Congo Killies - PageSuite

and they included a bright green Aequidens. I ordered
10 individuals.
I must say, I didn’t regret my decision. The new
arrivals should probably be assigned to Aequidens
rondoni, as they exhibit hints, at least, of the black -
margined scales above the longitudinal band that
are typical for that species. But because this isn’t as
strongly expressed as is usual for A. rondoni, to be
safe I will call them Aequidens cf. rondoni.
As is apparently typical for Aequidens species,
these fish have proved extremely easy to maintain. They
greedily accept any type of food, are relatively peaceful,
and are not demanding with regard to water parameters.
However, even though I have kept them in soft,
acid water, nothing is left of the intense green body coloration.
This doesn’t surprise me, since green shades
are often food-dependent. At present the fish are an
intense yellow, overlain with a slight greenish sheen.
One further point: the really bad guys, which are
(or were) responsible for the negative reputation of the
genus Aequidens, have now been assigned to other
genera, so it is time to give these species a second
chance.
Neolebias trewavasae
—Thomas Weidner
The range of tetras from Africa in the trade is
4|
limited and most species are also rather drab.
Hence it comes as a pleasant surprise to see such a
beauty as Neolebias trewavasae Poll & Gosse, 1963.
This little tetra from the family Distichodidae arrived
in Europe in small numbers from Gabon in 2011. It
grows to around 2 inches (5 cm) long, is very quiet and
peaceful, and, like most South American tetras, is not
very demanding.
In normal coloration, as you see them at a fish
store, these fish look nice, but not that exciting; but
once settled in, they are a real sensation! The males in
particular are truly gorgeous, occupying small territories
which they defend against other males and into which
they try to entice females. In my opinion this is absolutely
the most beautiful small tetra from Africa.
The species purportedly also occurs in southern
Cameroon, at least according to current wisdom. But
when the fish from Cameroon are compared with those
from Gabon there are noticeable differences. The fish
from Cameroon are never as colorful, and the position
of the lateral longitudinal band is different.
Note that some authors regard the genus Neolebias
as a synonym of Nannaethiops, though I can’t
entirely agree. But, as is generally the case, a future
revision will probably bring clarification. To put it mildly,
Neolebias trewavasae is a stunning fish that will enrich
any aquarium. With any luck, it can be bred successfully
and the population increased; unfortunately, imports
from Gabon are extremely rare.
Gymnothorax polyuranodon
—Anton Lamboj
The attractive Black-Spotted Moray, Gymnothorax
polyuranodon, can definitely be recom-
5|
mended to fans of brackish-water fishes. These fish
turn up now and then in the trade, and sometimes it
is possible to order them through a retailer. They won’t
last long in completely fresh water and should be maintained
with the addition of salt right from the start.
In addition to a really tightly covered aquarium—
these beasts are real experts at escaping—there
should be plenty of hiding places for these sociable
eels. They are predators that like to have shrimps and
small fishes to eat.
They quickly become accustomed to their owner and
will often take morsels of food offered using forceps—
another reason, in addition to their attractive coloration,
Male Neolebias trewavasae,
a scarlet-banded African tetra
AMAZONAS
A. LAMBOJ
92