Gabon

Aphyosemion australe, the golden or Cape Lopez lyretail, is a killifish from lowland coastal areas of Gabon and Congo. It lives in swamps and small streams and is not an annual species. Among the first killifishes to be widely kept, it is easy to spawn and can live over three years, and wild forms are kept labelled by collection locality to preserve bloodlines.

The Gabon lyretail, Aphyosemion gabunense, is a killifish thought endemic to the lower Ogooué river basin in western Gabon. Found in swamps, small streams and pools, it is not an annual species and makes a good beginner's killifish. A very peaceful, shy fish, it is easily outcompeted by more vigorous tankmates and needs a tight-fitting cover, being an accomplished jumper.

The broken-line lyretail, Aphyosemion ogoense, is a killifish from the upper Ogooué basin in southeastern Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. Found in small streams under forest cover, it is not an annual species. More than 20 forms are known from different localities, a handful with subspecific names such as A. o. ottogartneri and A. o. pyrophore, and they must never be kept together as they may hybridise.

The splendid lyretail, Aphyosemion splendopleure, is a killifish from the coastal lowlands of Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It lives in slow-moving areas of small streams. Several colour forms exist depending on collection locality, and these should not be kept together, to prevent hybridisation. Very shy, it does not compete well with other species and is not recommended for the community aquarium.

The red-striped lyretail, Aphyosemion striatum, is a killifish from coastal Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, as far south as the lower Ogooué basin. It inhabits perennial lowland rainforest streams, pools and freshwater swamps. Easy to breed and relatively long-lived, since it is not an annual species, it is a good beginner's killifish, though a shy one easily out-competed by more vigorous fishes.

The African blackfin barb, 'Barbus' guirali, is a cyprinid recorded only from Cameroon and Gabon, including the Sanaga and Ogooué basins. Primarily a river fish, it also enters affluent streams and tributaries. It is rare in the hobby and little is known of its captive care, though one lone fish kept by a forum member behaved well, and a batch of what appeared to be a different species has been imported under the same name.

The spotscale barb, 'Barbus' holotaenia, is a cyprinid from Central West Africa, found principally in the Ogooué and Congo river systems. It has been recorded right across DR Congo and appears to be primarily riverine. Rare in the hobby, it has been suggested as the closest surface-dwelling relative of the Congo blind barb, Caecobarbus geertsii, a claim the profile considers questionable.

'Barbus' jae is a small, delicate African barb from Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the two Congos, sometimes sold as 'jae' or 'charcoal' barb. Populations vary in colour and pattern with locality, and the forms should never be mixed in the aquarium, to avoid crossbreeding. It lives in shady rainforest streams and swamps with soft, acidic, brown-stained water, and its shy nature makes it unsuitable for most community aquaria.

The long-finned tetra, Brycinus longipinnis, is an alestid characin from West Africa, found from Gambia to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon. It inhabits large rivers and, unusually for the genus, also moves into smaller streams and lightly brackish estuaries. Not imported often, it ships poorly but usually proves hardy once acclimatised, though it is very sensitive to deteriorating water conditions.

Congochromis sabinae is a small cichlid from rainforest streams in the Republic of the Congo, northeast Gabon and northern DR Congo. It was in the hobby before its description under names such as Nanochromis sp. 'Bamanja', 'Genema' and 'Bloody Mary', and continues to be mislabelled N. squamiceps. The dark midlateral stripe stops short of the caudal fin. At the type locality the water was stained reddish brown, with a pH of 4.0.

The six-barred panchax, Epiplatys sexfasciatus, is a killifish from coastal regions between Gabon and Ghana. Well established in the hobby in several forms, it has a confusing taxonomy, and some authors restrict it to northwestern Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and treat other populations as subspecies. It mostly inhabits freshwater swamps and minor tributary streams, and is relatively easy to breed.

Bochtler's lyretail, Aphyosemion bochtleri, is a killifish from northern Gabon, where it occurs in the upper Ivindo River basin of the Ogooué system. It was described from a rainforest stream near Mintoum. Considered a synonym of A. herzogi for a number of years, it is currently recognised as distinct.

Herzog's lyretail, Aphyosemion herzogi, is a killifish described from northern Gabon and also found in Equatorial Guinea and southern Cameroon. In Gabon it occurs in the Ivindo and Okano drainages, both tributaries of the Ogooué system. It is also known from the upper parts of some Benito River tributaries in Equatorial Guinea and from the Ntem River in Cameroon.

Aphyosemion mimbon is a small killifish from headwater drainages in northwestern Gabon, described from a tributary of the Mvé River. It has also been recorded from the Abanga, Mbei, Komo and Nkam, and may occur across the border in southeastern Equatorial Guinea.

Aphyosemion rectogoense is a killifish known only from the Batéké plateau region and surrounding area in southeastern Gabon. It has been recorded from the Léconi-Djouya and upper Mpassa rivers, part of the much larger Ogooué basin, and the type locality is 6 km west of Léconi township.

Hannelore's lyretail, Aphyosemion hanneloreae, is a killifish from Malinga in the Du Chaillu mountains of Ngounié province, southern Gabon. The type locality lies very close to the Republic of the Congo, and the species may also occur across the border.