers. Here<br />
a female Micropoecilia picta (Swamp<br />
Guppy) is seen giving birth.<br />
Middle: Classic barbs like these Puntius<br />
nigrofasciatus (Black Ruby Barb) are part<br />
of our permanent stock and are bred in<br />
large numbers.<br />
Bottom: Sturisoma festivum (Long-<br />
Fin Royal Farlowella) has been bred<br />
successfully for years. The species is rarely<br />
imported now, so we rely on captive-bred<br />
stock.<br />
the children into two groups and<br />
show them our reptile and ornamental<br />
fish breeding units alternately.<br />
Wool mops full of Melanotaenia<br />
eggs, freshly removed Synodontis<br />
spawn, a Neolamprologus leleupi male<br />
aggressively defending his breeding<br />
cave against a person’s finger—all<br />
these things are fascinating, even to<br />
the non-aquarist. In our reptile unit<br />
the children can hold snakes, look at<br />
the eggs of reptiles, and admire numerous<br />
color variants of geckos. The<br />
object is to show the youngsters that<br />
there are interesting things other<br />
than TVs and computers. In this way<br />
we hope to gain young people for our<br />
hobby, so that it doesn’t go the same<br />
way as stamp-collecting.<br />
For years now we have been demonstrating<br />
that the indoor breeding<br />
of ornamental fishes for the wholesale<br />
trade is economically viable in<br />
a “developed” country, despite the<br />
challenges and potential losses to<br />
disease. It can be done—but only by<br />
motivated personnel who carry out<br />
their work with passion and discipline<br />
and don’t put down their tools<br />
on the dot of 5:00.<br />
Selling our own tank-breds and<br />
hearing the praise of retailers are our<br />
reward. By breeding our own stock<br />
we are making a contribution to<br />
preserving variety in the aquarium<br />
hobby and educating more people.<br />
The aquarists of the future shouldn’t<br />
have to watch fishes swimming<br />
across the screen on YouTube; they<br />
should be able to observe the real<br />
thing in the aquarium.<br />
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HUSBANDRY<br />
& BREEDING<br />
With flashes of brilliant color,<br />
A new blue-eye is here!<br />
Male Pseudomugil<br />
cf. paskai “Red<br />
Neon” in typical<br />
coloration.<br />
We had searched in vain for Pseudomugil paskai during a trip to the south of the Indonesian<br />
province of West Papua. But the description of the putative locality in the<br />
drainage of the inaccessible Kopi River was enough for our guide back then, and he<br />
tracked down a species new to the aquarium hobby. Could this be the real blue-eye<br />
species Pseudomugil paskai? article and images by Hans-Georg Evers<br />
Only a few months after our return from New Guinea, photos of a little fish appeared under<br />
the name Pseudomugil sp. “Red Neon”, initially in Thailand. These strikingly attractive fish were<br />
very expensive and in the beginning, there were probably only males for sale. There were all sorts<br />
of exciting stories about their origin, and they were even said to be a cultivated form created by<br />
humans. Slowly but surely, it became clear that the fish came from an intermediary dealer in<br />
Jakarta, and before long the first females arrived as well.<br />
I obtained my specimens from my friend Jeffrey Christian at Maju Aquarium in Cibinong,<br />
on Java. He had acquired them from Aquarium Dietzenbach, whose proprietor was resolutely<br />
keeping their provenance to himself. But species such as Melanotaenia ogilbyi and Pseudomugil<br />
pellucidus also suddenly turned up on his list. This was a clear indication that the fisherman that<br />
Jeffrey, our friend Mikael Hakånson, and I had instructed in Timika during the tour we made<br />
together had collected the species we had discovered, as well as a new blue-eye in the drainage of<br />
the Kopi River, and sold them to Jeffrey’s competitor. Fishing in that area, which was close to a<br />
large gold mine, was forbidden to Europeans, but as a local this fisherman could do as he pleased<br />
there. Strangely, he didn’t offer the fish to Jeffrey but to his competitor. Unfortunately, this type<br />
of thing is quite normal in Indonesia; loyalty seems to counts for nothing, at least when rare<br />
fishes are involved.<br />
Miracles of color<br />
Hardly had I introduced my first 20 individuals into a planted aquarium with a bottom area<br />
measuring 20 inches square (50 x 50 cm) than the party began. The brilliant coloration of the<br />
males came as a real surprise. They swim close to the water’s surface and their backs gleam neon<br />
blue as they reflect the light falling on them. The body and the fins are colored deep orange. The<br />
LEFT: FAM. NORMANN; OPPOSITE PAGE; I. SEIDEL
tips of the caudal fin are white, while those of the pectoral fins are white or orange,<br />
depending on the individual. The unpaired fins of males are sprinkled with little<br />
black dots.<br />
The females are rather plain in appearance, with a bit of orange at the bases of<br />
the fins, some neon blue on the back, and brilliant blue eyes. The previously familiar<br />
illustrations of Pseudomugil paskai are highly reminiscent of the new fish, but those<br />
in Allen et al. (2000 and 2008) show more faintly colored fish. Are we dealing with<br />
a new species or merely a new color form of Pseudomugil paskai? Until the matter is<br />
eventually resolved, I suggest the name Pseudomugil cf. paskai “Red Neon”, so as to<br />
include the name used in the trade.<br />
Colorful dancers<br />
If the males are in territorial mood, which they tend to be after water changes or<br />
a change of tank, when they encounter one another they spread all their fins and<br />
dance around the aquarium in parallel position. This display establishes the order<br />
of rank within a group, and the winners take possession of the best spawning<br />
Females are less<br />
splendidly colored and<br />
have shorter fins. The eyes<br />
are still a glorious blue.<br />
When two males meet,<br />
the owner of the territory<br />
demonstrates his claim<br />
by spreading his fins.<br />
These males’ pectoral<br />
fins are tipped with white.<br />
The photos on the next<br />
two pages show the<br />
progession of behaviors<br />
during this encounter.<br />
AMAZONAS 75
AMAZONAS<br />
76<br />
Above, left to right: If<br />
the opponent doesn’t<br />
swim away, but spreads<br />
his fins, then the dance<br />
begins. Here a large<br />
old male is challenging<br />
a young tank-bred male<br />
with orange-tipped<br />
pectoral fins. The older<br />
these fishes get, the<br />
longer the first rays of<br />
the first dorsal fin grow.<br />
Adversaries typically<br />
carry the dorsal and<br />
ventral fins stiffly<br />
extended. Initially<br />
they remain at a short<br />
distance; as hostilities<br />
progress they come<br />
closer together and<br />
use laterally directed<br />
movements to send<br />
little waves of water<br />
toward each other.<br />
These two are near<br />
the end of their battle.<br />
They have come<br />
very close together<br />
and the younger fish<br />
(foreground) is about<br />
to give up. It is unclear<br />
why, but all disputes<br />
end in this way and the<br />
loser is not harmed.<br />
territories. Females swimming into these little territories are not courted by dancing, but<br />
approached from the front with gentle head nodding. If the female doesn’t swim away, the<br />
courting male turns next to her, quivering briefly. They swim beside each other in the direction<br />
of a spawning substrate—in my tanks this is a mop or a clump of Java Moss. This spawning<br />
procedure can be seen every day; the entire group is constantly ready to spawn if well fed.<br />
I collect the eggs regularly and incubate them in a bowl in shallow water. The eggs are around<br />
the same size as those of other small blue-eyes, such as Pseudomugil gertrudae—about 1.2 mm<br />
in diameter.<br />
Not at all difficult<br />
Unfortunately, not all the eggs developed in my tap water, which had a temperature of 77–<br />
80°F (25–27°C), a pH of 7.5, and an electrical conductivity of around 350 μS/cm. I assume<br />
that the species actually inhabits the swamps in the drainage of the Kopi, and thus lives in<br />
very soft black water with a low bacteria count. In the case of eggs transferred to 100 percent<br />
reverse-osmosis water, the larvae hatch after 10 to 12 days without problems. If I hatch them<br />
in bowls filled with tap water, I have to help at hatching time (Evers, 2011).<br />
I feed the adults daily with Artemia nauplii, live or frozen Cyclops and water fleas, and very<br />
occasionally with very high-protein granulate. The frequent feeding of such granulate and<br />
Artemia nauplii isn’t healthy for the fish. Like other small species of blue-eyes, the females, in<br />
particular, become misshapen and fat if their diet is too rich. Their bellies become distended<br />
and they must be put on a strict diet or you will lose them. Feeding them entirely on pond
foods appears to be just the ticket, and leads to healthy, very agile fish that spawn readily.<br />
Rearing the hatchlings is easy. In the first few days they will eat rotifers and Paramecium<br />
spp., and also take very finely powdered flake food from the water’s surface. After a few days<br />
they can manage freshly hatched Artemia nauplii. I have achieved the most rapid growth<br />
with sieved Cyclops and Diaptomus (copepod) nauplii, which are taken very readily. However,<br />
it goes without saying that there should be no stingers among the Cyclops to endanger the<br />
entire brood. If the eggs are collected regularly—I get up to 15 a day from my group of wildcaught<br />
fishes, but usually fewer, as they are probably also egg-robbers—you will soon have a<br />
considerable number of youngsters swimming around.<br />
I have now put together a large group of young fish, which have already started spawning<br />
at the age of four months. Other aquarists have accumulated an impressive number of young<br />
as well, so these splendid little fellows are safely established in the aquarium hobby and no<br />
further imports will be required. I wish these orange and blue flashes a successful aquarium<br />
career. They are extremely colorful, not the least bit shy, and not difficult to keep and breed.<br />
What more could we ask for?<br />
REFERENCES<br />
Allen, G.R., K.G. Hortle, and S.J. Renyaan. 2000. The Freshwater Fishes of Timika Region, New Guinea. Timika, Indonesia,<br />
and Roleystone, Western Australia: Tropical Reef Research.<br />
Allen, G.R., A.W. Storey, and M. Yarrao. 2008. Freshwater Fishes of the Fly River, Papua New Guinea. Tabubil: Ok Tedi<br />
Mining.<br />
Evers, H.-G. 2011. Schlupfhilfe. AMAZONAS 37, 7 (5): 11.<br />
Bottom, left to right:<br />
Freshly hatched fry<br />
remain near the<br />
water’s surface and<br />
immediately begin to<br />
feed. They have bright<br />
blue eyes from the<br />
start.<br />
This juvenile is around<br />
three weeks old and<br />
grew up in the adults’<br />
tank. It was the only<br />
survivor: apparently any<br />
smaller siblings that<br />
followed were eaten.<br />
In larger aquariums,<br />
however, it should be<br />
possible to rear lots<br />
of young without any<br />
major intervention.<br />
AMAZONAS 77
AMAZONAS<br />
78<br />
HUSBANDRY<br />
Chilatherina sentaniensis:<br />
Long sought, finally found<br />
In June 2011, at the annual general meeting of<br />
the IRG (Internationale Gesellschaft für Regenbogenfische/International<br />
Rainbowfish Association),<br />
one of our Czech members was selling<br />
Chilatherina sentaniensis in the auction. No<br />
sooner had I entered the room than I acquired<br />
two bags of them. The fishes were already a good<br />
size, and thoughts of breeding them had my eyes<br />
gleaming. The three days of the meeting flew by<br />
and we set off for home, accompanied by my<br />
friend Heinrich and his wife, who planned to<br />
travel on to the Baltic next day. Once we were<br />
back home, though, there were long faces after<br />
we unpacked the fish. Almost all of them had<br />
pop-eye.<br />
& BREEDING<br />
Chilatherina<br />
sentaniensis male, top,<br />
in full color appears to<br />
almost glow red from<br />
within. Females exhibit<br />
red only on the rear<br />
half of the body.<br />
by Thomas Hörning I had always wanted to keep Chilatherina sentaniensis. This beautiful<br />
red rainbowfish was originally described as Rhombatractus sentaniensis by Weber in 1908 and<br />
assigned to the genus Chilatherina by Regan in 1914. In the 1990s small numbers were imported<br />
frequently, but they were often confused with Chilatherina fasciata from Lake Sentani.<br />
Chilatherina sentaniensis<br />
are very agile swimmers<br />
that make frequent jerky<br />
movements.
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AMAZONAS 79
AMAZONAS<br />
80<br />
The next morning, though, we were<br />
greeted with a surprise. We saw gorgeous<br />
fish radiating bright red all over their<br />
bodies, with a hint of pink and bold black<br />
edgings to the fins. There was no longer<br />
any trace of pop-eye! Had it been the<br />
long period of transportation or the pure<br />
oxygen I had put in the bags at the meeting?<br />
We had no idea—the main thing<br />
was, they were healthy now. We both<br />
sat in front of the tank and celebrated<br />
like small children, despite our several<br />
decades together in the aquarium hobby.<br />
But were these fish really Chilatherina<br />
sentaniensis? In the past there had probably<br />
been confusion with Chilatherina<br />
fasciata from Lake Sentani (described in a<br />
report by Johannes Graf in the IRG journal<br />
in January 2010). So my neighbor<br />
Hans-Georg Evers took a few photos, one<br />
of which we sent to Graf for identification. He confirmed<br />
that we had the real thing. Now I was confident and<br />
content.<br />
After several days of optimal maintenance with lots<br />
of pond food, the first woolen spawning mop was suspended<br />
in the tank. Eight to ten days later around 70–80<br />
fry hatched. I was happy—the population was secured.<br />
The water parameters in the breeding tank were<br />
around 12°dGH, pH 7.3–7.5, temperature 77°F (25°C).<br />
For the first few days the fry were fed with a protein-rich<br />
powdered food and pond water, as it was impossible to<br />
sieve out foods as fine as the fry required. After around<br />
five to seven days, we began to feed them freshly hatched<br />
Artemia nauplii, followed by sieved water fleas and Cyclops<br />
(fresh-caught), chopped frozen food, and now and<br />
then granulate as well.<br />
I normally use rather large tanks for rearing right<br />
The species is peaceful. If two males meet they display<br />
briefly to one another, but there is no serious conflict.<br />
A group of juveniles<br />
around three months<br />
old. They don’t yet show<br />
any hint of the lovely<br />
coloration of their<br />
parents.<br />
from the start. Only thus do the young grow to an impressive<br />
size fairly quickly. In this case it was a 50-plusgallon<br />
(200-L) tank. The largest young were 1.5–2 inches<br />
(4–5 cm) long after four months. At this size some of<br />
them were starting to show a hint of pink or red on<br />
the body, especially after a water change. I was already<br />
dreaming of maintaining and observing a large shoal of<br />
these fish in my 238-gallon (900-L) aquarium.<br />
For the benefit of fans of sedately swimming fishes,<br />
it should be mentioned that Chilatherina generally swim<br />
around anything but sedately, and, indeed, sometimes<br />
rather chaotically. This could be termed an “unrounded”<br />
mode of swimming. By contrast, my Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi<br />
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AMAZONAS 81
AMAZONAS<br />
82<br />
From Thailand<br />
New Snakeheads<br />
In February 2009 it was rumored that a particularly<br />
colorful snakehead had arrived—our telephones hardly<br />
stopped ringing. The locality for this new species was the<br />
Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, near which AMAZONAS<br />
editor Hans-Georg Evers was staying at the time. He<br />
didn’t miss the chance to take a closer look and discovered<br />
a snakehead that appeared to remain small and<br />
looked similar to Channa gachua, but was markedly more<br />
splendid in its coloration.<br />
The bright red pigment beneath the eye in this snakehead,<br />
plus the ice-blue fin-rays, induced Evers and his<br />
colleagues, Kamphol Udomrhitthiruj and Neil Woodward,<br />
to devise the first common name for this fish: Channa sp.<br />
“Fire & Ice”. The name caught on and is now accepted in<br />
REPORTAGE<br />
Channa sp. “Fire & Ice”<br />
by Dominik Niemeier and Pascal Antler Many aquarists grow especially fond of certain<br />
fish groups as time goes on. In recent years we’ve seen the birth of a new group of fish<br />
fanatics, people dedicated to very strange fishes that used to be regarded as monsters—the<br />
snakeheads of the genus Channa. With interest in this genus increasing, a number of new<br />
forms and species, including the three discussed in this article, are now being imported.<br />
the Channa world. The fishes were found together with a<br />
batch of loaches (Schistura balteata “Sumo II”) in the market,<br />
and the location for the latter was given as the Ataran<br />
River on the border between Myanmar and Thailand.<br />
Hans-Georg Evers brought three specimens back to<br />
Germany and a consignment of four individuals was<br />
dispatched to Pascal Antler. It wasn’t long before the first<br />
photos of this new form were published. Evers’s specimens<br />
exhibited extreme aggression when kept together<br />
in the same aquarium, and had to be separated. Precise<br />
water parameters from the collecting locality were<br />
unavailable and so at first it was a matter of guesswork<br />
based on the climatic conditions and geographical location<br />
of the site.<br />
H.-G. EVERS
TOP: D. NIEMEIER; BOTTOM: P. ANTLER<br />
Channa sp. “Fire & Ice”<br />
The territorial behavior of the Channa was<br />
already familiar from other importations<br />
of subtropical snakeheads. Hence initial<br />
attempts to keep Channa sp. “Fire & Ice”<br />
together were made only under close observation<br />
and monitoring, and sometimes the<br />
fish were separated very early on, as naturally<br />
we didn’t want to run any risks. The<br />
sexes of the individuals were relatively easy<br />
to determine on the basis of experiences<br />
with other Channa species.<br />
Based on the geographical data, we kept<br />
our snakeheads under subtropical conditions<br />
at a temperature between 64 and 72°F<br />
(18 and 22°C). They didn’t tolerate a cold phase at lower<br />
temperatures very well. Although in some areas where<br />
snakeheads occur there are cold periods with a water<br />
temperature of less than 64°F (18°C), to date there is<br />
no snakehead species known in which such a cold phase<br />
has proved necessary. Quite the opposite—as in the wild,<br />
only the strongest and healthiest individuals survive such<br />
extreme situations.<br />
Like the majority of snakeheads, these wild-caught<br />
fish weren’t fussy about feeding. Insects and their larvae<br />
were taken very quickly and it soon became obvious that<br />
this Channa, like the majority of Channa species from<br />
subtropical regions, was inclined to obesity. We felt it was<br />
advisable to feed them sparingly once a week. Channa<br />
spp. are not specialized piscivores. Insects, worms, and<br />
crustaceans are probably their main prey.<br />
The four Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” purchased at the<br />
Chatuchak Market on a Sunday were dispatched the following<br />
Tuesday and eventually arrived in Pascal Antler’s<br />
Pair of Channa sp. “Fire & Ice”<br />
(male, upper right)<br />
When the young swim free, their<br />
parents care for them devotedly.<br />
aquarium on Thursday. Unfortunately—and this point<br />
should be mentioned in any article on snakeheads—one of<br />
the four specimens managed to depart from the uncovered<br />
aquarium during the first night, and perished. A second<br />
individual was suffering under a massive worm burden<br />
and couldn’t be saved despite the use of medication.<br />
The remaining individuals appeared to have settled<br />
very well in the aquarium and initially tolerated one<br />
another very well, but, as is usual with snakeheads, there<br />
were quarrels after a while. The fish battled so fiercely<br />
that they had to be separated. After they had been segregated<br />
for six months a final attempt was made to house<br />
them together in a 40-gallon (153-L) aquarium.<br />
The fish proved to be readily maintainable at a<br />
temperature between 68 and 73°F (20–23°C) and the<br />
aggression among them gave way to permanent courtship,<br />
during which the male seemed to intensify his colors<br />
and repeatedly approached the (significantly larger)<br />
females in order to display his full beauty.<br />
AMAZONAS 83
AMAZONAS<br />
84<br />
It wasn’t long before the females were carrying the<br />
first broods in their mouths, but unlike other Channa<br />
they proved to be rather susceptible to disturbance. The<br />
first six broods were swallowed or spat out. Only when<br />
the fish were left in peace due to the absence of their<br />
owner did they rear young for the first time. The male<br />
now hid in a floating tube of cork, while the females<br />
monitored their surroundings with increased watchfulness.<br />
The parents also behaved differently from other<br />
Channa during the rearing of the young. The fry were<br />
often moved around and concealed behind décor items.<br />
The growth rate of the young was also noticeably slower<br />
than in other Channa, and after a year the offspring had<br />
attained a size of just 2.5–3 inches (6–7 cm).<br />
Channa sp. “Redfin”<br />
The news of the new snakehead species spread rapidly<br />
among Channa-holics, and various exporters were quick<br />
to include the fish on their stock lists. The demand was<br />
high and they were rewarded. But although one consignment<br />
of Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” exhibited strong<br />
similarities to the species described, it also possessed<br />
a number of clearly different characters. On closer<br />
examination it became clear that this was a second new<br />
form, no less beautiful and also worthy of attention. And<br />
so it was probably more by luck than by design that the<br />
Pair of Channa sp. “Redfin”<br />
Male Channa sp. “Fire & Ice”<br />
with full throat sac. When<br />
mouthbrooding, these fish are very<br />
susceptible to disturbance and<br />
sometimes eat their eggs.<br />
first imports of a new form, now traded under the name<br />
Channa sp. “Redfin”, came about.<br />
Channa sp. “Redfin” is similar in stature to Channa<br />
gachua. In stress coloration these fish exhibit numerous<br />
small black dots that aren’t otherwise visible. The<br />
coloration of the male is spectacular. The body base color<br />
is dark, almost black, in stark contrast to the ice-blue finrays<br />
and fire engine–red fin edgings.<br />
In Channa sp. “Redfin”, too, there were initially<br />
problems with aggression in the wild-caught fish, though<br />
not as markedly as in Channa sp. “Fire & Ice”. The maintenance<br />
of six individuals in a 40-gallon (100 x 60 x 40<br />
cm) aquarium continued without problems until mating.<br />
And even thereafter the fish could be kept without problem<br />
in a tank with a volume of around 50 gallons (200<br />
L) and plenty of cover. Essentially, tanks for snakeheads<br />
need to be set up with lots of hiding places, plus plants<br />
and other décor to break up the line of sight. Floating<br />
tubes of cork, for example, are much-appreciated hiding<br />
places.<br />
These fish supposedly originated from the same area<br />
as Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” and were kept at a temperature<br />
of around 68°F (20°C) at the time of the first<br />
importation. When the temperature then rose with the<br />
approach of summer, the behavior of the fish became<br />
more aggressive. Eventually a pair formed from the<br />
D. NIEMEIER
The aquarium for<br />
Channa sp. “Redfin”<br />
provides a wealth of<br />
hiding places.<br />
remaining individuals, and they were transferred to a<br />
separate 40-gallon (153-L) tank. Excitingly, after a few<br />
days the fish exhibited more intense coloration and the<br />
male was observed to keep disappearing into a pottery<br />
cave. Fry around 6–8 mm (1/4 inch) long could be seen<br />
in the cave in the beam of a flashlight. They left the<br />
cave after a week, rose to the water’s surface, and swam<br />
around between their parents.<br />
The interesting thing about the young is that they<br />
have no longitudinal stripes on the body as most other<br />
Channa do. The young are canary yellow, already almost<br />
golden in color. They were provided with “feeder eggs” by<br />
the mother. Even so, we initially fed live Artemia nauplii<br />
twice a day as well. The brood was very small with only<br />
around 20 fry, but that can be attributed to the youth of<br />
the parents. The young were tolerated by the parents to a<br />
size of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch (3–4 cm). For a long time<br />
there were no further breeding attempts. It turns out that<br />
it is absolutely essential to have a suitable cave in the<br />
aquarium. The male conceals the larvae, as yet unable to<br />
swim, in this cave until they have exhausted their yolk<br />
sacs. Thereafter the fry leave the cave of their own accord,<br />
and only then is the female allowed to come near the<br />
brood and feed them with feeder eggs. The further rear-<br />
AMAZONAS 85
AMAZONAS<br />
86<br />
Above: The young of Channa sp. “Redfin”<br />
are golden yellow during their first weeks<br />
of life. At this time the parents exhibit a<br />
particularly attractive coloration.<br />
Far right: The sight of brooding snakeheads<br />
surrounded by their offspring is a special<br />
treat for any aquarist.<br />
ing of the young is uncomplicated,<br />
as they can manage Artemia nauplii<br />
immediately.<br />
Channa sp. “Flameback”<br />
Channa sp. “Redfin” and Channa sp.<br />
“Fire & Ice” appear under various<br />
names in the trade: “Dwarf Redfin”,<br />
“Ice & Fire”, “Firefin”, “Red Chin”,<br />
“Crimson Snakehead”, “Black Spotted Snakehead”, and<br />
Channa sp. “Red” and Channa gachua “Red”. At the end<br />
of 2011 two more names appeared: Channa sp. “Laos<br />
Fireback” and Channa sp. “Flameback”. Not much is<br />
known about the precise locality, but it is supposedly not<br />
in Laos, but an area in northern Thailand on the border<br />
with Laos.<br />
These fish are very probably a form related to Channa<br />
gachua or C. limbata, and one that can grow relatively<br />
large. The first imported specimens were all around 6 to<br />
9 inches (15–25 cm) long and apparently not yet fullgrown.<br />
In this case we are dealing with a tropical rather<br />
than a subtropical species. Temperatures of 73 to 86°F<br />
(23–30°C) over the course of the year are recommended.<br />
As with the other species discussed, there were problems<br />
with the aggressiveness of the first wild-caught speci-<br />
Channa sp. “Flameback” is another very<br />
attractive species from the C. gachua or<br />
C. limbata group.<br />
mens, even in large aquariums.<br />
However, these battles ceased after pair formation<br />
and we were very quickly able to pick out a pair which<br />
were peaceful and harmonious from then on, constantly<br />
seeking body contact with each other. After just a few<br />
weeks the first dummy spawning runs could be seen,<br />
and after a few failed attempts at mouthbrooding, the<br />
first successful breeding soon followed. Like all Channa<br />
gachua–like forms these fish are paternal mouthbrooders.<br />
The females again produce feeder eggs in this species, so<br />
rearing the fry is very straightforward.<br />
In the near future we will probably encounter even<br />
more new snakeheads from the region (in fact, while<br />
writing this article I read about Channa sp. “White Fin”,<br />
probably a member of the Channa stewarti complex), and<br />
it will be interesting and exciting to see what surprises are<br />
in store for us.
AMAZONAS 87
88<br />
UNITED STATES<br />
Arizona<br />
Aqua Touch<br />
12040 North 32nd St<br />
Phoenix, AZ<br />
602-765-9058<br />
Arizona Nature Aquatics<br />
3025 North Campbell Ave<br />
Tucson, AZ<br />
520-321-9000<br />
Arkansas<br />
Northside Aquatics<br />
7610 Counts Massie Rd Ste A<br />
Maumelle, AR<br />
501-803-3434<br />
Worlds Under Water<br />
2105B Creekview<br />
Fayetteville, AR<br />
479-521-7258<br />
California<br />
All Seas Marine, Inc<br />
(Distribution Only)<br />
1205 Knox St<br />
Torrance, CA<br />
310-532-7769<br />
Aquatic Central<br />
1963 Ocean Ave<br />
San Francisco, CA<br />
415-584-1888<br />
Ocean Aquarium<br />
120 Cedar St<br />
San Francisco, CA<br />
415-771-3206<br />
Tong’s Tropical Fish<br />
8976 Warner Ave<br />
Fountain Valley, CA<br />
714-842-2733<br />
Trop-Aquarium<br />
& Pet Center<br />
1947 Main St<br />
Watsonville, CA<br />
831-761-3901<br />
White’s Pets<br />
5212 North Blackstone<br />
Fresno, CA<br />
559-438-4343<br />
Sources<br />
Look for AMAZONAS Magazine in these<br />
outstanding local aquarium shops.<br />
Colorado<br />
Animal Attraction Pet Store<br />
2518 11th Ave<br />
Greeley, CO<br />
970-353-3400<br />
Neptune’s Tropical Fish<br />
1970 E County Line Rd Unit A<br />
Highlands Ranch, CO<br />
303-798-1776<br />
Connecticut<br />
Aquatic Wildlife Company<br />
179D Deming St<br />
Manchester, CT<br />
860-648-1166<br />
House of Fins<br />
99 Bruce Park Ave<br />
Greenwich, CT<br />
203-661-8131<br />
Florida<br />
Barrier Reef<br />
1921 NW Boca Raton Blvd<br />
Boca Raton, FL<br />
561-368-1970<br />
Boardroom Aquatics<br />
12795 Kenwood Ln<br />
Fort Myers, FL<br />
239-275-8891<br />
Father Fish Aquarium<br />
536 E Venice Ave<br />
Venice, FL<br />
941-266-9998<br />
Fishy Business<br />
140 S Ronald Reagan Blvd<br />
Longwood, FL<br />
407-331-4882<br />
The Planted Aquarium<br />
Store<br />
3230 NE 12th Ave<br />
Oakland Park, FL<br />
954-990-8871<br />
Sea Life Aquarium<br />
& Service<br />
174 Semoran Commerce Pl<br />
Apopka, FL<br />
407-889-9887<br />
Georgia<br />
Aquarium Outfitters<br />
175 Old Epps Bridge Rd<br />
Athens, GA<br />
706-546-1337<br />
Creation Pet<br />
8265 Hwy 92<br />
Woodstock. GA<br />
770-364-2240<br />
Premier Aquatics<br />
1801 Roswell Rd<br />
Marietta, GA<br />
678-453-3991<br />
Hawaii<br />
Aquascape<br />
99-082 Kauhale St. Ste B-4<br />
Aiea, HI<br />
808-487-0077<br />
Kalihi Pet Center<br />
1199 Dillingham Blvd<br />
Ste C-101<br />
Honolulu, HI<br />
808-841-5234<br />
Idaho<br />
Fish, Aquariums & Stuff<br />
6112 West Fairview Ave<br />
Boise, ID<br />
208-377-1119<br />
Illinois<br />
Fish Planet<br />
839 Waukegan Rd<br />
Deerfield, IL<br />
847-945-4700<br />
Sailfin Pet Shop<br />
720 S Neil St<br />
Champaign, IL<br />
217-352-1121<br />
Indiana<br />
Inland Aquatics<br />
10 Ohio St<br />
Terre Haute, IN<br />
812-232-9000<br />
Iowa<br />
Aquatic Environments<br />
730 E Kimberly Rd<br />
Davenport, IA<br />
563-445-3687<br />
Maine<br />
Easy Aquariums<br />
17 A Gorham Industrial Pkwy<br />
Gorham, ME<br />
207-272-5212<br />
Maryland<br />
House of Tropicals<br />
7389F Baltimore Annapolis<br />
Blvd<br />
Glen Burnie, MD<br />
410-761-1113<br />
Massachusetts<br />
South Coast Scientific<br />
109 McArthur Rd<br />
Swansea, MA<br />
508-678-8306<br />
Michigan<br />
Blue Fish Aquarium<br />
2939 Wilson Ave SW Ste 109<br />
Grandville, MI<br />
616-667-2424<br />
Moby Dick Pet Store<br />
3700 Sashabaw Rd<br />
Waterford, MI<br />
248-673-2520<br />
MVPets<br />
7429 S Westnedge Ave<br />
Portage, MI<br />
269-492-7387<br />
Oceans and Seas<br />
26085 Gratiot Ave<br />
Roseville, MI<br />
586-778-2223<br />
Preuss Pets<br />
1127 N Cedar St<br />
Lansing, MI<br />
517-339-1762<br />
Missouri<br />
Aqua-World<br />
16063 Manchester Rd<br />
Ellisville, MO<br />
636-391-0100<br />
New Hampshire<br />
Laconia Pet Center<br />
1343 Union Ave<br />
Laconia, NH<br />
603-524-8311<br />
New Jersey<br />
Adam’s Pet Safari<br />
19 W Main St<br />
Chester, NJ<br />
908-879-8998
Aquarium Center<br />
1295 Blackwood Clementon Rd<br />
Clementon, NJ<br />
856-627-6262<br />
Pets, Pets, Pets<br />
2 JFK Blvd<br />
Somerset, NJ<br />
732-545-6675<br />
Tropiquarium & Petland<br />
Ocean Plaza<br />
1100 State Rte 35<br />
Ocean, NJ<br />
732-922-2300<br />
New York<br />
Eddie’s Aquarium Centre<br />
1254 New Loudon Rd Rt 9<br />
Cohoes, NY<br />
518-783-3474<br />
The Fish Place<br />
141 Robinson St<br />
North Tonawanda, NY<br />
716-693-4411<br />
Pet Friendly<br />
845 Manitou Rd<br />
Hilton, NY<br />
585-366-4242<br />
North Carolina<br />
Aquarium Outfitters<br />
823 South Main St<br />
Wake Forest, NC<br />
919-556-8335<br />
Blue Ridge Reef & Pet<br />
103 WNC Shopping Ctr Dr<br />
Black Mountain, NC<br />
828-669-0032<br />
Croft Pet & Hobby Shoppe<br />
3800 Reynolda Rd, Suite 200<br />
Winston Salem, NC<br />
336-924-0307<br />
Pennsylvania<br />
Oddball Pets & Aquarium<br />
262 Joseph St<br />
Pittsburgh, PA<br />
412-884-2333<br />
Texas<br />
Austin Aqua-Dome<br />
1604 Fortview Rd<br />
Austin, TX<br />
512-442-1400<br />
Birddog & Catfish Petshop<br />
115D Old Boerne Rd<br />
Bulverde, TX<br />
830-980-8900<br />
Fish Gallery Houston<br />
2909 Fountain View Dr<br />
Houston, TX<br />
713-523-3474<br />
Pet World<br />
2700 Carson St<br />
Fort Worth, TX<br />
817-577-1955<br />
Vermont<br />
Pet Advantage<br />
350 Dorset St<br />
South Burlington, VT<br />
802-860-1714<br />
Virginia<br />
Pet & Aquatic Warehouse<br />
2408 Wards Rd<br />
Lynchburg, VA<br />
434-239-6787<br />
West Virginia<br />
Scales & Tails Reptile/<br />
Fish Store<br />
9 1/2 W Washington St<br />
Westover, WV<br />
304-296-9218<br />
Wisconsin<br />
Sunset Tropical Guppies<br />
4864 County Rd C<br />
Auburndale, WI<br />
715-254-4929<br />
CANADA<br />
Reef Wholesale<br />
(Distribution Only)<br />
12 Vulcan St<br />
Etobicoke, ON<br />
613-884-7258<br />
Big Al’s Aquarium<br />
Supercentres<br />
3511 99th St<br />
Edmonton, AB<br />
780-435-3474<br />
The Afishionados<br />
825 Erin St Unit 3<br />
Winnipeg, MB<br />
204-295-5375<br />
AUSTRALIA<br />
Aqua Blue Distribution<br />
(Distribution Only)<br />
17 Cairns St<br />
Loganholme, Queensland<br />
07-3806-4255<br />
FRANCE<br />
Anthias<br />
3 Chemin de Maupas<br />
69380 Les Cheres<br />
33-437-50-29-80<br />
GREAT BRITAIN<br />
Midland Reefs<br />
(Distribution Only)<br />
Mount Road Trading Estate<br />
Burntwood, Staffordshire<br />
44-0154-3685599<br />
INDIA<br />
Water World<br />
Ananda Dutta Lane<br />
Howrah-7111 01<br />
West Bengal<br />
91-983-022-5574<br />
MALTA<br />
Blue Reefs<br />
82 Triq Guzeppi Mattew Callus<br />
Mosta, MST 4105<br />
003-562-762-7463<br />
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AMAZONAS 89
AMAZONAS<br />
90<br />
SPECIES SNAPSHOTS<br />
➊ TAREBIA LINEATA ➋ SCLEROPAGES INSCRIPTUS ➌ SCHISTURA SPILOTA<br />
➍ HYPOPTOPOMA SP. ➎ SINELEOTRIS SACCHARAE ➏ BIOTODOMA WAVRINI<br />
Banded Melania Snail, Tarebia lineata<br />
Tarebia lineata, Banded Melania Snail<br />
Some months ago, Aquarium Dietzenbach in<br />
1| Germany imported a little snail species from<br />
Indonesia that has almost never been seen before.<br />
Tarebia lineata is an attractive yellow-brown turret<br />
snail with fine black-brown lines. The shell is about an<br />
inch (2.5 cm) high and .4 inch (1 cm) across. In the<br />
wild it is often covered in black deposits. The coils are<br />
slightly convex, but have nodules immediately beneath<br />
the seam, making the transition from coil to coil very<br />
clear. The sole of the foot is white to pink in color.<br />
The snail is pigmented gray on its head and body. The<br />
species belongs to the livebearing and parthenogenetic<br />
snails and hence should breed easily in the aquarium.<br />
Common in Asian rivers and ponds, it is sometimes<br />
regarded as a form of Tarebia granifera, the Quilted<br />
Melania Snail. That isn’t of primary importance to the<br />
aquarist, whose main interest is in having another attractive<br />
invertebrate to watch in the aquarium.<br />
—Maike Wilstermann-Hildebrand<br />
Scleropages inscriptus, Inscribed Arowana<br />
The arawana from Myanmar introduced in AMA-<br />
2| ZONAS Vol. 1, No. 2 has now been described.<br />
Ichthyologist Tyson R. Roberts described Scleropages<br />
inscriptus from the Tenasserim basin. This river, which<br />
empties into the Indian Ocean, is home to many fish<br />
species that have been described in recent years or<br />
are still awaiting description.<br />
Interestingly, Roberts doesn’t accept the species<br />
of the S. formosus complex described a few years ago.<br />
Only S. formosus, and now also S. inscriptus, a species<br />
clearly distinguishable on the basis of meristic and<br />
color characters, are placed together in the subgenus<br />
Delsmania and thus treated as separate from the<br />
Australian species S. leichhardti and S. jardinii. From<br />
an aquarium-hobby viewpoint, Scleropages inscriptus<br />
hasn’t yet appeared in numbers worth mentioning.<br />
That may soon change, at least in Asia.<br />
REFERENCES<br />
—Hans-G. Evers<br />
Roberts, T.R. 2012. Scleropages inscriptus, a new fish species from<br />
the Tananthayi or Tenasserim River basin, Malay Peninsula of Myanmar<br />
(Osteoglossidae: Osteoglossiformes). Aqua, Int J Ichthyol 18 (2):<br />
113–18.<br />
Schistura spilota, Spotted Hillstream Loach<br />
Schistura spilota is proof that large hillstream<br />
3| loaches are not that unusual. S. spilota can be<br />
2 inches (5 cm) bigger than Schistura sp. “Arunachal<br />
H.-G. EVERS
TOP: K. UDOMRHITTHIRUJ; BOTTOM: J. KÜHNE<br />
The Inscribed Arowana,<br />
Scleropages inscriptus<br />
Pradesh”, which grows to almost 4 inches (10 cm),<br />
according to the exporter, and which Hans-Georg Evers<br />
has described as unusually large. We caught specimens<br />
measuring 4.7 inches (12 cm) in crystal-clear<br />
streams and found individuals almost 5.9 inches (15<br />
cm) long in the basket traps of native fishermen, for<br />
whom hillstream loaches are prized food fishes.<br />
Schistura spilota may have been found west of the<br />
Tenasserim Mountains, but it belongs to the fish fauna<br />
of Siam, as it occurs in the headwaters of the Mae Nam<br />
Klong system, which empties into the Gulf of Thailand.<br />
It is not uncommon in suitable biotopes. It lives in<br />
natural pools and waterfalls in streams and small rivers<br />
where the water is cool (average 75°F/24°C), oxygenrich,<br />
and moderately hard (conductivity 180 μS/cm).<br />
Spotted Hillstream Loach,<br />
Schistura spilota<br />
The aquarist may be nervous about this loach’s<br />
size, but bear in mind that most loaches grow slowly in<br />
the aquarium, one reason why the sizes attainable by<br />
hillstream loach species are rarely (or never) documented.<br />
This is in stark contrast to the mouthbrooding<br />
fightingfishes of the genus Betta, which can grow into<br />
real Goliaths in the aquarium, even though they are<br />
rarely found at such sizes in the wild.<br />
REFERENCES<br />
—Jens Kühne<br />
Kottelat, M. 1990. Indochinese nemacheilines: A revision of<br />
nemacheiline loaches (Pisces: Cypriniformes) of Thailand, Burma,<br />
Laos, Cambodia and southern Vietnam. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil,<br />
Munich, Germany.<br />
AMAZONAS 91
AMAZONAS<br />
92<br />
SPECIES SNAPSHOTS<br />
Hypoptopoma sp. “Iquitos”<br />
An armored catfish that I<br />
4| recently received from our correspondent<br />
in Iquitos, Martin Mortenthaler,<br />
via the firm EFS (Sonneberg), is<br />
probably a new species of the genus<br />
Hypoptopoma (subfamily Hypoptopomatinae).<br />
This large-growing species<br />
doesn’t appear in the most recent revision<br />
of the genus by Aquino & Schaefer<br />
(2010). Martin obtained the fish<br />
from a fisherman who had purportedly<br />
caught them in the vicinity of Iquitos.<br />
The overall size of the fish is striking.<br />
My largest specimen measures<br />
5 inches (12.7 cm) TL, which is larger<br />
than all the other species I have kept<br />
to date. The black patterning on the<br />
dorsal and caudal fins is likewise<br />
unusual for the genus Hypoptopoma.<br />
Hypoptopoma sp. “Iquitos”, as I have<br />
provisionally named the species, also possesses the<br />
mucus typical of the genus. These fishes spend the entire<br />
day sitting on wood and only become active during<br />
the night. They then streak around the aquarium and<br />
nibble at the food tablets that I put in before lights out.<br />
REFERENCES<br />
Hypoptopoma sp. “Iquitos”<br />
—Hans-Georg Evers<br />
Aquino, A.E. and S.A. Schaefer. 2010. Systematics of the genus<br />
Hypoptopoma Günther, 1868 (Siluriformes, Loricariidae). Bull Amer<br />
Mus Nat Hist 336: 1–110.<br />
Male Chinese Sleeper<br />
Goby, Sineleotris saccharae<br />
Sineleotris saccharae, Chinese Sleeper Goby<br />
For many long years, fishes from China were vir-<br />
5| tually impossible to obtain. But now, increasingly<br />
larger numbers of interesting fishes are arriving from<br />
the south of that vast country. The gobies and loaches<br />
are particularly fascinating to aquarists. An especially<br />
lovely species has been imported by Metop Aquarium<br />
(Czech Republic) from Aquaculture Technologies in<br />
Singapore, whose director, Patrick Yap, was interviewed<br />
in the November/December issue of AMAZONAS.<br />
With a maximum of around 6 inches (15 cm) total<br />
length, Sineleotris saccharae is one of the medium-sized<br />
H.-G. EVERS
T. WEIDNER<br />
members of the small family Odontobutidae, the freshwater<br />
sleeper gobies. The species was described from<br />
the New Territories of Honking, but these fishes are<br />
hardly ever found there now and our imports originate<br />
from less disturbed areas of the Chinese mainland.<br />
The male in the photo is still relatively young. With<br />
age, these fishes are said to develop an impressively<br />
high forehead and become rather thuggish. My male<br />
was thuggish long before that, and it only took him<br />
a few hours to dispatch the less attractive female to<br />
fishy heaven. These fishes have proved to be sensitive<br />
to transportation and need time to regain their strength<br />
after shipping. So far there are no reports of the successful<br />
breeding of this attractive species.<br />
Biotodoma wavrini “Rio Preto da Eva”,<br />
Orinoco Eartheater<br />
—Hans-G. Evers<br />
Normally Biotodoma wavrini, the Orinoco Earthe-<br />
6| ater, is found in the drainage of the Orinoco<br />
in Colombia and Venezuela, as well as in the upper<br />
course of the Río Negro. However, it seems that a<br />
small enclave of Biotodoma wavrini has become established<br />
in the drainage of the Río Preto da Eva in Brazil,<br />
which lies hundreds of kilometers from the actual<br />
distribution region of this species.<br />
In 2011 Aquarium Glaser imported a small group<br />
of the Río Preto da Eva population, and I acquired the<br />
Orinoco Eartheater,<br />
Biotodoma wavrini<br />
entire batch. At the same time they were also selling<br />
Biotodoma wavrini of around the same size from the<br />
drainage of the Orinoco and imported from Colombia. A<br />
number of these fish also found a home in my aquarium<br />
cellar for the purpose of comparison.<br />
Because the Biotodoma species can be classified,<br />
at least roughly, in the aquarium hobby on the basis of<br />
the shape and position of the lateral spot, I hoped to<br />
be able to detect at least marginal differences, but, unfortunately,<br />
I found no reliable criteria, and there were<br />
no obvious differences in the body form.<br />
There are differences in the form of the fins: in<br />
adult specimens of the Río Preto da Eva population,<br />
the unpaired fins are noticeably longer and have more<br />
delicate filaments. Were I to add that the Río Preto<br />
da Eva fishes are significantly more attractive in color,<br />
I would get a few scornful looks, but although both<br />
populations have a white-wine base color, the flanks of<br />
the Río Preto da Eva fishes are overlain with soft bluegreen<br />
shades and the soft-rayed parts of the unpaired<br />
fins are reddish.<br />
I had secretly hoped that it would be possible to<br />
definitively distinguish the two populations, as their<br />
geographical separation is so great that it is hard to<br />
believe they are the same species. I am not aware of<br />
any molecular-biological or morphological studies on<br />
the two populations, so for the time being I am forced<br />
to assume that they are one and the same species.<br />
—Thomas Weidner<br />
AMAZONAS 93
SOCIETY<br />
AMAZONAS<br />
94<br />
CONNECTIONS<br />
U.S. AQUARIUM<br />
SOCIETIES<br />
NATIONAL AQUARIUM CLUBS<br />
American Cichlid Association<br />
www.cichlid.org<br />
American Killifish Association<br />
www.aka.org<br />
American Livebearer Association<br />
www.livebearers.org<br />
The Angelfish Society<br />
www.theangelfishsociety.org<br />
Aquatic Gardeners Association<br />
www.aquatic-gardeners.org<br />
International Betta Congress<br />
www.ibcbettas.org<br />
International Fancy Guppy Association<br />
www.ifga.org<br />
Mid-Atlantic Koi Club<br />
www.makc.com<br />
North American Discus Association<br />
www.discusnada.org<br />
The North American Native Fishes<br />
Association<br />
www.nanfa.org<br />
Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies<br />
www.northeastcouncil.org/nec/<br />
ARIZONA<br />
Dry Wash Aquarium Society, Phoenix<br />
www.DryWashAquarium.org<br />
Arizona Aquatic Plant Enthusiasts (AAPE)<br />
Tuscon & Phoenix<br />
www.azaquaticplants.com/index.php<br />
CALIFORNIA<br />
Sacramento Aquarium Society<br />
Sacramento<br />
www.SacramentoAquariumSociety.org<br />
San Francisco Aquarium Society<br />
San Francisco<br />
www.SFAquarium.org<br />
Silicon Valley Aquarium Society<br />
San Jose<br />
www.SiliconValleyAquariumSociety.com<br />
COLORADO<br />
Colorado Aquarium Society, Arvada<br />
www.ColoradoAquarium.org<br />
CONNECTICUT<br />
Greater Hartford Aquarium Society<br />
Manchester<br />
www.GHASCT.org<br />
Northeast Livebearer Association<br />
Bristol<br />
www.nela.northeastcouncil.org<br />
Norwalk Aquarium Society<br />
South Norwalk<br />
www.NorwalkAS.org<br />
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA<br />
Greater Washington Aquatic Plant<br />
Association<br />
www.GWAPA.org<br />
FLORIDA<br />
Gold Coast Aquarium Society of South<br />
Florida, Cooper City<br />
www.GCAquarium.org<br />
Tampa Bay Aquarium Society, Tampa<br />
www.TBAS1.com<br />
GEORGIA<br />
Atlanta Area Aquarium Association<br />
Atlanta<br />
www.AtlantaAquarium.com<br />
HAWAII<br />
Honolulu Aquarium Society, Honolulu<br />
www.HonoluluAquariumSociety.org<br />
ILLINOIS<br />
Central Illinois Tropical Aquarium Club<br />
(CITAC)<br />
Bloomington<br />
www.citac-il.org<br />
Federation of American Aquarium<br />
Societies<br />
Champaign<br />
www.FAAS.info<br />
Greater Chicago Cichlid Association<br />
Brookfield<br />
www.GCCA.net<br />
Green Water Aquarist Society, Alsip<br />
www.GWASOC.org<br />
INDIANA<br />
Circle City Aquarium Club<br />
Indianapolis<br />
www.CircleCityAqClub.org<br />
Michiana Aquarium Society, South Bend<br />
www.MichianaAquariumSociety.org<br />
IOWA<br />
Eastern Iowa Aquarium Association<br />
Cedar Rapids<br />
www.FinFlap.com<br />
LOUISIANA<br />
Southeast Louisiana Aquarium Society<br />
Baton Rouge & New Orleans<br />
www.selas.us<br />
MARYLAND<br />
Capital Cichlid Association, Silver Spring<br />
www.CapitalCichlids.org<br />
MASSACHUSETTS<br />
Boston Aquarium Society, Boston<br />
www.BostonAquariumSociety.org<br />
Pioneer Valley Aquarium Society<br />
Chicopee<br />
www.PVAS.net<br />
Worcester Aquarium Society, Worcester<br />
www.WorcesterAquarium.org<br />
MICHIGAN<br />
Greater Detroit Aquarium Society<br />
Royal Oak<br />
www.GreaterDetroitAquariumSociety.com<br />
Grand Valley Aquarium Society<br />
Grand Rapids<br />
www.GrandValleyAquariumClub.org<br />
Southwest Michigan Aquarium Society<br />
Portage<br />
www.SWMAS.org<br />
MINNESOTA<br />
Minnesota Aquarium Society<br />
Roseville<br />
www.aquarium.mn<br />
MISSOURI<br />
Missouri Aquarium Society, St. Louis<br />
www.MissouriAquariumSociety.org<br />
NEW HAMPSHIRE<br />
New Hampshire Aquarium Society<br />
Rollinsford<br />
www.NHAquariumSociety.com<br />
NEW JERSEY<br />
Jersey Shore Aquarium Society<br />
Freehold<br />
www.JerseyShoreAS.org<br />
North Jersey Aquarium Society, Nutley<br />
www.NJAS.net<br />
NEW YORK<br />
Allegheny River Valley Aquarium Society<br />
Olean<br />
www.orgsites.com/ny/ARVAS<br />
Brooklyn Aquarium Society, Brooklyn<br />
www.BASNY.org<br />
Danbury Area Aquarium Society (DAAS)<br />
Carmel<br />
www.northeastcouncil.org/daas<br />
Central New York Aquarium Society<br />
Syracuse<br />
www.CNYAS.org<br />
Genesee Valley Koi & Pond Club<br />
Rochester<br />
www.ggw.org/GVPAKE<br />
Greater City Aquarium Society, Flushing<br />
www.GreaterCity.org<br />
Long Island Aquarium Society<br />
Stony Brook<br />
www.LIASOnline.org<br />
Nassau County Aquarium Society<br />
Rockville Center<br />
www.NCASweb.org
Niagara Frontier Koi & Pond Club<br />
North Tonawanda<br />
www.NFKPC.org<br />
Tropical Fish Club of Erie County<br />
Hamburg<br />
www.Tropical-Fish-Club-of-Erie-County.com<br />
NORTH CAROLINA<br />
Raleigh Aquarium Society, Raleigh<br />
www.RaleighAquariumSociety.org<br />
OHIO<br />
American Cichlid Association, Hamilton<br />
www.cichlid.org<br />
Cleveland Aquarium Society, Cleveland<br />
www.ClevelandAquariumSociety.org<br />
Columbus Area Fish Enthusiasts<br />
Plain City<br />
www.ColumbusFishClub.org<br />
Greater Akron Aquarium Society, Akron<br />
www.GAAS-FISH.net<br />
Great Lakes Cichlid Society, Euclid<br />
www.GreatLakesCichlidSociety.net<br />
Medina County Aquarium Society<br />
Medina<br />
www.geocities.com/MCASfish/index<br />
Ohio Cichlid Association, Brunswick<br />
www.OhioCichlid.com<br />
Stark County Aqua Life Enthusiasts<br />
Society, Canton<br />
www.ClubScales.com<br />
Youngstown Area Tropical Fish Society<br />
Youngstown<br />
www.YATFS.com<br />
OREGON<br />
Greater Portland Aquarium Society<br />
Clackamas<br />
www.GPAS.org<br />
PENNSYLVANIA<br />
Aquarium Club of Lancaster County<br />
Lancaster<br />
www.ACLCPA.com<br />
Bucks County Aquarium Society<br />
Chalfont<br />
www.BCASOnline.com<br />
Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society<br />
Pittsburgh<br />
www.GPASI.org<br />
TEXAS<br />
Houston Aquarium Society, Houston<br />
www.HoustonAquariumSociety.org<br />
VERMONT<br />
Tropical Fish Club of Burlington<br />
Burlington<br />
www.tfcb.org/<br />
VIRGINIA<br />
Central Virginia Aquarium Society<br />
Richmond<br />
www.CVAS.forumotion.com<br />
Potomac Valley Aquarium Society, Fairfax<br />
www.PVAS.com<br />
WASHINGTON<br />
Greater Seattle Aquarium Society<br />
Seattle<br />
www.GSAS.org<br />
Puget Sound Aquarium Society<br />
Federal Way<br />
www.thePSAS.org<br />
WISCONSIN<br />
Milwaukee Aquarium Society, Milwaukee<br />
www.MilwaukeeAquariumSociety.com<br />
Central Wisconsin Aquarium Society<br />
Wausau<br />
www.cwas.org<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
AQUARIUM<br />
SOCIETIES<br />
AUSTRALIA<br />
New South Wales Cichlid Society<br />
Moorebank, NSW<br />
www.NSWCS.org.au<br />
Victorian Cichlid Society Inc.<br />
Mitcham, VIC<br />
home.vicnet.net.au/~cichlid<br />
Queensland Cichlid Group Inc.<br />
Clayfield, QLD<br />
www.qcichlid.org<br />
BELGIUM<br />
Belgian Cichlid Association<br />
www.cichlidae.be<br />
BERMUDA<br />
Bermuda Fry-Angle Aquarium Society<br />
www.fryangle.com<br />
CANADA<br />
The Canadian Association<br />
of Aquarium Clubs<br />
Canada & New York State<br />
www.caoac.ca<br />
London Aquaria Society<br />
London, ON<br />
www.londonaquariasociety.com<br />
Saskatoon Aquarium Society<br />
Saskatoon, SK<br />
www.SaskatoonAquarium.com<br />
Montreal Aquarium Society, Montreal, QC<br />
www.theMontrealAquariumSociety.com<br />
Hamilton & District Aquarium Society<br />
Hamilton, ON<br />
www.HDAS.ca<br />
Durham Region Aquarium Society<br />
Oshawa, ON<br />
www.DRAS.ca<br />
Regina Aquarium Society<br />
www.reginaaquariumsociety.ca<br />
Association Regionale des Aquariophiles<br />
de Quebec, Ste-Foy, QC<br />
www.ARAQ.org<br />
Aquarium Society of Winnipeg<br />
Winnipeg, MB<br />
www.ASW.ca<br />
FINLAND<br />
Ciklidistit r.y. (Finnish Cichlid<br />
Association), Vantaa<br />
www.aquahoito.info/cichlids/index.html<br />
FRANCE<br />
Association France Cichlid, Hoenheim<br />
www.FranceCichlid.com<br />
GERMANY<br />
Deutsche Cichliden-Gesellschaft<br />
(German Cichlid Society)<br />
Frankfurt am Main<br />
www.DCGonline.de<br />
MALAYSIA<br />
Malaysia Guppy Club<br />
www.myguppy.net<br />
SINGAPORE<br />
Discus Club Singapore<br />
www.DiscusClubSG.com<br />
UNITED KINGDOM<br />
Anabantoid Association of Great Britain<br />
Doncaster<br />
www.AAGB.org<br />
BIDKA: The British and International<br />
Discus Keepers Association<br />
www.BIDKA.org<br />
Bristol Aquarists’ Society, Bristol<br />
www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk<br />
The Federation of British Aquatic<br />
Societies, Sussex<br />
www.FBAS.co.uk<br />
Greater Manchester Cichlid Society<br />
www.nekrosoft.co.uk/GMCS<br />
Middlesex & Surrey Border Section,<br />
British Koi Keepers Society<br />
www.MSBsection.co.uk<br />
The Calypso Fish and Aquaria Club<br />
London<br />
www.calypso.org.uk<br />
Thanks to Ray “Kingfish” Lucas of Kingfish Services<br />
in Boston, NY, for his invaluable help in establishing this<br />
directory and the AMAZONAS Aquarium Calendar of<br />
Events. www.kingfishservices.net<br />
GET LISTED! Contact: Mary Sweeney, Senior Editor: mary.sweeney@reef2rainforest.com<br />
AMAZONAS 95
24/7<br />
VISIT OFTEN:<br />
• Web-Special Articles<br />
• Aquatic News of the World<br />
• Aquarium Events Calendar<br />
• Links to Subscribe, Manage<br />
Your Subscription, Give a<br />
Gift, Shop for Back Issues<br />
• Messages & Blogs from<br />
AMAZONAS Editors<br />
• Coming Issue Previews<br />
• New Product News<br />
• Links to Special Offers<br />
www.Reef2Rainforest.com<br />
Our new website is always open, with the latest news and<br />
content from AMAZONAS and our partner publications.<br />
HOME of AMAZONAS, CORAL & MICROCOSM BOOKS<br />
AMAZONAS 96
ADVERTISERS<br />
INDEX<br />
Amazonas Back Issues . ................89<br />
www.amazonasmagazine.com<br />
Amazonas Subscriptions . ............12, 19<br />
www.amazonasmagazine.com<br />
American Livebearer Association . .........62<br />
www.ALA2013.com<br />
Aqua Craft Products® . ......inside back cover<br />
www.aquacraft.net<br />
Boyd Enterprises . ..........inside front cover<br />
www.chemipure.com<br />
Brightwell Aquatics . ..............8, 16, 21<br />
www.brightwellaquatics.com<br />
EcoTech Marine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 23, 60, 61<br />
www.ecotechmarine.com<br />
Florida Fish Expo . .....................87<br />
www.flafish.com<br />
Fritz Aquatics . ........................9<br />
www.fritzaquatics.com<br />
Hikari . .............................31<br />
www.hikariusa.com/am<br />
Invertebrates by Msjinkzd . ...............9<br />
www.msjinkzd.com<br />
LFS Locator . .........................97<br />
www.lfslocator.com<br />
Lifegard Aquatics . ....................13<br />
www.lifegardaquatics.com<br />
Malawi Cichlid Conservation Fund . ........81<br />
www.cichlidpress.com/smgfund<br />
Milwaukee Instruments . ................20<br />
www.milwaukeeinstruments.com<br />
Ocean Nutrition . ......................57<br />
www.oceannutrition.com<br />
Omega . ............................41<br />
www.omegasea.net<br />
Piscine Energetics . ....................65<br />
www.mysis.com<br />
Prodibio . ...........................64<br />
www.prodibio.com<br />
Reef to Rainforest Website . .............96<br />
www.reef2rainforest.com<br />
Repashy Superfoods . ..................79<br />
www.repashy.com<br />
San Francisco Bay Brand . ...............81<br />
www.sfbb.com<br />
Segrest Farms . ........................5<br />
www.segrestfarms.com<br />
Southern Central Cichlids . ..............79<br />
www.southcentralcichlids.com<br />
Swiss Tropicals . ......................79<br />
www.swisstropicals.com<br />
Tunze . .............................63<br />
www.tunze.com<br />
Two Little Fishies . ..................9, 20<br />
www.twolittlefishies.com<br />
The Wet Spot . .......................79<br />
www.wetspottropicalfish.com<br />
ZooMed . ..................17, back cover<br />
www.zoomed.com<br />
For an AMAZONAS Media Kit or other information, please contact:<br />
James Lawrence, Publisher • 802.985.9977 Ext. 7 • James.Lawrence@reef2rainforest.com<br />
AMAZONAS 97
AMAZONAS<br />
98<br />
UNDERWATER EYE<br />
Mustard Gas Betta, Betta splendens, from a<br />
line-bred strain of Half Moon Bettas first developed<br />
in the U.S. by Jude Als in 1999. It entered the<br />
trade only recently and is still uncommon.<br />
Photographed at Segrest Farms<br />
by Morrill Devlin.
ZOO MED LABORATORIES, INC.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
www.zoomed.com