The Margined Butterfly (Chelmon marginalis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Western Beaked Butterflyfish, Willemawillum, Three-Stripe Butterflyfish, Marginalis Butterflyfish, and Margined Coralfish is endemic to Australia and ranges from the Houtman Abrolhos in Western Australia, around the coasts of northern Australia to the northern Great Barrier Reef, and the reefs in the Coral […]

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The Tanganyikan Spiny Eel (Mastacembelus ellipsifer) is a nocturnal benthopelagic predator endemic to Lake Tanganyika in Africa.   Also collected in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia Mastacembelus ellipsifer are only one of the fifteen spiny eel species found in the Tanganyikan basin. Tanganyikan Spiny Eels are found in the intermediate zones around […]

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The Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Yellowtail Tang, Yellowtail Surgeonfish, or Blue Surgeonfish is native to the Red Sea however, they have also been encountered in the Gulf of Aden, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, and recently in the Mediterranean Sea near Sardinia. They have been recorded […]

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The Orinoco Angelfish (Pterophyllum altum) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Altum Angelfish, Deep Angelfish, Orinoco altum or Altum Angel is found in the Orinoco River basin and the upper Rio Negro watershed in Southern Venezuela, Southeastern Columbia, and the Northen part of Brazil. Most Orinoco Angelfish are found in the well oxygenated, extremely […]

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The Kyoga Flameback (Xystichromis “Kyoga Flameback”) is an endangered species found in Lake Nawampassa, a lake north of Lake Victoria that is part of the Kyoga Basin/ Victorian Nile drainage system. Unfortunately, due to pollution and the introduction of the Nile Perch in it’s waters, the Kyoga Flameback like many other Lake Victoria species is […]

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Boesman’s Tetra (Hemigrammus boesemani) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Suriname Green Line Scissors Lamp is an extremely rare species found in Suriname, French Guiana, and Peru however, because of misidentification it may exist in several other countries. Boesman’s Tetra are a peaceful shoaling species that are found in the still, sluggish moving, […]

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The Horse Nose Cichlid (Eretmodus cyanostictus) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Striped Gopby Cichlid and Tanganyikan Clown Cichlid is endemic to Lake Tanganyika where it is found in the “surge zone” along the shallow surface layers of the rocky shorelines of Zambia and Tanzania where they scrape algae from the rocks […]

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Although the Venezuelan Red Sailfin Cory Catfish (Corydoras aeneus) or Red Sailfin Venezuelan Cory Catfish is said to be found throughout much of South America from Colombia and Trinidad in the north, to as far south as the Río de la Plata drainage on the border of Uruguay and Argentina; true Corydoras aeneus “venezuela” are […]

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The Violet Blushing Shark (Labeo boga) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Violet Shark, Violet-gilled Shark, and Red-gilled Violet Shark is found in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The critically endangered Violet Blushing Shark is a peaceful, calm, semi aggressive bottom feeding species that occurs in schools in most of the major […]

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The Paroon Shark (Pangasius sanitwongsei) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Hi-fin tiger shark, Iridescent Shark, Giant Pangasius, Chao Phraya Giant Catfish, Pla Tepa, Emperor ID Shark, Hi-Fin Bull Shark, or Hi-fin Pangasius is native to the lower Mekong river which meanders through China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam and the Chao Phraya […]

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The Iridescent Shark (Pangasius hypophthalmus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Mystic Shark, Sutchi Catfish, Pangasius Cat, ID Shark, or Striped Catfish is found in large rivers in the Mekong, Maeklong, and Chao Phraya river basins of Southeast Asia. The Iridescent Shark (Pangasius hypophthalmus) is a migratory species (both a spawning and a […]

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The Christmas Fulu (Xystichromis phytophagus) is a beautiful endangered species that is already considered extinct in Lake Victoria however, it is relatively common in Lake Kanyabooli, in the Kenyan Yala Swamp of Africa. In their natural habitat, Christmas Fulu are polygamous maternal mouth brooders that feed primarily on algae and vegetable matter.   Because they are […]

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Koi (Cyprinus rubrofuscu) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Jinli, Nishikigoi, or Brocaded carp are brightly colored variants of the common Amur carp, which is widespread in East Asia from the Amur to the Red River drainages. Koi (Cyprinus rubrofuscu) are native to China, Laos, and Vietnam, and were once considered a subspecies of […]

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Taeniolethrinops praeorbitalis is a peaceful, solitary cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi that is found over sandy substrates in relatively shallow depths of up to 160 feet. Taeniolethrinops praeorbitalis can be distinguished from it’s close relative Taeniolethrinops laticeps, by it’s longer snout and the absence of an oblique dark diagonal line that crosses the upper portion […]

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Green Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon simulans) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as False Neon Tetras or Blue Neon Tetras are found in the border areas of the mid to upper Rio Negro drainage in Brazil upstream from the mouth of the Rio Branco, and between the mouth of the Rio Meta and San Fernando […]

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The Head and Tail Light Tetra (Hemigrammus ocellifer) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Beacon Fish originates in South America in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins, parts of Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Peru and Brazil.   Because of its popularity with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts worldwide, they are bred in huge numbers for […]

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The Green Neon (Hemigrammus hyanuary) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the January Tetra or Costello Tetra is found in the Amazon River basin in Brazil and Peru; specifically Lake Hyanuary near Manuas, Brazil. Green Neons are an active shoaling species that are found in the black waters of slow moving rivers, river tributaries […]

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The Giant Raphael Catfish (Megalodoras uranoscopus) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Giant Talking Catfish, Mother of Snails Catfish, Megalodoras Catfish, or Ripsaw Catfish, is a native to the Amazon River Basin in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Giant Raphael Catfish (Megalodoras uranoscopus) have been recorded in the Amazon, Essequibo, and […]

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Rainbow Wolf Fish (Erythrinus erythrinus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as High Fin Wolf Fish or Red Wolf Fish are found in Brazil, French Guiana, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago,  and Venezuela. Rainbow Wolf Fish (Erythrinus erythrinus)  are usually found among surface vegetation in the very shallow waters of small river tributaries, swamps, the margins […]

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The Chocolate Cichlid (Hypselecara temporalis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Emerald Cichlid is found in the Ucayali, Amazonas, SolimñƒÂ´es, Amapá and Oyapock Rivers in Brazil, Colomiba, Peru, and Venezuela. The Chocolate Cichlid is a peaceful, rarely aggressive species that prefers living in the silt laden, slow flowing rivers and backwaters of their […]

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