Import Report:
Anubias Design
Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis
Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis is a dwarf cichlid that is regularly available from exporters in the Pucallpa region of Peru, and it is
the only member of its genus. It is closely related to Apistogramma but
differs in having more anal fin spines. This species seldom exceeds
2 inches in length and can be a bit rough on conspecifics, making
pair bonding a difficult process. The presence of some peaceful, fast-moving dither fish will help to strengthen the pair bond.
Plenty of hiding places are a necessity, and soft, acidic water
and regular feedings of high-quality prepared foods supplemented
with live foods will be helpful for both long-term maintenance
and successful spawning. This species is a cave spawner, with the
female taking the primary responsibility for brood care while the
male defends the territory. The fry are large enough to accept newly
hatched brine shrimp when they become free-swimming.
Copella eigenmanni
Copella eigenmanni is a strikingly patterned member of the family Lebiasinidae that is occasionally available from Peru, though it
reaches the aquarium trade more frequently as bycatch in shipments
of tetras from Colombia. Some interesting species can be found this
way, so always keep your eyes open for fish that don’t quite match the
rest when looking at tanks of wild fish at your local shop.
C. eigenmanni is a peaceful, schooling species that grows to just
under 2 inches in length and feeds readily on all the usual prepared
foods. It is related to the splash tetra C. arnoldi, but spawns in the
typical tetra manner by scattering its eggs among fine-leaved plants.
The eggs hatch after several days, and the fry require infusorians
as a first food.
www.anubiasdesign.com
Mark DENARO
photographs by the author
Mark Denaro has been keeping
freshwater aquariums since 1970 and
marine aquariums since 1976. He
has been involved in the industry at
all levels, from import, to wholesale,
to retail. Mark currently operates
Anubias Design, an aquarium and
terrarium design, installation, and
maintenance company serving
southeastern Pennsylvania and
importer/online retailer of new, rare
and interesting freshwater fishes,
invertebrates, and plants. Mark
can regularly be found at aquarium
society meetings, workshops, and
shows and is a well-known speaker
and judge, as well as the president
of the International Betta Congress.
Monocirrhus polyacanthus
The Amazon or true leaf fish Monocirrhus polyacanthus is widely
distributed throughout the Amazon
River Basin, and most of the specimens
exported for the aquarium trade are
collected in Colombia or Peru. Of all the
so-called leaf fish, leaf mimicry reaches
its highest form in this species. The body
is strongly compressed laterally, with a
varied color pattern of mottled browns
that can only be described as that of a
fallen leaf. It also includes an appendage
off the lower jaw that resembles a leaf
stem and many spines in the dorsal and
anal fins that resemble leaf edges. This
appearance, combined with the slow,
lazy way that it moves through the
water, makes its resemblance to a leaf
uncanny.
Not surprisingly, this species inhabits
slow-flowing streams with a great deal
of leaf litter. The tannins from the leaves
make the water soft and acidic, and these
water conditions should be replicated
in the aquarium. A setup featuring
driftwood, leaf litter, and broad-leaved
plants that do well in dim lighting, such
as Anubias, is ideal.
