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 CONTENTS • VOLUME 7, NUMBER 1
EDITOR & PUBLISHER | James M. Lawrence
4 EDITORIAL by Hans-Georg Evers
INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHER | Matthias Schmidt
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Hans-Georg Evers 6 AQUATIC NOTEBOOK by AMAZONAS staff
DESIGNER | Michael Kolmogortsev
SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD |
Dr. Gerald Allen, Svein A. Fosså, Dr. Paul V.
Loiselle, Dr. Nathan K. Lujan, Dr. John E. Randall,
FEATURE ARTICLES
Julian Sprung, Jeffrey A. Turner 20 BEHOLD…THE PALUDARIUM!
SENIOR EDITORS |
Matthew Pedersen, Stephan M. Tanner, Ph.D., When an aquarium and a terrarium fall in love
Michael J. Tuccinardi, Steven Waldron by Sam Rutka
CONTRIBUTORS |
Juan Miguel Artigas Azas, Devin Biggs, Heiko 36 A FOLIO OF RARE & ENTICING AQUATIC PLANTS
Bleher, Eric Bodrock, Morrell Devlin, George by Maike Wilstermann-Hildebrand
Farmer, Ian Fuller, Adeljean L.F.C. Ho, Jay Hemdal,
Ted Judy, Ad Konings, Marco Tulio C. Lacerda,
Raymond Lucas, Oliver Lucanus, Neale Monks,
48 AQUATIC PLANTS: RHEOPHYTES
Mark Sabaj Perez, Ph.D., Ret Talbot, Sumer Tiwari Anubias & other worthy aquatic
TRANSLATORS | Mary Bailey, Stephan Tanner, Ph.D. plants of the tropical rainforests
ART DIRECTORS | Amey Radcliffe, Stephanie Salmon
by Hans-Georg Evers
DESIGN CONSULTANT | Linda Provost
DESIGNER | Anne Linton Elston 58 HUSBANDRY & BREEDING:
ASSOCIATE EDITORS | Louise Watson, APISTOGRAMMA MACMASTERI
Alexander Bunten, Bayley R. Freeman
EDITORIAL & BUSINESS OFFICES |
Dwarf fish, big appeal
Reef to Rainforest Media, LLC by Jeff Michels
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Shelburne, VT 05482 64 REPORTAGE: A TIDE OF TETRAS FROM
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THE RIO TAPAJÓS
BUSINESS MANAGER |
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[Link]@[Link] 76 REPORTAGE: KUHLI GOLD!
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ACCOUNTS | Linda Bursell
NEWSSTAND | Howard White & Associates 82 AQUATIC PLANTS: A COMEDY OF CONFUSION
PRINTING | Dartmouth Printing | Hanover, NH Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia vs
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86 FISHROOM: INTERVIEW WITH STEPHAN KARLICK

AMAZONAS™, Freshwater Aquariums & Tropical

Always something new—questions for a plant wizard
Discovery, is published bimonthly in February, April, June, by Hans-Georg Evers
August, October, and December by Reef to Rainforest
Media, LLC, 140 Webster Road, PO Box 490, Shelburne,
VT 05482. Periodicals postage paid at Shelburne, VT, and
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Canada, $49 for one year. 88 AQUARIUM CALENDAR
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ISSN 2166-3106 (Print) | ISSN 2166-3122 (Digital)
AMAZONAS™ is a licensed edition of 90 RETAIL SOURCES
AMAZONAS Germany, Natur und Tier Verlag GmbH,
Muenster, Germany.
92 SPECIES SNAPSHOTS

All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this 97 ADVERTISER INDEX
issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
COVER: 98 UNDERWATER EYE
Paludarium: Samuel Rutka. by Morrell Devlin
Apistgramma macmasteri, “Vieja
Redneck”: H.-G. Evers.
AMAZONAS

[Link]

3
EDITORIAL Dear Readers,
One might think that enthusiasm eventually fades, and everything that once seemed exciting
and fascinating becomes ho-hum. But I still meet people who know what real enthusiasm means.
I was talking recently with some friends about whether people still have lifelong passions in
this day and age, when the latest news is eagerly sought out but dismissed at the next blink of an
eye. And someone I met, when I told him that I was the editor of an aquarium magazine, wanted
to know if aquaculture has a future at all, since animal husbandry is a completely antiquated,
dust-covered hobby. My reply came in the form of a counter-question. I asked him if he had a
passion—something he did to relax after work, a delight that made his heart beat faster when he
thought about it. His sobering reply was that he did not need one, and I seemed to him like an
exotic animal, an anachronism.
I am used to this attitude, having heard it for a long time, so it doesn’t bother me. My own
passion has remained with me for many years. When I look at the pages of the current issue,
filled with images of incredible vivarium tanks and glorious aquatic plants, I am delighted with
their beauty. I do not understand those hobbyists who say that they are only interested in news
about their own specialty, so they don’t read hobby magazines. Even after so many years in the
hobby, I am always glad to bump into new fishes, strange invertebrates, and unfamiliar plants.
Creatures that I have not encountered before make me curious to learn more about them. The
plants presented in this issue are a good example. Everyone else can do what they want to do; I
am going to continue as before. This is really fun for me. I hope you will let yourself be inspired
by new hybrid tank systems, new plants, and new tetras and get excited about the “Redneck”
Apistogramma cichlid, the golden Pangio, and an aquarist with a green thumb!

Yours,
Hans-Georg Evers
AMAZONAS

4
AQUATIC

View of a typical rocky

shore on Lake Matano.

Lake Matano in Danger!

article & images by Hans-Georg Evers • The five Malili Lakes in the
central highlands of Sulawesi are best known to aquarists for their
colorful multitude of extraordinarily attractive dwarf shrimps. This
Indonesian island boasts outstanding biodiversity and a high number
of endemic species, and it’s a place where scientists can see evolution in
action. The fishes, shrimps, and Tylomelania snails that live in the lakes
are unique. Lake Matano, after Lake Towuti the Malili lake with the
greatest diversity of dwarf Caridina species, is home to the attractive
C. dennerli and other species.

I HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK at these lakes for myself in 2007, 2008, and 2011,
and over those few years I witnessed rapidly increasing environmental destruc-
tion. These volcanic lakes were originally nutrient-poor and crystal-clear and
contained many endemic species. In Lake Matano these are primarily the numer-
AMAZONAS

ous different species of the genus Telmatherina, but numerous endemic gobies,
ricefishes, and halfbeaks live there as well. The rocky shore of the bank zone is
habitat for vast numbers of Caridina shrimps, which can be observed perched on
the rocks during the day.

6
 Caridina dennerli is
threatened with extinction.

Immediately adjacent to
Lake Matano is the largest nickel
mine on this Indonesian island.
The slopes around the lake have
been clearcut in recent years,
and during the heavy tropical
rainfalls large amounts of sedi-
ment are washed into the lake.
The result of this over-fertiliza-
tion is thick carpets of algae,
which now coat large sections of
the lake bottom. Recent human
settlers have also introduced
carps and snakeheads, which
thrive on the endemic plants
and fishes.
As long ago as 2007, I saw Flowerhorn cichlids, the product of the hybridization of several
not only fighting fishes and genera and species, are very popular in Asia due to their bright
colors and large nuchal hump. Unfortunately, these hybrids are
goldfishes but also flowerhorn
fertile and are breeding at an epidemic rate in Lake Matano.
cichlids, which are very popu-
lar in Asia, for sale in a small
pet shop in Soroako, the only
major settlement on Lake Matano. These intergeneric former life. Everything is covered in carpets of slimy
hybrids between large Central American cichlids are very algae, while a myriad of cichlids patrol in huge shoals
colorful, and males develop an impressive nuchal hump. and eat everything that comes near. When I inquired,
Unfortunately, these monstrosities are also fertile. Back the local shrimp collector confirmed that he hardly ever
in 2007 I already had a nasty feeling, and I saw it con- catches anything in Lake Matano these days. Caridina
firmed while I was snorkeling in 2011: people had ap- dennerli can still be found, but only in very small num-
parently grown tired of flowerhorns that had become too bers, and the vast majority of the bank zones of the huge
large and had simply released them into the lake, where lake are thronged with cichlids. In a few years the native
AMAZONAS

they rapidly proliferated. fauna and flora that once lived there will probably be
These days travelers are increasingly reporting that reduced to a few residual populations and then die out.
the rocky shores of Lake Matano, once densely populated Thank heaven for the aquarist who knows how to breed
with shrimps and native fishes, are now devoid of their these shrimps in the aquarium!

7
AQUATIC

A male Enteromius
ablabes. Females are more
full-bodied and their fins
are less vividly colored. If
individuals are housed in
hard water or otherwise
stressed, the coloration of
the unpaired fins is much
less intense.

A male Enteromius
macrops. This fish was
exported from Guinea,
but it is unknown whether
it was collected from the
headwaters of the Niger
River or from a coastal
basin. The unpaired fins of
this fish never developed
the salmon pink coloration
that Hopson and Hopson
reported for some Volta
basin populations of
macrops.

A Confusion of Barbs
article & images by Paul V. Loiselle • In the “Snapshots” section of the September/October 2017 issue
of AMAZONAS, Anton Lamboj profiled the African barb Enteromius ablabes (Bleeker, 1865). However, the
species illustrated was not that species; it was the closely related species Enteromius macrops (Boulenger,
1911). As both species are old friends from my days as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo and Ghana, I feel
a certain obligation to clarify what seems to be a long-standing tendency to conflate these two species.

THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS APPEARS to have arisen in large graph on the fishes of Ivory Coast, Daget and Iltis (1965)
AMAZONAS

measure because these species are morphologically quite treated macrops as nothing more than the savannah
similar, differing primarily in the details of their color race of ablabes. In their review of the barbs of the Volta
patterns. Uncertainty over the status of these fishes has region published that same year, Hopson and Hopson
not been limited to aquarium hobbyists. In their mono- resolved any doubts about the validity of both species and

8
 accurately defined their respective ranges. Regrettably, Volta Rivers, the Lake Chad basin, and a number of coastal
the published aquarium literature still appears to reflect rivers in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and western Liberia. Both
a certain degree of confusion over both the taxonomic ablabes and macrops are lively, easily maintained barbs that
status and the distribution of these barbs (Baensch and make excellent community tank residents. I have used
Reihl, 1993; 2004). them with success as dither fishes for West African dwarf
As can be seen from the accompanying illustrations cichlids, and found that if they are housed in a tank large
(see page 8), ablabes sports a clearly defined black midlat- enough to afford them plenty of swimming room, their
eral band and orange unpaired fins devoid of any black agility allows them to coexist with medium-sized cichlids
markings. In macrops, the black midlateral line is paral- such as Benitochromis, Chromidotilapia, Coptodon, and
leled by a narrow metallic yellow line, and a conspicuous Thysochromis. I can find no evidence that macrops has been
black spot is present on the tip of the dorsal fin. The fish bred in captivity, but Baensch and Reihl (1993) present
illustrated herein was exported from Guinea. In Ghana- a detailed account of a successful spawning of ablabes. As
ian Volta River populations, the unpaired fins can vary neither of these Enteromius species has caught the atten-
in color from clear yellow to salmon pink, but the dorsal tion of commercial breeders in either Florida or the Far
fin is always black-tipped. Enteromius ablabes is a forest- East, hobbyists must rely upon infrequent importations
associated species native to the coastal rivers of central of wild-caught fishes. This makes these barbs both fairly
and western Ghana, Ivory Coast, and eastern Liberia. It is pricey and hard to come by, but they are well worth the
replaced in headwater streams of the Volta basin and of extra effort it takes to find them.
the coastal rivers of Togo and Benin by the superficially
similar Enteromius parablabes (Blanc and Daget, 1957), REFERENCES
a stockier species whose olive-green flanks sport a much Baensch, H.A. and R. Reihl. 1993. Aquarium Atlas, vol. 2, pp. 1–1212.
less distinct dark midlateral line and whose unpaired fins Mergus, Melle, Germany.
are pale salmon pink. ———. 2004. Aquarium Atlas, vol. 4, pp. 1–892. Mergus, Melle, Germany.
Enteromius macrops has a much more extensive range. Daget, J. and A. Iltis. 1965. Poissons de Côte d’Ivoire (eaux douces et
It is perhaps the most common barb in the savannah saumâtres). IFAN, Dakar.
regions of West Africa, having been recorded from the ba- Hopson, A.J. and J. Hopson. 1965. Barbus (Pisces, Cyprinidae) of the Volta
sins of the Senegal, Gambia, upper and middle Niger, and region. Bull Brit Mus Nat Hist 13 (4): 94–144.

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AQUATIC

A wild-caught male Astatotilapia

Correction of an tweedlei. Its pointed head led the

exporter to market it as the Lake
Chilwa Labidochromis! This feature,

Astatotilapia
and the numerous very small egg
spots in the male’s anal fin, set
A. tweedlei apart from Lake Chilwa’s
other endemic Astatotilapia, an

Misidentification
undescribed representative of the
A. calliptera species complex.

article & images by Paul V. Loiselle • In 1972, bloyeti (Sauvage, 1883) is located near the town of Kilosa,
importers in the Los Angeles area received several ship- which lies in the Wami basin (Seegers, 1996). According
ments of cichlid fishes from the Chilwa Chiuta system. to Seegers, the known range of A. bloyeti comprises the
The shipments included Coptodon rendalli, Oreochromis basins of the Wami, Ruvu, and Ruaha Rufigi Rivers.
chilwae, and three haplochromines. The smallest of The fish depicted by Grimm is identical to the A.
these was a Pseudocrenilabrus species whose coloration bloyeti that I collected from an impoundment outside
was more reminiscent of that of Pseudocrenilabrus of Kilosa in 2007. I also found this cichlid in the Ruaha
victoriae and riverine Pseudocrenilabrus populations basin in a reservoir formed by the Migole Dam. While it
from Zambia (Katongo et al., 2005) than that of the does not appreciate pH values lower than 7.0, this spe-
population of Ps. philander previously exported from cies otherwise makes few demands with regard to water
the Lake Malawi basin. The other two were distinctive chemistry. It consumes live, frozen, and prepared foods
species now placed in the genus Astatotilapia. One of with equal gusto. Male A. bloyeti are extremely intolerant
these, which was marketed as a Labidochromis species, I of one another and, based upon my experience, Grimm’s
erroneously identified (Loiselle, 1974) as Haplochromis observations about their often lethally aggressive ap-
acuticeps. It was subsequently recognized as a new spe- proach to courtship are right on the mark.
cies endemic to the Chilwa Chiuta basin and described Breeding success is contingent on providing a male
as Astatotilapia tweddlei by Jackson in 1985. with multiple spawning partners and affording oviger-
As can be seen in the accompanying photograph, ous females plenty of appropriate refuges. This species
the true A. tweddlei is not the species profiled under that displays remarkable reproductive precocity. The group of
name by Martin Grimm in the “Snapshots” section of the fish I caught outside of Kilosa included ovigerous females
November/December 2017 issue of AMAZONAS. Grimm measuring .75 inch (1.9 cm) SL! Peter George, from
collected his fish from a stream in the Kimboza Forest whom I obtained my present stock, reports a comparable
Reserve in Tanzania. This locality is over 620 miles (1,000 level of precocity under aquarium conditions. The repro-
AMAZONAS

km) north of the Chilwa Chiuta basin, which lies on the ductive careers of such reproductively precocious haplo-
border of Malawi and Mozambique. However, the Kim- chromines, while usually quite intense, tend to be brief.
boza Reserve straddles the headwaters of the Wami and Although the broods of young females are usually small,
Great Ruaha drainages. The type locality of Astatotilapia it is best to exploit their sexual receptivity rather than

11
 A young pair of the current
aquarium population of
Astatotilapia bloyeti. This
riverine species belongs to
the assemblage of riverine
haplochromines whose
male base color is yellow
rather than green or black.

wait until they grow

larger before breeding
them. Furthermore,
the territorial demands
of young males are
more easily accommo-
dated, which means it
is easier for ovigerous
females to avoid post-
spawning harassment.
Given that Lake
Chilwa is quite distant
from Lake Malawi’s
current foci of fish
exportation and that
A. tweedlei’s coloration
can be most charitably characterized as understated, its reimporta-
tion anytime in the foreseeable future seems unlikely. Astatotilapia
While it displays a remarkable degree of bloyeti is certainly a much more attractively colored species, but
reproductive precocity, A. bloyeti can grow whether vivid coloration trumps an extremely belligerent tempera-
quite large under some circumstances. This
ment in the estimation of cichlid enthusiasts will likely determine its
male, collected from the reservoir formed by the
Migole dam on Tanzania’s Great Ruaha River,
future in the hobby.
measured 5 inches (12.7 cm) SL. The challenge
of managing such a robust individual of this very REFERENCES
aggressive species under aquarium conditions
Loiselle, P.V. 1974. The Cichlid Fishes of the Chilwa Chiuta Depression. Part 2. Buntbarsche
argues persuasively for taking full advantage of
Bull (45): 11.
the willingness of young fish to breed!
Jackson, P.B.N. 1985. Astatotilapia tweedlei, a new species of fluviatile haplochromine
cichlid fish from Lakes Chilwa and Chiuta, Malawi, with zoogeographical notes. JLB Smith Inst
Ichthyol Spec Publ 38: 1–10.
AMAZONAS

Katongo, C., et al. 2005. Phylogeography and speciation in the Pseudocrenilabrus philander
species complex in Zambian Rivers. Hydrobiologia 542: 221–33.
Seegers, L. 1996. The Fishes of the Lake Rukwa Drainage (Annales. Sciences Zoologiques).
Koninklijk Museum voor Midden-Afrika, United States.

12
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AQUATIC

Some 160 attendees from all over

the world listen to the presentations,
concurrently presented in English
and German.

L-Number Catfish
Interests Converge
article & images by Haakon Haagensen • Late October 2017 held an important weekend for the
Loricariidae catfish community: the 5th International L-Number Days took place in Hanover, Germany.
This highly popular event has taken place every second year since 2009 and draws a crowd from all corners
of the globe. This year the 160 or so in attendance included representatives from distant places, including
Indonesia, Brazil, Singapore, Indonesia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Norway,
Denmark, Greece, and the United States.

HELD ON THE BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY of the Hotel Hennies, the Leandro Sousa’s talk, which he illustrated with video clips
convention showcased an impressive list of speakers, showing how plecos are collected in the turbid waters
including esteemed Dutch catfish expert Dr. Isaäc J. H. of the Rio Xingu in Brazil; this presentation surely gave
Isbrücker, ichthyologist and author of the original catalog some of the people in the audience a new perspective.
of loricariid catfishes (1980). Attendees were treated to Clearly, the joy of meeting like-minded people from
cutting-edge presentations by private and commercial other parts of the world is, for many, the most significant
breeders, scientists, and aquarists that covered breeding, part of a gathering like this. Our common hobby of keep-
classification, habitats, new discoveries, and several other ing L-number plecos is constantly being influenced by
interesting aspects of the catfish universe. The program external factors like environmental and climate change,
included presentations of some Loricariinae and dwarf politics affecting the trade, and, of course, changes
AMAZONAS

Loricariidae, such as Otocinclus, which were met with a within the ornamental trade itself. Restrictions affecting
positive response from the people in attendance, dem- the export of fishes from important countries like Brazil
onstrating that this event could easily broaden its scope reduce the availability of many species, some of which
beyond L-numbers. One of many high points was Dr. are now available only from other hobbyists and breed-

14
ers. As a result, networking is more important than ever. The
cooperation that exists between science and the hobby, and the
fact that speakers, scientists, and attendees interact so openly at
a convention like this, shows just how important the L-Number
Days are to the catfish scene.
The Internationale Gemeinschaft Barben Salmler Schmer-
len Welse, or IG BSSW (International Society for Barbs, Tetras,
Loaches, and Catfishes) deserves credit for doing an excellent
job of organizing the L-Number Days. Those who joined the
gathering at Hanover came away hoping there will be many
more; the success of this one suggests there will!

Left: The themed event merchandise was very popular.

Above: Hans-Georg Evers (right) presents on the
loricariids of the Rio Madre de Dios, Peru; Ingo Seidel
translates.

AMAZONAS

15
AQUATIC

The Art of the Planted Aquarium

by Hans-Georg Evers with images by Fenja Hardel • For the second year running, the
“World of the Aquarium Hobby” fascinated visitors at the Tierwelt-Messe (Animal-
World Exhibition) in Magdeburg, Germany. A highlight of the event was the aquascaping
competition known as “The Art of the Planted Aquarium,” returning after a two-year break.

THIS POPULAR CONTEST, formerly held at the Hannover Pet went to Volker Jochum; Philip Schwarz was the winner
Exhibition, has found a worthy new home in the capital of the nano category. We would like to compliment the
of the state of Sachsen-Anhalt. This year, in addition organizer, Harald Sossna of Aquarium Braunschweig, and
to lots of familiar faces from the German aquascaping the promoters.
scene, the event attracted aquascapers from all over the The “World of the Aquarium Hobby” display area also
world. The many participants came from Great Britain, exhibited fishes in beautiful aquariums. In this regard,
Austria, Poland, Spain, Portugal, and The Netherlands. the Magdeburg exhibition bucked the current trend, in
One competitor even undertook to travel from the which major exhibitions look more like retail shows and
United States to take part in this renowned and impor- the public rarely has a chance to see live animals—they
tant competition. only see products on display. The Vallisneria Magdeburg
Anyone familiar with the decorated aquariums of aquarium club had set up several show aquariums in
recent years knows how much standards have risen and the entrance area, where some of the fishes bred by club
how difficult it has become to make your own layout members were shown. Young fishes could be purchased
stand out from the rest. This made the tanks that were at the associated fish auction. All the aquariums were set
displayed even more impressive. In addition to a number up to fulfill the requirements of the fishes and offered the
AMAZONAS

of new plants, the public got to see aquascaping of the visitors a real spectacle as soon as they arrived.
highest standard. The competition was rounded off by The Verband Deutscher Vereine für Aquarien und Ter-
an interesting program of lectures and the awarding of rarienkunde, or VDA (Association of German Aquarium
prizes at “’Scaper Night.” First place in the XL category and Terrarium Societies) displayed aquariums at its booth

16
 The winning tank in
the “Art of the Planted
Aquarium” competition.
True to his style, world
champion Volker
Jochum once again
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 All the contestants celebrated Philip Schwarz’s
together during “’Scaper Night” winning nano aquarium
following the awarding of prizes. aquascape evokes a
woodland path. The
layout provides a unique
sense of perspective.

that were set up by children from local schools on the first ment for sale, from small aquarium fi lters to premium
day of the exhibition. There was also a good example of a LED lighting units.
concept tank, a biotope aquarium for fishes from West Af- Both visitors and organizers were very pleased with
rica, which attracted numerous visitors to the booth. Local the exhibition. The venue and infrastructure provided op-
sponsor Gruson-Gewächshäuser and the Museum für timal conditions for introducing the hobby to beginners
Naturkunde (Museum for Natural Sciences) had numer- and providing experienced aquarists with a pleasant at-
AMAZONAS

ous exhibits at their booths that visitors could examine mosphere in which to exchange information. The “World
under magnification. Even exhibitors from industry and of the Aquarium Hobby” was even larger than it was last
the trade displayed populated aquariums. In addition year. These are all good omens for the 10-year jubilee of
there was a wide range of aquariums, foods, and equip- the Tierwelt-Messe in Magdeburg next year.

18
 19
AMAZONAS
 BEHOLD…THE
PALUDARIUM!
When an aquarium and
AMAZONAS

a terrarium fall in love

SAM RUTKA

20
 C OV E R STORY

Make sure your paludarium is an appropriate

habitat for the creatures that will call it home.
Shown here: the author’s personal paludarium,
constructed in a 75-gallon aquarium.

Inset: Mabel, an Australian Green Tree Frog

(Litoria caerulea), living it up in a paludarium.

by Sam Rutka • Always

wanted to bring nature
into your home but can’t
seem to keep even a tough
cactus from dying? One
sure way way to avoid over- (or
caption
under-) watering houseplants is to
AMAZONAS

not have any. And yet, why not plant

them where they have access to their own
water source—in a paludarium!

21
 WIKIPEDIA DEFINES A PALUDARIUM, or palo for short, as “a type of vivarium (an enclo-
sure, container, or structure adapted or prepared for keeping animals) that incorpo-
rates both terrestrial and aquatic elements.” I prefer my far more florid description:
a romance between an aquarium and a terrarium that forms a world much like our
own, consisting of both water and land. Paludariums are living canvases on which
AMAZONAS

to paint with plants and running water, minus the threat of falling into a river or
being carried away by mosquitoes.
SAM RUTKA

Regardless of how one describes a paludarium, almost anybody can use one to
grow just about any plant, from those famously finicky orchids to high-humidity

22
 Four Kessil A360 Tuna Sun lights power
plant growth in this 864-gallon indoor
pond and 5-foot hand-carved waterfall
at Easy Aquariums in Gorham, Maine.
A paludarium is defined as a terrarium
or vivarium with a water feature that can
accommodate fishes, shrimps, submerged
plants, and/or other aquatic life.

as the frog tank in a grade-school

science class—a hill of sand sur-
rounded by a stagnant puddle—or
as grand as a glass enclosure with a
rain system and a wall of green sur-
rounding a silvery waterfall dropping
into an aquatic wonderland. If it can
hold water and support earth, it can
become a paludarium.
The builder of a paludarium can
choose from many different con-
figurations, including flooding the
entire bottom half of the tank with
land areas stilted like shelves—cre-
ating watery caves—or carving a
stream that meanders through the
hardscape. Some paludariums have
branches reaching toward the ceiling
out of the top of the enclosure and
misting systems to keep them from
becoming too dry. If you want to pick
the perfect palo enclosure, try envi-
sioning the final design and choose
a tank that can accommodate the
water volume and land mass desired.
There are benefits and drawbacks
to every category of cage or vivarium.
Standard fish tanks, for example,
are readily available and reasonably
priced, and the open top allows the
builder more freedom when decid-
bonsai trees, and even house the entire life cycle of an ing where to set the water level. An aesthetic benefit of
amphibian. Palos make it possible to keep a flourishing the common fish tank is the lack of visual obstructions
piece of nature in the house with minimal maintenance— on the viewing side; there are no interruptions in the
the perfect cure for cabin fever or the rainy day blues. glass pane, no overlapping doors or hinges. On the other
hand, a fish tank can be accessed only from the top,
Paludarium styles
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which can make it difficult to maintain the paludarium

These ecosystems come in many styles, from standard once the hardscape is in place.
fish tanks to custom glass cages with glass access doors A front-access paludarium allows the builder to reach
and stainless-steel screen vents. They can be as simple what’s under the land portions and gives easier access

23
 Pros and cons expanding foam sealant. Once
I have the large pieces of wood
in place, I begin to build the
tank background and the land
Standard fish tank or aquarium
portion (terrarium) of the palo.
• Low cost
There are only so many ways a
• Easy to find anywhere
large branching piece of wood
• Top access
can fit into a tank, so instead
• Great for high and low
of trying to assemble a mock
humidity
representation outside the tank
or sketch your intended design, I
recommend just diving in. Start
with the largest piece and flip it
around in the tank to see how
you like it, then build on top of
it. Often I spend 45 minutes or
Front access enclosure
more arranging four chunks of
• Higher cost
wood, stand back, then decide
• Multiple manufacturers
to go in a different direction and
• Front access
pull everything out. The best
• Great for high and low
advice I can give for this stage of
humidity
the process is to take your time
• Built-in venting system
and think of it as a three-dimen-
common
sional puzzle in which the wood
and rocks interlock in natural
ways to form a serene scene that
pleases you.
Once the background has
Three-sided enclosure been erected and can support
• Moderate to high cost itself, I reinforce everything with
• Multiple manufacturers silicone where it contacts the
• Front and top access glass, then use pond foam to fill
• No glass on top or front gaps and connect the individual
• Risk of animal escape pieces of cork, wood, and rock.
Pond foam expands signifi-
cantly; however, after curing it
shrinks just a bit and inevitably
pulls away from the smooth
surface of the glass, so I use a
bead of silicone to anchor it in
to the pumps and intakes. Of course, the water level can place. It is also important to note that the heavy archi-
only be as high as the substrate dam (the glass pane be- tecture of the land and background will pull on the foam
low the doors) allows, or the water would spill out. This and silicone, so over time it could let loose from the walls
is also true of an open-air vivarium, commonly referred of the tank and come crashing down. To prevent this I
to as a “turtle cage.” This tank resembles an open crayon ensure my structures are self-supporting before I con-
box: There are three high walls and one short wall in the tinue on to the foaming process. I recommend that when
front. Because neither the top nor the front is covered, using pond foam you wear gloves. I have ruined many
there is no need for a vent to let the humidity out, but shirts and embarrassed my girlfriend in public with my
there is also no way to keep glass-climbing terrestrial black-blotched hands.
animals, like frogs, from escaping. To hide the unnatural silver-grey color of the foam
and give it a more natural texture and finish, sprinkle
Building the paludarium shredded coconut husk (coir) onto the foam while it is
AMAZONAS

When I build my paludariums I usually start with large still wet and gently press it in. If there isn’t a reptile or am-
MATT PEDERSEN

pieces of wood, rock, and cork as supportive scaffold- phibian hobby shop nearby, you can purchase the coconut
ing, held and bonded in place with aquarium-grade husk at just about any garden center or big-box home im-
silicone and a product called Great Stuff Pond & Stone provement store. For a more even coverage, brush a layer

24
 1 2

3 4

Step 1: Assemble the structure and install of silicone onto the background, then cover it with coir. Not only does this look
the pump. great, but it also gives the flora and fauna something to cling to and hide in.
Step 2: Fill gaps with stone, bark, and wood Most local pet stores carry chunks of cork bark with wonderful knotholes that
held in place with expanding foam and are perfect for frog caves or makeshift planters and can be blended seamlessly
silicone with a dusting of coir to hide the into the background, using the pond foam and coconut husk technique.
seams.
Step 3: Configure planting pockets and Creating a waterfall
fine-tune the waterfall.
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Depending on how much water flow is desired and how high it has to be
Step 4: Add substrate and PLANTS! pushed, you can use a standard submersible pump (180–300 gallons per
SAM RUTKA

hour/680–1135 L/h) and a rigid standpipe or vinyl tubing. Placing a 90-degree

elbow at the top of the pipe forces the water into a small cup so it will spill

25
 Rocks and pebbles can be arranged to direct the
current and create babbling blankets of shimmering
water or a dancing deluge tumbling downward.

After the pump is in place, the hardware,

pipe, and other non-natural aspects of the
waterfall can be covered with cork, wood,
rocks, and even live (or fake, I suppose)
plants to disguise the components and main-
tain the magical illusion of a natural stream.
Building a waterfall can feel daunting;
however, once you have the big pieces in
place and decide what look and sound you
are going for, it starts to fall into place. There
are many ways to redirect the flow in your
palo to create a quiet, glistening trickle of
water that effortlessly babbles into the pool
below or to send torrents of whitewater rush-
ing over wood and rock to plunge into the
reservoir. Due to the water’s surface tension,
the aquascaper can use branches and plant
placement to help pull water in different
directly out onto the hardscape and race over the rock directions to achieve the desired effects. I use many dif-
and wood. This “topping over” effect gives a more natural ferent types of aquatic mosses and liverworts to coax the
sound and look than you get if the water geysers out the water to flow where I want it to, and sometimes I shove
top of the fall like a Las Vegas fountain. When building hardwood twigs into the waterfall to divert a steady drip
the waterfall and installing the pump, I have found that onto a plant or into a collection pool.
if I run cords and tubing for the pump through a 1-inch
(2.5-cm) or wider pipe cut to length and affixed behind Planting the paludarium
the waterfall, the equipment is more accessible for main- Finding plants that grow best in your palo starts with
tenance and repair. The pipe acts as a sleeve and keeps the some trial and error. Try not to get discouraged if some of
foam or silicone from entombing the cords. It’s dread- them don’t survive. The tank is a living ecosystem trying
ful to be forced to tear apart the dream stream you just to find its equilibrium, and sometimes the plant gods re-
finished creating to replace a $10 pump that died when it quire a sacrifice. Being a fanatical plant enthusiast, I was
sucked in some sand. drawn to the opportunity to grow a year-round profusion
of plants that benefit from having their feet wet or simply
dipping their toes in the water.
A 75-gallon tank utilizing a land shelf made of light diffuser (egg
crate) and covered with plants for a more natural feel. Silicone is
Many flower species flourish in the microcosms that
used to adhere the plastic grid to the glass, and wood and stone can develop in the stratified zones of your very own Forest
be placed beneath for added structural support. Moon of Endor. There are gorgeous options for every
AMAZONAS

SAM RUTKA

26
A 125-gallon tank turned into a custom
paludarium for a client to house a pair of
Red-Eared Slider turtles, shown just before
delivery. (Pro tip: wait until the tank is
installed before putting in the substrate.)

There are many aquarium

plants that grow happily
and healthy out of water in
the right environment. The
waterfall makes a perfect liquid
laboratory for practicing your
plant placement prowess.
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27
 improvement stores carry small selec-
tions of these humidity-loving plants.

The cleanup crew

Once some plants are in place and the
tank is laid out the way you like it, it’s
time to consider the inhabitants of
this newly created world and estab-
lish a good colony of beneficial bugs.
Saltwater reef tanks benefit from hav-
ing what’s commonly referred to as a
“clean-up crew,” which is comprised
of snails, crabs, and shrimps that
scan the tank for any uneaten food or
necrotic tissue and quickly gobble it
up. The forest floor, and by extension
your paludarium, also benefits from
a roving band of scavengers, includ-
ing many non-flying insects that eat
mold and mildew and contribute to
decomposition.
Springtails (Collembola) are a
common favorite among terrarium
and paludarium enthusiasts because
of their strong work ethic—by which I
mean appetite—and their prolific na-
ture. Additionally, springtails provide
Branches and bushes will block some of the light penetrating to the a great supplemental food source for young frogs and
bottom of the enclosure, creating a perfect location for low-light lizards, but the majority roam free, intent on rummaging
plants, like many ferns and mosses. through the roughage and eating any mold that grows in
these humid environments.
Another cleaning critter that can help around the
inch of the tank, from the high and dry canopy of the palo is the isopod (suborder Oniscidea), which comes in
cage to the wet and wild splash zone at the base of the an array of colors and sizes, from dwarf white or gray to
waterfall. Anubias plants and many Hygrophila species, giant orange or purple. Isopods spend much of their time
for example, are common in planted aquariums, but they in the soil recycling waste and rotting vegetation into
will also grow happily out of water. They need to have consumable nutrients for plants. These little so-called
most of their roots submerged in order to pull enough “roly polys” are relatives of the wood lice one often finds
moisture through their stems and leaves to stand up in a woodpile or under rocks and logs. Unlike the spring-
and remain rigid. An aggressive Anubias will creep across tails, isopods sometimes need to have their numbers
wood or rock and send out long vine-like roots that replenished, as they are not such rambunctious reproduc-
trace the hardscape all the way down the tank in search ers. (All are available from terrarrium supply houses and
of a drink. These plants can often be purchased at your other pet retailers.)
local fish store or ordered online from reputable growers
around the globe. Adding the animals
Air plants like Tillandsias and orchids bloom mag- Finally, it is time to introduce the species you’ve chosen
nificently toward the top of your micro-jungle, where for the spectacular ’scape you’ve sculpted! The Inter-
the only moisture they receive comes from the humid- net is full of dissenting opinions about who can safely
ity in the enclosure, a fogger, or the occasional misting. cohabitate with whom and how specific creatures should
It’s best for these plants to have no permanent direct be housed, so I want to emphasize that my suggestions
contact with water, which rots the leaves and often kills are based on the observations I have gathered through
the plant. Instead, place these epiphytes on cork bark years of work with these little buggers, and what works
AMAZONAS

or in branches, where air can freely circulate around for me may not work for others. I have kept dart frogs in
them, staving off mold while supplying them with pre- palos with water features as shallow as 1 inch (2.5 cm)
SAM RUTKA

cious moisture. Most of these terrestrial species cannot and as deep as a foot (30 cm), and have never lost a frog
be found at fish stores, but garden centers and home- to drowning. Sure, they might miscalculate a jump and

28
A 65-gallon aquarium was turned on its end to create
a front access paludarium with plenty of headroom.
The substrate dam that holds back the water is a
piece of glass cut to size and held in place against the
aquarium’s rim with silicone.
AMAZONAS

29
 Miniature epiphytic orchids and nano
fishes and shrimps feature prominently
in this dart frog enclosure by Adeljean
Ho. Learn more in our online bonus at
the end of this article.

Inset: The Yellow-Banded or Bumblebee

Dart Frog, Dendrobates leucomelas,
is an easy-to-keep inhabitant for the
terrestrial portions of a paludarium.

ADELJEAN HO; INSET: SAM RUTKA

AMAZONAS

30
 Paludariums make for excellent black water tanks with
tea-colored tannic water. The dark water makes the
caves seem endless and gives a natural and mysterious
look to the world beneath the surface.

plunk into the water, but then they swim frantically to ing on the water level, a multitude of fishes. By bringing
a branch, some land, or the glass and effortlessly climb nature inside our homes we can share our respect for our
out, only to attempt the stunt once more. planet and its life forms, and at the same time benefit
It’s important to have a good understanding of the from the therapeutic benefits of trickling water and
day and night humidity levels and temperatures in the croaking frogs.
tank when selecting your new paludarium tenants. The
air tends to be warmer than the water, and many dart ONLINE BONUS
frogs can handle cool temperatures but are less tolerant Keeping a paludarium or vivarium can be an extremely rewarding extension
of heat waves, which can be deadly. Frogs such as Dendro- of your aquarium and aquascaping hobby. But be warned, they are equally
bates leucomelas (the Bumblebee Dart Frog) are very hardy addictive! Check out a bonus interview with CORAL and AMAZONAS
and can tolerate larger temperature swings, making them contributor Adeljean Ho, whose office is rapidly becoming overrun by a
foggy jungle of orchids, tropical foliage, micro fishes and shrimps in pools
perfect inhabitants for beginners and experts alike. See
of water, and gaudy poison dart frogs.
the sidebar on page 32 for some other stocking sugges- [Link]
tions, including fishes that can thrive in a shallow pool.

Nature in your home

When designing an enclosure, consider the intended
inhabitants to ensure the safest and most enriching
environment for your little companions. If you know
what you want to house and have appropriate husbandry
knowledge, you can turn just about any tank into an
adequate home, provided there is enough space. For
beginners I find it is best to start with the animals you
like, study them, and work backward from there, learning
what they need and what they like and building to suit A Pygmy Chameleon
those specifications. (Rhampholeon sp.) about
to catch a fruit fly with its
Paludariums take container gardening to a whole
sticky missile-like tongue.
AMAZONAS

new level, allowing hobbyists to keep and grow beautiful

plants and exotic creatures in the comfort of their living
SAM RUTKA

rooms. The owner can balance humidity levels in order to

house an assortment of amphibians, plants, and, depend-

31
 A school of Galaxy Rasbora or Celestial Pearl Danio (Danio
margaritatus) commingling with some Cherry Shrimp
(Neocardina davidi) in their own mini universe.

Tiny Fishes for Tight Spaces This Pea Puffer (Carinotetradon travancoricus),
When deciding on inhabitants for your new paludarium also known by a variety of other common
names, stalks prey amid submerged grasses.
habitat, it’s important to keep the sizes of both the
animal and the enclosure in mind. Whether it’s for a fish
or a frog, the pond plays an important role in waste dis-
persal, bacterial colonies, and available territory for your
aquatic community. Not everyone has the wherewithal to
create an in-wall panoramic paludarium, so most of us
are limited to water features between 20 and 40 gallons
(76–150 L), which can feel too small. Fear not—there
are many micro and dwarf species that make fantastic
additions to your friendly forest of fishes. A benefit of
going with small species is that you can house a higher
number of them and have grander schools than you can
if you keep larger fishes in smaller numbers. Schools of
tiny tetras or “eyestrain rasboras” in a small tank can be
made to appear larger; one or two big fishes can make the
whole thing look cramped. pale, cream-colored spots and orange and black striped
Some of the dwarf Cyprinidae exhibit fantastic colors fins. Danio margaritatus not only gives your watery world
and delightful schooling habits. Tanichthys albonubes, a splash of color but helps maintain the overall sense of
the White Cloud Mountain Minnow, is a phenomenal scale—these little guys look remarkably similar to Brook
choice due to its hardiness and tolerance for the lower Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and are a fraction of the size.
temperatures that some terrestrial species require. A If you don’t wish to keep a group of fish or only have
school of five or more will add flashes of red and silver room for one more addition, consider a small freshwater
to your water feature, and the fishes develop a camara- goby. There are plenty of gorgeous gobies under 3 inches
derie that is relaxing to watch. Their low price, minimal (7.6 cm) who would love to lurk in their caves and peer
requirements, and longevity make them an excellent out at you from behind wood and rock decor. A personal
option for both novices and experts. favorite for a small water feature is the curmudgeonly
If you are looking for a small species that is reminis- Bumblebee Goby (Brachygobius xanthozona). This fish
cent of a large river fish, look no further than the multi- bears a beautiful barred black and yellow pattern and
AMAZONAS

named Danio margaritatus, also known as the Celestial cruises around the water column in search of tasty mor-
Pearl Danio, the Galaxy Rasbora, and the Fireworks Ras- sels to gobble up. The Bumblebee Goby has an oversized
SAM RUTKA

bora, to name just a few. This fish grows to a whopping jaw that makes it appear to be always frowning, but don’t
1.2 inches (3 cm) and has a deep blue body flecked with let this grumpy face deter you from keeping this small,

32
 One Pack
Feeds All

Freshwater Multi-Pack ™

Freshwater Frenzy · Emerald Entrée · Bloodworms · Spirulina Brine Shrimp

Four Varieties of Food in One Pack

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MLLKPUNH[HSS[YVWOPJSL]LSZÈMYVTZ\YMHJLMLLKPUNSP]LILHYLYZ[VTPK
SL]LS [L[YHZ HUK IV[[VT K^LSSPUN JVY` JH[Z -YLZO^H[LY 4\S[P7HJR
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^^^ZMIIJVT࠮PUMV'ZMIIJVT࠮࠮ :HU-YHUJPZJV)H`)YHUK0UJ
33
 charismatic creature. (These gobies are often maintained A Bumblebee Goby (Brachygobius
in brackish environments, so they may require a slow xanthozona) swims to the surface
for a gulp of air before returning
transition to fresh water prior to introduction to a plant-
to his lair.
rich paludarium.)
If a frowning fish isn’t odd enough for you, try the
Indian Dwarf Pea Puffer (Carinotetraodon travancoricus),
a snail-crunching blob with a beak. The Pea Puffer is an
intelligent, inquisitive fish that will greet anyone who
approaches the tank, examining the visitor with its beady
eyes looking in different directions and its tail curved
like an over-extended rudder. Don’t keep invertebrates in
the same tank with these little cuties, lest they make an
expensive snack out of your collection. Buzzing through
the water like an aquatic bumblebee, snatching up worms
and snails with the greatest of ease, the Pea Puffer will
eat all the eggs and leave your tank clean, which is why
it’s a snail-hater’s best friend.
Pinpointing the perfect paludarium partner from the
plethora of piscine options is exciting, albeit perplexing,
but a little research can help narrow the field. Since a
paludarium is a fairly closed environment, bear in mind
that the temperature of the water has a direct impact on A Cherry Shrimp (Neocardina
the temperature of the air, so if you have chosen ter- davidi) hitches a thrilling ride
on an unwitting Apple Snail
restrial inhabitants that prefer cooler temperatures, a
(Ampullariidae). As a bonus, the
cool-water fish is the best tankmate. Whether you are shrimp gets an algae snack from
re-creating a patch of wilderness in the form of a biotope the snail’s back.
or just assembling your own aqua-team, the judicious
choice of small fish species can have an impact on the
perception and success of your paludarium.

You can run but you can’t dry

The terms “tile surfer” and “carpet surfer” refer to a fish
that has made an unfortunate miscalculation and leapt
out of the water—only to land on the cold floor, where
it dries out until it is discovered, usually too late to be
saved. Pantodon buchholzi, the African Butterflyfish, is one
of many insectivore species that will jump an impressive
distance for its meal. Luckily, the high walls of a palu-
darium and the gently sloping, mossy banks surround-
ing the water feature thwart the threat of fish death by
desiccation, should it overshoot its target. Instead the fish
bounces off the glass or lands on the land portion and these fish roaming the surface for tasty morsels reminds
can usually flip-flop its way back to the water with mini- me of a pack of juvenile barracudas stalking their prey,
mal or no damage to its scales. Because the ecosystem is eagerly following the victim until they are in the perfect
walled off with glass and/or screen, the fish, frog, or fly position to pounce.
generally stays confined where the paludarium keeper For species of fish that long to leap, a hooded palu-
intended. One benefit of an enclosed ecosystem like a darium prevents accidental drying or, worse yet, being
paludarium is the opportunity it presents to feed insects stepped on, as well as an enclosed space in which they
to the fishes with minimal risk of meandering flies or can enjoy a more natural diet of flies, beetles, and other
roaming crickets plaguing the house. creepy crawlies that have the obnoxious tendency to
Another leaper is the precocious little livebearer stride across the water’s surface and climb out the back
known as the Wrestling Halfbeak (Dermogenys pusilla). of a standard aquarium (and later show up in the fruit
AMAZONAS

In addition to giving birth to live babies and leaping out bowl in your kitchen). A well-planted tank helps: the
of the water, these streamlined slivers of silver have an branches and plants that hang over the water’s edge
SAM RUTKA

augmented jaw that is perfect for surface feeding and make perfect perches where unwitting bugs can rest
snatching bugs from just above the water. A troupe of above a piscine predator cruising below.

34
BUG BITES
ty
• High Quali
rce
Protein u
S o
h
• Packed wit

ormulated
• Specially F
Fish
Diets for All

AMAZONAS

35
 A Folio of
Rare & Enticing
Aquatic Plants
article & images by Maike Wilstermann-Hildebrand • Interest in aquarium
plants has never been higher, and we can now choose from more than 400
different species found in the trade. Besides the established repertoire, there are
some attractive, new, and easy-to-cultivate species that are known only to a few.

Hygrophila balsamica, Balsamic Water Wisteria

Hygrophila balsamica resembles H. difformis but forms even finer
leaves. When submerged, the leaves are feathery, with thin stalks
or vanes with narrow edges around them. The lime-colored plants
are very decorative and suitable for filling “green streets” and
background areas. They are easy to grow and can be cultivated at
temperatures between 75.2 and 86°F (24–30°C), pH 5.5–7.5, in
soft to medium hard water. Trimmings grow into new plants.
The emersed plant forms a sticky sap that is supposedly toxic
to fishes, preventing them from grazing, but the plants offered
in the trade are the underwater form, which does not make the
sap. If they are allowed to grow out of the water in the aquarium,
they begin to produce sap. Plant parts protruding from the water
should be removed and kept out of the aquarium.

Saururus cernuus, Lizard’s Tail

In the 1970s and 1980s, Saururus cernuus (Lizard’s Tail) and
Lobelia cardinalis were the top choices for creating “plant streets”
in Dutch planted tanks. The dark green, heart-shaped leaves of
S. cernuus form a nice contrast to small-leaved stem plants in the
background. The American native plant grows up to 39 inches (1
m) tall out of the water, in a moist bed or at the edge of a pond,
forming filigree inflorescence with small white flowers. Under
water, it grows very slowly. The leaves remain small, the petioles
short. Therefore, the stock has to be cropped or replanted. As an
aquarium plant, Lizard’s Tail is undemanding. A nutrient-rich soil
supports its growth and causes the plants to quickly grow too tall.
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C OV E R STORY

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38
AMAZONAS
Cryptocoryne sivadasanii
This relatively new Crypt from India can be cultivated in the aquarium in soft to hard water (up
to 20°dGH) at a temperature of 71–77°F (22–25°C) and a slightly acid to neutral pH. Unlike
other Crypts, C. sivadasanii does not form any runners. The young plants grow from buds that
are 1–3 inches (3–8 cm) long and rhizomes 0.4–07 mm thick.
In nature, the plants are exposed to seasonal fluctuations in water level. During the rainy
season they form leaves up to 39 inches (1 m) long but only 2 mm wide. When the water level
drops, the leaves die. These Crypts form their inflorescences in the dry season.
In the aquarium they follow the same schedule. They are offered in the trade with their long
underwater leaves, but when their main growth period ends they take a three- or four-month
break from producing new leaves. The old leaves die and only two or three green leaves remain. If
the plants are not disturbed, new long, narrow underwater leaves start to grow after the resting
phase. This growth phase lasts about six months.

Pogostemon erectus
This plant species became known in Europe through aquascaping. It grows rather slowly and is
therefore popular as a medium and background plant in nano aquariums. The light green stems,
with their straight, narrow leaves, do not branch and grow strictly upright. For speedy growth,
AMAZONAS

this plant needs a lot of light and abundant CO2 (about 15–25 mg per liter of water). A healthy,
but slower growth is possible with average light intensity and no additional carbon dioxide fer-
tilization. Pogostemon erectus does well at a temperature of 72–82°F (22–28°C), a pH of 6.5–7.5,
and soft to medium hard water (5–20°dKH).

39
40
AMAZONAS
Proserpinaca palustris, Mermaid Weed
Proserpinaca palustris is a member of the water milfoil family, Haloragaceae. It was first imported
and presented as an aquarium plant in 1909. In 1932 it was exported to Europe from Guatema-
la. In 2001, P. palustris was imported from Cuba and reintroduced as an aquarium plant. Never-
theless, this pretty plant is hardly known today. Its distribution extends from Canada to north-
ern South America. The forms from Central and South America are the most suitable aquarium
plants; the North American forms do not tolerate the high temperatures in our aquariums.
Above water, the leaves are green and serrated at the edges. Underwater they are deeply in-
cised and reddish between the leaf veins. The plants grow slowly and branch very little. They are
easy to grow, although if conditions are not optimal the color is less intense and the plants form
smaller leaves with longer internodes. Proserpinaca palustris likes medium hard, slightly acidic
water with sufficient free CO2. For lush, compact growth and an intense red color, the plant
needs medium to strong light (T5 bulbs, about 0.5 watts per liter). A nutritious substrate and an
abundant supply of phosphate (1.5–2 mg/L) ensure compact growth. An adequate supply of iron
promotes beautiful coloring. The water temperature should be between 59 and 77°F (15–25°C),
the pH value 5.5–7.0. The water must not be too soft. A total hardness of 10°dGH and a carbon-
ate hardness between 5 and 18°dKH are ideal.

Lagenandra meeboldii
Lagenandra is an alluring genus in the family Aronaceae that is closely related to Cryptocoryne.
It occurs only in India and Sri Lanka. This plant is not as well adapted to underwater life as the
Crypts, so it is not widely used in the aquarium hobby. There are different forms with reddish,
brownish, or green leaves, which vary in width. Lagenandra meeboldii “Red” grows well and is
most common in the hobby. It is featured by Tropica, who says the colors range from “dusty
green with bright violet to red-violet, often on the same leaf. New leaves are pale pink.” The
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plants grow about 6 to 8 inches (15–20 cm) tall under water. They have creeping rhizomes and
do not form runners. Young plants originate from buds on the underground rhizomes. In the
aquarium, the plants do best at a temperature of 68–82°F (20–28°C) and water hardness of up
to 14°dKH. They need medium to strong lighting.

41
 Hygrophila pinnatifida
The most striking feature of this Hygrophila from India is the shape of the leaves. Above
water, they are green and hairy; they are an attractive brownish color on the top and pur-
ple on the bottom. In strong light, the stems grow in a creeping habit and cling to wood
AMAZONAS

and stones with only the tip sticking up. If the amount of light diminishes, the stems
grow erect. They branch out abundantly, making propagation in the aquarium easy. The
species has been cultivated as an aquarium plant since 2008 and has been commercially
available since 2010. It has no special demands in terms of water values.

42
Ammannia gracilis, Delicate Ammania
This small plant is an undemanding aquarium plant. It easily tolerates high nitrate and
phosphate levels and thrives in fish tanks. It is particularly vigorous and intensely colored
under strong light. Ammannia gracilis grows best in soft, slightly acidic water with plenty
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of carbon dioxide (25–30 mg/L). However, it tolerates water hardness of up to 12°dGH

and can be cultivated even without additional CO2 fertilization.

43
44
AMAZONAS
Eriocaulon sp. “Goiás”
The small leaf rosettes with narrow leaves make Eriocaulon species extremely attractive for nano
aquariums, but most are not easy to care for. They need lots of light and very soft water. How-
ever, Eriocaulon sp. “Goiás” is considered a fairly easy species. The plants grow very well under
strong light in soft water (maximum hardness 7°dKH) at a temperature of 68–82°F (20–28°C).
They form daughter plants, so over time, dense stands will grow.

Hygrophila sp. “Araguaia”

In the aquarium Hygrophila sp. “Araguaia” forms creeping branched shoots with very narrow,
linear leaves that are reddish brown with a bright, yellowish-white middle rib. The plants need
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a lot of light to form the dark color and grow well. If the light is too weak, the shoots grow
upward. The plants like temperatures of 64.4–86°F (18–30°C). They prefer soft water with a
carbonate hardness of up to 7°dKH. In the trade, these plants are usually offered in the emerged
form. They have thicker stems and the leaves are larger, lanceolate, dark green, and densely hairy.

45
 Nymphoides sp. “Flipper” or
“Taiwan,” Flipper Lotus
Nymphoides sp. “Taiwan” is an uniden-
tified species from southern Taiwan. It is
also known as Nymphoides sp. “Flipper” or
“Flipper Lotus.” Although other representa-
tives of the genus soon develop swimming
leaves, Nymphoides sp. “Taiwan” always
grows underwater leaves. They are an in-
tense light green and somewhat transpar-
ent. The plants quickly reach a height of 10
inches (25 cm) and an equal width. They
grow so fast that it is necessary to regularly
thin the leaves by removing the oldest and
longest leaves. The species multiplies via
young plants, which appear on the leaf
stalk just below the leaf blade. To propagate
them, you simply separate leaves from the
stalk and let them drift to sprout.

Utricularia graminifolia
This grass-leaved Utricularia from Asia differs greatly in appearance from the European species.
The plants grow in a creeping fashion and have light green leaves 2–3 mm wide and about 1.2
inches (3 cm) long. They form a dense, lawn-like covering on roots and stones. They may be
cultured at a temperature of 60.8–82.4°F (16–28°C) and a pH of 6–7.5. The water should be
soft to medium hard. Utricularia graminifolia does not tolerate overdosing of nutrients or strong
light. When the plants are freshly planted in the aquarium, they should be shaded and fertilized
sparingly. When the stock begins to expand, the light level can be increased.
AMAZONAS

46
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47
 What would the aquarium hobby be without
Anubias? This very short A. barteri form is
called “Mini” in the trade and goes well with
mossy branches.

RHEOPHY TES:
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48
 AQ UATI C PLANTS

by Hans-Georg Evers • The common Anubias barteri, an African native, with

its hardy “plastic plant” reputation, has produced some very attractive vari-
ants in recent years, some of which are not yet known to many aquarists.
However, plants that thrive on the edges of tropical rainforests and live partly
submerged are not found only in Africa. Several rheophytes that are perfect for
the aquarium are introduced here.

PLANTS THAT TRANSITION FROM LAND TO WATER are abundant in the tropics. In the shaded,
narrow brooks and small rivers there are many rheophytes (plants that grow in flowing
water), which use their clinging roots to attach to rocks in midstream and at the edges.
Leaves, branches, and insects that fall into the water are caught among the plant’s
strong stalks and roots and decay, providing nutrients. During the rainy season these
robust plants are often submerged full time and exposed to torrential currents. Because
they can adapt to low light, a temporarily submerged lifestyle, and sparse nutrient sup-
ply, they can thrive in the aquarium.
In addition to the ubiquitous evergreen Anubias barteri var. nana from tropical
West Africa, we can now acquire Asian plants from the huge family of the aroids
(Araceae), which live in a similar habitat. Especially in recent years, many forms of the
genus Bucephalandra, from the island of Borneo, have been very popular in the hobby.
But there are many other plants that can do well in the aquarium.

Anubias
Aquarists like me, whose main focus is on keeping and breeding fishes and shrimps,
are very fond of “greening up” their aquariums with the undemanding variants of An-
ubias barteri. Typically people choose the different growth forms of the variant “nana,”
and sometimes A. barteri “Coffeefolia,” which will stubbornly persist in conditions
that other plants would find barely tolerable. They will even grow under very low light.
Over the years a number of pretty Anubias varieties, along with many Cryptoco-
rynes, have established themselves in my aquariums. The number of varieties out there
is hard for the layperson to comprehend. Lately, mutants with high white content in
the leaves have become all the rage. Anubias barteri var. nana “White,” a short-leaf
form, is coveted by aquascapers. A similar form called “Pinto” is now becoming com-
mon in the trade. Unfortunately, after some time they begin to produce only green
leaves—at least that is what has happened in my tanks. Some recommend simply
cutting off the green leaves to make the plant turn white again (a method commonly
used with variegated garden plants, which sometimes revert to the wild form), but
unfortunately this has not worked for me. I have also heard that this problem is caused
by calcium deficiency.

Anubias & other worthy aquatic

plants of the tropical rainforests
AMAZONAS
H.-G. EVERS

49
 Above: Probably the
smallest Anubias is
Anubias barteri var.
nana “Pangolino.” The
leaves are less than
0.4 inch (1 cm) long.

Left: Some plants

that work well in the
aquarium are found
on rocks in running
water in tropical
streams and along
their edges.

Another small form is the variant “Bonsai,” some- There are also normally sized, very attractive wild
times known as “Petite.” This plant, which grows only forms that are rarely offered, such as A. b. var. nana
2–2.4 inches (5–6 cm) tall, is ideal for the foreground. from Mount Cameroon, known as “Golden Heart” in
Even smaller is the “Mini” form, often mounted on drift- the trade. Depending on the environment, this vari-
wood. The small, round leaves form a very dense mat and ant produces bright golden leaves that turn green
AMAZONAS

the long roots extend into the open water, which makes as the plant grows. This is also true of a plant that I
for a very decorative look. The tiny forms “Pangolino” received from Rainer Eisenblätter (Erfurt) as A. minima,
H.-G. EVERS

and “Chili” are suitable for nano tanks. These miniature, a synonym of A. b. var. glabra, which he collected in
densely growing rheophytes are really beautiful. Cameroon. In my tank the form grows well bound to

50
wood, but the most beautiful are those that I planted in This doesn’t really help aquarists. The growth of these
clay-enriched gravel. I can’t say with certainty that this small plants varies greatly, depending on the environ-
really is the variant glabra. ment (this is known as “environmental plasticity”). The
Although the variety of Anubias species available to us genus shares this feature with the popular Cryptocorynes,
is already extensive, the new stars on this scene make it the species of which are difficult to determine. In the case
truly confusing. of the Crypts, the flowers help for the determination, but
they aren’t helpful with the small Bucephalandra, which
Bucephalandra gladly and steadily bloom underwater. Often, the same
For many years, the small, decorative species of the form is given different names by different vendors. Un-
genus Bucephalandra were only known to experts. But fortunately, the usual practice of naming the place where
the worldwide boom in aquascaping caused a veritable the species was discovered was not used. The popular
rebirth for these members of the tribe Schismatoglot- Bucephalandra sordidula, a new taxa that is relatively easy
tideae (family Araceae, subfamily Aroideae). Flair Wang to determine based on its small, narrow, wavy leaves, is
presented these plants to AMAZONAS readers for the referred to commercially as “Melawi” or “Titanium.” A
first time in 2012, resulting in a fashion wave. These very good summary of knowledge available for the genus
plants started out very expensive, but many big nurseries Bucephalandra can be found in Muth (2014).
now carry them at significantly lower prices. For me, a drop of bitterness in this otherwise wonder-
Scientists are also paying attention to these rainfor- ful success story is the fact that for a long time, the
est plants, which live exclusively on the island of Borneo. plants being traded were collected exclusively from the
Until 2012 only two species, B. motleyana and B. gigantea, wild. But the few intact rainforest biotopes on Borneo
were scientifically recognized, but this changed with the have been battered by slash-and-burn practices. They
work of Boyce & Wong (2012), who described additional need better protection, and plant collection should be
species. Their 2014 paper led to a real flood of new spe- sustainable and carefully managed. Several plant nurs-
cies, and we now know 27 species in the genus Bucepha- eries have reacted to this problem by cultivating these
landra. However, we really do not know them well. There slow-growing dwarfs on a large scale. Bucephalandra can
are an estimated 200 trade names for countless species also be propagated in the aquarium. My stocks doubled
that have been discovered and collected in Borneo over within a year, and I am no botanist. Before too long, we
the last few years. They can be distinguished only by should be able to stop wild harvesting completely.
microscopic differences in the inflorescences.
In contrast to standard procedures, Wong &
Boyce (2014) studied living and wet-conserved
material for their description. The flowers of
herbarium material cannot be compared, as
they are dried up and clumped. Wong and
Boyce’s new method explains the abundant
species number, and other species are still
being processed. They estimate a total of
up to 50 species.

This Anubias barteri

var. glabra was brought
back from Cameroon by
traveling aquarists.
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51
 Top: Tiny Bucephalandra plants can be attached to pieces
of wood.
Middle: In nature, Bucephalandra lives on rocks in rapids.
Bottom: All cultivated Bucephalandra bloom regularly
in the aquarium. They can also be grown directly in the
substrate, where they form dense mats.

TOP AND BOTTOM: H.-G. EVERS; MIDDLE: M. LO

AMAZONAS

52
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 Schismatoglottis prietoi is
a new and very suitable
aquarium plant.

Schismatoglottis The short plant, which reproduces quickly via

This species name is probably still unknown to runners, has wavy leaf margins and is an ideal
most aquarists. Many species in this genus are aquarium tenant. I received my first plants
land-dwellers, often found in the shaded areas from Stephan Karlick and was able to observe
of the rainforest. Only a few live on and in the rapid growth shortly thereafter. Schismatoglottis
water. Schismatoglottis roseospatha is a species prietoi is a really nice novelty. It grows easily in
from Borneo that can be cultivated underwater substrate fertilized with clay. It also grows on
in the aquarium all year. The lanceolate leaf lava rock, but more slowly than when planted.
blades are dark green in the aquarium and only Schismatoglottis prietoi has all the attributes of a
about 3 or 4 inches (8–10 cm) high. I keep popular aquarium plant!
my plants in clay pots with a mixture of gravel In 2013 and 2017 I was able to bring a new
and clay, as well as directly in the substrate. I species of the genus Schismatoglottis back from
do frequent water changes with medium-hard the Indonesian part of New Guinea. Because it
tap water. The creeping rhizomes clearly grow has no inflorescences, I cannot make an exact
best in direct flow. Schismatoglottis roseospatha determination. I found these plants in 2013 on
is reminiscent of a Crypt, but has rather rigid, rocks in the middle of Sungai Aifuf on the Bird’s
inflexible leaves. Growth is very slow, much Head Peninsula. At that time, the water level was
slower than that of Anubias. extremely low. Local residents confirmed that
A second plant in this genus that grows sub- the river swelled during the rainy season and
mersed in nature was introduced only recently that the plants then lived completely submerged
by Kasselmann (2017). Schismatoglottis prietoi for a few months.
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was described by Boyce et al. (2015) from the In February 2017, I documented what was
Philippines. Boyce et al. provided images of the probably the same species several hundred kilo-
H.-G. EVERS

location that show a clear, fast-flowing river, meters further east in the drainage of the Sungai
with dense mats of this plant on the ground. Kiura, about 56 miles (90 km) west of Timika.

54
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55
 Various rheophytes grow
on temporarily submerged
rocks in this stream in
the drainage of Sungai
Aifuf, on the Bird’s Head
Peninsula, New Guinea.
This is Schismatoglottis sp.
“New Guinea.”

Schismatoglottis sp.
“New Guinea” in its
natural habitat. These
plants attach their
roots firmly to rocks,
so they can survive the
rainy season with its
high water levels and
strong currents.

In that location it grew alongside a slightly larger, solitary Aronaceae with ribbed
leaves. I collected some of these plants as well. Both species have settled well in my
tank, where they slowly but steadily make new leaves. Schismatoglottis sp. “New
Guinea” grows significantly more slowly than the two aforementioned species. In
nature, it forms dense stands. Over the course of time, emersed cultivated plants
have grown into dense groups in my aquarium. The submerged specimens, how-
ever, don’t multiply as much. My limited experience with the genus Schismatoglot-
tis in the aquarium indicates that it is very appealing and easy to cultivate.

REFERENCES

Boyce, P.C., M.P. Medecilo, and S.Y. Wong. 2015. A new and remarkable aquatic species of Schismatoglottis
(Araceae) from the Philippines. Willdenowia 45: 405–8.
Boyce, P.C. and S.Y. Wong. 2012. Studies on Schismatoglottideae (Araceae) of Borneo XX: Beccari´s “La Piú
piccolo delle Aracee” (Microcasia pygmaea) recollected and transferred to Bucephalandra Schott. Webbia
67 (2): 139–46.
Kasselmann, C. 2010. Aquarienpflanzen. Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany.
———. 2017. Ein beachtliches Aronstabgewächs von den Philippinen. DATZ 70 (2): 40–44.
AMAZONAS

Muth, H. 2014. Bucephalandra: viele neue Arten. [Link]/aquascaping.

Wang, F. 2012. Rare New Plants from Borneo: Bucephalandra. AMAZONAS 1 (4): 66–71.
H.-G. EVERS

Wong, S.Y. and P.C. Boyce. 2014. Studies on Schismatoglottideae (Araceae) of Borneo XXX: New species and
combinations for Bucephalandra. Willdenowia 44: 149–99.

56
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57
 HUSBANDRY & B R E E D IN G

A male Apistogramma
macmasteri “Redneck,” one of
several similar selectively bred
aquarium strains of this highly
adaptable cichlid, shown here
in brilliant mating coloration.

Apistogramma macmasteri
Dwarf Fish, Big Appeal
by Jeff Michels • Dwarf cichlids are my passion, and near the
top of my list is the expansive genus Apistogramma with over
300 wild type species, countless population variations, and
an ever-growing selection of selectively bred strains. Their
relatively small size (on average less than 3 inches/7.6 cm)
and gentle nature (at least in terms of cichlids) make them a
popular choice for aquarists looking for big-cichlid behavior in
a small package or a centerpiece fish in a planted tank hous-
ing smaller fishes. There are seemingly countless species and
AMAZONAS

forms to choose from, but a few Apistogramma species stand

H.-G. EVERS

out and always seem to be in demand.

58
 Another male Apistogramma
macmasteri “Redneck” putting
on an impressive display.

ONE OF THOSE FISHES is Apistogramma macmasteri. De- resulting from breeding selections made to increase the
scribed in 1979 by Sven Kullander, the species was already amount of red on the fish, especially the more colorful
known in the hobby by a variety of other names, includ- males. These selectively bred forms can be found under a
ing Apistogramma taeniata and A. ornatipinnis. I person- variety of trade names, including “Redneck,” “Redtail,”
ally keep a wide variety of Apistogramma species in my and “Redhead.”
fishroom, but I almost always have some A. macmasteri, Keeping and breeding A. macmasteri—whatever the
or one of the very closely related species from the large color form—is normally very straightforward. I prefer to
macmasteri complex, swimming around in my tanks. use a tank with a footprint of 24 x 12 inches (61 x 30
Apistogramma macmasteri comes from the soft, acidic cm); the height is not very important. On my fishroom’s
waters of the upper Meta River drainage, including the racks I have a row of 6-gallon (23-L) tanks that measure
Rio Ocoa at Villavicencio and the Rio Guaytiquía and Rio 24 x 12 x 6.5 inches (61 x 30 x 16.5 cm); they work very
Metica in Colombia. The wild-caught fish appreciate wa- well for pairs and trios of most Apistogramma species. The
ter chemistry that closely resembles that in their native reduced height of the tank limits the distance the fish
home, which has a pH around 5.5 and both total and can see in the aquarium, because they can’t move up in
carbonate hardness of less than 1 dGH. A water tempera- the water column to get a better angle. Tanks with small-
ture near 78°F (25.6°C) or slightly cooler will keep them er footprints often prove fatal to non-breeding females
happy and healthy as well. But one of the reasons A. and subdominant males who can’t get away from aggres-
macmasteri are so popular is that they are very forgiving sors—especially females that are tending to fry—who can
AMAZONAS

with regard to water chemistry and will adapt to a wide be lethal killing machines. If I’m setting up a large group
range of hardness and pH values without much hardship. of unsexed Apistogramma or several pairs in a single tank,
Due to this ability to thrive in moderate water chemistry, I use an aquarium with a footprint of 36 x 18 inches (91
the species has given rise to a number of tank-bred forms x 46 cm) or larger, roughly 50 gallons (190 L).

59
 It is truly anyone’s guess whether this fish,
imported as Apistogramma cf. hongsloi
“Cusiana,” represents a new population of
A. macmasteri, the closely related
A. hongsloi, or something else.

Tank furnishings in my breeding tanks consist of that they are wasting away and no longer have the abili-
a sponge fi lter, a 0.5–0.75-inch (1.25–2-cm) layer of ty to eat or process food. Healthy fish from a local store,
silica sand, several caves (both ceramic and coconut breeder, or online retailer seldom pose any problems.
half-shells) with a hole knocked in the side of each The primary food I offer is freshly hatched baby brine
one, a few pieces of Malaysian driftwood to help acidify shrimp (Artemia nauplii). Adult Apistogramma readily
the water, and a few handfuls of oak leaves. The leaves eat the tiny shrimp and often reach spawning condition
make great natural hiding places for the Apistogramma, with just the shrimp as their food source. Apistogramma
which are often found in the leaf litter in the shallows fry can also eat newly hatched Artemia right from the
of backwater areas. In addition to giving shelter, the start. I also feed my adult Apistogramma high-quality
leaves acidify the aquarium water and provide a place flake foods several times a week, being sure to remove
where microorganisms, a wonderful food for Apisto- any food that is uneaten. When I really want to induce
gramma fry, can grow. For the water itself I use about spawning I offer live black worms in small quantities for
75 percent reverse osmosis (RO) water and 25 percent a week or so along with the rest of the fare.
of the waste water collected from the RO unit. For the
occasional more demanding wild-caught populations, Pairing & Spawning
I increase the percentage of RO water I use in the tank The next step in coaxing A. macmasteri to spawn is
and add acidifying organic matter, like wood and leaves. ensuring that you have at least one male and one
But thankfully, most populations of A. macmasteri in female! With mature wild type A. macmasteri this is
the hobby don’t require much (if any) deviation from pretty straightforward. Males grow noticeably larger
my 75 to 25 percent standard mix of water. Water than females and have more color, especially on the
changes are also very straightforward: several times a head and in the tail, where the upper and lower edges
month, I drain 25–35 percent of the volume of the tank of the caudal fin are edged in red. Mature females that
AMAZONAS

and refi ll it. are ready to spawn are easy to spot. They take on a vivid
Feeding A. macmasteri is unproblematic. The only canary yellow body color in place of their normally sand
J. MICHELS

time I experience issues with getting them to eat is to grey hue, and also develop a number of black marks
when they arrive from Colombia in such poor shape along the lateral line. But even in non–sexually active

60
Inset: A female
Apistogramma cf.
hongsloi “Cusiana”
displaying the typical yellow
coloration of females who are ready
to breed or are guarding fry.

Another look at a wild male Apistogramma cf.

hongsloi “Cusiana”; this coloration reveals just
how far selective breeding has gone toward
creating the mind-blowing tank strains of
Macmasteri-complex Apistos like the males
shown on the previous pages.

mode, the leading edges of the ventral fins of female A. small amounts of baby brine shrimp several times a day
macmasteri have a wide margin of black; males don’t as well. If she’s a good mother, she leads the fry back
have much more than a pencil-thin line of coloring. In into her cave at night for protection. This is an excel-
tank-strain fish the ventral fin color of males is often lent time to remove the fry from the tank. I normally
much more intense, making it harder to distinguish pull them out once they are two or three weeks old.
young males from females. This is about the time they start exploring the aquarium
Once the tank is set up with at least one pair of ma- on their own and mom is ready to spawn again. I can’t
ture A. macmasteri, spawning usually occurs in short or- tell you how many batches of fry I have lost because I
der. The male defends a large portion of the tank as his waited just a few days too long and the parents ate their
territory, usually centered around a cave, and allows one offspring before I could remove them! If removing the
or more females to take up their own smaller territories juveniles proves to be nearly impossible, you can also
within it. Once the female is ready to spawn she lets the opt to remove the adult fish from the tank and raise the
male enter her cave, or at least comes up to the entrance fry right where they are. After three or four months your
if the opening is too small for him to get in. She then fry should be ready to start spawning themselves.
lays anywhere from 15 to 100 eggs on the wall or ceiling A final note and warning: the keeping of these little
of the cave, and the male fertilizes them. Once this is cichlid gems can prove to be a lifetime addiction.
done, she drives the male off and tends to her spawn.
Depending on temperature, the eggs hatch in two Jeff Michels Having grown up with an aquarist for a father,
to four days and a mass of little wiggling fry piles up on Jeff Michels started keeping fishes at a young age and now has de-
the cave floor. After another day or two the wigglers be- cades of fishkeeping and breeding experience to his credit. A native
gin to hop, and shortly thereafter they start swimming. of southeast Wisconsin in the Milwaukee region, he has worked
Once the fry are somewhat capable of moving on their in the aquarium industry his entire life. He is the president of the
AMAZONAS

own the female leads them out of the cave and into online retailer Aquatic Clarity, which also provides aquarium
small pits she has dug around her territory. She moves and pond services for private and commercial accounts as well as
them often to give them a chance to find microorgan- trade show support for multiple aquarium manufacturers.
isms to eat. At this point you can start feeding them

61
 SOMETHING
For Every
FRESHWATER
AQUARIUM Free

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Pro

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Fro

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AMAZONAS

63
 REPORTAGE

A Tide of Tetras
from the Rio Tapajós
by Hans-Georg Evers with images by F. Wang •
As recently as AMAZONAS Volume 6, Number 3
(May/June 2017), we presented a collection of
new tetras from the Brazilian Rio Tapajós. Since
then, a series of additional species has appeared,
and for all fans of smaller Characins, we
introduce them here.
AMAZONAS

64
 THE SMALL TETRAS IMPORTED FROM THE TAPAJÓS basin for the first
time in the summer and fall of 2016 were well received by
enthusiasts. This commercial success motivated Brazilian
collectors to penetrate deep into the remotest areas of the
Teles Pires and Juruena streams to find other interesting
species. The area seems to be a hot spot for small Characins.

Hyphessobrycon hexastichos
Let’s start with the most unusual. At first sight, a tetra
connoisseur would probably classify it as belonging to the
genus Moenkhausia. The six black zigzag lines on the body
are a clue (see page 82, top).We know this pattern from the
much larger Moenkhausia simulata and the slightly smaller
Moenkhausia agnesae, but not so far among Hyphessobry-
con species. In fact, H. hexastichos is often listed under the
name M. agnesae on stock lists from Brazil. So if you have
recently acquired a fish advertised as M. agnesae, you should
take a closer look. Morphologically, the species described
here clearly belongs to the genus Hyphessobrycon—it has
two rows of teeth in the premaxilla and an unscaled caudal
base (Bertaco & Carvalho 2005). In addition, it is signifi-
cantly smaller than the Moenkhausia species, with a total
length of approximately 2.8 inches (7 cm). The sexes are
extremely difficult to distinguish. I acquired four specimens
from Panta Rhei, and they have proved to be greedy feeders,
so they are very round. I have not been able to observe any
sexual advances so far, which is why I am afraid that I have
four females. Does anybody have a male for me?

Hasemania nambiquara
The second unusual species from the described area is
Hasemania nambiquara (photo on page 82). Representatives
of the genus Hasemania typically lack the adipose fin, a trait
that is found in most Characiformes. The best-known spe-
cies of the genus is probably Hasemania nana, the Silvertip
Tetra. Hasemania nambiquara is distinguished from con-
geners by a vertical humeral spot and a broad black body
band. This pretty species is fully grown at a size of about 1.6
inches (4 cm), and would surely be a nice addition to the
trade if we could establish it in our aquariums.

Hyphessobrycon melanostichos and others

This little newcomer to the trade, sold From the Rio Doze de Outubro, a tributary of the Rio Juru-
as Hyphessobrycon sp. “Red Cherry ena, Carvalho & Bertaco (2006) described Hyphessobrycon
Lemon,” could become a real hit.
melanostichos, a marvelous small tetra with a broad body
band. Many species with this characteristic are now known,
and I have presented some of them before. Hyphessobrycon
melanostichos differs from these in having a vertical black
humeral spot, which is distinctly separate from the poste-
rior longitudinal band. The body has a hint of blue when
AMAZONAS

the fish is unstressed, and the tail fin and adipose fins are
orange. Some Hyphessobrycon melanostichos imports have a
yellow color on the caudal base that turns into an intense
red. In addition, the eye-rings of these animals are deep

65
 Hyphessobrycon hexastichos is really stunning!
The six zigzag lines along the body are the
hallmark of the species.

Hyphessobrycon melanostichos has an orange tail and adipose

fins and is easy to distinguish from other similar species.
AMAZONAS

Hasemania nambiquara is a novelty

from the upper Tapajós.

66
 Hyphessobrycon cf. melanostichos has red on the upper
eye ring and in the tail fin. Otherwise, the species is hardly
distinguishable from the syntopic species H. melanostichos.

Hyphessobrycon cachimbensis was also imported for the first time.

red, a trait that is lacking in H. melanostichos. Is this a you of those tetras that we commonly view as H. agulha.
syntopic sister species? I refer to them as Hyphessobrycon The red and white dorsal fin coloration and the angular
cf. melanostichos. black humeral spot, however, differ slightly from those
Another species with a black longitudinal band is H. of H. agulha, even though I still do not know what the
cachimbensis, named after the Serra do Cachimbo, one “real” H. agulha, which was described from the neighbor-
of the headwaters of the Teles Pires. Among the imports ing Madeira basin, looks like.
there was another species characterized by a narrower Please take a look at the rosy-colored fish on the
longitudinal band flanked by a weak turquoise-green line. opening pages. This species is definitely not identical to
This species, which also reaches a size of approximately the so-called Orange Lemon Tetra, an intensely orange-
1.6 inches (4 cm), is listed by the exporters as Hyphes- colored look-alike of Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis, which
sobrycon sp. “Emerald Green Devil.” Well, every animal I caught on the middle Tapajós and have been reproduc-
needs a name, and we do not want to start with “H ing for years. This somewhat smaller, rather reddish tetra
Numbers” right now. from the H. pulchripinnis group recently appeared at
AMAZONAS

Pier Aquatics in England. The species is labeled Hyphes-

Still more? sobrycon sp. “Red Cherry Lemon Tetra” and lives in the
From the Rio Aruá, a tributary of the lower Tapajós, Juruena. It’s quite a pretty species, possibly undescribed
comes another small Hyphessobrycon that might remind and a great candidate for breeders.

67
 Hyphessobrycon cf. agulha
from the Rio Aruá.

Cheirodon sp. “Orange Fin Panda”

from Teles Pires.

This little tetra is called Hyphessobrycon sp.

“Emerald Green Devil.”

Probably every South American river basin has its from this region. And there’s still the huge Rio Madeira,
Cheirodon species—white wine–colored, slightly high- not to mention the upper Xingu!
backed dwarves with a black caudal spot and some faint
color on the caudal lobes. I have been able to catch these REFERENCES
everywhere in the Amazon basin and beyond. This form Bertaco, V.A. and T.P. Carvalho. 2005. A new characid fish,
from the Teles Pires is called Cheirodon sp. “Orange Fin Hyphessobrycon hexastichos (Characiformes: Characidae) from Chapada
Panda,” probably because of the orange to yellow points dos Parecis, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Neotrop Ichthyol 3 (3): 439–43.
on the caudal peduncle. Bertaco, V.A. and L.R. Malabarba. 2007. A new species of Hasemania from
the Upper Tapajós Drainage, Brazil (Teleostei: Characiformes: Characidae).
Outlook Copeia 2007 (2): 350–354.
I hope you enjoyed meeting our second group of interest- Carvalho, T.P. and V.A. Bertaco. 2006. Two new species of Hyphessobrycon
(Teleostei: Characidae) from upper rio Tapajós basin on Chapada dos
AMAZONAS

ing little tetras from the Tapajós. We will wait and see
Parecis, central Brazil. Neotrop Ichthyol 4 (3): 301–8.
what happens in the coming months; the Tapajós area is
Evers, H.-G. 2016. Salmler aus dem Tapajós. AMAZONAS 68, 12 (6): 46–51.
far from exhausted. I know of a few other recent descrip-
tions (H. delimai, H. krenakore, H. scutulatus, and others)

68
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69
 HUSBANDRY & B R E E D IN G

Typhlonectes natans,
the “Rubber Eel”
A pair of Typhlonectes natans are
settled in as peaceful members of
a community tank.

Caring for and breeding a caecilian

in the aquarium
article & images by Torsten Laicher • Who says an aquarium is just for
fishes and shrimps? Aquatic amphibians are good candidates too, and are
fascinating to watch. This is especially true of caecilians, aka “rubber eels.”

MANY YEARS AGO, I received a pair of caecilians from unusual for amphibians, and it’s what makes the caeci-
a friend who was moving abroad. In the beginning, I lians so special among this group of animals.
found the animals unremarkable and uninteresting. They Gradually, my caecilian population has increased, both
reminded me of big, unattractive worms. What could be through reproduction and by the addition of new animals.
fascinating about that? Nowadays, I keep a large number of these creatures.
But shortly after these unusual amphibians entered
my aquarium, I changed my mind. Every day, it became What are caecilians?
more exciting to watch them feeding, swimming through Caecilians are limbless amphibians belonging to the clade
the aquarium, interacting with each other, and engaging Gymnophiona (“naked snakes”). They are the third ex-
in courtship and mating behaviors. tant group within the class Amphibia, besides the orders
I was taken over by a fascination for these large, Anura (frogs and toads) and Urodela (salamanders). The
AMAZONAS

snake-like amphibians after the first babies were born in fully aquatic caecilian genus Typhlonectes contains two
my aquarium. After a gestation period of about seven or species: T. compressicauda and T. natans.
eight months, the offspring are born fully developed and Caecilians are reminiscent of water snakes or eels
are viable on their own. This type of reproduction is very (hence the name “rubber eel”); they have long, slender,

70
gray-black bodies that are light gray underneath. The tail stones, and cork tubes for hiding and resting places. For
is flattened laterally and equipped with a fin seam on the substrate I use fine black sand, in which the animals
upper side (Himstedt 1996). like to dig. In fact, due to their constant digging, trying
The species Typhlonectes natans is native to northern to keep plants in the tank is frustrating. Rooted aquatic
South America. There it inhabits the Cauca and Magda- plants like Echinodorus sooner or later get dug up or don’t
lena rivers in the west and north of Colombia, up to the even have a chance to get started. For this reason I have
basin of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. Occurrences in planted all the wood in my tanks with Java Fern, where
the Orinoco drainage are doubtful. The animals colonize it grows very well and forms lush pads. This greening of
rivers, lakes, and swamps, mostly in open terrain, and the aquarium is supplemented by Tiger Lotus and a dwarf
tolerate polluted water. water lily species that I grow in clay pots. The clay pots
are protected by a fine grid at the top; the mesh size is
Typhlonectes natans large enough that the shoots of the water lilies can grow
My adult animals range from 14 to 24 inches (35–60 through it. They grow well and form many leaves, both
cm) in length. Males are slightly smaller than females. submerged and floating. This tangle of plants is used by
The largest and oldest female in my aquarium measures
just over 24 inches, has a diameter of about 1.6 inches (4
cm), and weighs 1.4 pounds (650 g). Top: Typhlonectes must
The caecilians’ sense of sight is not very sophisti- be able to breathe every
30–40 minutes. This pair
cated; the eyes are overgrown with a thin skin, so they
has surfaced for an air
perceive only light and dark. They navigate via their well- intake session.
developed sense of smell and grab food with their small,
sharp teeth. Left: The caecilians bury
The sexes can be easily distinguished in semi-adult themselves in fine sand.
to adult specimens: In the male, the cloacal opening is
larger than the female’s and the anal disk around the
cloaca is more distinct. The tail end is rounded. The
female’s anal disc is small and oval, and the end of the
tail is pointed.
AMAZONAS

Design of the aquariums

I take care of my caecilians in large planted aquariums
47 inches (120 cm) long; they contain many roots,

71
 the caecilians, especially the young animals, as a rest-
ing place and, in the upper part of the tank, for support
while breathing at the surface. Caecilians are amphibi-
ans, so they must be able to reach the surface unhindered
approximately every 30–40 minutes.
Although these animals are often described as fully
aquatic, they do like to come out of the water from time
to time to rest. The simplest resting places out of the wa-
ter are the glass braces of the aquarium. Sometimes the
caecilians will rest there for a long time. You can also
provide floating turtle platforms, cork tubes, or built-in
land components. I have never had a caecilian break out
of one of my tanks or attempt to escape; I think this is
because they are able to get out of the water whenever
they want to. However, it is essential to make sure that
the aquarium is covered to prevent breakouts. Every
opening—hose conduits, filter shafts, cable ducts—must
be tightly closed. Unfortunately, caecilians will die if
they escape unnoticed and end up behind the cabinet or
on the floor!

Group strength and socialization

Caecilians seek contact with conspecifics and, if pos-
sible, they should be kept in groups of six or more.
They are mainly active at dusk and at night. During the
day they hide, often crowded in roots or tubes. They
seem to enjoy physical contact with others, which gives
them some security. Aggression among them is rare or
nonexistent, but small injuries can occur. These usually
heal very fast. Especially during or after mating, I have
often seen bite marks on both males and females. It is
important not to allow the wounds to get inflamed or
fungal. With suitable water parameters, however, this
usually doesn’t happen.
Caecilians pay little attention to fish tankmates. They
don’t actively hunt live fishes or capture them, and the
fishes often multiply in the caecilian aquarium. It is easy
to socialize caecilians with peaceful tetras, livebearers,
barbs, and even angelfishes or discus, but I avoid keeping
them with catfishes, which can be problematic. Caecilian
skin is quite sensitive and could be seriously harmed
by an intrusive suckermouth catfish. In addition, if a
caecilian were to ingest a dead Cory or another species of
catfish, the pectoral fin spines could become lodged in its
pharynx. If this is not noticed immediately, the caecilian
can suffocate.
I like to keep my T. natans with smaller peace-
ful fishes—they feed greedily on the skins shed by the
caecilians, which keeps the water cleaner. But, as with
any socialization experiment in the aquarium, the owner
should keep an eye on the animals and intervene at any
sign of trouble.
AMAZONAS

Top: If the water parameters are not ideal, the caecilian’s skin may
become irritated. Water parameters
Bottom: View of the cloacal region of a male. I keep my caecilians in water that has a hardness of
8°dGH and a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. The water temper-

72
 Mating can take up
to two hours.

ature is 75–82.4°F (24-28°C). The tanks are filtered by I feed adult animals every two or three days, pups
large external filters, and I change around 30 percent of daily. My animals have survived long breaks without
the aquarium water every week. I do not use special water food—up to four weeks—but only because they are in
treatment agents; from time to time, I add alder cones or good health and well nourished.
almond leaves to the tank, and they have a positive ef-
fect on the water quality and the natural look. Very hard Mating and reproduction
water can lead to molting problems (the skin is shed Caecilians do not need fluctuations in temperature and
in strips, rather than in one piece) and skin irritations lighting duration to induce mating. They reproduce in
(white “pimples”). Usually these issues can be resolved aquariums with constant conditions throughout the
by changing to soft water and/or lowering the pH. year. Often, however, I have noted increased courtship
and mating activity after more frequent water changes.
Diet Although I am not sure if it is really a courtship behavior,
Typhlonectes natans senses food via a very strong sense of I have often seen the males swim through the aquarium
smell. As soon as I add food to the tank, the animals be- with their heads “nodding” as they search for females.
come active. They eat all common types of frozen foods, Once the male finds a suitable partner, he continues
such as mosquito larvae, Artemia, Tubifex, shrimp, and to “nod” and bump her with his nose. He follows the
fish. They particularly like earthworms and white worms. female around for a long time before they actually copu-
You can also offer them fly maggots or food insects from late. The male inserts his phallodeum, a penis-like organ,
the terrarium trade (crickets, cockroaches, and wax into the female’s cloaca. Until mating is complete the
moths), but I offer the frozen forms so the feed animals male cannot separate from the female, so both animals
can’t escape; live insects would be too fast. Ready-made swim around during the sexual act, often trying to swim
fish foods, axolotl pellets, and turtle foods are also read- in different directions. The mating that I observed typi-
AMAZONAS

ily accepted. You won’t usually find any dead fishes in a cally lasted for an hour or two. As mentioned, I have seen
caecilian aquarium because the amphibians clean them bite marks on both animals after mating.
up quickly. In nature, they often feed on carrion and act After seven or eight months, fully developed babies
as the “health police” for their habitats. are born. Typically there are between six and eight babies

73
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 This female is
pregnant, as
evidenced by the
circumference of
her waist.

measuring 4 or 5 inches (10–13 cm) long and weighing about 0.3 to 0.4
ounces (8–10 g). At birth, the babies still have gill lobes, but they fall off after
a short time and the juveniles begin breathing with their lungs.
You can rear the juveniles in the same aquarium with the adults, but for
better control and feeding I separate the pregnant female and then move the
young animals into a smaller tank until they have reached a size of about
8 inches (20 cm). When raising babies together with adults, make sure the
young are fed adequately and the adult specimens do not get fat.
The average life expectancy of T. natans is estimated to be at least 15–20
years. My oldest female has been in my aquarium for more than 20 years,
and was already an adult when I purchased her, so my animals are probably
much older.

Conclusion
Caecilians are no longer exported from the countries of origin due to col-
lecting and export bans, even though these animals are common in nature
and have no special protection status. Thus, only existing aquarium stocks
in the hobby and in zoos in Europe are available. I have been in contact with
zoos from time to time and exchanged anecdotes about caring for T. natans.
Unfortunately, a few of these zoos have stopped keeping them—the species is
probably too uninteresting for zoo visitors.
However, I have regular contact with many owners in Germany, Switzer-
land, Croatia, Sweden, and Austria. We exchange experiences, friendships
have formed, and now and then new offspring are traded to keep the gene
pool of the species in our care healthy. I have also summarized my experiences
on my website ([Link] To any aquar-
ist who is looking for something different, I recommend the caecilians. Of
course, you must consider their needs, but if you choose to keep them you can
enjoy these unique and lovable animals for a long time.
AMAZONAS

REFERENCES

[Link]
[Link]
Jamieson-Exbrayat/p/book/9781578083121

75
 REPORTAGE

The river issues directly from unspoiled primary

forest, which has become extremely rare on the
Malay Peninsula. Because this area is seldom
visited by humans, it’s a wonderful place to
experience wild nature.
AMAZONAS

76
Malaysian Loach Discovery
Kuhli Gold!
article & images by Jens Kühne • When a new, unusually pigmented little
fish turned up in our nets on a recent expedition to the Malay Peninsula, we
knew it was destined to become popular with aquarists—but breeders have
their work cut out for them.

THE UBIQUITOUS PRUSSIAN CARP (Carassius carassius gibelio), make for the open water. In this region, they commonly
aka the Goldfish, is an animal shaped by thousands of include loaches of the genus Pangio.
years of cultivation and selective breeding. Wild fishes The vertically banded species are commonplace and
that share the attention-grabbing metallic sheen of hard to miss. They are known as kuhli loaches (or coolie
a farmed goldfish are extremely rare. So our group of loaches) to many aquarists; ichthyologists often call
aquarists, participating in a fish observation trip to the them eel loaches. Oft-forgotten is the fact that the label
Malay Peninsula, were really excited when shimmer- “kuhli loaches” is a tribute to early collector Heinrich
ing, golden eel-like fish emerged from a pile of leaves Kuhl (1797–1821), who studied the flora and fauna of
we were investigating. The collection method we were Java and for whom Pangio kuhlii is named. The species
using is simple, tried, and true: in a likely-looking river, found on the Malay Peninsula is Pangio semicincta, an
you locate heaps of leaves in depressions and calm areas extremely variable species in which no individual is the
sheltered from the current and pull them to the bank same as another.
with your net. This way of collecting fishes and study- Our group caught uniformly brown, yellow, and
ing biotopes can be full of surprises. All sorts of fishes greenish kuhlis. Throughout the trip, though, my head
and invertebrates wriggle their way out of the leaves and had been filled with thoughts of another loach, Vaillan-

The new Golden Kuhli Loach

discovered by the author’s team is
either a new species or a color variant
AMAZONAS

of Pangio doriae.

77
 Piles of leaves under water tella maasii. This was probably because we were visiting Taman Negara, a major
are ideal habitats for national park where I had found V. maasii on a previous trip eight years earlier
kuhli loaches and other
(Kühne & Evers 2010). So when we saw the shiny golden loaches, I initially
secretive fishes.
assumed they were V. maasii “Golden.” Another possibility was V. cinnamomea,
which can also occur in a golden form but so far is known only from the island
of Borneo. Finding a fish species in West Malaysia that had previously been re-
corded only in Borneo isn’t necessarily impossible, as the ichthyofauna of various
parts of Borneo are closely related to those of the Malay Peninsula—and may even
be identical.
We investigated many masses of leaves, but ultimately found only eight
loaches, two of which were a spotless gold color. It wasn’t until we were on our
way back home that I began to have doubts about the species identification.
AMAZONAS

78
What species? Kuhli loaches are
Thanks to good packing in Breathing Bags and water changes during the journey, sometimes found among
aquatic plants or between
the loaches arrived in my aquarium unscathed and in good condition. I was now
the roots of trees and
able to observe them more carefully and take photos of them. It quickly became bushes growing close
clear that they were members of the genus Pangio, not Vaillantella. After studying the to the water. Shown is
available literature and consulting with loach expert Jörg Bohlen, Ph.D., I identified Cryptocoryne affinis.
these loaches as Pangio doriae, a member of the P. anguillares species group (eel-like
loaches). Dr. Bohlen told me that he has seen these fish in Borneo and caught them
in a wide variety of colors, but had never caught any that were golden.
The genus Pangio currently contains at least 30 species, and they vary widely in
coloration and patterning. Note that some fishes sold as P. myersi or P. kuhlii are
actually P. semicincta—but that is another story.

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79
 A “normal-colored” Pangio doriae from
the same area; the interplay of copper and
green is very attractive.

Keeping kuhlis I must confess that I made a beginner’s mistake,

So far I haven’t gone beyond husbandry, pure and simple; which I will document here so that readers don’t do the
I haven’t made any serious attempts at breeding. These same. I didn’t replace the leaves frequently enough, and
loaches are extremely shy, so it is best to observe them the products of their decay resulted in such a drop in
in the evening after the tank lighting has been dimmed. water quality that some of the fish died. I didn’t analyze
This is also the best time for feeding. There is no point the chemistry of the water, but treated the whole thing as
in feeding them during the day, because they can’t be a “pH collapse.” I was able to counteract it rapidly with a
coaxed out into the open. They can be fed whiteworms, complete change of water, but, unfortunately, only three
Artemia nauplii, Tubifex, and water fleas. The food must fish survived. So here’s a tip: leaves are always good, but
be moving, and as long as that criterion is met you can should be replaced before the process of decomposition
even offer them mosquito larvae. sets in fully; the critical point varies with the individual
The native blackwater river where we found these types of leaves. If you don’t want to take any risks, you
loaches flows out of the Taman Negara rainforest and can produce humic substances from leaves in separate
contains extremely soft water with a pH value that containers and add the resulting liquid to the aquarium
fluctuates between 5.5 and 6.5. I matched the water in during water changes—or whenever required.
the aquarium to these conditions and provided powerful
aeration, and this has worked well. I built up small, flat REFERENCES
rocks in layers to create hiding places and added leaves Bohlen, J., V. Šlechtová, H.H. Tan, and R. Britz. 2011. Phylogeny of the
AMAZONAS

to the aquarium to provide cover similar to that in the Southeast Asian freshwater fish genus Pangio (Cypriniformes; Cobitidae).
natural habitat. The leaves I used—Sea Almond (Termina- Mol Phylogenet Evol 61: 854–65.
lia catappa), Beech (Fagus sylvatica), and Oak (Quercus Kühne, J. and H.G. Evers. 2010. Vaillantella—Schmerlen der besonderen
robur)—also provide the necessary humic substances. Art. AMAZONAS 30, 6 (4): 66–67.

80
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 AQ UATI C PLANTS
Cryptocoryne
pontederiifolia

Comparison of the blossoms:

C. moehlmannii on the left,
C. pontederiifolia on the right.

Above: Under water, the leaves of

Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia are
purple. The edges of the leaves are
bent downward.
Opposite page: The underwater
leaves of Cryptocoryne
moehlmannii are mostly green and
the edges tend to bend upward.
AMAZONAS

82
 Cryptocoryne
vs moehlmannii

A COMEDY OF CONFUSION
article & images by Maike Wilstermann-Hildebrand • Even people who consider
themselves botanists don’t always dare to identify some of the Cryptocoryne species
from Sumatra and Borneo. It is time to clarify this mix-up and show which is which!
AMAZONAS

83
 confusing situation, which has
continued to this day.

Cryptocoryne sulphurea
de Wit
In September 1970, flowering
plants with yellow inflorescences
were collected in northern Borneo.
Their leaves were similar to those
of the plants from West Suma-
tra and Borneo. In 1976 de Wit
described them as Cryptocoryne
sulphurea, assuming that the flow-
ers of C. pontederiifolia must be
red. Meanwhile, Niels Jacobsen
succeeded in finding part of a
spathe on the original specimens
of C. pontederiifolia. Their char-
acteristic features were identical
to those of C. sulphurea, which
Cryptocoryne
moehlmannii has a
was then relegated to a synonym
distinctive purple of C. pontederiifolia. Rataj then
inflorescence. distinguished two subspecies in
1975: the yellow-flowering plants
of Sumatra were called C. pont-
ederiifolia var. sulphurea, and the
red-flowered ones from Borneo
were called C. pontederiifolia var.
sarawacensis. As a type for this
subspecies, Rataj used herbarium
specimens from Meijer, the Dutch
botanist who had collected these
unidentified Cryptocoryne plants in
West Sumatra in 1955.

Cryptocoryne ferruginea
Engler
Jacobsen described C. sarawacensis
as a new species in 1977 because
the red-flowering plants of Borneo
were clearly different from C. pon-
tederiifolia. A little later, he found
that his new species was identical
to C. ferruginea, which had been
IN 1833, A DUTCH BOTANIST named Korthals collected a described by Engler in 1879. In 1979, Jacobsen wrote in
Cryptocoryne species in West Sumatra and placed it in his book Cryptocorynen that, in his opinion, the C. pont-
his herbarium. In 1863, the same Crypt was described by ederiifolia plants from Borneo were, in fact, C. ferruginea.
Schott as Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia, although he could
not find any inflorescence on the specimen. In the 1960s, Cryptocoryne moehlmannii de Wit
live Cryptocorynes with red inflorescence were exported In 1977, Jähn collected live Cryptocorynes in the same
from Borneo to Europe. Their leaves were similar to those area where Meijer had collected his. They were cultivated
of the Crypts from Sumatra, 932 miles (1,500 km) away, as C. pontederiifolia, although, according to the prevail-
AMAZONAS

so de Wit assigned the plants from Borneo to C. pont- ing opinion, they would have to be C. pontederiifolia
ederiifolia and the description of this species was supple- var. sarawacensis or C. sarawacensis (now C. ferruginea).
mented based on the characteristics of the red spathe In the same year, Friedrich Möhlmann had plants that
from the new collection. This was the beginning of a very flourished; they had red inflorescences and a shape dis-

84
tinct from that of C. pontederiifolia
or C. ferruginea. It soon became
clear that this Crypt should be
described as a new species. In his
1979 book, Jacobsen described C.
moehlmannii de Wit as a species
from Borneo, showing the inflores-
cences of C. pontederiifolia and C.
moehlmannii side by side in black
and white images. The species is
also shown in the German edition
of the book, which was published
in 1982. However, the plant was
not officially described until 1983
because, while the manuscript of
de Wit’s book Aquarienplanten,
which contained the scientific
description, was completed before
Jacobsen’s book came out in 1979,
the publication date was delayed by
a few years.

Who’s who?
In 1983, the identities of all of the
Crypts in question were clarified,
but distinguishing between C. pon-
tederiifolia and C. moehlmannii can
still be problematic. The Cryptoco-
ryne moehlmannii collected by Jähn
in 1977 are easy to cultivate. They
were distributed to various botani-
cal gardens and private collectors
and are still being grown today. My
plants originated from that collec-
tion. They are always pure green
above and under water. The under-
water leaves are smooth or slightly The most striking feature
bullous with slightly wavy edges. of the inflorescence of
The emersed form of C. pontederi- Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia
ifolia is sometimes pure green, too, is the very wide, yellow throat,
surrounded by the collar.
but in large plants the stems and
cataphylls (small secondary leaves)
and the leaf veins are often red-
dish. Underwater, the tops of the
leaves and the leaf veins show a
purple luster. The blade edges are usually bent downward, Sometimes, forms of C. willisii or C. wendtii are also of-
so the leaf blade bends upward. fered under the name C. moehlmannii, although they do
Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia is a very adaptable not look similar to this species.
aquarium plant. It tolerates warm water and manages
with relatively little light. The species multiplies out of REFERENCES
and under water via long runners with numerous juve- de Wit, H.C. 1980. Aquarienpflanzen. Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany.
nile plants. Jacobsen, N. 1982. Cryptocorynen. Alfred Kernen Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany.
AMAZONAS

Cryptocoryne moehlmannii is usually sold as C. pont-

Wilstermann-Hildebrand, M. and C. Hildebrand. 2011. Wasserkelche. NTV,
ederiifolia. Depending on culture conditions, the distinc- Münster, Germany.
tion can be difficult. However, as soon as flowers emerge,
any confusion is cleared up (see photos in this article).

85
 F I SH R O O M TOUR interview by Hans-Georg Evers

Always something new—questions for a plant wizard

Stephan Karlick

Stephan Rare aquarium plants are Stephan Karlick’s passion. This hobbyist/biologist is known
Karlick in
to aquarists far beyond his home city of Vienna as an aquatic “green thumb.” We had
front of his
living room a chance to visit him at home.
aquarium.

AMAZONAS: Shall we start with a few words to perfect tap water (~6-8°dKH) and my tech-
about aquarist Karlick? How did you get into the loving father. My tanks were illuminated with
hobby, and where did your passion for greenery at least two fluorescent tubes, and we also had a
come from? demineralizer. When I was in elementary school I
received a 16.5-gallon (63-L) aquarium, and at 13
Stephan Karlick: My parents encouraged my en- I started to breed fishes—Apistogramma cichlids,
thusiasm for the hobby as early as my kindergar- to be precise—to earn a little pocket money. In
ten days. At that time the father of a friend had a 1984, I purchased a 42-gallon (160-L) aquarium
66-gallon (250-L) aquarium, which in those days with a CO2 system. This paved the way to keeping
(1975) was considered very large. I spent hours demanding plants that I had not grown before.
sitting in front of it—much to the chagrin of my There were always interesting new plants—this
kindergarten friend. I received my first tank, a was a very active phase in the field of aquaristics
6.5-gallon (25-L) aquarium, as a gift that includ- in Austria. Shortly after I began my studies at the
ed a colorful potpourri of various fish species and Vienna University of Technology, the Internet age
AMAZONAS

some plants. Ever since then I have maintained a began, and the world became wide open to an
Microsorum pteropus Java Fern specimen. interested aquarist. I acquired more aquariums
H.-G. EVERS

From the beginning, plants were an important and followed the path of all “aquariots”—until I
part of my aquariums, and they did well, thanks ran out of space for more glass cages.

86
 Karlick cultivates
plants that are rare
and sometimes
Stephan, I see plants in your aquari-
difficult to grow.
ums that I have not seen before. You
have an impressive collection. What
are your favorites?

Currently, my main focus is rosette

plants from Asia, especially the
genera Cryptocoryne, Schismatoglot-
tis, Lagenandra, and Bucephalandra.
There is a lively exchange of both
ideas and plants in the European
Cryptocoryne Society (ECS).

I mostly see submerged plants here,

and only a few emersed cultivated
Crypts. Is it important for you to
determine which plants are suitable
for aquarium culture? Do you have a
special approach?

It is always special to test plants for

their “submergeability.” In recent
years, various people have been
studying plants to see which ones
are suited for this, and a few of
them have made it into the trade. I
follow the approach of Hans-Georg
Kramer, a well-known plant special-
ist from Hamburg. When a plant
grows in my setup, it is good. If not,
it might do fine under different con-
ditions in someone else’s setup.

But now to the important stuff. What

is “hot” right now? Which plants
would you certify as suitable for
aquariums? The Bucephalandra have
taken the world by storm, but there
are a number of other genera that you
would recommend, right?

Since I spend much of my time in

the Cryptocoryne scene, naturally
these plants are “hot” to me. But
some species of the genus Schismato-
glottis (such as S. prietoi) deserve a
wider distribution. Each of the new
plants finds a place in aquascaping,
and sometimes in the “normal”
AMAZONAS

aquarium trade as well.

Thank you for this interview, and have

fun and success with your plants!

87
 AQ UA R I U M

CALENDAR
compiled by Janine Banks and Ray Lucas

Change of Venue: Beginning in January 2018, the

North Jersey Aquarium Society will meet in the
Plan ahead 2018:
public meeting room of the Clark Public Library in MARCH
Clark, NJ. Meetings are held on the third Saturday
each month at noon. [Link] 2–4 Raleigh Aquarium Society Workshop
Raleigh, NC
JANUARY [Link]

14 Danbury Area Aquarium Society 33rd

2–4 The Big Fish Deal 6
Rockville, MD
Annual Auction
[Link]
Carmel, NY
[Link]/daas-home-page 16–18 Northeast Council of Aquarium
Societies 43rd Annual Convention
20 Champaign Area Fish Exchange
Rocky Hill, CT
Winter Auction
[Link]
Urbana, IL
[Link]

27 Gold Coast Aquarium Society

MAY
Tropical Fish and Friends Expo 18–20 Canadian Association of
Ft. Lauderdale, FL Aquarium Clubs Convention
[Link] Burlington, Ontario
[Link]
FEBRUARY
10 Ohio Cichlid Association Auction
JUNE
Strongsville, OH 7–10 North American Native Fish
[Link] Association Annual Convention
11 Missouri Aquarium Society Auction Young Harris, GA
Earth City, MO [Link]/[Link]
[Link]

17 Motor City Aquarium Society Auction

JULY
Madison Heights, MI 4–8 American Cichlid Association
[Link] Convention
18 Pioneer Valley Aquarium Society Houston, TX
Annual Auction [Link]
Chicopee, MA
[Link] OCTOBER
25 Stark County Aqua Life Enthusiasts 4–7 All-Aquarium Catfish Convention
Society Auction Herndon, VA
Canton, OH [Link]
[Link]
19–21 Aquatic Experience New Jersey
For a more complete listing of upcoming events, Secaucas, NJ
visit [Link]/events. [Link]
To submit your event, contact:
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Janine Banks, [Link]@[Link]

88
 ZZZWZROLWWOHÀVKLHVFRP

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559-438-4343 Ste C-101 The Flower Bed
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Animal Attraction Pet Store Idaho Maine 415 Rte 18, Ste 8
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Greeley, CO Fish Aquariums & Stuff Easy Aquariums
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970-353-3400 6112 W Fairview Ave 664 Main St
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1970 E County Line Rd, Unit A
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1254 Loudon Rd
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303-798-1776 410 N Kings Rd #101
[Link] Nampa, ID House of Tropicals 518-783-3474
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410-761-1113 522 West 37th St
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212-594-2272
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90
The Fish Place Skoolz of Fish SWEDEN THAILAND
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91
 SP EC IE S SNAPSHOTS
➊ CRYPTOCORYNE NURII VAR. RAUBENSIS ➋ MEL ANOTAENIA AFFINIS “SUN-
GAI DANSARI” ➌ CHERAX SP. “BLUE KONG"➍ XIPHOPHORUS NEZAHUAL -
COYOT L ➎ CO RY D O R A S S P. C W 112 ➏ H E T E RO C H A R A X ( ? ) S P. “ R I O NA NAY ”

Cryptocoryne nurii var. raubensis

Cryptocoryne nurii var. raubensis REFERENCES

Jacobsen, N. et al. 2015. Cryptocoryne nurii var. raubensis—a new

1| Cryptocoryne nurii var. raubensis is an unusually

attractive aquatic plant, well suited for aquarium
cultivation. This relatively new variety was described by
calcicolous variety from Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. Aquat Gard 28
(2): 32–43.

Jacobsen (2015) from Rau in the Sungai-Pahang drain- Melanotaenia affinis “Sungai Dansari”
age, Peninsular Malaysia, where it grows submersed
year-round in clear, sometimes fast-flowing limestone
waters, as well as in quieter areas that may dry up for
short periods.
2| Melanotaenia affinis is a common rainbowfish
species that has a fairly wide distribution. As-
sorted variants of the species are present in northern
In the aquarium this plant seems to be easy to New Guinea, as well as in the Indonesian part of
grow, but reproduces slowly via runners; it does well western New Guinea and northern Papua New Guinea.
in normal aquarium gravel. I obtained a number of During a recent trip to western New Guinea with Jeffrey
specimens from Stephan Karlick of Vienna and housed Christian of Maju Aquarium in Cibinong and Andreas
them in two aquariums with different lighting levels. Wagnitz of Henstedt-Ulzburg, we caught the variant of
In both aquariums the plants thrived in medium-hard M. affinis shown here, which is new to the aquarium
water with a temperature of 75–79°F (24–26°C ) and hobby. This form lives in the Sungai Dansari, not far
AMAZONAS

looked splendid. This attractive plant variety is still from Jayapura, the provincial capital. We were surprised
ALL: H.-G. EVERS

rare, but should become well established soon, at at the values of the clear water: temperature 77°F
least among specialist aquarists. (25°C) and electrical conductivity 102 μS/cm. The
—Hans-Georg Evers rainbowfish live among rocks in a raging current, which

92
 Male Melanotaenia
affinis “Sungai Dansari”

makes catching these nimble creatures very difficult. In Cherax sp. “Blue Kong” Crayfish
hip-deep water the current was so strong that we could
hardly keep our footing. We were astonished that these
fish were doing so well under these conditions.
While snorkeling we discovered hundreds of indi-
3| Good things come in threes—or so some say.
That certainly applies to the newest crabs from
New Guinea, which came from the border zone between
viduals, but had difficulty catching any. Eventually we the southern part of western New Guinea (Indonesia)
managed to capture a number of them for Christian’s and neighboring Papua New Guinea. Previously we knew
breeding project, and he took seven fishes back to Ger- of two red, orange, and blue forms of a species closely
many with him. The largest male currently measures related to Cherax peknyi (probably new to science); this
around 3 inches (8 cm), but we expect them to grow third form is a brilliant blue all over its body. In spring
a bit more. The first breeding attempt was successful, 2017, Aquarium Dietzenbach imported a small number
and I already have young fishes available. of specimens of this gorgeous species under the
—Hans-Georg Evers impressive name Cherax sp. “Blue Kong.” As was the

Cherax sp. “Blue Kong”

AMAZONAS

93
 case with previous forms, experienced breeders started
working with these rarities in order to breed them in
captivity and secure the population. These crayfish
come from a very remote region and are sent to Jakarta
in small numbers for export via a circuitous route.
—Hans-Georg Evers

Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl, Mountain Swordtail

4| Fans of wild Mexican livebearers who are breed-

ing Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl don’t have it
easy. If they try to explain to someone what species
they are keeping, it sounds like a tongue-twister! This
rather modestly colored swordtail is fairly small: fe-
males are 2.4 inches (6 cm) long (they have no sword).
A group of them can be maintained in an aquarium 30
inches (80 cm) long or longer. The males may constant-
ly squabble, but they don't injure one another if there Corydoras sp. CW 112,
are enough individuals present to diffuse the aggres- undescribed "New Evelyn's" Cory
sive behavior of the dominant specimens.
The species comes from the Mexican highlands,
so they will tolerate a water temperature of up to 79°F
(26°C), but they shouldn’t be kept this warm all the Corydoras sp. CW 112
time. A several-week cool period (water temperature
68–71.6°F/20–22°C) once a year will do these fishes
a lot of good.
The Mountain Swordtail, as the species is popularly
5| For some time, this small mailed catfish has
been imported now and then from Brazil under
the name Corydoras sp. “New Evelynae.” This unde-
known, isn’t particularly productive. Broods of up to scribed species purportedly comes from the drainage
40 fry have been reported, but usually the number of of the Rio Purus, an area well known for mailed cat-
young is significantly lower—10 to 15 roughly every fishes and supposedly the source of the sought-after
four weeks. Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl is not widely C. evelynae. The description of that species says only
distributed in the hobby, even among people who "upper Rio Solimoes" (Rössel 1963).
specialize in livebearing toothcarps, but can generally The new species, around 2 inches (5 cm) in total
be obtained from members of the DGLZ (the German length when adult (females) and an attractive salt-
Livebearing Toothcarp Association) or by consulting and-pepper color with a broken black dorsal stripe,
forums online. has recently been given the code number CW 112.
—Hans-Georg Evers The body form of this fish is somewhat reminiscent

Two male Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl.

AMAZONAS

94
 Heterocharax (?) sp. “Rio Nanay”

6| I had real problems coming up

with a name for this tetra. What
on earth can you call such an unusual
fish, whose very genus is anything but
certain? The large eyes and the body
form suggest a relationship with the
small genus Heterocharax, which is
distributed widely in Amazonia. But the
red coloration, which makes the fish look
as if it is bleeding, doesn’t support this.
Pier Aquatics in Wigan, England, obtained
these fish along with a species from Peru
that is equally difficult to identify—I have
previously referred to it as Moenkhausia
sp. “Burning Eyes” (Evers 2015). It is
thought that both species originate from
the upper course of the Rio Nanay and
are exported via Iquitos. The Heterochar-
ax (?) species arrived as bycatch in a
shipment of other tetras.
of that of the species in the C. armatus assemblage, I am keeping the two species together, and they
but the coloration is totally different. I discovered this form an attractive shoal, though the Heterocharax (?)
rare fish at Aqua Global in Werneuchen; the com- species often peel off and go their own way. Based
pany’s buyer, Ingo Seidel, had spotted it on the stock on my initial experience, this species is absolutely
lists of an exporter as "New Evelynae." The fish peaceful and easy to keep. The unusually large eyes
quickly sold out; it is uncommon, at least in Germany, and strange coloration make this tetra unique, but
to find these somewhat expensive mailed catfishes. I doubt that it will survive in the aquarium hobby.
But we now have the species, and we hope to hear Characins aren’t trendy right now, and even unusually
soon about successful breeding efforts. striking species are often limited to the fringes. What
—Hans-Georg Evers a pity!
—Hans-Georg Evers
REFERENCES

Rössel, F. 1963. Neue und seltene Corydoras-Arten aus Brasilien. REFERENCES

Senck Biol 44 (5): 359–63. Evers, H.-G. 2016. A Fan's Notes: Tetras. AMAZONAS 5 (4): 20–31.

Heterocharax (?) sp. “Rio Nanay”

AMAZONAS

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 * NEW IN USA *
ASK YOUR LOCAL DEALER TO CONTACT
AQUARIUM MUNSTER USA

DR. BASSLEER BIOFISH FOOD

FOOD
FEEDING ACCORDING TO NATURE’S EXAMPLE
With the brand DR. BASSLEER BIOFISH FOOD you get a range of extraordinary foods, developed
by the worldwide well-known fish pathologist Dr. Gerald Bassleer. The granulated DR.
BASSLEER BIOFISH FOOD is upgraded by functional additives (e. g. fresh garlic, açai berries,
chlorella algue) that are artisanal coated at low temperature after processing the granulate. All
granulated foods contain valuable probiotics (Pediococcus acidilactici). Available in 15 different
types and 6 different pellet sizes.

AQUAVITAL

CARE
SYSTEMATIC PROTECTION AND CARE
The AQUAVITAL system - whose individual products have been selected to optimally
supplement one to each other - creates ideal living conditions in the aquarium. Representative
examples of unique products are AQUAVITAL BACTOSPRINT, the Innovative 2-components-
product that shortens the aquariums “set-up-phase” and AQUAVITAL PURECLEAN, a descaler/
cleaner which extends the lifetime of pumps and other devices significantly.

MEDICINES

CURE
SIMPLE, SAFE AND EFFECTIVE
All medical products from Aquarium Münster are manufactured with the GMP guidelines - the
pharmaceutical industry‘s internationally standardized quality standards. They are the result of
many years of research, development and testing.

AQUARIUM MÜNSTER
FISH LIKE US
Fish like Aquarium Münster which is no surprise, as the wellbeing of fish is being cared for with great
commitment by the third generation. Therefore efficient remedies against diseases which were not
curable for a long time have been developed and the living conditions for healthy fish have been greatly
improved. Excellent foods, remedies and care products are the focus today. With these products we can
assist aquarists and garden pond owners all over the world.
D112017P

Aquarium Munster USA Inc. | us-branch@[Link] | Phone: +1 413 367 0144 | [Link]
A DV E RTI S E R S
101 Best Freshwater Nano Species Book . . . . . . . . . . .53 Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies . . . . . . . . . . .97

INDEX
[Link] [Link]
5D Tropical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Ocean Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
[Link] [Link]
AMAZONAS Magazine Apps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 OmegaSea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
[Link]/apps [Link]
Amazonas Magazine Back Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Pleco Feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
[Link] [Link]
AMAZONAS Magazine Retail Sources . . . . . . . . . . .90, 91 Poly-Bio-Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
[Link]/source-directory [Link]
AMAZONAS Magazine Subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Riparium Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
[Link] [Link]
AMAZONAS Magazine Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 San Francisco Bay Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
[Link] [Link]
American Killifish Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Sera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
[Link] [Link]
Apet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Swiss Tropicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
[Link] [Link]
Aquanerest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 TAAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
[Link] [Link]
Aquarium Münster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Tannin Aquatics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
[Link] [Link]
Aquarium Zen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Tunze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
[Link] [Link]
Aquatropic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Two Little Fishies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81, 89
[Link] [Link]fi[Link]
Boyd Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 The Wet Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
[Link] [Link]fi[Link]
CaribSea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside back cover ZooMed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, back cover
[Link] [Link]
Dr. Tim’s Aquatics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
[Link]
Fluval Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
www.fl[Link]
Hikari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62, 63 For an AMAZONAS Media Kit please contact:
[Link] Mike Tuccinardi, Advertising Sales Director •
New Life Spectrum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 [Link]@[Link]
[Link]fi[Link]

AMAZONAS

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 U N D E RWAT E R EYE by Morrell Devlin

PTEROPHYLLUM SCALARE
The stately elegance of the freshwater
Silver Ghost Angelfish makes it a popular
aquarium classic for a wide range of
fishkeepers. While still cichlids, members
of the Pterophyllum family are relatively
mild- mannered in community settings.
Active breeders continue to experiment
with the phenotype to create new and
interesting strains for the hobby.
AMAZONAS

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