Checkered Barb
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
This species is also traded as ‘checker barb’, ‘checkerboard barb’, or ‘island barb’, and is among the most ubiquitous species available in the aquarium trade. It is farmed commercially in enormous numbers with wild examples rarely, if ever, available.
It was formerly included in the polyphyletic catch-all genus Puntius which contained over 100 species, but this situation has been largely resolved since the turn of the century.
1 comment » | Category: Barbs & relatives, Cypriniformes
Variable Platy
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
Another massively popular aquarium fish, with dozens of selectively bred varieties available. Some of these are produced by crossbreeding with X.helleri or X. maculatus. Unfortunately many commercially bred platies are not very hardy due to inbreeding and over-production and are prone to disease and premature death.
The wild X. variatus can be distinguished from X. maculatus by its slimmer, more elongated body shape and slightly longer dorsal fin. This last feature has been seized upon by many…
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Large-finned Lampeye
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
The genus Procatopus currently comprises half a dozen members (P. aberrans, P. lambertii, P. nimbaensis, P. nototaenia, P. schioetzi and P. similis), all of which are are non-annual species existing in permanent bodies of water. They are actually more closely related to the livebearing species of the subfamily Poeciliinae than the popular Aplocheilid killifish. None are particularly popular in the aquarium trade, although specialist dealers may have them available from time-to-time. Some such as…
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Congo Tetra
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
P. interruptus are quite sensitive to water quality and if a high standard is not maintained the development of the males' fins may be impaired and the fish will lose colour. They are also quite an easily frightened fish, particularly if they are not maintained in numbers.
This species is most often seen for sale as a fairly drab, greyish 1 1/2" fish and is often overlooked. However once they are settled into the aquarium and have begun to mature they develop spectacular colouration. …
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Hump-backed Limia, Black-barred Limia
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
The hump that develops along the spine of adult males is caused by deposition of fatty tissue.
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Metallic Girardinus
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
This species was introduced into the aquarium trade in the early 20th century but disappeared soon after. It subsequently reappeared in a Berlin zoo in 1965 and has been available from specialist breeders ever since. It occasionally appears for sale in aquatic shops….
8 comments » |
Cherry Barb
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
As of 2006 only 4.6% of the old forest was left with the remainder existing only in small, highly-fragmented patches, most covering areas less than 10 km², of which some are now officially-protected reserves. Kottawa Forest is one of these and comprises just 15-20 hectares of wet, evergreen jungle, though the combined Kottawa-Kombala forest covers around 1600 ha. A number of minor, pristine streams…
2 comments » | Category: Barbs & relatives, Cypriniformes
Keyhole Cichlid
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
This species can be told apart from relatives by the characteristic ‘keyhole’ shaped marking on each side of the body.
It’s one of few fishes in which the current generic name is derived from the common name popularised in the aquarium hobby with ‘Cleithracara‘ a combination of the Greek kleithron, meaning lock, and, acará, the Guaraní word for cichlids.
Comment » | Category: Cichlids, Perciformes
Altum Angel
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
Altum Angels are a lot less common in the trade than their well known (arguably the best known tropical fish) relatives Pterophyllum Scalare, the common Angelfish. However, they are still available from some of the better tropical fish suppliers.
They are a challenge to keep – they share all of their relatives' difficulties (susceptible to hole-in-the-head disease, very weak to nitrate buildups, extremely prone to stress-related diseases, commonly eat their own spawns etc.) and have a fe…
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Poecilia wingei POESER, KEMPKES & ISBRUCKER, 2005
Endler's Livebearer
March 13th, 2012 — 1:18pm
Endler's Livebearer was actually discovered in 1937 by Franklyn F. Bond before being rediscovered by John Endler in 1975 in Laguna de Patos, Cumana, northeastern Venezuela. It was found coexisting, but not interbreeding with, a wild form of P. reticulata. Both species are native to this area of Venezuela, but P. reticulata was much less common in areas where P. wingei was thriving. This is thought to be partially related to habitat type, as guppies are usually found in colder, running water…
1 comment » |
Product reviewers wanted
Hello! Very much interested in writing for you, please include me in the info. Thank you for the opportunity!
6th Sep 2020
Product reviewers wanted
I would be interested in reviewing products. Before retiring I was a technical writer and managed a Quality Management Program.
30th Aug 2020
Product reviewers wanted
I'm interested and can write reviews from the perspective of someone new to the hobby. I'm only 3-4 months in, but hopefully I can help someone that's...
23rd Aug 2020
Product reviewers wanted
I’m interested in doing this if there is still availability, it sounds like fun! Thanks
19th Aug 2020
Barbodes semifasciolatus – Golden Barb* (Barbus sachsii, Puntius schuberti)
I simply had a question (please forgive if this is not allowed, I read the FAQ but I was not sure). I was wondering if there is any evidence of offsp...
12th Aug 2020