Aphyosemion pyrophore Huber & Radda 1979
A.pyrophore FCCO
2013-13 Makoumi (Red) Wild Fish
Photo courtesy of Christian Cauvet
Meaning of Name |
Fire carrier, referring to the flared red pattern on the caudal fin. |
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First Description |
Huber J.H. & Radda A.C. 1979. Die Rivulinen des südlichen Kongo (Brazzaville) 2, Der Aphyosemion lujae Komplex. Aquaria 26: p 175-178, figures 1-2. |
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Size |
4.5 cm |
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Meristics |
D = 12-13, A = 15-16, D/A = +6-7, ll = 30-31(+1-2) (Huber & Radda 1979) |
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Karyotype |
n = 19, A = 32 (Scheel 1981) |
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Sub-Genus |
Mesoaphyosemion |
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Group |
ogoense |
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Synonyms |
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Populations
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CMBB89 / 13 - Gualikoto - See photo BKA Killi-News No. 295, April 1990. FCCO 13 -
GHP 80/23 -
RPC 78/18 -
RPC 78/19 -
RPC 82/2 - Komono Yellow.
Komono,
Congo. RPC 206 -
Gualikoto http://www.nakashima.org/gaphyo_ogoense_pyrophore_gualikoto.htm Japan Gallery |
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Type Locality |
The village of Gnimi, Mbaya Quarter, Muputulu River, Lékoumou Province, Southern Congo. RPC 78/19. |
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Distribution |
The hills of Lékoumou Province, central Congo & an area over the border with Gabon (south eastern) in the upper Ogowe River drainage system. |
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Habitat |
Small rainforest streams in the hills of the
Province of Lékoumou, Southern Congo. Measurements recorded at
location JH 165 (Komono) were pH 5.4, DH 0.5, water temperature 19·8'C.
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Distinguishing Characteristics | Flared red pattern in the caudal fin on most populations. There is a population collected west of Komono which does not exhibit this patterning however. All populations I have seen are characterised by the front half of the body having horizontal red stripes with the rear half having vertical red stripes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Colour/Pattern Variability | Fairly high - exists as blue & yellow morphs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
History |
Collected by W.Wachters & J.Buytaert in July
1978 at Gnimi - Quartier - Mbaya in the river Moupoutoulou, Lékoumou
Province, Southern Congo & close to the Mossendjo - Komono road.
Also collected at Gnimi on the road to Moetche & also at Monala,
Quartier de Komono, Maiques, in the Mounboli River. |
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Breeding Notes |
Water temperature is important in breeding this
sp. It should be kept on the cool side (18-19°C). Eggs reportedly
laid in mops or peat fibre which has been allowed to sink. This later
medium has given good results. Eggs can be water incubated with a hatching
time of anything between 12 - 21 days. Jim Gasior in BKA newsletter 281, February 1989
reports them ( the RPC 18 population ) to be aggressive breeders needing
to be seperated after a short breeding period. Breeders should be fed
heavily on a variety of live foods for 2-3 weeks. A bare breeding tank
is set up with clean, heavily aerated water. pH used for spawning was
7·6, hardness of 180 ppm, temperature 70 - 75°F. The tank
should be set up away from strong sunlight as this makes the fish skittish. Pat Rimmer in BKA Newsletter No.311, August 1991
bred them in a shaded tank, water temperature 72°F, pH 6·5
with a little aeration. Peat fibre & mops were used for eggs but
all eggs were found in the peat fibre. This fibre is harvested weekly
in a small tank with water from the parents tank. The large eggs took
20 days of water incubation to hatch. First food for fry was newly hatched
brine shrimp. Velvet is something to look out for on fry. The growing
fry were kept in a 24 x 12 x 8" tank with water of pH 7, water
temperature 72 - 75°F with aeration & filter. Gunther Schmaus in BKA Newsletter No. 324 (Sept.1992)
reports breeding them in pH 7·5, DH 17, water temperature 22°C.
Despite the harder water the fish were prolific on various live foods.
Tubifex was found to be especially good with regard to number of eggs
produced. Summer temperatures of 25°C saw egg production stop. |
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Diameter of Egg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Remarks |
Ton Hannink reported in BKA newsletter No.188, April 1981 that F2 fish of the RPC 78/18 population tended to lose the vertical lines on the rear part of the body. He advised future brood stock should be carefully selected. |