Aquarium Glaser-GmbH

Neritina pulligera



We received a nice shipment of the Pitchblack racing snail Neritina pulligera. Like its close relative, the Zebra snail Neritina turrita, this snail is a excellent algae eater. The species does not breed in the aquarium. The aquarium must be covered, for the snail searches for food also over the waterline.



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Gymnorhamphichthys cf. hypostomus



The sand knifefishes (Rhamphichthyidae) from South America belong to the weak electric fishes. They continuously send electric impulses which are used for tracing prey, orientation, and intraspecific communication. Currently three genera and 15 species are known. The genus Gymnorhamphichthys, also called thermometer knifefishes, contents six described species. There is hardly anything known about the fish, because they are strictly night active and stay during daytime buried in the sand. Thus comprehensive studies in the field are impossible to do.



Our Gymnorhamphichthys have been imported from Peru. So far, no species of Gymnorhamphichthys is reported in the Checklist of the freshwater fishes of South America for Peru. The pattern of our specimens fits best to the pattern described for G. hypostomus. This species, however, has a shorter snout. So it is also possible that our fish represent a species new to science and so we were cautious and stocked them under the name G. cf. hypostomus. Our current shipment contains also one specimen that has a totally different coloration and thus possibly represents another, additional species.



The fish are very peaceful against each other. However, they have no teeth at all nor any other item that would enable them to hurt each other. They are easy to feed, for they readily accept frozen bloodworms which form also a larger part of their natural diet, as was shown in the field for Gymnorhamphichthys when the gut was dissected. Maximum size reported for G. hypostomus is about 20 cm, our specimens are 14-18 cm long.





Lexicon: Gymnorhamphichthys: ancient Greek, means "naked Rhamphichthys" in the sense of "scaleless"; Rhamphichthys is another genus of knifefish. hypostomus: ancient Greek, means "with the mouth directed downward".

Suggestion of a common name: Peruvian Thermometer Knifefish

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Chromaphyosemion bitaeniatum IJEBU ODE



For the first time ever we have this wonderful killi in stock. Our specimens are German bred. The species attains a length of 4-5 cm. Available in limited numbers only!


Mâle


Femelle
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Pseudanos trimaculatus



We received the very rare Threespotted headstander from Peru. The size of the fish is 5-7 cm.



On tuesday we informed you in our Extra-Newsletter that the rare headstander Pseudanos trimaculatus from Peru had arrived. One of our readers - a specialist in headstanders - informed us kindly that the import contains two species, the rare P. trimaculatus and the even rarer Pseudanos gracilis. Hearty thanks for the hint! We have assorted our fish now and can offer both species in limited numbers.







Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

Aplocheilus dayi dayi



The Striped Panchax (Aplocheilus lineatus) from South India is a well known, old fashioned aquarium inhabitant. It is famous for its splendid colours, its hardyness and the easy breeding. The fish has only one big disadvantage: it grows to a length of up to 10 cm.

A close relative of the Stripe Panchax, the Green Panchax (Aplocheilus dayi) from Sri Lanka has all the advantages of the Striped Panchax, but stays much smaller. It only becomes 7 cm long.

There are two described subspecies in the Green Panchax that differ mainly regarding the female´s coloration. In females of Aplocheilus dayi dayi the hinder part of the body is striped like a zebra. In females of A. dayi werneri a broad horizontal bar is placed right above the anal fin. The males of A. dayi dayi have irregular black spots on the body, those of A. dayi werneri are striped like the females of A. dayi dayi.



The Green Panchax is an ideal community fish for aquaria with Asian fish. Here it lives near the surface. Water chemistry is of little meaning for the Green Panchax, water temperature should be between 22 and 28°C. The fish spawn in Java moss and similar substrates. The eggs are large and have a comparably hard shell. So they can be collected easily and incubated in a glass of water. The young hatch after 12-14 days and feed immediately on Artemia nauplii.

Currently we have beautiful wild collected Aplocheilus dayi dayi in stock.

Lexicon: Aplocheilus: means "with a simple lip", refers to the mouth structure. lineatus: Latin, means "lined", referring to the pattern. werneri: dedication name for A. Werner, Munich. dayi: dedication name for the ichthyologist Francis Day (1829 - 1889).

Common name: Green Panchax

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Rams Jumbo Gold



We received Rams "Gold" in showsize from our proved breeder. Available in limited numbers only!

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Etroplus canarensis



Finally we are able to offer once more the extremely rare and extraordinary beautiful Indian Wasp Cichlid. In contrast to its relatives, this species is an inhabitant of pure freshwater only and never enters brackish water zones. Available in limited numbers only!



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Red Tail Barracuda Tetra



We received the colorful Acestrorhynchus falcatus from Brazil recently. The graceful predators reach a length of 30 - 40 cm.



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Hypostomus ancistroides



Once more we were able to import this extraordinary slender, very rare Hypostomus from Paraguay. The subtropical species tolerates temperatures between 16 and 28°C and attains a maximum length of about 20-25 cm.



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

A new Flag Tetra from Peru



The Flag Tetra (Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus) belongs to most beautiful small tetras of Amazonia. A sister species, H. amapaensis, occurs in Brazil. It has a similar coloration, but can be recognized by the broad, red stripe. Both species are much sought after. Now we were able to import another species of Flag Tetra from Peru, which belongs probably to a species not recognized by science yet. It looks most similar to the described species Hyphessobrycon agulha. So we decided to call it Hyphessobrycon cf. agulha on our stocklist.



The very pretty new species looks a bit like a cross of Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi (Black Neon Tetra) and Hemigrammus erythrozonus (Glowlight Tetra). The bright red eye is very striking. The behaviour of the new Flag Tetra, which attains a maximum length of 3-4 cm, is comparable to that of other small tetras. Hyphessobrycon cf. agulha prefers to swim in schools and looks best in well planted aquaria with other quiet tankmates. Soft and slightly acidic water is much liked by the fish, but they also adapt very well to other water conditions. The new Flag Tetra feeds readily on any usual type of food for ornamental fish. Plants are not bothered as well as tankmates are completely left at peace. The water temperature may lie between 22 and 28°C.

Lexicon: Hyphessobrycon: ancient Greek, means "small Brycon". Brycon is another genus of tetras. heterorhabdus: ancient Greek, means "with different stripe", which refers to the coloration. amapaensis: Latin, means "originating from Amapa". agulha: after a popular name given to the species in the region of the Rio Madeira, the type locality.

Suggestion of a common name: Red-Eyed Flag Tetra

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer.

Rocio octofasciata CHIAPAS



We received German bred F1-generation specimens of wild collected Jack Dempsey cichlids with collecting data. The fish is also known in elder literature under the names of Cichlasoma octofasciatum or C. biocellatum. Available for the first time ever, usually only old aquarium strains with unknown origin are traded.



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Oranda Panda



Once more we received a nice shipment of this very striking black-and-white sport of the goldfish.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Platy Mickey Mouse Red



We received extraordinary nice and extremely healthy platys of this sport, which belongs to the species Xiphophorus maculatus.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

Macrognathus taeniagaster



Basically speaking, the spiny eels of Asia can be divided in two groups: the small species belonging to the genus Macrognathus that reach usually only 10-15 cm total length and the large species of the genus Mastacembelus that grow to a length of more than 40 cm (maximum length reported: 100 cm).

We received a shipment of spiny eels from Thailand that confused us a bit regarding the determination of the species. On the one hand the fish looked very similar to Macrognathus circumcinctus, on the other hand they looked somehow different. The riddle was solved by researching the synonyms of M. circumcinctus. One of these species regarded currently as synonymous with M. circumcinctus is a species described as M. taeniagaster from Thailand. Checking the original description of the latter proofed that we had obtained exactly that fish. Of course this is neither the place nor the medium to decide wether M. taeniagaster and M. circumcinctus represent two different species in the zoological sense. But it is a fact that they look a bit different. The main difference is the presence of a row of ocelli on the base of the dorsal fin in M. taeniagaster which is lacking in M. circumcinctus.



Macrognathus taeniagaster is able to change the colour very fast. The very same fish can be uniformly colored beige in the one moment and in the next can show an almost white back and a dark belly.

Keeping these spiny eels is very easy. The fish like the company of their own kind and often share the same hiding place. Males stay smaller than the females and are much more slim. Macrognathus feed readily on any type of frozen and live fishfood. Very small fish are taken as food, but in general the spiny eels are very peaceful against tankmates and are very suitable for community tanks. The fish spawn near the water surface in the roots of swimming fern etc.. It is possible to breed these fish in aquaria, but this is rarely done.



Lexicon: Macrognathus: ancient Greek, means "with big jaw". taeniagaster: ancient Greek, means "with banded belly". circumcinctus: Latin, means "girdled thorough".

Suggestion of a common name: Chameleon tiny spiny eel.

Mastacembelus erythrotaenia



We do not have only one of the smallest species of spiny eel in stock, eg M. taeniagaster, but also one of the largest: Mastacembelus erythrotaenia. These splendid guys reach us from Indonesia and are real personalities for the owners of large tanks. The largest known specimen was about 1 m long. Currently we have small (8-10 cm), medium sized (20-25 cm) and large (40-45 cm) specimens in stock.

Spiny eels are very calm aquarium inhabitants. They also become very tame. One can train them easily, for example on sounds like a whistle. Once they are trained the large fish come along and pick up food from the tip of a forceps. One can feed the also with bare fingers, but the spiny eels are not always very unerring…





Regarding the water conditions these spiny eels are not very demanding. The water temperature should be between 24-28°C. Such large fish are fed best with frozen food like smelt and shrimps. They also like earthworms very much. Plants and other tankmates are generally not harmed. However, small fish are taken as food.







Lexicon: Mastacembelus: is said to be derived from ancient Greek and should means "the one that throws oneself biting". erythrotaenia: ancient Greek, means "with red bands".

Peckoltia sp. Red Tiger



For the first time ever we could import this extremely attractive Peckoltia from Brazil. The animals are 10-12 cm long and obviously sexually mature already. Available in very limited numbers only!





Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Myleus sp. LAMAX III



We are very proud to present to you this extraordinary silver dollar (probably an extremly rare sport of M. schomburgki?) exclusively in Europe. Worldwide only 30 specimes are known of which we have 20 specimens in stock. It is said that this beauty becomes only 8-9 cm long.



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Elopichthys bambusa



Owing to the great demand we have stocked the last specimens available from our supplier in Taiwan now. These specimens of the gorgeous predator are probably the last ones available for quite a long time. For more information, please check http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/elopichthys-bambusa_de_1436.html

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

Nothobranchius pienaari



Rachow´s Nothobranch (Nothobranchius rachovii) belongs to the most popular species of this genus. The fish is extremely colourful and exhibits a gorgeous behaviour while displaying and mating. Most aquarium strains of N. rachovii are descendants of specimens that have been collected in 1958 by E. Roloff near Beira in Mozambique.





However, now and then also other enthusiasts collected this pretty fish and introduced these strains in the hobby. But these strains never became as popular as Roloff´s "Beira". One of these fish that were thought to represent a local variety of N. rachovii was called the "Black Rachovii". In Dezember 2010 the Black Rachovii has been described as a seperate species under the name of N. pienaari. We now received some beautiful German bred specimens of that species. It is the first time ever we are able to stock it. Keeping and breeding of N. pienaari is very similar to that of the well known N. rachovii. N. pienaari belongs to the comparably long-living species of the genus.



The Black Rachovii originates from the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Here it was collected initially by Pienaard in 1968.

Lexicon: Nothobranchius: from ancient Greek "nothos" = false, untrue and "branchion" = gill, referring to the gill anatomy. rachovii: dedication name for the German aquarist Arthur Rachow. pienaari: dedication name for the first collector of the species.

Common name: Black Rachovii.

Pseudomugil cf. paskai Red-Neon



For the first time ever we have this charming dwarf in stock. Maximum length is around 3.5 cm in males, females stay smaller.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

Acentrogobius globiceps



We were able to import once more this nice, only very occasionally available goby from India. The species becomes only 5-7 cm long. A slight addition of seasalt (one spoonful per 10 litres of water) is quite beneficial for the fish. The determination is only preliminary due to the complicated situation in gobies; the fish may possibly belong to the species A. moloanus.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

Nothobranchius eggersi



We received another two gems that belong to a magnificent genus, eg varieties of N. eggersi. N. eggersi "Blue" was collected at Ukuni, wheras N. eggersi "Red" has the collection code TSTS 2010/13. Both are gorgeous fish. Available in very limited numbers only!



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Esomus caudiocellatus



The Flying barbs of Southeast Asia represent the same type of fish as the Hatched fishes do in South America. For the first time ever we have the pretty Esomus caudiocellatus from Burma in stock. The absolutely peaceful species attains a maximum length of about 5-6 cm.

Text & photo: Frank Schäfer.

A new Golden Nugget



The Golden Nuggets (L18, L81, L81n, L177) belong to the genus Baryancistrus and have been described scientifically under the name of B. xanthellus. However, it is still unclear wether all these forms belong to the very same species or if they represent close relatives, but seperate species. For the differences, please see http://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/baryancistrus-l18,-l81,-l81n,-l177_de_1072.html



Now we received a shipment of beautiful Golden Nuggets that have a very broad, yellow seam, as it is known so far from L177 only, but have small spots on the body like L81. The picture taken immediately after the importation shows that the phenomenon is not restricted to a single specimen. We have stocked the magnificent fish under the provisionally name of L81 B - Broadseam.



L81 B is said to originate from the Rio Xingu, as all the Golden Nuggets do (L177 originates from the Rio Iriri, a tributary of the Rio Xingu). Our supplier has no further informations for us.

Lexicon: Baryancistrus: ancient Greek, means "heavy Ancistrus"; Ancistrus is another genus of catfish. xanthellus: ancient Greek, means "yellow".

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.

Potamotrygon scobina



We received German bred specimens of this comparatively small (about 35 cm disc width) freshwater stingray. The species is restricted - as far as known - to the Rio Tocantins in Brazil.



Text & photos: Frank Schäfer.