INTERESTING IMPORTS

Despite high demands on international freight and a more limited range of ornamental fish, the importers continue to offer an impressive selection of tropical fish. There is the usual great range of small community species (tetras, livebearers, rasboras, barbs, etc.), fighting fish, and discus. If you are a fan of gouramis there are 10 species and 20 varieties available including a few rarely imported species such as chocolate gourami, eyespot gourami, and the greenish (wild type) form of kissing gourami. And if you are after something a little more unusual, dwarf/freshwater puffers (Carinotetraodon travancoricus), and marble and spotfin hatchet fish are on the importers’ lists. For catfish fans there are plenty to choose from including a few rarely seen Corydoras: black band (C. zygatus), gold lazer, and Venezuelan corys. If you are after a fancy pleco, why not try Colombian zebra pleco (L129) or a flash pleco (L204) And if

Marbled hatchet fish Photo: Robert Beke

whiptails are more your style, panda or black panda whiptails (likely aquarium strains of Loricaria simillima), red whiptails, and royal whiptails are great options. If you have a good-sized tank and are after a challenge why not try an African river biotope? A dimly lit tank with a sandy substrate, plenty of bogwood, and Bolbitis and Anubias. There is a limited selection of African fish available, but they are impressive with species such as Pantodon butterflyfish, Congo tetras, Peter’s elephantnose, upside-down catfish, and leopard ctenomopoma. Senegal bichirs (in standard and albino colour morphs) are also a good option when small but larger specimens will likely eat any fish they can fit in their mouth. And for those with very large tanks, silver arowana, large (25 cm+) fire eels, Borneo tigers, clown knifefish, and flagtail prochilodus are all available.

The editorial team

Red and black panda whiptails Photo: HFF Albany