Guinea

The African butterfly cichlid, Anomalochromis thomasi, is a dwarf cichlid from forest streams in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. Juveniles can look a little dull on sale, but it is peaceful, relatively undemanding and easily bred, and one of the best choices for the newcomer to dwarf cichlids. The genus is monotypic, although several colour forms are available from time to time and some may prove to be distinct species.

'Barbus' sublineatus is a widespread West African barb found in river basins from Senegal east to Cameroon, including the Niger and Volta. It is very variable in patterning and can be difficult to identify: Upper Niger fish show three elongate midlateral markings, Middle Niger fish a continuous band and Volta fish four spots. It may prove to be a complex of closely-related species. Little is known of its captive care.

Chromidotilapia guntheri is a mouthbrooding cichlid from coastal drainages of western Africa between Liberia and Cameroon, plus the Niger and Benue. It occurs in a number of geographic forms, with fish from Cameroon tending to show dark blotches on the dorsal fin. A benthophagous omnivore, it sifts mouthfuls of substrate for food, and the male broods the eggs while the female defends the surrounding territory.

The widehead catfish, Clarotes laticeps, is a large predatory catfish recorded across much of Africa, from Senegal and Guinea east to Egypt and Kenya. It inhabits large lakes and rivers and grows to 80 cm, though it is unlikely to reach this in captivity. Uncommon in the trade, it is capable of swallowing surprisingly large prey and is unsuitable for all but the biggest aquaria.

The clown killifish, Epiplatys annulatus, is a small killifish from coastal lowlands of southern Guinea, Sierra Leone and northwestern Liberia. Also traded as 'rocket killifish' and 'banded panchax', it has four very broad dark bars alternating with yellowish ones. Fin colour varies between populations, which aquarists keep labelled by locality, and it is relatively easy to breed.

The banded epiplatys, Epiplatys fasciolatus, is a killifish from coastal Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Sierra Leone to western Liberia. It mostly inhabits freshwater swamps and minor tributary streams, in grassy savannah at some localities and rainforest at others. Males carry metallic blue or green pigmentation on the body and fins, with a red submarginal band on the anal and lower caudal fins.

The red-spotted panchax, Epiplatys lamottei, is a killifish with a restricted range in southeastern Guinea and northern Liberia. Known from the upper Niger, Lofa, Saint Paul and Saint John drainages, it inhabits small streams and minor tributaries, and is threatened by deforestation and mining across some of its range. The flanks carry large dark bars and longitudinal bands made up of small red spots.