Blehers Biotopes Introduction

2
Bleher’s
Biotopes
in Nature and ini Aquaria
Bleher ’s Discus – A Monograph Editorial: Bleher’s Biotopes in Nature and in Aquaria
Dear Reader
Bleher’s Biotopes
in Nature and
in Aquaria
An unsurpassed and comprehensive I wanted to thank Premiere Publishers to give me the op-
portunity to make such a unique Catalogue for the second
time, after the tremendous success of volume 1 which was Published by: Aquapress
study of the genus Symphysodon sold with over 10,000 copies throughout the Russian Fed-
eration and elsewhere. It is a pleasure for me to present to
you the second volume of Bleher’s Biotopes in Nature
Via G. Falcone, 11
I-27010 Miradolo Terme (PV)
Italy
Tel. (++39) 0382 754707
Whether it was the Emperor Napoleon or Prince von Metternich who was responsible for the original discovery of the discus is some- and Aquarium, again with exciting destinations, habitats Fax (++39) 0382 754129
thing the reader himself must decide, but the rest of this more than 1300 page work – published in two volumes – is far from ambivalent. E-mail:
and biotopes from around the world and to provide the aquapress@aquapress-bleher.it
In Volume 1 – containing around 5000 photos, paintings, and drawings, plus some 50 maps – Heiko Bleher first of all guides you Russian people with information about the aquatic world Home page:
through more than 150 years of discovery, documented in the finest detail. He brings to life all the scientists who have worked on the from five continents. www.aquapress-bleher.com
genus – with in part unpublished work and photos – and, after almost half a century of debate regarding the systematics of the genus, In this issue I show you once more the real aquatic world www.aquapress-bleher.it
in nature, expeditions, how to collect aquatic creatures www.aquageo.com
provides a new and easy-to-understand summary of the taxonomy. Next, the distribution of the genus and the individual species is
shown practically down to the smallest igarapé or lago, on eight double-page maps. For the first time with precise details of water type, and plants, to bring them back alive and introduce them
researched in the field. In the fourth chapter Bleher covers all the wild forms known to date (some hitherto unpublished) and their into this, the most beautiful hobby. Editorship:
colour variants, in words and photos – the results of his more than 300 research and collecting expeditions. The locality data have been First I will take you to Kasuku, an unexplored lake in Editor in Chief: Heiko Bleher
extensively checked in the field over the years up to 2005. In Chapter 5 he guides the reader through the history of Amazonia – back Central Africa, in an area never visited by white Man be-
to the time of its discovery – and tells extensively about the early history of the region and the numerous indian tribes (mainly personal fore, show you the extreme difficult access and the beau- Texts:
experiences among the aboriginals). In addition the natural habitats of the discus are described and illustrated, with water parameters ty of its nature. But also what is happening to the wildlife, Heiko Bleher and
the animals, since Man has “protected” them. Before their Franco Banfi
(measured by both day and night) given for 75 different locations; almost every major water in Amazonia is mentioned at length, with
international “protection” some of these “protected”
details of which form(s) do or do not occur there; and places that remain unexplored to date are listed. He also details extensively – species were once in awhile collect a life and sold to Zoos,
more than 80 pages – the diet of the discus in nature, the communities of which it forms part (with sympatric species listed) Institutions, pet dealers and pet lovers who care. With this
Photos:
and its enemies, as well as the various methods of capture used from the beginning to the present day. Franco Banfi,
the natives had some income. But since they cannot be ex- Heiko Bleher,
ported any more, the locals kill and eat them (to survive)… Most of today’s animals have no chance of survival Natasha Khardina
in their natural habitats, if above or below the water. The continuous destruction of nature and the natural en-
vironments around the world and specially in the tropics where the biodiversity is (was?) the greatest. The Red Design and Layout:
List of Endangered Species, the most reliable source today for life forms on planet earth have just published Aquapress Publishers, Italy:
its latest report for 2007: “According to the World Conservation Union, (IUCN) which draws up the annual Rossella Bulla and Heiko Bleher
List, the extinction rate is up to 10,000 higher than expected. Human activity causing loss of habitat through
urbanisation, agriculture and deforestation combined with climate change is revealed to be the biggest threat to
plants and animals. There are now 41,415 species on the Red List and 16,306 are threatened with extinction,
up from 16,118 last year. The total number of extinct species has reached 785 and a further 65 are only found The entire contents of the
in captivity or in cultivation. Life on earth is disappearing with species hurtling towards extinction at an un- magazine is copyright.
precedented rate... “ No part of the contents may
be reproduced without written
My second report is also about an unexplored aquatic habitat in the heart of the Amazon, a gigantic river, permission from the Publisher.
which had not been researched before. It is a large, crystal clear, left-hand affluent of the mighty Xingú River. The Publisher disclaims all
The latter’s aquatic creatures are also being threatened now, as soon they will build a hydroelectric dam at the responsibility for returning
sight where the endemic Hypoancistrus zebra lives, the so called L-46 catfish, the most loved catfish in the unsolicited material, and all
aquarium hobby world wide. rights in portions there of
published remain the sole
I than take you to Assam in India, where many of our aquarium fishes come from as well in recent years, af- property of Aquapress.
ter I have been able to discover quite a few interesting small species there and also the dwarf Channa, a dwarf
snakehead fish which was named in my honour (C. bleheri) and this mouth brooder has become one of the ISSN 1126-8956
most asked for Indian fishes today.
© Aquapress 2007
On the Australasia archipelago, actually on the island New Guinea, I am taking you to another very clear © aqua geõgraphia 2007
aquatic habitat, to the unique Lake Kutubu with several endemic fish species, I also introduced some of those © Blehers’ Biotopes
into the hobby years ago and people love them, in particular the blue rainbow fish Melanotaenia lacustris. in Nature and in Aquaria
The famous Swiss photographer and diver, Franco Banfi contributed to this catalogue with a magnificent re-
port on the Lembeh Strait in northern Sulawesi (formerly Celebes) in Indonesia. His photos are all made at
night, to appreciate the amazing behaviour of the aquatic animals in marine habitats at this time and to see what Advertisement:
C2: Bleher’s Discus - Vol. 1
most of you do not see (as I believe the majority of you sleeps at night…). One can see the camouflage of C3: GLO - Rolf C. Hagen
many different species and learn (much) more about their life cycle.
At the end I have included two biotope aquarium decorations (and information) on freshwater stingrays and
discus fishes, which both are very popular today and many of them breed in Russia and elsewhere. They are
some of the most fascinating aquarium fishes and specially the discus the most precious of all freshwater fish-
es in this magnificent hobby (the reason why I wrote a large book on the subject: Bleher’s Discus volume I,
available in Russian language as well).
I will continue to bring to you tips of how to decorate the aquarium accordingly and maintain it – for begin-
ners as well as for advanced aquarists. Show you the latest introductions into the hobby, talk about well known
aquarium fishes and aquatic plants, as well as what is available in your pet shop – very well illustrated in each
issue.
I remain, seeing forward to some of your comments, what you think of this new concept for the most beau-
tiful and educational hobby on planet Earth. You can write to me at:
heiko@aquapress-bleher.com or visit my website www.aquapress-bleher.com
Aquapress Publishers Via G. Falcone 11 – 27010 Miradolo Terme (PV) Italy

Your nature lover – Heiko Bleher
Tel. +39 0382754707 – Fax +39 0382754129 – aquapress@aquapress-bleher.it – www.aquapress-bleher.com Bleher’s Biotopes in Nature and in Aquaria 2 3
MARINE FISHES 2
Lembeh Strait Bleher’s
Biotopes
in Nature and ini Aquaria
ASIA
Assam
Contents
Editorial 3
AFRICA
Republic of the Congo:
Kasuku – The search for 4
Nanochromis dimidiatus
Text & Photos: Heiko Bleher
AMERICA
Brazil: Rio Iriri 28
ASIA
Indian: Assam 56
AFRICA
AUSTRALASIA
Papua New Guinea: Kusuku 78
AMERICA – Rio Iriri AUSTRALASIA Text & Photos: Heiko Bleher
MARINE FISHES
Indonesia: Lembeh 104
Text: Franco Banfi and Aquapress
Photos: Franco Banfi
Kasuku BIOTOPE
Potamotrygon 118
The search for Nanochromis dimidiatus
Symphysodon 122
Kutubu Text & Photos: Heiko Bleher
AFRICA Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo AFRICA
Kasuku
4 Bleher’s Biotopes in Nature and in Aquaria 2 Bleher’s Biotopes in Nature and in Aquaria 2 5
T
he drums of the Warega tribe I knew the fish only from old plans because we couldn’t arrange for
were beating away. It was a photographs and outdated literature. transportation in Zaïre and the second
tremendously hot and humid Most of this literature incorrectly trip was cancelled because I couldn’t
night. I lay perfectly still listening to attributed the name Nanochromis obtain the proper permission. Finally,
the through large holes in my net. A dimidiatus to another fish. Despite the in August of 1985, my friend Meir
hundred years ago Livingstone lay lack of information – or perhaps Levy (a new and ambitious Zaïre fish
there this same jungle. I imagined because of it – I began to plan an exporter, collector of famous Zairina
myself as him. Little has changed since expedition to Zaïre (today D.R. of the paintings [school of Lubumbashi], and
that time, here in the virgin forest of Congo) and find this rare and beautiful a real character) came to visit me in
one of the central African republics. fish. My plan was to go to the areas Germany. He agreed immediately to
I was at a missionary station called where, according to the old books, this join our expedition to Bangui in the
Saint Esprit. This complex lies near (Port fish could be found. Central African Republic where we
de) Kindu, about 200 miles south of the In 1983 and 1984, there were several expected to find N. dimidiatus,
equator. Here was our base for the unsuccessful attempts to organize this according to Pellegrin. Back in
Kasuku expedition. Lake Kasuku is a project. I applied for two visas during Kinshasa, Meir began the necessary
mystery; it is uncharted on most map of this time. Once I had to cancel my arrangements by buying a four-wheel-
the area and no roads drive vehicle and
or landing strips obtaining our visas for
service it. It was at Rupublic of Congo,
the time ichthyo- Cameroon, and the
logically unexplored. Central African
The incredible story Republic, as well as
I am about tot tell information about “non-
begins many years existing“ roads. Four
ago. Pellegrin first months later when he
described Nanochro- called from Zaïre to tell
mis dimidiatus in me he was ready, I had
1900. But it wasn’t given up. I was already
until the late 50’s that on my way to collect
the famous fish rare discus in the Rio
collector and author Branco region in Brazil.
Pierre Brichard At Christmas time,
exported these jewels after my return, I heard
live for the first time that the Zaïre
to Europe and the government had banned
USA. After Pierre the export of live
Kasuku
had left the Congo in tropical fish for and
the early 60’s, no indefinite length of time.
ever went back and Meir asked for me to
dared to collect in come and talk to the
this wilderness… Department de
Since then, none of l’Environnement
these colourful dwarf Conservation de la
cichlids had been Nature and I promised
seen. Many fishes to do so.
with this name were It was February when
distributed to he finally secured all the
wholesale and retail arrangements again.
outlets, but never the Shortly before my
The Search for Nanochromis dimidiatus true N. dimidiatus. departure, I telephoned
For years I wanted to Pierre Brichard in
search for it. Bujumbura, Burundi, to
Kasuku is in Swahili the name for the African grey parrot Psittacus erithacus but also the name of an Although I travelled confirm the supposed
unexplored remote lake in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (former Zaïre). often to Zaire in the location of the fish. He
70’s and early 80’s, I Top: I had to visit the Departement de L’Environnement Conservation de la Nature in Kinshasa for was surprised by the
Text : Heiko Bleher never had the several days until I was able to get the fishing permit and to take out 50 live fish specimens. long-distance call,
Photos by the author unless otherwise indicated opportunity. Above: the black water coming from the lake Kasuku entering the Lualaba river, upper Congo. especially since we
The only direct flight was from top of the papers on his mahogany
Brussels. I drove from Frankfurt desk, he said that it would be no
through a foggy snowstorm, got stuck problem to export live fishes again and
on the Autobahn in foot-and-a-half- that we should return that afternoon to
deep snow, and missed the flight. get the permit from his secretary.
Luckily I was able to return to His secretary, however, was a bit
Frankfurt and take a plane to Zurich, stricter. He wanted us to produce proof
from where I connected into Kinshasa we had a fish hatchery and agree to pay
the next day. At the immigrations 3 zaire per fish exported (up from one
counter, I was surprised to see a zaire prior to the ban). The permit
beautiful Zairian girl carrying a large would only be good for a maximum of
sign with Heiko written on it. She three months. We next contacted the
guided me smoothly past the mass of person who was to prepare and
waiting people to an air-conditioned authorize our papers. He followed Meir
AMIZA (international forwarding) to the breeding ponds to gather
office. Here I waited while she quickly information and take photos (he took at
cleared my large amount of baggage, least 80!). Three days later – after
which included laboratory and camera endless waiting sessions at the ministry
hadn’t heard from or seen each other in (which happens only twice a year).
ten years. He told me that the literature Flights to Kindu have been rare since
cites the incorrect location. Actually an unfortunate incident in 1965 when
they had been collected in the virgin two United Nations planes flew there
forest, in the creeks that flow into the on a peace mission and the 14 members
Lualaba. He advised me to start the crew was killed and cannibalized. I
search at Kindu. recalled the press headlines and was
I wondered at this point if N. uneasy – but I figured it couldn’t be
dimidiatus was indeed the fish worse than the time I was involved in a
described in the old books – or had war between natives in Papua New
Pierre discovered another fish? As the Guinea (see Tropical Fish Hobbyist,
Telex lines to Zaïre were broken down, March 1986) who were killing each
I related the change to travel plans to other and where an arrow missed me
Meir’s kind wife, who was then in by an inch…
Brussels, Belgium. Meir must have At the Kinshasa Airport at 6:00 a.m.
thought I was nuts, changing our the next morning, we had to walk a
itinerary at the last minute! One must mile and a half to the cargo plane
indeed be crazy to make such hangar. On the way, we passed wrecks
expeditions… of old 707’s and DC 8’s. Finally,
equipment. It was a relief; the last time from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and one more
it took me four hours to get through raise of the export tax per fish (to 5
customs here. zaire) – the permit was finally issued.
While I waited, Meir arrived. He had Then came the next problem: finding a
already written a letter to the flight to Kindu…
Commissaire d’Etat announcing my Air Zaire had cancelled its weekly
arrival. The next morning we went to flight. The other airline that shares this
see the minister, at the time, President route flies only on Tuesdays (which
Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngembu wouldn’t allow enough time). Our sole
Wasa Banga’s right hand. Mr. Kiwonge alternative was to contact businesses
Luhandjula, the friendly minister, was that charter flights to the interior.
dressed all in white and welcomed us Luckily we found a Pakistani coffee
warmly. Barely able to look over the exporter who had hired a cargo plane
The friendly Minister Kiwonge Luhandjula (top) The market women selling fish in Kindu did not
did advice his secretary to give us the permit to col- want us to take their photos (top). But all the chil-
lect and export fishes, which did cost a lot. We flew dren wanted to have their picture taken (centre).
with a chartered cargo plane, as no commercial Every single fish caught is sold on the market.
flights exist to Kindu (centre). In Kindu we looked One portion (a plastic cup full) of dried tiny
for a tailor to sew our fishing nets (left). characoids is sold for less than 5 €cents (right).
that, we had to push the car to get it
started.
At the mission we were welcomed by
one of the sisters. She had arranged all
accommodations, including the rental
of a brand new four-well-drive Land
Cruiser and food for the outings. It was
much more than we expected. Too bad
the beginning of the trip had been so
unpleasant! We accepted the sister’s
kindness and left right away for the
outskirts of the village. The village lies
on the left bank of the Lualaba River.
In standing waters (infested with
bilharzia) I saw some movement. I
identified Ctenopoma ashbysmithi, an
anabatoid similar to C. nigropannosum,
the holotype collected by Banister and
Bailey in 1974-75, but never seen alive
before. In both standing and running
water we found Hemichromis species –
6
with vivid golden yellow bodies, light
green fins, dark red-edged dorsal and
upper tail fins, additional red lines in
the dorsal, and red gill spots. Five large
jet-black vertical ovals narrowed
towards their upper bodies. Probably, a
Hemichromis fasciatus form. Plant life
1 consisted mainly of Utricularia species
and swamp grass.
With “holes in our stomachs“, we
returned to the mission just in time for
dinner, which was served at 7:15 p.m.
sharp (only). After filling ourselves up
with rice and green leaves (similar to
spinach) we went for a stroll around
town. Here, like in many other Zaïre
towns, remains of the Belgian colonial
settlements still stand. A formidable red
7
brick prison, reminiscent of the
Bastille, stood elevated in the centre of
Formerly these monkeys had been collected and sold alife around the world, but since they are protected
locals kill them to eat. Here Red Colobus Piliocolobus tholloni (6) listed on Appendix II (CITES). Also the town. It was impressive! Le Relais, the
2 3 4 Black-and-White Colobus monekys Colobus guereza on the IUCN Red list (7) but listed as Lower Risk. only bar in town, played, out of a 1948-
model Wurlitzer, Elvis’ Lonely Star
exhausted from our heavy load, we Children surrounded us every- thick jungles, rivers, and lakes all terminal. The driver agreed to take us while we returned under a clear sky
built in 1948 and, since the mid 60’s, where we walked in Kindu, most passed below us. For three hours we to our destination. Just then, someone with the Southern Cross illuminating
of them had never seen a white
largely out of circulation! We had to man (1). On the market women sat, with the doors rattling and the who claimed to be an official asked us our way…
climb up a steep and narrow ladder to offered us antilopes to eat (2). stench of the “toilet” (an ancient tub for identification. At 5:00 a.m. the next morning, we
board, lugging our fish containers and Carrying everything on their standing in the back) strong in the air. On a dirty scrap of paper the size of started off toward the only paved road,
head is tradition throughout
gear with us. The belly of the plane was Africa, but not always with a fin-
A few minutes before landing, we saw matchbook he wrote down information which began on the right bank of the
loaded with jute sacks filled with rice, ger up in their nose... (3). The Lake Kasuku. It lay in the distance far (our profession, the location, and Lualaba and went 36 miles east. We
potatoes, sugar, and salt. There were most amazing hair fashion can be to our right, surrounded by plains and duration of our visit) and when he crossed over on a one-car ferry,
old plastic containers holding water, found in the remotest regions of
jungle. There was no road visible. asked for our permit to visit Kindu, we overcrowded with native people who
Africa, also in Kindu (4). Mon-
gasoline, cups, and trays – things to be keys, which we protect are eaten At the landing strip stood a majestic knew we had to produce money. The like the ride. The road on the other side
sold by merchants to the primitive by the African natives, like this air terminal, which had been built by car, an old Datsun, was a wreck. The leads to Kisangani and to Bakuwa
people of the interior. Central African Red Colobus Pil- Americans in the 1940’s. It had never hood came off when the driver proudly (when negotiable…). Villages line the
iocolobus foai with deficiant data
We took off, sitting on the sacks of for conservation. It will probably been used. We unloaded our gear from lifted it to show us his new battery – road. The huts are built with locally
food, and with no seatbelts. Savannahs, 5 be extinct soon (5). the plane and found a car in front of the the only fully functioning part. Despite made bricks of read clay and palm-leaf
1 roofs. Cemeteries along the road are a few beautiful fishes. At least five
common – reminders of the dead on different barbs: Barbus cf. janssensi,
their way to eternal peace. We passed Barbus cf. caudovittatus, Barbus
one burial ceremony; a newborn had lineomaculatus, one totally indentified
died. The youth-mortality is incredibly species at Misabangu Creek, and
high in Africa. Meir gave them money. almost everywhere B. miolepis in many
Soon I had my hand net, especially different colours. One Hylopanchax sp.
made with a super-strong polyster And the zebra striped Hypsopanchax
frame, and I wade up to the waist in the zebra were seen alive for the first time.
small, fast-flowing, red-clay-coloured Beautiful killies. Six different color
Kanjanga Creek. A dark brown, forms of Microctenopoma nanum and
narrow-banded Microctenopoma M. ansorgii, and more (always loners):
nanum, was brought ashore. Big ugly M. fasciolatum in striking blue colours
water bugs carried their eggs on their and the larger Ctenopoma ashbysmithi.
backs. The omnipresent African fish, We also collected two emerald green
Hemichromis cf. fasciatus abounded. Epiplatys species – one with red dots,
Some boys stopped by on a bicycle, the other with black bands. The largest
loaded with dead monkeys! fishes we collected were found in the
Human cannibalism supposedly Elila River. The only concrete bridge
stooped some five years ago here, but built by the Belgians and still standing
man continues to “cannibalize” apes crosses this river. With my 100-foot net
and monkeys. The question remains: I seined an 8-inch Tetraodon mbu, a 14-
for how long? – There are hardly any inch Schilbe mystus, which had
left now. I ask myself; what are all swallowed a small coconut (I never
these animal conservation programs figured how it passed through its
good for when endangered species are mouth!) and a 20-inch African tiger fish
being killed world wide? There are (Hydrocynus goliath). This vicious
import and export bans in most predator is widely distributed
countries now, but there is too little throughout the African continent and
protection of animals in their natural has teeth much sharper than a piranha.
habitats. Further, a water snake (non-
I am happy to be collecting fishes – of poisonous), a giant Mastacembelus
which many species are endangered too species, a Brycinus sp. (probably B.
– mostly by man’s destruction of nature nurse) about a foot long and a
in endless deforestation and uncontrol- Synodontis similar to S. decorus but
lable pollution – but at least they have a less body-paint (only a magnificent
good chance to endure in our aquaria, black- and yellow-striped large lyretail)
breed, and (as a result) be around when came info the net.
the rivers and lakes are empty… The current in the Elila was very
Seven more collections from the strong and the muddy water very deep,
Katanga Creek and nearby areas this and the millions of mosquitos didn’t
day until late that night produced quite contribute to making life easier…
With an almost brand new 4WD

from the Diocese of Kindu, we
drove south, on the only road
built by the Belgiens after
WWII and came across a 5-me-
ter-high termite house (1). The
main street of Kindu (2). The
only hospital in Kindu, called
Centre de Sante Baraza Ya Afia
Kasuku after the remote
lake (3). We had to cross the
Lualaba river with a ferry to
reach the only road south (4).
At a cross section there are still
some old road signs, like to
Kisangani 657 km, Bukavu
568 km etc., but such roads
does not exist anymore, they are
2 3 4 5 history (5).
The railroad once We found many new and rare fishes in
linked Kiunga with our nets the last days we stayed but, not
with Kalemie, Kamina
and Kananga, but now one Nanochromis. I was beginning to
stands still (1). doubt their existence here, especially
We came by some after reading Banister and Bailey’s
native housing driving
south direction report of their 1974-75 collecting
Kasuku (2). expedition in this area. They had found
Every creek we crossed many fishes, but not a single
I dipped my hand-net
and searched for
Nanochromis!... and they had much
fishes (3). more time! I fell asleep at 4 a.m. only
And in every village to wake up at 5 a.m. to try Kasuku –
the people were the mystery lake!
very friendly and
invited us to share the The “road” leads first west and then
1 2 9 little they have (4-5). south. Sabun Misanganano, the number
In some of the villages one driver of the procure (mission),
time has a stand still, it
looked like they have along with Tambue Ramazani and
not changed for cen- Lohahe Otschinga (his Warega co-
turies – and probably pilots), told us it was impossible to
have not (6).
In some creeks were
reach Kasuku. Noboody lives there and
we collected young it is surrounded by swamp. Soon we
help came along, girls started to believe Sabun, because the
who wanted to catch
fish as well (7).
road was no road anymore, just one
The natives live of the mud hole after another and even the
crop they grow and 4WD Toyota could hardly get through.
harvest it, protein is It took 5 hours for the last 27 miles
mostly supplied by
what they hunt before the track definitely ended and
or fish (8). we got stuck so deep in the morass that
3 4 The unsurfaced road we gave up after 6 hours of painful
10 was getting worst the
further south we digging. Meir made a fire out of wet
drove (9). logs the old-fashioned way: by rubbing
Than there was no a stick onto the wood!
more road and we had
to cross what looked
Hungry (only four bananas for five
like a giant men) dirty, in pain (from lifting the
savanna all the way to heavy Toyota so many times to get it
the horizon. It is the out), and totally exhausted, we tried to
only access to lake
Kasuku (10-11). rest late that night. Meir took the front
But it was mud below, seat (the “best“ accommodation);
soft underground and Sabun, Tambue, and Lohahe wrapped
the 4WD got stuck –
hopelessly. The more themselves into the only rain-cover we
our missionary driver had (supposedly to protect collected
tried to get out, the fish); leaving me with only my fishing
deeper he sunk into the
soft underground. It
nets as covers. But the millions of
5 6 11 was hopeless. We had mosquitoes (and I never have seen or
to spend the night in heard as many in all my expeditions)
the middle of nowhere, came right through it, as did the rain all
without a chance to get
out and without night – a nightmare come true! With
food... (12). terribly swollen skin, cold and wet
down to the underwear, I changed the
water of my collected fishes alongside
our stuck vehicle early the next
morning. Sabun, who got up after me
and realized what I had been through
that night smiled all over his face ad sai
(loudly), “Jambo sana” (“All the best
this morning!”). He left with Lohane to
search for big logs to help free the
truck.
7 8 12 Later, after we finally got the truck
1 7
1 2 4
2 8
5
3 4
Meir looked and was thinking “how We stayed over night and the next
can we get out of the mud?”(1). But morning the helpers found some
the 4WD sunk in deeper (2) and onces pieces of wood and while I changed
we managed to get out and drove (5) the water of my fishes (3) the 4WD
it was only for a few meters... dug in deeper and deeper (4).
out of one hole only to get distance and I woke from my
stuck 5 yards ahead again, we dream. Would I have to return
realized that there was no without fishes? No, I just knew
chance to reach the lake by car. Kasusku had new and colourful
But I hadn’t come this far to species (I always found the most 3 6 9
give up. I packed my net and brilliant colours in “black
gear onto my shoulders and waters” especially when very After I had changed the water of the fishes and the vehicle was still stuck in the mud, I took my fishing net and walked the remaining 10 miles or so to the lake
Meir joined me in walking soft and with a low pH – Kasuku Kasuku. It was a fantastic walk through untouched nature, with unknown seeds (1), unusual flowers (2+9), crossing trails of ants (3), black water creeks (4) full
with butterflies (5) and spiny leafs (6), mushrooms on the bark of trees (7), orchids (8) and much more.
approximately 10 miles across 5 had 4.22) and that this painful
the swamp in the direction of trip wouldn’t be in vain! Back Kasuku. All the hunger and the pain, magnificent red head, the same colour After endless difficulty in making our
Kasuku while our friends patiently Meir didn’t want to go on this risky where Meir was waiting, I told him we the mosquitoes and heat were forgotten covering most of the rest of its body as way out of Kindu, two days later we
continued to work on the liberation of excursion. Rowing over the treetops must find a creek flowing into, our out, as we dipped our hand nets and came well, except for its mid-section which found a missionary offering to fly us to
the vehicle. (for the first time I paddled on “top” of of the lake. A place, where we could up with the most colourful was entirely silver covered 12 scales Kisangani for $1000 per hours. But that
Walking barefoot among beautiful the jungle) in unbelievably peaceful seine. Nanochromis. As a matter of a fact, Meir (about of its body). An even more wasn’t the only problem: hundreds of
flowers, unusual plants and fruit, surroundings, disturbed only by the Late that afternoon, hungry, (24 hours yelled “dimidiatus!” because he caught distinct silver spot was just behind people making life miserable by asking
colourful mushrooms and dangerous splashing water, I finally saw Kasuku. and only ¾ of a banana in my stomach) one just before I did. But I knew right the anal fin, a strong red in the upper for a tip, three hours spent in Kindu
spiny palm leaves, we finally reached Like a hidden paradise, it unfolded in and exhausted, we reached the car. The away it couldn’t be, because this fish was tail, and a large black spot is near the prison because we photographed an old
water – about 3 hours later. But the front of me. The water was smooth, vehicle was out of the mud – finally! I much more colourful than the one end of its dorsal fin. These are the building, and waiting and begging
lake itself was still not in sight. It had black-tea-coloured, but still transparent. told Sabun to drive fast – if not we described. “trade marks” of this jewel. The everywhere until we reached Kinshasa
been flooded and was now inaccessible. Because of the flood, I couldn’t see any would sink into the morass again. Two It wasn’t the fish Pierre had exported dorsal fin also contained black spots three days later.
Years earlier a native village must have aquatic plants, but about 5½ miles wide more times we dug the 4WD and (after and it was very strange because Banister near the top and was silver in the Since then, this new Nanochromis has
existed nearby because we found some and (I think) in the dry season, less 30 hours) we finally had ground under and Bailey had not found this species on centre. We also collected four been bred successfully and these unique
remains of a hut and ancient fishing than half that. Alone it was impossible the wheels again. Also the creek I was their field trip in 1974-75. specimens of the most magnificent beauties are available.
gear. Also a rotting canoe. With a tree to seine, so I just watched and enjoyed. looking for came into sight: a tiny I was positive we had found a new Barbus papilio – ever seen alive But the search for the mysterious
branch I tried my luck at “paddling”. Suddenly I heard Meir calling in the black-water, fast-flowing stream exiting Nanochromis species. This fish had a before. Nanochromis dimidiatus continues…
When I finally reached lake Kasuku it was flooded. No one lives there (or has ever lived), fortunately someone had left a dugout behind which came handy for (In this tiny creek on the way to Kasuku (probably another outflow of the lake Kasuku, like the one on the first double page of this article – the black water
me to do research, but being alone (Meir had returned) I was unable to do much collecting. I was lucky along the edges, in water depth of one meter or less to entering the Lualaba River and flowing along with its black colour), I collected the fantastic Barbus papilio (1-2) one of the smallest and never caught before
find among submerged terrestrial vegetation (above) some fishes (see below and next page). Also a very nice Central African puffer Tetraodon miurus. beauty. The males have a jet black dorsal, pectoral and anal fins. The three also jet black spots turn, mainly in males, into a stripe along its side.
1 2 1 2
3 4 3 4
But the highlight of my collecting in the Kasuku region was the amazing Nanochromis (2) I discovered already in the 1980s. It was described by Anton Lamboj I collected also this puffer, another beauty, the Tetraodon mbu, in this creek (3) and as we took it out of my net it blew up its belly, its typical defense mechanism.
in 2005, named after his daughter sabinae. And two years later four species of Nanochromis were placed in the new genus Congochromis Stiassny & Schliewen But the later has a wide distribution pattern throughout most of the central African countries and is even found in Lake Tanganyika. The other fish in the net,
2007 including this one. But I believe there is a big difference between the described one from Gabon and this one here from the upper Congo (the Lualaba and Papyrocranus congoensis (4), is only known from the lower Congo and I was able to collect it here as well in the Lualaba region, the upper Congo, from where no
Kasuku) region. The lower two (3-4) are also female specimens, which I collected near Kisangani and they might belong to the recently described C. pugnatus. one has it recorded. It is a peaceful but active night dweller and a so-called knife fish with a beautiful colour pattern – very unusual and quite rare.
The population of the Congo comprises approximately
200 ethnic groups, the great majority of whom speak one of
the Bantu languages. In addition, there are Nilotic speakers
in the north near Sudan and scattered groups of Pygmies
(especially in the Ituri Forest in the northeast). The principal
Bantu-speaking ethnic groups are the Kongo, Mongo, Luba,
Bwaka, Kwango, Lulua, Lunda, and Kasai. The Alur are the
main Nilotic speakers. In the 1990s, Congo also had an
influx of immigrants, particularly refugees from neighboring
countries. In 1985 over half the population was rural,
but the country is becoming increasingly urbanized, al-
though I was able to find still quite a few ethnic groups
which follow their ancient traditions and cultures.
1 2
3 4
Although French is the Congo's official language, it is spoken

5 by relatively few persons (as mentioned above).
Swahili is widely used in the east, and Lingala is spoken
in the west; Tshilaba is also quite common. Many of the
Some of the habitats in nature are quite different from what we think. Here a typical environment of Synodontis soloni (1) dwelling between rocks. They swim people living specially in the eastern (oriental) region follow
deep into the cracks to eat from the Aufwuchs (2). In aquaria therefore they should also have rocks and if possible covered with moos or Aufwuchs (3). traditional religious beliefs, and about 10% are Muslims.
In nature, at the habitat, there were so many when I collected them that one person who was helping me holding up the plastic bag stepped right into one. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo today about 50%
The density in the river (4) was amazing. of the inhabitants are Roman Catholics and 20% are
This beautiful cichlid, Tilapia congica (5), lived also in this habitat and was in my net. Normally this cichlid does not have such a bright colour (or better: it is Protestants. A substantial number are adherents
know to be not very colourful), but it might be just another population than the one originally described from the Kasai River in the Equatorial Congo region. of Kimbanguism, an indigenous Christian church.
INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM Biotopes Biotopes INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM
1 2 1 2
3 4 3 4
5 6 5 6
Below the cataracts of Kananga (1), in the habitat shown in the foreground, Here some more dwarf cichlids for the home aquarium also from the Congo
lives a beautiful dwarf cichlid, Steatocranus rouxi, which I was able to collect basin in Central Africa. They belong to the genera Orthochromis (2),
for the first time a live. Like all of the other Steatocranus species, it lives over Nanochromis (3-6) and Lamprologus (7). These beauties, which are also ideal
rocky ground sometimes mixed with sand. Also among roots and driftwood, for smaller aquariums, are peaceful mostly bottom dwelling cichlids with
rarely with aquatic vegetation. Here they dwelled, among Podostomaceae and amazing behaviours, each one unique in itself like Orthochromis torrenticola
mosses. Steatocranus are mostly rheophil cichlids hardly reaching more than (2), which I found only in the habitat above the Lufira waterfall (1). It is
10 cm in TL, most of the species remain much smaller and all are bottom different from the other 13 described Orthochromis species by its shape being
dwellers with a reduced swim bladder. They all show a relative greyish, some elongated as Schwetzochromis (in the genus it was formerly placed), the
yellowish or bluish colour pattern and are quite well camouflaged in nature. eye-spots in the anal fins and living only in the habitat shown. Nanochromis
In the aquarium they become very active, are beautiful and interesting crea- transvestitus (3-4) was named in honour to the extreme beautiful colours in the
tures, which need some rocky caves and places to hide, as that is their nature. female (3) vs. the male colour (4) and I collected also the first live specimens.
Eight of the nine species described are found in the Congo River basin, only Nanochromis parilus, here a pair (5), reaches rarely 6 cm in TL, and
S. irvinei (not shown) is known from the upper Volta River basin in Ghana. N. splendens, here a beautiful female (6), grows to max. 7cm TL. I often call
The most common in the hobby, is Steatocranus casuarius (not shown), which Nanochromis (and now the species placed in Congochromis) the African
is readily available. in the last years also S. glaber (3) and S. rouxi (4) from Apistogramma... There are 6 riverine Lamprologus species from the Congo
breeding (here F1 in aquaria). The species S. mpozoensis (5), S. bleheri (6), basin known, but almost exclusively L. congoensis (7) can be found in the
which I also discovered in the upper Congo many years ago, less frequently, 7 hobby. Here a male in full colour. The aquarium decorations shown are those
7 also rarely S. ubanguiensis (7). found in nature of these species.
INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM Ubangi Bari INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM
2 3
Two Biotope aquarium decorations from the Congo basin: The right-hand page is a second aquarium biotope from the
This page: Rivieré Ubangi largest affluent of the Congo. Congo region.
Locality: the habitat represents a black water affluent Locality: a black water affluent of the Lualaba in the
of the upper Ubangi River in the province Equateur, vicinity of Kisangani (former Stanleyville).
of the Republic of the Congo, former Zaïre. This aquarium has 450 l and the following fish
The aquarium (1) contains 600 l and has the (and density) lives in such an almost authentic
following fish living in such a biotope sympatric habitat (and some shown):
(some are shown here): 6 Briconaethiops boulengeri, 6 Distichodos noboli
8 Distichodus sexfasciatus semi-adult (2), small, 6 Distichodus affinis (mimickry, but the
7 Hemichromis sp. “Ubangi” (4), 20 Synodontis latter grows much larger), 20 Phenacogrammus 6 7
nigriventris (4), 3 Synodontis atterinus, caudomaculatus (7), 6 Phenacogrammus
3 Synodontis robertsi, 2 Synodontis acanthomias, breuseghemi, 25 Phenacogrammus interruptus,
3 Synodontis nummifer, 3 Synodontis greshoffi, 12 Phenacogrammus cf. smykalai (6), 6 Xenomystus
6 Synodontis contractus, 3 Synodontis notatus, nigri, 8 Microctenopoma fasciolatum, 12 Synodontis
2 Synodontis pleurops, 30 Phenacogrammus caudalis, nigriventris, the upside down catfish (there are only towo
20 Rhabdalestes septentrionalis, 6 Ctenopoma ansorgii, 4 in the world swimming all the time head down...), 4 Synodontis
12 Gnathonemus boulengeri, 2 Phago maculatus, 2 Pago species (new), angelicus, 3 Tetraodon mbu, semi-adult (10). And note: the mentioned
3 Eugantichthys eetveldii, 5 Tetraodon miurus. fish species should not be kept in smaller groups (or single ones) than those 10
The decoration you see here is according to the natural habitat: placed here in the biotope aquarium.
stones and small gravel (2) and slightly larger gravel (3). Some driftwood The decoration consists of very fine gravel (1-3 mm max.), lava stone, rarely
can be found (is in the rear) and trees hanging over (and into the water, when rocks, and of driftwood, as well as roots (water them well before placing in
the water rises). It needs different sizes of gravel for this habitat, rarely sand, the aquarium – at least one week, more is better).
because like the Distichodus need larger gravel, S. pleurops even little larger The vegetation consists of some ferns, Bulbitis heudelotii, some Anubias
gravel to be able to take it into the mouth to carry it (they built nests). barteri, A. nana, Cyperus alternifolia and Nymphaea (the latter two
The dwarf cichlids need small gravel to dig into it in search for foods. grow also out of the water and can survive in the dry).
The aquatic vegetation consists of mainly ferns, Bulbitis heudelotii growing The chemical water parameters on those habitats were:
partly submers, but often along the edges. Also sometimes different Crinum For the Ubangi biotope (in nature): pH 5.6-6.7;
species, like C. calamistratum and C. natans, are found in this biotope and conductivity 29-35 μS/cm and the temperatures from 26.5° up to 31.5°C.
these grow only under water. There should be a good biological filter and And for the Kisangani biotope: pH 5.4-6.2; conductivity 22-48 μS/cm
slight flow in the tank. and the temperatures from 24° up to 30°C. 8 9
AMERICA Brazil Brazil AMERICA
T
he Rio Iriri is the largest affluent
Rio Iriri
of the large, for aquarists well
known, Rio Xingú. It merges
from its left some 80 kilometres south
of Altamira and has approximately half
its length (the Xingú is 2,045 kilome-
tres long) but is much broader. The
Xingú was already visited and sampled
as early as 1842 from the prince of
Prussia Heinrich William Adalbert
(1811-1873), as well later in its lower
region by the world-well-known Thay-
er-Expedition (1865-66) under the di-
rection of Jean Louis Rodolphe Agas-
siz, and by the German Karl von
Steinen (1855-1929) in 1884, and many
more naturalists researched the Xingú
in the 20th Century, but none of those
ventured the Iriri. And I asked myself
often „why?” but once I had decided to
go, I found out “why”…
My friend Haroldo in Altamira, was
not astonished, when I on my most re-
cent visit to Altamira I told him that
this time my goal was of the Iriri. He
explained that no one ever collected
fish above the enormous current and
cataract, the only cascudos (catfishes of
the family Loricariidae) caught in re-
cent years were below. No one dares
the upper Iriri: “É dificil demais” (it is
to difficult) he said and added that he
knows of fishermen who collect in the
lower Iriri the so-called L-18 loricariid.
Unfortunately in popular literature the
type locality is confounded with the
one found in the Xingú and in the low-
There are actually on the planet earth still rivers over er Iriri two species of Baryancistrus
1,000 the kilometres long and completely unexplored – can be found which are very similar.
at least ichthyologic-wise.
Ichthyologic-wise. And
And (naturally)
(naturally) Heiko
Heiko One has a larger gold-yellow dotting
and it occurs also in the Rio Xingú in
Bleher had again to be the first researchers to enter
the rock and stone regions south of Al-
this remote Paradise for the science and the Aquarist. tamira, which is L-18 and L-177 (some
one has given two separate number for
Text and Fotos by Heiko Bleher & Natasha Khardina the same species). The second species
found in the lower Iriri and only there,
has also a broad gold-yellow seam in
the in the dorsal and in the edge of its
tail fin, but the golden points are sub-
stantially smaller and over the whole
body distributed: Baryancistrus sp. 2
‘Iriri’. And this species has similarity
with as L-26 listed as Baryancistrus
from the Rio Tocantins – where I was
unable to find it (see photos).
With Chico, the only practico (experi-
enced boats man) who knows every
rock and the dangerous currant in the black humeral spot and a light blue
middle and upper Xingú, we drove in shining eye. The third in the group was
Haroldo’s Pickup to the gas station and slightly larger and was Brycon amazon-
filled 600 litres of fuel into different icus, also with a humeral spot and a
containers, which I was able even to black edged caudal. (However the latter
pay with a credit card… grows over 40 cm long, while the other
Natasha, my better half, bought on the two exceed rarely over 10 cm in total
market fruits as well as the most neces- length.) The question is: why this mim-
sary items for our journey and we icry? Who profits from whom? Because
loaded the voadeira – the aluminium none of the three is a predator…
boat which was to take us up the Xingú But that was not everything: Hemio-
into the Iriri. Including the cameras, dus quadrimaculatus (never recorded
fish tanks and catch devices. Chico car- before from the Iriri) was associated
ried itself 10 Kilos of farinha (manioc under a group of Leporinus maculatus
flour), the nutrition or better daily (both have three bars) – was this also
“bread” of every caboclos. But the fuel mimicry? I continued diving in this
was our heaviest load and Haroldo said: clear habitat and I saw in the stone
„Com isto tudo voçes não vão nunca niches Panaque cf. nigrolineatus (P. sp.
subir as cachoeiras” when Natasha, 1 4 1 ‘Iriri’) moving up and down next to a
Chico and I left the port of Altamira. dotted Leporinus species scraping on
He meant we would never come with the rocks while small group of young
this weight over the waterfalls … Crenicichla (C. sp. `Xingú’ II), with
After five hours up river passing their juvenile banded pattern were
along rock and black stone massifs on swimming together with Cichla temen-
the left and on the right rising out of sis (also a banded cichlid) over the
the water (it was dry period) Chico sandy bottom in search for food.
turned the voadeira into the Iriri delta. I Further up river we had to pass very
asked myself, how one of the immense dangerous rock massifs, with passages
cattle farms on the left and on the right of only a few meters in width, and than
along the Xingú up to this delta, re- spotted a sandy area on the left bank.
moved their thousands of cattle across Here Natasha pulled the 13-meter-seine
these giant rock formations, because with me and we caught two wonderful
here are no more roads. large Retroculus xinguensis (later,
The Iriri is hardly 100 meters wide at above the waterfall we should find two
its delta and continues to become ever new Retroculus species) and a number
more narrow further upriver. Only a of light-coloured Corydoras, possibly
few kilometres into the Iriri I did ask C. xinguensis. And we had another in-
Chico to stop and we made the first dis- teresting fish in the seine: a bottom
covery. I saw between the stones in 2 5 dwelling Bivibranchia species with a
quite clear water Leporinus maculatus protractile mouth, which it can extend
and L. fasciatus var., the same species extreme long (see photo). At the same
found in the Xingú, likewise the chara- time Chico had already two large tucu-
coids Moenkhausia dichroura and narés (Cichla sp.) on a hook and our
Brycon pesu. But together with the lat- evening diner had been secured. Short-
ter were two more Brycon species: one ly after that it became pitch dark and
had a transparent adipose fin (vs. jet we stopped just below the very large
black in B. pesu) and a black edged tail Cachoeira and opened up our tent open
fin design (the vs. transparent in B. pe- on a mosquitoes invested river island.
su). Both had similar size of, about 7- The beasts sucked our blood while we
10 cm overall length, a silver body, a tried to eat the delicious tucunarés
It was tough and although Haroldo’s said that we It seems to be unbelievable that in such a
would not make it with Chico’s and Natasha’s help beautiful place, a unique river with amazing
we succeeded. First dragging the voadeira with the scenery (4) no one lives. In Europe or North
equipment (1-2) and finally unloading all material America, in Asia or elsewhere, high risers would
and carrying it and the voadeira over the waterfall. edge these shores. We put up exhausted our tent
Finally “on top” in the Iriri river above the fall, on one of the islands with a river view (5) and
we anchored (3) the voadeira and rested, 6 slept in surrounded by such a peace city-people
before a worse adventure was to come... 3 can only dream of...
Chico had grilled over the open fire… their large wooden fishing boat was
When I woke up next morning at six much heavier than our voadeira. While
o’clock I walked to the cataract and trying to get these boats to the top I be-
looked up to its high of a two story gan to understand why never a white
building and its approximately hundred man has researched above these
meters length, I tried to think how to cataracts. In addition to this task mos-
get over it. Ones Chico got up we had a quitoes bite the hell out of us. Late that
strong breakfast with oranges, tea, afternoon began take two. It should be-
pumpernickel bread and honey, Chico come still worse. After we had reloaded
had his farinha and coffee. Right after everything we moved forward sur-
it we began to unload the voadeira in rounded by close primary forest – no
order to drag it empty over the rocks human sign anywhere, no one lived
and lift it above the water falls. But here, let alone ever lived. The upper
first we carried all our equipment and Iriri is here 30 to 50 meters wide and
the fuel containers up on top of the the water highly transparent. I saw a
couple of Aequidens guarding their ba-
bies along the stony edge and deeper
1 over e nest a pair of Retroculus, like-
wise taking care of their brood. Groups 6
of Leporinus were gracing over the

round stones covered with Aufwuchs
and in the open water I spotted a large
swarm of possibly Brycon amazonicus.
Along the very shallow bank below
overhanging trees and bushes among
thousands of leafs dwarf cichlids, Apis-
togramma and Crenicichla as well as
4 smaller characoids of the genus
Bryconops, Moenkhausia, Astyanax and
Hemigrammus were having a good
time. Loricariids everywhere in the
middle over the rock-covered ground. I
was able to classify some un-described
species (see photos) in no time. This
discovery was however the peace be-
fore the storm.
7 We had to manoeuvre the voadeira
across a narrow passage against a very
2 Between the cracks of the massive rocks in the Iriri (6) I discovered a fascinating new Moenkhausia, which
strong currant. Here this river forms a
can grow to 7 cm and more. It was later named in my honour M. heikoi. The species lives with some syn- kind of funnel before its waters tumble
topic species in strong current between such rocks, at depths of up to 2.5 mm. In the aquarium one adult down the cataracts. It looks like this
male reached 8 cm in TL (7). The first juvenile Moenkausia heikoi (8) I captured in the Rio Iriri among
5 was once a huge lake on a plateau,
submerged roots (photo 3, left-hand page) was not living as deep as the adults.
which during evolution started to break
cataract. It was nearly noon when we across large rock massifs for several
had finally finished and started to get kilometres to finally drain out into the
the voadeira also to the top. I pulled lower Xingú. Our outboard motor was
and Chico went in the back pushing it unable to cope with the currant the
over the Cachoeira. Fortunately it was a voadeira bumped left and right against
stable aluminium boat and we got even the rocks. We jumped into the water. I
assistance of four caboclos, which had began with the left had pull the boat on
arrived and were also on their way to a rope and with the right had hold on to
3 the Iriri to catch tucunarés – which ob- the rocks pulling forward against the
viously live in large numbers in the un- tremendous strong currant with Chico
The upper Iriri River is in some parts several km wide and looks like a huge lake (1). And in the one-tree- touched river portion above the falls. in the back pushing with his head most
island in the far end (2), below its gigantic roots I made a sensational discovery (see right-side page). We of the time under water, whereby he
angled our own eating fish every day. One catch was Prochilodus nigricans (3), which may reach 50 cm TL.
They fetch a very good price on the Al-
While we grilled it over the open fire (4) millions and millions of may flies, perhaps Tortopus harrisi, tamira market for this deilcatessy. slipped away again and again as I.
covered the waters of the Iriri (5) and gave food to most of its fishes (5), but also our grilled fish... It became a joint venture, only that 8 Natasha as she realized that we were
sun started to break through over the Tapajós affluent, I assisted a Rinelori-
crystal clear river bed. A few Hemiodus caria migration that spread the entire
jumped over the water surface as if 25 meters of the river bed and in four
they wanted to say „bom dia” (good layers, one above the other moving up
morning). I saw on the sand-island the river. This here looked very similar…
dried up nests of Retroculus and At a small island in the middle in the
Geophagus species. The nests are river, with a high Ficus tree and its
amazing. After they have dug a wide large thin roots growing underwater, I
hole into the sand, they carry large asked Chico to stop. I tied up the boat
amounts of heavy stones into it, pieces in the currant and dove with my hand-
of driftwood and leaves before they net deep under the root inside to come.
start to lay their eggs. I had a young black Crenicichla, a
After the breakfast I sat on the brow striped Laemolyta and a dotted Lepori- 8
of the voadeira and steered Chico nus in the net, and a small black chara-
around the enormous rocks in the wa- coid with a golden stripe and golden
ter. Here up-river the Iriri was very eye (the upper half). The latter was of
slowly flowing and one could see the same species which in 1975
everything in this transparent during my first Transamazonica
1 water, every single scattered expedition searching in the 3
stone nearly without excep- lower Xingú I discovered in
tion. Suddenly seven fresh- the strong currant below
water stingrays appeared be- rocks and again 1999 also
low the boat, with one lead- below the mouth of the Iriri
ing animal, followed by the delta, again under rock forma-
other six. Something similar I tions in the current. Does this
remembered from the island species occur only in the Iriri and
Batanta (Indonesia) with marine its eggs are carried down river? I
stingrays, also guided by one alpha ani- should find the answer to it later. (In
mal, only the group there was much the meantime I am sure of it.)
larger and it seemed as they were float- The fish biomass here in the Iriri was
ing… It look like Potamotrygon scobi- simply overwhelming. We did not come
na and P. motoro, but this could only be out from being astonished and caught
an estimate, however underwater like the world champions nearly one
pageant should become still many more week long at 15 further places of ap-
exciting, because I could hardly trust proximately 600 kilometres river on, in
my eyes shortly thereafter. The entire a paradise hardly found anywhere else
stony underground became scattered by on planet earth. Completely uninhabit-
black loricariids. I found out later that ed except for a single caboclo family,
2 it was a Baryancistrus species which I which we found on the right bank a 4
designated B. sp. 1 ‘Iriri’. They moved couple of days late, but the night before
The Iriri has many rapids and lower waterfalls and always in the strongest part of the fall one specialized dry season they live a terrestrial existence for a very short time and flower (2) before they die off and only
aquatic plant family can be found – almost circumtropical – Podostemaceae or riverweed (1). It has the un- over the whole river width to hundred that I had however a very strange expe- the roots remain until the water rises again (see also first double page). On the other hand also beautiful
usual association between root branching and root-borne adventitious and during evolution adapted from thousands (millions), river up. It had to rience. We camped again on a river is- flowering bushes grow in its rapids, some with bright yellow (3) and others with violet flowers (4). Those
subcylindrical or ribbon-like roots to foliose roots. About 50 genera and 250 species are known. During the believe this was a gigantic migration, land, right on a wonderful sand bank thrive all year long, some time submerged, with very strong roots and supply food to many fish species.
fighting a lost battle, she jumped also reached at dawn, more dead than alive, which we could pursue over many kilo- between large rock formations. The scare. And it is too nearly hard to be- photographed them holding it in my
into the water to help Chico in the this giant lake-like plateau. Here the metres. Most of them were animals of beach must have emerged just a day or lieve the night-jump a fish can make to hand. These cichlids have a reduced
back. But suddenly she was carried Iriri was several kilometres wide and 15-25 cm in total length and also this so ago, many places were still wet. The save its skin… During the day I had al- swimming bladder and therefore pre-
away by the water force and down river really gigantic with sand-islands. Not reminded me of a similar encounter roots of the trees on the beach looked ready such an experience with a large dominantly live near the ground re-
got stuck with her left leg between even the Xingú above Altamira has any years earlier. It was at the begin of the like in a ghost movie, hanging around Retroculus. Sitting in my photo tank gions, but can nevertheless can jump
some rock massifs. While I climbed place like this and it is no wonder these dry season in 1997 in the region of in the air, the strong currant had and as I began taking pictures he tremendously and make easy a Salto
ashore hold the voadeira, Chico dived masses of water have to find a way out. Mamirauá, where I was lucky enough washed them out. And while I was jumped out of this tiny aquarium al- Mortale …
back underwater to liberate Natasha be- With blue marks we fell into our tent to assist a siluriform migration of all 10 walking along the banks looking, as almost one meter high into the air into a The jumping did not diminish, also
fore she drowned. The fight seemed of- on an island and deep asleep without known catfish families from the Ama- ways, at night for fish, innumerable nearby sand hole, with approximately not as I was back in the tent to sleep. I
fering no prospects. I tied up the boat any diner. But we had survived it and zon basin. I estimated that those were jumped far out of the water often 2-3 20 centimetres of depth. When I ran af- had a weird dream that night about a
and ran over the rocks to search for an- on the next day paradise should open over two billion catfishes migrating to meters up and away to dive back in. ter it and wanted to grab it in the hole, gigantic earth worm: the giant sand
other channel an alternative break up in front of us. a gigantic spawning ground (see Ble- Obvious night-active predators (mostly he made another enormous jump, more worm from a Hollywood film, which
through. The region was full of rocky Macaws woke us up in the morning her’s Discus, Volume 1, pages 456-457) large catfishes of the family Pimelodi- than 1.5 meter distance directly into the comes only out if it is hungry and then
islands and finally, after hours of fight and Tukanos flew in pairs over our and also while I was diving in the re- dae) were here at work because of the river bed. Gone, a beautiful specimen. devours humans. I woke up as the sand
again this tremendous water power we heads. The fog slowly lifted and the seeding water in July of 1975 in an dryness’s, which makes food sources The following larger cichlids I only under the tent moved… I struck the
8 9 10
11 12
2 3
13 14
4 5
6 7 15 16
In some parts of Iriri’s stony river bed was covered with catfishes, hundreds of thousands of these loricariids which all belong to the genus Bariancistrus: But besides Bariancistrus there were several other genera represented, also some new. Their identification is only possible correctly by their mouth and teeth for-
1. Bariancistrus sp. II “Iriri” adult; 2. B. sp. II “Iriri” semi-adult; 3. B. sp. II “Iriri” juvenile. 4-5. Two juveniles (different ages) of Bariancistrus sp. III “Iriri” (also mation (8-10): 8. Mouth of Bariancistrus sp. III “Iriri” (L-177). 9. Mouth of B. sp. II “Iriri”. 10.+11. Oligancistrus sp. I “Iriri” adult. 12. Oligancistrus sp. II “Iriri”
called L-177). 6. A semi-adult of B. sp. III “Iriri”. But there was also one Bariancistrus with real orange spots and edged fins, a real beauty, never seen before. (also called L-20) adult. 13. Pseudacanthicus sp. I “Iriri” semi-adult. 14. Parancistrus sp. I “Iriri” adult. 15. Scobiancistrus sp. I “Iriri” adult. 16. Panaque sp. I - cf.
We must wait and see what it will be, for the moment called B. sp. IV “Iriri”. nigrolineatus “Iriri”, semi-adult. One can see, many of the subfamily Ancistrinae are represented in the Iriri.
1 4
2 5
6 7 8
32
The variety of loricariids is breathtaking in this river, here some more: 1. Pseudancistrus sp. “Iriri”. 2. Leporacanthicus cf. heterodon. 3. Squaliforma cf. emargina-
ta. But also other catfishes are here abundant, like: 4-5. Ageneiosus cf. brevifilis. Note the male with its reproductive organ in the dorsal fin (4) and the female
attacked by Piranhas and eaten up in its rear, typical for the dry season. 6-8. Three new Corydoras, of which 2 are classified in Germany as C21 (6) and C87 (7)
while the third (8) was never seen before (I named them sp. 1; sp. 2; sp. 3 “Iriri” respectively). 9. One of the pimelodids or heptapterid collected could belong to 9 10
the genus Mastiglanis. It lives only over sandy ground. 10. And also one of the several candirus I found only over sandy ground was my Trichomycterus sp. 1.
4 5
6 7
8 9
3 10
One might think loricariids dominate the Iriri, but this is only in biomass, in species the characoids dominate and here are few of the larger ones, from the family 4. Leporinus sp. III “Iriri”, adult (this one is being described and lives in mimicry of Leporinus fasciatus, but it has on each scale a black spot. 5. Anostomus
Anostomidae (on both pages and on page 42). The above 3 species (probably all new) live sympatric, that is they live in mimicry and can only be distinguished cf. intermedius, adult. 6. Leporinus maculatus “Iriri”, adult. 7. Leporinus maculatus “Iriri”, juvenile (much brighter in colour). 8. Leporinus sp. aff. macula-
once one has a very close look (therefore incerts of the head-pattern): 1. Leporinus sp. III “Iriri” adult. 2. Leporinus sp. II “Iriri” adult. 3. Leoporinus sp. I “Iriri” tus “Iriri”, adult (new species living in total mimicry with L. maculatus – see head difference also). 9. Leporinus maculatus “Xingú”, juvenile. 10. Laemolyta
aff. megalepis approximatively 80 mm TL. The latter has the brightest red coloured fins and is the smallest of the three. petiti “Iriri”, adult. The latter can reach almost 30 cm in TL.
1
1 2
2 3
3 4
4 5
6 5 6
Some more rare anostomids found in the Iriri. All of these live in the fast flowing water areas and have adapted through evolution to a unique feeding behaviour The characoid family Serrasalmidae is also well represented, like with:
standing head down and scraping from the rocks the Aufwuchs, algae and microorganisms. They can even scrape food out of cracks in the rocks were other fishes 1. Tometes sp. (Myleinae A), semi-adult. 2. Myleus sp. (Myleinae B) adult female. 3. Myleus sp. (Myleinae C)
cannot reach into: 1. Sartor respectus and see its unbelievable teeth (2). 3+5. The second Sartor species I found is probably new, a light coloured Sartor, never seen semi-adult, from near mouth of Rio Iriri, the caboclos call them pacu manteiga. 4. Myleus sp. (Myleinae D)
before. So far from this genus only 2 species have been described from South America. 4+6. The most colourful in the group is the monotypic Sinaptolemus cingu- “torquatus group”, adult. 5. Myleus sp. (Myleinae C), juvenile of pacu manteiga. 6. Myleus cf. schomburgkii, semi-adult
latus. It is a fantastic species and has a wide distribution in South America, but is very rare to find. (insert to the right, baby of Myleus cf. schomburgkii).
1 2
1 2
3 4
3 4 5 6
5 6 7 8
1. At least 3 species of Cichla occur in the Iriri. Here Chico with a fresh caught C. cf. temensis. 2. I was able to catch a very large Serrasalmus humeralis of Here some of the smaller Iriri characoids which live more near the shore and in bays, near vegetation and over sandy ground, rarely in rocky regions:
42 cm in TL (some consider the latter a synonym, but Géry classified it as a good species). 3-4. There are 2 forms of Serrasalmus rhombeus in the Iriri. 1. Moenkausia xinguensis, alive, for the first time, adult. 2. Bryconops sp. I “Iriri”, adult. 3. Moenkhausia sp. I “Iriri”, adult. 4. Moenkhausia aff. lepidura,
Both have a red eye, but one is a schooling fish and has dark spots (3) and the other one live individually, is silver and no spots (4). 5. Serrasalmus cf. elon- adult male. 5. Bivibranchia sp. I “Iriri”, adult. It is a bottom dwelling characoid, filtering microorganisms out of fine sand. 6. Moenkhausia aff. lepidura,
gata, juvenile. 6. And I had to include this picture of a Piranha bite. But it was out of the water, as they never attack any human being in their habitat. I adult female. 7. An engraulidid (family Engraulididae), probably Anchoviella nattereri. 8. Piabucus dentatus is also a peacefull characoid but this one can
had it on my hand to photograph it and the fish truned around and bit me in the hand... grows up to 18 cm in TL.
moving object with all power on the fall to Altamira. Ben told me this while Enormous rock massifs stood out
tent soil in vain. It moved on. Then I his wife daughters were backing the from the water in the environment of
ran out and looked for the sandy soil, daily farinha from the manioc root, Bens hut and I collected unbelievably
but nothing. Back in the tent it did not which had for days been watered to interesting fish. For example surely a
began to agitate again and all following eliminate the poison liquid. He said that new Sartor species, with the most un-
impacts were useless. Only after I woke when he first came here a few other usual mouth formation evolved to
up Natasha and we shifted the tent got caboclo families were living along the scrape off standing in a vertical posi-
after two o’clock in the morning we upper Iriri, but because of the constant tion in the currant, the algae from the
had finally peaceful sand under us… low water level for more than one rock massifs. So far only three kinds
apparently our tent had blocked the en- decade travel down and up the cataracts are known: S. elongatus Santos & Jégu,
trance and exit of some creature… made is almost impossible to survive 1987, which I already discovered 1983
We reached the wooden hut of the up here and everyone migrated to Al- in the Cachoeira de Porteira (Trombetas
caboclo Ben (= Raimundo) in the late tamira. There is one Indian tribe, the and Mapuera rivers); S. respectus My-
1 2
afternoon of the third day. It lies about Wokarangma, an ethnic group of what ers & Carvalho, 1959 of the Rio Cu-
200 meters off the riverbank on a hill is said to be still 31 individuals living luene in Mato Grosso (which I was able
(terra firme) and stands on stilts. somewhere deep in the forest, but never to find also in the middle and lower
Raimundo Guilherme de Souza lives had any contact. Only one single Xingú several times, and now in the
here for 16 years with his wife Luzia, Chipaia Indian, who was discharged by Iriri in community with the new
his three boys and seven girls. They his tribe because he took himself a species); and S. tucuruiense Santos &
live completely autonomously, on what Brazilian women and has a hut some- Jégu, 1987, from the Rio Tocantins.
they produce and only during the ex- where, no one else live on this giant This discovery is not new only for the
treme flood period, the most once in river today (except for gold miners in genus but also from the point of
the year, Ben takes his canoe and pad- its headwater, 1000 kilometres up river, species. Unfortunately these food spe-
dles down river, and crosses the water- I found out later). cialists are not recommendable for the
On top a two more loricariids found in the Iriri: 1. Pseudoloricaria cf. laeviuscula (but note: they live over sandy ground). 2. Loricaria cf. lata, a real beauty.
3. Also in mimicry live two characoid genera: a Triportheus aff. rotundatus (upper fish) and Brycon aff. pesu (lower fish), living sympatrically in the Iriri
and one looking at them can hardly separate one from the other in nature. Both have a silver-shiny eye. Both have, besides their silver scales, a black band
in the tail. And in addition there are two species, which look very similar and belong to the genus Brycon: 4. Brycon cf. pesu (note the large jet-black adi-
pose and its humeral spot), and the second one, which for sure is a new species: 5. Adult Brycon sp. aff. pesu (small transparent adipose and tiny spot).
Also in the Iriri region one can find bodies of water that dry completely up, but which during the high water period are connected to the main river, like this one.
The remaining fishes are all eaten first by Piranhas, than by the birds and caimans, but before they die or are eaten they lay their eggs into the mud. I found here 4 5
species of Hypostomus, Squaliforma, many characoid species and even thousands of newly hatched babies of all kind of fishes.
normal aquarist. The same applies to
the fantastic coloured and very wide
spread species which also belongs to
the characoid family Anostomidae
Synaptolaemus cingulatus. The latter
was described by Myers & Fernández
Yépez 1950 from the upper Orinoco,
however it occurs in the upper Rio Ne-
gro, in the Xingú and elsewhere. My
discovery in the Iriri was new. Here it
lives sympatric with the two Sartor
species.
I saw a multiplicity of Myleus and the
well-known Myleus schomburgkii with
its brought “Heckel-discus” centre bar,
and I found out, that in the Iriri alone
must live seven or eight species, which
the late characoid expert of the world,
Jacques Géry (he passed away at the
age of 90 years old in 2007) wanted to
classify as six different, mostly new
species. There was also one species of
the rare Tometes. Ben called the bright-
est coloured one which I saw under wa-
ter „manteiga” (= butter), it is a swim-
ming dream. With extreme long dorsal
fins, gold-yellow tail, a black broad
seam and large red anal fins. Unfortu-
nately we did not succeed to catch this
beauty, it was to fast, every time es-
caped from the seine or cast net. But
still more fascinating fishes came
ashore. Seven different Leporinus
species, and all, except L. maculatus,
were new, for science and for the
aquarist (see photos).
First I saw a group of spotted Lepori-
This is a typical Teleocichla habitat in the Iriri River a few hundred km up river. Giant rock formations are found here everywhere. Those must be is a
nus, which looked all the same, but
remnant from the once giant Guyana-shield, which got separated by the mighty Amazon River flowing suddenly direction east. In such holes hundreds of swimming closer one could recognize
this elongated dwarf cichlid genus can be found, they also breed here. Seven species have been described, 4 from the Rio Xingú basin (which included the that there were three different species.
Iriri), 2 from the Tapajós river and one from the Tocantins. One of the unidentified 3 species I found here looked like T. cinderella (below), but the latter is Two of them looked so similar that one
only known from the Tapajós basin, not the Xingú. They are peaceful bottom dwelling species, but need rocky areas and caves, as well as sand. They live in
habitats which aquatic vegetation is absent. could see the differences only by very
detailed observation. The third one has
at least three small bright red marks at
On a stretch of almost 600 km were we

have done research, this was the only
houses we found. The caboclo who lives
here for 16 years with is family, is the
only Iriri inhabitant in this region. He
lives completely autonomous and travel,
if at all, once a year during the high
water season down river all the way to
Altamira. They plant what they need,
the fishes provide protein, and turtles
(left) as well as Iguanas (right), are also
eaten. But naturally in this gigantic
primary rainforest area, such little
hunting for those few persons, is insignif-
icant... may it long remain in such a
almost unique position and humans
stay far from this paradise.
5 6
2
7 8
I almost forgot to show you some of the larger cichlids collected with the most interesting discovery of a new Retroculus species. Only 3 species have been
described: R. lapidifer from the Rio Araguaia, R. septentrionalis from the Oyapok River in French Guyana and R. xinguensis from the Xingú river.
1. Now I found this one, I called Retroculus sp. 1 “Iriri”, it lived only in an affluent of the Iriri, in the Rio Novo. But it seems to be a giant Geophagus
argyrostictus. 2. Another very large specimen which resembles a little R. xinguensis, but its tail pattern is different, and its fins altogether distinct, its head
and mouth. It is my Retroculus sp. 2 “Iriri”, which must certainly be new, the fourth Retroculus species. 3. To compare, I show the R. xinguensis I collected
in the Xingú River. 4. Geophagus sp. 1, adult. 5. This is a juvenile of the new Retroculus sp. 2 “Iriri”. 6. And here again to compare: a juvenile of R.
3 xinguensis. 7. A juvenile of the probably new Geophagus sp. 1 (see adult on top), and: 8. Satanoperca cf. jurupari. The latter is wide spread almost
throughout the Amazon basin.
its ventral side and in the lower mouth in this uninhabited area would fill years or so, I came back bring many Epilog: The only bad news about this Gustavo Dos Reis Filho, known as from Santarem on a newly built nearby
region. Then there was one of which I books. And also what we still encoun- new fish accessible for the most beauti- unique Iriri and maybe the least inhab- Gugu, has opened a fishing lodge landing strip for fly-fishing. There
thought it is L. maculatus, a wide tered in this remote isolation of planet ful hobby of the world. And that is to itat region on earth, is that in 2004 a along the Iriri in August 2004 and are still no roads leading to this
spread species found to the north even earth. But I want to tell you just one be still for a long time to come… rich business man called brings in rich people by charter plane paradise.
in French Guyana and south in the single highlight of this unbelievable ex-
headwaters of the Xingú. However af- pedition to untouched aquatic habitats.
ter the catch in the aquarium I realized I have learned in detail about the
that there are two species involved. unique habitat and the biology of this
During their juvenile stage they resem- amazing characoid, which was de-
ble as an egg the other (only the new scribed as Moenkhausia heikoi by Géry
species is black at the mouth tip), but & Zarske, 2004 (see photos). Some-
when adult they are different (see pho- thing I had not been able to see during
tos). The Leporinus group consisted of my 1975 discovery, nor my collecting
two banded species, which live sym- in 1999. The species grows to almost 8
patric and both have 9-10 black bars. cm in TL and is a swimming dream
One could be the genuine L. fasciatus when adult, which I found out only
and the other one L. aff. fasciatus is a now after collecting the adults here in
new species being described now. The the Iriri (never in the Xingú, probably
latter differs by salient black points on because they are eaten by predators).
each segment of its scale as well as a This unusually beautiful fish, and sure-
yellow pectoral fin and a black edge ly in the future a highlight for any
briefly before the end of the caudal. All characoid loving aquarist, I found the
of the anostomids are extremely inter- adults only by diving 2-3 meters deep –
esting for the aquariums. and only between rock columns (see
I will skip to write about the loricari- photos). They live and spawn in this
ids as almost everyone was new to sci- hideaway in the currant and their eggs
ence and the hobby, to many of them are floated down river and hatch (those
we collected in the Iriri and no space to which are not eaten) and some end up
mention all, but there are some photos in the Xingú. (Therefore isolated large
enclosed. animals are to be found only in smaller
When I asked in the evening Ben groups in the lower Iriri, and if at all, in
whether he knows some of the affluent the Xingú. That is also why the reason
of the Iriri, like on its left bank the rios the professional fishermen from Al-
Curuá, Catete, Chiché and the Riozinho tamira never collected this beauty.)
do Amfrísio and on the right bank the The catch of these samples shown was
rios Iriri Novo, Ximxim, Riozinho Ju- extreme difficult, especially in the cur-
catã, Carajaí and Novo he said only the rent, between the rock massifs in the
Novo would have flowing water at this depth, they always escape. Only after
time of the year. All other are stagnate two days I had eight adult specimens.
or dry. Chico had however fear to take A nightmare happened on the way
the voadeira further up the Iriri, as back while I was trying to catch the only
there are to many rocks and all our Corydoras species, in the Igarapé Pebo,
spear parts have been used up. Well I where I also discovered three differently
persuaded Ben, who lives now so long Apistogramma species. When I stepped
here and knows each stone in the water, with my hand net into the two meter
to come as practice and he agreed to broad creek I got suddenly electrical im-
lead us for two days despite its continu- pacts, those continued to increase and I
ous bad attacks of malaria… saw 6 (six) Electrophorus electricus –
We reached the wonderful merging electric eels – of about two meters each
Rio Novo the next afternoon and went approaching me. I do not believe in my
up all the way to its waterfall. Here whole fishing life was so fast I ever out
grew enormous amount from Podos- from the water. And I still do not know
tomaceae in the fast current, light red how I escaped the approximately 4.800-
with rose-pink blooms. This was not volt-laden giants (everyone has an un-
only a new river (=Rio Novo) but also loading capacity of up to 800 V)…
a new paradise. A fantastic untouched But as you can see I have survived,
area were probably no man has ever set same as before my 57 attacks of malar-
foot. The hours and days we spend her ia and again as each year for the last 40
INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM Rio Xingú Rio Iriri INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM
2 3
3 4 4 5
Two biotope aquariums from habitats described on the past pages. 1. Authentic biotope from the lower Rio Xingú on this page. Aquarium with 1600 l and the This biotope aquarium is a typical Rio Iriri habitat. From the area where many Myleninae (Myleus, Metynnis, Mylossoma) are found. Here a 450 l aquari-
following fishes: Two unidentified freshwater stingrays (Potamotrygon sp.), 10 small Peacock stingrays (Potamotrygon motoro), 10 red hook Myleus rubripinnis um. Fishes: 11 adult Myleus schomburkii (2), Myleus sp. (3), Metynnis fasciatus, Mylossoma duriventre, and Brachychalceus sp. (1). Several Peckoltia sp.,
and black-barred M. schomburgkii, as well as 3 new Myleus sp., 6 adult Piranhas (Serrasalmus altus), 5 Poptella sp., 6 eye-spot cichlids (Heros cf. severus), 4 large Bariancistrus, Parancistrus, Hypancistrus, Pseudoloricara sp., (4) and Loricaria sp. But also a couple of large loricariids: Pseudacanthicus leopardus (5). One can
suckermouth catfish (Pterygoblichthys sp. and Hypostomus sp.) as well as 6 golden whip-tail catfishes (Sturiosoma aureum). Water plants: There are no water also place some cichlids, such as Retroculus sp., Geophagus or Satanoperca sp. Decor material: fine white sand, gravel and lava stone, as well as some yellowish
plants in this habitat. In quiet bays grow sometimes water lillies (Nymphaea species), bladderwort (Utricularia sp.) and floating plants, like Pistia stratiotes and stones (see 1), sometimes called: yellow stone. The lava stones should be plaved in layers (4), because the smaller loricariids feel immediately like in their own
Salvinia natans, occasionally large sword plants, such as Echinodorus grandifolius. Decor material: dark rocks, slate, white fine sand. Some pieces of driftwood. home. One can see it (this photo was taken a few minutes after they had been placed).
The chemical water parameters were: pH 6.25 to 6.55, conductivity 21-22 μS/cm, day temperatures: air 36.5 °C., water surface 28.5 °C. and at a depth of 2 m Some of biotope aquarium can also be seen under www.aquapress-bleher.com and just go to Bleher’s Biotopes.
27.9 °C (where most of the fishes shown live). See also: www.aquapress-bleher.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=53
ASIA India India ASIA
One of Asias largest rivers, the Brahmaputra crosses the entire length of the autonomous
Assam
province Assam, in India. This river, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary
river. From its origin in southwestern Tibet as the Yarlung Zangbo River, it flows across south-
ern Tibet to break through the Himalayas in great gorges and into Arunachal Pradesh where it
is known as Dihang. It flows southwest through the Assam Valley as Brahmaputra and south
through Bangladesh as the Jamuna. There it merges with the Ganges to form a vast delta.
About 1,800 miles (2,900 km) long, the river is an important source for irrigation and
transportation and its affluents are rich in aquatic fauna.
Text and Photos Heiko Bleher
Heiko Bleher’s field trips through India included the little-known Assam region
R
oad blocks were everywhere
throughout New Delhi: there
had been two shoot-outs with
submachine guns in South Delhi less
than two weeks before my arrival, leav-
ing dead bodies scattered everywhere
– children, woman, and old men – a
Sikh counter-attack in their fight for the
“liberation“ of Khalistan, and indepen-
dent state (Punjab). The bloodshed had
not ceased since the terrible assassina-
tion of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
on the 31st of October 1984.
Sacks were piled along Rao Tula
Marg and the Ring Road entering Del-
hi, with MGs and soldiers behind them
– a-war-like scenery. Deepak Nopany
one o the nicest guys in the fish busi-
ness, had flown in from Calcutta early
that Sunday morning to be at the air-
port when I arrived from Frankfurt. My
flight was loaded with Pakistanis, Hin-
dus, and Sikhs. I felt I was in India the
moment I boarded the aircraft at Frank-
furt Airport.
I had called Deepak several days be-
fore to find out how the weather was in
Assam because I definitely wanted to
go there. The last time I didn’t get a
permit, since Assam is off limits to the
white man and is a restricted area. They
told me then it would take six months
to get an entry permit. This time the
Consulate General in Frankfurt told me
I could get it in Delhi the same day
with my business visa. That was a joke!
Fortunately Deepak’s uncle, Mr. J.
Daruka, and two other friends had al-
ready put their machinery in gear. On
top of it, days before, Deepak had re-
quested a letter of recommendation by
Assam
the MPEDA (Marine Products Export
Development Authority) and also from
the Central Bureau of Investigations.
With this “force and backing“ we ap-
proached the Loknayak Bhavan Build-
ing in several auto rickshaws. Filling
out the form was and adventure; getting
a copy of it was and even bigger one!
“Sorry, you can only enter the Bureau
of Home Affairs after 2 P.M., but you
better get here by 1:15 P.M“. The
queue was already 200 meters long, but
Deepak’s uncle had sent a person ahead
Assam comprises the Brahmaputra and the Barak river valleys and the Karbi Anglong and the North Cachar Hills. With an area of 78,438 km² Assam currently
is almost equivalent to the size of Austria and surrounded by the Seven Sister States: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Megha- and we got in at 3 P.M. After being sent
laya. These states are connected to the rest of India via a narrow strip in West Bengal called the Siliguri Corridor. Assam shares international borders with from one section to the net and filling Throughout the Brahmaputra region one encounters fishermen. They carry their cast net and or a seine
Bhutan and Bangladesh; and cultures, peoples and climate with South-East Asia. Only after the British occupied the region following the Treaty of Yandaboo of out more forms we finally reached the across very dry, desert-like, land. The mighty Brahmaputra has also been hit by the global warming and
1826 it became India. has less and less water almost every year. I have seen it vanish... (See also first double pages).
room of Mrs. Gulati, a lady who re- lovely wife invited us for a typical Ra- came by I fell out of bed. Five cars per
minded me strongly of Mrs. Indira jasthani dinner on the terrace of their second didn’t give me much time to
Gandhi, who was firm in her statement beautiful hideaway. Mrs. Anita cooked stay in it!
that I might be able to enter Assam in kofa, puris and nan bread (which I only Everything worked out quite smooth-
six weeks. The comments from Frank- knew from the famous Lucas Carton ly. I received a green light from Mrs.
furt didn’t help, nor the eight letters… Restaurant in Paris), and special rice. It Gulati and crossed town to House Bhg-
not even several of my publications was finger-licking good (everything is war, the foreigners’ registration office.
that I had brought with me helped. Fi- eaten with the hands anyhow). Back in The place was crowded with punks,
nally, the word “business“ (export of the hotel, my announced call to Italy hippies (here they still exist), and weird
aquarium fishes) did it. At 4 P.M. she didn’t get through and my body could- people with tattoos and their ears cov-
told me to return the next day at 11 n’t get a rest. After the third night with- ered with rights requesting permits for
A.M. out sleep I moved out. This Jaipur Inn Nepal and Sikkim. I got ahead after
To celebrate this, Deepak’s colleague run by a bear-like Sikh was on a heavi- filling out two additional forms and
from the university Eddy Singh and his ly travelled street, and every time a car getting copies.
At noon I rushed to Indian Airlines
where I heard that my reservation for
the afternoon flight had been cancelled. 1 2
I bought a ticket nonetheless. When I
got to the plane, boarding was closed:
This seems to be my destiny! I showed
them my fresh permit and flooded them
with magic words (business, export,
etc.), which made them delay the de-
parture for us. Finally, after years of
trying. I was on my way. Possibly, the
first “white man“ (I ask myself some-
times how much of a white man I am,
if I start thinking…) heading for Assam
in search of ornamental fish.
Assam, known worldwide for its tea,
produces 58% of India’s and 30% of
the world’s tea. So you fishy tea
drinkers: every third cup is made with
dust from Assam, just remember this
the next tea time and recall those beau- 3 4
tiful fishes. Also, the lovely fertile val-
ley bears over 50% of India’s oil and
natural gas. On the plane from New
Delhi to Guwahati I opened the new
paper and read about the topic “Oil To
Increase Output In Assam“. The oil
would require 39 new drilling rigs and
an additional manpower of 15,500 per-
sons over and above the existing 8,542.
No wonder the only other white men
who got permits worked with oil, one
German and two Russians. I saw this
was my last chance to fish. But it
would become even worse!
India’s eastern-most state has com-
mon boundaries with Bangladesh and
Bhutan on the west and China and Bur-
ma on the east. Perhaps because the
5 6
In New Delhi I drove around in the incredible
traffic jam always with a motor rickshaw (upper In Calcutta, our point of departure to Assam, the Ghandi house (1). And construction in the main street (2), does not inhibit the traffic here or the people.
photo), as they can move much faster than a taxi. Bollywood (India’s movie “factory”) produces more movies per year than Hollywood (3). More than twice as much. Bicycles and cows dominate the main
And are a lot cheaper. Some old man (left) looked streets (4). And the bar-foot-driven rickshaw (5) is here the most common (and lowest prized) transport available. The public buses are over-crowed
at me, I do not know why... all the time (6)...
richest state of India is somewhat iso- species was never classified and is now
lated geographically, some people I swimming in a Tokyo show tank, tame
talked to still believe that Assam is in- as a pet, eating everything, not only
habited by uncivilized, barbaric people. prey. These fish are not as bad as it is
The name “Assam“ comes from the always said.
Ahoms, a Mongolian tribe from Thai- During my stroll around I came across
land that came across the Petkai Range a third unusual sight a 120 cm long
though Myanmar (Burma) and con- clown knife-fish, Chitala chitala. Al-
quered Upper Assam in the 13th century. ways described as reaching a maximum
They ruled for 600 years. The As- length of 90 cm and with six large
samese people are proud that they suc- clack sports in the lower back portion
cessfully resisted the invasion of the of its body, this one was quite different.
Moguls seventeen times between the Besides the size, the black spots were
13th and 17th century. The Mogul em- very small and spread all over the low-
pire under the indomitable Akbar, who er body and fin. To my concern there is
ruled from Persia to Bengal (including a lot of classification to be done in the
today’s Bangladesh) with as many as African and Asian snakeheads (the
150 million people and who at the mentary or small, adipose fin absent,
height of his power (in the 1600s) ex- pectoral fins with 11 to 14 rays, etc.).
ceeded by far his contemporary, Queen Only I couldn’t figure out the species
Elizabeth of England, in wealth and possibly W. attu. Another fantastic fish
number of men under arms, was domi- I had never seen before suddenly
nated by the Assamese. By 1842, the jumped from a tabletop onto my feet a
entire Assam Valley came under British beautiful black-spotted Channa with
rule. They started tea cultivation, estab- bright golden colours, and emerald-blue
lished sawmills, started coal mining, head with an even brighter spot on the
and explored for oil by 1890. base of the red- and black banded pec-
Late at night in Guwahati I was es- toral fins.
corted from the airfield to the hotel. The snakehead fishes have fascinated
Because my permit was only for Dibru- me for a long time, black monster
garh and vicinity I was guarded all about 110 cm long in Malaysia and ex-
night like a prisoner, but Deepak made hibited this black beauty already as ear-
it possible for us to sneak out to visit a ly as 1986 at the Interzoo in Wies-
pet shop owner downtown. Hiding on baden. As I had only one piece, the
the floor of the backseat during the
one-hour ride in the old Ambassador Channiformes) as well as in the knife-
wasn’t very comfortable on this bumpy fishes (Notopteridae). I personally have
road. Matysa Aquarium was closed, of found so many colour forms that it
course, but Deepak again found the seems impossible that there should be
owner, Mr. Sarme, in this darkness only the few species described.
(there was no streetlight). Interestingly Deepak was anxious to get to Tin-
enough, the name Matysa in Sanskrit sukia, and the taxi, and old Ambas-
(said to be the world’s oldest language) sador, was waiting. About three hours
means “fish“, Sarme explained while the World“, the unique Himalayas, in no fish. A short stop in Dibrugarh made later in Tinsukia we set up our head-
unlocking the huge wooden door. In the early morning hours was breathtak- me realize that it would be a waste of quarters for a few days in the Hide
front of me I saw light bulbs with ing. time to stay at this river, which is As- away Hotel. The same afternoon we
colourful shades swinging over the Dibrugarh’s small wooden airport sam’s main way of transporting goods, went on toward Guijan on the Dibru
framed tanks filled with guppies, platy building was my home for several chiefly timer! And there is very little river, an effluent of the Brahmaputra.
and albino tetras – not one of Assam’s hours until the security had all my pa- timber left. “The last trees” are cut near I was amazed to find skilled fisher-
beauties was present. One aquarium pers checked and had given me a spe- the Chinese border. At the fish market I men everywhere. Swapan Dasi, a 26-
bore two-inch brown discus at US cial travel permit which I had to pre- discovered some unusual large year-old friendly Assamese, was my
$50.00 each, Synodontis nigrita for US sent in each town I passed through or Wallago, over 125 cm with irregular help for the rest of the day. The Dibru
$30.00 and small cardinal tetras for US visited. They had picked me out of the large, black vertical bars. None of the was edged by millions of giant Vallis-
$5.00. Deepak explained they take deplaning passengers before I had set five valid species known fits this de- neria, Potamogeton, and in the bays
landed cost time 10. That I call a one foot on the ground. scription or the size, but the main key there were lots of Nymphaea (water
healthy calculation for livestock. The “white“ muddy, low waters of the to the genus applied (forked caudal fin, Flying into Assam the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountain range, is on a clear day very well visible
lilies). I knew there must be fish. The
Flying east over the gigantic Brahma- broad Brahmaputra that flows very one pair of long maxillary barbels and (left-hand page). And once landed everyone looks at me, no matter were I drive, sit, or walk. Like they water was muddy grey, but fortunately
putra along the snow-capped “Top of slowly in narrow channels had almost mandibular barbels, occasionally rudi- have never seen a white man with a beard before... the bottom was mostly sandy, so we
didn’t sink into the soil too much while alive before, that only Swapan’s
seining upriver. screaming “punti, punti“ made me
First a striking yellow-goldish fish aware of the fact that I wasn’t day
with a silver lateral line and red in the dreaming.
fins, which I though it was a tetra, but Swapan is from Bihar, and over there
we all know there are no characoids in the fishermen call all barbs punti (now
Asia! I found out later that this rare fish you all know where the scientific name
was Amblypharyngodon mola. Then an- Puntius for Asian barbs comes from…);
other golden fish, the catfish Mystus in Assamese it’s “putthi“.
tengara (other colour forms come from Besides the above-mentioned our net
Darjeeling, Bihar, even Pakistan and held chiefly barbs of the genus Puntius:
Bangladesh). The third amazing golden gelius, ticto, phutunio, sophore, and P.
1 fish (I had hit the “jackpot“, a gold sarana sarana in large quantities. 5
mine!) was the “Asian cory“ (that is my Completely exhausted, but with in-
own invention): Chandramara chan- credible joy, we went back to Guijan
dramara. This totally unusual small and had a cup of Assam tea – the
catfish has rarely been seen alive be- British way with lots of milk and sugar.
fore. There is no aquarium publication As there was a general strike the next
up today which had ever mentioned this day from 5 A.M. on, we woke up at 3
fish, nor has anybody seen a photo- A.M. to hire a car. But in vaine. By 5
graph before. I am sure you will all see A.M. we gave up. Due to a swollen
this beauty for the very first time. De- foot from a rusty wire that I had
scribed by Hamilton 1822, it was called stepped on during fishing, I had
Pimelodus chandramara first. Jayaram stepped on during fishing, I had a high
established the monotypic genus in fever by 7 A.M., and I thought my
1972. There is only one species so far malaria was breaking out again. Fortu-
known of this unique fish, which is on- nately I controlled it after three hours
2 ly found in Assam. It is a fish for our of sweating. My permit for Assam be- 6
hobby equal to any free-swimming ing so short and not wanting to lose
Corydoras and even more peaceful and time, I asked Deepak to find some bi-
definitely more attractive than most. A cycles (still the most common vehicle
great achievement. in Indian), although I was still very
At a branch of the Dibru, one hour weak, and off we went on my first bi-
away from Guijan, the lucky strike con- cycle fish-collecting expedition. So far
tinued – among countless aquatic I had only done it by plane, hydroplane,
plants, which made it extremely diffi- helicopter, dugout, canoe, boat, motor-
cult to seine – fish galore. Colisa chu- boat, and all sorts of vehicles, from a
na, Badis badis ? (a colour form with 8 balloon, and walking, but never with a
to 10 irregular black bands – which bike!
could well be the mysterious Badis We passed endless tea plantations and
dario that nobody has seen alive), Mys- shy Assamese women picking the
tus bleekeri (I believe that this is the leaves. Then kilometres before our des-
3 first time this attractive pimelodid with tination Deepak’s bike had a flat and 7
two extremely long maxillary barbels we walked the rest of the away. Since
was photographed alive), Labeo calba- the fishermen were on strike also, we
su, Xenontodon cancila, and “Lauputi“ were forced to paddle alone up river.
(Assamese name for Chela cachius). I Only late, just before sunset, did we
was so amazed by these quantities of reach the upper Dibru. While pulling
fishes and mostly varieties never seen the net in a beel (Indian word for al-
Gigantic parts of the once extremely large vessels can still take place (4), but there
Brahmaputra have turned into desert-like are no tourists... Fishermen can be found
regions (1). Trucks come to haul awy sand for everywhere along the Brahmaputra valley, and
construction (2). This also does not help the in its affluents (5). In some places the river
drying up riverbed, neither the logging. Assam bed has receded tremendously and the heavy
was known for its Sal tree forests and forest wooden boats have to be lowered down
products, much depleted now. The last few from high up (6). With several of them we
trees in the Brahmaputra valley have to been travelled doing research in different
cut (3)... Fortunately parts of this once so habits (7) often until late at night or at
4 large river, in channels, the traffic of least into the evening (8).
8
an endemic species. The head is slight- caudal, with only 14 rays, has even
ly shorter than in other species. It has a brighter colours: six to eight large red
red eye and irregularly coloured scales: sports, each always covering only one
some are mainly of red and others are ray in the centre of the tail, with a light
light blue, the pattern continuing green and blue shaded margin. There
throughout the body. The upper and are some dark red smaller spots more
lower lips are dark on both side – ma- toward the caudal end. The dorsal fin-
rine blue. Of the four pairs of gills the base is enhanced by a strong orange
lower one are of an un-believable dark line. The anal fin, with 24 rays, is light
cobalt blue with delicate white edges. blue at its base turning into a dark
The dorsal fin has 34 light blue rays, cobalt blue and finally into velvet black
which are crossed from the base edged by a thin orange line. The pec-
obliquely by about 8-10 chocolate toral fins, with 14 rays, are orange-yel-
brown, uneven broad lines beginning at low and transparent, with 3-4 dark
the end of the gill cover and extending brown vertical lines at the base and a
all the way to the caudal. It has a broad few horizontal lines and spots toward
orange edge, which is again edged by a the end.
soft white line from the very beginning I have never seen such a potpourri of
1 to the very end of the dorsal fin. The colours in any living freshwater fish. 4
most dry riverbeds), we had a magnifi- “Rainbow Snakehead“ is more than jus-
cent view of the white, snow-capped tified. Picasso, Miro, and Calder would
Himalayas changing from fire red to a have found their master had they seen
golden yellow and finally into a soft this swimming unmatchable dream.
blue and silvery gray. It made me real- This night I had a most unusual
ize how close I was to the top of the dream: that a monstrous fish conquered
world! I suddenly felt something very the world of fishes, bringing the disas-
special before the total darkness of this trous spreading of Tilapia species to an
moonless night. end. A predator eating everything away,
And just then I had the most inde- being attracted by all other fishes be-
scribable catch in the net: a Channa cause of its incredible colours which
species with unbelievable colours. The were indescribable – like a rainbow.
“Rainbow Channa”, as I named it, Two more days of exhausting collec-
“probably a new dwarf species” I tions followed in areas never ichthy-
thought (later described as C. bleheri). I ologically explored. We found the most
had never seen it in local markets (most unusual Botia geto (which is actually B.
snakeheads are important food fishes rostrata now, a fish that changes color
throughout Southeast Asia), and it 5 completely from juvenile to adult) at
2
seems to be restricted to this small area, the Buri River, while we sank deep into
We slept some nights in and I had to see what

tents near the riverbank they are doing. Soon I
where we had placed found out, that they
our traps. (1). The catch were collecting live
in the often very turbid fishes deep in the mud.
water consisted of main- Fishes living in mud
ly different loaches and without a drop of water
some unknown actually. Before we knew
cyprinids. We suck in that there are survivors
deep into the mud... like the lungfishes and
Ducks and other birds some predatory chara-
are found abundant coids (family
still, the river is a Erythrinidae) as well
paradise for them and as some loricariids which
specially the smaller can survive without
bodies of water and water for along period
rivers flowing into the of time. But cyprinids
Brahmaputra. In one (including loaches),
place we came to a and labyrinth fishes
nearly dry river bed (4) without water – and
and noticed that some according to the
women and children native women already
were digging into for several month,
3 the ground (5) this was unknown (6).
6
the morass. Amazing Colisa fasciata
(never seen with such bright bands),
Colisa chuna, Channa punctata, Garra
lamta, and a very interesting Lepido-
cephalus goalparensis (Pillai & Yaz-
dani, 1974), which the locals call
“Bottia“. I dug the real Chaca chaca
out of the mud (the one up to date
found in the trade is Chaca bankanen-
sis from Thailand, the southern Malay
peninsula, and Indonesia, which has
been misnamed all along) along with
countless other fishes which have also
never been seen alive before. I don’t
want to bother citing all the names of
what is to me the richest collection of
fishes ever seen at one place in all of
Asia: take a look at the many photos in
this article.
Only one final note on a peculiar inci-
dent: during a night catch Swapan
helped me bring ashore thousands of
small catfish to the totally sandy beach!
I thought I was on bank of the Guaporé
River in Mato Grosso with a net full of
Corydoras. There were uncountable
quantities of short, brown, Corydoras
like fish less than an inch long, wig-
gling their cute tails. In the same batch
similar-looking creatures with a pro-
longed caudal fin ray and oval-shaped,
compressed heads! A South American
Loricaria? A Glyptothorax species?
Later I found out that this gracious cat-
fish had the strange name of Conta
conta and was first described by Hamil-
ton in 1822, at the time the German Re-
public was born. The Corydoras-like
fish were Hara hara, also a small
sucker catfish (and also named by
Hamilton).
Both beauties are a treasure for any
home aquarium, never seen before and
hopefully available soon.
During further night catches we had
the opportunity to catch with a “dheki
jal”, which are nets covering the rivers
from one side to the other. This particu-
The city of Dibrugarh, situated on the banks

of the River Brahmaputra, in the Upper Districts
of Assam, India, is the gateway to the three
tea producing districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh,
and Jorhat. These three areas account for
approximately 50% of India's Assam tea crop
and this gives Dibrugarh its rightly earned
sobriquet as the Tea city of India. Oil and Tinsukia is a city and a municipal board in Tinsukia district in the state of Assam and only 84 kilometers away from the border with Myanmar. Hailed as the
Timber are the other big two industries in and business capital of Assam, the place has a heady mix of Assamese, Bengali and Hindi-speaking people, located at the heart of the town. Tinsukia is also a major
around Dibrugarh. And buses depart from railhead of Assam. It is one of the fastest developing cities of India and one can travel there either by train or by a flight to Dibrugarh as we did and than by
here to all Assam destinations. taxi. Tinsukia presently it houses the biggest railway station of Assam.
lar one was operated by and 8-year-old Proud of their chronicles (the buranji), Mahatma Gandhi, who wrote: “The rest
boy (younger ones can handle it, too), which were written in the 13th century of India does not see us. If recognized,
and he cleaned the riverbed in one and are not found anywhere else. we are not remembered. And we are
night! Before they reached the market Proud of always having been indepen- not heard. This has been the charge of
in the early morning hours I escaped dent (until the British rule). Proud citizen of Northeast against the Indian
with a 5 cm (2 inch) Devario dangila of their land of plenty, their self-suffi- majority“.
of the most unbelievable emerald-green cient economy and non-existence of I hope this doesn’t happen to those
and cobalt-blue with golden stripes and beggars. The people of Assam have incredibly beautiful collected fishes,
spots. Also collected were the famous been struggling for a long time. They which are now, or soon, available for
Devario devario, giant Chanda ranga perceive themselves as having been ne- our enjoyment and that of future gener-
(about 10 cm), Labeo dero, and more glected by the rest of India and the ations. In Assam, unfortunately, the
and more and more. world. During my research I came countdown has started and no one will
I left Assam and its proud people. across an “Indian Express“ newspaper stop it. I hope my struggle was not in
They are proud without any hesitation. note by Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of vain.
1 2
1 2
3 4
3 4
5 6
There was no taxi so one of our “expeditions” to collect was by bicycle and Deepak had a flat... (1-2). We crossed gigantic tea plantations (3-4). From here comes
At the Tinsukia market, betel nuts are sold (1), like throughout Oceanea, it is preferred by the people to chew on every day. For the sweet tooth, brown sugar is the famous Assam, a black tea named after this region. This tea, most of which is grown at or near sea level, is known for its body, briskness, malty flavour, and
sold in bloc pieces (2). And every kind of nut (3). But the largest part of the market is the fish section. From the Brahmaputra basin about 225 different freshwa- strong, bright colour. Assam teas, or blends containing Assam, are often sold as "breakfast" teas. English Breakfast tea, Irish Breakfast tea, and Scottish Break-
ter fish species have been recorded and at least 30% of those can be considered ornamental fishes for aquaria, but here people eat them... Even the smallest ones, fast Tea are common generic names. Historically, Assam is the second commercial tea production region after southern China. Southern China and Assam are
like Colisa, small Puntius species, Rasbora and others (6). If there was an organisation to export these jewels the local people could earn much more than by eat- the only two regions in the world with native tea plants. Assam tea revolutionized tea drinking habits in the 19th century since the tea, produced from a different
ing them, as there is very little, if nothing on them to eat... Channa species (5), especially those, which grow very large, are the protein source number one here. variety of the tea plant, yielded a different kind of tea.
1 2
The affluents of the Brahmaputra, and specially those habitats not destroyed, have an tremendous fish assemblage as mentioned before. It is impossible to show Such hardly untouched black water biotopes, have for sure a large species community. Under the floating Eichhornia crassipes were millions of fishes, labyrinth
all species collected, just a couple of habitats. The above (1) is near the border with Myanmar and besides new dwarf snakeheads I found here (some have al- fishes, unusual catfishes like Conta conta (one thinks they are South American loricariids), Gagata gagata, Hara hara, Batasio sp., Chaca chaca, or the tiny, hard-
ready been described, see also following pages) there are millions of loaches which we collected in traps (2). Some of the loaches (3) are unfortunately no very ly 10 mm long, Erethisthes pusillus, over sandy ground. But also cyprinids of the genera Puntius, with the magnificent P. conchonius which has its origin here
popular among aquarists, although they are active beauties for smaller aquaria, also this Puntius (4). And Puntius are really abundant. and is in its biotope here extreme colourful. We selected some of the most unusual ones collected in the plants and over sandy shores (see next page).
1 2
3 4
3 4
5 6 7 5 6
But even here the water was drying up and the aquatic plants, such as Potamogeton sp., were starting to grow emers (1-2), what I have never seen them do in Here some more of the unique fishes of which some are endemic to Assam: Xenentodon cf. cancila (1) which looks not typical here that the type species: X. can-
any part of th world. Potamogeton species belong to one of the few truly aquatic plants. In the seine were many fishes, with every scoop we came up with new cila (2). The Rasbora daniconius (3), a real beauty, has a very large distribution pattern, in many parts of India, but is different in each one of its habitats (mor-
ones and another variety, this beautiful habitat was untouched and the speciation great. I am sure there are still quite a few new fishes, and specially interesting phology, colour pattern, etc.). Also this bright golden cyprinid (4), probably Amblypharyngodon microlepis, was breathtaking and should be a beautiful ornamen-
for the aquarium hobby to be discovered in Assam, to little have been done in this remote part of India. Here an amazing Chanda species of almost 10 cm in TL tal fish. Again another colour pattern (or species?) of Chandramara chandramara (5), my “Corydoras” and another unusual catfish: Batasio cf. tengana (6).
(5), Devario devario (6), and the catfish I call the Asian corydoras: Chandramara chandramara, (7) as it does not grow larger than its South American
“brother”and also is a bottom dweller.
INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM Assam Assam INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM
1 2 4
6
5
3
If one wants to have an Assam biotope aquarium with snakeheads (i.e. Channa bleheri, lower) and mates, or an general Assam biotope aquarium 5 Botia dario
I want to give some important advice how to do it correctly and be ideal for your fishes: (6), and some
7
1. The dwarf snakehead biotope (which could be C. bleheri (2-3), C. stewardi or a colour form of C. gaucha) should be decorated in an aquarium of at least smaller Puntius up to 12. Also small
200 liters. (I always suggest: keep a small group of dwarf Channa, of at least 6 or more, with 250 liters, or more.) Decorate it with sand (does not have to be 6-10 Danio species (i.e. D. rerio) and a
very fine), some gravel, stones and driftwood, and definitely leafs (1) as they like to hide between leafs in nature. Take leafs from nature out of the water, or few Dario dario or Badis badis. Normal
dry leafs (not green ones) and pour hot water over it and sink them in a separate container over night. You can (should) add some floating plants (not all biological filter and this aquarium can
dwarf snakeheads are mouth brooders, come make nests and others place the eggs into the roots of floating plants like Salvinia, Eichhornia or Pistia and be open. Good balanced food is impor-
they want shade). If one wants plants, than Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton crispus, or a Hydrocotyle species (as above). Filter, I suggest a biological tant. The water parameters should be
filter, better external (or built in behind) with some medium strong flow (better less strong) and the bigger the filter, the better. It is very important, that for both biotopes pH 6.0-7.5, conductiv-
the tank must be very well covered, as all snakeheads are excellent jumpers. They make it even through the smallest open corner. Alternatively it can be an ity 20-100 μS/cm (Dario dario needs
open aquarium, but it must have at least 40 cm without water… One feeds Channa with fish pellets (if they do not take it right away give fishes, like pH below 6 and low conductivity, its
guppies, or baby fishes put no spiny ones). They will take frozen foods also. But a balanced diet is the best. tank mates can take it well),
2. For a general biotope of Assam, or better Diburgrah a smaller aquarium can do, but I suggest at least 120 liters. Decorate it with fine beige or white temperature 22-28°C. The light bulbs
sand, a nice piece of drift wood, some lava stone, or other dark stones (4) and the following plants (if possible) Ceratophyllum demersum, Bacopa species, Hy- on both biotopes should colour
drocotyle species, Nymphaea species and also floating plants like Ludwigia, Salvinia, or Azolla. The fishes should be a selection of about 10 Hara jerdonii (8), enhancing of the great fishes (and
4-6 Erethistes species (7), 6 Conta conta (if you can get looks like Rineloricaria), 4 Gagata gagata, 6-10 Oreichthys cosuatis (5) the beautiful small barb, maybe for the latter a plant lamp also).
8
AUSTRALASIA Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea AUSTRALASIA
Kutubu
Lake Kutubu is a crystal clear lake in the Southern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea.
It is the largest upland lake of Papua New Guinea with an area of 49.24 km², while its total
catchment area is 250 km². The lake is a dream, almost unique on planet Earth, but this dream
lake is threatened…
Text and Fotos by Heiko Bleher & Natasha Khardina
T
he sharp cry of the Raggiana bird
Kutubu
of paradise woke me up. The sun
had not quite risen, but a beautiful
silver-gray fog mirrored the surface of
Lake Kutubu. This second largest lake of
Papua New Guinea lies in the foothills of
the Southern Highlands province, 800
metres above sea level. This unspoiled,
magnificent lake reflects the serene beau-
ty of the surrounding rugged terrain. It
had not been seen by civilized men until
October 18, 1936.
The tranquillity of the valley was bro-
I thought it was paradise

ken this morning by the splash of a
Wasemi tribesman’s paddle as he rowed
out in his dugout to catch crawfish with
his hands. The damp morning fog rose
slowly upwards over hundreds of sago
palm trees. I took in this scene from
Tage, an elevated spot at the northwest
end of the 19-kilometre long, 4-kilome-
tre wide lake. There we had spent the
night in a small (one-room) hut built by
the Foi tribe. Except for the mosquito
screen and mattresses, it was construct-
ed entirely out of primitive, jungle-
grown materials.
As I stepped out onto the narrow porch,
I recalled explorer Ivan Champion’s
words upon his first setting foot here:
“With green wooded shores and islands,
with blue water like the sea because of
its great depth, and pleasant climate ow-
ing to its altitude of 260 feet, I thought it
was Paradise!“ The view was astound-
ing… and it is still a paradise!
I ran down the hill to the shore to
brush my teeth and to have another look
at those unbelievable rainbowfish,
Melanotaenia lacustris. Described by
Murno in 1964, this fish belongs to a
complex of highland-dwelling rainbow-
fishes, which also includes M. herbert-
axelrodi, M. monticola, M. kamaka and
M. lakamora. The fish is endemic to
Lake Kutubu, into which no major river
flows. There is only one outlet – the
Soro River, which flows into the Kikori
River – but Melanotaenia lacustris
doesn’t seem to follow it.
To reach this remote lake one has to first fly with

Air Nuigini (top) to its capital city Port Moresby
and from there with a smaller aircraft to the
Highland village Mendi (centre). Mendi which
is built in a lush valley between impressive
limestone peaks. It has essential services and its
Hula tribes people even modern play cricket
here (right).
The first sunrays softly penetrated the a mishap, which was not Neil’s fault.
transparent water and illuminated these He showed me some sharp, perfect
graceful fish, just like an infinite colour slides of this unique rainbow. I
amount of aquamarine magnificently re- couldn’t wait to start searching for
fracted by the gentle light. These pre- them!
cious stones have fascinated me ever Early next morning he drove me to
since my childhood in Brazil. Especial- Melbourne on his way to work. Togeth-
ly when diamond-cut, their shiny, er with ichthyologist Pat Clark, I caught
sparkling blue colours are comparable a flight to Cairns and connected with
to those of this rainbowfish. With each Air Nuguini to Port Moresby. Previous-
ripple of water, a different blue-green- ly I had searched for a seine, jungle
gold reflection shone; from every angle equipment, and fish medication. The
a different colour sparkled. latter was obtained with much ado from
Only five days earlier I had a delicious a local vet. In Port Moresby I visited the
dinner prepared by Connie and Pim, the lively, colourful Koki market. I am
wives of Dr. Gerald R. Allen and Horst lured to this place each time I come, to
Kipper. We sat in Horst’s secluded hide- the fantastic displays of fishes and na-
away about 40 kilometres south of Perth tive fruit. Unfortunately, rapid growth in
in Western Australia. Jerry showed me a this area has brought tremendous
photo of a rainbowfish taken by Neil changes; old traditions disappear and
Armstrong. My interest stirred, I decid- are replaced by modern practices. It had
ed to extend my business trip and go been over two years since I had visited
search for this unique fish. So (at mid- this port on the world’s second largest
night and with high hopes), I was off to island (after Greenland) and I was
see Neil, 4000 km east in Melbourne. I shocked buy the change, the so-called
arrived later that morning. “progress“.
Neil is a very dear friend and a fish The Bandeirante aircraft, made in
enthusiast par excellence! He is an ex- Brazil for Talair, departed punctually at
pert on Australia and New Guinean 7:45 AM for Mendi. We flew over the
fishes. He devotes himself to the study rocky southern coast, then northward
of them (when he isn’t standing behind across dense jungle. We swept over
the press of Melbourne’s largest news- rivers, mountains, and waterfalls,
paper or listening to Schubert or Mozart stopped in Tari and at 9:30 we reached
on his incredible hi-fi). Not only does the gateway to the southern highlands.
Neil know which creek, river, lake, or A chartered plane waited for us in
shore the various colour forms come Mendi. I had telephoned earlier to con-
from, he also knows who discovered firm this arrangement. (Surprisingly, the
them and much of their history. His fish phone – usually unreliable in Papua –
memory is like a computer: he is able to actually worked!) The pilot, Peter, was
recall every known fact. a native Australian. Before making the
Neil also breeds fish in his backyard final approach at 11:30 at the tiny Pima-
greenhouse among beautifully cared for ga airstrip, he circled to give me a
Echinodorus osiris, E. bleherae, and glimpse of my destination: the leg-
other plants. These he received many endary Lake Kutubu. The airport man-
years ago from my mother when im- ager (who also runs the only bank and
ports to Australia were still allowed. But store in town) welcomed us. He also
of the few M. lacustris given to Neil by persuaded Peter to take some stranded
Jerry, only one female survived, due to passengers back on the return flight
Huli, Duna and other tribes people from this area From Mendi the only way to reach lake Kutubu
are famous for their red and yellow face decora- is by charter flight. In both occasions of my
tions and elaborately decorated wigs. They care visits I chartered a small missionary Cessna
very much to conserve their old traditions. plane (top), which dropped me at Pimaga,
Women always carry their young around (top) or the nearest village with a landing strip. Flying
take them to wherever they go and continuously over dense Jungle high up one can only see
work, besides taking care of the house and the once in a while below remote native village, in a
construction, carry the crop to the distant daily world for itself (centre). The landing strip
they still wave their colourful carrying bags (cen- of Pimaga, built by the local tribes people
tre). While the man hunt or take care of their pets for the missionary plane came in sight after
(left). The Papuas are extreme animal friendly. an hours flight (right).
otherwise they would have to male a my life (the first was when I had a heart
four-week walk! Then Peter was off, attack in 1975). And after finding the
leaving us with the promise that he incredible Melanotaenia boesemani in
would return in three days at 9:30 AM. 1983, I didn’t dream of finding a possi-
It seemed that the entire population of bly even more beautiful fish. Yet there I
Pimaga awaited us. Visit from foreign- stood before a gold mine. Pizarro could-
ers are a rare thing here especially “out n’t have felt more excited when he
of the blue!“ stood in front of Atahualpa’s ransom
We soon found that Phillip, a real room, filled with more than 24 tons of
character, ran the show in this town. He gold.
owns the only existing vehicle: a tiny There were innumerable fish, each
bright yellow Suzuki. He said, “If I get with a luminous gold stripe running
fuel, I’ll drive you to Kutubu”. With his from the mouth over the back into the
know-how and high I.Q. on our side, dorsal fin. Steel-blue-coloured bodies
we were soon our way down the nar- turning sometimes into navy and cobalt,
row, twisting jungle track at a average greenish colours that faded to forest
speed of over 120 km/hr! Others had green and chartreuse, flashes of bright
told us that we could expect to lose a yellow and white, along with blood-red
tire or doors along the way, but we ar- and rose tints. A rainbowfish as tremen- 4
rived two hours later with the car intact. dous as this certainly never existed! The
Our own bodies, however, suffered creatures swam gracefully in small and
from bumps and bruises. Geseke is the large groups. It seemed that they had
name of the tiny village where we ar- taken possession of the lake; few other
rived. It lies on the eastern end of the fish appeared.
lake. It consists of three huts, and old Asisi, a Wasemi tribesman, took us on
tractor (in disrepair for many years) and a two-hour boat ride from Geseke to the
a few long dugouts that each measured other end of the lake where Kutubu
up to 25 metres. Lodge is located. He rowed along the
While Pat and Phillip were unloading, dense, rocky shoreline and past two
I rushed down to the shore to where a large islands. Tage is the name of the
small spring trickled into the transparent spot where the lodge rests. From 1949
lake. I threw some cereal onto the sur- to 1951, Tage was the site of an old po-
face and immediately hundreds of fan- lice station. Back then they conducted
tastically colourful fish were attracted. regular Catalina landings at Tage. The
My heart stopped for the second time in fantastic view of Kutubu and Wasemi
Island makes it easy to see why this lo-
cation was chosen. The area surround-
ing Tage is unbelievably beautiful. The 5
Garden of Eden must have looked like
this…
The lodge (built in 1985) consists of
four huts and a long house. Olivier and
Honor (Adam and Eve?) welcomed us.
Olivier Meric is from Limoge, France.
He came to Tage as a volunteer to help
the Foi people build the lodge. Honor
Gay is a botanist working for Oxford
University. At the time, she was study-
ing insects in the Lake Kutubu region.
She prepared a delicious potato pie din-
ner for us in almost total darkness on
our first night there. Afterwards I slept,
2 3 completely content, knowing that I had
finally discovered Paradise.
Here I was, daydreaming with the
The tiny “airport house” at Pimaga has no personal (1). But locals come to the small plane with curiosity, as such an event is very rare. We packed up and start- toothbrush in my hand (the paste had
ed to walk the nearly 40 km to the shores of lake Kutubu. Fortunately I always found some one in Pimaga to help to carry the heavy equipment (2). Along this
walk we came across members of the Fasu tribe (3). It is a long walk crossing many small creeks where the primitive bridges are always washed away (4), but dried up), when I realized that Pat had
joined me to admire the jewel-like fish.
6
over some larger creeks the Fasu built a palm-leave roofs and they stand up (5). Along the walking path we always came by Fasu houses (6).
1 2 7 8
10
9
3 4
11 12
5 6
To see an old man like this Fasu (1), is extreme rare, their live expectancy is normally below 40 years of age. Although all of the hardly 50 known bird of par-
adise species are protected, they are still hunted by locals and offered to tourists, even in this remote region (2). Birds of paradise are endemic to New Guinea
and some its surrounding islands. The Fasu tribe people are wide spread in the Kikori river catchment and living in remote tiny villages, therefore the children
are very shy (3-6). Most of them have hardly ever seen a white man. It rains almost every day in the Southern Highlands and we were very happy when it start-
ed again coming down in buckets, that we were invited to a man’s Longhouse (12). Every man in such a 71 m long Longhouse has his “bed” and one was given
to me and also part of their food (9). They prepared it especially for me (7). But what looked terrible, like blood mixed with some thing else, which was sago
(10), is actually delicious. The red paste is made from the flower of the local Pandanus tree (8). It rained for hours and the small boy trying to join us slit again 13 14
and gain down hill (13-14). These Longhouses have no window, the only opening at each side of the 71 meter is a door (11).
1 4
2 3 5
The only outlet of the 800 m high Lake Kutubu is the Kikori River. It rains almost daily in this reagion and even under tormenting rain at one of my expedition, and also the Foe, which live around Lake Kutubu, have as their only way of transport always a dugout made from a single tree (3). At the southern end of the
were Gerald R. Allen came along, the famous ichthyologist who publishes regular in our aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology and who has done several lake, where the track ends, is a small Foe settlement and from here one has to access the lake Kutubu by boat, there is no other way (4). On this journey besides
field trips with me, did not mind to catch fishes with me (1). During that expedition we went up and down the Kikori river to do further research (2). The Fasu Allen also the Belgian, Monique Nicolai, came along. But once we reached the open lake it started to rain again very heavy, everything in the boat got wet…
5 7
At 7:00 AM we had just finished our

breakfast of uki (breadfruit) and banana,
when Asisi arrived to take us around the
lake.
I will never forget the following two
1 days. No place on earth could be more
peaceful, or colourful, than here. If I
wrote down everything I observed, it
would fill a book. I can only relate a
few of the highlights of our stay.
Lake Kutubu is supplied with clear
mountain water by subterranean sources
and small creeks. I hiked up a few of
the creek beds, which are of limestone
covered with soft green ferns. I climbed
over them, past gorgeous orchids and
abari (the spiny Pandanus with a dark
red flower). These brooks generally end
after a short distance, in forest or rocky
terrain. Here, near the lake, grew bam- 8
boo trees of formidable size and the fa-
mous Campnosperma brevipetiolata
trees. Natives tap tigasso oil from the
2 3 latter and sell it do highlanders, who rub
it on their bodies to make themselves
look attractive for ritual songfests.
The Foe, who live in 12 villages around the lake, consist of about 2,500 Aquatic plants grew everywhere, as
people. The villages are principally sago subsistence agriculturist, with
sago providing 75% of their food volume. Their hoses are all made of tra- deep as 7 metres below the surface. The
ditional materials (1-2). In one part of the lake, where it has its greatest richness in plant variety included Cer-
depth of 70 m a high rock formation (3) emerges from the water. The Foe atophyllum demersum, Ottelia alis-
have carved places into this rock where they lay their ancestors. They ex-
pose them to the lake-side, cranium next to cranium and bones standing
moides, Limnophila indica, Hydrilla
up against the wall, for every man or woman who paddles along is able to verticillata, Potamogeton pusillus, mil-
see his ancestor (4). The local people have also built a nice lodge (5) to al- lions of Nitella pseudoflabellata, the
low visitors to observe traditional life in comfortable surroundings, which tiny white flowering Polygonum attenu-
is constructed of bush materials. Butterflies (6-7) and Birds of Paradise
are common in this area. The view is dream-like (8) and the lakes shore atum, blood-red giant Vallisneria
4 9
edged by incredible vegetation and many aquatic plants (9). species, and a gorgeous Blyxa.
1 2
3 4
Early in the morning, before sunrise they Foe paddle into the lake, which in most places is hardly 3-4 m deep, to catch the abundant crayfish, their only source … this to me is paradise. I do not believe there is anything similar on planet Earth, such beautiful surroundings, untouched nature and native tribes living their
of protein (they do not eat the fishes here). The fog over the lake rises slowly in the early morning and the peace one inhales here is just not to believe… ancient traditions and culture for millenniums, and a priceless peace.
The fish fauna consists of only 12 became chilled standing for hours in the
species, including six eleotrids, a ploto- water and Pat was tired holding the plas-
sid (Oloplotosus toboro), an atherinid tic bag. What a situation: millions of fish
(Craterocephalus lacustris), a thera- around and hardly one in the net…
ponid (Hephaestus adamsoni), 8 gobiids The following four days were an ad-
(Glossogobius and Mogurnda spp.) and venture from a comic book. During the
the only melanotaeniid: Melanotaenia long boat ride in the early morning back
lacustris. All, except of an eleotrid to Geseke I packed the precious fish in
(Oxyleotris fimbriata) and the intro- an old rotten suitcase, for which I had
duced mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), paid $150 at Koki market. Although I
appear to be endemic. The water tem- had a permit I wanted to avoid prob-
perature in the lake went from 26.0°C. lems at customs when leaving the coun-
(Highest during midday at the shore) to try and I thought nobody would pay at-
21.4°C (at midnight). The pH of the lake tention to a piece of luggage such as
varied from 8.7 to 9, except for one low this. Philip, who had promised to pick us
of 7.8 measured near a merging creek. up and bring us in time to our chartered
1 While there I also visited the amazing plane, arrived two hours late at Geseke. 4
Wasemi tribes people. They live just as He had run out of fuel. When we finally
their ancestors did centuries ago. I was reached Pimaga, we only saw the tail of
welcomed by the chief (it took me some our aircraft. This made us miss the con-
time to teach him the Western custom of necting flight to mount Hagen, from
handshaking!) in front of the traditional where the next day (a Sunday) the only
213-foot-long, 16-foot-high longhouse commercial flight at 1:00 PM would
for the men. With Asisi translating, he leave for Port Moresby, connecting with
explained to me the social roles of males the weekly flight, we were stuck for an
and females here. There is a marked seg- entire week and the fish, too… Which
regation of the sexes. The women have meant they would probably die.
separate house, called a kanya. Pimaga’s radio broke down just after
I was shown the gardens where the we finally had contact with the airline
women cultivate a large variety of plants. charter office in Mendi. It was 12 noon
Two kinds of yams – yatafa and hogo – and closed for the weekend. They didn’t
are grown, as well as four types of cab- have radio contact again until 7:00 PM.
bage: gagana, harase, garubaio, and While we sat in the grass in front of the
sagai. The main vegetable is anumu, a old wooden mission-hut waiting, giant
cucumber. Also cultivated are sago palm leeches attacked us in masses. I had on-
2 trees, the leaves of which are used to ly seen large leeches like this in Myan- 5
weave the beautiful roof, wall, and mat- mar (Burma) before, but there they live
tress designs of the Wasemi people. in the water of the Inle Lake.
As for the fish, well… I thought it At 7:00 PM sharp, the radio came on
would be no problem to wait until the the air and I talked to the mission on
end of our two-day stay to collect them, Mt. Hagen. After explaining the situa-
because of the abundance. That was a tion, with interruptions every 3 seconds,
mistake! they said: “Unfortunately our religion
The afternoon and evening of our last doesn’t permit us to fly on Sundays!
day, I tried to seine them with Pat’s help, The seventh day is a day to rest… “
but they outsmarted us all the time. Due Now, I really had a problem; I knew my
to the clarity of the water, they saw us fish couldn’t read the Bible and they
and always swam out of the net before it would die. How would I explain it to
was ashore… Finally, when I used the them? Knowing that the communication
methods adopted during my Brunei ex- would be cut off any second, I just
pedition (see TFH, May 1987), I was screamed – half crying, full of anger
lucky. Standing on the rocky bottom in and disappointment – for them to con-
3 1.5 meter deep water, I dipped my hand tact any local charter company or pilot 6
net and spit ghastly biscuit bits at short to send us a plane early next morning,
intervals on the water surface. They sunk at any cost! The radio suddenly went
There are 14 species of freshwater fishes in the lake, but only one rainbowfish species, Melanotaenia dead. I didn’t even know if they re- emerald green (3) it can turn to green and blue, silvery below (4), or completely dark blue in seconds
lacustris. This fantastic fish I was able to collect for the first time alive many years ago (1). Today
under water into a foot-square net open- later (5) and even into other colours. In the aquarium (6), while opening its mouth it can be very light
this is one of the favourite rainbowfishes in the hobby around the world and all came from the few ing and the rainbowfish went after it! ceived the message and we couldn’t get coloured with a yellow golden stripe and light green above.
specimens I brought back alive… Its amazing colours can vary very much, from steel blue (2) to an Late that night I had a few, but my body any new communication. I stayed
1 2 7 8
4
3 9 10
5 6 11 12
The lake’s extraordinary level of endemicity (10 of the 14 fish species found there are endemic to the lake itself) exceeds that of any other lake in the entire New The largest fish in the lake is the predatory and not endemic gobiid: Oxyeleotris fimbriatus (7). In may grow to over 30 cm TL and is wide distributed in
Guinea-Australian region. The endemic species, besides the rainbowfish species, which is the only one found in the lake, include gobies. Atherinids and one cat- New Guinea. It can walk over land and survive in extreme habitats. The only hardy head in the lake is again endemic, the so called Kutubu hardyhead
fish, and some of those I want to show here: There are 9 different gobiids, a speciation of that group of fishes unknown to any other lake in the world. There is (Craterocephalus lacustris) (8). This species has been photographed here for the first time, as we had not found it before, it lives in the open water over the deep-
the Lake Kutubu mogurnda (Mogurnda kutubuensis), which changes its colour pattern from baby (1) to semi-adult (2-3) and once it has reached about 25 cm in est part of the lake. Also the Adamson's grunter (Hephaestus adamsoni), lives in deeper waters. I call these, the Australasian Hephaestus, the cichlids of the fifth
length it turns yet black (not shown). The blotched mogurnda (Mogurnda spilota) is a beauty (4), as well as variegated mogurnda (Mogurnda variegata) (5) and continent (as there are no cichlids in Asia besides in India, and none on Australasia). Here a juvenile and an adult (9-10). There was also, on one of the expedi-
both of those stay small, hardly 7 cm in TL. Also the only Glossolepis species in the lake (6) does not grow larger and its males have the bump, which normally tion, the aim I had to collect for the first time alive the highest rainbowfish, Melanoatenia monticola (12). While in Mendi waiting for some days for the charter
found in some of the American and African cichlids (inserted photo). plane to Pimaga, I went to mountain stream over 1,800 m high and was able to collect it. Together with an unidentified juvenile gobiid (11).
awake all night I couldn’t sleep after the With almost no water in the repackaged to collect these jewels, we flew that um couldn’t be handled more carefully! airport, they couldn’t find the fish. while my jewels started to thrive in my
sago palm-meat dinner. It looks like bags, we landed at Mt. Hagen, 15 min- evening to Cairns, where the Australian Special staff watched me in the totally Qantas’ cargo department said they home aquarium where some of the
white marshmallow and is totally taste- utes before Air Nuguini’s scheduled de- customs insisted (at midnight) that we disinfected area during my water change had never embarked in Melbourne! original wild fish still live happily
less, but is the main food source of all parture to Port Moresby. Adding moun- destroy the fish. No live animal or any and re-oxygenation of the fish. They I made several long distance calls to today. In the meantime this fantastically
locals. How they survive on it is a mys- tain water to the fish and getting a bite animal product is allowed into the coun- gave me special containers, and any Australia. I asked Neil and Rick to help, colourful fish has conquered the
tery to me. At 10:00 AM we figured (we were both starved), we almost did- try, not even in transit! It didn’t help to used plastic bags, rubber band, and wa- called the quarantine station, but world. Now there is another incredibly
everything was in vain. It takes 2½ n’t make it after all. When I saw the explain that Melanotaenia is a genus ter were destroyed immediately. I had to nobody knew where they had disap- beautiful rainbowfish for the joy of
hours to fly to Mt. Hagen and Air Boeing 737 blowing the turbines at full common to Australia nor that I had disinfect myself before and after I en- peared! After all of this trouble I could- everybody, one more in the line of
Nuguini’s departure to Port Moresby power and doors closed, I just threw asked (prior to my expedition in Canber- tered the station. Totally exhausted, I n’t believe it. When I was about to many (almost all) melanotaeniids and
was at 1:00 PM! Then we saw a Cessna myself with my fish-suitcase in front of ra, the capital, and at the Queensland was hosted by dear Neil late that night give up, the suitcase was found in pseudomugilids I have introduced to
172 on the horizon. the aircraft and forced the captain to Museum in Brisbane) Roly McCay, and finally the net day I was heading London! Most of the 67 Melanotaenia this, the most beautiful and educational
The next shock was flying at 3000 me- stop. While he lowered the emergency ichthyologist and the authority, to bring back to Germany. lacustris had survived! hobby in the world… And some more
ters high. The small aircraft had no pres- stairs, he screamed out of his window a few fish in transit. Customs people Twenty-nine hours later at Frankfurt I slept for 16 hours after this shock, to come…
surization. The top of my suitcase lifted all known and unknown names and dur- were stubborn. At 3:00 AM, after getting
and all my fish bags burst! Picture this: ing the flight he gave me a lecture on the responsible people in Canberra out
rainbows all over the rear end of the coming late… what did he know?! of bed, I had a 48-hour transit permit. At
plane, jumping around, and me in the After fights with customs in Port 6:00 AM, I left for Melbourne, so did
middle trying to catch them for the sec- Moresby (150 kinga – over $150 – the fish-suitcase sealed with lead. A spe-
ond time! I was thrown from one side to more or less didn’t bother me), the char- cial quarantine vehicle and a crew in
the other while the pilot fought the terri- tered flight was $1,600 one way, the to- white awaited the “dangerous“ load at
ble turbulence in these high mountains. tal cost was already more than $15,000 the other end the same evening. Plutoni-
2 3
On one of the expedition, while photographing the beauties from the lake, I had a constant vistor: a hornbill. He watched me and was eager to get some of my
bananas all the time (1-2). Hornbills are found from Africa throughout many parts of Oceania and are very peaceful beautiful birds. On the trip to Lake Kutubu
with Gerald R. Allen, we had luck and there was a tiny jeep in Pimaga who took us the 40 km to the lake (3). But on the way back there was no further go as a
bridge had collapsed and we headed back by boat on the Kikori (4). On the chartered flight, because the small aircraft had to go over 3000 m high my plastic bags 4 5
busted and the rainbowfishes were swimming on the floor of the Cessna (5). And I had to do another Lake Kutubu journey, but without regret, as it is paradise…
INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM Kali Biru
AUSTRALASIA Ifanten INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM
AUSTRALASIA
1 4
Two biotope aquariums from New Guinea on 4. Biotope also Lake Ifanten, is a relatively
these two pages. small lake, but contrary to Kali Biru it is
1. One authentic biotope for rainbowfishes surrounded only by high grass and not a
from lake Kali Biru in Iraian jaya (also called single tree (6). This second rainbowfish
West Papua or Papua Barat today). The Kali biotope I want to suggest to you, is for my so
Biru is actually a very small lake situated in called millennium rainbowfish, because I
the middle of nowhere and only access able discovered together with Natasha, in 2001,
by walking. When I first visited it in 1999 I at the begin of our new millennium and also
was able to catch this beautiful rainbowfish because it has the most striking red colours
for the first time, which was described two ever seen in a rainbowfish (5). For decades
years later by G. R. Allen as Glossolepis G. R. Allen and myself have tried to find
dorityi (2). I had called it the red zigzag rain- Glossolepis pseudoincisus, without luck.
bowfish. The lake if very deep (it is a karst We never found it at its type locality in the
and it water comes from deep underground Tami River. But from the many landing in
powerful up to its surface) and immediately Sentani, Irian Jaya, I had on several
at its edged already drops deep down, no small charter flights located a high and re-
place to enter except for swimming and div- motre lake and always wanted to
ing. And unfortunately on my first trip I was do some research on it, but
only able to catch males (which I found out could never reach it. Until one day
later, being a news species…). I found a Dani, who explained who
So I had to return. The first collecting was ex- to get there and during a days walk we
tremely difficult so I wanted to be smarter reached it. The very first collected
2 the second time. Finally with a gill net of specimens looked pale and I thought
50 m length and 6 m deep, I got after hours nothing special, but took it along. 5
among hundreds of fallen in trees 5 speci- Within three month it became
mens (3). But only one was a female. Anyhow this bright red colour – unbelievable,
it made it possible to bring back alive and but only the males.
breed it, and all those today in the hobby are The biotope should consist as shown (4)
from that second attempt. of a group of these fishes (as besides a
The decoration should be similar to its habi- snakehead, nothing else lives in this former
tat (1) being: Fishes in a 200 l aquarium (the crater lake) according to your pocket.
shown one has 400 l) about 40 G. dorityi and But I suggest no less than 20,
20 Chilatherina fasciata “orange” which are better 30 to enjoy.
also found in this lake and available in the They are fantastic fishes for itself,
hobby as well. The decoration consisting of although if one wants can always add
medium sized light coloured gravel, some some gobies and a other
sandy area, drift wood (plenty) and red lava rainbowfish species.
or karst stones (or both). For aquatic vegetation only Nymphaea,
For aquatic plants only Microsorium pteropus some grass-like aquatic
are growing here. One can ad some floating vegetation (i.e. Cyperus), and Microsorium
plants, as Pistia or Salvinia species. As for the is to recommend. Decoration with
water parameters these are not sensitive fish- lava stone and sand, maybe some rocks.
es and used to hard water, pH can be over 8 The water parameters vary,
(anywhere from 7.0 to 9.0), and the conduc- the pH from 7 to 8.5, the conductivity
tivity 300 μS/cm or more and the tempera- goes up to 300 μS/cm and the
3 ture from 22 to 28°C. A normal external bio- temperatures from 21-30°C. 6
logical filter is suggested.
MARINE Indonesia Indonesia MARINE
T
he Strait of Lembeh is the name waters that flow through the strait, town of Bitung, a natural harbour and
given to the narrow passage, 16 between the Celebes (Sulawesi) and the principal port of northern Sulawesi,
Lembeh km long and 2 km wide,

between the northern tip of the
Sulawesi mainland and the inhospitable
mountainous island of Lembeh. The
Molucca (Maluku) seas, carry huge
concentrations of plankton that
maintain the abundant and diverse
marine life of the area. The nearby
imports everything from fuel to
foodstuffs, and it is also the departure
point for ships carrying local products
such as oil and tinned tuna.
Strait
The Lembeh Strait, off the northern tip of Sulawesi (formerly Celebes), Indonesia, is very rich in
aquatic life forms, and the abundance of life to be seen during
a single dive is almost unbelievable. The Swiss Franco Banfi has researched the area
to bring this exclusive report and breathtaking
photographic essay.
Text: Franco Banfi and Aquapress - Photos: Franco Banfi The mountains adjoining the Strait of Lembeh are cloaked with vegetation, with palms dominating.
The surrounding area is dotted with have developed the art of mimicry to interrelationships with each other and rays (Manta birostris) enter the strait at hour. As we have seen, the waters Indonesia may have the greatest
small coastal villages and coconut palm perfection, imitating whatever the fishes. For example, the crinoids are least twice a year to feed on the offshore are home to some of the most biological diversity on Earth – starting
plantations. The volcanic crater of surrounds them – corals, sponges, a haunt for shrimps and small crabs, abundant plankton that can be found fascinating and unusual of sea from this hypothetical centre, the
Mount Klabat dominates the town, and rocks, and tunicates – by changing elegant squat lobsters and gobies, there in April and September as a creatures, from the great whales to the number of different species decreases
the surrounding roads are crowded with colour. Members of the same species which coordinate their colour to sideeffect of the monsoon season. From smallest and most fantastic fishes, and in every direction. An unspoiled marine
minibuses and horse- or bullock-drawn can exhibit completely different resemble their hosts as closely as time to time divers may also encounter marine biologists believe that the area paradise and a fauna quite beyond
carts. The market area is filled with coloration to one another, and can possible. The tiny robust ghost pipefish humphead or giant wrasse (Cheilinus of sea between Sulawesi and Maluku in compare, above or below water!
local fruit, vegetables, and spices, and change their colour in a few days to (Solenostomus cyanopterus) is often undulatus), small sharks, and turtles.
the main fish market, situated to the match a new “background”. This seen in pairs, sheltering among gorg- Shoals of tuskfishes sporadically
north of the port, sells fish caught the behaviour is not a defence mechanism, onians or amid the arms of crinoids. A appear in the diving areas, opening
night before, brought in fresh every but rather a system for avoiding being number of different species of seahorse their mouths in unison to feed all
morning. seen by their prey. inhabit the strait: the common or together. The wrecks of three ships
Together the mountains of Lembeh The prolific invertebrate life of the spotted seahorse, which lives in from the Second World War can also be
and the coast guard the strait, forming a strait is likewise a delight to all who shallow water, the thorny or spiny visited in the depths of the strait.
natural barrier that protects the area dive there. The variety of corals, seahorse, which prefers deeper water, The majority of dives take place in the
from the worst of the monsoon, from sponges, and other creatures is and the dwarf seahorse, which lives northern part of the strait, in its
the north-west and south-east, and extraordinary, as are their among some species of gorgonians. The narrowest section, as towards the centre
last of these seahorses is very small and of the channel strong currents exchange
was discovered only accidentally in nutrients between the two seas that
1970, when a diver bringing a piece of wash its two entrances. However,
gorgonian to the surface was amazed to various dive sites are also to be found
find two minute sea horses attached to in more sheltered places, in the bays
it. Soft corals and holothurians (sea and curves along the coast. The area
cucumbers) play host to highly- offers a great variety of habitats: small
coloured crabs, shrimps, and young coral reefs, mangroves, sandy slopes
fishes. More than 200 species of and bays, and in such places it is
nudibranch have been reported in the possible to encounter most of the
Lembeh Strait, and it is not unusual to unusual creatures that the strait has to
see many different species during a offer.
single dive. The most effective diving technique
As well as being a marvellous place involves descending slowly, closely
for divers interested in these unique observing the terrain in the minutest
creatures and their habitat, the Lembeh detail. On the reef, the struggle for
Strait also has much to offer those survival is so intense that some
attracted by large marine animals. creatures readily change their form or
Migrating whales and groups of manta colour, camouflaging themselves
against their current background in
making it possible to dive in the strait order to avoid the gaze of predators.
all year round, although the sea is Their mimicry is so perfect that a quick
calmest and the days sunniest in the glance at the reef does not reveal their
months between May and October. presence. Only careful inspection at
Hence nearby Manado, the largest city close quarters can reveal such delights
in the northern “arm” of Sulawesi, as a tiny robust ghost pipefish
attracts divers from all over the world, mimicking a crinoid or a gorgonian, the
drawn to the strait by the splendid tiny shrimps living symbiotically with a
underwater precipices, the clear water, starfish, or the emperor shrimps living
and the possibility of meeting with big on the holothurians. Likewise the
fishes. In particular the fascination of batfish (Platax sp.) may elude the
the Lembeh Strait lies in its unusual onlooker’s first glance, but closer
marine inhabitants and the ease with observation will reveal two eyes
which these can be seen; for example, observing the observer...
there are harlequin ghost pipefishes The Strait of Lembeh remains one of
(Solenostomus paradoxus), seahorses the most charming and least known
(Hippocampus spp.), batfishes (Platax places in southeast Asia. The area has
sp.), dragonets (Synchiropus sp.), flying become accessible to tourism only
gurnard (Dactyloptena orientalis), and recently, but can easily be reached by
innumerable varieties of frogfishes Sulawesi is the largest rice producer in Indonesia. Zebu and water buffalo are used to plough the muddy rice- car, crossing the peninsula from
(Antennarius spp.). The last of these paddies, just as they have for centuries. Manado to Bitung, a journey of only an The fish market in Bitung.
1 2
Fishes with rod, line, and bait: the frogfishes of the Lembeh Strait
Above: Frogfishes are without doubt amongst the strangest creatures in the sea. Left: Antennarius commersoni, and right: A. multiocellatus.
Righthand page: Two frogfishes with different equipment. 1. A. pictus, with typical rod and line, the illicium and the esca (= bait), which the predator swings to
and fro in order to attract its prey. 2. A. dorehensis has a different type of equipment, which looks rather like a worm but is actually the mobile anterior dorsal
fin which all frogfishes use for their fishing. (More on the following pages.)
2
Fishes with rod, line, and bait: however, also resemble a worm or a fish fry. Photo
the frogfishes of the 2 on page before (A. dorehensis) clearly shows such
Lembeh Strait a wriggling worm. This type of lure can be far
larger and covered in lower lifeforms (see 3, 5 & 6
For they do indeed go fishing, and this is essential on these pages). Frogfishes share a number of other
to their survival. Because they are strictly bottom- features, including a somewhat vertically
dwellers, barely able to swim. Nature has not only compressed body, elbowed pectoral fins which they
provided them with a capacity for camouflage use as props, and a large upward-directed mouth
almost unrivalled in the animal kingdom, but has into which they can suck the victims of their
also given almost all of the 41 species in the family deception in less than 6 milliseconds - no other
(Antennariidae) up to two methods of attracting predatory vertebrate is known to be capable of
prey. One is the “rod and line” from which Man such speed. In addition all frogfishes can
has learned, and is actually the first dorsal ray, the camouflage themselves, colourwise, in every
so-called illicium (from the Latin llicere, to decoy); environment imaginable. Here are just a few
it is mobile, often very long, and thin as a hair. examples: photos 1-4&7-9,2&5 all show Antennarius
Almost all illicia end in an esca (the Latin word for pictus. Photo 6 is A. maculatus and photo
bait). A rod and line of this sort, complete with bait, 7 A. striatus, one of the weirdest. None of the
can be seen in photo 1. (Antennarius pictus) on page individuals shown is more than 10 cm long; and
before. It is difficult to imagine a more perfect rod, while A. commersoni can attain up to 33 cm, the
and line! The mobile anterior dorsal can, smallest species, A. randalli, is just 11-20.5 mm long!
1 6
2 8
3
7
4 5 9
Scorpionfishes and others

in the Lembeh Strait
1 1. 11. The so-called walkman
(Inimicus didactylus) is
another member of the
Seahorses, ghost pipefishes, etc in the Lembeh Strait scorpionfishes; it “walks”, so
Common or spotted seahorse (Hippocampus kuda). to speak, on the bottom on its
1&4. Likewise the robust ghost pipefish (Solenostomus cyanopterus), which often pectoral fins, hence its name.
lives among sea grass, can match its colour to almost any surroundings. 2. This fantastic pair seem to
The little dragonfish (Eurypegasus draconis) can also “vanish” be deeply in love! They are
mandarinfishes (Synchiropus
splendidus). 3. The short-
finned dwarf lionfish
(Dendrochirus brachypterus)
is common on reef flats and
in shallow lagoons.
2 2
against its background; it has a long rostrum with which it digs up tiny shrimps.
3
2&3. The harlequin ghost pipefish (Solenostomus paradoxus)
can change its colour very rapidly to match new surroundings. 4. The leaf fish (Taenianotus triacanthus) is not very large (only 11 cm) but its colour-camouflage ability
is excellent. 5. Bonapart’s marine eel (Ophichthus bonaparti) has its own special method of concealment -
it buries itself in black sand. 6. The ribbon eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita) is pitch black as a juvenile,
and only later changes to this splendid blue and yellow. Its strange snout has made it one of
the most photographed fishes in the Indo-Pacific.
3 4 5 6
1 2
3 2 3
The monsters of the Lembeh Strait Monsters and molluscs in the Lembeh Strait
1+3. The author was unable to identify this “monster” buried in the black sand. Perhaps it was a stonefish. 4. Cephalopods were formerly thought to be monsters, but today they are a delicacy. This is a reef-dwelling Sepia species.
2. Head study of Beaufort’s crocodilefish (Cymbacephalus beauforti), which lies flat 5. The nocturnally active sea-slug Pleurobranchus forskalii is often to be seen in the Lembeh Strait.
on the bottom like a crocodile. 6. So is the egg cowrie (Ovula ovum), only 7 cm long, which has a snow-white shell beneath its black mantle.
INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM Komodo Komodo INFORMATIONS FOR THE AQUARIUM
13
1 2
12 14
3 4 5
15 16
6 7 8
9 10 11 17 18
Marine life in the Lembeh Strait and how these creatures live in their habitat – to apply similar biotopes in the aquaria thrives below 15 m depth in cool waters off southern Komodo. 10. Aggregation of horned sea-stars (Protoreaster nodosus).
1. Cardinalfishes (Rhabdamia sp.) form a living halo around a coral outcrop richly festooned with soft corals, crinoids, and sea urchins. 11. A 2 cm long goby (Trimma macrophthalma) shelters on a sponge next to a sea urchin. 12. Komodo's southern shore is encrusted with an amazing
2. Coleman's shrimp, another commensal animal that is regularly seen on the surface of the fire urchin (Asthenosoma varium). 3. Squirrelfish (Myripristis variety of marine creatures. The dominant organism seen here is a blue sponge. 13. Hundreds of these 6 cm long sea cucumbers (Pentacta lutea) are seen on
melanostictus), Komodo Island. 4. Cardinalfish (Apogon margartophorous), Komodo Island. 5. Lined surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus), Komodo Island. nearly every dive off southern Komodo. 14. Feather star, Komodo Island. 15. This new species of cardinalfish (Apogon sp.) is known only from the Komodo
6. The highly ornate mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendens) lives in reef crevices and is seldom seen. 7. The rare weedy scorpionfish (Rhinopias frondosa) group. 16. Filamentous wrasse (Cirrhilabrus filamentous), a rare fish seen only in Indonesian waters. 17. Splendid dottyback (Pseudochromis splendens),
is seldom seen by divers. 8. Commerson's anglerfish (Atennarius commersoni), Rinca Island. 9. The beautiful blue sea squirt (Neptheis fascicularis) western Flores Island. 18. Ribbon eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita), Kode Island.
BIOTOPE Potamotrygon Potamotrygon BIOTOPE
106 Bleher’s Biotope in Nature and in Aquaria 2 Bleher’s Biotope in Nature and in Aquaria 2 107
BIOTOPE AQUARIUM Potamotrygon Potamotrygon BIOTOPE AQUARIUM
Freshwater stingrays have grown in popularity sand, is what they need. This is where they have started immediately to lay eggs, and play,
in the last two decades as never before. Enthusi- search for food, where they protect themselves as in nature (see also last photos left-hand page)
asts from around the world have built giant from predators and where they lay their life-born The chemical water parameters in this biotope
(some monster) aquariums with several hundreds babies. So this is the most important for any were pH 5.9-6.5, the conductivity between 28-34
of thousands of liters and I am not talking about biotope aquarium. The size of the tank depends μS/cm and temperatures from 26.7-28.3°C (in
public aquaria. But one can do with much less on how many you want to keep. For instance on their winter the water temperature can drop
and have fascinating fishes in relative small the left-hand side on top an authentic biotope down to 19°C and even lower). The decoration
aquariums, which I will show here. Almost all of from a small affluent to the Paraguay River in consisted of different stones and white sand
today’s freshwater stingrays in the hobby have Paraguay. South of the metropolis Asunción, 1-9 mm as well as Aquaria gravel 2-4 mm and
their origin in South America, were most of the merge several smaller creeks into it (there is an driftwood. It should have a strong external large
species occur. They belong to the family Pota- aquatic labyrinth of rivers, lakes and creeks) and biological filter and light bulbs for plants and
motrygonidae and almost 30 species are des- the one shown here is such a typical one. And colour for fishes. One can read more about it on
cribed but many more await their scientific iden- such a creek contains a large diversity of fishes my website: www.aquapress-bleher.com
tification. I was able to record over 100 different and is rich in aquatic vegetation (normally only Another authentic freshwater stingray habitat
pattern in stingrays throughout this continent east known to such an extent from the Brazilian state (center photo and lower left on the left-page) is
of the Andes, during the last 50 years, and addi- of Mato Grosso were the Paraguay has its this sandy and stony island-biotope in the Ma-
tional new ones have shown up almost every source). Smaller characoid fishes and dwarf puera, the largest right-hand affluent of the Rio
year. I was also able to collect freshwater species Corydoras (swimming in open waters, rarely Trombetas in the state of Pará, Brazil. The river
in Thailand, Laos, Sumatra, Borneo and in Aus- over ground) next to sucking catfishes (such as has it’s source along the border with Guyana and
tralia, as well as in several rivers of Africa. But Otocinclus, Cochilodon, Ancistrus) as well as ci- during extreme floods it connects to the nearby
these are rare to find in the hobby and as far as I chlids of the genera Apistogramma and Gymno- source of the Rio Essequibo system (that is why
know, no one has bred anyone of those in capti- geophagus, and bottom living characoids such as some Guyana fish species can be found here as
vity (except for public aquaria). The freshwater Parodon and Characidium species, and even well, like the real Anostomus anostomus). The
stingrays have been Mapuera itself is full of
bred now for a number cataracts, a natural barrier
of years, the first was for many species. But in
recorded in the early such a biotope as shown,
1970s in the Frankfurt lives very large fish diver-
Exotarium, one of the sity. Most are characoids,
prime public aquaria at catfishes but also stingrays
the time. Later in hap- and cichlids, which are vis-
pened in others and itors. Aquatic vegetation is
since the late 1980s almost absent except for
there is a boom. In the some floating plants and
last 20 years thousands possibly large Echinodorus
have been breed in cap- and Cyperus, which grow
tivity in the USA, Eu- out of the water and Spati-
rope and in many parts phyllum wallisii along the
of Asia and the majority edges. Some freshwater
today come from such stingrays like Potamotry-
breeding establish- gon motoro and P. yepezi
ments. Especially since occur here. Besides those 3
the export from Brazil, I placed in the 1600 liter
the largest producer aquarium 2 large Phracto-
(natural habitat and di- cephalus hemiliopterus, 2
versity) of freshwater Sorubim lima,
stingrays, has banned 1 Pterygoblichthys multira-
the export quota many diatus, 2 Panaque nigrolin-
years ago and no one eatus, 4 Luciopimelodus
knows when they will pati, larger characoids such
open a new quota. Only as 3 different Myleus-
Colombia, Peru and Paraguay have been ship- freshwater stingrays enter such sandy habitat fre- species total of 22, 10 of each Poptella obercu-
ping them since, but never in large numbers as quently. Here lives the most southern and en- laris and Tetragonopterus species, 15 Anostomus
the black species (Potamotrygon leopoldi and P. demic P. brachyura. This is a 450 Liter aquarium anostomus, 12 Bryconops sp., 8 Boulengerella
henlei), as well as the still not described pearl and I have one in it with 8 Gymnogeophagus lateristriga and B. xyrekes, and plants as men-
stingray, from the Rio Xingú and Tapajós system meridionalis, 6 G. rhapdotus, 10 Apistogramma tioned above aquatic plants are very rare in such
are not found in those exporting countries and sp., 30 Aphyocharax paraguayensis and 30 A. a biotope. Along the edges one can plant large
everyone wants those… It is very sad that Brazil rathbuni, 15 Mimagoniatus inequalis, 5 Parodon Echinodorus, Cyperus and Spatyphyllum species,
has banned the export, as those beautiful and affinis, 20 Otocinclus sp., 5 Cochilodon sp., 12 which will also out of the water, as in nature
very unique creatures are killed by every riverine Corydoras paleatus “high fin” and 25 free swim- (they are only submerged during the rainy season
caboclo as soon as they see one. Instead they ming tiny Corydoras pygmaeus. One can see in nature). Some floating plants like Ceratop-
could be shipped and would survive worldwide how the stingray grazes over the plants looking terus cornuta can be added, which is good.
in aquaria were people love and take best care of for food, but not fishes! He is searching, as in The chemical water parameters in the Rio Ma-
them… But that is Mankind, with our aim to nature for tad pools (as the P. motoro in the cen- puera biotope were from pH 5.5-5.85, the
protect we will very soon find most of the “pro- tre photo doing it in nature), one of their pre- conductivity between 14-20 μS/cm and tempera-
tected” species extinct. I want to give you some ferred foods. Besides sand, just as mentioned tures from 28.5-29.5°C. Use for such a aquarium
advice of how to keep them best. On the first same lower plants Eichhornia azurea, E. diversi- two large external filters. The decore elements
double page you can see two natural habitats, folia, Eleocharis acicularis, Heteranthera zoster- should consist of mangrove roots, red-brown la-
one of an new still not described species grazing ifolia, Lemna minor, Phyllanthus fluitans, va stone, reddish aquarium gravel 2-4mm and
over rocks in the upper Xingú river and the in- Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, Ludwigia inclinata, whitish gravel size 5-8mm, as well as fine sand.
sert is a P. motoro over typical sandy ground in Cabomba furcata and Myriophyllum aquaticum. You can also read more also under
the Rio Negro. And the sand, fine white or beige In such an authentic biotope the larger cichlids www.aquapress-bleher.com
BIOTOPE Symphysodon Symphysodon BIOTOPE
BIOTOPE AQUARIUM Symphysodon Symphysodon BIOTOPE AQUARIUM
The fishes of the genus Symphysodon are proba- animal and also a fully striped male, called “Royal 12) that discus can be collected here. The fisher-
bly the most asked for and highest prized orna- Blue”, and a more Cuipeuá-like brown, with some men circle the grass and catch an entire large
mental aquarium fishes worldwide (except for reddish colours. (The extreme reddish discus as group (one as shown). Here the discus can find lots
Arowanas in Asia) and fascinate people on 5 conti- often identified with the name Curipera, or by of aquatic insects among the grass, algae and
nents more than any other freshwater fish since the some now correctly as Cuipeuá, are very rare.) terrestrial insects and that is why they come here
1960s. Although most discus today come from Cuipeuá is one of the few lakes were discus hide during that short period. A few angelfishes swim
breeding establishments (nearly 20 million breed among the submerged grass during the lower water along most of the time as they feel protected with-
each year) the wild (hardly 30,000 collected in the season and this is the only time (one month out of in the large discus group, also Mesonauta species
Amazon basin each year) are or have again (after
the publication of my large book Bleher’s Discus
volume 1 – see advert in this issue or www.discus-
skat.ru) become very popular around the globe.
The interest in authentic biotopes, such as those
where these fishes live in nature, has suddenly tak-
en off, in a way it is almost not believe. And the
love for natural coloured discus is booming like
never before. Therefore I want to give you 3 typi-
cal discus biotope aquarium examples, but if any-
one is really interested in keeping these fantastic
nature animals you should read my book, just for
the sake of these lovely animals (and not because
of me – sincerely).
1. Biotope of a 1600 liter aquarium: but more in the upper water region. Loricariids and the public for the very first time. above left) is from the Jatapu. The Rio Jatapu is
Lake Cuipeuá, Amazon, Brazil. cichlids dwell over the sandy ground, filtering out Green Discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus) an an affluent of the Rio Uatumã and the latter is a
Cuipeuá is a smaller lake located west from the the sand (as discus do) for micro-organisms. angelfishes (Pterophyllum scalare var.). major left-hand affluent of the Amazon River and
city Alenquer in the state of Pará in Brazil. There In this authentic display one can see how discus Plants: None. At the most, some floating plants, has black water, like all the Symphysodon discus
is a single native village of fishermen along its live with their young – 48, almost one year old like Pistia stratoites and Utricularia foliosa, as (the so called Heckel-discus) habitats. I have deco-
northern shore and the lake is surrounded by discus, with their parents (the fully striped and the well as Azolla sp. rated here a typical biotope of this region during
growth of large grass, which is submerged during red discus). The decoration is biotope-correct, as Until a few years ago nobody knew this region rising water, when the trees become submerged.
high water period. There are some trees, but most seen by me in Cuipeuá during raising water. from an aquarium hobby perspective. Only after I Also here the water rises more than 10 meters. It is
of the area is deforested for cattle and buffalo The chemical water parameters in the Lago was able to show the existence of the Green a typical group of 50 large Heckel-discus. They
farming. The lake connects with the Rio Curuá and Cuipeuá were from pH 6.53, the conductivity Discus in this area, did the aquarium hobby hear live with Mesonauta species, Uaru, Geophagus,
other bodies of water in the Alenquer region dur- between 19 μS/cm and temperatures from about it for the first time. The area is nearly unin- larger loricariids and rarely large Crenicichla or
ing the floods. The discus and their mates, such as 26.3-26.9°C. Two large external biological filters. habited and has so far been unexplored from an Cichla species. The latter normally only enter their
angelfishes, larger earth eaters and other cichlids, Décor material white fine sand as well as Aquaria ichthyological perspective. The specimens on dis- territory. But live also over fine sand, were they
loricariids and large characoids live in such a white gravel 01-09 mm. Mangrove roots and play here have been collected by myself and were blow into it (see above left) in search for food.
biotope as shown, in very large groups. Aquatic possibly some round stones. then brought back to Germany towards the end of Fishes: 50 Sypmphysodon discus, 6 Mesonauta
vegetation is almost absent except for floating 2. Biotope of a smaller aquarium with 300 liter 2004. In addition, there are also some loricariids. sp., Pterygoblichthys sp. 4, Uaru sp. 4 and 6
plants and some large Cyperus along the edges. (above right), authentic biotope from the Rio The fishes shown here are unique specimens; the Biotodoma cupido.
Fishes: Symphysodon haraldi – blue and brown Mineruá. This is a black water river, flowing in angelfishes with fascinating gill cover markings Floating plants like Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia
(red) discus (50), Pterophyllum scalare (9); to the smaller right arm of the giant Rio and a jet-black, separated anal fin (so far unknown stratiotes, Utricularia species.
Geophagus sp. (2); Mesonauta sp. (11) and Solimões, located east of the town of Fonte Boa from any P. scalare). The green discus specimens, This river is often in popular and scientific litera-
Loricariichthys sp. (5). Floating plants like in Amazonia, Brazil. The local environment is, on the other hand, have a golden yellow to orange ture confused, some claim that blue and Royal
Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, Utricularia for the most part, still in tact. Unspoiled nature base coloration, which has also never been seen blue discus are found here, but that is a fake. The
species, Azolla caroliniana and many Ludwigia can still be experienced in the rivers and lakes of before in this type of discus. Jatapu region consists of Heckel-discus and the
helminthorrhiza can be found. And some large this area. The bottom substrate is pure white The water values were as follows: pH 5.4-5.8, blue are only found in the Uatumã
Cyperus standing along the lake edges. sand. Tree branches hang in to the river and a lot conductivity 12-18 μS/cm and temperatures from The water values were as follows: pH 5.0, con-
This lake Cuipeuá has for years been confused of tree roots are laying around. Everywhere un- 27-29 °C. Large external biological filter and the ductivity 9μS/cm and temperatures from 29°C.
(used) as Curipera, a lake that does not exist in the spoiled nature. The habitat on display here fea- decoration. Water-logged roots, fine-grained white Large external biological filter and the decoration
Alenquer region were these fishes are coming tures varieties of angelfish and green discus, sand (0.1-0.9 mm). water-logged roots, fine-grained white sand
from. Here one can see that there is one alpha types of fishes that are being presented here to 3.Biotope of a 1600 liter aquarium (top and (0.1-0.9 mm).
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Blehers Biotopes Introduction

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Blehers Biotopes Introduction

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2

Aquapress Publishers Via G. Falcone 11 – 27010 Miradolo Terme (PV) Italy

AMERICA – Rio Iriri AUSTRALASIA Text & Photos: Heiko Bleher

With an almost brand new 4WD

Although French is the Congo's official language, it is spoken

of Leporinus were gracing over the

On a stretch of almost 600 km were we

We slept some nights in and I had to see what

The city of Dibrugarh, situated on the banks

Text and Fotos by Heiko Bleher & Natasha Khardina

I thought it was paradise

To reach this remote lake one has to first fly with

At 7:00 AM we had just finished our

Lembeh km long and 2 km wide,

Scorpionfishes and others

make everything glo

INTRODUCING THE MOST COMPLETE LIGHTING LINE AVAILABLE

For more information about GLO lighting products

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