JLW
CCA Members
We just brought in a great shipment of fish from Peru, with some really cool fish in it. I'm not gonna bury the lede here, so let's talk about the coolest fish, ever.
Moenkhausia agnesae is a rarely seen tetra, from the Rio Itaya. They're known as the "purple line tetra," but this name doesn't do them justice. They're a bigger tetra, getting to about 3", a bit smaller than a Congo characin. They're peaceful, plant safe, and schooling. They're hardy. They are something that just has to be seen to be believed. The body base colour is a deep purple, with lines of orange and red squiggling over it. This group is about 1" or so now.
They've been confused with, in the past, Moenkhausia simulata, the 'black line tetra.' This is a larger version of the same fish, but without colour. It gets to about 4-5", and is mostly a silver fish with black lines. They're super active, great dither fish for larger cichlids, and their pattern is really quite striking. I've found them to be a little bit more aggressive than Agnes, but not a terrible fish - maybe like a serpae tetra level (just in a bigger package). These guys are significantly larger, at about 2.5-3" right now.
Next up, we have some blue tetras. These aren't the blue tetras you're used to seeing, but Tyttocharax cochui. They're a more delicate looking, clear blue tetra that stays incredibly small, maxing out at about an inch. Definitely a nano fish. Aside from being a really beautiful little tetra, what's utterly awesome about them is that they practice internal fertilisation when spawning.
While on the subject of dwarf tetras, we got in a big batch of dwarf marbled hatchets. Great surface action, and in a nice, small package.
And, if you want something different, the Purple Pencilfish is a relatively new pencil that blows all the others out of the water. Nannostomus rubrocaudatus is rarely seen, since N. mortenthaleri gets all the fame. I don't know why -- I think rubrocaudatus is the prettier one, with deeper red, leaning to purple, and a lot more of it. They're also less aggressive than the nasty Mortenthaleri -- though that's a low bar.
And, last but not least, we brought in two really cool knife fish. Steatogenys elegans is one of the cool "thermometer" knifefish, which is relatively peaceful, doesn't get big, and actually shoals in the aquarium. Great barred pattern, lots of personality, and usually very hardy. Adontosternarchus clarkae is a ghost knife, similar to the black ghost, but with a way cooler pattern. They're peaceful, but shouldn't be kept with other knifefish, mormyrids, or other electric fish.
Fish are available for pickup only until it cools down in Silver Spring, 20904.
Agnes' Purple Stripe Tetra (Moenkhausia agnesae) -- $9.99, 6+ @ $8.99
Black Line Moenkhausia (False Agnes) -- $12.99, 6+ @ $9.99
Blue Tyttocharax Cochui (TINY) -- $4.99, 6+ @ $3.99
Dwarf Marble Hatchet -- $4.99, 6+ @ $3.99
Purple Pencil (Rubrocaudalis, not Mortenthaleri, the cool one) -- $19.99, 6+ @ $14.99
Adontosternarchus Knife -- $29.99
Steatogenys elegans Knife -- $24.99
Moenkhausia agnesae is a rarely seen tetra, from the Rio Itaya. They're known as the "purple line tetra," but this name doesn't do them justice. They're a bigger tetra, getting to about 3", a bit smaller than a Congo characin. They're peaceful, plant safe, and schooling. They're hardy. They are something that just has to be seen to be believed. The body base colour is a deep purple, with lines of orange and red squiggling over it. This group is about 1" or so now.
They've been confused with, in the past, Moenkhausia simulata, the 'black line tetra.' This is a larger version of the same fish, but without colour. It gets to about 4-5", and is mostly a silver fish with black lines. They're super active, great dither fish for larger cichlids, and their pattern is really quite striking. I've found them to be a little bit more aggressive than Agnes, but not a terrible fish - maybe like a serpae tetra level (just in a bigger package). These guys are significantly larger, at about 2.5-3" right now.
Next up, we have some blue tetras. These aren't the blue tetras you're used to seeing, but Tyttocharax cochui. They're a more delicate looking, clear blue tetra that stays incredibly small, maxing out at about an inch. Definitely a nano fish. Aside from being a really beautiful little tetra, what's utterly awesome about them is that they practice internal fertilisation when spawning.
While on the subject of dwarf tetras, we got in a big batch of dwarf marbled hatchets. Great surface action, and in a nice, small package.
And, if you want something different, the Purple Pencilfish is a relatively new pencil that blows all the others out of the water. Nannostomus rubrocaudatus is rarely seen, since N. mortenthaleri gets all the fame. I don't know why -- I think rubrocaudatus is the prettier one, with deeper red, leaning to purple, and a lot more of it. They're also less aggressive than the nasty Mortenthaleri -- though that's a low bar.
And, last but not least, we brought in two really cool knife fish. Steatogenys elegans is one of the cool "thermometer" knifefish, which is relatively peaceful, doesn't get big, and actually shoals in the aquarium. Great barred pattern, lots of personality, and usually very hardy. Adontosternarchus clarkae is a ghost knife, similar to the black ghost, but with a way cooler pattern. They're peaceful, but shouldn't be kept with other knifefish, mormyrids, or other electric fish.
Fish are available for pickup only until it cools down in Silver Spring, 20904.
Agnes' Purple Stripe Tetra (Moenkhausia agnesae) -- $9.99, 6+ @ $8.99
Black Line Moenkhausia (False Agnes) -- $12.99, 6+ @ $9.99
Blue Tyttocharax Cochui (TINY) -- $4.99, 6+ @ $3.99
Dwarf Marble Hatchet -- $4.99, 6+ @ $3.99
Purple Pencil (Rubrocaudalis, not Mortenthaleri, the cool one) -- $19.99, 6+ @ $14.99
Adontosternarchus Knife -- $29.99
Steatogenys elegans Knife -- $24.99
