Every species

This species is often confused with P. reticulata, P. humerosa and P. scobina. Such specimens are usually imported and sold as "teacup" stingrays and it is important to correctly identify what you are buying. There is also a ray sold as P. sp. "Nazca" that is often said to be P. yepezi; unlikely given that it is imported from Peru. This latter fish is one of the commonest rays seen in the trade and is usually quite reasonably priced, making it a good choice for newcomers to k...

The genus Prionobrama currently contains only one other valid species, P. paraguayensis. It is very similar in appearance to P. filigera, but lacks any red pigmentation in the caudal fin. It's probably never been imported for the hobby, although it may show up as occasional bycatch amongst shipments of more popular species. P. filigera can be easily distinguished from the "other" bloodfin tetra, Aphyocharax anisitsi by its more elongate body shape and the fact that it exhibits...

P. maxillaris is one of the more popular tetras in the hobby, and is easily obtainable from most aquatic shops. It must rank among the very best choices for the newcomer to fishkeeping as it's peaceful, hardy and inexpensive. There's a selectively-bred "golden" strain available which is actually a semi-albino fish. Care is much the same as for the standard form. Currently the only species in the genus, in older literature it's often referred to by the now invalid name...

Also known as the common catopra, this is still quite a rare species in the hobby, although it's becoming more readily available due to captive breeding efforts. It makes an interesting addition to the larger community or oddball tank....

The genus Procatopus currently comprises half a dozen members (P. aberrans, P. lambertii, P. nimbaensis, P. nototaenia, P. schioetzi and P. similis), all of which are are non-annual species existing in permanent bodies of water. They are actually more closely related to the livebearing species of the subfamily Poeciliinae than the popular Aplocheilid killifish. None are particularly popular in the aquarium trade, although specialist dealers may have them available from time-to-time. Some such as...

This species has an interesting method of feeding in nature. It will 'blow' sediment from the surface of rocks and feed on morsels that are uncovered. Protomelas sp. "steveni taiwan reef" is often sold as a subspecies of P. fenestratus but is actually thought not to be synonymous. P. taeniolatus is also very similar to fenestratus, and several colour forms of both these species exist. It is likely that some of these may be reclassified as distinct species in the future. None ...

This species has an interesting method of feeding in nature. It 'blows' at the top layer of the substrate (usually sand) and feeds on any invertebrates or other morsels that are uncovered. It is rare in the hobby and little information regarding it's care is available....

Protomelas sp. "steveni taiwan reef" is often sold as a subspecies of P. fenestratus, but is actually thought not to be synonymous and is currently undescribed. It can be distinguished from similar species such as P. fenestratus and P. taeniolatus by the bright redof adult males. None of these related species or morphs should be kept together in aquaria as they may hybridise. Some captive spawns of this species have resulted in albino fry. It is one of the more popular and readily a...

One of the more popular and readily available Protomelas species in the hobby, P. taeniolatus is very similar to P. fenestratus. Several colour forms of both these species exist. Some of the popular morphs of taeniolatus include "Red Empress", "Super Red Empress" and "Blue Fire". It is likely that some of these may be reclassified as distinct species in the future, as they attain different maximum sizes. None of these related species or morphs should be kept togethe...

Lungfish are among the most intriguing of "oddball" aquarium subjects, being able to survive in the most extreme conditions. They are very ancient fish, having remained virtually unchanged for millions of years. The natural habitat of P. a. annectens is wet for only part of the year and the fish has developed several incredible adaptations in order to counteract this. When the waters begin to recede, the fish will find a suitable nesting site, usually amongst heavy vegetation. Here...

Lungfish are among the most intriguing of "oddball" aquarium subjects, being able to survive in the most extreme conditions. They are very ancient fish, having remained virtually unchanged for millions of years. Some of the natural habitats of P. dolloi are wet for only part of the year, and it has developed several incredible adaptations in order to counteract this. When the waters begin to recede, the fish will find a suitable nesting site, usually amongst heavy vegetation. Here ...

Mostly collected in the in the rio Negro basin, Amazonas state, Brazil, and in particular the rio Demini, a northern tributary flowing into the central Negro in the municipality of Barcelos. P. leopardus was described from the Rupununi River in Guyana and the identity of this fish thus remains unconfirmed. This 'species' is also traded simply as 'leo...

This species was formerly known as Anostomus trimaculatus and this name is still used in much of the available literature. It is now invalid, however. The genus Pseudanos contains 3 other known species, P. gracilis, P. irinae and the recently described P. winterbottomi. Care for these species is as for P. trimaculatus....

This species was one of the first cichlid species to be spawned in captivity and has been in the hobby for over a century. It is less popular than it once was but remains a good choice for the beginner as it is tolerant of a wide range of water conditions and is easily bred. There currently exist 2 subspecies, Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor multicolor and P. m. victoriae. These are quite distinct in terms of colouration and patterning and exist as separate populations in nature. Both subspecie...

Rarely seen in the hobby, P. nicholsi is a stunning but pugnacious little fish that is nevertheless well worth seeking out. Some males develop long extensions to the ventral fins.

This species is not often seen in the hobby, which is a pity as it is a stunning fish with interesting behaviour. If you do manage to get some, be sure to provide the best possible conditions from the start, as they appear to travel quite badly and losses are common. There are currently 3 subspecies, Pseudocrenilabrus philander philander, P. p. dispersus and P. p. luebberti. However, recent studies suggest as many as 11 distinct populations exist, differing in location, colour, patterning, be...

It appears that this species has not yet appeared in the western hobby, probably because commercial fish collections don't normally take place in its native waters although the goby Rhinogobius zhoui has been available occasionally. We're unable to provide details of distinguishing characters since no diagnostic key to the genus exists in English at time of writing, but based on the images available it does appear to possess reddish dorsal and caudal fins. The specimens pictured were i...

This species is traded under various vernacular names including 'Chinese hillstream loach', 'Chinese butterfly plec' and 'Hong Kong Otocinclus. It's the commonest member of the genus in the hobby but has been frequently misidentified as the congener P. cheni in the past with the two often said to be indistinguishable in terms of colour pattern. Some sources additionally suggest the sole defining external character to be that in P. cheni the distance between the resp...

A paternal 'lip brooder' which has been bred in aquaria. Post-spawning the male carries the eggs attached to his labial barbels for a period of 12-14 days after which the fry hatch with a large yolk sac attached, this being absorbed over the next 48 hours or so. During incubation the behaviour of the male i...

Type locality is given as 'Kuala Tahan, Pahang (King George V National Park)' which corresponds to the village of Kuala Tahan in Pahang state, central Peninsular Malaysia. The settlement is located at the confluence of the Tahan and Tembiling Rivers which form part of the Pahang river basin, while the national park was re...