Tag Archives: Hyphessobrycon

Hyphessobrycon epicharis

19. August 2022

Since the first scientific description of Hyphessobrycon epicharis in 1997, this species is on the dream list of many tetra enthusiasts. Unique feature of this Rosy tetra is the shape of the shoulder spot, which distinguishes it from all other species. 

The specimens on which the first description was based came from the upper reaches of the Rio Baria in the Cerro de Neblina area in the extreme south of Venezuela (Territorio Federal Amazonas) on the border with Brazil; no ornamental fish are exported from there. In the meantime it turned out that the species is much more widespread in Venezuela and Brazil (upper Rio Negro, Casiquiare and upper Orinoco), but always away from the usual fishing routes. The first live photo was brought by Hans-Georg Evers in 2000 with a cuvette photo of the Rio Miuá taken at the site. Later Kai Arend was able to photograph a pair in the aquarium of a guide in Venezuela, which he had caught above the mouth of the Rio Ventuari into the Orinoco and brought home.

Now, for the first time ever, we were able to import this tetra jewel. They are magnificent, very elegant fish, even though they hardly show any red color, contrary to many pictures on the internet. This is obviously a matter of local populations. Where exactly our animals come from we do not know, they were exported from Brazil. The females differ clearly from the males by the coloration of the dorsal fin. By the way, they are the more active part during courtship. During the photo session for this post, there were three males and one female in the aquarium. The female dominated the males! During courtship our H. epicharis develop a smoky dark coloration due to expansion of the black pigment cells (melanophores), while otherwise they are cistalline-transparent with a red tinge.

The unfortunately very expensive animals will certainly be welcomed with open arms by tetra specialists. We assume that the breeding will succeed soon and they will become accessible to a wider public.

We have also made a small film about these fish, which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBofRyOLk3g

For our customers: the fish have code 260043 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon micropterus

24. June 2022

Again we succeeded in importing the unfortunately very rarely offered, very attractive Hyphessobrycon micropterus from the Rio Sao Francisco in Brazil. 

For more information please see: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/hyphessobrycon-micropterus-2/

The pictures in this post show animals from our current stock (June 2022).

For our customers: the animals have code 261853 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon socolofi var. Green

20. June 2022

Only rather rarely – every few years – and if, then always in the summer months June-July-August, we receive Hyphessobrycon socolofi from Brazil, in which the back shines conspicuously green; besides, the second cherry-red spot on the tail root is colored particularly intensively red with these animals. We have been observing this phenomenon for many years. We have not found an explanation yet. 

In any case they are beautiful animals, an enrichment for every aquarium with peaceful fish!

For our customers: the animals have code 261994 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon sp. aff. bifasciatus “Ghost” and H. bifasciatus “Red Fin” wild

3. June 2022

For the first time we can offer this interesting and attractive tetra novelty: Hyphessobrycon sp. aff. bifasciatus “Ghost”. The origin of this fish is not known to us. Our breeder received the parents from Vienna. When the young fish obtained with them developed strong red fins, which they lost again when growing up, the close relationship to the Yellow Tetra (Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus) could no longer be overlooked. The “Ghost” has indeed, as one can see with certain incidence of light, still the black pigments, which form the species-characteristic double shoulder stripe of H. bifasciatus. The “Ghost” looks very attractive as an adult fish due to its ghostly transparency in combination with the deep black eyes. 

The Yellow Tetra (Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus) was kept and bred in aquariums as early as 1925. It is very similar to the Flame Tetra (Hyphessobrycon flammeus). In fact, the Flame Tetra was misidentified as H. bifasciatus when it was first imported in 1920. It was not until the “true” H. bifasciatus was imported a few years later that the error was noticed and it was realized that the Flame Tetra was an undescribed species at that time. Both species grow to 4-5 cm in length and come from Brazil, state of Rio de Janeiro. However, the red is a blackwater form and therefore acutely threatened with extinction, while the yellow is very adaptable and still manages well even in nature destroyed by man. Wild catches for aquaristics have, as always in such cases, no influence on the natural populations.

Interesting about H. bifasciatus is that many of the juveniles have bright red fins. This disappears with the growing up. One only wonders: what is this good for? Because what we humans like very much, is noticed by predators: red fins! While taking pictures we noticed that it is mainly young females that have the red fins; during the random catch for the photo session all red-finned animals were indeed presumed females (because of the clearly smaller anal fin), while all animals with a large anal fin were presumed males; they did not show any red in the fins. All fish were about 2 cm long at this time. From then on, the females also lost more and more of their red until there was none at all.

In former times the Yellow Tetra was a popular aquarium fish, because it does not need additional heating in living rooms. 16-22°C is its comfort range, only for breeding it wants it a bit warmer. Nowadays the species is not colorful enough for many. But who knows, maybe the Yellow Tetra experiences a renaissance because of the enormously rising energy prices? Right now is one of the rare opportunities to acquire this fish, because we have wild catches in stock.

We have also posted a short video about the “Ghost”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl0fC7VsUAU

For our customers: Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus WILD have code 259653, H. sp. aff. bifasciatus “Ghost” code 259713 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon takasei

11. May 2022

The Coffee Bean Tetra is an exceptional species within the so-called Rosy Tetras: no other species has even a hint of such a large shoulder spot. The distribution area of the species is in the lower Amazon basin, the border area between Brazil and French Guyana. There you can find the Coffee Bean Tetra in the tributaries of the rivers Araguari and Oyapock – if you can find it! Because what sounds so easy on paper is not really easy to realize in the huge water worlds of the Amazon.

After Hyphessobrycon takasei had disappeared from the export lists for many years, we have now once again succeeded in importing a larger number of animals. According to our supplier it is still the same catcher who brought the animals before the export stop. 

When the fish arrived at our place, we were skeptical at first, if they really were coffee bean tetras, because a big part of them hardly showed a shoulder spot. Within a few days, however, this changed and the H. takasei looked like you would expect them to. But it is interesting how drastically the tetras can change their coloration when disturbed!

Anyway, we are happy to finally offer again this beauty, which reaches about 4 cm in length and is an ornament in any well maintained community aquarium with peaceful fish and abundant plant growth. Our animals are still youngsters and thus do not yet show the whole beauty of the species.

For our customers: the fish have code 262092 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon cyanotaenia – extra pretty wild catches

14. April 2022

The tetra Hyphessobrycon cyanotaenia was originally imported as “Lapis-Tetra” from Brazil; that was more than 20 years ago (see https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/?s=cyanotaenia). Since the breeding was successful this beautiful and easy to keep fish is now a common sight in the trade. The origin was mysterious for a long time, because the scientific description was based on offspring, but today it is known that H. cyanotaenia is native to the upper parts of the Rio Juruena (basin of the Rio Tapajós) and the Rio Guaporé (basin of the Rio Madeira) in the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil.

The species characteristic of Hyphessobrycon cyanotaenia is the massive black longitudinal band extending from the posterior margin of the eye to the posterior margin of the caudal fin. This band is accompanied above by a bright blue band across the back.

As wild catch H. cyanotaenia is only rarely on the market, because it belongs to the fixed assortment of many breeders. We have now once again received wild-caught specimens, which differ quite clearly from the offspring we are familiar with due to their very bright yellow colored back. In the few golden animals, which are also included in the import, the back shines particularly intensively.

For our customers: the wild caught specimens have code 259843 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon procyon

8. April 2022

One of the still very expensive tetra novelties in the aquarium is the very, very pretty Hyphessobrycon procyon from the Rio Aripuanã in the middle basin of the Rio Madeira. It looks confusingly similar to the kitty tetra, H. heliacus, at first glance. H. procyon and H. heliacus form a species complex together with the also very similar H. peugeoti and H. lowae. For differentiation see the article of Hans-Georg Evers in the journal Amazonas No 99/2021: 22-27, there is also a detailed breeding report on H. procyon.

Here therefore only the most important key data: H. procyon reaches a length of 4-5 cm. They are easy to keep tetras, which have no special demands on water and food. For optimal color and fin development soft, slightly acidic water (pH 6 – 6.5) is favorable, as well as secondary plant matter (peat, dead leaves, alder cones). Aquatic plants are not damaged, H. procyon are very peaceful among themselves and against other species of fish. The males like to display among themselves, which is wonderful to look at and ends without injuries. The best way to keep these tetras is in groups of 10 or more, the sex ratio is not important, but there should be at least two males.

A little video on this fish can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0oZ-tslpC0

For our customers: the fish have code 261582 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon notidanos “Red Devil

1. April 2022

Hyphessobrycon notidanos from the upper drainage of the Rio Tapajós in Brazil, which was scientifically described only in 2006, is apparently a quite multicolored animal. So there is the “Red Devil” with much red in the body and blue iris and the “Yellow Devil” with red iris. Both color forms are said to occur together in nature, but they are exported separately. They are really pretty animals, not at all devilish!

In collections from nature there were no specimens over 3 cm length (measured without caudal fin). Characteristic for the species is the pointed, extended dorsal fin of the males, which reaches almost to the adipose fin. 

The care of the unfortunately still quite expensive fish is easy and corresponds to that of e.g. king tetras (Inpaichthys kerri). For feeding, the animals greedily accept any common fish food of suitable size. Hyphessobrycon notidanos is completely peaceful and does not damage plants. The water temperature in the wild is around 26°C, a value that certainly deviates occasionally by a few degrees up or down due to weather and seasonal conditions. 

For our customers: the “Red Devil” has code 261263 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon negodagua

25. March 2022

At present the small tetras of South America experience a new boom. Numerous species have been and are being described scientifically. Thus also the ornamental fish collectors leave their beaten tracks and look for these animals, particularly since currently peppered prices are paid for the novelties. Naturally, such a thing only works for a short time, then offspring of the particularly attractive species come onto the market, the less attractive ones disappear again and wild catches only come to us once in a blue moon as rarities for a few specialists. But we are still in phase 1 of this development and welcome the novelties enthusiastically.

One of them is Hyphessobrycon negodagua, which was scientifically described in 2001. Its area of origin is in the northeast of Brazil, in the state of Bahia. There, this tetra with a maximum length of 3 – 3.5 cm inhabits the Rio Pratinah, a tributary of the Rio Santo Antonio, which in turn drains into the Rio Paraguaçú, which is one of the important coastal rivers of Brazil without connection to other river systems. H. negodagua differs from almost all other Hyphessobrycon species by the absence of the typical tetra adipose fin in most specimens, the unique coloration of the males in courtship display also makes them distinctive. Freshly imported and not yet acclimated animals are silvery, but acclimated males show already after a few days their fiery courtship dances, during which they turn black, which contrasts very effectively with the white fin seams. The fluttering courtship swim of this pretty species prompted Hans-Georg Evers to call it the “Butterfly Dwarf Tetra”.

The care of the animals is simple and corresponds to that of other small tetras. Incidentally, the species name “negodagua” refers to a mythical man-like monster (Nego d’agua) that lurks at the bottom of rivers and attacks inattentive fishermen at night. Why scientists associated the small, peaceful tetra with this monster, they do not reveal….

For our customers: the animals have code 261232 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply wholesale. Only available in small quantities!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon melanostichos

16. February 2022

At the moment we can offer magnificent, fully grown bred specimens of Hyphessobrycon melanostichos.

Hyphessobrycon melanostichos is very eye-catching due to its bright sky-blue back coloration. The species was scientifically described in 2006 from the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, where it occurs in the upper drainage of the Rio Tapajós. The species is distinguished from all other Hyphessobrycon species by the combination of the following features: a broad, black longitudinal band that begins at the posterior margin of the eye and extends to the posterior margin of the caudal fin; an oval shoulder spot; 16-18 soft fin rays in the anal fin.

It is very interesting that in this fish, similar to Hemigrammus coeruleus, the males develop a distinctly different coloration during courtship; many thanks to Peter & Martin Hoffmann for providing us with the picture of a courtship active male. Such changes in coloration are unusual in tetras of the Hemigrammus-Hyphessobrycon group, usually the colors intensify only insignificantly during courtship.

For our customers: H. melanostichos has code 261834 on our stock list. Please note that we only supply to wholesalers.

Text: Frank Schäfer, Photos: Frank Schäfer, Peter & Martin Hoffmann

Literature: 

Carvalho, T. P. and V. A. Bertaco (2006): Two new species of Hyphessobrycon (Teleostei: Characidae) from upper rio Tapajós basin on Chapada dos Parecis, central Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology v. 4 (no. 3): 301-308.

Hyphessobrycon dorsalis

21. January 2022

Tetras, which – as Hans-Georg Evers so aptly put it – are magnificently white wine colored, have a hard time in aquarists. In the dealer’s tank there is usually nothing to be seen of the discreet colors and why, many ask, should one buy colorless fish when there are so many colorful species?

This opinion changes, if one gives oneself a jerk, and maintains a troop of perhaps 15 or 20 specimens of such white wine fishes in a well planted community aquarium together with the colorful classics (cardinal tetra etc.). Then you will notice that the “ugly gray ducklings” do not develop into magnificent swans, but they attract at least as much attention as their brightly colored cousins. The magic word is: contrast!

One such contrast fish is Hyphessobrycon dorsalis, which circulated in the hobby as “Hyphessobrycon minor” before its scientific description in 2014. It is the slimmest representative of the so-called “Rosy Tetras”, which are well characterized within the large group of small tetras by their white-black-white dorsal fin coloration. By the way, the fish from which the scientific description is based came from our facility. We imported them from Brazil via Manaus at that time, and our current import also comes from this source.

For our customers: the animals have code 261362 on our stock list. Please note that we supply only wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon moniliger

9. December 2021

Under the name “Hasemania hansseni” a new tetra has recently appeared on the market, which with its intense orange coloration is indeed somewhat reminiscent of the well-known copper tetra, Hasamania nana. However, one of the characteristics of the genus Hasemania is that it lacks the adipose fin that is so typical for tetras. This is however present in the new imports. They are Hyphessobrycon moniliger, a species first mentioned in scientific literature by Lowe-McConnell in 1991 as “Hyphessobrycon sp. golden tetra”. It was then scientifically described in 2002 based on specimens from the Rio Tocantins drainage. In the meantime it was also reported from the Rio Tapajós drainage. 

The males of H. moniliger have broadened fin rays in the anal fin, which are also covered with numerous hooks. This characteristic is known rather from the Hemigrammus relationship, but as we have already mentioned several times, the systematics of the small tetras of South America is so far only very unsatisfactory clarified.

With about 4 cm total length H. moniliger remains handy small. They are very beautiful and peaceful fish, a real enrichment of the assortment!

For our customers: the animals have code 261393 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon moniliger

19. July 2021

Under the name “Hasemania hansseni” a new tetra has recently appeared on the market, which with its intense orange coloration is indeed somewhat reminiscent of the well-known copper tetra, Hasemania nana. However, one of the characteristics of the genus Hasemania is that it lacks the adipose fin that is so typical for tetras. This is however present in the new imports. They are Hyphessobrycon moniliger, a species first mentioned in scientific literature by Lowe-McConnell in 1991 as “Hyphessobrycon sp. golden tetra”. It was then scientifically described in 2002 based on specimens from the Rio Tocantins drainage. In the meantime it was also reported from the Rio Tapajós drainage. 

The males of H. moniliger have broadened fin rays in the anal fin, which are also covered with numerous hooks. This characteristic is known rather from the Hemigrammus relationship, but as we have already mentioned several times, the systematics of the small tetras of South America is so far only very unsatisfactory clarified.

With about 4 cm total length H. moniliger remains handy small. They are very beautiful and peaceful fish, a real enrichment of the assortment!

For our customers: the animals have code 261393 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon sp. “Muzel Red Cherry“

7. July 2021

From Brazil we received this really nice novelty, which looks a bit like an enlarged edition of the Ember tetra, Hyphessobrycon amandae. However has the “Muzel Red Cherry” two (although indistinct) shoulder spots, which never occurs in H. amandae.  In addition, the dorsal fin in “Muzel Red Cherry” is red with a light margin, while in H. amandae it has a large black spot on the posterior margin. The novelty also bears a certain resemblance to the “Bolivia Orange”, which in turn is placed in the relationship of Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis (although it is completely different in coloration). In contrast to the “Bolivia Orange” the “Muzel Red Cherry” has a red caudal fin, this is transparent in “Bolivia Orange”. In addition, there is a sex difference in “Muzel Red Cherry”, which is missing in “Bolivia Orange”: the males of “Muzel Red Cherry” grow larger than the females and have enlarged fins, as known from the Rosy Tetras.

The origin of the novelty is still unknown, the imported animals are bred ones. As our supplier learned, the Brazilian ichthyologist Flavio Lima from the Universidade Estadual de Campinas in the state of Sao Paulo is working on the scientific description.

It will be interesting to see which genus Lima will come to, because the “Muzel Red Cherry” basically looks like a “Rosy Tetra” of the genus Hyphessobrycon, but it also has an incomplete lateral line and a scaled caudal fin base, both characteristics of Hemigrammus.

Anyway, this 3-4 cm long tetra is a real color wonder and a wonderful enrichment of the tetra assortment.

For our customers: the animals have code 261943 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon eques “Longfin”

28. June 2021

The Serpa Tetra, also called the Callistus Tetra (Hyphessobrycon eques, formerly known as H. callistus or H. serpae), is the little man’s piranha. Just like piranhas, serpa tetras have an irresistible urge to bite the fins of other fish. And they constantly want to test out who is the stronger. This makes many exciting observations in the aquarium, but one thing you hardly ever see is Serpa Tetras with their fins completely intact.

The magnificent coloration and interesting behavior make many aquarists overlook the naughtiness of fin biting since 1924. In the course of time even a veil-finned variety of these up to 4 cm long animals developed. It too always appears somewhat tattered, but this does not detract from their enjoying life and also recognizably causes the fish neither pain nor discomfort.

One must always maintain Serpa Tetras in as large a group as possible of 10, better 20 animals or more, and offer them a richly structured aquarium. Since they originate from southern South America, where it can get quite fresh at certain times of the year, they should not be kept at high temperatures above 24°C all year round. Every now and then a few weeks without heating at 18-20°C will do the animals a lot of good and improve the colors.

For our customers: Serpa Tetras „Longfin“ have code 261953 on our stock list. Please note that we supply only wholesale.

Hyphessobrycon micropterus

28. May 2021

In 1915 the scientist Carl Eigenmann described a new tetra genus, which he named Megalamphodus. Type species is M. megalopterus, an aquaristic very well known species: the Black Phantom Tetra. In 1997 Megalamphodus became a synonym of Hyphessobrycon. Of the remaining species assigned to Megalamphodus in 1915 (ecuadoriensis, eques, heteresthes, melanotus, micropterus), only the Serpae tetra, H. eques, is encountered in the hobby; the appearance of the others is largely unclear – they are known only from dead, preserved specimens.

Now we could import most likely one of these species: Hyphessobrycon micropterus. This tetra is considered endemic to the Rio Sao Francisco river system (it flows through the states of Minas Gerais, Bahia, Sergipe, Pernambuco and Alagoas in Brazil), so it occurs exclusively there. The Rio Sao Francisco flows in the east of Brazil and has no connection to other rivers, which easily explains the high percentage of species endemic there. 

Whether the pretty tetras now imported by us from the Rio Sao Francisco, which somewhat resemble very intensely colored Pristella, really belong to the species H. micropterus, which has been described over 100 years ago, must be shown by further, time-consuming investigations. Only in 2018 an almost identical looking species, H. piorskii, was described, but it occurs about 1,500 km further north (Maranhao state in the Munim and Preguiças rivers).

For our customers: the animals have code 261853 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus

26. February 2021

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

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

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon “ornatus White Fin” XL

29. May 2020

We just have a tank full of fully grown rosy tetra (Hyphessobrycon rosaceus) of the breeding form “White Fin” in stock. These magnificent fish are a real feast for the eyes. Read more about this form of fish, which is also known as H. bentosi or H. ornatus in the hobby here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/hyphessobrycon-ornatus-white-fin-2/

For our customers: the animals have code 262014 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon hexastichos

25. October 2019

This pretty tetra is a double of the very similarly colored species Moenkhausia agnesae. It remains however with 5,5 cm length smaller than M. agnesae, which becomes nearly 7 cm long. In addition, H. hexastichos, which occurs exclusively in the upper catchment area of the Rio Tapajós in Brazil, is not as quarrelsome as M. agnesae.

We have now received again a small number of German offspring of this beautiful rarity. 

For our customers: the animals have code 261153 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon peruvianus

27. May 2019

Three species of tetra in northern South America are obviously close relatives to each other and often confused: Hyphessobrycon loretoensis from Peru, H. metae from Colombia, and H. peruvianus, again from Peru. From these, H. loretoensis has been portayed here: http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/hyphessobrycon-loretoensis_de_1188.html.

Currently we were able to import the second Peruvian species once more, H. peruvianus, in wonderful, large specimens. It can be distinguished best from its close relative, H. loretoensis, by the coloration of the caudal fin. In H. peruvianus the black longitudinal band extends far in the caudal fin. Above and below it is often accompanied by red spots. The lobes of the caudal fin are hyaline. In H. loretoensis the black band ends shortly after the caudal fin origin. The caudal fin is completely red.

Regarding the aquarium maintanace there is no great difference between the two species, both are extremely beautiful fish that fit perfectly for any blackwater community tank.

For our customers: the fish have code 261453 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Hyphessobrycon: ancient Greek, means “small Brycon”. Brycon is another genus of tetras. peruvianus: means “originating from Peru”. loretoensis: after the Loreto province in Peru. metae: after the Rio Meta.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon “ornatus White Fin”

1. March 2019

Among he longest-serving rosy tetras in the hobby is Hyphessobrycon ornatus, even if the species has a true odyssey concerning the naming behind it and is called Hyphessobrycon rosaceus according to the latest state of affairs; before it was equated with H. bentosi. The first specimens arrived already in 1933 from Guyana. Breeding was not easy because not every male fertilized. With the beautiful breeding form “White Fin” the otherwise black parts in the fin coloring are replaced by white. The original breeder, the ornamental fish breeder Günnel, won the first prize for new breeding forms with these animals at the Aquarama in Singapore in 1997.

For our customers: the animals have code 262012 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi „Smoke“

27. July 2018

This is a very interesting and beautiful new sport of tetra. One can only guess that it belongs to the species Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi, but there is no other species known in the hobby that fits better.

Two characters make this fish very desirable: the extraordinary strong schooling behaviour and the intensive dark coloration of the body that is contrasting with the bright light head.

We have obtained these fish as bred ones from Singapore. Currently they are about 2-3 cm long, we suppose that threy will become – like the Black Neon – about 3-4 cm long.

For our customers: the fish have code 260922 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon piranga

11. June 2018

Currently we can offer exclusively some top-rarities among the tetra family, all German bred. One of them is Hyphessobrycon piranga, which was introduced in the hobby by Peter and Martin Hoffmann in the German magazine Datz (issue 11/2017) under the unusual name of „Hyphessobrycon sp. non-red devil“. Despite the fact that the new tetra has a lot of red colours it is obviously not identical with the probably still undescribed species that is known as „Red Devil“ in the hobby and that develops inter alia much larger fins. The „non-red devil“ was described officially in march 2018 under the name of Hyphessobrycon piranga. The new species occur from rivers in the upper rio Tapajós catchment. 

The males of the pretty species have red fins, while the females remind one a bit in black neons (H. herbertaxelrodi) or H. nigricinctus. In the wild the fish are mature at a size of about 2 cm standard length (without fins), but in the aquarium they will grow a bit larger. The photographed bred ones are about 3 cm long. The photo made by Peter Hoffmann shows a pair of the breeders.

This tetra is a beautiful, easy to keep and very lively fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 261552 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Frank Schäfer & Peter Hoffmann

Hyphessobrycon elachys

11. May 2018

Among the smallest species of tetra is Hyphessobrycon elachys, the veilfin tetra from Paraguay. The species becomes only 1.5-2 cm long (standard length without caudal fin). The charming animals inhabit swampy areas in the Rio Paraguay drainage. The genus Hyphessobrycon, as it is currently defined, represents an artifical assamblage of species which are not very closely related. So the placement of H. elachys in Hyphessobrycon is only provisionally and for sure it will be placed in another genus in case of a revision of Hyphessobrycon. The veilfin tetra is unique by the shape of the anal fin in males, the very long ventral fins in males and teeth structures.

In the natural habitat Hyphessobrycon elachys lives in mixed schools along with with other, very similar tetras and Corydoras hastatus. It is almost impossible to tell H. elachys from these other tetras apart on basis of the coloration. So imports of the species are always a mix, sometimes H. elachys is hardly represented in them at all. So to a certain degree there are always bycatches among H. elachys, but our current import contains at least 90% veilfin tetras.

For our customers: the animals have code 262052 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon paepkei

9. February 2018

The Goldshoulder rosy tetra, Hyphessobrycon paepkei, has been described only a few years ago, the type specimens originated from our fishhouse. THe natural distribution is in the Rio Negro in Brazil. Usullay onyl a few specimens could be selected from shipments of other species, but now we are able to offer the beautiful Goldshoulder rosy tetra on a regular basis. Regarding keeping this fish: it does not differ in any respect from well known, closely related aquarium fish, like the phantom tetras or the rosy tetras.

For our customers: the fish have code 261474 on our stocklist. Please Note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon wadai

22. December 2017

We are very glad to be able to offer this beautiful tetra for the first time now. The fish are German bred ones. The species has been described only in 2016. The natural distribution is the upper basin of the Rio Tapajós. This tetra is already a popular aquarium fish in Sao Paulo (Brazil) since several years. The scientists who described the species honour the Brazilian aquarium enthusiast and breeder Luiz Wada. Peter and Martin Hoffmann were able to obtain some imported specimens and were already successful in breeding them. They reported on that in the Datz magazine 11/2017. These fish are the ones we offer now. Hopefully the „blueberry tetra“ („blackberry tetra“ in German) will find many new friends!

For our customers: the fish have code 262172 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Peter und Martin Hoffmann

Hyphessobrycon flammeus GOLD

24. November 2017

We want to remind on one of the first species of tetra that reached us from the area around Rio de Janeiro: Hyphessobrycon flammeus, the Flame Tetra. Since the first importation in the year 1924 the species is present in aquaria all over the world, for the fish are easy to breed and very productive.

Sadly H. flammeus is in danger of extinction, for the natural habitat of the Flame Tetra is vanishing. The species has not been exported from Brazil for decades, but every aquarist can help the Flame Tetra to survive: just buy them! As long as the Flame Tetra is demanded in the trade it will be bred by breeders and so the fish has a realistic chance to survive at least in aquaria!

Rather recently a golden sport of this tetra has appeared in the marked, called „Golden Flame Tetra“. In this fish the black markings are lacking. The golden sport is also a very attractive fish!

For our customers: the fish have code 290323 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon eques wild

15. November 2017

The Serpae tetra is one of the most popular tetras at all. This is doubtless due to its intensive red coloration. In respect of the behaviour one cannot trust them too far. They have the nasty tendency to bite off pieces of finnage from other fish, also from conspecifics. 

From a scientific point of view the Serpae tetra is subject of a controversial debate that lasts already for more than 50 years – and still no satisfying solution has been published yet. How many species cover behind the common name of „Serpae tetra“? And what is the correct scientific name for them? So hobbyists interested in tetras will for sure be happy that we were able to import now some wild collected specimens. They originate from the surroundings of the city of Cuiabá in the state of Mato Grosso. Currently these animals are about 3 cm long and thus not fully grown and not full in color yet, but very healthy and lively.

The import happend in July 2017. We kept some specimens in our fishhouse to see what would become of them. They go for sale now, too. The fish became very nice, graceful Serpa tetras. The most remarkable thing is that they are very peaceful against each other. Of course the males display against each other (as it is usual in the tetra family), but they don´t even hurt the finneage of the competitor, as it sadly often happens in aquarium strains.

For our customers: the fish have code 261932 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon eques wild

14. July 2017

The Serpae tetra is one of the most popular tetras at all. This is doubtless due to its intensive red coloration. In respect of the behaviour one cannot trust them too far. They have the nasty tendency to bite off pieces of finnage from other fish, also from conspecifics.

 

From a scientific point of view the Serpae tetra is subject of a controversial debate that lasts already for more than 50 years – and still no satisfying solution has been published yet. How many species cover behind the common name of „Serpae tetra“? And what is the correct scientific name for them? So hobbyists interested in tetras will for sure be happy that we were able to import now some wild collected specimens. They originate from the surroundings of the city of Cuiabá in the state of Mato Grosso. Currently these animals are about 2 cm long and thus only half grown and not in color yet, but very healthy and lively.

For our customers: the fish have code 261932 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi Wild

3. June 2017

Wild collected black neon tetra? This is extremely rare, even in our company. The black neon tetra is one of the most often traded ornamental fish at all and much sought for. So it is available any time in any number as bred ones, even some artifical sports have been bred, like „smoke“ or „albino“. These bred fish are also always much cheaper than a wild collected fish can be. So we are very glad that we now managed a small importation of wild collected animals. The species originates from the Rio Paraguay basin in Brazil and Bolivia.

For our customers: the fish have code 260913 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

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

5. May 2017

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

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

Hyhessobrycon cf agulha

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

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Hyphessobrycon melanostichos

28. April 2017

In our latest newsletter I made a regattable mistake: I used pictures of Hyphessobrycon cf. melanostichos instead of pictures of the „real“ Hyphessobrycon melanostichos in the post; H. cf. melanostichos differs a lot from the „real“ species in life colours. So here are now pictures of the „real“ H. melanostichos, the fish we currently have in stock. It is very interesting that in tis species the male changes a lot in coloration, as we have seen it in Hemigrammus coeruleus. This is very unusual in species of the Hemigrammus-Hyphessobrycon-relationship, in which the males usually only get a bit brighter coloration during courtship.

Hyphessobrycon melanostichos has a striking bright skyblue dorsal coloration. The species has been described scientifically in 2006 from the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil; here H. melanostichos is found in the upper reaches of the Rio Tapajós basin. The species is distinguished from all other species of Hyphessobrycon by the comobination of the following characters: „a conspicuous longitudinal broad black band, beginning on the posterior margin of orbit and reaching the distal tip of middle caudal fin rays; humeral spot vertically elongate and distinct from lateral band; and 16 to 18 branched anal-fin rays.“ (Carvalho & Bertaco, 2006)

The coloration (of preserved fish) is the same in Hyphessobrycon cf. melanostichos, but this form has 19 branched anal fin rays. Moreover in the original description of H. melanostichos a freshly preserved male is illustrated, obviously a breeding animal. The coloration of this specimen fits perfectly to the one of the mating male we can illustrate here (it is one of the parents of the fish we currently have in stock). So we have no doubt anymore that we now have the „real“ Hyphessobrycon melanostichos in stock, while the status of the H. cf. melanostichos remains the subject of further investigations.

For our customers: the „real“ Hyphessobrycon melanostichos has code 261832 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer, photos: Frank Schäfer, Peter & Martin Hoffmann

Literature: 

Carvalho, T. P. and V. A. Bertaco (2006): Two new species of Hyphessobrycon (Teleostei: Characidae) from upper rio Tapajós basin on Chapada dos Parecis, central Brazil. Neotropical Ichthyology v. 4 (no. 3): 301-308.

Tetras: top rarities, German bred

27. April 2017

We obtained from our proofed breeder three species of tetra which are hardly – if ever – available in the trade, all German bred. Hyphessobrycon melanostichos, H. nigricinctus, and Hemigrammus coeruleus. Especially H. coeruleus is now available in larger numbers (yippieh!), the remaining two species are only in small numbers in our stock.

For our customers: H. melanostichos has code 261832, H. nigricinctus 261463, and H. coeruleus 256322 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively the wholesale trade.

Text: Frank Schäfer Photos: Frank Schäfer & Peter Hoffmann

Hyphessobrycon sp. Red-Blue Peru Tetra, now H. margitae

12. April 2017

This tetra, which attains a maximum length of about 4-5 cm, is without any doubts one of the most attractive members of the tetra family. The species has been described scientifically recently under the name of Hyphessobrycon margitae. It originates from Peru, according to the exporters from the Loreto region, Rio Nanay basin. Regarding the behaviour it shows a lot of similarities to the Purple emperor tetra (Inpaichthys kerri). Sometimes H. margitae is confused with Hyphessobrycon nigricinctus, the Peruvian emperor tetra, which has, however, a much narrower lateral band.

The Red-Blue Peru-Tetra is a peaceful animal that can be kept in any community tank with other peaceful fish. We can currently offer fully grown bred specimens, but we also have sometimes wild collected specimens in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 262153 (wild) and 262164 (bred) on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Hyphessobrycon: ancient Greek, means “small Brycon”; Brycon is another genus of tetra. Inpaichthys: dedication name for the  Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia (INPA); ichthys is ancient Greek and means “fish”. kerri: dedication name for W. E. Kerr, at the time director of INPA. nigricintus: Latin, means “with a black band”. margitae: named in honour of the wife of the describer, Margit Zarske.