The Kribensis Cichlid (Pelvicachromis pulcher) is a popular African cichlid that is endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon.   It is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as kribensis, krib, common krib, red krib, super red krib, rainbow krib, rainbow cichlid, and purple cichlid.

The Kribensis Cichlid can be found in fast moving waters, but it is particularly fond of shallow, still, or very slow moving densely vegetated waters; and although theyare primarily a fresh water species, they are occasionally collected in brackish water.  Kribensis are one of the easiest African cichlids to breed, which is undoubtedly why they are so popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts worldwide.

Kribensis Cichlid Female (Pelvicachromis pulcher)

The Kribensis is a small “dwarf” cichlid which has an elongated body shape that is basically black in color, with a yellow lateral stripe over a dark longitudinal stripe that runs from the mouth to the caudal fin, and a red to pink belly which turns a vivid scarlet red during courtship and breeding.   The dorsal and caudal fins of both sexes will often have one or more gold ringed eye spots or ocelli.

Mature males develop pointed dorsal, caudal, and anal fins, and are normally larger than the females.  Females are always rounder bodied than males, develop a vivid red/purple belly during spawning, and have more rounded pelvic, dorsal, and anal fins.   Albino tank raised specimens are relatively common, and both forms are readily available in the aquarium hobby.   Juvenile specimens are monomorphic until about six months of age.

Although Kribensis Cichlids are highly recommended for community tanks, like all cichlids they can become extremely territorial during breeding.   They are a shy, docile species that should not be housed with larger or more active tank mates.   They are best kept in pairs with small tetras, barbs, danios, rasboras, Corydoras, gouramis, Loricariids, or other West African dwarf cichlids, provided enough space is given for them to form small territories.

Kribensis Cichlids are best kept in a densely planted 55 gallon or larger aquarium with a medium to fine gravel substrate, with plenty of rocks formed into caves, and some African Driftwood or bogwood for them to hide among and breed in.   Because they are a cave spawning species, small clay flower pots are frequently used along with rock structured caves for breeding.

Much aquarium literature on Kribensis Cichlids suggests that they form monogamous pairs, however in their natural environment, Polygynous harems are common.

Kribensis are secretive cave spawners that also are known to lay their eggs in holes excavated underneath rocks or plants.   In an aquarium environment, they readily accept clay flower pots or rock caves as breeding sites.   They lay anywhere from 30 to over 100 adhesive eggs in rows on the ceiling of the cave.   Although both parents care for the eggs until they hatch, usually within 21 to 28 days; the female will take over the care of the fry, while the male typically guards their territory.   The fry can be fed baby brine shrimp and finely ground omnivore flakes until they are able to fend for themselves.

Although Kribensis Cichlids are categorized as omnivores, the primary diet in their natural environment is green algae, small diatoms, small pieces of plants, and blue green algae with only an occasional invert being consumed.

In an aquarium environment, they do well when placed on a diet of vegetable based foods.   Spirulina flakes, a quality vegetable flake food, or African Cichlid micro pellets are a good choice for kribs with an occasional supplement of frozen or freeze dried brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc.

Kribensis Cichlids are readily available online and from tropical fish shops throughout the country.   They are sold when they attain a size of 1″ as juveniles, up to 4″ as adults.

Kribensis Cichlid (Pelvicachromis pulcher)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, KH 3-10, pH 6.0-8.0
Max. Size: 4″
Color Form: Black, Red, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Peaceful community tanks
Origin: Nigeria and Cameroon, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Two Stripe Pencilfish (Nannostomus digrammus) are native to the Branco, Madeira, Trombetas, and Tapajós river drainage in the central Amazon basin in Brazil, and the Rupununi basin in Guyana.    In recent years, similar specimens with an additional thin dark stripe on the lower part of the body were exported from Columbia to Peru which were also believed to be Nannostomus digrammus.

Like most pencilfish species, the Two Stripe Pencilfish typically frequents small rivers, sluggish tributaries, slow moving streams, and swampy areas that have an abundance of aquatic vegetation, submerged bogwood, and usually lots of leaf litter.

Two Stripe Pencilfish (Nannostomus digrammus)

The Two Stripe Pencilfish is a small, elongated species that has two prominent dark (usually maroon colored) horizontal stripes along the body.   One along the lateral line from the base of the tail through the lower portion of the eye, and the other above along the upper portion of the body.

Nannostomus digrammus is very similar to and often confused with Nannostomus bifasciatus, however, Nannostomus digrammus has an adipose fin which Nannonostomus bifasciatus lacks.

Adult males are always more intensely colored, smaller than females, and have an extended anal fin which is used in courtship.

The Two Stripe Pencilfish is a shoaling species that is best kept with at least 8 to 10 of their own kind in a species tank  or in a community tank with like sized loricariid catfishes, peaceful characids, dwarf cichlids, and the smaller callichthyids.

They do well in a densely planted tank of at least 15 gallon capacity with a dark sand or fine gravel substrate, some floating plants to diffuse overhead lighting, some driftwood or bogwood for the fish to hide, and some dried Indian Almond Leaves or other leaf litter that promotes the growth of microbe colonies during their decomposition.  The dried Indian Almond leaves produce tannins and other beneficial chemicals, and establish a secondary food source as the leaves slowly decay.

Because Nannostomus digrammus prefer slow moving water in their aquarium, an air powered corner sponge filter is all the filtration that is needed.

As of this date, the Two Stripe Pencilfish has not reportedly been bred in an aquarium environment.

In their natural environment, the Two Stripe Pencilfish is a micro predator that feeds on zooplankton, small worms, and tiny invertebrates.   In an aquarium environment, it will eat dried foods but they should also be provided with daily meals of small live, frozen, or freeze dried Moina, bloodworms, Daphnia, grindal worms, tubifex, brine shrimp, etc.

Although the Two Stripe Pencilfish is uncommon, it is usually available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts through specialty fish keeping shops or online at reasonable prices when they are 3/4″ to 1″ in length.

Two Stripe Pencilfish (Nannostomus digrammus)

Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, 18 – 178 ppm, pH 5.0-7.0
Max. Size: 1.25″
Color Form: Silver, Black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Single species tank
Origin: Brazil, Guyana
Family: Lebiasinidae
Lifespan: 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Beckford’s Pencilfish or Brown Pencilfish.

Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi)

The Golden Pencilfish has a long, elongated body that is gold with a silvery band along the middle of the flanks, bordered above by a reddish band, and below by a blackish band with a cream to white underbelly.

It possesses a black spot on the lower half of it’s gill covers and has a red caudal fin.   Males have an enlarged, well developed anal fin which is used in courtship and spawning, and like most Nannostomus species, the Golden Pencilfish acquires a vertically barred colour pattern at night.

Adult males are more intensely colored and have a curved posterior anal fin, which is straight in the females. Females are less colorful and noticeably more round bodied than the males.

Golden Pencilfish are widely distributed throughout the rivers of Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, and the eastern Amazon drainage in Amapá and Pará states, Brazil. It is also found from the rio Madeira, in the lower and middle Amazon, upstream to the lower rio Negro and rio Orinoco in Venezuela.

The Golden Pencilfish is normally found in swampy areas, small slow moving rivers, and sluggish river tributaries that are densely vegetated with aquatic plants and have an abundance of leaf litter and submerged bogwood and branches.

Across their natural range, the Golden Pencilfish also exists in a number of different color forms which were once believed to be separate distinct species.  Depending on their origin, they can vary wildly in color and pattern.  Those listed below are now considered synonymous with Nannostomus beckfordi.

• Nannostomus beckfordi surinami collected from Berg en Dal, just north of Brokopondo reservoir, in Suriname.
• Nannostomus anomalus collected in the middle Amazon close to Santarém. In these specimens the upper part of the body is brownish, the lower part yellowish, and the dark lateral stripe does not reach the caudal fin. It is edged above and below by narrow silver stripes.
• Nannostomus simplex from Lama Stop off, in Guyana has a dark gray dorsal surface with a dark median line. It has a light band from the snout to the base of the upper rays in the middle of the caudal fin, a black band through it’s snout to the base of it’s lower caudal fin through the two middle rays. Except for a spot between the tips of the ventral fins, the ventral surfaces are plain. Chromatophores of the lateral band are scattered above the pectoral fins and in front of the anal fin.
• Nannostomus aripirangensis from Arapiranga Island, close to Belém, Pará state, in Brazil appears to be the form most commonly found in the aquarium hobby. It’s base body color is a dark brown, with a dark lateral band that extends into the central caudal fin rays. The rest of the caudal fin base is reddish, as are the ventral fins that are tipped white to a light blue color.

The Golden Pencilfish should ideally be housed in a densely planted 15 gallon or larger aquarium with a dark, sandy or fine gravel substrate, some floating plants to diffuse lighting, a few pieces of driftwood or bogwood, and some dried Indian Almond Leaves or leaf litter on the bottom of the tank.

Dried Indian Almond Leaves establish colonies of beneficial microbes as they decay which provides a secondary food source to the fish. The decomposition also releases tannins and other chemicals into the water that keeps the fish healthy.

Golden Pencilfish are a slow moving, relatively peaceful species that do best with at least 10 or more of their own kind in a biotope setting.  They can be housed in a community tank environment with similarly sized rasboras, anabantoids, tetras, barbs, dwarf cichlids, callichthyid or loricariid catfishes, but they will not compete with larger or boisterous tankmates.

A corner air powered sponge filter is all that is necessary for keeping pencilfish.  They do not do well in strong currents.

Golden Pencilfish are egg scattering free spawners that do not care after their young.   Adults in a mature aquarium often spawn without any outside intervention and in a densely planted tank, some fry will appear and may actually survive.

If you plan on breeding numbers of pencilfish, start by conditioning a large group with live plenty of live foods.  When the fish are conditioned, select single pair, or a group of one or two males and several females.

Place them in a small breeding tank with mature water and plenty of fine leaved plants like Taxiphyllum, spawning mops, or a plastic grass matting that is often used for egg scatterers.  Some breeders line the bottom of a bare tank with marbles that allow the eggs to fall to the bottom but prevent the parents from getting to the egss.

Keep the tank dimly lit, the water slightly acidic to neutral, and the temperature at the high end of their range. Provide a small sponge air filter into the tank for circulation and the spawning should commence.

After spawning occurs, (usually within 2 to 3 days) remove the parents from the breeding tank and introduce Paramecium or green water into the tank. The fry should be free swimming in about 3 days.   When the fry are large enough, feed them finely crushed flake food, microworms, or newly hatched brine shrimp.

The Golden Pencilfish is a micropredator that feeds on zooplankton, minute worms, and tiny invertebrates in their natural habitat. In an aquarium environment, they can be fed a quality dried crushed flake but should be offered daily portions of live, frozen, or freeze dried brine shrimp, daphnia, Moina, tubifex, or grindal worms.

Although wild Nannostomus beckfordi are exported on a regular basis, most specimens available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts are commercially farmed. Golden Pencilfish are usually available online or in tropical fish keeping shops when they are 3/4″ to 1-1/4″ in size.

Golden Pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi)

 
Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 69-80° F, 18 – 268 ppm, pH 5.0-8.0
Max. Size: 1.50″
Color Form: Gold, Black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Single species tank
Origin: Guyana
Family: Lebiasinidae
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Barred Espei Pencilfish (Nannostomus espei) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Espei’s Pencilfish, Four-Barred Pencilfish, or Banded Pencilfish and is endemic to the Mazaruni River system in Guyana, from the Peaima to Tiboku waterfalls, including many of its tributaries such as the Kurupung, Eping, and Tabuba.   There are also unconfirmed occurrences from the Casiquiare Canal and Río Ventauri, Venezuela (Río Orinoco drainage).

Barred Espei Pencilfish (Nannostomus espei)

Nannostomus espei are easily identified by their 5 dark vertically oriented bars on the sides of each golden colored flank.  Although most Nannostomus  spp. display vertically barred patterns at night, the Barred Espei Pencilfish is the only one that permanently displays the barred pattern.

This pencilfish species possesses an adipose fin that many pencilfish do not.  Like all pencilfish, they have a small terminal mouth that always appears to be open.  Females of the species are always stockier than the males, and the golden stripe on the females is less colorful than on the males.

Barred Espei Pencilfish are found in densely vegetated small rivers, blackwater tributaries, and swampy areas typically where there is a lot of overhanging vegetation that produces substantial leaf litter, submerged logs, and woody branches.  The humic acids and other chemicals released by the decaying organic material typically stains the water a coffee color and creates a pH as low as 4.0 with a negligible mineral content.

Barred Espei Pencilfish are a peaceful, gregarious, slow moving, shoaling species that do not make great candidates for a community tank.  They do best in a biotope setting with at least a dozen or more of their own kind to minimize aggression and should never be kept alone in a community tank.

Although they do well with smaller callichthyids, loricriid catfish, dwarf cichlids, and non aggressive characids, their small size and timid nature often put them in danger.

In an aquarium environment they should be housed in a mature densely planted tank of at least 10 gallon capacity, with a dark sandy or fine gravel substrate,  some driftwood branches, floating plants to provide cover, and some dried Indian Almond Leaves to provide the establishment of valuable microbe colonies.   The microbe colonies created by the decaying dried leaf litter also provide a secondary food source for the fry.  The decaying leaves also release tannins and other chemicals into the water that are medicinal to the fish and act as a buffer.

Because they are found in slow moving water, a corner air powered sponge filter is all the filtration needed for Barred Espei Pencilfish.  They do not like a strong current in their tank.

Barred Espei Pencilfish have been bred in an aquarium environment, usually in a mature, densely planted tank with very soft, acidic water, where the fry started appearing without any human intervention.    If you place a conditioned group of two males with several females together in a densely planted tank of Echinodorus,  Anubias, or Microsorum with aged water, breeding will eventually take place.  This species is highly selective when choosing mates but when a pair does develop, they will begin laying small clumps of eggs underneath the plant leaves.

During courtship, the male will swim above the female and nudge her on the head.   Using his bag like anal fin, the male will attach anywhere from 20 to 40 eggs to the underside of the broad leaved plants.   When the eggs are seen, remove the plants or the adults into a separate tank to prevent them from eating the eggs.  The fry will begin to appear within 24 to 36 hours after the eggs are deposited, and they should be free swimming 5 or  6 days thereafter.

Feed the fry Paramecium or a very fine dry fry food until they are able to eat microworms, newly hatched baby brine shrimp, and daphnia.

In their natural environment, Barred Espei Pencilfish are micro predators that feed on zooplankton and minute invertebrates.   In an aquarium environment, they can be fed a quality dried flake food but require daily offerings of live, frozen, or freeze dried baby brine shrimp, grindal worms, Daphnia, etc.

Barred Espei Pencilfish (Nannostomus espei) are not common in the aquarium hobby and are relatively expensive when they do become available online or in specialty tropical fish keeping shops.  When available, they are usually about 3/4″ to 1″ in size.

Barred Espei Pencilfish (Nannostomus espei)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-83° F,  18 – 90 ppm, pH 4.0-6.5
Max. Size: 1.25″
Color Form: Gold, Black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Single species tank
Origin: Guyana
Family: Lebiasinidae
Lifespan: 2-5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Lohachata Botia Loach (Botia lohachata) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Yoyo Loach, Almorha Loach, Pakistani Loach, Reticulated Loach, and Y-Loach.

Because only a single juvenile specimen was used to originally describe Botia lohachata, the validity of the species has never been fully resolved.   Grant in 2007 considered it as a distinct species that has definitely been exported for the aquarium trade, but confirmation is still required.

Lohachata Botia Loach (Botia lohachata)

Juvenile Lohachata Botia Loaches have a gold to silver metallic sheen that turns a gray to green in adults, without the sheen.  Three unconnected “Y” markings typically occur in adult and juvenile specimens which give rise to one of their common names, the Yoyo Loach.

The dorsal fin of the Lohachata Botia loach has 2 to 3 bands; the caudal fin has 3 to 4 bands, the pectoral fins usually have 3 bands, the anal fin has 1 or 2 bands, and the ventral fins usually have 1 to 4 bands that increase with age.

The Lohachata Botia Loach can further be identified by the four pairs of barbels that protrude from their mouth and their silvery gold with irregular black striping color.

The Lohachata Botia Loach is often believed to be a scaleless fish but they do have very small scales that are embedded in their skin.

Like all loaches, the Lohachata Botia Loach is an active scavenger.  They are a semi aggressive species that enjoy the company of their own species.  They generally school with other loaches of the same size and age, and should be housed in groups of 6 or more specimens in an aquarium environment.

Lohachata Botia Loaches require an aquarium of at least 30 gallons with a sandy or fine gravel substrate, some plants, some smooth river rock, a few pieces of driftwood or bogwood for them to hide among, and plenty of free swimming space. They like holes in driftwood or caves in the rockwork to hide and sleep.

Because Lohachata Botia Loaches are found in shaded jungle streams, they prefer subdued lighting or a few floating plants in their tank to diffuse the lighting and provide cover.

All botia loaches are excellent diggers, and because of their delicate barbels, should be provided with a sandy substrate in their tank. These loaches are also excellent jumpers and require a tightly fitting tank cover.

Lohachata Botia Loaches do best in well oxygenated water with some degree of current in their tank.  They are intolerant to the accumulation of organic wastes and need spotless water conditions to thrive. For this reason, many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts opt for using a quality canister filter for this species. They should never be introduced into a biologically immature aquarium. Even so, they require regular 25% to 50% weekly water changes.

The breeding habits of this particular species have never been recorded, and to date no captive breeding program has yet been initiated.

Juvenile Botia Lohachata will eat most prepared foods and should be fed small portions several times a day. Older specimens sometimes become finicky eaters and can be fed tubifex, blackworms, small snails, etc. to augment their diet.

Juvenile Botia lohachata are occasionally introduced with mixed botia shipments and are sometimes available when they are 1-3/4″ to 2-1/2″ in size.

Lohachata Botia Loach (Botia lohachata)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-86° F, KH 8-12, pH 6.0-7.5
Max Size: 5″
Color Form: Black, White, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Good community tank fish
Origin: Bangladesh, North and Northeast India
Family: Cobitidae
Lifespan: 8 – 12 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Featherfin Rainbow (Iriatherina werneri) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Threadfin Rainbow is found between Merauke and the mouth of the Fly River in Papua New Guinea, and Lakes Kala and Bosset.  In Australia, they are found in the numerous river basins of the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland state and in the Northern Territory to the west including the Arafura wetlands of Arnhem Land.

The Featherfin Rainbow is a small, peaceful, streamlined schooling species that only grow to about 2″ in length. Males and females have different color patterns and fin shapes.  Their colors vary greatly depending on the locale where they are collected from, their diet, health, lighting, substrate color, and even their status in the school.

Featherfin Rainbow (Iriatherina werneri)

Males have a silver body with blue highlights above and orange underneath.  Mature males have long threads that extend from their dorsal and anal fins. Their fan shaped primary dorsal fin can be a combination of red, black, yellow, red, or orange.  Their second dorsal fin, anal, and pelvic fins are usually colored black to dark yellow, and their tails are either blue or clear, edged with red.  Adults also have faint vertical stripes that run along their backbone.

Female Featherfin Rainbows have transparent fins, honey colored

Featherfin Rainbow (Iriatherina werneri) female

bodies that are accented with green, and are less colorful than the males.  Wild specimens that genetically originate from different rivers are significantly different in color and fin structure.  Wild specimens are rare in the aquarium trade.

Featherfin Rainbows are a schooling species that are found in grassy freshwater swamps, slow moving streams, clear water billabongs and freshwater lagoons. They are most commonly collected along the banks of heavily vegetated areas in relatively shallow waters that are associated with lily pads.

Juveniles will often form into large groups with the females, where they congregate around fallen branches and shoreline vegetation.

In an aquarium environment, Featherfin Rainbows should be kept in a densely planted aquarium of at least 30 gallon capacity with a dark sand or fine gravel substrate, some floating plants to diffuse lighting, a few river rocks, and some driftwood roots.  These fish do best in a species only tank with at least 6 or 7 of their own kind.  They are easy to keep but prefer little to no current in their tank and are sensitive to swings in water chemistry.  They should only be introduced into biologically mature aquariums.

The Featherfin Rainbow has been bred in an aquarium environment.  They prefer soft to moderately hard water that is slightly acidic (pH 5.2–7.0), at a temperature of 73–84 °F. The male courts the female by repeatedly displaying his colors while raising and lowering his front dorsal fin in front of the female.  When mating takes place, the eggs are scattered among fine leaved plants or clumps of moss, and hatch after 7 to 12 days.  The fry can easily be raised alongside the adults in a species tank if fine leaved aquatic moss like Taxiphylum is present, however the parents should be removed from the breeding tank before the eggs hatch, if no dense cover is present.

Feed the fry infusoria or other microscopic foods until they are able to eat newly hatched baby brine shrimp or finely powdered omnivore flake food.  Start them out with green water for the first few days and add paramecia.

In their natural habitat, Featherfin Rainbows feed on single celled planktonic algae, diatoms, small insects, and other plant matter.  In an aquarium environment, they do best when fed small live foods such as baby brine shrimp, small bloodworms, smaller mosquito larvae, and crushed omnivore flakes.  Like most rainbowfish, they have tiny mouths and smaller throats which can make them difficult to feed.

Iriatherina werneri are commercially bred and readily available in tropical fish keeping shops
and online at moderate prices when they are 3/4″ to 1 1/4″ in length.

Featherfin Rainbow (Iriatherina werneri)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Water Conditions: 72-77° F, KH 7-10, pH 5.8-6.5
Max. Size: 2″
Color Form: Blue, Grey
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Peaceful
Origin: Asia, Australia, New Guinea
Family: Melanotaeniidae
Life Span: 3 to 5 years
Aquarist Level: Intermediate

The Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog (Hymenochirus boettgeri) is by far the most common species of aquatic frog sold to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts in the pet trade.   They are distributed throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, and Nigeria.

The Hymenochirus genus contains two species (Hymenochirus boettgeri and Hymenochirus curtipes) and possibly a subspecies that all look similar and share some common characteristics.

Dwarf African Frog (Hymenochirus boettgeri)

Both species are brown to gray with small spots on their backs; have flat, circular, lidless eyes that sit on the sides of their tapered heads; lack tongues, and have webbed front and rear feet.  Both H. boettgeri and H. curtipes are unusual in that they never need to leave the water, in fact they will dry out and die if they do. The major difference between the two species is that H. curtipes has a much “wartier” skin.

The Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog‘s small size and docile temperament makes it well suited for peaceful community aquariums of all sizes.  The males are slimmer than the females and have a small gland that looks like a little pimple behind both of their front legs.  Only the males are able to sing or hum to apparently attract a mate.   Mature females are a bit larger than the males, and become almost pear shaped, particularly when their abdomens are filled with eggs.

The Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog is best housed in a densely planted aquarium of at least 10 gallon capacity, with a medium gravel substrate, some driftwood or bogwood and rock work for them to hide among, and if setting up a single species biotope tank, a layer of Indian Almond Leaves on the bottom.   Because they are largely a nocturnal species, subdued lighting or floating plants along with a moderate filtration system with little to no current, and a tightly fitting tank cover to prevent escapes, is recommended.

Although the Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog can thrive in a community tank environment, some care must be taken to prevent the other fish in the tank from starving the frogs to death.

Congo Dwarf Clawed Frogs mate during what is called amplexus, which usually occurs at night after several nights of “singing courtship” by the male.

When ready to mate, the male will grasp the female around the abdomen, just in front of her hind legs.  During the mating ritual, the female does all the swimming and tows the male around until she is ready to lay her eggs, one at a time, on the surface of the water.   As the eggs are laid, the male releases sperm into the water to fertilize the eggs.  When spawning is complete, the female will become motionless, signaling the male to release her.   After a few minutes the male will get the hint and release the female.

Feeding Congo Dwarf Clawed Frogs their preferred diet of live or frozen bloodworms, tubifex, or chopped earthworms can be a task if they are kept in a community tank.  They detect their food visually by movement, and unless they are individually fed, the other fish in the tank will usually eat up their share of the food.

Because they have no teeth, they cannot chew their food; instead they aggressively strike out at their prey and piggishly gulp it down whole.  Many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts hand feed their frogs or use modified turkey basters to place the food in front of their pets.   Whichever method you use, take care not to overfeed your frogs. They will search the bottom of the tank and gorge themselves on every piece of food they can find until their bellies look like small golf balls.   It’s better to feed them every couple of days or so with just enough food to round out their bellies.

Note: Some tropical fish keeping enthusiasts report that feeding freeze dried bloodworms or tubifex has caused intestinal blockages in their frogs which is usually fatal.  Caution should be exercised.

Dwarf African Frogs are commonly available for purchase at reasonable prices when they are 1/2″ to 1-1/4″ in size.

Dwarf African Frog (Hymenochirus boettgeri)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Docile
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, KH 5-8, pH 6.8-7.8
Max Size: 1½”
Color Form: Brown, Gray
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Community tanks
Origin: Congo, Africa
Family: Pipidae
Life Span: 5-15 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Western Clawed Frog (Xenopus tropicalis) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Tropical Clawed Frog inhabits the tropical and subtropical rain forests of Western Africa from Senegal to Cameroon and eastern Zaire where it inhabits slow moving rivers, streams, swamps, freshwater lakes, marshes, ponds, canals, and ditches throughout their range.

They have a wide range and are found throughout Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and possibly even Mali.

Because it is the only species in the Xenopus genus that has a diploid (cells with two homologous copies of each chromosome; normally one from the mother and one from the father) genome which has been sequenced, it along with it’s cousin the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis), is widely bred and used in biological and genetic research.  Xenopus tropicalis have a much shorter life cycle than Xenopus laevis, grow to only 1.95″ long, and attain adulthood at only 4 months, vs. 12 months for Xenopus tropicalis.

Western Clawed Frog (Xenopus tropicalis)

Xenopus tropicalis is a medium sized species that has a flattened body, bulging eyes that are situated high on their head, short plump limbs, and fully webbed feet with horny like claws.   They have a short tentacle below each eye and a row of tubercles that run along a lateral line on their flank that begins at the eye.   They have a fine granular skin, a pale to dark brown body with small black and gray spots on the back, and a creamy white to yellowish underbelly with some darker mottling.

Western Clawed Frogs should be housed in an aquarium of at least 10 gallons with a medium size gravel substrate, some hardy aquatic plants along with some driftwood and rock work structure for them to hide among, and some floating plants to diffuse the lighting in the tank.

They require adequate filtration, but avoid any strong currents in the tank.  These frogs need a tightly fitting cover to prevent them from crawling out of their tanks. They are best kept in a single species tank with 4 or 5 others of their own kind, but they can be kept in a community environment as long as the fish are not smaller than themselves.

In the wild, Western Clawed Frogs are found underneath flat stones, tree roots, and holes in the riverbanks of shallow streams during the dry season, and when the rainy season begins, they migrate across the wet rain forest floor at night to find small pools where they can spawn.  Their spawning behavior is like that of the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis) but they produce a larger number of eggs per spawn  and have a shorter (5 month) generation time.  The usually lay their eggs on plants, but they are often found floating on the water surface.

The tadpoles are generally an orange color with transparent to blackish colored tails. They have wide mouths that are used to filter zooplankton from the water, and they transform into adults when they reach about 2 inches in length.

In their natural habitat, adult Western Clawed Frogs feed on insect larvae, small fish, tadpoles, and earthworms.   In an aquarium environment, they should be feed meaty foods like live, frozen, or freeze dried bloodworms, waxworms, earthworms, tubifex, feeder fish, guppies, brine shrimp, or sinking carnivore pellets. They will also eat fish smaller than themselves. Feed them either every couple of days, or smaller portions daily.

Western Clawed Frogs are available online or from specialty tropical fish keeping shops at reasonable prices when they are about 1 1/2″ in size.

Western Clawed Frog (Xenopus tropicalis)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament:
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, KH 5-8, pH 6.8-7.8
Max Size: 1 1/2” to 2 1/4”
Color Form: Brown, Tan
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Single species or Community
Origin: Senegal, Cameroon, Zaire
Family: Pipidae
Life Span: 5-20 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Xenopus, African Clawed Toad, or African Claw Toed frog and is the only amphibian that actually has claws.   It is found in Nigeria, and from Sudan to South Africa where they are plentiful in the rivers and ponds within the southeastern portion of Sub Saharan Africa.

They are voracious predators that easily adapt to a variety of habitats.  Xenopus embryos and eggs are a popular model system for a wide variety of biological and genome sequencing studies. Some cultures also use the frog as a source of protein, an aphrodisiac, or as a fertility medicine.

African Clawed Frogs, like all members of the Pipidae family, are toothless, tongueless, scavengers that are totally aquatic.   They have three short claws on each of their hind feet which they use to tear apart their food, and unlike their cousins the Dwarf African Frog (Hymenochirus curtipes), they do not have front webbed feet.

African Clawed Frogs have no ears; instead they have lateral lines that run down their undersides and the length of their body that allow them to sense vibrations and movements in the water.   Like bullfrogs,they have sensitive digits on their front “hands” that they use for eating and detecting food.   Every season, African Clawed Frogs shed their skins, which they promptly eat.

African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis)

African Clawed Frogs are a brown to greenish grey in color and have multicolored olive gray or brown blotches on their backs.  Their undersides are a creamy white color with a yellowish tinge.  Albino specimens are relatively common and demand more attention as aquarium pets.

Male African Clawed Frogs are smaller than the females with slimmer bodies and legs, and develop glands that looks like small pink or white bumps behind their front legs. The females are plumper than the males and have a noticeable bulge above their rear legs where their eggs are located internally.

Both sexes have a cloaca where their reproductive systems empty, and their digestive and urinary wastes pass.  Both sexes are also able to make mating sounds by contracting their laryngeal muscles.  The males sound like a cricket calling underwater, while the females produce a slow ticking or rapping sound, that signals acceptance or rejection of the male’s advances.

African Clawed Frogs should be housed in a densely planted aquarium of at least 10 gallons with a medium size gravel substrate, some driftwood and rock work structure for them to hide

Albino African Clawed Frog

among, and some floating plants to diffuse the lighting in the tank.   They need adequate filtration, but avoid a strong current in the tank.  These frogs are “escape artists” that need a tightly fitting cover to prevent them from crawling out.

Because of their voracious appetite, they are best kept in a single species tank with 4 or 5 others of their own kind.   They should not be kept with fish smaller than themselves.

African Clawed Frogs lay their eggs during the rainy season from winter through spring.   After going through a mating ritual, the male clasps the female in front of the female’s back legs and squeezes her until the eggs come out.   The eggs are then fertilized outside her body.

In their natural habitat, African Clawed Frogs are voracious scavengers that crawl along the bottom eating organic wastes, small live, dead, or dying fish, tadpoles, worms, crustaceans or just about anything edible that they can fit into their mouths.

In an aquarium environment they do best with live, frozen, or freeze dried bloodworms, waxworms, earthworms, tubifex, feeder fish, guppies, brine shrimp, floating reptile sticks, and even dog or cat food.

Because African Clawed Frogs are such easily adaptable and voracious predators, they can easily become a harmful invasive species.   They are capable of traveling short distances to other bodies of water, and have been known to survive mild freezing conditions.   There are documented reports of them virtually wiping out native populations of frogs and fish by eating their fry.

*They are commonly available for purchase at reasonable prices when they are  about 1-1/2″  or over in size.

African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Relatively Docile
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 70-82° F, KH 5-8, pH 6.8-7.8
Max Size: 2”-5”
Color Form: Brown, Gray, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Single species tanks
Origin: Nigeria, Sudan, South Africa
Family: Pipidae
Life Span: 5-25 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

• African Clawed Frogs are illegal to own, transport or sell without a permit in Arizona, California, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, Hawaii, Nevada, and Washington state.

The Dwarf African Frog (Hymenochirus curtipes) is a true aquatic species that many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts find a delightful addition to community aquariums.  They are native to the Congo region of Africa where they are found along the bottoms of shallow rivers, creeks, and ponds where they scavenge around the mud and leaf litter for organic detritus, or any living, dying, or dead animal.

Dwarf African Frogs are a social, active, slow moving, docile species that are easy to keep in a peaceful community tank setting with others of their own kind, or smaller species of fish.  They become easy prey to larger aquarium fish.

Although Dwarf African Frogs are an aquatic species, they do have lungs and must rise to the surface occasionally to breathe.   They are toothless, tongueless, completely aquatic, and will die and dry out if kept out of water for periods longer than 20 minutes.   When eating, they use their sensitive fingers and claws on their webbed feet to tear apart and suck food into their mouths.  Dwarf African Frogs have no ears.  Like fish, they have lateral lines that run down the length of their bodies that sense vibration and water movement.   As their name suggests, they are a very small diminutive species that can vary in color from almost black, to olive green, to brown with black spots, to albino.

Juvenile Dwarf African Frogs are frequently confused and sold as African Clawed Frogs (Xenopus laevis) which grow much larger and are much more aggressive towards their tank mates.

Dwarf African Frog (Hymenochirus curtipes)..

They can be differentiated by the following characteristics:

• Unlike African Clawed frogs that have flat, curved snouts; the Dwarf African frog has a pointed snout.
• Dwarf African Frogs have four webbed feet, unlike the feet of African Clawed frogs which are only webbed on their hindquarters, their front feet are not webbed and have digits like salamanders and amphibious frogs.
• African clawed frogs have their eyes situated on the top of their heads, while the eyes of Dwarf African Frogs are positioned on the sides of their head.

Dwarf African Frogs are best kept in a densely planted aquarium of at least 10 gallon capacity, with a soft sand or fine gravel substrate, some driftwood or bogwood, some rockwork for them to hide among, and a layer of fine Indian Almond Leaves
if setting up a biotope tank.  Because they are a largely nocturnal species, subdued lighting or floating plants
, a moderate filtration system with very little current, and a tightly fitting tank cover to prevent escapes, is recommended.

Although these frogs are amphibians, they are not great swimmers and they do not do well in tanks with strong currents or in deep tanks that make their journey to the surface for breathing perilous.

Breeding Dwarf African frogs is relatively easy once you have identified a pair.

• Males have small whitish or pink colored glad behind each armpit that looks like a small pimple, are skinnier and slightly smaller than the females, and make a quiet buzzing or humming sound when trying to attract females for mating.
• Females have a small bump between their legs called the cloaca where the eggs and their wast pass.  They are usually larger than the males and have a plumper body shape.  Both sexes are sexually mature at approximately 9 months.

When ready to mate, the male will start calling for a female and perform a little courtship dance.  When a willing female becomes available, he will grasp her from behind, and the pair will rapidly perform a series of somersault to the surface.  While the male remains attached to the female, she will broadcast her eggs on the surface in short spurts over a period of 1/2 to 3 or 4 hours until spawning is complete.

Dwarf African Frogs are carnivores that require meaty foods like live, frozen, or freeze dried bloodworms, tubifex, chopped earthworms, and brine shrimp.   They will also eat fish smaller than themselves.

Dwarf African Frogs are commonly available for purchase at reasonable prices when they are 1/2″ to 1-1/4″ in size.

Dwarf African Frog (Hymenochirus curtipes)..

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Docile
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, KH 5-8, pH 6.8-7.8
Max Size: 2½”
Color Form: Brown, Green, Tan
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Community tanks
Origin: Congo, Africa
Family: Pipidae
Life Span: 5-20 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Long Nosed Distichodus (Distichodus Lusosso) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Long Snout Distichodus, is a seldom seen species that originates from Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Juveniles are frequently misidentified and sold as the more common Six Banded Distichodus (Distichodus sexfasciatus) which is found in Lake Tanganyika located in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania.

Long Nosed Distichodus (Distichodus Lusosso)

Long Nosed Distichodus are collected in large rivers and grow to a length of 15″ in the wild. Like its close relative, Distichodus sexfasciatus, the Long Nosed Distichodus has a “perch” like coloration with black vertical bars on its flanks over a yellowish body, with bright red fins. It is smaller than Distichodus sexfasciatus and more easily recognized by it’s much longer snout.

Although the Long Nosed Distichodus is generally a peaceful species, they can be unpredictable in a community tank setting with similarly sized fish. They can be kept in small groups of 5 or 6 of their own kind or when housed in a very large tank, with other large Caracins, Cyprinides like Tinfoil Barbs, Loricariids, catfish, or Bichirs.

They should never be housed with smaller or shy tankmates.

Housing a single show specimen requires at least a 55 gallon or larger tank with a sand or gravel substrate, smooth river rocks, some driftwood and hardy plants such as Bolbitis or Anubias spp.. These fish are omnivorous and will decimate almost all of the softer vegetation growing in the tank. The tank should be equipped with a good filter that provides some water flow and since they are great jumpers, a tightly fitting cover. Bi-weekly 30 to 50% water changes are needed to keep these fish in good condition.

Long Nosed Distichodus (Distichodus Lusosso) have never been bred in an aquarium environment. Although their spawning methods are unknown, they are believed to behave like other large characins by migrating at the beginning of the rainy season and spawning upriver in the submerged forest areas.

Longsnout Distichodus are largely omnivores with the majority of their diet being plant matter. In the wild they feed on a variety of soft vegetation, worms, and bottom dwelling invertebrates.

In an aquarium environment, they will eagerly accept most prepared foods, including Spirulina flakes and small omnivore pellet foods augmented with large amounts of vegetable matter. They should also be provided occasional supplements of live and frozen foods such as earthworms, tubifex, bloodworms, prawn, mussels, frozen shelled peas, blanched spinach, a piece of leaf lettuce, etc.

Because the Long Nosed Distichodus is seldom if ever available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and because they are so expensive when they are available, they are recommended for advanced fish keepers only. As juveniles they are quite attractive but they lose much of their color as they become adults. They are seldom available online and almost never in specialty tropical fish keeping shops at any size. When available, they command a respectable price.

Long Nosed Distichodus (Distichodus Lusosso)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Docile
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-79° F, 2-20°H, pH 6.5-7.5
Max Size: 15″
Color Form: Yellow, Black
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Large community tanks
Origin: Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo
Family: Citharinidae
Life Span: 9-12 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Advanced

The Chinese High Fin Banded Shark (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Chinese Banded Shark, Chinese Sailfin Sucker, Banded Loach, High Fin Loach, Sailfin Sucker, Topsail Sucker, Asian Sucker, Chinese Sucker, Wimple Carp, Hilsa Herring, Asian Zebra High Fin Shark, Chinese Emperor, Siamese Sucker, Chinese Banded Shark , and Chinese Zebra High Fin Shark.

Regardless of it’s many common names, they have no relationship to actual sharks other than that they are fish.

Chinese High Fin Banded Shark (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) are one of only two known suckers that are found in Asia, the other being the Siberian Cotostomus rotratus. They originate from the highly aerated mountain streams in the Yangtze River of China and despite their size (up to 4’6″ in length) are popular community tank fish. Because of pollution and over collection for the aquarium trade, the Chinese High Fin Banded Shark has been placed on the endangered species list and is a state protected species in China.

Chinese High High Fin Banded Shark (Myxocyprinus asiaticus)

Juvenile Myxocyprinus asiaticus have light to white bodies with three dark brown to black slanting bands that veer towards the rear of the fish and a high triangular dorsal fin that extends to the rear of the anal fin. Their colors change with their moods and as they grow into adulthood, usually around 12 to 14″ in length, they lose their white stripes and their bodies become more elongated, losing their distinctive high dorsal fin.

During the breeding season, adult males can be distinguished from the females by their more reddish coloration. Adult females become almost a dark purple in color and develop a broad vertical reddish area along their bodies.

Chinese High Fin Banded Sharks have thick fleshy lips with small papillae and a single row of pharyngeal teeth. They are docile, slow moving bottom dwellers that make perfect community tank residents and although they can be kept as individuals, they are frequently kept in small shoals in an aquarium environment. Because they are slow growing and long lived (up to 25 years) they will eventually require a large aquarium to keep them healthy.

Chinese High Fin Banded Shark are best kept in at least a 55 gallon aquarium with a sandy or fine gravel substrate that is densely planted and aquascaped with some driftwood or bogwood, and some rocks if desired. They can tolerate a wide range of temperature variations but because they are subject to abrupt changes in water quality and highly susceptible to nitrates; good aeration, regular partial water changes, and a good filtration system is necessary to keep these fish healthy and happy.

In nature, Chinese High Fin Banded Sharks migrate into the relatively fast flowing, shallow headwaters of the Yangtze River to spawn but as of this date, almost nothing is known about the breeding of the Myxocyprinus asiaticus other than it is believed that their breeding habits are similar to that of Cotostomus cotostomus.

The Chinese High Fin Banded Shark is easy to feed. In their natural habitat and in the aquarium, they are constantly on the move over the bottom searching for food. They can be fed a variety of foods such as brine shrimp (which makes the orange flecks in the fish’s coloration more pink), live, fresh or frozen bloodworms, tubifex, prawn, earthworms, insects, crustaceans, small molluscs, annelids, algae, along with a quality sinking omnivore pellet or flake. If they should stop eating, it is usually due to water quality. Perform a water change and begin feeding them live foods only until they resume eating normally.

The Chinese High Fin Banded Shark (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) is not commonly available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts however, they can be occasionally purchased from specialty fish shops or online at moderate prices, as juveniles.

Chinese High High Fin Banded Shark (Myxocyprinus asiaticus)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallon
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Docile
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 65-82° F, 36 – 357 ppm, pH 6.0-8.0
Max Size: 4′ 6″
Color Form: Brown, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Large community tanks
Origin: China
Family: Catostomidae
Life Span: 25+ years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey (Cichlasoma octofasciatum) also known scientifically as Archocentrus octofasciatus, Nandopsis octofasciatum, or Rocio octofasciata is found in northern and Central America from the Papaloapan River in southern Mexico to the Ulua River in Honduras.

Although it has become somewhat more common in tropical fish keeping shops, it is a somewhat rare natural variant of Nandopsis octofasciatum.

Electric Blue Jack Dempseys are aggressive carnivores that live in the warm, murky, slow moving waters of their range and prefer soft substrates with plenty of places to hide and ambush their prey.  They are aggressive diggers.

Electric Blue Jack Dempsey (Cichlasoma octofasciatum)

The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is a smaller and less aggressive counterpart of the common Jack Dempsey cichlid.   It is a slightly elongated, laterally compressed, brilliantly colored species that has a base color of electric blue to gray, mottled with iridescent blue to blue/green spots that give it a spectacular appearance, especially when breeding.  The dorsal fin is lined in red. The dorsal and anal fins of the males are exceptionally pointed, and are often long enough to reach the middle of the caudal fin.  Mature males can also exhibit a nuchal hump.

Females are shorter, more rounded, and have fan shaped caudal fins.  They are also attractively colored with a deep green blue base color, that is covered with lighter colored flecks or spots and vertical bands down the flanks.  The bottom lower portion of the face on the females will always be colored blue.

In an aquarium environment, Electric Blue Jack Dempseys need at least a 55 gallon tank with a sandy or fine gravel substrate, some rock work, and some driftwood roots or bogwood for them to hide among.   Because of their proclivity for aggressive digging, only artificial plants, plants like Java Fern that are rooted to the decor, or other hardy potted plants should be used in their tank to set up designated territories.  They are highly territorial and will eat any smaller fish that they can swallow.  Although they are very tolerant of water temperatures, good filtration and frequent water changes are a must for this species

All Jack Dempseys are exceptionally prolific parents once a pair has formed, and Electric Blue Jack Dempseys are no exception.  Although proven pairs can breed in most water conditions; neutral soft to medium hard highly oxygenated water, at a temperature of 78-82°F, and a pH of 7.0 is recommended.

They are open breeders and will dig a pit or burrow into the substrate where they will lay up to 500  eggs.  The pair will ferociously guard their eggs and their offspring until they are ready to fend for themselves.  Once a pair has successfully mated, they will continue to spawn and produce up to several hundred offspring on a regular basis.

Neutral water with soft to medium hardness, a pH of approximately 7.0, and temperatures of  is recommended.

The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is a carnivorous species that will eat most prepared and frozen foods, including high quality Cichlid pellets, bloodworms, brine shrimp, ghost shrimp, crickets, earthworms, tubifex, ocean plankton and other live or frozen foods, including any small fish they can fit into their mouths.  Feed them a couple of small portions a day rather than one large portion.  An occasional “treat” of blanched vegetables or a vegetable based flake food will also benefit these fish.

Although the Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is not common to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts, they are occasionally available for purchase at a size of 1-1/2″ to 2″.

Electric Blue Jack Dempsey (Cichlasoma octofasciatum)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Very Hardy
Water Conditions: 71.6-86° F, KH 5-12, pH 6.5-8.0
Max. Size: 10 ″
Color Form: Blue, Green
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Single species tank
Origin: Central America
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 8-12 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei) is believed to be endemic to two coastal lagoons in northeast Venezuela but was originally discovered by Franklyn F. Bond in 1937 and later rediscovered by Professor John A. Endler in Laguna de Patos, Cumana.

Laguna de Patos was originally a brackish water lake that was cut off from the ocean by a sandbar.   Over time the chemistry of the lake was altered by freshwater runoff, turning it into a very warm freshwater lake with hard green water, caused by high concentrations of algae.   Because of water pollution caused by a garbage dump that was built adjacent to Laguna de Patos, wild Endler’s Livebearers were believed to be extinct however, several wild varieties have been discovered during the past 15 years.

Class K Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Because of their small size, the Endler’s Livebearer is not suitable for a general community tank.   If you plan to breed them, keep them in a tank with conspecifics. They are compatible with small, peaceful species such as dwarf corydoras, small rainbowfish such as Iratherina werneri or Pseudomugil sp. and the smaller peaceful tetras.   Avoid keeping them with common guppies or they will readily crossbreed.   Several females should be kept together to prevent bullying and territorial disputes.

The Endler’s Livebearer should be kept in a densely planted aquarium of at least 20 gallons with a sandy or fine gravel substrate, a few river rock, a small piece of driftwood, and some floating plants.    Java Fern, Java Moss, or other hardy plants make a good choice for the hard water conditions these fish prefer.   These fish are extremely active and produce very little waste, so a powerful filtration system with strong water flow is not necessary. They are very tolerant of changing water conditions and make a good starter fish for beginning tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

The Endler’s Livebearer is extremely prolific and almost too easy to breed in an aquarium environment.  In fact if you’re not interested in breeding them, purchase only males.

Several females should be kept with each male to prevent too much harassment, and plenty of live plants should be placed in the breeding tank for the females to retreat to when being pursued. The males will be constantly chasing the females, spreading their fins, and quivering in front of them. Other than that, breeding them is the same as breeding other live bearers.

The Endler’s Livebearer will produce a new brood every 23 to 24 days and depending on the size and age of the female, the brood can be anywhere from 5 to 30 young.   The adults seldom eat their young, but most breeders remove gravid females to a separate brooding tank to allow her to give birth without the constant attentions of the males.  The fry are relatively large and will immediately accept powdered or finely crushed flake food, and newly hatched brine shrimp.  The young should be fed 2 to 3 times a day, and will grow very quickly. Within 3 to 5 weeks, the males will begin to show their adult coloration. Females will be able to produce offspring at 2 months.

Endler’s Livebearers are omnivores that feed on zoobenthos and detritus in the wild.  In an aquarium environment they should be fed algae based and meaty foods. An omnivore flake food, with occasional offerings of live, frozen, or freeze dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, blackworms, mosquito larvae, or tubifex will keep them healthy.

Because of the gaining popularity of Endler’s Livebearers (Poecilia wingei) with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts, and the fact that they are such prolific breeders that will readily crossbreed with other guppy species; a classification system was created to more easily identify their origin for hobbyists.

The three classifications are listed below:

• Class N: Wild caught Endler’s Livebearers that can be traced to their native Venezuelan waters.
• Class P: Fish of unknown origin that appear to be an Endler’s Livebearer. (Based on body shape, size, and color)
• Class K: Crossbred or hybridized Endler’s Livebearers.

Although the majority of Endler’s Livebearers sold to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts now fall into the K classification, during the past 15 years several “new” colorful wild varieties have been discovered; a few of which are identified below:

Black Green Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Black Peacock Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Blue Neon Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Blue Snake Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Blue Star Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Bottom Sword Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

El Silverado Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

El TigreLivebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Flame Tail Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Green Chest Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Green Top Sword Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Laguna Green Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Laguna Orange Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Lime Green Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Mint Top Yellow Sword Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Multicolor Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Orange Body Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Orange Spotted Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Oseibo Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Peacock Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Rainbow Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Red Body Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Red Body Yellow Top Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Slash Orange Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Most Endler’s Livebearers offered for sale are Class K specimens (below) that are approximately 1/2″ to 1″ in size.

Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Slow Moving, Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Very Hardy
Water Conditions: 75-86° F, KH 15-35, pH 7.0-8.5
Max. Size: 1″
Color Form: Black, Green, Orange, Red
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Small single species tank
Origin: northeast Venezuela, Aquacultured
Family: Poeciliidae
Lifespan: 2-5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Green Terror Cichlid (Aequidens rivulatus) is a South American river cichlid found primarily in the Rio Tumbes in Peru, and the Rio Esmeraldas in Ecuador.

Green Terror Cichlids are collected from over a variety of substrates that include mud, sand, gravel, large river rocks, and even thickly layered beds of dead leaves.  They are found in both rapid and slow moving waters, at temperatures of 68 to 80 degrees, and in pH conditions of 7.0 to 8.4.

Juvenile Green Terror Cichlids are usually collected along the shallows and backwater areas of the rivers, while adults prefer the deeper portions.

The Green Terror is a gorgeous cichlid that belies it’s common name.   They are relatively peaceful and known for becoming quite friendly with their keepers.

Green Terror Cichlids have a greenish white to olive green body that is speckled an iridescent blue green, with electric blue spots on the chin area, dorsal and caudal fins that are edged in an orange to reddish pink color, and a black spot at mid body.   The pectoral fins are usually colored orange or yellow, with some specimens appearing to have a slight turquoise hue on the body. Mature males have a nuchal hump and longer flowing tails than the females, but both sexes display the black spot at mid body.   Female Green Terror cichlids are smaller than males and although they have the same color pattern, are not as brightly colored. They tend to be more of a olive drab color.

Green Terror Cichlids do best in an aquarium of at least 55 gallon capacity with a sandy or fine gravel substrate, rock work formed into caves, shelters and hiding spots, some driftwood roots, some hardy, tough leaved aquatic plants like Anubias and plenty of free swimming space.   These fish are active “diggers” so ensure that the plants provided are well rooted or potted.   Pristine water quality is also a requirement for these cichlids, so a good filtration system and frequent partial water changes are mandatory.  Canister filters provide excellent filtration and the water flow necessary for keeping these fish healthy.

The Green Terror is generally peaceful with other fish of similar size and disposition, but does become more territorial as it matures.

Green Terror Cichlids are open breeders that will spawn in a wide range of water conditions.   They readily pair off and although the female plays a bigger role in raising the fry, both parents aggressively guard the eggs and their offspring. Because many cross bred specimens are sold to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Green Terrors, the challenge for breeding them is to obtain pure breeding pair stock.   When ready to breed, the female will either lay between 300 to 400 eggs on the substrate or select and clean off a flat rock to deposit her eggs on.   Depending on water temperature, the eggs will hatch out in 2 to 3 days.

The parents will move the newly hatched fry into fanned out pits in the substrate and usher them around until they become free swimming in about 5 days.   Feed the fry newly hatched brine shrimp or crushed flake food until they are able to care for themselves.   The parents will continue to care for the fry for several weeks unless they are removed from the tank.   These fish are prolific breeders and will spawn about every two weeks if the young are removed from the aquarium, so make sure you have a place to keep them.

Green Terror Cichlids have a voracious appetite and will eat almost anything placed into their tank.   Although they prefer meaty foods, they will eat fresh, frozen, freeze dried, flakes or Cichlid pellets including house flies, small earthworms, small mysis shrimp, ghost shrimp, bloodworms, krill, tubifex, ocean plankton, brine shrimp, etc.

Aequidens rivulatus is common in the aquarium trade and available for purchase to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as juveniles when they are 2″ to 3″ in length, or as adults at reasonable prices.

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-80° F, KH 9-20, pH 6.5-8.0
Max Size: Males 10-12″, Females 7-8?
Color Form: Blue, Green, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Large community tanks
Origin: Ecuador, Peru
Family: Cichlidae
Life Span: 15 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Nicaraguense Cichlid (Herichthys nicaraguense) correctly identified as Hypsophrys nicaraguensis, is endemic to the Atlantic slope of Central America from the San Juan drainage, including Lake Nicaragua (in Costa Rica and Nicaragua), to the Matina River drainage in Costa Rica.

The Nicaraguense Cichlid is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Moga, Parrot Cichlid, Nickie, Macaw Cichlid, Butterfly Cichlid and Nicaraguense.

Nicaraguense Cichlids are found in lakes and in rivers with slow to moderate water movement.   Although juveniles eat mainly aquatic insects in the wild; adults prefer feeding on seeds, leaves, snails, bottom detritus, and small mollusks.

Nicaraguense Cichlid (Herichthys nicaraguense)

The Nicaraguense Chiclid is a stocky, compact species with an extremely curved head and a downward positioned mouth.  Their bodies are a gold to copper color, with an iridescent greenish blue head, a dark line that runs along the middle of the body, and a large dark black splotch in the center.  The fins are covered with numerous black spots with the dorsal fin edged in red.

Males have a dark edging on their scales that give them a reticulated appearance.   Males are larger than the females, have a much more pointed dorsal fin, and develop a hump on their head which often becomes permanent in aquarium specimens.  Females are generally more brightly colored than the males.  Several color variations exist that are dependent on where the specimens are collected from.

Wild caught specimens are always more vividly colored than captive bred specimens.

Nicaraguense Chiclids have been known to cross breed with Convict Cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) with the offspring being fertile for at least 4 generations.

The Nicaraguense Chiclid is a relatively peaceful species that require at least a 55 gallon aquarium with a sand or fine gravel substrate, plenty of rocks and pieces of slate formed into caves, and some driftwood for them to hide among.   Some hardy well rooted or potted plants should also be included.   These fish need a good filtration system with good water movement to keep them healthy.   Canister filters are a good choice for these fish.  Because they are intolerant of nitrate and phosphate build ups and sensitive to pH changes; they require weekly 20 to 25% water changes, especially if housed in a species tank or with other cichlids.

Nicaraguense Cichlids are diggers and “pit spawners”.  During spawning, they will occasionally eat any soft leaved plants in the aquarium, so it’s a good idea to decorate the tank with only hardy plants.

Nicaraguense Chiclids are egg layers that in the wild spawn in pits that are fanned out of the substrate.   The best way to develop a pair is to raise a group of juveniles together and allow them to pair off naturally.   In an aquarium environment, even though they are pit spawners, it is best to set up a number of caves and hiding places for the pair to deposit their eggs.

Unlike cave spawners whose eggs are adhesive, their transparent eggs are non-adhesive and will lay in a loose conglomeration of clusters in the bottom of the cave or in the pit that they fan out.   The eggs are only about 1/16th of an inch in diameter and will hatch out in about 3 days in water at a temperature of 79° F.   The small larvae become free swimming in about 4 to 5 days and can immediately be fed newly hatched brine shrimp.

Nicaraguense Chiclids are good parents, so the fry can be left with the parents who take turns caring for both the eggs and the young.

Nicaragua Cichlids are omnivores that will generally eat all kinds of live, frozen, flake, and freeze dried foods. A high quality cichlid pellet diet supplemented with blood worms, snails, chopped earthworms, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and vegetables such as blanched spinach or zucchini will keep them healthy. Feed them several small portions a day in lieu of one large portion, and avoid giving them warm blooded animal meats like beef heart or chicken.

Nicaraguense Chiclids are available online and from most tropical fish keeping shops as juveniles and adults. They are usually moderately priced unless purchased as wild stock.

Nicaraguense Cichlid (Herichthys nicaraguense)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Very Hardy
Water Conditions: 74.0 to 80.0° F, 8 – 15 dGH, pH 6.5-7.5
Max. Size: 9.8 ″
Color Form: Gold, Blue
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: OK with peaceful cichlids
Origin: Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

The Cigar Shark (Leptobarbus rubripinna) is a migratory species that is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Mad fish, Red Finned Cigar Shark, or Saltan Fish.

The Cigar Shark is a pelagic schooling species that is found in the Mekong, Chao Phraya, and Mae Khlong river drainages throughout Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand where it mainly inhabits the larger rivers and streams of it’s range.   Although they do not adapt well to larger impondments, they are found in some lakes like Bueng Boraphet reservoir in central western Thailand

Cigar Shark (Leptobarbus rubripinna

Adult specimens are usually found in the deeper pools or slower moving stretches of the river, and move into the faster flowing water to feed.

During the rainy season, they migrate into the floodplains and flooded forests where spawning takes place.  During the months of January and February, Cigar Shark migrate upstream in the Mekong River and return during the months of May and June.

Cigar Shark feed on insects, vegetable matter, and a number of fruits, some of which are poisonous.  They are called “Mad Fish” because they sometimes become intoxicated after eating the seeds from a certain tree in Asia.   Although their flesh can be poisonous to humans, they are still harvested from subsistence and commercial fisheries.

Except for public aquariums, Cigar Sharks grow too large for most tropical fish keeping enthusiasts to properly care for.   In the wild they can grow to over 39″ in length, and even in an aquarium environment will grow to 24″ or more.   Although Juvenile specimens can be temporarily housed in smaller aquariums, even a single specimen when fully grown would require at least a 180 gallon or larger aquarium to be kept properly.

Juvenile Cigar Shark (Leptobarbus rubripinna

Juvenile Cigar Sharks are mostly silver with a horizontal black and green stripe that runs from the gill plate to the base of the caudal fin, which they lose as adults.   Their anal and dorsal fins are translucent with a reddish tinge and the tail is red with slight black edging.   As they become adults, they develop relatively large, metallic like, light brown scales with darker edges, and dark red pectoral and anal fins, with red edges on the caudal fin.

If you have the means to keep a shoal of Cigar Sharks, tank decor is not critical however, they need an enormous amount of open swimming space, pristine water quality, a moderate amount of water movement, and high dissolved oxygen content in their system to thrive.   A tank set up to mimic a naturally flowing river system with various sizes of gravel, river rock, and small boulders along with some driftwood branches would be an ideal environment for this species.

They can be housed in a community environment with other relatively peaceful larger species but because they are intolerant of the accumulation of organic wastes, they need one or preferably two large external canister filters set up to provide a unidirectional water flow needed to maintain the water quality, water movement, and oxygen levels that are required.   Their aquarium should also be provided with a tight fitting cover to prevent them from jumping out of the tank.   Cigar Sharks are skittish and powerful jumpers.

To date, the Cigar Shark has not yet been bred in an aquarium environment.

Although Cigar Sharks are primarily vegetarians and non aggressive, they will eat small fish if they can fit them into their mouths.   Feed them live, frozen, dry or freeze dried foods such as chopped earthworms, mysis shrimp, river prawn, Krill, blanched spinach, omnivore pellets, etc.

Cigar Sharks are rarely available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts however they can be special ordered from specialty importers online or from specialty fish shops.   Research this species before purchasing one.   It is unfortunate that this species grows far too large for most home aquariums, yet they are still sold.   Do your research before you decide on purchasing one.

Cigar Shark (Leptobarbus rubripinna)

Minimum Tank Size: 180 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Non-aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 73-79° F, dGH 2 – 20, pH 6.0-7.5
Max Size: 24″
Color Form: Silver, Red
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Large shoals, very large community tanks
Origin: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam
Family: Cyprinidae
Life Span: 15 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Apollo Shark (Luciosoma spilopleura) is a beautiful, fast moving, torpedo shaped Cprinid that is found in the Malay peninsula, Thailand, Borneo, Brunei, and Sumatra.
Also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Apollo Sharkminnow, Apollo Sharks are active surface swimmers that inhabit clear fast flowing forest rivers and streams with rocky, stone, or gravel bottoms that posses a high level of dissolved oxygen.

They are a skittish, shoaling species related to Rasboras, that grow quite large in their natural environment and require a lot of swimming area, and although they are active predators, when kept in shoals, they make superb additions to community tanks with large cichlids and catfish.

Apollo Shark (Luciosoma spilopleura)

The Apollo Shark has an elongated, cylindrical body with short whiskers and a pointed snout which is quite different from other Cyprinids.  They have a forked caudal fin and a dorsal fin that is set far back on their body.

Above the dark lateral line that extends from the nose through the caudal fin, healthy adult specimens are colored an almost olive green.   Below the lateral line, they are a silvery white color.

Juveniles are more silvery colored.   Except for the females having a more rounded belly, the sexes are indistinguishable.

Apollo Sharks need to be housed in a tightly covered aquarium of at least 125 gallon capacity that has plenty of swimming area, high levels of dissolved oxygen, and a good deal of water movement.  Their tank should have a gravel or rocky substrate with a background of aquatic plants and some minimal driftwood or bogwood decorations.  The greatest need for these fish is a lot of free swimming space.   Tank decorations that clutter up their swimming areas should be avoided.

Although Apollo Sharks are active predators that spend most of their time on or near the surface of the tank, on occasion they will forage on the bottom.  In a community tank setting, they are peaceful when housed in small shoals of 6 to 12 fish, but do not do well when kept individually or in small groups of 2 to 3 specimens.   They are best kept with other robust similar sized species such as Tinfoil Barbs and Bala Sharks.   Smaller fish could be viewed as food.

Apollo Sharks are energetic swimmers that are easily startled and because they occupy the uppermost portion of the water column, a tightly fitting tank cover is mandatory for these expert jumpers.   Canister filters and powerheads are also a good choice for this species to ensure the pristine water quality and high oxygen levels they require in their tank.

There are no documented cases of Apollo Sharks being bred in an aquarium environment. Most specimens in the aquarium hobby are wild caught.

Apollo Sharks are easy to feed and will eat all sorts of fresh, frozen, or freeze dried foods.   Although they will eagerly eat fish smaller than themselves, they can be fed a diet of bloodworms, frozen fish, mosquito larvae, vitamin enriched brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, chopped worms, etc.   Larger specimens will eat chopped prawns, Krill, ghost shrimp, etc.   Over time they will also accept slow sinking omnivore pellets and flake foods.

Feed these fish either one large serving a day or smaller quantities twice a day.   If you feed them frozen fish or beefheart, feed it to them 2 or 3 days apart.

Apollo Sharks are not common in the aquarium trade but tropical fish keeping enthusiasts can occasionally purchase them from specialty fish shops and online at modest prices when they are anywhere from 3″ to 8″ in length.

Apollo Shark (Luciosoma spilopleura)

Minimum Tank Size: 125 gallon
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 75-82° F, dGH 2 – 20, pH 6.0-7.5
Max Size: 10″
Color Form: Green, Silver
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Large shoals, large community tanks
Origin: Southeast Asia, Borneo
Family: Cyprinidae
Life Span: 14+ years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Fire Eel (Mastacembelus erthrotaenia) is found in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Burma, Sri Lanka, Borneo and Sumatra.

Fire Eels are voracious nocturnal predators that usually inhabit slow to briskly moving rivers with fine sediment bottoms and spend most of their daylight hours buried in the substrate with only their snouts visible.   They emerge at dusk to forage on small fishes, worms, and crustaceans.

The Fire Eel is a member of the Mastacembelidae family that is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as spiny eels.    Like the Tire Track Eel and Peacock Eel, they get their name from the many small dorsal spines that occur just before their dorsal fin.

Fire Eel (Mastacembelus erthrotaenia)

Although the Fire Eel is not a true eel, they have an extremely elongated, laterally compressed body with a distinctive pointed snout and an under-slung mouth.   Their body color is a dark brown to gray that becomes a lighter shade at the belly.

The body is marked with several bright red lateral stripes and spots that vary in intensity depending on the age and general condition of the specimen.

In juveniles, the markings are yellow to amber colored and in adults, they are usually a bright deep red color.   The pectoral, anal, and dorsal fins are also often edged in red.

In their natural environment, Fire Eels grow to almost 4 feet in length however, in an aquarium environment, they seldom exceed 22 inches in length, even in a large tank.

Because of their size, Fire Eels should be housed in at least a 125 gallon densely planted aquarium, with a sandy or fine gravel substrate, some
floating plants to diffuse the lighting, plenty of rocks structured into caves, and plenty of bogwood or driftwood
roots for places to hide.  Their burrowing habits will quickly rearrange the scenery in your tank, so unpotted plants are not a good idea with these fish.  Potted plants will provide them with places to hide and are less likely to be uprooted.

Fire Eels need some water movement and a good filtration system which makes canister filters a good choice for this species.  A tightly fitting tank cover is also necessary for these escape artists.

Many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts keep Fire Eels in a community environment with fish of similar or larger size without any problems, however they are aggressive and intolerant to their own kind.  This is undoubtedly why there are no documented cases of Fire Eels being bred in an aquarium environment.

Fire Eels are carnivores that prefer live foods such as earthworms, black worms, small fish, prawn, some plant matter or detritus, and other small crustaceans.   Juveniles can be weaned off of live foods and over time will often accept frozen or freeze dried krill, ocean plankton, lancefish, and even prepared tablet foods however, larger adults need live foods to sustain them.

Fire Eels are available for purchase online and from specialty tropical fish keeping shops when they are 4″ to 8″ in length.

Fire Eel (Mastacembelus erthrotaenia)

Minimum Tank Size: 125 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 75-82° F, 5 – 12°H, pH 6.0-7.0
Max. Size: 36″
Color Form: Tan, Red
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Single species tank or community
Origin: Southeast Asia
Family: Mastacembelidae
Lifespan: 20 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Peacock Eel (Macrognathus siamensis) is found in the Mekong, Chao Phraya, Maeklong, river basins in Peninsular and Southeast Thailand.  They are also commonly known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Spot-Finned Spiny Eel, Peacock Spiny Eel, Striped Peacock Eel, or Siamese Spiny Eel.

Peacock Eel (Macrognathus siamensis)

Depending on where they are collected from, Peacock Eels are a light brown color with a thin pale yellow strip that runs from the eye to the base of the tail.  They generally have three to six eye spots along the upper rear portion of the body that run along the base of the dorsal fin which lends to their common name “Peacock Eel”.

Peacock Eels have an elongated body, a pointed snout, with both the dorsal and anal fins extending back to their relatively small caudal fin.  Although females are believed to have fuller bodies, it is virtually impossible to distinguish between sexes, which is probably why they have not been successfully bred in an aquarium environment.

Peacock Eels are a largely nocturnal species that inhabit slow moving, thickly vegetated areas of rivers and still waters of flooded fields.   Except for their heads, they bury themselves into the sandy or silty substrate during daylight hours and come out at night to feed on worms, insect larvae, and other small crustaceans.

Because Peacock Eels are sensitive to changes in water quality, they are generally suggested for more experienced tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.   In an aquarium environment, they are usually quite shy and take a couple of weeks before they begin to eat on a regular basis.  They require pristine water conditions and are sensitive to parasites, fungal infections, and the copper based medications used to cure these diseases.

Peacock Eels do best in a well oxygenated 35 gallon or larger tank with soft, to medium hard water.   Because under gravel filters increase the oxygen content and reduce the amount of waste in the tank, many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts prefer using them when housing Peacock Eels.

Although Peacock Eels do well in a tank with a medium to small grain gravel substrate over an under gravel filter; a sandy substrate with a canister filter that provides a water turnover of 10 to 15 times per hour is preferable.   Regardless of which filtration system you use, a tight fitting lid is mandatory for these escape artists.

Since Peacock Eels are more active in a dimly lit aquarium, it’s a good idea to provide them with plenty of floating plants to diffuse the light in the tank.    They enjoy burrowing in the bottom, so a sand or fine gravel substrate is recommended along with lots of rocky caves, driftwood roots, and potted plants for them to hide among.  Many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts just place a piece of PVC pipe into their tank for them to retreat into, in lieu of a rocky cave.

If you give them multiple places for them to hide, they feel safer and be more visible during daylight hours.  Macrognathus siamensis is a shy, peaceful species that gets along well in a community tank setting with a wide variety of fish larger than themselves including their own kind, providing they are of the same approximate size.

Peacock Eels are spiny eels, and although they have not been bred in an aquarium environment, it is presumed that they breed in the same manner as other spiny eels.   Emulating the flooding conditions encountered during the rainy season in their natural habitat is believed to stimulate breeding behavior.   Feeding a pair higher quality live foods and providing them with a continuous influx of clean water is also believed to promote breeding behavior.

If a pair decides to spawn, they will exhibit a type of courtship ritual where they chase each other around in circles until breeding actually occurs.  Their sticky eggs are deposited among floating plants and will normally hatch withing 3 or 4 days.  The fry are free swimming in a few more days and can be fed baby brine shrimp.   Like their parents, the fry are susceptible to fungal infections and will require frequent regular water changes.   A layer of Indian Almond Leaves in the breeding tank will aid considerably in the prevention of disease.

Peacock Eels are nocturnal carnivores that feed on insect larvae, crustaceans, small fishes and worms.  In an aquarium environment, all spiny eels prefer a diet of live or freshly frozen foods such as brine shrimp, earthworms, black worms, small guppies or bloodworms.

Although some spiny eels can be trained to eat freeze dried brine shrimp, Tubifex or bloodworms, don’t count on it when you purchase one.   Feed Peacock eels after you turn off the lights on their aquarium and only once or twice a week.  Many will only accept food once every two or three weeks.

The Peacock Eel is commonly available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts online and in the aquarium trade at reasonable prices.

Peacock Eel (Macrognathus siamensis)

Minimum Tank Size: 35 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Shy, Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 73-82° F, 6-25 dGH, pH 6.0-8.0
Max. Size: 11.9″
Color Form: Brown, Tan
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Community
Origin: Southeast Asia
Family: Mastacembelidae
Lifespan: 18 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate