Guianacara sp. Surinam "Red spotted"

[opa roel]

hello,
I'm looking for any information I can get about this fish. I've got one photo so far and this photo was shot by Hans Breidorh.
Hans Breidorh and Uwe Werner brought these fish back from where they cached them, Suriname, south part of the Sipaliwini River.

But I've got an answer from another forum that there where some changes in the naming of this group.
this red spotted was now named sphenozona, and the former sphenozona was called dacrya.
So all the pictures and info must bee changed

anyway, is there someone here who has more info for me, about this fish. I'm familiar with keeping G.owroewefi Grand laussat. So it shouldn't be so difficult.

I'm buying 12 of these lovely fish on Saturday. However the are very small, about 3 or 4 cm
So I'm grateful for every info I can get.

[Michael Kwist]

These fish are also for sale as: Guianacara sphenozona ''Sipaliwini'' they are the same fish as pictured above.....

See here:
http://books.google.nl/books?hl=nl&lr=& ... 20&f=false

Page 120 for more information about the description of Guianacara sphenozona with the holotype from the Sipaliwini river.

[opa roel]

thanks Michael. nice book, had a brief look at it sometime ago.

[DRE]

It looks stunning!!

Is this available in Europe now? Where in that case? Do you know where the store gets it, wholesale dealer? Maybe my local store can buy from the wholesaler as well

BTW, you can read more on Dacrya here: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=10972

[opa roel]

thanks I will take a look at this.

[opa roel]

I've bought 15, they are small. 3cm
Still looking for more info,
here are 2 pictures from today.




you see that the "columbians"are bigger then the Guianacara's

its my plan to keep them as a big group in my tank, skip the pindare's by time. Maybe I skip my pair of uaru's to if its really necessary.

[DRE]

3cm, then I'm guessing they are about 3-4 month old. When I had geayi fry they were on that size at that point. Youngsters in other words.

[opa roel]

some pictures from oktober this year.





Last week I sold my uaru's pindare's and Metynnis, and I must say they are doing very well, there was an almost instant change in there behavior.
They now are turning leaves en bits of wood and stick.
2 have made a large hole at the back op the tank so, its almost not to see withe the camera.

All 15 did make it so far, so they are strong. They turned out very nicely, nice colors and attractive behavior. they don't mind other fish such as the discus.

I've got some pictures from this month too.

[DRE]

Really nice pictures. How big are they now?

[opa roel]

I guess the are between the 6 and 8 cm with tale.

made some new shots this afternoon, but they are still on the camera.

[DRE]

Do you know which one is male vs female on picture above?

[opa roel]

when its come's to sexing the individuals I have know the impression that the one with the black throat is the female. Because the fish is smaller and from the behavior I think this a female.

But nothing is sure in this life, or almost But I heard that some species of this genus, getting both black throats and lips. like the G. owroewefi grand laussat.

so???

[opa roel]

this afternoon

[DRE]

Beauties! I really like the black lipsticks on the female or do both males and females show this from time to time? I guess hard to know as they haven't spawned yet though. Keep us updated as they develop, I really like Guianacaras!

[opa roel]

hello again, don't know how to ad a youtube movie. So you have to click on the link to youtube.
the are all oke and there are still 15 of them. The start to make a lot of cave's and the try to couple.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZcxutFJH-o
















here a little movie of the tank.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYixtDt6CTk

you see that I have to skip some suri's at some time, and the time is almost there I think.

[Piotr Koba]

Perfect. Don't you have problems with filtration while all that debris is on the bottom? It looks very natural and I liked it in tanks with Apistos, but how is it with larger cichlids?

[opa roel]

thanks, well its not a problem if you don't let it out of control.

It's more a question how you cope with this. Because its looks" dirty", and we are all so focused on a sparkling clean tank.
So when its to much, I connect an extra powerhead en blow the stuff away and it settles in a part of the tank. Then a take a hose and clean this up.

The fish really like this mess on the bottom, you almost see the smile on there faces.

The discus like it to, the stand with there heads down and the blow the mess away and then they pickup the things the want.

[Bas Pels]

@ Roel

Putting your words slightly different, this tank explains why a sparkling clean tank is not the best option.

But I have to admit, it is sometimes hard to keep the tank 'dirty'. Many poeple say, bluntly 'it's a nice tank, but why don't you clean it once in a while? It can not be that much work.'

Explaining why I prefer it uncleaned is virtually impossible

[opa roel]

yes Bas that's true, and sometimes I hear my own voice,

but its so nice and fun to see them tussle with the leaves and the pieces of wood. It amazes me every time that the are able to lift and move a "big" piece of wood. And some fish are more skilled then others in turning and take a leave and trow it somewhere else.
It's so much fun to see this, I enjoy it very much.

[Piotr Koba]

Thanks to Polish Apisto board and some aficionados of blackwater aquariums "dirty" tanks have become more popular here. But still, we are taliking about small tanks with small cichlids. I know one person in Poland who have over 1000L tank with that dirt we like.

It would be interesting to have "messy" tank with larger Centrals some day, as some of their habitats (those with slow flowing, or stagnant waters) seem to have silt layers, or leaf litter. However, I was affraid with larger species it won't be possible. But if it goes smoothly with eartheaters, why not then?

Thanks for your input