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hose readers of AQUALOGnews
who have been with us for a little
time, may remember that I reported in
Issue No. 13 (November 1997) that
Brazilian exporters of wild-caught
ornamental freshwater fish had to
operate under certain restrictions with
regard to the species that they were
allowed to export legally from the
country. I also said that there was hope
for improvements ahead and that I
would report back to our readers as
soon as I had further news. I now have
these news, so – as promised – here is
an update on the latest situation.
Background
First, though, it would be useful to
summarise the story “so far“.
Six years ago (1992), IBAMA (Institute
Brasileiro de Meio Ambiente e dos
Recursos Naturais Renovaveis) – the
Brazilian agency responsible for
environmental protection and natural
resources – published a “Clean List“ of
to Brazil do not have to operate under
such conditions, it is easy to
understand why Brazilian exporters
have been feeling rather unhappy
about the existing list.
Last year, though, Professor Ning
Labbish Chao, the leader of Project
Piaba, based in Manaus, took on the
responsibility of producing an new
“Clean List“. The first draft contained
some 500 species and, although the
latest contains fewer species – around
400 – this still represents a great
improvement on the 1992 list. This
total includes four species of
freshwater stingray which were added
to the original 180 species earlier this
year (February) and which can now be
exported under controlled annual
quotas.
On production of the first draft of the
list that Prof. Chao compiled last year,
he circulated it (as reported in my
above-mentioned AQUALOGnews
article) to a dozen Brazilian
ichthyologists for their comments.
Disappointingly, only one responded.
At the time, I was also informed by
Prof. Chao that, subsequent to re-
ceiving feedback from the scientists,
he would then present the list to the
ornamental aquatic industry for its
views. This, he has now done via
I n t e r n a t i o n a l N e w s p a p e r f o r A q u a r i s t s N O 2 1Aqualognews
PETS – LIVING PRESENTS ?
MISUNDERSTOODBEAUTIES
BITS AND PIECES
32 4 8
OFFSPRING IN THEAQUARIUM (PART 2)
B R A N D N E W
180 species of freshwater fish that
could be legally collected and ex-
ported from the country.
There were 180 species on that list
and, impressive though this figure
may sound at first, further though
shows that it is pretty restrictive when
one considers that there are well over
2,000 freshwater fish species in the
Amazon basin. When we also take into
account the fact that collectors and
exporters in neighbouring countries
New “Clean List”From Brazilvon John Dawes
The exporters of ornamental fish from Brazil had to work under
certain restrictions. Lately a change of this situation seems to be
in sight.
he latest discovery to come out of
“Aquaria“ is a cichlid in whose
evolution various Lake Malawi species
undoubtedly played a part. This fish is
sold as Aulonocara “Painted“. It has
the body shape of the peacock
cichlids of the genus Aulonocara, but
other features are more reminiscent of
various other haplochromines. But the
most unusual thing about this fish is
its unique checkered colour pattern,
which resembles nothing previously
seen in either group. Whatever your
feelings about hybrids, this fish, which
grows to about 10 cm, is certainly an
eye-catcher. If you decide to keep it,
then you should buy 7–10 specimens
at the same time. There are unlikely to
be two identical individuals among
them. The males – and the vast
majority are males – have distinctly-
marked egg spots on the anal fin.
Maintenance is problem-free, but the
water should not be too soft and
never acid. Aulonocara “Painted“ is
peaceful towards other fish species,
and quarrels among themselves are
species, which comes from Venezuela
(upper Orinoco) is particularly easy to
recognise. Unlike many other loricariid
catfishes these fishes exhibit very little
variation as far as coloration is con-
cerned. Recently 2 specimens arrived
in Germany, impressing everyone with
their beautifully marked dorsal fins.
Not only that, but they were a pair! At
present they are about 12 cm in
length but undoubtedly still have
some growing to do. The female can
be distinguished from the male by
smaller fin size and fewer and smaller
spines on the body. Moreover her
coloration is fainter, but it is im-
possible to say from just two
specimens whether or not these
sexual differences apply to the species
as a whole. The pH in nature, at the
time of the collection of the type
specimen, was 6.5 at a temperature of
27°C. The fishes were caught in rocky
caves in the bank, so we can assume
they are cave-spawners. Attempts are
currently being made to breed these
unusual fishes. In the event that these
are successful, you will, of course, read
all about it in your news right away.
A very unusual goby from western
Sumatra has reached Aquarium
Glaser. It is a member of the genus
Sicydium, a taxon whose range
extends throughout tropical areas of
Asia, Africa, and South and Central
America. On the basis of its origin it is
probably Sicydium macrostetholepis, a
member of the subgenus Sicyopterus,
and it is under this name that it is
appearing in the trade. Its most
striking feature is its splendidly
coloured tail. In nature these fishes,
which grow to about 9 cm, live in clear
streams with a stony substrate. The
males are blue-grey, while the females
have a beige base colour with dark
vertical bars. The males occupy small
territories while the females go
around in small groups of 5–6 in-
dividuals. Their main food source is
Aufwuchs but they will take any of the
usual foods in captivity. The fry are
tiny and delicate and are taken out to
sea by the current, migrating back to
the streams after their progressive
development. Using their very well-
developed ventral sucker (modified
ventral fins) these creatures can even
climb up waterfalls, so keep the
aquarium tightly covered!
A very pretty killifish is currently being
imported from Cameroon in increased
numbers: the broad-finned lamp-eye,
Procatopus nototaenia, colour variety
“Yabassi“ (LOG A74062). This colour
form is notable for its unusual anal fin
markings: the fin is covered with
horizontal red stripes, while the
“normal“ P. nototaenia has just red dots
in this area. These incredibly colourful,
very peaceful, and constantly active
fishes are truly a sight for sore eyes.
They should always be kept in a shoal;
then the males will compete with one
another in harmless mock battles and
display to the females. These
extremely peaceful creatures should
Aquaria– The “Sixth Continent“
(fs) As far as the ornamental fish trade is concerned there are
now 6 continents. To Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and America
we can add “Aquaria“, an apparently inexhaustible source of
never before seen fish varieties.
R E P O R T
The famous “meeting of the waters“ between the Amazon’s two main tributaries, the muddySolimoes and the dark tannin-stained Rio Negro. Each river system holds a wealth of species,many of which appear in the new “Clean List“. photo: U. Glaser to be continued on page 6
T
T
Leporacanthicus triactis, variety. This species is knownas „L91“. Above picture shows the male, left smallerphoto the female.photos: F. Schäfer / A.C.S.
Procatopus nototaenia„Yabassi“photo: F. Schäfer / A.C.S.
A pair of the goby Sicydium macrostetholepis,the male in front.photo: F. Schäfer/A.C.S.
not be kept with more boisterous
tankmates, but otherwise they are
undemanding. They spawn in rock
crevices, and the eggs take 3 weeks to
develop. In general they enjoy flake
food, but should also be given small
frozen foods, and, if possible, live foods
such as water fleas and Drosophila
(fruit flies).
not normally serious unless you have
just a pair or too small a group.
From South America comes the
suckermouth catfish Leporacanthicus
triactis, which is still known by the
identifier L91 which it was given prior
to its scientific description. This
Aulonocara “Painted“, pair. photo: F. Schäfer / A.C.S.
Aqualognews N U M B E R 2 1 2
ndoubtedly the parents have the
best of intentions and hope that
caring for a pet will have a positive
influence on the child. But all too often
the reality is quite different after only a
little while: the creatures are kept in
cages or aquaria that are too small, too
restrictive,or otherwise unsuitable.Many
animals are particularly sensitive to stress
during the settling-in period, but, not
surprisingly, children want constantly to
handle and stroke their new pet,
spending most of their time with it. The
whole thing is viable only if, before
purchasing the animal,both parents and
children have researched the main-
tenance requirements of the new pet.
Failing this, then beginners’ errors, which
could have been avoided,may have fatal
consequences for the creature con-
cerned.
Animals should not be given to small
children, as the amount of maintenance
necessary is often underestimated and
the young pet-owner is quickly over-
whelmed. In general children of school
age are capable of looking after a pet in
the long term, given adult back-up.
Whether or not a child will be able to
cope, safely, with a pet depends, of
course, on the type of animal chosen:
budgerigars, guineapigs, and aquarium
fishes are more suitable than turtles,cats,
and dogs. It is best, as a fall-back
measure, if you yourself can arrange to
have enough spare time to take over the
care of the animal for a while in case the
child temporarily loses interest. In the
event that you are planning to set up an
aquarium, make sure you ask the child if
he or she likes the idea. Once you are
reassured on this point,give the tank and
equipment as a present,but please leave
buying the fishes till later, however
difficult it may be to resist the temptation
to do so now. A few basic special
requirements are necessary for keeping
aquarium fishes: do you have
somewhere to site the aquarium which is
close to an electric socket but not next to
the heating or a window? Please do not
opt for a min-aquarium of less than
60 litres capacity, as the water may
quickly become polluted, and the fishes
will need room to grow.
Do you know the hardness of your tap
water? Some fishes require particularly
soft water in order to remain healthy. As
far as equipment is concerned,do not try
and make do without a heater in the
tank, as the majority of fishes available in
the trade originate from the tropics and
will soon die if the water is too cold. The
water should be filtered, and the larger
the filter, the better the filtration.
However, the filter should be appro-
priate to the volume of the tank! When
choosing the fishes you should select
only species that will get along well
together and can be fed on dried foods.
Some fish species need to be fed live
foods, but providing these can quickly
become a problem. Discuss these points
with a dealer or a friend who is an
aquarist. In addition a well-illustrated
textbook will facilitate your introduction
to the hobby, and help develop your
interest. You can also ask your dealer to
sell you a voucher to be exchanged for
fish later on. Festively packaged, such a
voucher will be just as good a present,
and just as great a source of excitement,
as live fishes, come Christmas Day. Allow
your imagination free rein,but be sure to
plan the arrival of your new pet(s) with
the utmost care. If you follow this advice
then nothing will stand in the way of a
harmonious Christmas and the success-
ful integration of the new member(s) of
the household. Good luck!
For many people Christmas is an opportunity for making others
happy,and for the exchange of gifts. Year after year,however, living
creatures find themselves given as presents, especially to children.
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X - M A S
T O P T E N
Top-Ten: HONG KONGChina is the birthplace of fishkeeping, as well as of many other
aspects of human culture. David Lam of Ceylon Aquarium, Hong
Kong, provides this month’s TopTen.
In first place, not just as the top
aquarium fish kept in Europe, but as
the top pet fish overall, is the gold-
fish, Carassius auratus. Of course the
term “goldfish“ includes not only the
original form, but also the
numerous, centuries-old, cultivated
varieties, for example the bubble-
eye, veil-tail etc. Second is the gold-
fish’s larger cousin, the koi, a
cultivated form of the carp (Cyprinus
carpio), developed by intensive
breeding over the past 200 years.
Third place: the discus cichlid
(Symphysodon aequifasciatus). In this
case it is the numerous cultivated
forms of the “King of the Amazon“,
developed over the last 30 years,
that are particularly prized. In fourth
place: the arowana, Osteoglossum
bicirrhosum. Please also read the
report by John Dawes in this edition
of the news. But not only large fish
species are bestsellers in Hong
Kong. Many South American tetras,
above all the cardinal (Para-
cheirodon axelrodi) are extremely
popular and occupy fifth place. In
recent years the Asian breeders have
applied themselves increasingly to
the cichlids of the lakes of the great
Rift Valley of east Africa. One of the
results has already been mentioned
in this issue of the news: the
Chinese breeders, take eighth place.
The parrot, a cultivated form derived
from South American cichlids, is now
available in more than 20 different
colour varieties. It is very evident
that the attitude of aquarists
T O P T E N
1. Goldfish
2. Koi
3. Discus (artificial varieties)
4. Arowana (wild-caught)
5. Cardinal tetra (wild-caught)
6. African Cichlids
7. Guppy
8. Neon tetras (tank-bred types)
9. Parrots
10. Suckermouth catfishes
Goldfish (veil-tail)photo: Archiv A.C.S.
Neon tetra (Paracheidron innesi) photo: Archiv A.C.S.
towards this fish varies considerably
from country to country. In Germany,
for example, the creation of this
deformed fish is regarded as cruel,
and it is boycotted by many retailers.
Yet in Asia it is so greatly prized that
it occupies 9th place in the Top Ten.
By contrast the popularity of the last
in the list knows no boundaries:
Loricariid catfishes are prized world-
wide, including in Hong Kong, where
“plecs“ are the tenth most common-
ly sold fishes.
Animals like these turtles are no toys! photo: F. Schäfer / A.C.S.
✭
U
Aulonocara “Painted“. The African
cichlids bred by the Asian
professionals occupy 6th place in
the Top Ten. Next, another cultivated
form, using the singular loosely in
this instance: the guppy (Poecilia
reticulata), in its innumerable, Asian-
developed, cultivated forms is the
7th most popular fish in Hong Kong.
The cultivated forms of the neon
tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) (the
white neon, brilliant neon, etc. – see
AQUALOG Special: Fishes of the Year
– The Highlights), produced by
Discus-ChampionshipDuisburg 1998
For the second time the international
Discus Championships in Duisburg
were organised by Norbert Zajac.
More than 16,000 visitors made sure of
attending the event. These onlookers
saw a splendid red-turquoise discus
adjudged “Best in Show“, although “his
Majesty“ was a trifle wary of our
photographer! The proud owner of
this fish is Hiroshie Irie, from Japan. In
the next issue of our news we will
report in full on the prizewinners and
the fishes on show. AQUALOG South
American Cichlids IV portrays all
discus for the first time, in the
categories used at such exhibitions.
S P O T L I G H T
The red-turquoise discus of Hiroshie Irie, Best inShow, Duisburg 1998. photo: F. Teigler / A.C.S.
Pets in Your Christmas Stocking– Lucky You?by Uwe Krüger
Aqualognews N U M B E R 2 1 3
he basic requirements for breeding
the anemonefish Amphiprion
ocellaris have been explained in part 1
of this article (AQUALOGnews No. 20).
This continuation will tell you about
the necessary preparations for egg-
laying and the subsequent procedure
post-spawning.
Take note of every detail!
In order to be able to transfer the
subsequent spawn into the hatching
hatching, while the rest of the spawn
fungusses.
My tip:
Calculate the approximate time of
hatching (2–3 hours after the tank has
been made completely dark). To be
safe allow an additional 2 hours after
the calculated hatching time, and then
set the timeswitch to turn the light on
I am not, dear reader, normally in the
habit of getting up early in the
morning. But with the prospect of
seeing 200, 300, or even 400 tiny
anemonefishes before my very eyes,
time and again I have dragged myself,
heart pounding, from my bed at some
unearthly hour long before the
lighting timeswitch has done its job.
Anyone who has once experienced
this moment will know that it is im-
possible to describe the quite over-
whelming sight represented by several
hundred fry. I just hope that you too,
dear reader, will have the pleasure of
this unique experience.
The care and maintenance
of our young fishes
During the following days and weeks
the daily chores will become routine.
Depending on the number of larvae,
feed about 6 litres of plankton. Every
evening siphon off mulm and food
residues – and, unfortunately dead fry
– using narrow-bore airline tubing.The
discarded water should be replaced,
added a drop at a time, with aged
water from the parents’ aquarium.
Every day please – without fail! It is
Offspring in the Seawater AquariumThe Challenge! (Part 2)
by Jürgen Brei (Marine Aquarium, Messel/Germany)
container prepared beforehand, place
a flat stone, dish, piece of flagstone, or
similar in the spot where they
spawned previously. In general Mr. and
Mrs. Ocellaris will duly cooperate, and
then you will have no problems with
the transfer.
This is where it gets exciting …
Soon the hoped-for second batch of
spawn, salmon-red and 5 cm in
diameter, will be gleaming on the sur-
face previously provided.
Now we must think about raising the
young. After the 8–9 days (at 27°C) of
careful tending by the parents it will be
time – the tiny fry will hatch during the
following night, after the aquarium has
been in complete darkness for
2–3 hours.
Before this stage is reached:
Using water from the breeding
aquarium, fill the hatching container to
M A R I N E S
From the Chancellor’s office
to Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler!
For more than 14 years Helmut Kohl
enjoyed the company of his “room-
mates“, including armoured catfishes,
tetras, and dwarf cichlids, which he was
given as a present following a visit to the
Berlin Zoo. When he left his office in the
Chancellory, the fishes went too.
There was no problem finding a taker for
the 240 litre aquarium; but the fishes
were found a new home at the aquarium
club in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, with
the aid of the Chief of the Federal Border
Police, Hand-Jochen Brecht. The club is
now hoping for a visit from the former
Chancellor!
n e w s f l a s h
any good aquarium handbook. Young
Amphiprion inevitably die of
constipation if they eat Artemia shells
left in by accident. In order to broaden
the diet of out little ones, they can be
given one feed of powdered food per
day, sprinkled on the surface of the
water. At this stage a small internal
filter with a foam cartridge can be
installed.The fry will now begin to take
on the body colour of their particular
species. In Amphiprion ocellaris this is a
glorious orange. And when they are
swimming in the open water they
already exhibit their characteristic
swinging movements.
Thus it will give you more and more
pleasure, with each passing day, to
follow the development of these tiny
clowns. After 3–4 months they will
grow on better if transferred to a larger
aquarium. Anemones can then be
introduced – though this is not
obligatory; but it is a particular delight
to see the little orange fellows “surfing“
through a white anemone. So do not
deprive yourself of this experience.
such a depth that the spawning
substrate, complete with eggs, can be
stood vertically underwater.The spawn
must now be carefully transferred,
without coming into contact with the
air, from the spawning aquarium to the
hatching tank, using a suitable con-
tainer (a basin or something similar).
Thereafter you must be careful to
ensure the embryos receive sufficient
oxygen, using a stream of air bubbles
close to, but not disturbing, the eggs.
This oxygenation will be required in
the rearing tank for roughly the next
4–6 weeks.
Please do not install any additional
water circulation or a filter! Now,before
the hatching tank is darkened, slowly
A. ocellaris with eggsphoto: J. Brei
Eggs shortly before hatching. The eyes of the embryos are already clearly recognisable.photo: J. Brei
A group of juvenile A.melanopus at the age of about 3 monthsphoto: J. Brei
Eggs of A. melanopusphoto: J. Brei
A Growing SuccessTropica Aquarium Plants
Box 3 · 8530 Hjortshoej · DenmarkTel.: +45 86 22 05 66 · Fax: +45 86 22 84 66
e-mail: [email protected]
Tropica is proud to present its newcatalogue, containing a complete listand description of each of our more
than 150 top-quality plants foraquariums. The new catalogue also
contains a comprehensive descriptionof Tropica’s cultivation methods, as
well as plenty of tips and good ideasfor both beginners and more
experienced aquarium owners.
TROPICAAQUARIUM
PLANTS
pour in about a litre of your plankton
culture. The aquarium must remain
completely undisturbed throughout
the coming night.
Be patient until next morning. Please
do not sneak a look to see if a few fry
have hatched. In my experience this
will lead to only some – if any –
for about an hour at that time. This will
ensure that the food-less night is not
too long for the fry; for, of course, they
feed only when it is light.
An overwhelming sight
By 7 am at the latest you should be at
the ready, in order to provide the
necessary food supply.
important, for successful maintenance,
that the plankton culture should
always be of the highest quality.
In general from the 9th or 10th day on
I have provided supplementary food in
the form of small amounts of freshly-
hatched, vitamin-treated, Artemia. You
should watch the fishes closely!
Only when all the fry are taking
Artemia is it safe gradually to phase out
the planktonic food. The utmost care is
required in separating the newly-
hatched Artemia from their egg-shells
(by sieving). Every dedicated aquarist
should know how to culture Artemia,
failing which details can be found in
Anzeige
schmettkamp
T
Aqualognews N U M B E R 2 1 4
here are species that live in trees,
and others adapted to a life
underground. All the world’s snakes
are beautiful, and almost every species
is worth keeping and observing in a
terrarium.
Poisonous beasts?
All snakes are poisonous. This
statement is based on the fact that the
saliva of all known species of snakes
contains powerful digestive enzymes,
which, if they enter the human
bloodstream, have a highly toxic
effect. And snake venom is nothing
more than the saliva of these
ground and are specialised feeders
(ant pupae and termites), so that their
maintenance by the layman with a
general interest is out of the question.
The giant snakes, which grow to a very
large size – for example the reticulated
python (Python reticulatus) and the
anaconda (Eunectes murinus), which
can grow to 6 metres in length – are as
a rule unsuitable for maintenance by
the private individual. Venomous
species of the families Elapidae (to
which belong, for example, the cobras,
mambas, and kraits), Viperidae (eg. the
adder and the horned viper), and
Crotalidae (eg. rattlesnakes) are about
have to be fed alive. One can divide
them roughly into 3 main trophic
groups. The first of these groups feeds
on warm-blooded animals. These
snakes eat birds and suitably-sized
mammals (mice, rats, rabbits). In
general they are easy to maintain,
their food available at all times.
Although not everyone finds it easy to
feed cute little rodents to the reptile.
The second group are the fish-eaters.
In nature these snakes live in moist
biotopes where they feed on fish and
frogs. For conservation reasons the
latter should not be used as food. Live
fish are available at all times. And the
majority of species will, after a short
time, learn to take deep-frozen fish
(defrosted first, of course!), so that
maintaining their food supply poses
no difficulties. The problem with these
snakes lies in keeping them alive at all.
When imported from the wild they are
infested with all sorts of internal
parasites connected with their natural
habitat. The unavoidable stress
associated with capture and
transportation compromises their
immune systems, which in turn leads
to an explosive increase in the parasite
burden. Without treatment many of
these snakes are thus doomed to die.
But the required treatment is, in
general, beyond the capabilities of the
beginner. If he nevertheless decides to
keep these snakes, then he should
always obtain captive-bred
specimens, even if they are more
expensive than wild-caught. Captive-
bred individuals are generally largely
parasite-free. Without the parasites,
the fish-eating snakes are among the
easiest to keep.
The third group is that of the lizard-
eaters. These are species that, in
nature, feed largely on various species
of lizards. The beginner should
undertake their maintenance only
with extreme circumspection. One
should never catch lizards from the
back garden for food! The alternative
is the tropical house geckos of the
genus Hemidactylus, which are found
in such numbers everywhere in the
tropics that they can be used as food
with a clear conscience. But even this
mode of feeding is not without
problems; can you really be absolutely
sure that an adequate food supply will
always be available? Moreover these
geckos are carriers of parasites and
need to be kept for some time, and
medicated, before being used as food.
In general the lizard-eaters will quickly
learn to take new-born, still hairless,
mice as an alternative. But one must
face up to the fact that some
individuals will obstinately refuse to
accept this food and then must be fed
on feeder-geckos for their entire lives
(which can be 10–15 years). Thus a
medium-sized mouse-eating snake is
recommended for the newcomer to
the hobby of snake-keeping. The most
suitable are the North American
species of the genus Elaphe, such as
T E R R A R I S T I C
Snakes– Misunderstood Beauties (Part 1)
by Frank Schäfer, Dipl. Biol.
With more than 2,700 species, snakes inhabit every habitat
worldwide where the temperature spectrum is overall suitable
for reptilian life. They are found in deserts, in the deep sea, on
the Tundra, in the mountains, and in the rainforest.
T
No Glass TopDo not use a glass top under a ReptiSun5,0 UVB bulb as common glass filters out 95%of the beneficial UVB rays that your reptilesneed (in order to prevent metabolic bonedisease). No glass under the bulb or a screentop with 1 cm square screen mesh is okay.
No Corn For Iguanas!In the wild Green Iguanas eat the leaves of abean plant (high fiber, vegetarian proteinsource) which is what builds muscle and givesthem an extremely fast growth rate. Zoo Med’sAll Natural Iguana Food formula is based onwhat Green Iguanas eat in the wild. Do notfeed colored pellet type foods that are corn
creatures. But only the so-called
venomous snakes possess specially-
structured teeth which enable them
to deliver the saliva directly into the
bite wound. In consequence the bite
of the majority of snakes is quite
harmless to man. Of course it is not
possible to tell from a snake’s external
appearance whether or not it has
poison fangs. It is essential to have an
exact knowledge of the species in
order to evaluate the degree of
danger posed by any particular snake.
For this reason the layman should
never pick up a snake in the wild. It is,
however, safe to believe the pet-trader
when he assures you that the species
on offer is non-venomous.
Snakes never attack people without
good reason or out of “wickedness“.
Even the largest of the giant snakes do
not attack Man as a prey item. In the
mind of the snake Man is not Man, but
merely a large, inedible, potentially
dangerous animal. When a snake
attack occurs, then it is always a
defensive move by the attacking
individual. These basic points must
always be borne in mind when it
comes to maintaining snakes in the
terrarium.
Which snakes are
suitable for the terrarium?
It has already been stated at the
outset that, basically, practically any
snake is suitable for the terrarium.
There are, of course, exceptions. Thus
the pelagic seasnakes that live in the
depths of the sea can hardly be kept in
captivity. Certain blind snakes
(Typhlops) live exclusively under-
as unsuitable for the beginner as the
boigine snakes (Boiginae), with whom
a chance encounter in unfavourable
circumstances can lead to a venomous
bite.
What do snakes eat?
The would-be snake owner must first
of all decide what types of prey he is
prepared to offer. Snakes feed mainly
on whole animals, which generally
the corn snake (E. guttata), or the
ground snake (E. obsoleta), which have
already been bred in the terrarium for
many generations. The beginner can
gain experience with these totally
harmless, splendidly coloured, friendly
snakes, so as later on to be able to
devote himself to the more difficult,
but no less beautiful, species as well.
To be continued in AQUALOGnews No. 22
Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri photo: F. Schäfer/A.C.S.
Elaphe guttata photo: F. Schäfer/A.C.S.
Portrait of a garter snake Thamnophis sp.photo: F. Schäfer/A.C.S.
based as this will only result in your Iguanagetting metabolic bone disease within3–9 months in captivity.
Tips For Terrarists
Anzeige
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Aqualognews N U M B E R 2 1 5
X - M A S
your reference work on all Cichlids
ISBN 3-931702-04-9 ISBN 3-931702-07-3 ISBN 3-931702-75-8 ISBN 3-931702-10-3
Demnächstcoming soon:
African Cichlids IIMalawi Utaka
Autor: Erwin Schraml
NEW
Ihr Nachschlagewerk über alle Buntbarsche
Supplement No. 2for AQUALOG all Labyrinths(ISBN: 3-931702-86-3)
Internet: www.aqualog.defor the latest information
Supplement No. 9for AQUALOG Loricariidae: all L-NumbersISBN: 3-931702-84-7
Supplement No. 10for AQUALOG Loricariidae: all L-Numbers(ISBN: 3-931702-85-5)
Neue Ergänzungsbögen erschienen:New supplements available now:
African Cichlids I MALAWI Mbuna
Like all good things, this book took quite a while to befinished at last. But, we finally made it and now we are proudto present to you the first comprehensive book on all knownMbunas and their variants.The book contains approx. 1.400 excellent photos in fullcolour of renowned photographers among others A.Spreinat, A. Konings, W. Staeck.Easy-to-read instructions make working with this book apleasure. The second volume of this ambitious project,which covers the rest of the species Haplochromis is alreadyscheduled for 1999.The supplementing stickers of newdiscoveries guarantee an up-to-date reference work for years.
240 pages, Hardcover.
NEW
Vertrieb in Deutschland: amtra - Aquaristik GmbH,Liebigstraße 1, 63110 Rodgau, Tel: 06106 - 690 150, Fax: 06106 - 690 158
International sales: Verlag A.C.S. GmbH,Liebigstraße 1, D- 63110 Rodgau, Fax: +49(0)6106 - 644692, e-mail: [email protected]
From the advisory series ”Freshwater Coral Fish” Cichlids from Lake Malawi
ISBN 3-931702-48-0ISBN 3-931702-79-0
Advisory + Poster
full english version
care instructions by specialists
Everything a beginner need for
successful maintenance. of this
beautiful species from the African
Lake Malawi.
Easy-to-read instructions and useful
tips from the specialist: Erwin Schraml
quaria can be left to their own
devices for a few days now and
again without problem.They also offer
even young people the opportunity to
gain experience at dealing with living
creatures, and to study nature “live“ in
the fascinating microcosm of the
aquarium.
Undoubtedly live fishes have no place
under the Christmas tree, as first of all
the correct habitat must be provided
for the new residents. Thus technical
equipment must be provided as well
as the aquarium itself – a suitable filter,
a heater-stat, and a lighting unit are all
necessary. All the many other bits and
pieces that are sold for the
optimisation of the aquarium environ-
ment can left until later. In the past it
was necessary to wait 4–6 weeks
before introducing the first fishes,
because as a rule it takes that long for
the filtration to mature to some extent
and for the initial pollution to be
biologically broken down. Now,
however, there is the amtra easy start
KIT for the quick-starting of the
aquarium filter, including a com-
prehensive manual on running a new
aquarium and a checklist of things to
do during the first 100 days. As early as
the day after Christmas you will be
able to begin introducing fishes.
And another cheering thought – once
your friend has become “hooked“ by
our fascinating hobby, never again will
you need to wrack your brains for
sensible ideas for presents. There are
always plenty of “desperately needed“
items on every aquarists “wish list“.
IDEAS FOR PRESENTS
FOR AQUARISTS
For the marine aquarist:
Electronic hydrometer: ever marinist
needs to measure salinity regularly,
but unfortunately this is a very long-
winded process and the methods
used very inexact. The company
SELZLE has recently brought out the
first electronic hydrometer. Using this
the salinity of the aquarium can be
measured very exactly and in seconds,
with auto-
matic tem-
perature com-
pensation.
A genuine in-
novation for
our hobby.
And as a
bonus it can
also be used
to measure the aquarium
temperature.
For the freshwater aquarist:
Tepor – an “intelligent“ bottom heater:
the Tepor is a particularly good idea if
the recipient is setting up a “new“
aquarium, as it is, of course, very
difficult to install bottom heating as
the entire aquarium must first be
emptied. The Tepor is by far the most
up-to-date bottom heater offered at
the present time, as it regulates the
temperature of both the substrate and
the water using 2 separate tem-
perature sensors, thus perfectly the
simulating conditions in the natural
habitat of our aquarium plants.
If desired there is a de luxe digital
model with dual digital displays and
aquarium one should not neglect the
security just as every other modern
electrical equipment includes safety
devices. The detector has been
developed by the company SELZLE for
the special conditions in the
aquarium.This device combines a loud
acoustic warning signal and an optical
one. It is activated as soon as a voltage
of more that 25 V occurs in the
aquarium. Further the “luxury-
version“: Additionally to the acoustic
signal it will turn off any electrical
device which is connected to it.
Remember: Safety first – as well for the
aquarium!
The amtra easyStart KIT helps to
reduce the timewhich is usually
needed to buildup the right
biologicalbalance of the
aqaria waterduring the timethe filter needs
to settle. It helpsto create healthywater conditions
for the fishes inyour newly set
up aquarium.
An Aquarium as a Present?by Gregor Beckmann
Animals as Christmas presents? We are – quite rightly – warned
against that. For the acquisition of an animal should be well-
thought-out, and animals are certainly not suitable as spur-of-
the moment gifts. But it is a bit different with an aquarium.
An aquarium makes a splendid gift – provided you follow a few basic rules! photo: amtra
Dear Reader!
The AQUALOGteam would like to thank all loyal readers of the news for their positive and
enthusiastic feedback in the past!
So that we can continue to research and work in yourbest interests, we will be delighted to hear more ofyour suggestions and questions on various topicsconcerning the aquarium and terrarium hobbies.
We wish you all a merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year for 1999!
Your AQUALOGteam
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A
Safety in the aquarium:detector (left) protector (right).
integral nocturnal cut-out. An ideal
present for fans of aquaria with many
beautiful plants.
No aquarium without the detector!
We all know that the aquarium hobby
is a very beautiful one. As there is quite
some electrical equipment in the
Aqualognews N U M B E R 2 1 6
F I S H D O C T O R
16 x 12 cm
MESSE AQUA FISCH,FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
R E P O R T
Ornamental Fish International, first by
publishing the complete new draft list
in the May 1998 issue of the OFI
Journal and, secondly, by presenting a
paper at the OFI Conference held in
Nürnberg during Interzoo ‘98, also in
May.
Feedback Wanted
By offering the list to the industry for
comments, Prof. Chao will receive very
valuable information which will
influence the compilation of the final
list that will, eventually, be submitted
to the Brazilian authorities. However,
the views of hobbyists are also
important and Prof. Chao would
welcome requests for the list, either
from individual aquarists, or from
associations. He can be contacted by
e-mail at:
[email protected] and [email protected] so if
you require more information, please
contact him direct.
Some Comments
One of the major obstacles which the
original 1992 list presented – the
omission for all species considered to
be “food fish“ – has been overcome by
the new draft. As a result, fish such as
the Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) and
the two arowanas (Osteoglossum
bicirrhosum and O. ferreirai) are now in-
cluded. So are Cichla ocellaris and
C.temensis,known as Tucunaré in Brazil.
With the exception of the Guppy
(Poecilia reticulata), the original 1992
list contained no livebearers. The new
one contains four. In addition to the
Guppy, it features two species of Four-
eyed Fish (Anableps anableps and
A. microlepis), along with the One-
sided Livebearer (Jenynsia lineata). In-
terestingly, though, it does not include
either of the two species often
referred to as the One-spot Livebearer
(Phalloceros caudimaculatus and
Poecilia vivipara) – both of which
appear to be quite abundant in the
wild. Neither is the somewhat rarer,
Striped or Barred Millions Fish
(Phalloptychus januarius).
Numerous catfish species are also
included in the new list, but none of
those Loricariidae which are referred
to (or known) by their L-numbers in
the hobby or trade. The main reason
for this omission appears to be lack of
knowledge of both the exact identity
of these species, or their relative
abundance (or scarcity) in the wild.
Closing Comment
Those people who know Prof. Ning
Labbish Chao will vouch for his
dedication, enthusiasm, profound
knowledge and extremely sensible
and enlightened approach, both to
the science and socio-economics of
the Amazonian fishery and the
Amazon itself. It therefore comes as no
surprise to learn that he has compiled
the expanded proposed list with these
criteria in mind. I would therefore like
to close with a direct quote from him
that encapsulates the thinking that
both he and countless aquarists and
members of the aquatic industry itself
share: „I believe that making more
species available to the tropical fish
industry will, not only reduce pressure
on the few “bread and butter“ species,
but will also slow down local de-
forestation processes by providing
alternative employment… The partici-
pation of scientists, government and
the ornamental fish industry is vital to
ensure the proper use of fish resources
for leisure and profit. I therefore here-
with present a draft species list for
comments from those who are in-
volved in the fish hobby and industry.“
New “CleanList“ from Brazilfrom page1
The Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) – seen hereharpooned by a caboclo – is one of thosespecies that is considered both as a food fishand an ornamental and is now re-instated asbeing collectable. photo: J. Dawes
Soft Tropical Aquarium Water
– Without the
Expense of Technology!
by Dr. (med. vet.) Markus Biffar
How often have you seen some fish or other that you fancied in
the aquarium shop, but not bought it because your tap water
was simply not suitable for the species concerned?
A fish that requires soft water: Apistogramma
hongsloi. photo: Jürgen Glaser
enerally the problem is that the
available tap water supply is too
hard and often has too high a pH,
while many particularly attractive
aquarium fishes originate in regions –
for example the Amazon basin or the
rainforest areas of west Africa– where
the water is soft and slightly acid.
Although fishes as a group are fairly
adaptable, including where water
chemistry is concerned, it is important
that the process of acclimatisation
should not be too punishing. Other-
wise one may be subjecting the fishes
to long-lasting stress, potentially
harmful in the long term. The
consequences of stress in fishes are, in
the first instance, erratic behaviour in
general and an increased suscepti-
bility to disease. In the past we have
been advised to prevent this by pre-
paring the water in advance using re-
latively expensive technical equipment.
In order to reduce hardness and pH,
both important parameters in
fishkeeping, this normally meant an
ion-exchange or a reverse osmosis
unit. These items of equipment are
expensive and labour-intensive and
are thus worthwhile only for very large
aquaria or entire fish-rooms. Using
amtra trop, however, a liquid product
formulated with the requirements of
fishes in mind, it is possible to reduce
hardness and slightly acidify the
water. This is of particular interest to
the average aquarist with one or two
normal-sized aquaria, who never-
theless wishes to provide conditions
which are as biotope-correct as
possible for his fishes.
amtra trop is the only liquid product
demonstrably capable of softening
any tap water and, in addition,
lowering its pH. The salts causing
hardness are bound up very efficiently
by amtra trop, such that they can no
longer exert any influence on the
extremely dangerous pH collapse that
can occur in soft water.
And because one can combine amtra
trop very effectively with the strongly
acidifying amtra Eichenextract, it is
also easily possible to provide a very
low – but stable – pH in demineralised
water for fishes requiring such
conditions.
The outstanding effectiveness of
amtra trop is impressively de-
monstrated by the fact that there has
been a considerable reduction in
acclimatisation problems with wild-
caught fishes, in particular difficult
species such as altum angels
(Pterophyllum altum). For this reason
amtra trop is now widely used in
importation and quarantine facilities
for ornamental fishes.
And finally, an insider tip
Experiences in professional fish
establishments have shown that even
using a much smaller dosage than
that recommended (1/4 to 1/2) whose
softening effect can be measured only
by expensive laboratory testing, the
visible effects on the well-being of the
fishes remain undiminished.
The arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) – food fish or ornamental fish?photo: F. Teigler/ A.C.S.
Very Christmassy!
Time and again at Christmas thequestion arises: what shall I put underthe Christmas tree for my loved ones?Then one thinks about what eachmight find useful. Something for afavourite hobby is a good idea andnever unwelcome.
The literature portrays the aquariumhobby in all its many facets. And thuswe recommend that you give books asChristmas presents.
Together with personal contact withother aquarists, and advice fromaquarium shops, books are the mediumby which the accumulated wisdomregarding all aspects of the hobby canbe passed on to the aquarist. TheAQUALOG-pictorial lexicons cataloguethe multiplicity of species that can bekept, and, because they are designed tobe updated, keep the aquaristconstantly informed regarding thelatest state of our knowledge.
Together with the books in theAQUALOGspecial aquarium guideseries, in which professionals provideadvice on the care, maintenance, andbreeding of fishes, these are the idealgift for any aquarist friend.
So, how do you go about buying a bookfor Christmas? Information on books inthe AQUALOG series can be obtaineddirectly from
Verlag A.C.S. GmbH,Liebigstrasse 1, 63110 Rodgau, Germany.Tel. +49 6106-690140Fax +49 6106-644692
or from your retail outlet!
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fishes. At the same time a slight
organic acidification ensures that the
pH decreases somewhat. In addition,
there is a so-called buffering effect,
preventing the much-dreaded and
The Latest Up-Date ForYour AQUALOG Books!
ISBN: 3-931702-84-7
Supplement No. 9
for Loricariidae: all L-Numbers
ISBN: 3-931702-85-5
Supplement No. 10
for Loricariidae: all L-Numbers
ISBN: 3-931702-86-3
Supplement No. 2
for all Labyrinths
The Three New Supplements:
qualA og
Aqualognews N U M B E R 2 1 7
Die neue Futter-Generation.
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Jetzt gibt es das gesunde,artgerechte Ernährungskon-zept für Aquarienfische:amtra SANO. Diese neueGeneration von Fischfutter
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amtra Aquaristik GmbHD-63110 Rodgauwww.amtra.de
n the wild, some plants used in the
aquarium grow naturally on stones
and tree roots. Prime examples are
Anubias, Microsorum, Bolbitis and
F L O R A
Aquarium Plants –Cultivated On Stones and Tree Roots
by Martin Petersen
Tropica Aquarium Plants offers plants on wood and lava stone
which makes it possible to create stunning submerged
sceneries.
from easy. The production process is
space-intensive, and the plants often
grow so slowly that they take up to a
year to reach their target size.
Tree roots heavy enough to weight
down the plants had to obtain in the
right size and in sufficient volume. And
for the reasons of freight the stones
used could not be too heavy. So in-
stead of chuncks of rock, lava
imported from Iceland was chosen.
The shops purchasing the end-
products were delighted. If their fish
were difficult to catch they now simply
removed the plants and the rest was
straight forward! But soon also other
benefits materialised. Newly intro-
duced fish acclimatised much more
quickly to the tank environment
– they assumed their natural colouring
in record time and appeared less
stressed.
An aquarium can now be planted in
no time at all while at the same time
avoiding that newly-planted look! The
plants can also be “stacked“ and used
to cover cables and other technical
installations in the aquarium.
Often as not a newly planted
aquarium is not an unqualified
success in the mind of the designer.
How much better it might have looked
if arranged differently! Rearrangement
is normally deterred by an amount of
work involved, but when the plants are
anchored to stones and roots it’s a
different story. Indeed the ease with
which changes can now be made
tends to stimulate the latent creative
instincts which lurk in all aquarists!
Many aquarists dismiss the use of fish
bowls as totally unsuitable. And even
bowl enthusiasts have to grapple with
the planting difficulties caused by the
inadequate depth of substrate to hold
the plant securely. Plants anchored to
stones and roots provide an admirable
solution to this problem, while at the
same time they are naturally robust
and require minimal light. The use of
fish for decorative purposes is
superfluous in such cases – the plant
and the root are decorative in
themselves.
Javanese moss (Vesicularia). The
typical biotope for such plants is
proximity to a waterfall; either the lake
formed beneath a waterfall or the area
around the waterfall which is
continuously bathed in a fine mist or
spray. The plants colonise fissures and
hollows in stones and tree roots. With
their special adherent roots known as
“crampons“, however, they can anchor
themselves so strongly, even to very
slippery surfaces, as to be almost
impossible to remove undamaged.
The idea for systemising the pro-
duction of such plants was born in an
aquarium shop. Plants were not a
feature of the shop’s aquaria as they
were a nuisance when the fish had to
be netted and when the aquaria
needed cleaning. The logical solution
was to grow plants on easy-to-remove
stones and tree roots.
Although aquarists have been
growing plants on stones and tree
roots for years, establishing a fast and
efficient production system was far
I
They are the “Stick-ups“ in this news!
But, joking aside, let us begin with the
fighting fish.
The labyrinth fish scientifically re-
described in September 1998 as Betta
picta is one of the extremely peaceful,
small, and easily-bred fighting-fish
species. This name has for a long time
been used in the hobby for a number
of fishes, one of which (the Sumatra
form, LOG X17115) has now been
described as Betta falx. Although
enthusiasts have long recognised the
Sumatra form as distinct, TAN &
KOTTELAT’S paper raises a number of
questions about B. picta. “Their“
B. picta has a lanceolate tail such as is
clearly visible in the photo by H. LINKE
(Stickup in this issue). But as far as I
know this tail form is unknown in the
fishes from Java hitherto labelled as
B. picta (LOG X17105). Yet TAN &
KOTTELAT state that B. picta is the only
Betta found in Java, and, moreover,
refer to a photo in LINKE (1990) which is
clearly of X17105.Thus they have used
a relatively atypical feature as a
character for differentiating the
species – an unfortunate choice. There
is a further difficulty: going by the
colour of the operculum, the fish in
Stickup has to be B. falx! Both species
are easy to keep. They have no special
water chemistry requirements, but if
possible the pH should not be higher
than 7.5 or the carbonate hardness
above 15°. They will take the usual
flake and frozen foods. The species is
paternal mouthbrooder.
The catfish portrayed in DATZ 12/98 as
L273, which is assigned to the largely
carnivorous genus Pseudacanthicus,
comes from the Rio Tapajós. Before it
was given its L-number, it went under
the name of Pseudacanthicus sp.“Red-
banded Titanic“. How this incredibly
expensive fish came by its name I
know not. Unfortunately not all
specimens (and I have seen only 3 in
the flesh so far) as are attractively
marked as that in Frank Warzel’s
photo.
We can at present only speculate as to
the eventual size attained by these
fishes. But we can assume that the
species will attain at least 20 cm.
Reference;TAN, H. H. & M. KOTTELAT (1998): Redescription of Bettapicta (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) and description of B.falx sp. n. from central Sumatra. Revue Suisse deZoologie 105 (3): 557-568
S T I C K U P S
What Do a Mouthbreeding
Fighting Fish And a
Loricariid Have In Common?by Frank Schäfer
Aqualognews N U M B E R 2 1 8
t present increasing numbers of
tankbreds of the various forms of
this 30 cm or so mouthbrooder are
available. In order to promote the well-
being of these fishes, they need
A community aquarium contains fishes
of different types. Generally these will
include 2–3 shoals of fishes with the
rest of the population grouped around
them.Barbs, rasboras,and tetras are the
species is currently available in
increased numbers, and a 20-strong
shoal of these indefatigable swimmers
is an unequalled eye-catcher. They
always swim around in a group,
whereas sooner or later most barbs
If you like to contact any hobbyist in the world, the news gives
you the chance to do it: with a free privat small ad. Please
remember: Animals, plants, food or equipment offers will not
be published!
Your free private ad could be placed here!
Kontakt International
Ich bin 14 Jahre alt und suche Brief-kontakt zu Leuten, die sich mit L-Nummern (vielleicht sogar mit L-18und L-81?) oder mit Zwergbunt-barschen beschäftigen.Jan Scheunert, Lichtendorfer Str. 64,44289 Dortmund
S43273-3
220 / 99-2
ööKKNNPPQQGGUUVVccXXgg
L273 Pseudacanthicus sp. DATZ 12/98Pseudacanthicus ”Titanic”Brazil, Pará: Rio Tapajós, W, 30 cm (?
Photo: Frank Warzel
X17128-5
219 / 126-3
ööLLNNPPQQGGVVbbXXffII
Betta picta (VALENCIENNES in CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, 1846)Lanzettflossen-Picta / Lancetfin PictaIndonesia: Java, W, 6 cm
Photo: Horst Linke
Code number
1.number: continuous picture-number2.number: page number in the book3.number: picture number on the page(continuously numbered from 1–8 from thetop left corner to the bottom right)
Symbol-text Aqualog-books
Photographer
1
1
4
3
Thes
e St
icku
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E V E R G R E E N S
The Ornamental Fish Trade in Brazil
Brazilian ornamental fish traders areplanning to levy a “tax“ of US$1 on everybox of fishes, in order to support re-search into ornamental fishes; half of itto be paid by exporters and importers.This measure is necessary in order tocompensate for the loss of researchgrants from the government, which havehad to be cancelled on account of theeconomic crisis in the country.
n e w s f l a s h
(ugd) The cichlids of the great lakes of the African rift valley
(Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi) are very popular with
hobbyists. Cyphotilapia frontosa from Lake Tanganyika, is high
on the list of favourite fishes kept and bred by those whose
motto is “the bigger the better“.
A
The Aquarium Hobby– Bits and Pieces
spacious caves and the aquarium
should not be too brightly lit. Tank-
mates should be neither boisterous
nor aggressive and too large to be
eaten. Obviously an aquarium of
sufficient size is required in one wishes
to keep such fishes. These appealing
giants can be fed on the larger types of
frozen food.
If one talks to other aquarists, then it
becomes clear that there are invariably
two things that annoy them: algae and
snails. Neither is really a serious
problem, but both are an irritation.
Thus puffer fish are popular because
they combat snails. But many species
have a number of disadvantages: they
are decided individualists and it is
often difficult to predict their likely
behaviour towards tankmates. More-
over most of the species imported
from Asia like a certain amount of salt
in their water, but this is not very good
for plants. But the South American
puffer, Colomesus psittacus, is quite
different. It can be unreservedly re-
commended as peaceful, and in nature
lives in pure fresh water. It is not always
available – this depends on the season
– but it is in the shops now, so grab it
quickly.
shoaling fishes most usually selected,
but for anyone wanting to try some-
thing different, the African swallow-
tailed catfish (Eutropiellus buffei) is
most warmly recommended. This
and tetras eventually give up shoaling
and group together in a genuine shoal
only under exceptional circumstances.
A shoal of headstanders, Anostomus
anostomus, never fails to provide one
of the highlights of the larger
community aquarium. But it must be a
real shoal, containing at least 12 indi-
viduals, otherwise captivity will distort
their natural behaviour and they will
become quarrelsome. Anyone with a
large South American tank who likes
these splendid fishes should get some
now.Those on offer at the present time
are the ideal size (5–6 cm) even though
they are not as colourful as adults. But
the colour will develop automatically
and young fish will settle in far better
than adults.
A juvenile of the 6-banded form of Cyphotilapia frontosa photo: F. Teigler/A.C.S.
Eutropiellus buffei photo: Nakano/A.C.S.
Anostomus anostomus photo: Nakano/A.C.S.
Colomesus psittacusphoto: B. Migge/A.C.S.
BOOK TIP
AQUALOGspecialSHRIMPS, CRAYFISHES, AND CRABSIN THE FRESHWATER AQUARIUM
by Uwe Werner
For a long time a new trend has been evidentin the hobby: shrimps, crayfishes, and crabsare becoming more and more popular.Although a few years ago these creatureswere thought of largely in a culinaryconnection, nowadays they are regarded asequally suitable as worthwhile aquariumoccupants.
This trend has been given a considerableboost by Japanese aquarium culture and itsso-called “Amano tanks“. Various shrimpswere intitially introduced into these aquariato combat algae – and with an unbelievablelevel of success.
Subsequently more and more species ofshrimp suitable for the hobby have beendiscovered. In the wake of this developmentcrayfishes were the next to arrive in ouraquaria, and a number of crab species arenow likewise on offer as standard in the pettrade.
What has so far been lacking is a textbookdevoted to this specialised subject. Until nowthe interested aquarist has had nothing torefer to but a handful of articles in hobbyperiodicals (there have been a number ofthese in the news under the heading“Crustaceans“). The gap has now been filled,however, by the guide to “SHRIMPS, CRAY-FISHES, AND CRABS IN THE FRESHWATERAQUARIUM“, whose author is one of the mostexperienced aquarists of our time and inaddition a pioneer as regards crustaceans inthe aquarium: Uwe Werner.
Uwe Werner has been able to observenumerous species of shrimps, crayfishes, andcrabs in nature as well as keeping – and oftenbreeding – them in his own aquaria. And inthe book he reports on his experiences forthe first time.
The book is divided into four sections. Thefirst part goes into general body structure,the basics of systematics, and special sensoryorgans. The second part deals with theshrimps, subdivided into the three groupsrelevant to the freshwater aquarist: the Atyids(fan-hand shrimps), the long-arm shrimps(Macrobrachium, etc), and the swimmingshrimps. Part three deals with the truecrayfishes, subdivided into American andAustralian species. Finally, part four providesall the aquarist needs to know aboutfreshwater, fiddler, and land crabs.
The book is richly illustrated throughout, andnumerous species are covered for the firsttime in the aquarium literature. Photos takenspecially for the purpose illustrate sexualdifferences and demonstrate the distinctionbetween larval and adult shrimps. Not onlythat, but the book comes complete with afold-out poster with 64 brilliant photos,showing the whole wonderful andfascinating world of crustaceans at a glance.
To sum up, “SHRIMPS, CRAYFISHES, ANDCRABS IN THE FRESHWATER AQUARIUM“ fillswhat was previously a significant gap in theaquarium literature. It belongs in everyaquarist’s bookcase.
ISBN: 3-931702-53-748 pages, hardcover
Procambarus clarkii photo: U. Werner
SHRIMPS, CRAYFISHES, AND CRABSIN THE FRESHWATER AQARIUM
Advisory+Poster
excellent colour photos
Care instructions by specialists
Verlag:
A.C.S. GmbH
Rothwiesenring 5
D - 64546 Mörfelden-Walldorf
Redaktionsanschrift:
Verlag A.C.S. GmbH,
Liebigstr.1, 63110 Rodgau
Fax: +49 (0) 6106 - 644692
e-mail: [email protected]
All rights reserved.The publishers do not accept
liability for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.
Articles written by named authors do not necessarily
represent the editor’s opinion.
impressum
Herausgeber: Ulrich Glaser, sen.
Chefredakteur/Editor: Dipl.-Biol. Frank Schäfer
Redaktionsbeirat: Dipl.Ing. agr. Gregor Beckmann
Dr. med. vet. Markus Biffar
Ulrich Glaser, sen.
Dipl.-Biol. Uwe Krüger
Übersetzungen: Mary Bailey
Gestaltung: Gaby Geiß, Büro für Grafik, Ffm
Druck: Societäts-Druck, Mörfelden-Walldorf
Anzeigendisposition: Verlag A.C.S. GmbH
ISSN 1430-9610
A B O N N E M E N T N E W S
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