Pterophyllum altum

Pterophyllum altum, the "mother-of-all-angelfishes". Difficult to come by, extremely difficult to rear, these three fishes were the survivors of a batch of thirty juvenile fishes. Extremely demanding in water quality but lovely to behold.

 

Garra ruffa

Garra Ruffa, the so-called spa fishes named for their skin-grazing habits on human skin. Because of their popularity, there have been many similar looking fishes marketed as Garra ruffa. Clear, running water is required to keep them in healthy form.

 

Betta patoti

Betta patoti, a member of the unimaculata family, this is a large fighting fish from the Indonesian side of Borneo. This fish is an F1 from a wild-caught pair. Found in clear, cold running streams, this fish demands a pH of 4.5-6.5. An excellent jumper, the tank must be covered at all times.


 

Chocolate gourami

The Chocolate Gourami, Sphaerichthys osphromenoides is another gem from Sarawak. This fish requires quality soft water, pH of 4.5-6.5. Although it has been mentioned that this is a fish for advance fish-keepers, I find that when water quality is maintained, the fish is relatively easy to care for. Provide plenty of tall and leafy plants for them to retreat. This fish makes an excellent addition for a showcase aquarium.

 

BETTA LEHI

Betta lehi, is a large wild fighting fish that is found in mid-land streams in Sarawak. This is a relatively peaceful fish that can be kept with its own kind and in a community tank. Part of their natural diet include insects such as dragonflies which they will leap out from the water to snatch off low-lying leaves.

Males have a greenish-blue gill cover during breeding season while females have a shorter tail. These fishes adapt very fast in captivity and they will start accepting foods (including frozen bloodworms) within the hour if all environment parameters are met. They also have a very curious nature, and are not shy. Water requirements are 5.5-6.8 pH with plenty of tall plants for them to hide. Tanks should be covered tightly as this fish are excellent jumpers. This is a good specie for hobbyists who would like to graduate from beginners to more demanding species.

 

BETTA RUTILAN

Betta Rutilan, a member of the coccina family is the next beautiful fish in this branch. This is a wild male, among several fishes caught near the Indonesian border in Sarawak near a clear fast moving stream. Interestingly, the habitat seems to be different from Betta brownorum's.

Behavior is also different from B. brownorum as it is aggressive towards each other regardless of sex. This is a good jumper (to the author's dismay of losses) so the water level in their tanks have been lowered to prevent them from leaping out. This specie's habitat is threatened by encroaching agricultural activities.


PS : Sorry about the hazy image as it is housed in a very old aquarium, with lots of scratches on the front panel. I will have new images posted up soon on http:// www.flickr.com/eldredsawk/