After Pr. M. Lamotte who collected the species.

Daget J. 1954.

Les Poissons du Niger supérieur.

Mémoires de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire (IFAN) 36: p 317-318, figure 20.

Males 7 cm, females 6 cm.

• D = 11-13, A = 16-17, ll = 31-33 (Daget 1954)
• D = 10-12, A = 14-17, D/A = +7-8, ll = 28-31 (Scheel 1968)

n = 24 (28)

Epiplatys

fasciolatus

• Epiplatys fasciolatus lamottei Daget 1954
• Epiplatys lamottei Poernomo 1967
• Aplocheilus lamottei Radda 1971

• Koulé - GRC 90 / 178
• N'Zérékoré
• Salayea (northern Liberia)
• Zor Zor

Simandou, southestern Guinea.

Southestern corner of Guinea extending into northern Liberia. They inhabit the upper Niger River (Guinea), the upper Lofa, Saint John & Saint Paul River drainage systems (Guinea & Liberia).

http://homepage.uibk.ac.at/homepage/c102/c102mr/epiplaty/lamottei.htm

Small streams & brooks in heavy shade. Reported to inhabit inaccessible root systems. Water measured in the habitat, water temperature 21-22°C, pH 7·5-7·8 DH 1-1·5. It is likely this alkaline pH may change to acid during seasonal changes.
Colected 70kms from N'Zérégoré at a height of 200 metres above sea level.

Daget described this species in 1954 as Epiplatys fasciolatus lamottei from 22 specimens collected in the area of a range of small hills situated between the Milo & Sankarani Rivers, Upper Niger drainage. The point of collection of the type specimens being Simandou. No data available as to who collected them.

In 1964 Herold Olsen collected this species ( 7 males & 6 females ) near N'Zérégoré, High Guinée. This location is 140 km from the type locality. Scheel considered these to be a distinct species.

In 1971 Roloff reported another location in north west Liberia 70kms from N'Zérégoré near the frontier with Guinea.

I have kept this species on a number of occasions in water temperature 75-80°F, 100% rainwater, pH 6, DH less than 1° & found them fairly easy, laying eggs in floating or bottom mops (in the thickest part) mainly which were taken out & incubated in a separate container. I found better results from using rainwater with a little salt. Some breeders I talked to found salt to be lethal. The tank was placed in full daylight with a good growth of floating plants. Water incubation takes 12-15 days. Fry take newly hatched brine shrimp as a first food. Growth rate of the young fish is quite fast with sexual maturity being attained around 5-6 months.
I found that when an extra male was introduced into the breeding tank egg production dropped to zero. On removing him it went back to previous levels.
I was getting 10-15 eggs a day in green water which was so thick you could only see the fish when they came to the front glass.
I have never seen fry growing on in the parents tank. This may be due to cannibalism or all eggs being deposited on the mop & removed.

We have kept populations which breed in hard water. These were bought at auction without any population mark. It would appear that this (& perhaps other Epiplatys species) are very different in their ways of reproduction. It could be the manner in which they were raised as these were obtained through open auction.