Micropanchax fuelleborni (Ahl 1924)

Meaning of Name

After Prof. Dr. F.Fülleborn, German Physician. In latin after an umlout (ü) an 'e' is inserted after.

First Description

Haplochilichthys fulleborni Ahl, E.1924

Neue afrikanische Zahnkarpfen aus dem zoologischen Museum Berlin.

Zoologischer Anzeiger 61 (3-4): 138.

Size

Ahl gives 29mm total length, Wildekamp report 30mm & Huber reports 35mm.

Meristics

D = 7-8, A = 12-13, D/A = 8, ll = 27.

Karyotype

 

Sub-Genus

 

Group

loati. Consisting of - antinorii, bracheti, ehrichi, loati, pfaffi, rudolfianus.

Synonyms
  • Haplochilichthys fuellborni Ahl 1924
  • Aplocheilichthys fulleborni Myers 1933
  • Micropanchax fulleborni Huber, Seegers & Wildekamp 1983
  • Haplochilichthys fullebornis Paepke & Seegers 1986
  • Haplochilus atripinna non Pfeffer 1896, Hilgendorf & Pappenheim 1903
  • Aplocheilichthys johnstoni (non Günther 1893), Ricardo 1939

Populations

  • Iwanga
  • Kigwa
  • Lake Chaya
  • Sekenke
 
Type Locality

Lake Rukwa.

Distribution

Lake Rukwa, Tanzania & surrounding areas (streams).
Also found widespread in the Kasanka National Park, Zambia.

Habitat

Reported as widespread in clear slow moving streams with vegetation & Lake Rukwa. Found near the surface in water less than a metre deep. Sympatric sp. Lacustricola matthesi.
A schooling sp. found near the surface. Water temperature 20-30°C, pH alkaline to neutral.
Reported in the Ughalla River system.

Distinguishing Characteristics Small, slender & colourless.
Colour/Pattern Variability Low.
History

Discovered by Prof. Dr. F.Fülleborn

Introduced to aquaria by Lothar Seegers. These fish died before producing, being susceptible to water pollution & fungal infection.

Breeding Notes

Doubtful if these have been bred in captivity but probably lay in surface vegetation or mops with a 2 week incubation period. It is highly likely fry would need to be carefully maintained to avoid any build up of ammonia.

Diameter of Egg  
Remarks

Probably not been distributed in captivity. A species very sensitive to a build up of wastes in the water. Regular water changes would be considered a must. As this sp. comes from an alkaline water the build up of ammonia should be carefully monitored especially in newly set up tanks.