This is probably the smallest known cichlid species and exhibits truly fascinating behaviour. The territories it establishes are very small, usually measuring no more than 6" across, but they are defended vigorously. The tiny fish will even bite hands or fingers that invade their 'personal space'! Highly recommended to anyone wishing to observe some unique behaviour on a small scale….

V. moorii exists in several geographical morphs but interestingly the only variation in colour occurs in juvenile fish. All adults exhibit a dark patterning but depending on locality the fry may be dark (like adults), yellow or orange with the yellow and orange juveniles taking on the adult colouration as they mature. It is has been observed that the forms which undergo this colour change may 'plant' broods among fry of other species with similarly coloured young, leaving them to be gu…

A less often seen but good looking species with a deeply forked tail. It was previously sold as Neolamprologus sp. "walteri".

Choice of décor is not especially critical although it tends to show better colouration when maintained in a well-furnished set-up with live plants and a dark substrate.

A natural-looking arrangement might consist of a soft, sandy substrate with wood roots and bran…

In the aquarium hobby the name Hyphessobrycon stegemanni has frequently been misapplied to a species that has been described as Hemigrammus ataktos Marinho, Dagosta, & Birindelli 2014. The reasons for this confusion are presumably that the two occur sympatrically in the rio Tocantins system and both possess a dark lateral stripe on the body.

One of the most popular Tanganyikan species in the hobby, N. leleupi is a stunning fish when in good condition. However, it is not as easy to maintain as its popularity suggests, due to its disagreeable attitude towards conspecifics and its sensitivity to deteriorating water conditions. It is a solitary species in nature, with male fish entering females' caves as they find them and spawning with receptive females. This explains the weak pair bond formed by spawning fish in aquaria and also …

The most recent diagnosis appears to be that of Géry (1977), in which it was separated from other members of the group by the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin insertion at or slightly anterior to mid-body; caudal-fin brick red to orange-red; body depth fits less than 3.6 times in SL; head length fits 3.5-4.0 times in SL; caudal peduncle length u…

This species is occasionally available in the aquarium trade, although usually as bycatch among shipments of other fishes.

It is sometimes traded as H. sp. ‘Araguaia red’, H. sp. ‘Araguaia’ or ‘Schultz’s tetra’.

Generally peaceful making it an ideal resident of the well-researched community aquarium.

It is perhaps best-maintained alongside similarly-sized characids, gasteropelecids, lebiasinids, smaller callichthyid or loricariid catfishes and non-predatory, medium-sized cichlids.

Try to buy a mixed-sex group of at least 8-10 specimens, incl…

Widely-distributed throughout much of the Paraná and Uruguay river systems in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay.

Some records from Buenos Aires province, Argentina are now considered to refer to the congener H. togoi (Miquelarena and López, 2006) so the common vernacular name ‘Buenos Aires tetra’ may not…