Angels - PageSuite

FRESHWATER AQUARIUMS & TROPICAL DISCOVERY 

Angels 

Rising 

❙ Fire & Ice 

Channa 

❙ New Blue-Eyes 

❙ Cory Mystery 

Deaths 

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

EDITOR & PUBLISHER | James M. Lawrence 

INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHER | Matthias Schmidt 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Hans-Georg Evers 

CHIEF DESIGNER | Nick Nadolny 

SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD | 

Dr. Gerald Allen, Christopher Brightwell, Svein A. 

Fosså, Raymond Lucas, Dr. Paul Loiselle, Dr. John 

E. Randall, Julian Sprung, Jeffrey A. Turner 

SENIOR EDITORS | 

Matthew Pedersen, Mary E. Sweeney 

CONTRIBUTORS | 

Juan Miguel Artigas Azas, Dick Au, Heiko Bleher, 

Eric Bodrock, Jeffrey Christian, Morrell Devlin, 

Ian Fuller, Jay Hemdal, Neil Hepworth, Maike 

Wilstermann-Hildebrand, Ad Konings, Marco 

Tulio C. Lacerda, Michael Lo, Neale Monks, Rachel 

O’Leary, Martin Thaler Morte, Christian & Marie- 

Paulette Piednoir, Karen Randall, Mark Sabaj Perez, 

Ben Tan, Stephan Tanner 

TRANSLATOR | Mary Bailey 

ART DIRECTOR | Linda Provost 

DESIGNER | Anne Linton Elston 

ASSOCIATE EDITORS | 

Louise Watson, John Sweeney, Eamonn Sweeney 

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AMAZONAS, Freshwater Aquariums & Tropical Discovery 

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COVER: 

Pterophyllum altum: Wild pair 

from the Rio Atabapo. 

Photos: B. Kahl 

 

4 EDITORIAL by Hans-Georg Evers 

6 AQUATIC NOTEBOOK 

COVER STORY 

24 THE LATEST ON PTEROPHYLLUM: 

Species and forms of angelfishes 

by Heiko Bleher 

32 A LIFE WITH ANGELS 

by Bernd Schmitt 

42 PTEROPHYLLUM ALTUM: 

The King of the Río Orinoco 

by Simon Forkel 

48 ANGELFISH: GENETIC TRANSPARENCY 

CHANGES EVERYTHING 

by Matt Pedersen 

FEATURE ARTICLES 

58 FISHKEEPING BASICS: 

Common health problems in Corydoradine catfishes 

by Ian Fuller 

66 FISH ROOM: 

Serious fishrooms: breeding aquarium fishes 

for the wholesale trade 

by Walter Hilgner 

74 HUSBANDRY & BREEDING: 

With flashes of brilliant color, a new blue-eye is here! 

by Hans-Georg Evers 

78 HUSBANDRY & BREEDING: 

Chilatherina sentaniensis: long sought, finally found 

by Thomas Hörning 

82 REPORTAGE: 

From Thailand: new snakeheads 

by Dominik Niemeier and Pascal Antler 

DEPARTMENTS 

88 RETAIL SOURCES 

90 SPECIES SNAPSHOTS 

94 SOCIETY CONNECTIONS 

98 UNDERWATER EYE 

AMAZONAS 3

EDITORIAL 

AMAZONAS 

4 

Dear Reader, 

AMAZONAS founding editor Hans-Georg Evers 

It has actually taken a lot of work to reach a point where we could present a classic genus 

to a public that is interested in more than just colorful pictures accompanied by the same 

old stale verbiage. Unfortunately, many classic aquarium fishes suffer from being considered 

“common” beginners’ fishes and, hence, beneath the interest of advanced aquarists. 

But the freshwater angelfishes in the genus Pterophyllum are quite a special genus of cichlids. 

With just three recognized species, the group is easy to summarize, but also includes 

both easy-to-keep “bread and butter” fishes, with numerous exotic strains and cultivated 

forms, and rare wild forms that are often very difficult and time-consuming to keep and 

breed. 

We want to use this issue to spread the word among aquarists who have been working 

extensively with angelfishes for many years and know what they are doing. That may 

sound highly contradictory, but it won’t deter us from our goal of introducing these 

majestic fishes to our readers. We have deliberately placed the emphasis on the wild forms, 

in order to increase awareness of these beautiful fishes. In the past there have been real 

battles of opinion in certain circles, especially regarding the majestic Altum. So don’t be 

surprised if some statements in the individual articles appear somewhat contradictory. 

One thing is crystal clear, however. Angels are gorgeous fishes for beginners and experts 

alike. I am quite sure that after reading our cover feature you will pay more attention the 

next time you find yourself standing in front of a tank of angelfishes. 

We also have a couple of real stunners in this issue. The very attractive Paska’s Blue- 

Eye has been tracked down and is being bred—and a new star in the mini-fish heavens has 

found its way into the aquarium. We take you with us for a look inside the fishrooms of 

Walter Hilgner, a truly passionate breeder of many desirable fish species and a former hobbyist 

who admits to losing the battle with one of his aquarium “addictions.” And readers 

of our English edition will find an enlightening piece by Ian Fuller on the mystery of sudden 

death and the treatment of other maladies peculiar to Corydoradinae catfishes. 

I wish you happy reading and continued enjoyment of the aquarium hobby!

The world is yours. 

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around the globe, but with the highest level of quality, selection and vitality. 

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AMAZONAS 5

AQUATIC 

AMAZONAS 

6 

NOTEBOOK 

by Dr. Mark Sabaj Pérez—Special Report to AMAZONAS 

Damming the Río Xingu: field update 

With the specter of an ecosystem-killing hydroelectric 

dam project moving ahead in Brazil, the eyes of many 

concerned observers, especially those interested in the 

fate of native fish species, are on the Lower Xingu River. 

For two weeks, from October 3–17, I joined Brazilian 

colleagues on a fishing expedition to the Lower 

Xingu near Altamira, Brazil. (I am Collection Manager 

of Fishes at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.) 

During this time of year, the Xingu is at its lowest 

seasonal point, and many species of fish become crowded 

together, making them easier to find and catch. 

The collecting group included Dr. Leandro Sousa, a 

professor at the Universidade Federal do Pará, Altamira 

campus, who is part of a team of Brazilian scientists 

conducting aquatic surveys of the Lower Xingu in the 

stretches that will be affected by the construction of the 

Belo Monte Dam. Dr. Mariangeles Arce, an expert on the 

molecular evolution of thorny catfishes (Doradidae), is 

also on the team; she recently completed 

her doctoral degree at the Pontifícia Universidade 

Católica do Río Grande do Sul 

in Porto Alegre, Brazil. 

Expedition team (left to right): Edson, 

Zezinho, Dani, Dr. Mariangeles Arce, 

Dr. Mark Sabaj Pérez, Dr. Leandro Sousa. 

Damming and diversion of the Río Xingu, 

below, will displace tens of thousands 

of indigenous people in the heart of the 

Amazon basin and threaten native stocks 

of fishes caught for food and export 

to aquarists.

The expedition consisted of four separate trips. The 

first was a day trip by car to a tributary of the Río Penatecaua, 

a small, isolated tributary of the Amazon about 

50 miles (80 km) west-southwest of Altamira on Route 

230. The second was another day trip, this time by boat 

(voadeira in Portuguese), to a 

shoal made up of sand, gravel, 

and platelike conglomerates and 

a rocky outcrop in the Río Xingu 

about 9 miles (15 km) upstream 

from Altamira. 

The third and fourth trips 

were also by voadeira. On the 

third we ventured upstream on 

the Xingu to its major left-bank 

tributary, the Río Iriri, and then 

proceeded about 9 miles (15 km) 

up the Iriri to a large waterfall, 

Cachoeira Grande. The fourth 

trip took us downstream of Altamira, 

into the large, bell-shaped 

curve in the Lower Xingu called 

Volta Grande (Big Bend) and as 

far as Cachoeira do Jericoá, about 

34 miles (55 km) east-southeast 

of Altamira, where the Xingu 

suddenly drops through a series 

of powerful waterfalls. We also 

made a stop at the Río Bacajá, a 

small right-bank tributary of the 

Xingu. Two of the most skilled 

and respected pleco fishermen 

in Altamira, Dani and Edson, as 

well as our skipper, Zezinho, and 

our cook, Rai, accompanied us on 

the last two trips. 

The expedition netted and 

preserved about 2,500 specimens, 

including tissue samples of about 

350 individuals for molecular 

analysis, from a total of 11 

Scobinancistrus aureatus, described 

by Burgess in 1994 from the Lower 

Xingu. Known as the Sunshine 

Pleco or Goldie Pleco, it is one 

of the species threatened with 

extinction by the Belo Monte 

project. 

sites. The pleco hunting was 

extremely good, with about 25 

species recorded, most caught 

by Dani and Edson. Highlights 

included two species of Scobinancistrus 

(S. aureatus and S. 

paRíolispos), three species of 

Baryancistrus (B. chrysolomus, 

B. niveatus, and B. xanthellus), the rare Leporacanthicus 

heterodon, two species of Hypancistrus, H. zebra and 

one undescribed (L174), two or three Spectracanthicus, 

including one undescribed (L020), and a beautiful specimen 

of an undescribed Pseudacanthicus (L025). 

The specimens were divided between and vouchered 

at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and 

Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia in Manaus, 

capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. The purposes 

of the expedition were 1) to collect additional specimens 

and tissue samples of undescribed species under study 

by Mark, Leandro, Mariangeles, and colleagues; 2) to 

take photographs of live fishes, their habitats, and the 

conditions of the river; 3) to test logistics and collecting 

gear for future expeditions to the Lower Xingu; and 

4) to contribute to baseline estimates of fish diversity in 

vaRíous stretches of the Lower Xingu pRíor to its modification 

by the Belo Monte Dam complex. The expedition 

was funded in part by a generous donation from Julian 

Dignall and PlanetCatfish. 

Dam construction in progress 

Construction on the Belo Monte Dam complex appears 

to be progressing swiftly, despite legal challenges and the 

protests of indigenous tribes whose lands and livelihoods 

are threatened. 

We did not visit the construction site, but caught 

a glimpse of the temporary low dam of rocks, sand, 

and mud being built across the entire channel in the 

upstream portion of Volta Grande (a site known as Pimental). 

Here the river channel is divided into a number 

of streams by islands and small shoals. The low dam 

has been creeping across the Xingu all year, and now 

only the largest section of the river, along the western 

bank, remains unimpeded. Leandro said that early in the 

construction, the Xingu overpowered the low dam in 

what was locally regarded as a big victory for nature. But 

since then, the dam builders have been the victors. From 

time to time, groups of indigenous peoples gather at the 

construction site to protest the dam. Their protests are 

largely peaceful and largely ignored. 

AMAZONAS 7

AMAZONAS 

8 

TM 

Top: Xingu version of Peckoltia sabaji, 

a species described by Armbruster in 

2003 based on Essequibo specimens. 

Bottom: New species of Hypancistrus 

(L174) to be described by Leandro 

Sousa, found along rocky ledges over 

52 feet (16 m) deep. Deep water habitat 

may become scarce for such species 

after water is diverted from Volta Grande. 

Toward the end of our expedition, 

the rainy season began and the Xingu 

started to rise. Presumably, construction 

of the dam will be suspended, 

given the increased flow of the river. 

Once the river subsides again next 

year, the low dam (assuming it 

remains intact) will not take long to 

complete. Eventually, a more permanent 

dam will be built at Pimental, 

impounding the Lower Xingu to form the Calha do Xingu Reservoir, which 

will extend upstream to about half the distance between Altamira and the 

mouth of the Río Iriri. From the reservoir, the Xingu’s water will be diverted 

through two large canals being dug toward Belo Monte near the downstream 

limit of Volta Grande. 

Some have estimated that more earth is being displaced for these diversion 

canals than was removed during the construction of the Panama Canal. The 

portion of Volta Grande that is not inundated by the reservoir will be effectively 

“short-circuited” by the canals. No one knows exactly how much water will be 

diverted through the canals to generate electricity via Belo Monte. Therefore, no 

one knows exactly how much water will remain to fill the complex labyrinth of 

narrow channels that make up the downstream portion of Volta Grande. 

Experts estimate that Volta Grande will retain only one-third of the water 

it normally contains at flood level. In the low-water season, many of the shallow 

channels could become isolated and go completely dry, resulting in heavy 

losses for resident fishes and other aquatic organisms. One thing is for sure: 

much of the Belo Monte Dam complex will be completed soon…perhaps by 

the end of the next dry season.

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AMAZONAS 9

AQUATIC 

AMAZONAS 

10 

NOTEBOOK 

A new mailed catfish 

of the Corydoras aeneus group 

Above: Male 

Corydoras sp. 

CW 68 

by Erik Schiller In September 2009 my friend Ingo Seidel told me that he had 

obtained a new mailed catfish with attractive yellow fins, which was slightly reminiscent 

of Corydoras zygatus. The good news was that the collecting locality for this “new 

species” was known. Jens Gottwald had caught the fishes at the Río Aripuaná in Brazil. 

This fish has received the code number CW 68 on Ian Fuller’s CorydorasWorld site. 

Corydoras zygatus, the Blackband Cory, comes from Peru, from the Río Huallaga system in the Río 

Santiago. However, locations are also known from the Río Pindo in Ecuador. Because the distances 

between these locations in Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil (Río Aripuaná) are extremely large, I originally 

called this new mailed catfish from the Río Aripuaná Corydoras sp. “Río Aripuaná”. But because the 

species has now been classified as CW 68, this code number should be used instead. 

Corydoras sp. CW 7 is another similar species. The precise location for this species is not 

known, but it is a bycatch with Corydoras zygatus. So these catfishes definitely don’t come from 

Brazil! 

Naturally, I was very interested, but my space is limited, with 25 aquariums. So for the time 

being, Ingo kept the small group of specimens. But because he had also acquired a large number of 

other new catfishes, there was no question of breeding the Corydoras from the Río Aripuaná right 

away. Two years passed before I picked up three Corydoras from Ingo in September 2011. Unfortunately, 

there was no longer any sign of the yellow fins, but in both sexes the dark stripe above the 

midline was readily visible. I received a trio of one female and two males—a good starting point for 

successful breeding. 

SEIDEL I.

I. SEIDEL 

Spawning at low pressure 

The Corydoras sp. CW 68 were given a 60-L (15-gallon) aquarium with fine sand and a large 

piece of bogwood as shelter. After good feeding with live food, the female rapidly developed 

eggs. These catfish were extremely retiring in their habits. I only rarely saw them at feeding 

time. That changed a little when I introduced eight Nannostomus beckfordi. 

While many mailed catfishes change color during courtship and the spawning process, 

with the coloration of male specimens becoming bolder and that of females a little paler, this 

pattern is completely reversed in Corydoras sp. CW 68. After several water changes with cooler 

water, the base color of the males lightened up. The catfish were iridescent greenish below 

Above: When they are 

about six weeks old and 

.75 inch (2 cm) long, a 

bluish iridescent spot 

appears on the young 

fishes’ sides. 

Below: The females of 

CW 68, with their plump 

body form, are particularly 

reminiscent of Corydoras 

zygatus from Peru. 

AMAZONAS 11

AQUATIC 

AMAZONAS 

12 

NOTEBOOK 

the midline. Under lateral lighting this makes a nice 

color combination with the post-occipital scute, which 

changes color to yellowish. The dark stripe becomes even 

more prominent in females. Excited swimming around in 

the evening during a period of falling barometric pressure 

made me hopeful. But early the next day, all the fish were 

once again resting quietly beneath the bogwood. After 

feeding them with live Artemia I went to work. Great was 

my jubilation when I came back to my fish room and saw 

that the corners of the aquarium were full of eggs. After 

collecting and transferring them to a separate container I 

counted around 80 eggs. 

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Problem-free rearing 

The first larvae hatched after five days at 23°C (73°F). 

All the fertilized eggs (around 90 percent) hatched into 

catfish larvae. Another four days later the fry were managing 

freshly hatched Artemia nauplii without problems. 

Just a day after they started feeding the fry began to show 

color. A dark band developed, starting in the head region 

and running to the pectoral fin insertion. As a result the 

head appeared to be separated from the rest of the body. 

After around five more days, several dark dots appeared 

along the back. After 14 days the head region, 

set off by the black band, looked more yellowish and 

created a contrast with the rest of 

the finely dotted body. There were 

four large, dark dots along the line 

of the dorsum, and a further row 

of smaller dots marked the midline, 

below which occasional additional 

dots could be seen. The size of the 

little catfishes was now around .5 

inch (1.3 cm). 

After a further 10 days, when the 

fish were almost five weeks old, the 

transparent base color was replaced 

by a yellowish shade. At this age the 

catfish averaged about .7 inch (1.8 

cm) long. At a length of around .75 

inch (2 cm) a dark, bluish, iridescent 

spot developed beneath the 

dorsal fin. This spot grew longer with 

increasing age. In this way the broad, 

dark band typical of Corydoras sp. 

CW 68 developed. And the yellowish-looking 

post-occipital scute also 

became apparent at this time. 

Next time, I caught the Golden 

Pencilfish out of the tank and added 

an airstone to circulate the water vigorously 

in one corner of the aquarium. 

Two days later I was able to 

watch the Corydoras trio spawning. 

The eggs were distributed at random 

around the aquarium. Each time four 

to eight eggs were transported by the 

female in her pelvic-fin pouch and 

attached to a substrate. A day later 

the eggs looked milky. Again, there 

were around 80 of them. 

Even though Corydoras sp. CW 

68 isn’t a miracle of color, it is still a 

further new species that we haven’t 

ever been able to keep in our aquariums 

before. 

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13

AQUATIC 

AMAZONAS 

14 

Right: Preserved 

specimen of 

Panaqolus koko from 

the Maroni. 

NOTEBOOK 

Above: Preserved 

specimen of Peckoltia otali 

from the Maroni River. 

Four new loricariid catfishes described 

from the Guiana Shield 

article and images by Ingo Seidel With the aid of a new molecular biological technique 

known as DNA barcoding, ichthyologists Fisch-Muller, Montoya-Burgos, Le Bail, and 

Covain have sought to clarify the phylogenetic relationships of a number of ancistrines 

of the Panaque assemblage from the Guiana Shield. In so doing they simultaneously 

described four loricariid catfish species so far unknown in the aquarium hobby and 

undertook a redescription of Hemiancistrus medians, the type species of its genus. 

As an important byproduct of their research results, Fisch-Muller, Montoya-Burgos, Le Bail, and Covain 

(2012) undertook the long overdue validation of the genus Panaqolus, which for years has been 

regarded as a synonym of Panaque by leading ichthyologists (e.g. Armbruster 2004). It seems, however, 

that despite their very similar dentition, there are no close phylogenetic links between the two

genera; instead, Panaqolus is thought to be very closely 

related to the genus Peckoltia, whose members are very 

similar in appearance and size. 

New Peckoltia species 

A total of three species of the genus Peckoltia and one 

Panaqolus species were newly described from French 

Guiana and Surinam. The new Peckoltia simulata from 

the River Oyapock, which forms the 

border between French Guiana and 

Brazil, is very similar to Peckoltia 

oligospila (also known as L 006) 

from the Brazilian federal state of 

Pará. The species is apparently not 

identical with the similar Peckoltia 

species L 055, which has purportedly 

been imported in the past from that 

river and has dark cross-bands on 

the caudal fin (which is dark-spotted 

in P. simulata and P. oligospila). 

I am unaware of there being 

any specimens of this species in the 

aquarium hobby to date, and the 

same applies to the species Peckoltia 

capitulata, which is native to the 

River Approuage. Unfortunately, for 

this reason I am unable to provide 

pictures of these species here. So far 

both Peckoltia species are known only 

from specimens with a maximum 

total length of some 3–4 inches 

(8–10 cm), but that may not be the 

absolute eventual size of these species. 

Peckoltia capitulata possesses a 

somewhat more elongate body than 

P. simulata and likewise exhibits 

black spots, but these are absent on 

the head region and elsewhere widen 

into broad crossbands. 

By chance I obtained a number 

Hemiancistrus 

medians is the only 

species of its genus. 

Below is a young 

specimen. 

Left: View of 

the unusual 

dentition of 

Panaqolus koko. 

Right: View of 

the dentition 

and papillae of 

Hemiancistrus 

medians. 

of specimens of the other two new species, Peckoltia otali 

and Panaqolus koko, from my friend Jens Gottwald, who 

had preserved them for scientific purposes during a collecting 

expedition by Panta Rhei GmbH from Hannover. 

Both species occur together in the Maroni, the river that 

forms the border between French Guyana and Surinam. 

So I am now in the fortunate position of being able to 

illustrate at least these two species here. 

AMAZONAS 15

AMAZONAS 

16 

AQUATIC 

Peckoltia otali is another 3–3.5-inch (8–9-cm) long brown Peckoltia species 

with black spots connecting to form irregular bands. It is one of the smaller 

Peckoltia species in which males are very heavily bristled, and may be fairly 

closely related to two species well known in the aquarium hobby, namely L 

038 and L 080. Hence it is not surprising that during the bar-coding, Fisch- 

Muller et al. established striking differences between this and the other two 

new Peckoltia species, which they classified as genetically fairly close to P. 

oligospila. 

The species Panaqolus koko is likely to be the subject of future major discussion 

among ichthyologists, as it is a very unusual fish. When I examined 

this species in detail before the publication of its description, I classified it as a 

member of an undetermined genus, as the combination of body form, odontode 

(dermal tooth) growth, and dentition distinguished it from all other 

genera known to me to date. 

I found its assignment to the genus Panaqolus very surprising, as all other 

members of the genus that I am aware of possess a broader body form and 

spatulate teeth with a single cusp. Only Panaqolus maccus purportedly (according 

to Schaefer & Stewart 1993) exhibits a certain variability in dentition 

when young, with a possible second cusp. 

The new Panaqolus koko is uniform black-brown in color, with an unusually 

pointed head and slender form. All the specimens I have examined are 

thought to be half-grown and already have unusually striking odontodes such 

as I have never previously seen in any other Panaqolus species at this age. And 

while the teeth were spatulate overall, they were unusually large and possessed 

a second large lateral cusp. The species may attain a total length of around 

4.3–4.7 inches (11–12 cm). 

Is Hemiancistrus monotypic? 

Ichthyologists have hitherto avoided differentiating the catch-all genus Hemiancistrus 

from Peckoltia; in the past it has been a depository mainly for assorted 

black-spotted armored catfishes that don’t fit well in other genera. But 

Fisch-Muller et al. have established that Hemiancistrus medians, type species of 

the genus Hemiancistrus, is not closely related to Peckoltia and Panaqolus. 

The authors believe the genus Hemiancistrus should be regarded as monotypic, 

as the other species currently assigned to this genus are probably not 

closely related to the type species. 

Hemiancistrus medians is a very unusual loricariid, which may now also 

have been imported alive to Europe, probably for the first time, by Panta Rhei 

GmbH. This armored catfish, which grows to around 9.8 inches (25 cm) long, 

is most closely reminiscent of the members of the genus Baryancistrus, but 

has unusually large eyes, heavily ridged scutes on the sides of the body, and 

truly extraordinary papillae in the mouth cavity. The smaller specimens have 

noticeably fewer, but extremely large black spots on the body, and these become 

smaller and more numerous with increasing age. These black spots look 

very attractive on the yellowish-brown background. 

REFERENCES 

NOTEBOOK 

Armbruster, J.W. 2004. Phylogenetic relationships of the suckermouth armoured catfishes 

(Loricariidae) with emphasis on the Hypostominae and the Ancistrinae. Zool J Linn Soc 141: 1–80. 

Fisch-Muller, S., J.I. Montoya-Burgos, P.-Y. Le Bail, and R. Covain. 2012. Diversity of the Ancistrini 

(Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Guianas: the Panaque group, a molecular appraisal with 

descriptions of new species. Cybium 36 (1): 163–93. 

Schaefer, S.A. D.J. Stewart. 1993. Systematics of the Panaque dentex species group (Siluriformes: 

Loricariidae), wood-eating armored catfishes from tropical South America. Ichthyol Expl Freshw 4 (4): 

309–42.

AMAZONAS 17

AQUATIC 

AMAZONAS 

18 

NOTEBOOK 

article and images by Hans-Georg Evers 

New Rams 

Above: The 

“Super Neon 

Blue Gold” 

ram’s behavior 

is similar to that 

of the wild form. 

The light falling 

from above 

accentuates the 

orange body 

color of the male 

in the middle. 

Right: Lovely 

male of the new 

“Super Neon 

Blue Gold”, 

bred by Peter 

Günnel. 

The breeding skill of the well-known breeder Peter 

Günnel, Sr., has recently produced a number 

of very attractive new cultivated forms of the 

popular Butterfly Dwarf Cichlid Mikrogeophagus 

ramirezi. It seems he has gotten hooked 

on rams, with the goal of breeding new, stable 

forms from the “Electric Blue” cultivated form 

by in-crossing particularly high-backed German 

strains. He has now achieved this goal, and 

he admitted to me that he is proud of 

what is probably his loveliest cultivated 

form so far. 

The “Super Neon Blue Gold” has been in 

the trade for some months now. I obtained a 

number of specimens of this lovely cultivated 

form, whose body base color is a brilliant 

orange-gold, from Peter via the firm Von Wussow 

Importe (Pinneberg). Adult males exhibit a 

powerful body form with iridescent turquoiseblue 

dots on the sides of the body and a gorgeous 

blue coloration on all the fins. The 

dorsal fin is edged with orange. Males 

also exhibit this orange on the 

head region, especially on the

“Wow!” 

Become a charter subscriber to AMAZONAS 

and don’t miss a single issue! 

Use the convenient reply card in this issue, or subscribe online: 

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AMAZONAS 

Volume 2, Number 1 

January/February 2013 

AMAZONAS 19

20 

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The females, too, are a brilliant blue. 

Male of the new “Perlmutt” 

cultivated form. 

Females of the “Perlmutt” 

cultivated form positively 

shimmer. 

forehead. Even the females of this lovely cultivated form are a brilliant light 

blue, but they don’t exhibit the orange quite as strongly. 

A second new form, also bred by Peter Günnel, is called Mikrogeophagus 

ramirezi “Perlmutt”. Particularly in females, the mother-of-pearl effect is accentuated 

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We now have two more very attractive cultivated forms of the Butterfly 

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Book review by Hans-Georg Evers 

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has long been out of print. The new self-published work can be ordered on the 

author’s website. Fuller has obtained help from a number of other breeders, 

and the new book details breeding success and fry development in more than 

150 species. 

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AMAZONAS 23

AMAZONAS 

24 

COVER 

STORY 

Pterophyllum sp. 1 from 

the Río Nanay in Peru. The 

reddish brown spots on 

the flanks are typical. This 

species is also erroneously 

known as the “Peruvian 

Altum” because of its 

mouth form and 

body height. 

The latest on Pterophyllum: 

species and forms of angelfishes 

by Heiko Bleher For years there has been disagreement regarding the names of the 

various angelfishes we keep and the species to which they belong. Heiko Bleher 

shares his personal experiences and discusses the forms he has collected during 

his travels and imported for the aquarium hobby. 

I first made the acquaintance of an angelfish in the early 1950s, in my mother’s fish and plant hothouse 

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) 

caiman. The daughter of Adolf Kiel, the “Father of Water Plants,” my mother had inherited his passion for 

adventure and collecting wild things, something she passed on to me. It was also she who told me about the nomenclatural 

confusion attaching to the angelfish: in 1758, Carl von Linné, the father of the binomial scientific 

nomenclature of all species, assigned a number of fish species to the genus Zeus. 

It was Schultze who first described the species Zeus scalaris in a work by Hinrich Lichtenstein (1823), from 

N. KHARDINA

TOP LEFT: N. KHARDINA; OTHERS: H. BLEHER 

Pterophyllum sp. 5, from the Río Apaporis in Colombia. 

a specimen from the Amazon River, purportedly from Barra, the 

mouth area of the Río Negro. 

Nomenclatural confusion 

But eight years later, Cuvier reassigned the angelfish to the marine 

genus Platax and called it Platax ? scalaris from “Bresil” (Cuvier 

& Valenciennes 1831). Next, Jakob Heckel erected the genus 

Pterophyllum (meaning “leaflike fins”) in 1840 and assigned the 

species the new name of Pterophyllum scalaris. 

Then, François de Castelnau, a French naturalist, described 

another angelfish, which he collected from “Pará, Bresil” 

during his Amazon expedition (1842–1847), as Plataxoides 

dumerilii Castelnau, in 1855, although Heckel 

had established Pterophyllum as the name of the 

genus some 15 years before. 

The confusion did not stop, as additional 

angelfishes were collected in the lower course of 

the Atabapo, an extreme blackwater tributary of the 

Río Guviare, which empties into the upper Orinoco. 

The Atabapo forms the border between Colombia and 

Venezuela for almost its entire length. In 1903 one of the 

best-known ichthyologists, Jacques Pellegrin, described the angelfishes 

caught there as a subspecies of Pterophyllum scalare and 

called them Pterophyllum scalare altum. The name related to the 

unusually high body form and size. To the present day this is the 

largest angelfish, the most majestic, elegant, and extraordinary of 

them all. 

My mother told me that the most recently described angelfish, 

Pterophyllum eimekei Ahl, 1928, may be the smallest, and 

supposedly originates from the Río Negro. But later on, just like 

P. dumerilii, it was regarded as a synonym of P. scalare. However, 

in my opinion, P. eimekei is definitely a valid species. 

Despite all the scientific attention, it wasn’t until 1907 that 

an importation of live specimens from the lower Amazon region 

Pterophyllum sp. 3 

is endemic to the Río 

Jutai in Brazil. 

Pterophyllum 

sp. 2 from the 

drainage of Lago 

Paricatuba, lower Purus 

basin, in Brazil. Note the threadlike 

extensions to the anal fin. 

Right: The striking coloration at the 

base of the dorsal fin is species-typical 

for Pterophyllum sp. 3 from 

the Río Jutai. 

I discovered this eight-banded 

species, Pterophyllum sp. 4, in the 

Brazilian Río Demini, a tributary 

of the middle Río Negro. 

AMAZONAS 25 

25

AMAZONAS 

26 

Pterophyllum altum 

from the Río Ventuari in 

Venezuela, a tributary of 

the upper Orinoco. 

Pterophyllum 

altum from the Río 

Atabapo, upper 

Orinoco basin, the 

type locality of the 

species. 

Right: Pterophyllum sp. 6 lives in 

Lago Aiapuá, lower Purus basin, 

Brazil. 

reached Germany. The first successful 

breeding took place in 1911, although 

the breakthrough in the breeding of the 

angelfish, then known as the “king of 

aquarium fishes,” didn’t take place until 

the 1920s. The first imports to the United 

States date to about 1915, with two 

unmated fish reportedly selling for $75, 

a princely sum at the time and roughly 

equivalent to almost $2,000 in current 

terms. Prices began to drop in the early 

1920s when breeders in the both Germany 

and the U.S. found success. 

New species descriptions 

Between 1953 and 1955, my three siblings 

and I traveled with Mother through 

what was then the most impenetrable 

jungle on Earth, covering a distance of 

more than 1,550 miles (2500 km) under 

the greatest of hardships, in order to collect 

almost countless plants and fishes. 

For months on end we lived among 

natives, and I got to see my first wild 

angelfishes. Nowadays there is nothing 

but soybean plantations in the area—not 

a single virgin tree remains. 

Ten years later I financed my studies in ichthyology at the University of 

South Florida by working at one of the largest aquarium-fish farms in the 

world. Because the people at Gulf Fish Farm were familiar with the work 

of my mother and the pioneering work of my grandfather, I was asked to 

set up a unit for propagating aquarium plants and breeding fishes. Two 

buildings were made available to me. Orders, particularly for angelfishes, 

poured in. After some deliberation, a number of alterations, and the 

establishing of large ponds for the breeding of Cyclops and Daphnia, I was 

producing more than 10,000 angels a week, and within a month 

they attained a body diameter of around 1.5 inches (35–40 mm), a 

saleable size. 

Ross Socolof, the owner, was the person who introduced me to the 

Altum Angelfish, but it was another five years before I saw these incredibly 

beautiful angelfishes, whose fins can grow up to 17 inches (45 cm) 

high, and catch some small specimens. Starting in 1970 I imported and 

sold this species worldwide and made Pterophyllum altum accessible to the 

aquarium hobby, zoos, and enthusiasts. 

In 1963, ichthyologist Jean-Pierre Gosse 

described Pterophyllum leopoldi from the 

Río Solimões. However, this angelfish 

also occurs in the Río Negro, 

and in 1965 I recorded it in the 

Manacapuru region, where I 

also collected the Red-Back 

Angelfish and the discus that 

later became known as the Royal 

Blue. In those days, most aquarists 

weren’t so interested in wild-caught 

angels; tank-breds predominated. In ad- 

TOP: AQUAPRESS/H.-J. MAYLAND; OTHERS: H. BLEHER

H. BLEHER 

dition, it turned out that the Red-Back Angel hardly ever displays 

its bright red color under less than optimal maintenance, and 

usually looks rather like Pterophyllum eimekei. 

My Manacapuru-Amazon adventure was the first of over 400 

collecting trips I have made to the Amazon region, where I have 

always kept an eye out for angelfishes. As recently as December 

2011 I recorded a variant in a lagoa a long way from the Río Yavari 

(which forms the boundary between Peru and Brazil). 

Forms and species 

Here I will list the forms of angelfishes that I have recorded over 

the course of many years. They include what are possibly new species, 

and they are certainly distinguishable from one another on 

the basis of external appearance. 

Pterophyllum sp. 1: This angelfish is found only in the Río 

Nanay drainage and is clearly recognizable by the black spot situated 

dorsally below the start of the long dorsal rays and extending 

vertically on the dorsum. In no other angel is this so distinctly 

expressed. In addition, this form is almost always characterized 

by its rust-brown spots, sometimes distributed all over the body; 

the slightly upturned mouth (which leads to its sometimes being 

confused with P. altum and known as the Peruvian Altum in the 

aquarium hobby); and the five or six reddish stripes on the dorsal 

and caudal fins. 

Pterophyllum sp. 2: So far, I have been able to find this angelfish 

only in the Lago Paricatuba drainage in the lower Purus 

basin. It is distinguished from all others by the veil-like prolongation 

of the anal fin (this is undoubtedly a good place to look for 

the origins of all veil-finned angels). It always has seven stripes on the dorsal 

fin and seven running irregularly across the caudal fin. As in the majority of 

angelfishes, the stripes on the anal fin are rarely expressed. 

Pterophyllum sp. 3: I first found this splendid angelfish many years ago 

(1997) in the Río Jutai (Amazonas State), and only there. It is readily recognizable 

by the two striking black spots (sometimes merging into one) on the 

Above: Pterophyllum altum from the Río 

Inirida in Colombia. 

Below: This Pterophyllum scalare from the 

Río Negro is often sold as tank-bred P. 

altum in the aquarium hobby. 

AMAZONAS AMAZONAS 27

AMAZONAS 

28 

base of the dorsal fin. These spots are almost always surrounded by bright blue. This angel 

always has a red eye and the mouth is turned slightly upward. There are six or seven stripes 

visible on the dorsal fin, while those on the caudal fin are only rarely apparent. 

Pterophyllum sp. 4: To date I have caught this form only once, and that was in the Río 

Demini drainage (a tributary of the Río Negro). It is the only angel I have found so far 

that exhibits eight striking bands. 

Pterophyllum sp. 5: This angel, which I found in the ichthyologically unexplored Río 

Apaporis (Colombia), is distinguished from all other angelfishes by its small number of 

dorsal-fin rays. Other differences include its large, silvery scales, the striking, large humeral 

spot immediately behind the eye, and the very irregular eight or nine stripes, often 

more like spots, on the dorsal fin. By contrast, the caudal fin has only three to four broad 

reddish stripes. 

Pterophyllum sp. 6: Like Pterophyllum sp. 5, the angel that I found in the Lago Aipauá 

(Río Purus basin) has larger scales. But a very striking feature is the extremely wide 

posterior black band extending from the extreme end of the dorsal 

to the last ray of the anal fin. In addition, there are five to six 

broad black stripes clearly visible on the dorsal, somewhat 

less striking on the caudal fin. The pectoral fins are the 

longest I have ever seen in any angelfish except Pterophyllum 

altum. 

Pterophyllum altum: This species was 

described by Pellegrin in 1903. Natasha 

Khardina and I have examined the 

specimens in the Paris Museum (the jar 

apparently hadn’t been opened since 1903). 

The three specimens originated from the lower 

Atabapo, Río Orinoco, Venezuela. 

Pterophyllum scalare: This species was described 

by Schultze in 1823 on the basis of a single specimen 

collected by M.H.C. Lichtenstein, zoologist and 

first director of the Berlin Zoo. Here I illustrate for the first 

time the variants that I assign to this species—all with precise 

collection site data. This species is often labeled as Pterophyllum 

altum (Río Negro Altum) in the aquarium hobby and sometimes in the 

Pterophyllum scalare from the Río Negro in Brazil. 

Pterophyllum scalare 

from French Guiana, 

possibly a distinct 

species? 

TOP: AQUAPRESS/PLANQUETTE; BOTTOM: H. BLEHER; OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM RIGHT: N. KHARDINA; OTHERS: H. BLEHER

Pterophyllum cf. eimekei from Lago de Serpa 

in Brazil. The markings of this fish match the 

description in the work by Ahl (1928). 

The Red-Shoulder Angelfish from 

the Río Arapiuns, a tributary of 

the lower Tapajós, is classified as 

Pterophyllum cf. eimekei. 

Pterophyllum 

cf. eimekei 

from the Río 

Javari, Peru. 

The Red-Back Angelfish 

from Lago Manacapuru 

in Brazil is likewise 

to be assigned to 

Pterophyllum cf. 

eimekei. 

AMAZONAS 

29

AMAZONAS 

30 

scientific literature. Most, if not all, of the so-called P. 

altum cultivated forms can be traced back to this scalare 

variant. Perhaps the real P. altum from the Río Atabapo 

is being bred for the first time as I write these words. The 

fishes I have seen worldwide to date under the name P. 

altum are not the same as the majestic fishes that I was 

the first to import. 

Pterophyllum eimekei: This angel was described by 

Ahl in 1928. It was described from the lower Río Negro 

and later declared a synonym of P. scalare. I am, 

however, of the opinion that this, the smallest 

of all the angelfishes, should be regarded 

as a valid species. Because this is not 

Pterophyllum cf. eimekei from the 

Río Cuiuini, often called the 

Santa Isabel Angelfish in the 

aquarium hobby, is 

notable for its 

red fins. 

the place to make the case for taxonomic changes (that 

should be reserved for a scientific publication), the form 

is presented here under the designation Pterophyllum cf. 

eimekei. 

I am sure that it has the largest distribution in the 

middle and lower Amazon basin. All the so-called Red- 

Shoulder and Red-Back Angelfishes from the Manacapuru, 

Cuiuni (aka Santa Isabel), and Tapajós should also 

be assigned to this form. 

Pterophyllum leopoldi: This angel was described by 

Gosse in 1963. The type locality is “Furo du village de 

Cuia, left bank of Ro Solimões, ca. 90 km upstreams [sic] 

of the Manacapuru, Brazil,” but I have also recorded it 

elsewhere in the Solimões and Río Negro. This angelfish, 

which doesn’t grow all that large, is immediately 

recognizable by its downturned mouth and broad, dark 

shoulder spot. 

I hope that I have managed to give a good summary 

and inspired further clarification of the different variants, 

species, and forms. 

REFERENCES 

Freshly caught 

Pterophyllum leopoldi from 

the Río Negro, Brazil. 

Ahl, E. 1928. Übersicht über die Fischen der südamerikanischen Cichliden- 

Gattung Pterophyllum. Zoologischer Anzeiger v. 76 (nos 7/10) (art. 13): 

251–55. 

Cuvier, G. and A. Valenciennes. 1832. Histoire naturelle des poisons, vol. 8, 

book 9. Des Scombéroïdes. Pp. i–xix + 5 pp. + 1–509, pls. 209–45. 

Heckel, J.J. 1840. Johann Natterer’s neue Flussfische Brasilien’s nach 

den Beobachtungen und Mittheilungen des Entdeckers beschrieben 

(Erste Abtheilung, Die Labroiden). Annalen des Wiener Museums der 

Naturgeschichte 2: 325–471, pls. 29–30. 

Schultze, in Lichtenstein, M.H.C. 1823. Verzeichniss der Doubletten des 

zoologischen Museums der Königl. Universität zu Berlin, nebst Beschreibung 

... Berlin. Verzeichnis der Doubletten des zoologischen Museums der Königl. 

Universität zu Berlin, nebst Beschreibung: i–x, 1–118, Pl. 

Pellegrin, J. 1903. Description de Cichlidés nouveax de la collection du 

Muséum. Bulletin du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (Série 1), v. 9 

(no. 3): 120–125. TOP: N. KHARDINA; BOTTOM: H. BLEHER

H. KÖHLER 

AMAZONAS 31

AMAZONAS 

AMAZONAS 

32 

A life 

with 

angels 

This specimen of the Blue Angel 

demonstrates very nicely that it is 

probably a back-cross with a White 

Pearl Angel, as evidenced by the 

change in the scales on the flanks. 

A sight that has fascinated me all my life. 

My living-room tank is home to a group of 

Pterophyllum cf. altum from the Orinoco.

H.-G. EVERS 

by Bernd Schmitt Angelfishes are among the classics of the aquarium 

hobby, and a wide variety of cultivated forms are offered for sale. Unfortunately, 

many of the specimens being sold in the trade are mere 

shadows of the angelfishes of the past. There are, nevertheless, still wild 

strains that not only look attractive but also permit interesting observations. 

Bernd Schmitt relates his experiences, accumulated over several 

decades of maintaining angelfishes. 

As a 10-year-old boy, I made two pilgrimages every week from our town to a pond in the 

next village. The pond contained bright-red water fleas (Daphnia), and I quickly filled 

my little bucket with them. My curiosity was often aroused by a sunken greenhouse 

visible behind some bushes near the road, where, I learned, aquarium 

fishes were being bred. 

When I first descended the steps into this bubbling and gurgling 

paradise, my life changed, and the aquarium hobby’s pull has never let 

me go. At the rear of the greenhouse stood what was a huge aquarium 

in those days, with a stout steel frame. In this tank there was a pair 

of angelfishes, surrounded by a shoal of .75-inch (2-cm) fry. The 

aquarium I had then was too small to keep these splendid fishes, 

but that changed later on, and there have been only a few interruptions 

in my involvement with these fishes. 

Back then there were differing opinions regarding the scientific 

names of these fishes, and that is still the case—probably because 

Zebra Angels, one of the most 

popular cultivated forms, are bred 

in large numbers by professional 

breeders. 

COVER 

STORY 

Above: Ghost 

Angels are one 

of the cultivated 

forms that fans 

of wild forms find 

difficult to get 

used to. 


AMAZONAS 

34 

Above, left to right: 

Over the 

generations, this 

strain of what used 

to be the Golden 

Angel has developed 

into more of a “Silver 

Angel” through lack 

of selection for color. 

I have been breeding 

this Blue Angel for a 

long time. 

A splendid Koi Angel 

male, bred by the 

Wilhelm family. 

Short and splayed 

ventral fins, short 

dorsal fins, and 

poor growth are, 

unfortunately, 

all too common. 

Poor-quality 

specimens like this 

one reduce the 

majestic angelfish to 

an almost circular 

form and shouldn’t 

be allowed into 

circulation. 

Right: True Black 

Angels are rarely 

seen nowadays, but 

the “Half-Black” 

cultivated form is 

very popular. 

of their vast distribution region. The discovery of more new local forms, coupled with a lack of 

any serious systematic study of this wealth of species (and not only in Pterophyllum), results in 

a rough but by no means definitive picture, so I will largely refrain from systematic arguments— 

they would be beyond the scope of this article and would contribute nothing new. 

When I was a young boy, it was enough to know that my angelfishes sailed through life with 

the scientific name Pterophyllum scalare. I was also immensely proud of being able to pronounce 

the name correctly (TAIR-oh-FY-lum skuh-LAR-ee). Even the discovery that there was another, 

smaller species, Pterophyllum eimekei, didn’t particularly bother me; very soon it 

was thought these two forms couldn’t be separated. They were merrily crossed 

with each other, even in the absence of imports. 

Veiltail, Smoke, and Ghost 

As it turns out, angels have a high potential for changes in 

finnage and coloration. The first Veiltail Angels, which 

came from a breeder in Gera (Thüringen), 

have probably passed into oblivion 

today—heaven be praised! Veiltail 

Angels brought their breeders a 

good price, since nobody cared 

about things like deformity in 

those days. Black Angels followed, 

but these soon showed not inconsiderable 

signs of degeneration. And the 

same was true of a series of black versions 

of other species. In Hoplosternum, 

for instance, black specimens were regularly 

blind. It was also not uncommon for 

pure black specimens to be infertile. 

Crosses between the Black Angel and the 

original form produced Smoke Angels. People 

repeatedly resorted to these Smoke Angels in 

order to avoid deformed specimens or completely 

unviable embryos.

H.-G. EVERS 

During a trip with Dr. Hans-Joachim Franke to what was then Czechoslovakia, at the end of 

the 1960s, we discovered the Marbled Angel at a friend’s house. Jochen brought some back, as 

he made his living from breeding fishes, and they sold well. I didn’t get involved—I didn’t think 

these cultivated forms could ever compare with the wild forms. 

Soon thereafter, Franke crossed the Marbled Angel into the Black Angel, so as to revitalize the 

Black strain in this way. That is the reason why, when you breed with Black Angels nowadays, 

there are always Golden Angels among the offspring. They probably all go back to this strain. In 

those days, homozygous strains—that is, fishes that breed true—were regarded as an expensive 

luxury, but that was the only way to obtain 100 percent black individuals. 

But the development of cultivated forms continued unabated. The potential was far from 

exhausted: Ghost Angels, Zebra Angels, Half-Moon Angels, White Angels (so-called “White 

Pearl”), Blue Angels (apparently a back-cross with White Pearl, as they sometimes exhibited 

the same changes in scalation), and Red Angels. The Red Angels came about 

through intensive breeding work by Frank Wilhelm in Kamsdorf (Thüringen), 

who used long-term selective breeding to produce Koi Angels 

and “Red Devils” from the Marbled Angel. He even obtained pure 

red specimens, although he was only partially successful in fixing 

the red color on the belly region of the fishes. 

Mass production 

Ever since people started keeping fishes for aesthetic reasons, they have 

disagreed about what makes an attractive cultivated form. A “Red Devil” 

can be a real sight for sore eyes, but “can” is the operative word. Many 

of the fishes sold as angels in the pet trade today have had their wings 

severely clipped. Their form is only vaguely reminiscent of the unique 

original fish. Dorsal and anal fins are mere stumps, the ventral fins often 

often twisted like corkscrews. The colors and markings of these fishes 

are faded and washed out. 

The cause of this is usually rearing under cramped conditions and/ 

or an unbalanced diet. Infrequent or insufficient water changing is usually 

involved as well. This type of “mass production” never produces optimal 

specimens. Many other fish species likewise fail to thrive under such inadequate 

rearing conditions, a few as badly as angels. It also takes several genera- 

Below: On the 

rear half of the 

body, this form still 

has the “Smoke” 

component, a 

formerly popular 

cultivated form. 

AMAZONAS 35

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36 

tions to produce good fishes from 

such degenerate stock. Deformity of the ventral fins almost always indicates artificial rearing 

and the use of Trypaflavine (Acriflavine). This fungicide, frequently used as a medication for 

certain diseases in our fishes, is a mitosis toxin—in other words, it prevents cell division and 

thus causes damage during development of the embryo. In addition, it is classed as a carcinogen 

because of this property and 

may not be used as a medication 

in the production of food fishes. 

If angelfishes are to be reared 

artificially—and a professional 

fish breeder quite simply has 

to do it that way—then methylene 

blue should be used. It is 

a relatively mild oxidant and 

causes no damage when used at 

light-blue levels. 

Of course, the crowning 

achievement is to have angels 

practice brood care. But that 

doesn’t always happen right 

from the start. The prerequisite 

is a fully compatible pair that 

has formed from a group. If the 

aquarium is large enough and 

well arranged, the rest of the 

group can generally remain in 

the tank. This will serve to stimulate 

the brood-care instinct of 

the pair. Naturally, such broods 

are blessed with far fewer fry, but 

the sight is more than adequate 

compensation. 

Peruvian Altums 

Over the decades, numerous, 

mostly wild-caught populations 

have passed through my tanks. 

I have had some strange experiences 

with the so-called Peruvian 

Altum from the Río Nanay. They 

Above, left: Angels are 

bred in the thousands 

by large breeding 

enterprises like this one 

in Asia. 

Above, right: This 

Half-Black Angel 

(upper corner of tank) 

at a breeding farm in 

Singapore is diligently 

tending its young, 

despite the low water 

level, and attacked 

the approaching 

photographer. This 

demonstrates that the 

brood-care instinct 

is generally retained, 

even in professional 

hatcheries. 

Left: Old male Peruvian 

Altum. Unfortunately, 

the red-brown dots on 

the body have been 

obliterated by the 

camera flash. 

TOP: H.-G. EVERS; BOTTOM: H.J. AUGUSTIN

MIDDLE: H.J. AUGUSTIN; OTHERS: H.-G. EVERS 

Tank-bred offspring 

of my Red-Back 

Angels. These fish 

need lots of space, 

plenty of food, 

and good water if 

they are to grow 

into such splendid 

specimens. 

Right: Red-Back 

Angels from the 

Manacapuru 

spawning on a 

suspended plastic 

tube. 

Below: Group of 

“Red Devils”, an 

intense red-orange 

cultivated form 

developed from the 

Koi Angel. 

are named for their steep upper head profile, 

although they have nothing to do with the 

Pterophyllum altum found in Venezuela and 

Colombia. I selected a number of specimens 

from an import consignment and soon had 

young. Then suddenly, in the second brood, 

four youngsters turned up with a fleshcolored 

to reddish base color, interrupted 

only by a few rather small black markings. 

The eyes were dark, so they weren’t albinos, 

but probably xanthic specimens. All four 

were females. They were hardly full-grown 

before the black speckles developed into very 

obvious tumors, and the fishes died within 

a short time. No other brood ever produced 

specimens like this. 

AMAZONAS 37

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38 

Unfortunately, the tank-breds became increasingly 

more aggressive, and specimens acquired from aquarists 

who had obtained them from me as youngsters brought 

no improvement. When the male killed the female even 

in a 6.5-foot (2-m) aquarium, I finally decided to give up. 

Red-Back Angels 

I had high hopes of a new strain: Red-Back Angels from 

Manacapuru. It was incomprehensible that such a gorgeous 

fish could have remained unnoticed for so long 

by collectors so close to Manaus. The fish were not only 

gorgeous, but without doubt the most peaceful angels 

ever to swim in my tanks. I kept a group of 11 individuals 

in a 210-gallon (800-L) aquarium, with a few Ancistrus 

looking after the bottom region. 

It happened that three pairs spawned simultaneously 

on plastic tubes suspended in the tank no more than a 

foot (30 cm) apart. All the pairs were shepherding their 

broods, and I even observed fry leaving their own parents 

and swapping broods. 

I find it remarkable that these Manacapuru Angels 

apparently don’t live to be as old as those from other 

strains. After just two or three years they already showed 

signs of aging, and the intervals between spawns became 

increasingly longer. Unfortunately this strain is also 

becoming less common. I had hoped that such splendid 

fish wouldn’t disappear through crossing into the general 

mish-mash, but I am already seeing “Manacapuru 

Angels” that are no such thing on sale in many places. 

The reason is probably the lack of patience common in 

breeders; these fish aren’t easy. They have a particular 

need for lots of rearing space, if you want to rear attractive, 

high-backed specimens. 

Surinam Altums 

Some years ago, a form of angelfish with red-brown spots 

arrived from Surinam. They were termed Surinam Altum 

“Red Spotted”. These splendid angels with blue-violet 

fins had nothing to do with Altums, although growing 

juveniles looked very similar. But how did they get to Surinam? 

Arend van den Nieuwenhuizen told me that once 

upon a time, a consignment of fishes was left stranded 

in the capital, Paramaribo, after a plane from Manaus 

stopped off there. Out of pity for the fishes, the entire 

consignment was tipped into a lake near the airport, 

where there are now said to be Cardinal Tetras and angelfishes. 

Could the fish in my aquariums be those? 

Wherever they came from, they are beautiful fish, although 

initially they presented huge problems. Individual 

wild specimens kept suffering dreadful breakouts on the 

head and below the dorsal fin. The best solution was to 

paint these areas with potassium permanganate, although 

the cure was only temporary. A number of juveniles from 

the first brood also died of this strange plague. But after 

that the disease appeared to have been conquered. 

A number of other strains also offer a challenge. In 

the Río Negro region, in particular, there are a number of 

forms that may represent a link with Pterophyllum altum. 

Altum Angels 

Altum: the word sends many aquarists, especially angelfish 

fans, into raptures. When, some years ago, I saw a 

brood-caring pair of Altums at Dr. Norbert Menauer’s in 

Soest (it was actually a trio—the pair tolerated the addition 

of a solitary individual), they attacked us through 

the glass, even though the young had long since abandoned 

their shoaling behavior. Naturally, we included 

Left: This “Red 

Devil” bred by me 

exhibits a very large 

amount of red and 

meets the breeding 

standards originally 

set by the Wilhelm 

family. Even the 

belly region is 

reddish. 

Opposite page: 

Despite my 

intensive efforts, 

my Pterophyllum cf. 

altum, bred by Dr. 

Norbert Menauer, 

have not yet shown 

any inclination to 

breed. 

H.-G. EVERS

H.-G. EVERS 

Breeding angelfishes 

Angels are rather unreliable parents when it comes to 

brood care in the aquarium. Because the likelihood of 

good care of the clutch and fry depends on having a 

compatible pair, it is advisable to start with a group. This 

requires a large aquarium with plenty of suitable cover. 

Angels are very fond of spawning on vertical wood or 

leaves with a large surface area. They will also accept suspended 

plastic tubes or spawning cones like those used 

in discus breeding. Conveniently, you can easily influence 

the area where the fishes spawn. If the rest of the 

fishes can retire out of sight behind décor marking the 

territorial boundary, the male can assume the territorial 

defense and the female can care for the clutch. This 

division of labor immediately does away with one major 

cause of the eggs being eaten. 

But even the largest aquarium has its limits, and 

even optimal arrangement of the décor doesn’t help in 

the case of some angelfish strains. The aggression of the 

brooding pair necessitates the removal of the remaining 

members of the group. There are, of course, lots of other 

factors that can still spoil everything: for example, other 

fishes (such as catfishes) may eat the eggs during the 

night. A dim room light may help the parents to remain 

in control during the hours of darkness. But a sudden 

change in lighting or precipitate activity in front of the 

tank can disrupt things too. 

The larvae, which hatch after two to three days (depending 

on the temperature), are attached in a concealed 

spot that has been thoroughly cleaned. Around the seventh 

day after spawning, the fry swim free. They are best fed 

with Artemia nauplii, initially with freshly hatched nauplii. 

Later the Artemia should be supplemented with cod-liver 

oil, salmon-oil capsules, or something similar. You can 

also alternate with Cyclops nauplii or other very fine pond 

foods. Beware of feeding too many Cyclops nauplii! At the 

high temperatures required (angelfishes should be kept 

and bred at 26–30°C), they metamorphose rather rapidly 

into Cyclops, and “stingers” can eliminate the entire 

brood. But anyone who has observed brooding angels isn’t 

deterred by the effort he or she may have to invest. 

Commercial breeders rarely rely on pairs brooding. 

They remove the clutch and transfer it to a small rearing 

tank with conditioned fresh water. A fairly regular 

stream of air bubbles not far from the clutch will ensure 

a good oxygen supply. Because of the lack of parental 

care, an anti-fungal has to be added. Methylene blue has 

proved effective. A stock solution is added drop by drop 

to the hatchery until the water is a light blue color. This 

doesn’t have to be removed immediately after hatching; 

it is not a mitosis toxin like Trypaflavine, for example. 

The aeration can, however, be reduced so that the 

larvae can develop in peace. Dead eggs should be removed, 

as they will only pollute the water. Gentle water 

changes can also be undertaken (using the drop method, 

as they will dilute the methylene blue). When feeding 

starts, it is important to do regular water changes. You 

should transfer the fry into large rearing aquariums if 

you want to raise big, beautiful angels. 

AMAZONAS 39

AMAZONAS 

40 

some of the young in our luggage on the journey home. 

The wild-caught individuals supposedly originated from 

the Río Orinoco in Venezuela, from the area around 

Puerto Ayacucho. They were much more compact and 

beefier in their body form than the true Pterophyllum 

altum from the upper Orinoco drainage. 

But despite intensive efforts and a 370-gallon (1,400- 

L) aquarium, I had no success, and neither did Dr. 

Menauer. It was all over by the day after the beginning of 

courtship and the cleaning of the chosen spawning site. 

However, the fish grew into splendid specimens. Food is 

provided in abundance in my tanks, as I still go “ponding” 

almost every day. Good feeding is indispensable 

for breeding condition and for the rearing of the young 

The parents of this variant, 

which I have bred for several 

generations, came from 

Surinam. The precise origin of 

the species is a mystery. 

Below: Sadly, this disease 

syndrome often occurs in 

offspring of the Surinam 

Angelfish. 

brood. Cyclops, Daphnia, 

Moina, glassworms, and 

mosquito larvae are on the 

menu—and not just as frozen 

food! Unfortunately, 

the excellent menu wasn’t 

enough for my Altums. 

What was my mistake? 

Was it rare to succeed with young fish of the next generation, 

as with Heckel Discus? The only answer is to keep 

on trying! 

Blackwater Altums 

In the past year, I finally got to see the blackwater Altum 

underwater in the Río Atabapo and in the net. The 

fishes reared by Dr. Menauer probably originated from a 

population living in the Orinoco, probably at Puerto Ayacucho, 

where the Orinoco is a whitewater river. But that 

can be deceptive, as there are not only black-, white-, and 

clearwater rivers in South America, but also mixed-water 

zones, as is the case at Puerto Ayacucho. Some way to the 

south, two mighty blackwater rivers, the Sipapo and the 

Atabapo, empty into the upper Orinoco. 

The fishes from the pure blackwater of the Atabapo (pH 

4.5 at a conductivity of around 30 μS/cm in March 2011) 

are much more high-backed and filigreed than those from 

the Orinoco. Their beige-brown base color also differs from 

the blue-green of the Orinoco fishes. In the Atabapo fishes, 

red dots predominate on the head region, but the dots are 

blue in those from the Orinoco. Unfortunately, we weren’t 

allowed to export the fishes from Venezuela. Imports from 

there are getting more and more scarce. 

When these fishes do reach our shops, they are usually 

from Colombia. That is often a death sentence for 

Altums, as they are transported from the lowlands to 

Bogota, in the highlands. At this altitude, with unheated 

tanks, everything depends on how quickly the fishes are 

subsequently dispatched. The sensitive Altums are often 

chilled and the losses reach 100 percent. But healthy 

specimens may soon reach us again. 

Because they are now being bred successfully in Germany, 

hopefully that will continue in the filial generations, 

so that these fishes can be permanently retained in 

our aquariums. 

H.-G. EVERS

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AMAZONAS 41

AMAZONAS 

42 

COVER 

STORY 

Pterophyllum altum: 

H.-G. EVERS

O. KLAWONN 

Group of tank-bred 

Pterophyllum altum, whose 

parents were wild-caughts 

from the Río Inirida—the 

so-called Siegrist strain. 

Right: P. altum from the Río 

Atabapo at the around four 

years. This form exhibits a 

lot of red on the back. 

B. KAHL; INSET: S. FORKEL 

by Simon Forkel For more than four years I have been intensively 

involved in the breeding of Pterophyllum altum, the 

Altum Angel. I began with captive-bred stock before I ventured 

to breed wild-caughts. Not only water and food quality, 

but also the conditions under which the fry are reared, are 

keys to successful breeding of this coveted species. 

My first tank-bred Pterophyllum altum originated from Switzerland. They 

were bred by Adolf Siegrist, who had been breeding these majestic fish 

since 1993. I found these fish particularly pleasing, as they had a 

high body form, a lot of red on the head and back regions, and long 

fins. I subsequently obtained tank-breds from Horst Linke, who 

had reared very large numbers over a period of many years. 

Since 1994 I have been working professionally in the 

aquarium hobby, and I have also been able to obtain 

wild-caught fish from my wholesalers. I was thus 

fortunate enough to obtain healthy imports from 

Colombia and Venezuela, which has become 

very difficult in recent years. According to the 

exporters, these fish originated from the 

Río Orinoco, the Río Inirida, and the Río 

Atabapo, the type locality of this species. 

I noticed that Pterophyllum altum from 

the Río Orinoco exhibited a greater blue 

component, with red dots on the head and back 

regions; that specimens from the Río Inirida had 

more red spots on the head and back regions; and 

that those from the Río Atabapo had a very large 

amount of red all over the head and back regions. 

Two specimens demonstrated this particularly clearly. 

Luckily, they were a pair! 

So I had sufficient broodstock to start breeding 

Pterophyllum altum. My first success was with 

18-month-old specimens from the Siegrist strain, and 

shortly thereafter with fish of the Linke strain as well. 

Since then I have also crossed the two strains. I also persuaded a 

wild-caught male from the Río Atabapo to spawn with a female of the 

Siegrist strain. Recently I also managed to mate a female from the Río 

Orinoco with a male of the Linke strain. But crossing Pterophyllum 

altum with P. scalare was never part of my plan. My favorites are the 

wild-caughts from the Río Atabapo, as they exhibit a very large red component, 

and the wild-caughts from the Río Inrida.* 

Spawning at low pressure 

When an 18-month-old pair formed from a group of tank-breds of the 

Siegrist strain, I placed them in a tank measuring 48 x 24 x 24 inches (120 

the King of the Río Orinoco 

AMAZONAS 43

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44 

Wild-caught pair 

from the Río Atabapo. 

Below: Pterophyllum 

altum can be kept with 

discus, which have 

similar requirements. 

Group photo of my 

Alenquer Discus. 

x 60 x 60 cm) (114 gallons/430 L). However, these fishes 

aren’t full-grown until they are 36 months old. In my experience, 

breeding pairs, especially the females, don’t grow as 

fast, as they need all their energy for spawning. 

These fishes spawn up to eight times at intervals of a 

certain number of weeks in a single spawning phase from 

October to July. Then there is usually a pause. If all goes 

well, the pair begin spawning again in October. Naturally, 

it is very unusual for them to spawn so often, but we are, 

after all, dealing with tank-breds. In wild-caught fishes 

the main spawning time is usually in the period from 

April to June and then again in October and November. 

Good water quality is essential in order to induce a 

breeding pair to spawn. A varied diet of frozen food is 

also important—above all glassworms, Artemia, bloodworms, 

and krill. 

I adjust the water parameters in the breeding tank to a 

conductivity of 100–150 μS/cm and a pH of 5.5–6.0. A few 

days later, the angels usually rigorously clean the spawning 

cone, and with a little luck and patience they will start 

spawning at a temperature of 82°F (28°C). A low-pressure 

weather system can also stimulate the fishes to spawn. 

After the eggs are laid, I move the cone with the 

spawn to a separate 16-gallon (60-L) tank with the same 

water parameters as the breeding tank. The rearing tank 

must be matured for a long time. This is achieved with 

an internal filter with two foam cartridges; the bottom 

O. KLAWONN

OPPOSITE PAGE AND BOTTOM RIGHT: B. KAHL; TOP: S. FORKEL 

Left: Captive-bred pair 

of the Siegrist strain 

spawning. 

Right: Larvae attached 

to the spawning cone 

shortly after hatching. 

Below: A wild-caught 

pair of P. altum from the 

Río Atabapo. With age, 

these fish usually exhibit 

a thickening above the 

kink in the snout. 

AMAZONAS 45

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46 

Above: The young are fed four to 

five times per day to guarantee 

optimal growth. 

Captivebred 

pair of 

Pterophyllum 

altum of the 

so-called 

Siegrist strain 

from the Río 

Inirida. 

is covered with a .75-inch (2-cm) layer of quartz 

sand. The benefit of this is that on hatching, the 

larvae don’t fall straight onto the bottom glass, 

which could be coated with bacterial slime that 

might have a negative effect on the development 

of the larvae. I practice artificial rearing. This has 

the advantage that I never have problems with 

gill-worms or flagellates. 

Even if the clutch looks good and contains 

600–800 eggs, it remains to be seen how the eggs 

will develop and how many larvae actually hatch 

after 60 hours at 86°F (30°C). Initially I had a 

lot of problems with this. Naturally, there should 

also be an airstone about 2 inches (5 cm) from 

the cone, to supply the larvae with the necessary 

oxygen and provide water movement. 

Rearing in deep tanks 

If the brood develops well, around 500 larvae 

hatch and swim free after eight days. I feed the 

fry freshly hatched Artemia nauplii four times a 

day. In addition I change around 20 percent of 

the water every day in order to remove uneaten 

food, as this rapidly pollutes the water. 

After around three weeks I transfer the young 

Altum Angels to larger tanks, about 100 youngsters 

to 114 gallons (430 L) or 200 fry to 190 gallons 

(720 L). This is necessary for the young angels 

to grow and develop long fins. It is inevitable 

that some poorly developed youngsters have to be 

culled. Only thus can I rear high quality fishes. 

A twice-weekly 50 percent water change 

B. KAHL

S. FORKEL 

1. 

Juvenile wildcaught 

from 

the Atabapo 

at 8 weeks. 

2. Tank-bred from 

the Río Inirida at 

14 weeks. 

is necessary to keep the nutrient levels low. From the 

fourth week on I also feed frozen Cyclops, which they 

eat greedily after a brief hesitation. From the fifth week 

on I offer frozen Artemia several times a day, and from 

the sixth week I feed frozen glassworms as well. 

I continue thus until the tenth week, when the 

youngsters have usually reached a saleable size of 

3–4 inches (8–10 cm) across. 

The youngsters are kept in tap water with a pH of 7.5, a 

carbonate hardness of 4°KH, and an electrical conductivity 

of 280 μS/cm at a temperature of 82°F (28°C). A tank 

depth of 24–28 inches (60–70 cm) is necessary in order 

to ensure optimal growth with beautiful long fins, and, of 

course, regular water changes and several feeds per day. In 

this way the young Altum Angels can attain a height of 8 

inches (20 cm) within six months and a good 12 inches 

(30 cm) after 12 months. A full-grown specimen can 

achieve a height of 16 inches (40 cm) after 36 months! 

I have also induced wild-caught Pterophyllum altum 

from the Río Inirida and the Río Atabapo to spawn. This 

happened at water parameters similar to those used for 

the tank-breds of the Siegrist strain. Egg development has 

One of my parent fishes 

from the Río Inirida. 

3. Tank-bred from 

the Río Inirida at 

11 months. 

proved very problematical with the wild fishes. I 

succeeded only at the third spawning, by optimizing 

the water quality even further. I was then able 

to rear large numbers. The wild fishes have by now 

spawned frequently and the results keep getting better. 

Breeding these fish requires a lot of time and patience. 

I hope that this article and its accompanying photos 

will encourage all aquarium-fish enthusiasts to keep 

these magnificent ornamental fishes. The fact that tankbreds 

are already available makes rearing and maintenance 

easier than it is with wild-caught stocks. 

Additional photos and videos can be found on my 

website at www.skalarezucht.de. 

* Editorial note: Individuals of the forms named sometimes 

differ considerably from each other, as well as from those that 

originate from the actual habitat of Pterophyllum altum—the 

clear-flowing waters of the upper Río Orinoco, for example the 

Río Inirida, the Río Atabapo, and the Río Ventuari (see article 

on page 22). So for this article, we have chosen only photos 

that, according to the author, show specimens that demonstrably 

originate from the Río Inirida or the Río Atabapo. 

AMAZONAS 47

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48 

COVER 

STORY 

Angelfish: Genetic Transparency 

Changes Everything 

article and images by Matt Pedersen, with additional images by Mellow 

Aquatics and Raiko Slavkov Aquarists who know me would 

argue that I am a marine fish breeder. I made a name for myself 

as the first and only person to breed the “impossible to keep 

alive” Harlequin Filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostris). 

Only the folks who know me really well understand that I 

don’t discriminate on the basis of salt content! My recent 

fishroom expansion finally gave me the space to seek 

out one of my next challenges in fresh water. 

An F2 “50% 

Manacapuru” Silver 

(wild-type) angelfish. This is 

genetically a blank canvas (+/+) in 

the designer-breeder’s mind. However, 

it is the second generation (F2) grandchild 

of a wild outcross. Its grandparents were a 

Platinum Veil (g/g - V/+ - pb/pb) and a wild 

Manacapuru Angelfish. Given the genetics 

of its grandparents and parents, this 

outwardly wild-type fish could carry hidden 

recessive genes (Gold and Philippine 

Blue). 

I am in love with the Altum Angelfish (Pterophyllum 

altum), and I am no stranger to the difficulty this 

species represents (insert expletives here). I always 

tell marine breeders, “Start with something easy and 

similar to your end goal.” In doing so, you make the 

beginner mistakes early on, leaving you prepared to later 

handle the complexities of something more sensitive 

or challenging. I had never bred the ubiquitous Freshwater 

Angelfish (P. scalare), so it made sense to learn with 

the classic angelfish before tackling the Altum. 

However, while getting my feet wet with angelfishes, 

I was quickly sidetracked by the intriguing world of 

angelfish genetics. This forever altered my viewpoint on 

the breeding of “designer fish” in the face of an ongoing 

need to consider the conservation implications of what 

we do as fish breeders. 

A revelation 

The free and open discussion of angelfish genetics 

among breeders provided an excellent model to bring 

back to the saltwater side of the breeding world, where 

the fledgling “designer clownfish” craze had me questioning 

whether there was a future for the original 

wild form of something like the Common Ocellaris 

Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris). Five years ago, I 

bemoaned the “guppification” of clownfishes, insisting 

that designer forms could push wild forms out of the 

aquarium world. Through my work with the Lightning 

Maroon Clownfish (a mutation discovered twice on the 

reefs of Fisherman’s Island, Papua New Guinea) and my 

surprise exposure to the fascinating world of angelfish 

MATT PEDERSEN

MELLOW AQUATICS 

genetics, I’ve definitely softened my rhetoric. Hybridizing between species is still a tremendous 

conservation issue simply because hybrids can’t be undone, and they can wreak 

havoc if inadvertently introduced into a species preservation–oriented breeding program. 

Loss of distinction between geographic races is equally concerning, particularly because 

history tells us that some races wind up being unique species after closer examination. 

However, designer breeding—that is, working with genetic mutations within a species— 

can prove to be at least tolerable in the conservation mindset, so long as the genetics are 

known and the path back to the wild form and geographic provenance isn’t lost. 

I need only point out that the standard wild-type, or Silver, angelfish is still around, 

though perhaps it’s not as popular as something like a Platinum, Pinoy, or Koi these days. 

Nevertheless, the unadulterated wild-type angelfish remains a tool of breeders looking to 

strip particular genetics out of a complex domestic form. Given a robust genetic understanding, 

angelfish breeders seek out high quality wild stock to outcross with domestic 

breeding lines, as this can often impart desirable traits such as fin length and conformity, 

repairing the degradation caused by generations of inbreeding. The value of wild forms has 

led some breeders to specialize in preserving these unique geographic populations. Such 

commendable efforts preserve the raw materials of breeding, helping to ensure that these 

variations will remain available to breeders and hobbyists in the future. 

By virtue of its genetic usefulness, the wild-type, or Silver, angelfish will persist. 

Whether today’s domesticated angelfishes represent a single species or not is open to debate, 

so the conservation merits of designer angelfish breeding are certainly questionable. 

From wild-type (opposite 

page) to insanely WILD: 

a selection of classic and 

ultra-modern designer 

angelfishes offered by 

Mellow Aquatics. 

Top row, left to right: 

Gold (g/g), Gold Marble 

Pearlscale (Gm/g - p/p), 

Crowned Koi (Gm/Gm 

- S/S) 

Bottom row: Gold Marble 

Platinum with Crown 

(Gm/g - pb/pb), Blue 

Pinoy Zebra Lace Veil 

(D/+ - Z/+ - V/+ - pb/pb), 

Mellow All Orange Koi 

(Gm/Gm - S/S). 

49 

AMAZONAS 49

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50 

Despite this preservation shortfall in domesticated angelfishes, 

one thing has become clear: in a world where 

the community ethic has embraced the open-sourcing of 

genetic knowledge, any angelfish breeder with the genetic 

raw materials can recreate and refine the desired genetic 

result. 

Angelfish genetics: 

a history of standardization 

In no small part, the late Dr. Joanne Norton is credited 

with laying the foundation for most of the current 

understanding of angelfish genetics. From 1982 to 1994, 

Norton published no fewer than 18 articles in Freshwater 

and Marine Aquarium (FAMA) covering her extensive 

personal work divining the genetic basis for the myriad 

of forms being produced around the world. It is fair 

to say that Dr. Norton demonstrated how an aquarist 

can single-handedly change the aquarium hobby and 

industry, and, without a doubt, the tradition of genetic 

transparency was indoctrinated through Dr. Norton’s 

visionary contributions. 

The Angelfish Society (www.theangelfishsociety.org, 

TAS) was founded in 2000 and incorporated in 2003 as 

Classic Forms 

Top row, left to right: 

Halfblack Veil Angelfish (V/+ 

- h/h), Black Angelfish (D/g) 

(a.k.a. Hybrid Black), 

Koi Veil Angelfish 

(Gm/g - S/S - V/+) 

Philippine Blue Influences 

Bottom row, left to right: 

Pinoy Veil WiFi (Widefin) 

Ghost Angelfish (D/+ - S/+ 

- V/+ - pb/pb), Blue Marble 

Angelfish (M/+ - pb/pb) 

a not-for-profit organization. While the Society provides 

and performs many functions, it also perpetuates the 

tradition of Dr. Norton’s work. The current website includes 

a repository of the 18 seminal works she published 

in FAMA, but takes it a step further with the phenotypes 

library that’s readily available online (http://www.theangelfishsociety.org/phenotype_library_2007/NewIndex. 

html). This phenotype library covers all the known genetics 

as uncovered by Dr. Norton in the 1980s and ’90s, 

and was last fully updated in 2007. 

This genetic canon is generally well regarded as a 

definitive starting point, although observable traits may 

be the result of multiple genes or what breeder Frank 

O’Neill routinely refers to as “genetic modifiers.” Then 

there are occasional mysteries that stand in stark contrast 

to the assumed-proven genetics. Current TAS president 

Tamar Stephens points out, “The genes that we have 

listed [in our phenotype library] are all genes that follow 

Mendelian genetics. With multigenic traits, multiple 

genes contribute to the overall effect, making the results 

unpredictable.” That unpredictability may be the reason 

why many traits have yet to reveal their genetic secrets. 

The Angelfish Society has taken on the role of the 

MATT PEDERSEN; BLACK ANGELFISH: MELLOW AQUATICS

MATT PEDERSEN 

official organization to standardize the names, symbols, and formatting 

used for angelfish genes, and in doing so basically implies unofficial 

common names used for phenotypes. Many breeders do abide by 

these names. However, Stephens points out that TAS doesn’t “try to 

establish standard naming for common names…if someone wants to 

sell me a Gm/Gm–S/S, I know what I am getting genetically, whether 

it is called a ‘koi,’ a ‘panda koi,’ a ‘pumpkin’ angelfish, or whatever 

one can dream up.” 

It is only community acceptance, and use of the proposed standards, 

that validates TAS as an authority. To maintain credibility, TAS 

employs a rigorous, science-based methodology when considering 

the canonization of new genetics. This requirement has meant that 

at least one new genetic mutation obtained community acceptance a 

few years ago, yet is not currently recognized in TAS standards. This 

disparity between communal belief and the official record has caused 

some to question the legitimacy of TAS. 

Accepting and standardizing genetic discoveries 

The mutation in question is the phenomenal “Philippine Blue” gene, 

which some believe originated in Asian fish farms. From there, the 

gene was ultimately investigated, popularized, and named by Ken 

Kennedy in the Philippines. In 2009, seeing a lack of recognition for 

this mutation by TAS, members of the angelfish breeding community 

moved forward with creating their own “standards” following the 

TAS model (see http://www.angelfishusa.net/Philippine_Blue.pdf). 

It could be argued that this was necessary to facilitate discussion and 

allow progress within the breeding community. 

Stephens provides insight into the current Philippine Blue conundrum: 

“I realize that not having the new phenotypes on [the TAS] 

website has made us look bad. I think people got excited about creating 

beautiful angelfishes with the blue effects caused by this gene, 

and I think that is wonderful. Unfortunately, without the offspring 

counts, we would be doing pseudoscience, not real science. Some of 

our members are now doing offspring counts, and we anticipate having 

that data soon.” 

Philippine Blue Influences 

Top: Blue Silver Angelfish (pb/pb) 

Bottom, left: 

Platinum (front) and Platinum Marble Veil (back) 

- (g/g - pb/pb) and (M/g - V/+ - pb/pb). The black 

marble pattern on the back fish is obscured by the 

fish in the foreground. 

Bottom, center: 

50% Manacapuru Ghost Veil Angelfish with 

either one or two blue alleles (S/+- V/+ - pb/pb?), 

showing the combtail trait as well. With Platinum 

Veil X wild Manacapuru grandparents, this fish 

also has the potential for a hidden gold gene. Test 

matings could expose the presence or absence 

of gold and determine the number of blue alleles 

present. 

Bottom, right: 

F2 50% Manacapuru Ghost Angelfish with 

single Philippine Blue allele and hidden recessive 

pearlscale allele (S/+ - p/+ - pb/+) 


AMAZONAS 

52 

Stephens really hits home the importance of performing 

sound science and utilizing hard data when 

discussing the communally held notion that the Philippine 

Blue gene is a recessive mutation. “Although most 

people believe it to be recessive, I also have information 

that leads me to believe it is probably partially dominant, 

meaning it expresses to some extent in single dose, then 

more fully in double dose,” says Stephens. Lee Gordon 

might concur, observing that “one dose has been shown 

to cause a range of phenotypic effects.” 

Many breeders don’t share these sentiments and feel 

that TAS’s position is a political one. Consider the view- 

ANGELFISH GENETICS 101 

Understanding the Terms 

Aworking mastery of genetics allows the angelfish 

breeder to turn the wild-type angelfish into a painter’s 

canvas, selecting the mates with the appropriate genetics 

to create, or recreate, any particular designer form 

he/she chooses. Don’t be put off by the technical information 

presented. To be blunt, the basic rules of poker are 

probably more complicated than this. (Also, to be honest, 

one can be a master breeder knowing what outcomes to 

expect when crossing different strains or color forms and 

not using the genetic jargon, but most elite breeders use 

the following terms.) 

To date, the understood genetics of angelfishes follow 

some pretty basic rules, using the following jargon and 

functionality. The Angelfish Society created a genetic 

point of Rob Wilden, who wrote, “I would say that there 

is no doubt that [Philippine Blue] is a recessive gene 

mutation at a new locus. Far more work has been done 

on this by many breeders throughout the world, and the 

supporting evidence is far stronger than for many of the 

genes that Norton identified.” 

Angelfish breeder John Melograna also believes that 

the Philippine Blue gene is recessive, but cites confusion 

caused by variable expression ranging from blue to green. 

Melograna suggests that multiple factors could be in 

play, including genetic modifiers, interactions with other 

known and unknown genes, or maybe even a second new 

shorthand (based on scientific standards) for use in discussions, 

which we’ve leveraged here. 

We must remember genotype, referring to the genetic 

code of an individual fish, and phenotype, referring to the 

outward, visibly discernible results of the genotype. 

A locus is the place in the DNA or gene sequence for 

a particular gene, and the plural of locus is loci. At each 

locus, there is one gene or allele (a copy of the gene) 

inherited from each parent. 

In freshwater angelfishes, at least eight unique loci are 

identified and named, and the pairing of alleles at each locus 

is of particular interest. Most known loci only have two 

types of alleles, the default “wild” type or a mutated form. 

A good example is the albino locus—here a parent fish 

BIOMEDICAL/SHUTTERSTOCK

allele at the same locus. The data that TAS and Stephens 

crave drives the science that could address these questions. 

For the moment, the disconnect between the community-formed 

governing body and breeders at large remains, 

with most breeders working under the assumption 

that the Philippine Blue allele is recessive, at a new locus, 

and using the abbreviation “pb” when discussing it. 

Frontiers of designer breeding 

Of course, there is no shortage of new discoveries in the 

angelfish world, and breeders around the globe are only 

scratching the genetic surface, with the Internet allowing 

collaboration like never before. Traits like “Glitter” 

(seen in wild fishes and domesticated lines) keep breeders 

can only have wild type alleles or albino alleles. These two 

alleles result in offspring with three possible combinations: 

wild/wild, wild/albino, or albino/albino. Other 

loci have a myriad of allele options. The Zebra/Stripeless 

locus is one example. A fish will only have two alleles for 

this locus, but the breeder has the choice of the wild-type 

allele, the Stripeless allele, and the Zebra allele; three 

options to fill only two spots, resulting in six possible 

combinations (wild/wild, wild/Stripeless, wild/Zebra, 

Stripeless/Stripeless, Zebra/Zebra, and Stripeless/Zebra). 

All of this is further clarified by the various forms of 

genetic expression, and this, combined with the understanding 

of angelfish genetic loci, allows breeders to represent 

the known genetics of their angelfish in a standardized 

format using letters and punctuation. The wild-type 

allele is represented by a +. There are three basic forms of 

expression: Recessive, Dominant, and Partially Dominant. 

Recessive mutations require two copies of the allele 

to affect the phenotype or appearance of a fish, and are 

represented with lowercase letters. Thus, (a/a) = a homozygous 

pairing (both alleles are the same) = an outwardly 

albino fish. 

If the genetics are (a/+), this is a heterozygous pairing 

(mixed alleles) and in this case, the fish would carry 

a hidden albino gene that should not affect the outward 

appearance of the fish. 

Dominant traits require only one copy of the allele to 

fully change the phenotype, and the phenotype will look 

the same regardless of whether there are one or two copies 

of the allele present. Dominant alleles are represented 

with capital letters. Zebra is a dominant mutation; be it 

(Z/+) or (Z/Z), the fish will outwardly appear “Zebra”. 

Partially dominant mutations express differently, 

changing the phenotype with only a single copy of the 

allele, but changing it again when there are two copies 

present. The aforementioned Stripeless allele, when in a 

heterozygous state (S/+), creates an angelfish with broken 

or absent bars called a “Ghost”. However, if the angelfish 

winds up with two stripeless alleles (S/S), the phenotype 

is altered again, resulting in a fish with translucent gill 

scratching their heads. The same could be said for two 

fin traits, the long-standing “Combtail” trait that most 

breeders believe only shows up in veil but not standard 

finned fish, and the newer “Widefin” variation, which 

may turn out to be rather complex genetically. Breeders 

have used selective breeding to push the expression of genetics 

as well, which is why, today, we can see “high coverage” 

or even “full coverage” Koi Angelfish, in which the 

typical white base coloration with orange or red crown 

and black marbling has been replaced by fish showing 

only black marbling with an orange to red base coloration 

covering areas that formerly would have been white. 

Along the lines of traits that are being refined, we 

now have a very interesting trait, dubbed “Snakeskin”, 

covers and a complete absence of any striping; this fish is 

known as a “Blushing” or “Blusher”. 

This all comes to a head when you start mixing things 

together. Different alleles on the same locus produce still 

different phenotypes such as the Clown Angelfish, having 

one each of the Stripeless and Zebra alleles (Z/S). Then, 

add in multiple mutations on multiple loci, and you further 

digress from the standard wild form. 

For example, you could have an albino Veil Clown Angelfish 

(a/a – V/+ – Z/S) or a Smokey Leopard Pearlscale 

Blue Angelfish (Z/+ - Sm/+ - p/p - pb/pb). Make it even 

more complex when you consider epistasis, where the 

alleles at one locus can hide/alter/nullify the effects of 

other alleles on other loci, often shorthanded as genetic 

modifiers. 

In perhaps the ultimate display of genetic prowess, 

genetic calculators can now allow you to “test” the pairing 

of two known genotypes to determine what you’ll 

get. Small scale commercial breeders can use genetics to 

customize pairing to provide a diverse range of offspring 

from a single pair of fish, saving on space allocated to 

broodstock: case in point, I have one pair of fish that, due 

to their disparate genetics, can yield exactly 48 unique 

genetic combinations in their offspring as determined by 

an online genetics calculator! 

A solid understanding of the genetics at play can even 

help the detective fish breeder to implement test matings 

whose progeny can reveal parental genetics that were 

otherwise obscured. 

Rearing conditions and environment can have 

significant impacts on the expression of these alleles, a 

classic example being the generally recessive halfblack 

trait, which at times seems to develop only if low light 

conditions are provided. In truth, selective breeding and 

genetics that we don’t completely understand create a 

vast diversity of potential forms within a seemingly small, 

restrictive framework of known genes. Ultimately, genetics 

is only the starting point; knowledge of genetics won’t 

substitute for good husbandry and breeding choices in the 

quest to produce top quality angelfish. 

AMAZONAS 

53

AMAZONAS 

54 

Some of the latest examples of cutting-edge selective angelfish breeding 

focus on enhancing the expression of existing traits. High-Coverage Koi 

Angelfish (Gm/g - S/S) like the young one shown at right took decades to 

develop. 

Snakeskin is an emerging trait whose genetics are not yet understood. 

Shown below in the first row are two views of Carol Francis’s female 

Platinum Snakeskin (g/g - pb/pb), the original fish used to start her 

Snakeskin breeding lines. 

At bottom, two views of a young Blue Smokey Leopard Snakeskin 

Angelfish (Z/+ - Sm/+ - pb/pb) from Francis’s breeding are just starting 

to show the unique iridescent snakeskin patterning. Some of Francis’s best 

broodstock now exhibit this net-like patterning over their entire bodies. 

TOP: N. KHARDINA; BOTTOM: H. BLEHER

MATT PEDERSEN 

Angelfish GENETICS BREAKDOWN 

Canonized Loci 

Albino Locus—Alleles include: 

wild type (+) 

albino (a) recessive 

Dark Locus—Alleles include cascading dominance of: 

Dark (D) 

Marble (M) 

Gold Marble (Gm) 

wild type (+) 

Gold (g) recessive 

Halfblack Locus—Alleles include: 

wild type (+) 

halfblack (h) recessive 

Pearlscale Locus—Alleles include: 

wild type (+) 

pearlscale (p) recessive 

Smokey Locus—Alleles include: 

Smokey (Sm) partially dominant 

wild type (+) 

Streaked Locus—Alleles include: 

Streaked (St) dominant 

wild type (+) 

Veiled Locus—Alleles include: 

Veiled (V) partially dominant 

wild type (+) 

Zebra/Stripeless Locus—Alleles include: 

Zebra (Z) dominant 

Stripeless (S) partially dominant 

wild type (+); 

Community Accepted Loci 

Philippine Blue Locus—Alleles include wild type (+); Philippine blue (pb) recessive? 

Emerging / Suspected Mutations / Requiring Investigation 

Combtail—may be recessive, purported only visible on veil and superveil angelfishes, 

but possibly in standard fin fish as well. 

Eye Color—in the past suggested linked to sex, may sometimes be influenced by 

other genetics; indeterminate. 

Widefin—a very obvious trait that may express on a continuum; genetics indeterminate. 

Threadfin—multiple extensions on dorsal, anal, and caudal fins; genetics indeterminate. 

Snakeskin—a subtle trait at this time; genetics indeterminate. 

Glitter—genetics indeterminate, seen in both wild and captive lines; 

may interact with or be related to Snakeskin. 

Bulgarian Green—thought recessive at new locus, (bg) being used 

in discussions; genetics under investigation. 

Lost Mutations genetic traits assumed extinct, 

but could re-emerge or be rediscovered. 

Naja Gold—recessive 

Hong Kong Gold—recessive 

F2, 50% Manacapuru Angelfish with their first spawn. 

The female is a Blue Ghost (S/+ - p/+ - pb/pb); the male 

Ghost (front) has either one or two pb genes as well. 

AMAZONAS 55

AMAZONAS 

56 

Slavkov’s Bulgarian 

Green Gene 

Bulgarian Seal Point 

Pearlscale at left (D/ 

Gm - S/+ - p/p - bg/ 

bg), and Bulgarian 

Seal Point (D/Gm - 

S/+ - bg/bg) 

which was initially brought to the breeding community by Hawaiian breeder Neil Oyama. What’s 

exciting is the notion that this could be the genesis of body patterning akin to what can be seen 

now in discus. Carol Francis’s pursuit of the expansion of this Snakeskin trait has many breeders 

curious—the trait certainly seems to be hereditable. There is also a growing suspicion that Glitter 

and Snakeskin have some sort of genetic relationship, although Francis dismisses this notion. 

The next big gene? 

Perhaps the most interesting new development is the emergence of what some are calling a new 

mutation, currently termed the Bulgarian Green (bg) gene. This potentially unique mutation was 

discovered by Raiko and Ilia Slavkov, proprietors of Malavi in Bulgaria, in a phenotype that has been 

dubbed the Bulgarian Seal Point. Many questions have arisen. Is it really something new? Is Bulgarian 

Green recessive? Is it on a new locus? Or is it a new allele on the highly complex Dark locus? 

Raiko is convinced that what they’ve found is a previously undiscovered recessive gene, exposed 

through 10 years of inbreeding with Dark Gold Marble (D/Gm) and Hybrid Dark (D/g) 

lineages. Assuming that our current understanding of the Dark locus and Gold Marble allele 

is correct, the Slavkovs performed a test cross of a Blushing Bulgarian Seal Point to a wild-type 

angelfish. The results revealed offspring that had either the Dark allele or the Gold Marble allele, 

both of which are thought to occupy the Dark locus. Since the Silver angelfish would have 

neither, the conclusion is that the Blushing Bulgarian Seal Point parent is contributing either a 

Dark allele or a Gold Marble allele to the offspring of this test cross. Raiko explains, “It is not 

possible to have a third gene in this locus.” In other words, the allele that drives the Bulgarian 

Seal Point cannot be on the Dark locus. 

Raiko states that “the crosses I’ve made showed that Bulgarian Green is a new recessive gene 

in a new locus. The effect is that the new gene hides the black color in the body area (stripes, 

spots, or completely black body) [in] the phenotypes we know. The black color in the area of the 

fins does not change.” 

It has taken a couple of years of breeding, with the capacity of a hatchery, for Raiko to come 

to these conclusions. It will take hard data provided to the Angelfish Society for the Bulgarian 

Green gene to be added to the genetic canon. Even if the Slavkovs don’t furnish such data, 

someone else might. There is a possibility that Bulgarian Green will be the next big gene making 

COURTESTY RAIKO SLAVKOV/MALAVI

its way into the tanks of angelfish breeders; the Slavkovs 

report that they are selling their angelfish “on the local 

market,” so there is “no risk of losing the gene.” 

A new mutation like Bulgarian Green always starts as 

a mystery. It is the diligent breeder or amateur scientist 

who may be able to figure it out and further our understanding 

of designer angelfishes. 

The benefits of genetic transparency 

In my opinion, the standardization and open nature 

of angelfish genetics has leveled the playing field. Since 

anyone can truly remake a Koi or Platinum angelfish, the 

emphasis in breeding shifts toward producing a better Koi 

or a better Platinum, or focusing on conservationoriented 

breeding to maintain 

domestic populations of various 

geographic races, or challenging 

sister species like Pterophyllum altum. 

In other words, breeders are forced 

to compete on the quality of their 

fishes, and that is a winning scenario 

for everyone. Knowing the genetics, 

breeders working with a particular 

phenotype can easily plan outcrosses 

back to wild fishes to strengthen 

their lines. This seems to result in 

improved conformation and has 

intrinsic benefits for overall genetic 

fitness. With the right selection of 

offspring, most phenotypes can be 

recreated in only one or two generations 

of sibling crosses. Of course, 

there are plenty of low-quality, massproduced 

angelfishes out there, but 

for the discerning retailer and the 

demanding enthusiast, finding a truly 

stunning fish isn’t that hard. Genetic 

transparency within the angelfish 

breeding community has raised the 

bar for everyone. 

Matt Pedersen is a 30-year veteran 

aquarist, 2009 MASNA Aquarist of the 

Year, and accomplished marine fish breeder. 

He is an associate publisher for Reef to 

Rainforest Media and a senior editor for 

AMAZONAS and CORAL magazines. 

Special thanks are extended to Carol Francis 

(Angels by Baskington), Raiko Slavkov 

(Malavi, Bulgaria), John Melograna 

(Mellow Aquatics), Frank O’Neill (Indianwood 

Angelfish), Lee Gordon (Angelmania), 

Tamar Stephens (The Angelfish 

Society), Ted Santos (House of Orange), 

David Labell (Angelfish USA), Steve Ry- 

bicki (Angels Plus), and Rob Wilden (The Aquatic Habitat, UK) 

for their collaboration and contributions to this article. 

LINKS 

TAS Repository of Dr. Norton’s original articles: 

http://www.theangelfishsociety.org/articles/norton/index.html 

TAS 2007 Phenotypes Library: http://www.theangelfishsociety.org/ 

phenotype_library_2007/NewIndex.html 

Superior Angels Genetics Calculator: http://superiorangels.com/ 

angelfishgeneticscalculator 

Finarama’s Genetics Section: http://www.finarama.com/genetics/ 

Raiko Slavkov’s test mating that disproved the “Dark Locus” theory for 

the Bulgarian Green allele: http://angelfish.net/VBulletin/showpost. 

php?p=266304&postcount=231 

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AMAZONAS 57

FISHKEEPING BASICS 

Common health problems 

in Corydoradine catfishes 

The Corydoras sp. C007 “Missiones” 

pictured at right with red blotches, after 

successful treatment.

Top right: C. sp. 

C007 “Missiones” 

showing the red 

blotches within 

two hours of the 

appearance of small 

red spots. Once this 

condition takes hold 

it spreads rapidly, and 

the whole body of the 

fish turns red. 

Bottom right: C. sp. 

C007 “Missiones”. 

After another hour 

the red area has 

doubled in size; at 

this point the fish has 

only a slim chance of 

survival. 

How many of you have purchased a group of 

new, long-sought-after corys, only to find that they have all died in the bag on the 

way home? I can assure you it is an unforgettable experience. 

This scenario has been known for quite a long time, and I first 

became aware of the problem more than 20 years ago after losing 

a group of newly purchased Corydoras trilineatus (Three-Lined 

Cory). All of them were dead when I got home. At the time I 

just thought that the fishes I had purchased were of poor quality, 

even though they had actually looked very good in the shop. I 

subsequently contacted the store and the owner offered to replace 

them, so I returned, taking the fishes with me. We were both at 

a loss as to what had happened—the rest of the stock in the shop 

looked in perfect condition. 

The replacement fish were duly packed and the bag placed on 

the counter while we talked about other fishy things. Suddenly, the 

shop owner saw one of the fish roll over in the bag, followed quickly 

by a second. We immediately opened the bag and instinctively put 

all the fishes in a container of fresh, clean water from their original 

AMAZONAS 59

AMAZONAS 

60 

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stock tank. Within a few minutes they were all looking just fine, showing no 

sign of any further problems. All made the trip home without any recurrence of 

the problem. 

Self-poisoning 

So why does this happen? Well, from my observations over the years I have 

discovered that many, if not all, catfishes of the subfamily Corydoradinae 

(Aspidoras, Brochis, Corydoras, and Scleromystax) release toxins when under 

extreme stress. At first it was not known from where or how the toxins were 

released. It was only several years after my original encounter with the problem 

that I first noticed a mucus-like substance being exuded by a Corydoras 

under stress—in this case, from under the base of the left-hand gill plate. The 

fish releasing the mucus was the female of a pair of Corydoras sterbai (Sterba’s 

Cory) that were being exhibited at the Catfish Study Group Open Show in 

Wigan, England, in 2002. I immediately took a photo (reproduced at left), 

and this is the only photographic record of this phenomenon that I am aware 

of. In this particular case, the water in the show tank was replaced, and the 

fish quickly made a full recovery and went on to win its class. 

The strength of the substance seems to vary according to the species, with 

Corydoras trilineatus apparently being the most toxic. The term “poor travelers” 

was frequently applied to several species before the phenomenon now 

known as self-poisoning was understood. 

I believe this behavior to be a natural defensive mechanism that is probably 

present in many other genera of fishes, and not just the Corydoradinae. 

I suspect it is primarily a defense against predation, with the toxin being 

released when the fish is grabbed by a larger predator, an attempt to cause the 

latter to release its grip and affording the prey a chance to escape. 

How does this theory translate into hobby terms? The aquarist represents 

the predator, catching the cory in a net and putting it into a bag or small 

container. The fish is, of course, put under stress and instinctively releases its 

toxic fluid. Here we deviate from the predator/prey situation because, although 

the cory has been released from the net, it is still under stress and in a 

state of shock; in the wild it could simply swim away in the copious toxin-free 

water of its native river, but in a plastic bag or show tank it cannot escape 

from the poisonous fluid it has released. As a result, in a very short space of 

time the fish starts to be affected by the poison that has now fully dispersed 

into the water. The cory appears to stop breathing, and the fish is dead within 

a few minutes. 

This problem can and does happen whenever we transport corys, be they 

new fishes from a shop, a group of young you are taking to a friend or a shop 

to sell, or even specimen fishes you wish to exhibit at a show. The first indication 

of the existence of a problem is small bubbles forming at the edge of 

the water’s surface in the bag or other container; the fishes may be breathing 

rapidly, although usually the opposite is the case—their breathing slows down 

or even stops altogether. 

Mucus being released from 

the gills of a female Corydoras s 

sterbai.

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AMAZONAS 61

AMAZONAS 

62 

Avoiding trouble 

As long as you follow a few basic procedures, it is quite a 

simple matter to avoid losing corys through self-poisoning. 

Before catching your fishes, take enough water for 

transportation from their tank and put it into the bag or 

container to be used. Then fill another, larger container 

with water from the cory tank, catch the fishes, and put 

them into this second container. Next, disturb them 

several times over the next few minutes—this can be done 

simply by chasing them with a small net, enough to make 

them skittish but not enough to cause them to panic and 

try to jump out. This should create enough stress to cause 

them to release their toxins. The fishes should then be removed 

from the second, larger container and placed in the 

smaller transportation container; you can then discard the 

water from the second container. You will probably notice 

that this waste water has a slightly pungent smell. 

A further tip (and one that might elicit a comment 

or two from the animal rights fraternity) is that when 

buying corys, you should try to ensure that they are 

stressed enough by the person catching them to make 

them release their toxins before they are put into a bag or 

other transport container. Sometimes the inexperienced 

shop assistant is the best person to catch your new corys, 

mainly because he or she will tend to chase them around 

a little more than an experienced person. 

I know I am repeating myself, but it is important to 

spot the first signs of a potential problem, which is small 

bubbles forming around the edge of the water surface; the 

water may also start to take on a yellowish tinge and begin 

to go cloudy. Quick action is required: you must re-bag the 

fish in new, clean water. Most, if not all, aquatic shops will 

gladly re-bag fish if you think there is a problem, and you 

could even ask for some extra water in an empty container 

(taken from the tank before the fishes are caught) and 

spare bags, in case re-packing is required halfway home. 

The species I have found to be most susceptible to 

self-poisoning are C. adolfoi, C. arcuatus, C. melini, C. 

metae, C. panda, C. rabauti, C. sterbai, and C. trilineatus. 

However, care should be taken with all Corydoras species. 

Red Blotch Disease 

Another phenomenon that appears to be prevalent only 

in armored catfishes, and particularly in corydoradine 

species, is commonly known as “Red Blotch Disease.” 

Very little is known about its cause, although it is almost 

certainly related to water quality. This condition, too, 

can manifest in the confines of a transportation bag, 

especially if the water put into the bag is of poor quality 

or comes from a source other than the tank in which the 

fishes were kept. 

The first signs to appear are small red spots on the 

body scutes; these are actually small skin hemorrhages 

that are showing through from beneath the scutes. These

can, and will, rapidly expand to form large red patches 

(see the photos at the beginning of this article), and if 

the condition is not treated quickly the fish will die. 

The condition is not infectious or contagious, and 

tankmates will develop it only as a result of the prevailing 

water conditions that affected the first (probably the 

weakest) fish. 

If treated as soon as it appears this condition can be 

halted. First, completely change the water. If the problem 

occurs in the transportation bag, it may be too late to do 

anything, but if it is spotted partway through a journey, 

even changing some of the water for non-carbonated 

bottled drinking water will give the fish a fighting 

chance. If you first notice an affected fish in an aquarium, 

the remedy would be a very large water change—at 

least 60 percent. 

The next step is to check for anything that could have 

caused pollution, such as a blocked or clogged filter or 

an unnoticed dead fish, which was the cause of the worst 

outbreak I have ever seen. This took place in a 24-gallon 

(90-L) community stock tank; a pair of Ancistrus tamboensis 

wedged themselves into a small ceramic pipe, 

could not get out again, and died. Because they looked like 

they were in a mating embrace, I did not realize they were 

stuck or that they had died. The ensuing pollution caused 

a very rapid decline in water quality, and about half of the 

corys in the tank developed red blotches and died. 

I immediately did a large water change of around 80 

percent (19 gallons/72 L). Once the tank had been refilled 

it was treated with a full dose of Melafix from API. This 

botanical product is intended for the treatment of open 

wounds and abrasions, as well as fin and tail rot, and is 

the only medication I know that helps with Red Blotch 

Disease. At first Melafix causes coarse foaming (large 

bubbles) at the surface—the addition of two airstones will 

create good water movement and help to keep the surface 

moving. This is essential to ensure maximum oxygenation, 

especially if the problem has arisen in a mixed community 

tank that has surface-dwelling species. After 24 hours 

the foaming will have completely ceased. At this point 

I changed another 30 percent of the water and added 

another half dose of Melafix. All the affected fishes were 

totally clear of the red blotch condition after 48 hours. The 

photo on page 60 shows the previously pictured fish with 

red blotches, after successful treatment. 

Parasites 

Apart from the conditions discussed above, the main ailments 

that seriously affect corydoradine catfishes are parasites. 

Flukes and intestinal worms occur most often, and 

as a general precaution all newly imported wild fishes 

should be treated to prevent future problems. If left to 

their own devices, some parasites will become established 

in an aquarium, though it may be several months after 

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their introduction before they become a real problem. 

A typical sign of external parasites (such as flukes) in 

corydoradine catfishes is flicking and/or rubbing against 

solid objects, similar to the response to Ich (White Spot, 

or Ichthyophthiriasis). Inflamed gills and rapid breathing 

can also indicate that gill flukes are present. There 

are numerous commercial treatments on the market designed 

to eradicate these pests, and your aquarium dealer 

can advise you. There are also several DIY treatments, including 

potassium permanganate, which can be administered 

in a hospital or quarantine tank. The recommended 

dose is 10 ml/L. The purple color is a little off-putting, 

but the treatment is very effective. Biological filters are 

badly affected by potassium permanganate, however, 

so it is advisable to remove them during treatment. Salt 

(sodium chloride, NaCl) also works well against flukes, 

but rather than using a low dose over an extended period 

in the community tank, as is often recommended (which 

means repeated water changes to remove it after treatment), 

I much prefer to give the fishes a short-duration 

dip in a small hospital tank with a concentrated solution 

of 30 g/L. The dip should last for up to 15 minutes, or be 

terminated if the fishes appear to be in distress. 

Indications that intestinal worms are present vary 

depending on the parasite species, and there may be no 

signs at all. The usual sign of Camallanus (a genus of 

parasitic nematode worms) is red, thread-like worms 

protruding from the anus. With other species it may be 

demonstrable that a fish has a worm infection only on 

dissection. Symptoms indicating the possible presence 

of worms are weight loss or abdominal swelling due to 

intestinal blockage, and the latter will almost certainly 

result in the death of the fish. 

There are several commercial worm treatments on the 

aquatic market, most of them derived from treatments 

used for worms in mammals. Levamisole is a prime 

ingredient in pig and sheep wormers; it is very effective 

and a main ingredient in many commercial branded 

treatments. Camallanus worms can be eliminated using 

fenbendazole, levamisole, and praziquantel, available as 

branded treatments. Your aquarium dealer or veterinarian 

can advise you if necessary. 

Because internal parasites are so difficult to detect, 

you can never be sure the fish you have just purchased is 

not harboring such “passengers.” My advice is always to 

treat newly imported fishes, especially wild specimens, as 

a preventative measure during the quarantine period. 

Don’t panic! 

Although all this may sound alarming, corydoradine catfishes 

are generally less disease-prone than a lot of aquarium 

fishes, and many aquarists never experience any 

health problems with them at all. However, prevention is 

invariably better than cure, so the sensible fishkeeper will 

always try to be aware of what may go wrong so he can 

avoid problems or nip them in the proverbial bud.

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FISH ROOM TOUR 

article and images by Walter Hilgner Many aquarists dream of turning their hobbies 

into careers, and many have fallen on their faces trying. Here Walter Hilgner, one of those 

who have succeeded, explains how he got there and how he breeds a number of species. 

Serious Fishrooms 

Breeding aquarium fishes for the wholesale trade 

Part of the 

rearing unit 

at Aquarium 

Dietzenbach. 

On the right 

are large 

breeding 

tanks for 

cichlids and 

Synodontis, 

on the left 

the rearing 

unit for 

rainbowfishes, 

Sturisoma, 

and others. 

I started out in the aquarium hobby as a boy 

at the beginning of the 1970s, with Melanochromis 

auratus, Pseudotropheus johannii (still 

known as Pseudotropheus daviesi in those days), 

Pelvicachromis pulcher (Kribs), and Steatocranus 

casuarius (Blockheads). Three aquariums became 

six, then ten, then more and more. There are no 

rehab clinics for this type of addiction. 

In 1984 I reached my goal at last. My business 

was registered and my garage and cellar were 

stuffed full of aquariums (total volume: 4,000 

gallons/15,000 L). As my water was hard and 

alkaline (general hardness 21°dGH, pH 8.5), I 

bred mainly East African cichlids, which I sold to 

aquarists and aquarium dealers, so I had constant 

contact with people who shared my interest. But 

times change! Today’s aquarists prefer large markets 

and avoid cellar dealers, so I had to start selling 

my tank-bred fishes to the wholesale trade. 

The move to the wholesale trade 

Aquarium Dietzenbach, in the Rhein-Main area 

of Germany, wanted to establish their own fishbreeding 

unit. After two minutes of none-toodelicate 

haggling with the owner, Herbert Nigl, it 

was all settled, and I moved in as a tenant (such 

things are possible when you’re hooked on breeding). 

I brought my own stock and tank-breds to 

the new premises and expanded my range considerably. 

In addition to rare livebearers, Synodontis,

Sturisoma, gobies, killifishes, and other newly 

imported fishes, I was able to obtain practically 

anything and set up to breed it—paradise 

indeed. 

But what is the point of breeding aquarium 

fishes in the wholesale trade? Uninteresting 

species aren’t bred in Asia for economic 

reasons. In the case of cichlids, some dealers 

sell only the attractive males. How can anyone 

become fascinated by our lovely hobby if 

he or she misses out on observing courtship 

and brood care? I believe it is important for 

the hobby to offer a large variety of species 

and not just the usual “bread and butter.” If 

rare aquarium fishes can be bred in adequate 

numbers in captivity, it is possible to dispense 

with collecting in the wild. 

It rapidly became clear to me how small 

my home aquarium setup had been. The 

scale on which I now operated was a lot 

more demanding. Jobs such as breeding live 

foods, reinvigorating breeding strains at the 

right time, recognizing diseases early on, and 

keeping filters functional took more time as 

the size of the breeding unit and the number 

of fish species increased. 

The aquarium fishes from the East African 

lakes are very robust, not very susceptible 

to disease, and easy to breed. Problems can 

arise with more disease-prone species. The 

constant arrival of new fishes is accompanied 

by a fresh supply of pathogens. It is very 

difficult to perfectly isolate the breeding and 

rearing areas from the newly imported fishes. 

Water maintenance, varied feeding, and 

regular monitoring of water parameters are 

essential. 

Food must also be provided for the numerous 

different fish species. Artemia is easy. 

My hatching containers hold up to 5.25 

gallons (20 L) of water, so there are always 

sufficient brine shrimp available. Plankton 

is a more difficult affair. The cultures must 

be constantly tended in order to be able 

to feed rotifers regularly. I feed them with 

condensed milk. I monitor the population 

density of the unicellular organisms daily 

with the microscope. Powdered and flake foods and various 

sizes of granulate are used in accordance with the 

species and size of the fishes. 

Here are some of the species I breed and their peculiarities: 

Synodontis and Aulonocara 

For organizational reasons, our aquarium units are numbered. 

Our Unit 5A, consisting of 90 large and 115 small 

Above: This 

incubator unit in 

the laboratory is 

used to hatch the 

eggs of species 

that don’t practice 

brood care. The 

eggs are placed 

in the tubes, and 

water is circulated 

via a UV unit to 

keep them in 

constant motion. 

Hatched larvae 

rise to the top and 

are washed into 

the rearing tanks, 

where they stay 

until their yolk sacs 

are exhausted. 

Right: This block of 

small aquariums is 

used for breeding 

Lake Tanganyika 

cichlids. The fishes 

are kept in pairs. 

tanks with centralized particulate and nitrate filtration, 

houses predominantly East African cichlids, Synodontis, 

and Sturisoma. 

When breeding Synodontis lucipinnis (often incorrectly 

known as Synodontis petricola “Dwarf” (S. petricola 

grows larger and has large spots on the head, while S. 

lucipinnis has smaller spots) and S. polli, we use two-part, 

closed-ended plastic pipes with a diameter of 6 inches 

(15 cm) as breeding caves. In the upper half there is an 

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A female Aulonocara jacobfreibergi has spat out her brood 

during transfer. Along with her own young there are a 

number of much larger Cuckoo Catfish fry. 

opening 1.5 inches (4 cm) across. Because these catfishes 

are fond of eating their own eggs, the lower half of the 

pipe is removable and separated from the upper by a 

piece of mesh. The strongest male occupies the breeding 

cave and the females constantly try to follow the displaying 

male into the opening in the pipe. 

As early as the second day, there are eggs in the lower 

half. The spawn is removed and placed in a rearing tank. 

The larvae hatch after just 24 hours. As soon as the yolk 

sacs are exhausted I feed them with Artemia nauplii. The 

young fishes change color several times before they are 

full grown. 

The unique mode of reproduction in Synodontis 

multipunctata makes this upside-down catfish extremely 

interesting and has earned it the trade name of “Cuckoo 

Catfish”, as it insinuates its eggs into the clutches of 

spawning mouthbrooders. The eggs are around 1 mm 

across and orange-yellow in color. The larvae develop more 

rapidly than those of the mouthbrooders, whose eggs and 

larvae serve the little catfish as food. Artificial hatching 

of Synodontis multipunctata appears to be impossible 

because of their mode of feeding during their first days 

of life. We breed the Cuckoo Catfish together with the 

Malawi Butterfly, Aulonocara jacobfreibergi, and species 

of the genus Protomelas. After around 14 days the female 

releases up to 15 little catfishes from her mouth instead of 

The Cuckoo Catfish, Synodontis 

multipunctata, spawns in the same 

pit as mouthbrooding cichlids, so the 

eggs find their way into the female 

cichlid’s mouth, where they are 

brooded to term. 

A young Synodontis multipunctata 

swallowing an Aulonocara larva. 

The little Cuckoo Catfishes are real 

brood parasites, and will consume 

the entire cichlid brood in the 

mouth of their mother before they 

have used up their yolk sacs. 

her own brood. To our annoyance, the mouthbrooders stop 

spawning after a while and a new breeding group has to be 

put together. 

The little Synodontis multipunctata are feeding machines. 

By the age of three weeks the little “parasites” 

attain a length of .75 inch (2 cm). Within two months 

they are already 2 inches (5 cm) long. 

The mouthbrooding Aulonocara and Protomelas are 

maintained in groups of four or five males and around 20 

females. A cultivated form known in the trade as Aulonocara 

jacobfreibergi “Eureka”, in which the red color is 

The Synodontis egg 

traps described in 

the text.

Above: The little Synodontis multipunctata grow on very quickly. 

Right, top: Synodontis lucipinnis (False Cuckoo Catfish), better 

known as Synodontis petricola “Dwarf”, is bred in large numbers 

using the egg traps. 

Right: A young Synodontis polli bred at our facility. 

Below: A breeding pair of Aulonocara jacobfreibergi “Eureka”. 

We keep a large group of these mouthbrooders together with 

Synodontis multipunctata, the Cuckoo Catfish, which insinuates its 

eggs into the clutches of the cichlids. 

particularly well expressed, is widespread in the aquarium 

hobby. Even the albino form exhibits a lot of red. The skyblue 

dorsal fin contrasts attractively with the red. 

Like the majority of Lake Malawi cichlids, Aulonocara 

jacobfreibergi is a mouthbrooder. The development time 

from spawning to leaving the mouth is three weeks. Larvae 

that are released too early are placed in an incubator, in 

which they are kept constantly in motion. Depending on 

the size of the female, 20–50 fry per brood can be expected. 

Neolamprologus spp. 

Our Unit 5B consists of 48 small aquariums housing 

shell-dwelling cichlids and other pair-forming cichlids. 

Neolamprologus leleupi displays marked intraspecific 

aggression. Trying to make a random pair usually ends 

in the death of the female. It is wise to raise a group of 

around 12 individuals together and feed them heavily 

with a varied diet. When a female has filled with eggs 

and is seen quivering in front of a large male, I put them 

both in a separate breeding tank. As a rule the pair spawn 

on the ceiling of a cave (for example, a coconut shell) 

during the next few days. 

The larvae hatch on the third day and swim free after 

another 12 days. They are fed several times daily with Artemia 

nauplii. To achieve the ideal coloration, they should 

receive this food until they are .75 inch (2 cm)long. 

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Pairs of shell-dwelling 

cichlids, like the attractive 

Neolamprologus calliurus, 

are placed in small 

aquariums to breed. 

To create breeding pairs of the shell-dwelling cichlid 

Neolamprologus brevis, I select a large and a small 

individual from a group of fish of the same age and place 

them in a separate aquarium. Typically the pair hit it off 

right away and occupy the snail shells provided without 

problems. It is advisable to use the shells of French edible 

snails (escargots). The female always swims in first, 

then the male follows. The belly of the female becomes 

marbled yellow prior to spawning. 

It is difficult to establish the precise moment of 

spawning. The mother fish rarely leaves the shell. To see 

We use these clay pipes for breeding small 

cave-spawners that practice brood care. 

See opposite page, bottom. 

the developmental stage of the eggs you can carefully 

hold the shell up to the light, first making sure it is full 

of water. You will see either the eggs attached to the shell 

wall or the free-swimming fry. 

Rearing to saleable size takes place in Units 1 and 2, 

each containing 60 aquariums with a volume of 80 gallons 

(300 L) apiece. 

Pseudomugil gertrudae 

My breeding stock of Spotted Blue-Eyes, Pseudomugil 

gertrudae, are the local variant Aru II, from the Indonesian 

Aru Islands south of New Guinea. In 

April 2009 we obtained 30 specimens about 

1.25 inches (3 cm) long. They were fed with 

Artemia nauplii and Cyclops. 

I began the first breeding attempts after 

three weeks, placing a wool spawning mop 

in the aquarium and weighing it down with 

a stone. After eight days I removed the mop. 

On examining the strands I discovered shiny 

eggs, 1 mm across, everywhere. The next 

day I discovered the first 3-mm-long youngster. 

More little P. gertrudae appeared every 

day. The hatch didn’t end after eight days, 

as expected, but continued for a few days 

longer. With this peaceful aquarium fish, the 

difference in size resulting from the different 

hatching times doesn’t matter. I feed the fry

with infusorians and Artemia nauplii. 

After two months some of the young have attained a 

size of .75 inch (2 cm) and the males are already developing 

their splendid finnage. 

Fundulopanchax gardneri 

I keep the sexes of our Fundulopanchax gardneri separated. 

There are four adjacent, shallow aquariums, one for 

The Peacock Gudgeon, 

Tateurndina ocellicauda, is 

bred regularly. 

Neolamprologus pulcher “Daffodil” 

is one of the Lake Tanganyika 

cichlids that we breed regularly. The 

photo shows a pair with tiny fry. 

males and three others holding 10 to 12 females apiece. 

The fishes are fed heavily for two weeks in order to condition 

them for breeding. Thereafter I fill the aquariums 

occupied by the females with a layer of boiled peat granules, 

1.25–1.5 (3–4 cm) thick, and add the males. They 

are fed with live glassworms so that no leftover food can 

accumulate in the spawning substrate. 

Ten days after the start of the breeding attempt I 

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Above: Pseudomugil gertrudae, the Spotted Blue-Eye from the Aru 

Islands south of Papua New Guinea, is bred in large numbers. 

Left: For breeding killifishes, rainbowfishes, and blue-eyes we use 

spawning mops made of artificial wool, which are transferred to the 

rearing unit when sufficient eggs have been laid. 

remove the peat, put it in a fine-meshed net, and squeeze 

out the water with my hands. I then put the still slightly 

damp peat into a plastic bag and store it at around 77°F 

(25°C), affixing a label detailing the contents and the 

date of removal. After three weeks have elapsed the peat 

is placed in a rearing tank filled with aquarium water. 

After just an hour the first fry swim free. During their 

first days of life they are fed with infusorians and Artemia 

nauplii. Once they are .75 inch (2 cm) long, they can eat 

coarser frozen foods as well. Frequent feeding will ensure 

continuous growth. 

The aquarists of tomorrow 

During seminars to educate staff in the pet trade, and 

based on comments made by groups of visitors, we have 

noticed that the breeding of ornamental fishes and 

reptiles helps create increased interest. That led us to the 

idea of inviting school classes to our facility. We divide

Top: We also breed rare livebearers. Here 

a female Micropoecilia picta (Swamp 

Guppy) is seen giving birth. 

Middle: Classic barbs like these Puntius 

nigrofasciatus (Black Ruby Barb) are part 

of our permanent stock and are bred in 

large numbers. 

Bottom: Sturisoma festivum (Long- 

Fin Royal Farlowella) has been bred 

successfully for years. The species is rarely 

imported now, so we rely on captive-bred 

stock. 

the children into two groups and 

show them our reptile and ornamental 

fish breeding units alternately. 

Wool mops full of Melanotaenia 

eggs, freshly removed Synodontis 

spawn, a Neolamprologus leleupi male 

aggressively defending his breeding 

cave against a person’s finger—all 

these things are fascinating, even to 

the non-aquarist. In our reptile unit 

the children can hold snakes, look at 

the eggs of reptiles, and admire numerous 

color variants of geckos. The 

object is to show the youngsters that 

there are interesting things other 

than TVs and computers. In this way 

we hope to gain young people for our 

hobby, so that it doesn’t go the same 

way as stamp-collecting. 

For years now we have been demonstrating 

that the indoor breeding 

of ornamental fishes for the wholesale 

trade is economically viable in 

a “developed” country, despite the 

challenges and potential losses to 

disease. It can be done—but only by 

motivated personnel who carry out 

their work with passion and discipline 

and don’t put down their tools 

on the dot of 5:00. 

Selling our own tank-breds and 

hearing the praise of retailers are our 

reward. By breeding our own stock 

we are making a contribution to 

preserving variety in the aquarium 

hobby and educating more people. 

The aquarists of the future shouldn’t 

have to watch fishes swimming 

across the screen on YouTube; they 

should be able to observe the real 

thing in the aquarium. 

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HUSBANDRY 

& BREEDING 

With flashes of brilliant color, 

A new blue-eye is here! 

Male Pseudomugil 

cf. paskai “Red 

Neon” in typical 

coloration. 

We had searched in vain for Pseudomugil paskai during a trip to the south of the Indonesian 

province of West Papua. But the description of the putative locality in the 

drainage of the inaccessible Kopi River was enough for our guide back then, and he 

tracked down a species new to the aquarium hobby. Could this be the real blue-eye 

species Pseudomugil paskai? article and images by Hans-Georg Evers 

Only a few months after our return from New Guinea, photos of a little fish appeared under 

the name Pseudomugil sp. “Red Neon”, initially in Thailand. These strikingly attractive fish were 

very expensive and in the beginning, there were probably only males for sale. There were all sorts 

of exciting stories about their origin, and they were even said to be a cultivated form created by 

humans. Slowly but surely, it became clear that the fish came from an intermediary dealer in 

Jakarta, and before long the first females arrived as well. 

I obtained my specimens from my friend Jeffrey Christian at Maju Aquarium in Cibinong, 

on Java. He had acquired them from Aquarium Dietzenbach, whose proprietor was resolutely 

keeping their provenance to himself. But species such as Melanotaenia ogilbyi and Pseudomugil 

pellucidus also suddenly turned up on his list. This was a clear indication that the fisherman that 

Jeffrey, our friend Mikael Hakånson, and I had instructed in Timika during the tour we made 

together had collected the species we had discovered, as well as a new blue-eye in the drainage of 

the Kopi River, and sold them to Jeffrey’s competitor. Fishing in that area, which was close to a 

large gold mine, was forbidden to Europeans, but as a local this fisherman could do as he pleased 

there. Strangely, he didn’t offer the fish to Jeffrey but to his competitor. Unfortunately, this type 

of thing is quite normal in Indonesia; loyalty seems to counts for nothing, at least when rare 

fishes are involved. 

Miracles of color 

Hardly had I introduced my first 20 individuals into a planted aquarium with a bottom area 

measuring 20 inches square (50 x 50 cm) than the party began. The brilliant coloration of the 

males came as a real surprise. They swim close to the water’s surface and their backs gleam neon 

blue as they reflect the light falling on them. The body and the fins are colored deep orange. The 

LEFT: FAM. NORMANN; OPPOSITE PAGE; I. SEIDEL

tips of the caudal fin are white, while those of the pectoral fins are white or orange, 

depending on the individual. The unpaired fins of males are sprinkled with little 

black dots. 

The females are rather plain in appearance, with a bit of orange at the bases of 

the fins, some neon blue on the back, and brilliant blue eyes. The previously familiar 

illustrations of Pseudomugil paskai are highly reminiscent of the new fish, but those 

in Allen et al. (2000 and 2008) show more faintly colored fish. Are we dealing with 

a new species or merely a new color form of Pseudomugil paskai? Until the matter is 

eventually resolved, I suggest the name Pseudomugil cf. paskai “Red Neon”, so as to 

include the name used in the trade. 

Colorful dancers 

If the males are in territorial mood, which they tend to be after water changes or 

a change of tank, when they encounter one another they spread all their fins and 

dance around the aquarium in parallel position. This display establishes the order 

of rank within a group, and the winners take possession of the best spawning 

Females are less 

splendidly colored and 

have shorter fins. The eyes 

are still a glorious blue. 

When two males meet, 

the owner of the territory 

demonstrates his claim 

by spreading his fins. 

These males’ pectoral 

fins are tipped with white. 

The photos on the next 

two pages show the 

progession of behaviors 

during this encounter. 

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Above, left to right: If 

the opponent doesn’t 

swim away, but spreads 

his fins, then the dance 

begins. Here a large 

old male is challenging 

a young tank-bred male 

with orange-tipped 

pectoral fins. The older 

these fishes get, the 

longer the first rays of 

the first dorsal fin grow. 

Adversaries typically 

carry the dorsal and 

ventral fins stiffly 

extended. Initially 

they remain at a short 

distance; as hostilities 

progress they come 

closer together and 

use laterally directed 

movements to send 

little waves of water 

toward each other. 

These two are near 

the end of their battle. 

They have come 

very close together 

and the younger fish 

(foreground) is about 

to give up. It is unclear 

why, but all disputes 

end in this way and the 

loser is not harmed. 

territories. Females swimming into these little territories are not courted by dancing, but 

approached from the front with gentle head nodding. If the female doesn’t swim away, the 

courting male turns next to her, quivering briefly. They swim beside each other in the direction 

of a spawning substrate—in my tanks this is a mop or a clump of Java Moss. This spawning 

procedure can be seen every day; the entire group is constantly ready to spawn if well fed. 

I collect the eggs regularly and incubate them in a bowl in shallow water. The eggs are around 

the same size as those of other small blue-eyes, such as Pseudomugil gertrudae—about 1.2 mm 

in diameter. 

Not at all difficult 

Unfortunately, not all the eggs developed in my tap water, which had a temperature of 77– 

80°F (25–27°C), a pH of 7.5, and an electrical conductivity of around 350 μS/cm. I assume 

that the species actually inhabits the swamps in the drainage of the Kopi, and thus lives in 

very soft black water with a low bacteria count. In the case of eggs transferred to 100 percent 

reverse-osmosis water, the larvae hatch after 10 to 12 days without problems. If I hatch them 

in bowls filled with tap water, I have to help at hatching time (Evers, 2011). 

I feed the adults daily with Artemia nauplii, live or frozen Cyclops and water fleas, and very 

occasionally with very high-protein granulate. The frequent feeding of such granulate and 

Artemia nauplii isn’t healthy for the fish. Like other small species of blue-eyes, the females, in 

particular, become misshapen and fat if their diet is too rich. Their bellies become distended 

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. 

Rearing the hatchlings is easy. In the first few days they will eat rotifers and Paramecium 

spp., and also take very finely powdered flake food from the water’s surface. After a few days 

they can manage freshly hatched Artemia nauplii. I have achieved the most rapid growth 

with sieved Cyclops and Diaptomus (copepod) nauplii, which are taken very readily. However, 

it goes without saying that there should be no stingers among the Cyclops to endanger the 

entire brood. If the eggs are collected regularly—I get up to 15 a day from my group of wildcaught 

fishes, but usually fewer, as they are probably also egg-robbers—you will soon have a 

considerable number of youngsters swimming around. 

I have now put together a large group of young fish, which have already started spawning 

at the age of four months. Other aquarists have accumulated an impressive number of young 

as well, so these splendid little fellows are safely established in the aquarium hobby and no 

further imports will be required. I wish these orange and blue flashes a successful aquarium 

career. They are extremely colorful, not the least bit shy, and not difficult to keep and breed. 

What more could we ask for? 

REFERENCES 

Allen, G.R., K.G. Hortle, and S.J. Renyaan. 2000. The Freshwater Fishes of Timika Region, New Guinea. Timika, Indonesia, 

and Roleystone, Western Australia: Tropical Reef Research. 

Allen, G.R., A.W. Storey, and M. Yarrao. 2008. Freshwater Fishes of the Fly River, Papua New Guinea. Tabubil: Ok Tedi 

Mining. 

Evers, H.-G. 2011. Schlupfhilfe. AMAZONAS 37, 7 (5): 11. 

Bottom, left to right: 

Freshly hatched fry 

remain near the 

water’s surface and 

immediately begin to 

feed. They have bright 

blue eyes from the 

start. 

This juvenile is around 

three weeks old and 

grew up in the adults’ 

tank. It was the only 

survivor: apparently any 

smaller siblings that 

followed were eaten. 

In larger aquariums, 

however, it should be 

possible to rear lots 

of young without any 

major intervention. 

AMAZONAS 77

AMAZONAS 

78 

HUSBANDRY 

Chilatherina sentaniensis: 

Long sought, finally found 

In June 2011, at the annual general meeting of 

the IRG (Internationale Gesellschaft für Regenbogenfische/International 

Rainbowfish Association), 

one of our Czech members was selling 

Chilatherina sentaniensis in the auction. No 

sooner had I entered the room than I acquired 

two bags of them. The fishes were already a good 

size, and thoughts of breeding them had my eyes 

gleaming. The three days of the meeting flew by 

and we set off for home, accompanied by my 

friend Heinrich and his wife, who planned to 

travel on to the Baltic next day. Once we were 

back home, though, there were long faces after 

we unpacked the fish. Almost all of them had 

pop-eye. 

& BREEDING 

Chilatherina 

sentaniensis male, top, 

in full color appears to 

almost glow red from 

within. Females exhibit 

red only on the rear 

half of the body. 

by Thomas Hörning I had always wanted to keep Chilatherina sentaniensis. This beautiful 

red rainbowfish was originally described as Rhombatractus sentaniensis by Weber in 1908 and 

assigned to the genus Chilatherina by Regan in 1914. In the 1990s small numbers were imported 

frequently, but they were often confused with Chilatherina fasciata from Lake Sentani. 

Chilatherina sentaniensis 

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AMAZONAS 79

AMAZONAS 

80 

The next morning, though, we were 

greeted with a surprise. We saw gorgeous 

fish radiating bright red all over their 

bodies, with a hint of pink and bold black 

edgings to the fins. There was no longer 

any trace of pop-eye! Had it been the 

long period of transportation or the pure 

oxygen I had put in the bags at the meeting? 

We had no idea—the main thing 

was, they were healthy now. We both 

sat in front of the tank and celebrated 

like small children, despite our several 

decades together in the aquarium hobby. 

But were these fish really Chilatherina 

sentaniensis? In the past there had probably 

been confusion with Chilatherina 

fasciata from Lake Sentani (described in a 

report by Johannes Graf in the IRG journal 

in January 2010). So my neighbor 

Hans-Georg Evers took a few photos, one 

of which we sent to Graf for identification. He confirmed 

that we had the real thing. Now I was confident and 

content. 

After several days of optimal maintenance with lots 

of pond food, the first woolen spawning mop was suspended 

in the tank. Eight to ten days later around 70–80 

fry hatched. I was happy—the population was secured. 

The water parameters in the breeding tank were 

around 12°dGH, pH 7.3–7.5, temperature 77°F (25°C). 

For the first few days the fry were fed with a protein-rich 

powdered food and pond water, as it was impossible to 

sieve out foods as fine as the fry required. After around 

five to seven days, we began to feed them freshly hatched 

Artemia nauplii, followed by sieved water fleas and Cyclops 

(fresh-caught), chopped frozen food, and now and 

then granulate as well. 

I normally use rather large tanks for rearing right 

The species is peaceful. If two males meet they display 

briefly to one another, but there is no serious conflict. 

A group of juveniles 

around three months 

old. They don’t yet show 

any hint of the lovely 

coloration of their 

parents. 

from the start. Only thus do the young grow to an impressive 

size fairly quickly. In this case it was a 50-plusgallon 

(200-L) tank. The largest young were 1.5–2 inches 

(4–5 cm) long after four months. At this size some of 

them were starting to show a hint of pink or red on 

the body, especially after a water change. I was already 

dreaming of maintaining and observing a large shoal of 

these fish in my 238-gallon (900-L) aquarium. 

For the benefit of fans of sedately swimming fishes, 

it should be mentioned that Chilatherina generally swim 

around anything but sedately, and, indeed, sometimes 

rather chaotically. This could be termed an “unrounded” 

mode of swimming. By contrast, my Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi 

and M. trifasciata now and then appear somewhat 

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AMAZONAS 81

AMAZONAS 

82 

From Thailand 

New Snakeheads 

In February 2009 it was rumored that a particularly 

colorful snakehead had arrived—our telephones hardly 

stopped ringing. The locality for this new species was the 

Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, near which AMAZONAS 

editor Hans-Georg Evers was staying at the time. He 

didn’t miss the chance to take a closer look and discovered 

a snakehead that appeared to remain small and 

looked similar to Channa gachua, but was markedly more 

splendid in its coloration. 

The bright red pigment beneath the eye in this snakehead, 

plus the ice-blue fin-rays, induced Evers and his 

colleagues, Kamphol Udomrhitthiruj and Neil Woodward, 

to devise the first common name for this fish: Channa sp. 

“Fire & Ice”. The name caught on and is now accepted in 

REPORTAGE 

Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” 

by Dominik Niemeier and Pascal Antler Many aquarists grow especially fond of certain 

fish groups as time goes on. In recent years we’ve seen the birth of a new group of fish 

fanatics, people dedicated to very strange fishes that used to be regarded as monsters—the 

snakeheads of the genus Channa. With interest in this genus increasing, a number of new 

forms and species, including the three discussed in this article, are now being imported. 

the Channa world. The fishes were found together with a 

batch of loaches (Schistura balteata “Sumo II”) in the market, 

and the location for the latter was given as the Ataran 

River on the border between Myanmar and Thailand. 

Hans-Georg Evers brought three specimens back to 

Germany and a consignment of four individuals was 

dispatched to Pascal Antler. It wasn’t long before the first 

photos of this new form were published. Evers’s specimens 

exhibited extreme aggression when kept together 

in the same aquarium, and had to be separated. Precise 

water parameters from the collecting locality were 

unavailable and so at first it was a matter of guesswork 

based on the climatic conditions and geographical location 

of the site. 

H.-G. EVERS

TOP: D. NIEMEIER; BOTTOM: P. ANTLER 

Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” 

The territorial behavior of the Channa was 

already familiar from other importations 

of subtropical snakeheads. Hence initial 

attempts to keep Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” 

together were made only under close observation 

and monitoring, and sometimes the 

fish were separated very early on, as naturally 

we didn’t want to run any risks. The 

sexes of the individuals were relatively easy 

to determine on the basis of experiences 

with other Channa species. 

Based on the geographical data, we kept 

our snakeheads under subtropical conditions 

at a temperature between 64 and 72°F 

(18 and 22°C). They didn’t tolerate a cold phase at lower 

temperatures very well. Although in some areas where 

snakeheads occur there are cold periods with a water 

temperature of less than 64°F (18°C), to date there is 

no snakehead species known in which such a cold phase 

has proved necessary. Quite the opposite—as in the wild, 

only the strongest and healthiest individuals survive such 

extreme situations. 

Like the majority of snakeheads, these wild-caught 

fish weren’t fussy about feeding. Insects and their larvae 

were taken very quickly and it soon became obvious that 

this Channa, like the majority of Channa species from 

subtropical regions, was inclined to obesity. We felt it was 

advisable to feed them sparingly once a week. Channa 

spp. are not specialized piscivores. Insects, worms, and 

crustaceans are probably their main prey. 

The four Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” purchased at the 

Chatuchak Market on a Sunday were dispatched the following 

Tuesday and eventually arrived in Pascal Antler’s 

Pair of Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” 

(male, upper right) 

When the young swim free, their 

parents care for them devotedly. 

aquarium on Thursday. Unfortunately—and this point 

should be mentioned in any article on snakeheads—one of 

the four specimens managed to depart from the uncovered 

aquarium during the first night, and perished. A second 

individual was suffering under a massive worm burden 

and couldn’t be saved despite the use of medication. 

The remaining individuals appeared to have settled 

very well in the aquarium and initially tolerated one 

another very well, but, as is usual with snakeheads, there 

were quarrels after a while. The fish battled so fiercely 

that they had to be separated. After they had been segregated 

for six months a final attempt was made to house 

them together in a 40-gallon (153-L) aquarium. 

The fish proved to be readily maintainable at a 

temperature between 68 and 73°F (20–23°C) and the 

aggression among them gave way to permanent courtship, 

during which the male seemed to intensify his colors 

and repeatedly approached the (significantly larger) 

females in order to display his full beauty. 

AMAZONAS 83

AMAZONAS 

84 

It wasn’t long before the females were carrying the 

first broods in their mouths, but unlike other Channa 

they proved to be rather susceptible to disturbance. The 

first six broods were swallowed or spat out. Only when 

the fish were left in peace due to the absence of their 

owner did they rear young for the first time. The male 

now hid in a floating tube of cork, while the females 

monitored their surroundings with increased watchfulness. 

The parents also behaved differently from other 

Channa during the rearing of the young. The fry were 

often moved around and concealed behind décor items. 

The growth rate of the young was also noticeably slower 

than in other Channa, and after a year the offspring had 

attained a size of just 2.5–3 inches (6–7 cm). 

Channa sp. “Redfin” 

The news of the new snakehead species spread rapidly 

among Channa-holics, and various exporters were quick 

to include the fish on their stock lists. The demand was 

high and they were rewarded. But although one consignment 

of Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” exhibited strong 

similarities to the species described, it also possessed 

a number of clearly different characters. On closer 

examination it became clear that this was a second new 

form, no less beautiful and also worthy of attention. And 

so it was probably more by luck than by design that the 

Pair of Channa sp. “Redfin” 

Male Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” 

with full throat sac. When 

mouthbrooding, these fish are very 

susceptible to disturbance and 

sometimes eat their eggs. 

first imports of a new form, now traded under the name 

Channa sp. “Redfin”, came about. 

Channa sp. “Redfin” is similar in stature to Channa 

gachua. In stress coloration these fish exhibit numerous 

small black dots that aren’t otherwise visible. The 

coloration of the male is spectacular. The body base color 

is dark, almost black, in stark contrast to the ice-blue finrays 

and fire engine–red fin edgings. 

In Channa sp. “Redfin”, too, there were initially 

problems with aggression in the wild-caught fish, though 

not as markedly as in Channa sp. “Fire & Ice”. The maintenance 

of six individuals in a 40-gallon (100 x 60 x 40 

cm) aquarium continued without problems until mating. 

And even thereafter the fish could be kept without problem 

in a tank with a volume of around 50 gallons (200 

L) and plenty of cover. Essentially, tanks for snakeheads 

need to be set up with lots of hiding places, plus plants 

and other décor to break up the line of sight. Floating 

tubes of cork, for example, are much-appreciated hiding 

places. 

These fish supposedly originated from the same area 

as Channa sp. “Fire & Ice” and were kept at a temperature 

of around 68°F (20°C) at the time of the first 

importation. When the temperature then rose with the 

approach of summer, the behavior of the fish became 

more aggressive. Eventually a pair formed from the 

D. NIEMEIER

The aquarium for 

Channa sp. “Redfin” 

provides a wealth of 

hiding places. 

remaining individuals, and they were transferred to a 

separate 40-gallon (153-L) tank. Excitingly, after a few 

days the fish exhibited more intense coloration and the 

male was observed to keep disappearing into a pottery 

cave. Fry around 6–8 mm (1/4 inch) long could be seen 

in the cave in the beam of a flashlight. They left the 

cave after a week, rose to the water’s surface, and swam 

around between their parents. 

The interesting thing about the young is that they 

have no longitudinal stripes on the body as most other 

Channa do. The young are canary yellow, already almost 

golden in color. They were provided with “feeder eggs” by 

the mother. Even so, we initially fed live Artemia nauplii 

twice a day as well. The brood was very small with only 

around 20 fry, but that can be attributed to the youth of 

the parents. The young were tolerated by the parents to a 

size of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch (3–4 cm). For a long time 

there were no further breeding attempts. It turns out that 

it is absolutely essential to have a suitable cave in the 

aquarium. The male conceals the larvae, as yet unable to 

swim, in this cave until they have exhausted their yolk 

sacs. Thereafter the fry leave the cave of their own accord, 

and only then is the female allowed to come near the 

brood and feed them with feeder eggs. The further rear- 

AMAZONAS 85

AMAZONAS 

86 

Above: The young of Channa sp. “Redfin” 

are golden yellow during their first weeks 

of life. At this time the parents exhibit a 

particularly attractive coloration. 

Far right: The sight of brooding snakeheads 

surrounded by their offspring is a special 

treat for any aquarist. 

ing of the young is uncomplicated, 

as they can manage Artemia nauplii 

immediately. 

Channa sp. “Flameback” 

Channa sp. “Redfin” and Channa sp. 

“Fire & Ice” appear under various 

names in the trade: “Dwarf Redfin”, 

“Ice & Fire”, “Firefin”, “Red Chin”, 

“Crimson Snakehead”, “Black Spotted Snakehead”, and 

Channa sp. “Red” and Channa gachua “Red”. At the end 

of 2011 two more names appeared: Channa sp. “Laos 

Fireback” and Channa sp. “Flameback”. Not much is 

known about the precise locality, but it is supposedly not 

in Laos, but an area in northern Thailand on the border 

with Laos. 

These fish are very probably a form related to Channa 

gachua or C. limbata, and one that can grow relatively 

large. The first imported specimens were all around 6 to 

9 inches (15–25 cm) long and apparently not yet fullgrown. 

In this case we are dealing with a tropical rather 

than a subtropical species. Temperatures of 73 to 86°F 

(23–30°C) over the course of the year are recommended. 

As with the other species discussed, there were problems 

with the aggressiveness of the first wild-caught speci- 

Channa sp. “Flameback” is another very 

attractive species from the C. gachua or 

C. limbata group. 

mens, even in large aquariums. 

However, these battles ceased after pair formation 

and we were very quickly able to pick out a pair which 

were peaceful and harmonious from then on, constantly 

seeking body contact with each other. After just a few 

weeks the first dummy spawning runs could be seen, 

and after a few failed attempts at mouthbrooding, the 

first successful breeding soon followed. Like all Channa 

gachua–like forms these fish are paternal mouthbrooders. 

The females again produce feeder eggs in this species, so 

rearing the fry is very straightforward. 

In the near future we will probably encounter even 

more new snakeheads from the region (in fact, while 

writing this article I read about Channa sp. “White Fin”, 

probably a member of the Channa stewarti complex), and 

it will be interesting and exciting to see what surprises are 

in store for us.

AMAZONAS 87

88 

UNITED STATES 

Arizona 

Aqua Touch 

12040 North 32nd St 

Phoenix, AZ 

602-765-9058 

Arizona Nature Aquatics 

3025 North Campbell Ave 

Tucson, AZ 

520-321-9000 

Arkansas 

Northside Aquatics 

7610 Counts Massie Rd Ste A 

Maumelle, AR 

501-803-3434 

Worlds Under Water 

2105B Creekview 

Fayetteville, AR 

479-521-7258 

California 

All Seas Marine, Inc 

(Distribution Only) 

1205 Knox St 

Torrance, CA 

310-532-7769 

Aquatic Central 

1963 Ocean Ave 

San Francisco, CA 

415-584-1888 

Ocean Aquarium 

120 Cedar St 

San Francisco, CA 

415-771-3206 

Tong’s Tropical Fish 

8976 Warner Ave 

Fountain Valley, CA 

714-842-2733 

Trop-Aquarium 

& Pet Center 

1947 Main St 

Watsonville, CA 

831-761-3901 

White’s Pets 

5212 North Blackstone 

Fresno, CA 

559-438-4343 

Sources 

Look for AMAZONAS Magazine in these 

outstanding local aquarium shops. 

Colorado 

Animal Attraction Pet Store 

2518 11th Ave 

Greeley, CO 

970-353-3400 

Neptune’s Tropical Fish 

1970 E County Line Rd Unit A 

Highlands Ranch, CO 

303-798-1776 

Connecticut 

Aquatic Wildlife Company 

179D Deming St 

Manchester, CT 

860-648-1166 

House of Fins 

99 Bruce Park Ave 

Greenwich, CT 

203-661-8131 

Florida 

Barrier Reef 

1921 NW Boca Raton Blvd 

Boca Raton, FL 

561-368-1970 

Boardroom Aquatics 

12795 Kenwood Ln 

Fort Myers, FL 

239-275-8891 

Father Fish Aquarium 

536 E Venice Ave 

Venice, FL 

941-266-9998 

Fishy Business 

140 S Ronald Reagan Blvd 

Longwood, FL 

407-331-4882 

The Planted Aquarium 

Store 

3230 NE 12th Ave 

Oakland Park, FL 

954-990-8871 

Sea Life Aquarium 

& Service 

174 Semoran Commerce Pl 

Apopka, FL 

407-889-9887 

Georgia 

Aquarium Outfitters 

175 Old Epps Bridge Rd 

Athens, GA 

706-546-1337 

Creation Pet 

8265 Hwy 92 

Woodstock. GA 

770-364-2240 

Premier Aquatics 

1801 Roswell Rd 

Marietta, GA 

678-453-3991 

Hawaii 

Aquascape 

99-082 Kauhale St. Ste B-4 

Aiea, HI 

808-487-0077 

Kalihi Pet Center 

1199 Dillingham Blvd 

Ste C-101 

Honolulu, HI 

808-841-5234 

Idaho 

Fish, Aquariums & Stuff 

6112 West Fairview Ave 

Boise, ID 

208-377-1119 

Illinois 

Fish Planet 

839 Waukegan Rd 

Deerfield, IL 

847-945-4700 

Sailfin Pet Shop 

720 S Neil St 

Champaign, IL 

217-352-1121 

Indiana 

Inland Aquatics 

10 Ohio St 

Terre Haute, IN 

812-232-9000 

Iowa 

Aquatic Environments 

730 E Kimberly Rd 

Davenport, IA 

563-445-3687 

Maine 

Easy Aquariums 

17 A Gorham Industrial Pkwy 

Gorham, ME 

207-272-5212 

Maryland 

House of Tropicals 

7389F Baltimore Annapolis 

Blvd 

Glen Burnie, MD 

410-761-1113 

Massachusetts 

South Coast Scientific 

109 McArthur Rd 

Swansea, MA 

508-678-8306 

Michigan 

Blue Fish Aquarium 

2939 Wilson Ave SW Ste 109 

Grandville, MI 

616-667-2424 

Moby Dick Pet Store 

3700 Sashabaw Rd 

Waterford, MI 

248-673-2520 

MVPets 

7429 S Westnedge Ave 

Portage, MI 

269-492-7387 

Oceans and Seas 

26085 Gratiot Ave 

Roseville, MI 

586-778-2223 

Preuss Pets 

1127 N Cedar St 

Lansing, MI 

517-339-1762 

Missouri 

Aqua-World 

16063 Manchester Rd 

Ellisville, MO 

636-391-0100 

New Hampshire 

Laconia Pet Center 

1343 Union Ave 

Laconia, NH 

603-524-8311 

New Jersey 

Adam’s Pet Safari 

19 W Main St 

Chester, NJ 

908-879-8998

Aquarium Center 

1295 Blackwood Clementon Rd 

Clementon, NJ 

856-627-6262 

Pets, Pets, Pets 

2 JFK Blvd 

Somerset, NJ 

732-545-6675 

Tropiquarium & Petland 

Ocean Plaza 

1100 State Rte 35 

Ocean, NJ 

732-922-2300 

New York 

Eddie’s Aquarium Centre 

1254 New Loudon Rd Rt 9 

Cohoes, NY 

518-783-3474 

The Fish Place 

141 Robinson St 

North Tonawanda, NY 

716-693-4411 

Pet Friendly 

845 Manitou Rd 

Hilton, NY 

585-366-4242 

North Carolina 

Aquarium Outfitters 

823 South Main St 

Wake Forest, NC 

919-556-8335 

Blue Ridge Reef & Pet 

103 WNC Shopping Ctr Dr 

Black Mountain, NC 

828-669-0032 

Croft Pet & Hobby Shoppe 

3800 Reynolda Rd, Suite 200 

Winston Salem, NC 

336-924-0307 

Pennsylvania 

Oddball Pets & Aquarium 

262 Joseph St 

Pittsburgh, PA 

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780-435-3474 

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204-295-5375 

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AMAZONAS 89

AMAZONAS 

90 

SPECIES SNAPSHOTS 

➊ TAREBIA LINEATA ➋ SCLEROPAGES INSCRIPTUS ➌ SCHISTURA SPILOTA 

➍ HYPOPTOPOMA SP. ➎ SINELEOTRIS SACCHARAE ➏ BIOTODOMA WAVRINI 

Banded Melania Snail, Tarebia lineata 

Tarebia lineata, Banded Melania Snail 

Some months ago, Aquarium Dietzenbach in 

1| Germany imported a little snail species from 

Indonesia that has almost never been seen before. 

Tarebia lineata is an attractive yellow-brown turret 

snail with fine black-brown lines. The shell is about an 

inch (2.5 cm) high and .4 inch (1 cm) across. In the 

wild it is often covered in black deposits. The coils are 

slightly convex, but have nodules immediately beneath 

the seam, making the transition from coil to coil very 

clear. The sole of the foot is white to pink in color. 

The snail is pigmented gray on its head and body. The 

species belongs to the livebearing and parthenogenetic 

snails and hence should breed easily in the aquarium. 

Common in Asian rivers and ponds, it is sometimes 

regarded as a form of Tarebia granifera, the Quilted 

Melania Snail. That isn’t of primary importance to the 

aquarist, whose main interest is in having another attractive 

invertebrate to watch in the aquarium. 

—Maike Wilstermann-Hildebrand 

Scleropages inscriptus, Inscribed Arowana 

The arawana from Myanmar introduced in AMA- 

2| ZONAS Vol. 1, No. 2 has now been described. 

Ichthyologist Tyson R. Roberts described Scleropages 

inscriptus from the Tenasserim basin. This river, which 

empties into the Indian Ocean, is home to many fish 

species that have been described in recent years or 

are still awaiting description. 

Interestingly, Roberts doesn’t accept the species 

of the S. formosus complex described a few years ago. 

Only S. formosus, and now also S. inscriptus, a species 

clearly distinguishable on the basis of meristic and 

color characters, are placed together in the subgenus 

Delsmania and thus treated as separate from the 

Australian species S. leichhardti and S. jardinii. From 

an aquarium-hobby viewpoint, Scleropages inscriptus 

hasn’t yet appeared in numbers worth mentioning. 

That may soon change, at least in Asia. 

REFERENCES 

—Hans-G. Evers 

Roberts, T.R. 2012. Scleropages inscriptus, a new fish species from 

the Tananthayi or Tenasserim River basin, Malay Peninsula of Myanmar 

(Osteoglossidae: Osteoglossiformes). Aqua, Int J Ichthyol 18 (2): 

113–18. 

Schistura spilota, Spotted Hillstream Loach 

Schistura spilota is proof that large hillstream 

3| loaches are not that unusual. S. spilota can be 

2 inches (5 cm) bigger than Schistura sp. “Arunachal 

H.-G. EVERS

TOP: K. UDOMRHITTHIRUJ; BOTTOM: J. KÜHNE 

The Inscribed Arowana, 

Scleropages inscriptus 

Pradesh”, which grows to almost 4 inches (10 cm), 

according to the exporter, and which Hans-Georg Evers 

has described as unusually large. We caught specimens 

measuring 4.7 inches (12 cm) in crystal-clear 

streams and found individuals almost 5.9 inches (15 

cm) long in the basket traps of native fishermen, for 

whom hillstream loaches are prized food fishes. 

Schistura spilota may have been found west of the 

Tenasserim Mountains, but it belongs to the fish fauna 

of Siam, as it occurs in the headwaters of the Mae Nam 

Klong system, which empties into the Gulf of Thailand. 

It is not uncommon in suitable biotopes. It lives in 

natural pools and waterfalls in streams and small rivers 

where the water is cool (average 75°F/24°C), oxygenrich, 

and moderately hard (conductivity 180 μS/cm). 

Spotted Hillstream Loach, 

Schistura spilota 

The aquarist may be nervous about this loach’s 

size, but bear in mind that most loaches grow slowly in 

the aquarium, one reason why the sizes attainable by 

hillstream loach species are rarely (or never) documented. 

This is in stark contrast to the mouthbrooding 

fightingfishes of the genus Betta, which can grow into 

real Goliaths in the aquarium, even though they are 

rarely found at such sizes in the wild. 

REFERENCES 

—Jens Kühne 

Kottelat, M. 1990. Indochinese nemacheilines: A revision of 

nemacheiline loaches (Pisces: Cypriniformes) of Thailand, Burma, 

Laos, Cambodia and southern Vietnam. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, 

Munich, Germany. 

AMAZONAS 91

AMAZONAS 

92 

SPECIES SNAPSHOTS 

Hypoptopoma sp. “Iquitos” 

An armored catfish that I 

4| recently received from our correspondent 

in Iquitos, Martin Mortenthaler, 

via the firm EFS (Sonneberg), is 

probably a new species of the genus 

Hypoptopoma (subfamily Hypoptopomatinae). 

This large-growing species 

doesn’t appear in the most recent revision 

of the genus by Aquino & Schaefer 

(2010). Martin obtained the fish 

from a fisherman who had purportedly 

caught them in the vicinity of Iquitos. 

The overall size of the fish is striking. 

My largest specimen measures 

5 inches (12.7 cm) TL, which is larger 

than all the other species I have kept 

to date. The black patterning on the 

dorsal and caudal fins is likewise 

unusual for the genus Hypoptopoma. 

Hypoptopoma sp. “Iquitos”, as I have 

provisionally named the species, also possesses the 

mucus typical of the genus. These fishes spend the entire 

day sitting on wood and only become active during 

the night. They then streak around the aquarium and 

nibble at the food tablets that I put in before lights out. 

REFERENCES 

Hypoptopoma sp. “Iquitos” 

—Hans-Georg Evers 

Aquino, A.E. and S.A. Schaefer. 2010. Systematics of the genus 

Hypoptopoma Günther, 1868 (Siluriformes, Loricariidae). Bull Amer 

Mus Nat Hist 336: 1–110. 

Male Chinese Sleeper 

Goby, Sineleotris saccharae 

Sineleotris saccharae, Chinese Sleeper Goby 

For many long years, fishes from China were vir- 

5| tually impossible to obtain. But now, increasingly 

larger numbers of interesting fishes are arriving from 

the south of that vast country. The gobies and loaches 

are particularly fascinating to aquarists. An especially 

lovely species has been imported by Metop Aquarium 

(Czech Republic) from Aquaculture Technologies in 

Singapore, whose director, Patrick Yap, was interviewed 

in the November/December issue of AMAZONAS. 

With a maximum of around 6 inches (15 cm) total 

length, Sineleotris saccharae is one of the medium-sized 

H.-G. EVERS

T. WEIDNER 

members of the small family Odontobutidae, the freshwater 

sleeper gobies. The species was described from 

the New Territories of Honking, but these fishes are 

hardly ever found there now and our imports originate 

from less disturbed areas of the Chinese mainland. 

The male in the photo is still relatively young. With 

age, these fishes are said to develop an impressively 

high forehead and become rather thuggish. My male 

was thuggish long before that, and it only took him 

a few hours to dispatch the less attractive female to 

fishy heaven. These fishes have proved to be sensitive 

to transportation and need time to regain their strength 

after shipping. So far there are no reports of the successful 

breeding of this attractive species. 

Biotodoma wavrini “Rio Preto da Eva”, 

Orinoco Eartheater 

—Hans-G. Evers 

Normally Biotodoma wavrini, the Orinoco Earthe- 

6| ater, is found in the drainage of the Orinoco 

in Colombia and Venezuela, as well as in the upper 

course of the Río Negro. However, it seems that a 

small enclave of Biotodoma wavrini has become established 

in the drainage of the Río Preto da Eva in Brazil, 

which lies hundreds of kilometers from the actual 

distribution region of this species. 

In 2011 Aquarium Glaser imported a small group 

of the Río Preto da Eva population, and I acquired the 

Orinoco Eartheater, 

Biotodoma wavrini 

entire batch. At the same time they were also selling 

Biotodoma wavrini of around the same size from the 

drainage of the Orinoco and imported from Colombia. A 

number of these fish also found a home in my aquarium 

cellar for the purpose of comparison. 

Because the Biotodoma species can be classified, 

at least roughly, in the aquarium hobby on the basis of 

the shape and position of the lateral spot, I hoped to 

be able to detect at least marginal differences, but, unfortunately, 

I found no reliable criteria, and there were 

no obvious differences in the body form. 

There are differences in the form of the fins: in 

adult specimens of the Río Preto da Eva population, 

the unpaired fins are noticeably longer and have more 

delicate filaments. Were I to add that the Río Preto 

da Eva fishes are significantly more attractive in color, 

I would get a few scornful looks, but although both 

populations have a white-wine base color, the flanks of 

the Río Preto da Eva fishes are overlain with soft bluegreen 

shades and the soft-rayed parts of the unpaired 

fins are reddish. 

I had secretly hoped that it would be possible to 

definitively distinguish the two populations, as their 

geographical separation is so great that it is hard to 

believe they are the same species. I am not aware of 

any molecular-biological or morphological studies on 

the two populations, so for the time being I am forced 

to assume that they are one and the same species. 

—Thomas Weidner 

AMAZONAS 93

SOCIETY 

AMAZONAS 

94 

CONNECTIONS 

U.S. AQUARIUM 

SOCIETIES 

NATIONAL AQUARIUM CLUBS 

American Cichlid Association 

www.cichlid.org 

American Killifish Association 

www.aka.org 

American Livebearer Association 

www.livebearers.org 

The Angelfish Society 

www.theangelfishsociety.org 

Aquatic Gardeners Association 

www.aquatic-gardeners.org 

International Betta Congress 

www.ibcbettas.org 

International Fancy Guppy Association 

www.ifga.org 

Mid-Atlantic Koi Club 

www.makc.com 

North American Discus Association 

www.discusnada.org 

The North American Native Fishes 

Association 

www.nanfa.org 

Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies 

www.northeastcouncil.org/nec/ 

ARIZONA 

Dry Wash Aquarium Society, Phoenix 

www.DryWashAquarium.org 

Arizona Aquatic Plant Enthusiasts (AAPE) 

Tuscon & Phoenix 

www.azaquaticplants.com/index.php 

CALIFORNIA 

Sacramento Aquarium Society 

Sacramento 

www.SacramentoAquariumSociety.org 

San Francisco Aquarium Society 

San Francisco 

www.SFAquarium.org 

Silicon Valley Aquarium Society 

San Jose 

www.SiliconValleyAquariumSociety.com 

COLORADO 

Colorado Aquarium Society, Arvada 

www.ColoradoAquarium.org 

CONNECTICUT 

Greater Hartford Aquarium Society 

Manchester 

www.GHASCT.org 

Northeast Livebearer Association 

Bristol 

www.nela.northeastcouncil.org 

Norwalk Aquarium Society 

South Norwalk 

www.NorwalkAS.org 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 

Greater Washington Aquatic Plant 

Association 

www.GWAPA.org 

FLORIDA 

Gold Coast Aquarium Society of South 

Florida, Cooper City 

www.GCAquarium.org 

Tampa Bay Aquarium Society, Tampa 

www.TBAS1.com 

GEORGIA 

Atlanta Area Aquarium Association 

Atlanta 

www.AtlantaAquarium.com 

HAWAII 

Honolulu Aquarium Society, Honolulu 

www.HonoluluAquariumSociety.org 

ILLINOIS 

Central Illinois Tropical Aquarium Club 

(CITAC) 

Bloomington 

www.citac-il.org 

Federation of American Aquarium 

Societies 

Champaign 

www.FAAS.info 

Greater Chicago Cichlid Association 

Brookfield 

www.GCCA.net 

Green Water Aquarist Society, Alsip 

www.GWASOC.org 

INDIANA 

Circle City Aquarium Club 

Indianapolis 

www.CircleCityAqClub.org 

Michiana Aquarium Society, South Bend 

www.MichianaAquariumSociety.org 

IOWA 

Eastern Iowa Aquarium Association 

Cedar Rapids 

www.FinFlap.com 

LOUISIANA 

Southeast Louisiana Aquarium Society 

Baton Rouge & New Orleans 

www.selas.us 

MARYLAND 

Capital Cichlid Association, Silver Spring 

www.CapitalCichlids.org 

MASSACHUSETTS 

Boston Aquarium Society, Boston 

www.BostonAquariumSociety.org 

Pioneer Valley Aquarium Society 

Chicopee 

www.PVAS.net 

Worcester Aquarium Society, Worcester 

www.WorcesterAquarium.org 

MICHIGAN 

Greater Detroit Aquarium Society 

Royal Oak 

www.GreaterDetroitAquariumSociety.com 

Grand Valley Aquarium Society 

Grand Rapids 

www.GrandValleyAquariumClub.org 

Southwest Michigan Aquarium Society 

Portage 

www.SWMAS.org 

MINNESOTA 

Minnesota Aquarium Society 

Roseville 

www.aquarium.mn 

MISSOURI 

Missouri Aquarium Society, St. Louis 

www.MissouriAquariumSociety.org 

NEW HAMPSHIRE 

New Hampshire Aquarium Society 

Rollinsford 

www.NHAquariumSociety.com 

NEW JERSEY 

Jersey Shore Aquarium Society 

Freehold 

www.JerseyShoreAS.org 

North Jersey Aquarium Society, Nutley 

www.NJAS.net 

NEW YORK 

Allegheny River Valley Aquarium Society 

Olean 

www.orgsites.com/ny/ARVAS 

Brooklyn Aquarium Society, Brooklyn 

www.BASNY.org 

Danbury Area Aquarium Society (DAAS) 

Carmel 

www.northeastcouncil.org/daas 

Central New York Aquarium Society 

Syracuse 

www.CNYAS.org 

Genesee Valley Koi & Pond Club 

Rochester 

www.ggw.org/GVPAKE 

Greater City Aquarium Society, Flushing 

www.GreaterCity.org 

Long Island Aquarium Society 

Stony Brook 

www.LIASOnline.org 

Nassau County Aquarium Society 

Rockville Center 

www.NCASweb.org

Niagara Frontier Koi & Pond Club 

North Tonawanda 

www.NFKPC.org 

Tropical Fish Club of Erie County 

Hamburg 

www.Tropical-Fish-Club-of-Erie-County.com 

NORTH CAROLINA 

Raleigh Aquarium Society, Raleigh 

www.RaleighAquariumSociety.org 

OHIO 

American Cichlid Association, Hamilton 

www.cichlid.org 

Cleveland Aquarium Society, Cleveland 

www.ClevelandAquariumSociety.org 

Columbus Area Fish Enthusiasts 

Plain City 

www.ColumbusFishClub.org 

Greater Akron Aquarium Society, Akron 

www.GAAS-FISH.net 

Great Lakes Cichlid Society, Euclid 

www.GreatLakesCichlidSociety.net 

Medina County Aquarium Society 

Medina 

www.geocities.com/MCASfish/index 

Ohio Cichlid Association, Brunswick 

www.OhioCichlid.com 

Stark County Aqua Life Enthusiasts 

Society, Canton 

www.ClubScales.com 

Youngstown Area Tropical Fish Society 

Youngstown 

www.YATFS.com 

OREGON 

Greater Portland Aquarium Society 

Clackamas 

www.GPAS.org 

PENNSYLVANIA 

Aquarium Club of Lancaster County 

Lancaster 

www.ACLCPA.com 

Bucks County Aquarium Society 

Chalfont 

www.BCASOnline.com 

Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society 

Pittsburgh 

www.GPASI.org 

TEXAS 

Houston Aquarium Society, Houston 

www.HoustonAquariumSociety.org 

VERMONT 

Tropical Fish Club of Burlington 

Burlington 

www.tfcb.org/ 

VIRGINIA 

Central Virginia Aquarium Society 

Richmond 

www.CVAS.forumotion.com 

Potomac Valley Aquarium Society, Fairfax 

www.PVAS.com 

WASHINGTON 

Greater Seattle Aquarium Society 

Seattle 

www.GSAS.org 

Puget Sound Aquarium Society 

Federal Way 

www.thePSAS.org 

WISCONSIN 

Milwaukee Aquarium Society, Milwaukee 

www.MilwaukeeAquariumSociety.com 

Central Wisconsin Aquarium Society 

Wausau 

www.cwas.org 

INTERNATIONAL 

AQUARIUM 

SOCIETIES 

AUSTRALIA 

New South Wales Cichlid Society 

Moorebank, NSW 

www.NSWCS.org.au 

Victorian Cichlid Society Inc. 

Mitcham, VIC 

home.vicnet.net.au/~cichlid 

Queensland Cichlid Group Inc. 

Clayfield, QLD 

www.qcichlid.org 

BELGIUM 

Belgian Cichlid Association 

www.cichlidae.be 

BERMUDA 

Bermuda Fry-Angle Aquarium Society 

www.fryangle.com 

CANADA 

The Canadian Association 

of Aquarium Clubs 

Canada & New York State 

www.caoac.ca 

London Aquaria Society 

London, ON 

www.londonaquariasociety.com 

Saskatoon Aquarium Society 

Saskatoon, SK 

www.SaskatoonAquarium.com 

Montreal Aquarium Society, Montreal, QC 

www.theMontrealAquariumSociety.com 

Hamilton & District Aquarium Society 

Hamilton, ON 

www.HDAS.ca 

Durham Region Aquarium Society 

Oshawa, ON 

www.DRAS.ca 

Regina Aquarium Society 

www.reginaaquariumsociety.ca 

Association Regionale des Aquariophiles 

de Quebec, Ste-Foy, QC 

www.ARAQ.org 

Aquarium Society of Winnipeg 

Winnipeg, MB 

www.ASW.ca 

FINLAND 

Ciklidistit r.y. (Finnish Cichlid 

Association), Vantaa 

www.aquahoito.info/cichlids/index.html 

FRANCE 

Association France Cichlid, Hoenheim 

www.FranceCichlid.com 

GERMANY 

Deutsche Cichliden-Gesellschaft 

(German Cichlid Society) 

Frankfurt am Main 

www.DCGonline.de 

MALAYSIA 

Malaysia Guppy Club 

www.myguppy.net 

SINGAPORE 

Discus Club Singapore 

www.DiscusClubSG.com 

UNITED KINGDOM 

Anabantoid Association of Great Britain 

Doncaster 

www.AAGB.org 

BIDKA: The British and International 

Discus Keepers Association 

www.BIDKA.org 

Bristol Aquarists’ Society, Bristol 

www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk 

The Federation of British Aquatic 

Societies, Sussex 

www.FBAS.co.uk 

Greater Manchester Cichlid Society 

www.nekrosoft.co.uk/GMCS 

Middlesex & Surrey Border Section, 

British Koi Keepers Society 

www.MSBsection.co.uk 

The Calypso Fish and Aquaria Club 

London 

www.calypso.org.uk 

Thanks to Ray “Kingfish” Lucas of Kingfish Services 

in Boston, NY, for his invaluable help in establishing this 

directory and the AMAZONAS Aquarium Calendar of 

Events. www.kingfishservices.net 

GET LISTED! Contact: Mary Sweeney, Senior Editor: mary.sweeney@reef2rainforest.com 

AMAZONAS 95

24/7 

VISIT OFTEN: 

• Web-Special Articles 

• Aquatic News of the World 

• Aquarium Events Calendar 

• Links to Subscribe, Manage 

Your Subscription, Give a 

Gift, Shop for Back Issues 

• Messages & Blogs from 

AMAZONAS Editors 

• Coming Issue Previews 

• New Product News 

• Links to Special Offers 

www.Reef2Rainforest.com 

Our new website is always open, with the latest news and 

content from AMAZONAS and our partner publications. 

HOME of AMAZONAS, CORAL & MICROCOSM BOOKS 

AMAZONAS 96

ADVERTISERS 

INDEX 

Amazonas Back Issues . ................89 

www.amazonasmagazine.com 

Amazonas Subscriptions . ............12, 19 

www.amazonasmagazine.com 

American Livebearer Association . .........62 

www.ALA2013.com 

Aqua Craft Products® . ......inside back cover 

www.aquacraft.net 

Boyd Enterprises . ..........inside front cover 

www.chemipure.com 

Brightwell Aquatics . ..............8, 16, 21 

www.brightwellaquatics.com 

EcoTech Marine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 23, 60, 61 


Florida Fish Expo . .....................87 

www.flafish.com 

Fritz Aquatics . ........................9 

www.fritzaquatics.com 

Hikari . .............................31 

www.hikariusa.com/am 

Invertebrates by Msjinkzd . ...............9 

www.msjinkzd.com 

LFS Locator . .........................97 

www.lfslocator.com 

Lifegard Aquatics . ....................13 

www.lifegardaquatics.com 

Malawi Cichlid Conservation Fund . ........81 

www.cichlidpress.com/smgfund 

Milwaukee Instruments . ................20 

www.milwaukeeinstruments.com 

Ocean Nutrition . ......................57 

www.oceannutrition.com 

Omega . ............................41 

www.omegasea.net 

Piscine Energetics . ....................65 

www.mysis.com 

Prodibio . ...........................64 

www.prodibio.com 

Reef to Rainforest Website . .............96 

www.reef2rainforest.com 

Repashy Superfoods . ..................79 

www.repashy.com 

San Francisco Bay Brand . ...............81 

www.sfbb.com 

Segrest Farms . ........................5 

www.segrestfarms.com 

Southern Central Cichlids . ..............79 

www.southcentralcichlids.com 

Swiss Tropicals . ......................79 

www.swisstropicals.com 

Tunze . .............................63 

www.tunze.com 

Two Little Fishies . ..................9, 20 

www.twolittlefishies.com 

The Wet Spot . .......................79 

www.wetspottropicalfish.com 

ZooMed . ..................17, back cover 

www.zoomed.com 

For an AMAZONAS Media Kit or other information, please contact: 

James Lawrence, Publisher • 802.985.9977 Ext. 7 • James.Lawrence@reef2rainforest.com 

AMAZONAS 97

AMAZONAS 

98 

UNDERWATER EYE 

Mustard Gas Betta, Betta splendens, from a 

line-bred strain of Half Moon Bettas first developed 

in the U.S. by Jude Als in 1999. It entered the 

trade only recently and is still uncommon. 

Photographed at Segrest Farms 

by Morrill Devlin.

ZOO MED LABORATORIES, INC. 

 

 

 

 

www.zoomed.com

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