'After Mr. Robertson of the CDC rubber plantation in Ekona'.

Radda A.C. & Scheel J.J. 1974. (Aphyosemion robertsoni).

Aphyosemion puerzli nov. spec. und Aphyosemion robertsoni nov. spec., zwei neue Rivulinen aus Kamerun.

Aquarium Journal 4 (3): p 37-41, figure 4-6.

5 cm

D = 16-18, A = 18, D/A = 3/1, ll = 27-29 +2-3 (Radda & Scheel 1974)

n = 21, A = 39 (Radda & Scheel 1974)

Paludopanchax

• Aphyosemion robertsoni Radda & Scheel 1974
• Fundulopanchax robertsoni Lazara 1984
• Aphyosemion (Paludopanchax) robertsoni Huber 1994

• Bolifamba
• Ekona (CDC Rubber Plantation)

Collected in the CDC rubber plantation 1 km north of Bolifamba (5.6 km north of the Edea - Douala - Victoria road junction in the direction of Kumba), western Cameroon.

Presently only known from the type locality.

Dr.A.C.Radda collected them in a swampy area in open bush inside the CDC Rubber Plantation at Ekona, situated around 1 km north of Bolifamba (5·6 km north of the crossing of the Beau - Douala - Victoria roads in the direction of Kumba. This area had an elevation of 300 m above sea level.
They were collected in a swamp with an attractive water lily on the surface. Water depth was 5-15 cm. According to local information this swamp area can expand or completely dry up.

'A swampy area without an outlet in a depression on volcanic soil' (Wildekamp 1995)

It would appear that the rubber plantation has been replaced with banana. Recent (2001/2) inspections of the type locality have failed to find any of this sp. although the time of this inspection was not given & may have been in the dry season.

This sp. was seperated from it's close neighbour Fp.rubrolabialis on the grounds of marking differences & the type of biotope they were found in. Fp.rubrolabialis is found on sedimentary soils whereas Fp.robertsoni is found on volcanic ground.

Fp.robertsoni is more heavily marked on body & fins. The anal fin in all photos I have seen has no red line (this may yet appear in future collections). The red line in Fp.rubrolabialis is placed mid way through the fin.

Collected by Dr.A.C.Radda on the 28th November 1973.

Distributed by the BKA Species Control in November 1977. Known to have been in the Collingham auction in June 1978.

Regarded as a difficult species to breed. Reports suggest using a peat substrate which can be taken out every few weeks & dried. Dry incubation takes about 4-6 weeks. On wetting, water of 16-18°C has been used succesfully. Fry are large enough to take newly hatched brine shrimp as a first food. Growth is quite rapid with sexual maturity being attained around 2 months.(Wildekamp 1995).

Dr.A.C.Radda in BKA newsletter No.110, October 1974, considered them a bottom spawning sp. with a dry incubation of at least 3 months. Ed Pürzl experimented by wetting eggs after 70 days of dry storage but could not get fry to hatch. However, after 90 days of dry storage 30 fry hatched out. Latter wettings of this peat produced better results.

Fred Wright wrote an article in BKA newsletter No.129, May 1976 & did not regard them as easy. He advised water of DH 1, pH 6·2, temperature 21-22°C.
As a spawning medium peat moss proved successful. After 1-2 weeks the peat was removed & dry incubated for 15 weeks at a temperature of 21° C.
Fry were small on hatching & given infusoria as a first food. Growth was regarded as fairly rapid.

Richard Scoltock wrote a breeding report in BKA newsletter No.159, November 1978. He put a reverse trio into a 12 x 8" tank with a bottom covering of Java moss. DH was 2, pH 6·8. Frequent water changes were undertaken & seemingly enjoyed by the fish.
The moss was checked weekly for the first 4 weeks without any eggs. On the 5th week he found 44 eggs which were small, amber & non-adhesive (some were noted to have fallen to the tank base). These eggs were put into damp peat which had been pre-boiled. The temperature was 72°F.
A further 10 eggs were collected the following week which were placed in a seperate container with 1" of water. The eggs remained clear for 7 weeks after which they started to disintegrate one by one.
The dry stored eggs were checked every 3 weeks & on the first check signs of development were observed. After a period of 12 weeks the eggs were observed to be very dark with the eyes clearly visible. The decision was made to wet them. Overnight about 20 fry were seen to have hatched & were fed infusoria for the first 2 days. On the 3rd day microworm was fed & on the 4th newly hatched brine shrimp. After one week they doubled there size.