The original type locality is ‘Rio Guaporé, Brazil’, supposedly in the vicinity of Pontes e Lacerda in Mato Grosso state. However, this was modified by Nijssen and Isbrücker (1980) to ‘Brazil-Goias, Rio Tocantins, road between Pedro-Afonso (08°59’S 48°12’W) and Itacajá (08°18’S 47°45’W)’. This is confusing since the distance between these two localities is well over 1000 km, although it appears that the former is correct as per our image of specimens with locality details.

In addition, the colour pattern in aquarium fish traded or identified as C. fowleri is highly variable, but it is unclear whether such differences represent diversity within or between populations. Nevertheless, colour pattern is typically used to distinguish them, with fish from Peru possessing a greater extent of dark pigmentation on the body generally referred to…

The type series was said to have been collected from a “whitewater area”, but images of the rio Unini depict a blackwater system typical of the rio Negro basin, and this is supported by empirical evidence. There are sections of rapidly-flowing water so perhaps this is what the author was referring to.

Habitats should therefore comprise tributaries and areas of flooded forest where the water is…

This species is also referred to as ‘velvet cichlid’, ‘red oscar’, ‘tiger oscar’, or ‘marble cichlid’.

It is a popular aquarium fish although its adult size and typical life-span of 10-20 years must be taken into account before purchase. Numerous ornamental strains are now available, and while care is more-or-less identical for all of them a degree of additional care must be taken with the ‘long-finned’ variety which is a little less competitive than other forms.

This species is also referred to as ‘black-anded leporinus’, ‘striped leporinus’ and ‘eight-banded leporinus’.

Young specimens are often traded for aquaria without warning as to their potential size and requirements, and as a result it’s fairly ubiquitous in public aquarium displays.

S. jurupari is also known as ‘demon fish’, ‘jurupari earth eater’, ‘green horse face’, or simply ‘jurupari’ in the aquarium hobby.

It can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: presence of a relatively small dark ocellus on the upper caudal-fin base; absence of well-defined dark blot…

Famed as a rapacious predator capable of rapidly stripping flesh from bone and a danger to any animal entering its native waters, P. nattereri is among the most notorious freshwater fishes in the world. As a result, displays featuring this “bloodthirsty” creature are found in most public aquaria, grisly Hollywood movies have been released, and the species has become popular in the aquarium trade. Little of this infamy is based on factual evidence, however.

S. daemon is relatively common in the aquarium trade but is by no means easy to maintain, with particular attention to space, diet, water quality, and chemistry required in order for it to thrive.

It can be distinguished from other members of the genus by possessing two dark blotches on the flank and a prominent ocellus at the caudal-fin base. Among the named species it is most similar to…