New Fishes from Australia

Johannes Graf IMPORTED Part 1: New Fishes from Australia

n 2015 I had the opportunity to make in northern Australia, found only in alka- two ishing trips, one to West Papua line water. Very beautiful, but needs special Iand another to Australia. Both trips attention and is better kept in a species were very successful and now there will be tank. However, in such a tank it is an eye- a lood of new rainbowishes available for catcher! the hobby. A selection (not all) of the Australian Iriatherina werneri “Ankabadbirri” species and forms will be presented here. I am very happy having obtained three dif- Not all ish have been photographed, and ferent forms of Australian threadin rain- some photos are not optimal, either. bowishes. Most of the Iriatherina werneri In all cases only small quantities of ish in the European hobby are from aquarium were imported as breeding stock. Several strains of New Guinean origin and un- of them have been distributed to some known source. Now we have offspring other breeders. From most species, irst fry from wild caught ishes, with known loca- have already been obtained. For those who tions. “Ankabadbirri” is an aboriginal are interested in some young ish, it will be settlement at the Cadell River in western worth looking at the advertisings for the Arnhemland. We already had those years annual IRG convention 2016. ago, but as far as I know they have been The species from the Taritatu catchment lost. (New Guinea) will be presented within the next issue of the “Regenbogenisch”. Iriatherina werneri “Gulbuwangay River” Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum Gulbuwangay River is one of the rivers This is an Australian hardyhead with a feeding the Arafura Swamp, a known loca- metallic green-golden color and many small tion of I. werneri. This swamp is in eastern dots (hence the name Flyspeckled Hardy- Arnhemland. The extended ins of this head). Long and slender body, makes a form are black, but the basis is yellow. The great combination with rainbowishes. irst dorsal is red and yellow.

Craterocephalus stramineus Iriatherina werneri “Myall Creek” The “famous” Blackmast or Strawman, is This form was discovered just a short time a hardyhead that has an outstanding posi- ago. To my knowledge it is the irst time tion in its genus. Very limited distribution that it is available in Europe. Until now it

© IRG – Internationale Gesellschaft für Regenbogenfische e.V. www.irg-online.de/rfe 31 ▲ Iriatherina werneri “Ankabadbirri” ▲ Iriatherina werneri “Gulbuwangay River” ▲ Iriatherina werneri “ Myall Creek” (Photo: Dave Wilson) (Photo: Dave Wilson) (Photo: Neil Armstrong) is the Iriatherina werneri variety with the with red lines between the scale rows. The part of the continental shelf (i.e. the top of highest amount of yellow in its ins. The yellow sides of the body are a distinctive a submerged mountain) and not of coral- collecting place is on Cape York, in the trait of this variety and set it apart from line origin. It was a lucky chance that an Embley River drainage near the city of any other Melanotaenia duboulayi that we Australian who has relatives on Moa Island Weipa. know. brought back some rainbowish specimens to the mainland a few years ago. Those Melanotaenia australis “Kambolgie Melanotaenia exquisita “Bindoola” were bred and offspring was distributed Creek” This is for the specialty keepers. Most by ANGFA members. Looks a bit like Fishes kept under this name in the European likely an undescribed species from the those from “Skull Creek”, but becomes aquarium hobby are not from Kambolgie Northern Territory, as DNA analysis indi- bigger. Creek. These falsely named ish are an aquar- cates that it is signiicantly different from ium strain of unknown origin and have the other Melanotaenia exquisita va- Melanotaenia maccullochi “Skull nothing to do with the true variety. Kambol- rieties. Bindoola Creek is a small tributary Creek” gie Creek is part of the Alligator River in the of the Pentecost River. A small and attrac- We have only a few of those left in the IRG Northern Territory. It has a tributary called tive species, but better suited for a single- and breeding rates are declining, therefore Ferny Creek. This is the only known loca- species tank. this is a chance for new blood. It is one of tion of the “real” ish. They grow big and the most beautiful M. maccullochi va- become huge, impressive animals with Melanotaenia gracilis rieties. blood-red tail ins and a rhomboid body New blood for the few breeders of this shape. small and slender rainbowish in the IRG. Melanotaenia spec.“Fletcher Creek” This rainbowish is a new discovery from Melanotaenia duboulayi “Oyster Melanotaenia maccullochi “Moa Australia with a very limited distribution Creek” Island” near Rockhampton. Looks a bit like the Over the years we had several Melanotaenia Not many people know that the islands of “Running River” rainbow, but the basic duboulayi varieties in the hobby, but so far the Torres Strait (a group of islands be- color is an iridescent green. It is something none of them lasted for long – maybe this tween Australia and New Guinea) host really different, very attractive and easy to one can. The basic color is a metallic green rainbowish species, provided the island is keep.

32 © IRG – Internationale Gesellschaft für Regenbogenfische e.V. www.irg-online.de/rfe ▲ Iriatherina werneri “Gulbuwangay River” ▲ Iriatherina werneri “ Myall Creek” ▲ Melanotaenia australis “Kambolgie Creek” (Photo: Dave Wilson) (Photo: Neil Armstrong) (Photo: Gunther Schmida) is the Iriatherina werneri variety with the with red lines between the scale rows. The part of the continental shelf (i.e. the top of highest amount of yellow in its ins. The yellow sides of the body are a distinctive a submerged mountain) and not of coral- collecting place is on Cape York, in the trait of this variety and set it apart from line origin. It was a lucky chance that an Embley River drainage near the city of any other Melanotaenia duboulayi that we Australian who has relatives on Moa Island Weipa. know. brought back some rainbowish specimens to the mainland a few years ago. Those Melanotaenia australis “Kambolgie Melanotaenia exquisita “Bindoola” were bred and offspring was distributed Creek” This is for the specialty keepers. Most by ANGFA members. Looks a bit like Fishes kept under this name in the European likely an undescribed species from the those from “Skull Creek”, but becomes aquarium hobby are not from Kambolgie Northern Territory, as DNA analysis indi- bigger. Creek. These falsely named ish are an aquar- cates that it is signiicantly different from Melanotaenia maccullochi “Skull ium strain of unknown origin and have the other Melanotaenia exquisita va- ▲ Melanotaenia duboulayi “ Oyster Creek” nothing to do with the true variety. Kambol- rieties. Bindoola Creek is a small tributary Creek” (Photo: Gunther Schmida) gie Creek is part of the Alligator River in the of the Pentecost River. A small and attrac- We have only a few of those left in the IRG Northern Territory. It has a tributary called tive species, but better suited for a single- and breeding rates are declining, therefore Ferny Creek. This is the only known loca- species tank. this is a chance for new blood. It is one of tion of the “real” ish. They grow big and the most beautiful M. maccullochi va- become huge, impressive animals with Melanotaenia gracilis rieties. blood-red tail ins and a rhomboid body New blood for the few breeders of this shape. small and slender rainbowish in the IRG. Melanotaenia spec.“Fletcher Creek” This rainbowish is a new discovery from Melanotaenia duboulayi “Oyster Melanotaenia maccullochi “Moa Australia with a very limited distribution Creek” Island” near Rockhampton. Looks a bit like the Over the years we had several Melanotaenia Not many people know that the islands of “Running River” rainbow, but the basic duboulayi varieties in the hobby, but so far the Torres Strait (a group of islands be- color is an iridescent green. It is something really different, very attractive and easy to none of them lasted for long – maybe this tween Australia and New Guinea) host ▲ Melanotaenia spec.“Fletcher Creek” one can. The basic color is a metallic green rainbowish species, provided the island is keep. (Photo: Gunther Schmida)

© IRG – Internationale Gesellschaft für Regenbogenfische e.V. www.irg-online.de/rfe 33 ▲ Melanotaenia spec.“Miskin Creek” ▲ Melanotaenia spec. “Running River” ▲ Melanotaenia spec. “Wallace Road” (Photo: Gunther Schmida) (Photo: Neil Armstrong) (Photo: Johannes Graf) Melanotaenia spec.“Miskin Creek” Melanotaenia spec. “Wallace Road” Melanotaenia splendida splendida This slender, mid-sized rainbowish comes At the ANGFA conference 2015, Keith “Mount Poverty” from Australia, from the Miskin Creek in Martin mentioned in his presentation on Among the varieties of Melanotaenia Pseudomugil gertrudae “Lockhart the South Johnstone River drainage close the rainbowishes of the Wet Tropics a new splendida splendida, this one is an outstand- River tributary” to the town of Malanda. It is not known ish he discovered in the Atherton Table- ing one. So far we thought that “Wallaby Two collectors of waterplants collecting in yet if it is an undescribed species. The basic lands. He called it “Platy Rainbowish” be- Creek” and “Deepwater Creek” were the the Lockhard River area (Cape York) saw color is a light blue, displaying or mating cause it has a kind of a similarity to the splendidas showing the most red. That is a few small ishes darting away in a tiny, males become darker. It is a very nice ish, well-known livebearer. In any case: small wrong. This new variety has dark red ins overgrown small creek. They managed to and gives good companions to Melanotaenia and red, that is always interesting. and a purple body color. Sadly no pictures catch ive or six ish. Those were bred and maccullochi, Pseudomugil signifer or M. It was not so easy to ind the place and so far, but this is a red ish! founded the breeding strain of this new eachamensis. it was even harder to collect the ish: very blue-eye. shy in the habitat and hard to catch. But Melanotaenia splendida splendida It is very small with only two centime- Melanotaenia spec.“Running River” in the aquarium, after a short time they “Tarzali” ters, with striking yellow body color and This is the endangered rainbowish from became very lively and attractive, always at Tarzali is a little village in the Atherton ine dots in the ins. This is without doubt the upper Burdekin River, now massively the front of the tank looking for food. Tablelands. A creek crosses the road just enrichment to the portfolio of small blue- under pressure due to introduced Melano- It is no Melanotaenia splendida, no M. ahead the village. There we found this nice eyes and ideal for nano-tanks. taenia splendida. Therefore, the University eachamensis, and pretty sure a new, unde- variety of Melanotaenia splendida splendi- of Canberra started a captive breeding pro- scribed species with a very limited distribu- da. Medium size, copper-orange color and Pseudomugil signifer “Hastings River” ject in order to preserve this species in the tion in the middle of farmland. The wide, long ins are the characteristics of this va- The southernmost place to ind Pseudomugil aquarium. I am very happy to have gotten lag-like dorsal in of the males is extra- riety. signifer is the Hastings River near Port some ishes from the original breeding ordinary. The middle rays are longer than Macquarie (New South Wales). This blue- stock of Bruce Hansen. They are now the the irst and last rays. This is very uncom- Melanotaenia utcheensis eye has a triangular yellow-white-black dor- basis for the breeding stock in Europe. mon in Australian rainbowishes. Most We have only a small stock in the IRG sal in. It is easy to keep and happy with One Euro per ish from the sales goes to likely it stays small, similar to a Melanotae- from this well-known species. Now this is cooler temperatures. A little addition of the project! nia maccullochi. the chance for fresh blood. salt is useful.

34 © IRG – Internationale Gesellschaft für Regenbogenfische e.V. www.irg-online.de/rfe ▲ Melanotaenia spec.“Running River” ▲ Melanotaenia spec. “Wallace Road” ▲ The new fish from Mount Poverty has much (Photo: Neil Armstrong) (Photo: Johannes Graf) darker red than the Melanotaenia splendida splendida “Wallaby Creek” pictured here. Melanotaenia spec.“Miskin Creek” Melanotaenia spec. “Wallace Road” Melanotaenia splendida splendida (Photo: Gunther Schmida) This slender, mid-sized rainbowish comes At the ANGFA conference 2015, Keith “Mount Poverty” from Australia, from the Miskin Creek in Martin mentioned in his presentation on Among the varieties of Melanotaenia Pseudomugil gertrudae “Lockhart the South Johnstone River drainage close the rainbowishes of the Wet Tropics a new splendida splendida, this one is an outstand- River tributary” to the town of Malanda. It is not known ish he discovered in the Atherton Table- ing one. So far we thought that “Wallaby Two collectors of waterplants collecting in yet if it is an undescribed species. The basic lands. He called it “Platy Rainbowish” be- Creek” and “Deepwater Creek” were the the Lockhard River area (Cape York) saw color is a light blue, displaying or mating cause it has a kind of a similarity to the splendidas showing the most red. That is a few small ishes darting away in a tiny, males become darker. It is a very nice ish, well-known livebearer. In any case: small wrong. This new variety has dark red ins overgrown small creek. They managed to and gives good companions to Melanotaenia and red, that is always interesting. and a purple body color. Sadly no pictures catch ive or six ish. Those were bred and maccullochi, Pseudomugil signifer or M. It was not so easy to ind the place and so far, but this is a red ish! founded the breeding strain of this new eachamensis. it was even harder to collect the ish: very blue-eye. shy in the habitat and hard to catch. But Melanotaenia splendida splendida It is very small with only two centime- Melanotaenia spec.“Running River” in the aquarium, after a short time they “Tarzali” ters, with striking yellow body color and This is the endangered rainbowish from became very lively and attractive, always at Tarzali is a little village in the Atherton ine dots in the ins. This is without doubt the upper Burdekin River, now massively the front of the tank looking for food. Tablelands. A creek crosses the road just enrichment to the portfolio of small blue- under pressure due to introduced Melano- It is no Melanotaenia splendida, no M. ahead the village. There we found this nice eyes and ideal for nano-tanks. taenia splendida. Therefore, the University eachamensis, and pretty sure a new, unde- variety of Melanotaenia splendida splendi- of Canberra started a captive breeding pro- scribed species with a very limited distribu- da. Medium size, copper-orange color and Pseudomugil signifer “Hastings River” ject in order to preserve this species in the tion in the middle of farmland. The wide, long ins are the characteristics of this va- The southernmost place to ind Pseudomugil aquarium. I am very happy to have gotten lag-like dorsal in of the males is extra- riety. signifer is the Hastings River near Port some ishes from the original breeding ordinary. The middle rays are longer than Macquarie (New South Wales). This blue- stock of Bruce Hansen. They are now the the irst and last rays. This is very uncom- Melanotaenia utcheensis eye has a triangular yellow-white-black dor- basis for the breeding stock in Europe. mon in Australian rainbowishes. Most We have only a small stock in the IRG sal in. It is easy to keep and happy with One Euro per ish from the sales goes to likely it stays small, similar to a Melanotae- from this well-known species. Now this is cooler temperatures. A little addition of the project! nia maccullochi. the chance for fresh blood. salt is useful.

Rhadinocentrus ornatus “Poona” ▲ Rhadinocentrus ornatus “Poona”; top: outstanding colored specimen (N. Armstrong); This new Rhadinocentrus is already called bottom: imported color form (G. Maebe) the native replacement for Melanotaenia praecox in Australia. The body of some outstanding specimen is metallic blue, the ins are red. This cannot be seen on the imported young ish, the second photo shows how the imported specimen typical- ly look like. In principle, Rhadinocentrus ornatus is better kept in a species tank for its own. It is easily suppressed in a community tank. Furthermore, in a species tank, fry come up without effort, which is ▲ Rhadinocentrus ornatus “Stradbroke Island” good, considering the short lifespan of (Photo: Gunther Schmida) Rhadinocentrus ornatus.

Rhadinocentrus ornatus “Stradbroke Island” Another new variety of Rhadinocentrus ornatus, with heavy dark markings on the sides and reddish ins.

Rhadinocentrus ornatus “Teewah Creek” A copper-red form of Rhadinocentrus or- ▲ Rhadinocentrus ornatus “ Teewah Creek” natus, with black edges on the ins. (Photo: Gunther Schmida)

36 © IRG – Internationale Gesellschaft für Regenbogenfische e.V. www.irg-online.de/rfe This paper has been published in:

Regenbogenfisch Jahrgang 31 Heft 1/2016 INHALT

4 Editorial 5 Haltung und Zucht: Ein Grundeljahr mit Chlamydogobius ranunculus Peter Warth 15 Schläfergrundeln: Tateurndina ocellicauda und Mogurnda cingulata Gunnar Loibl 21 Vorstellung: Der Running-River-Regenbogenfisch Peter Unmack & Michael Hammer 23 Haltung und Zucht: Zur Kärpflingsgrundel Hypseleotris cyprinoides Bernd Thierbach 26 Fotostory: Angeln im Sentanisee Gilbert Maebe 30 Wissenswert: Zwerge und Riesen im Grundelreich Dirk Godlinski & Gilbert Maebe 31 Importiert: Neue Fische aus Australien Johannes Graf 37 Über den Tellerrand: Schlammspringer Andreas Wagnitz 42 Impressum

= pdf-ile in English available for download on www.irg-online.de/rfe

Titelbild: Junge Zwergwüstengrundel Chlamydogobius ranunculus in der 1. Etage des „Unterwasser-Blätterhotels“. Foto: Peter Warth

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