Pterophyllum scalare „Rio Japurá“
The angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) comes in a number of variants, about which there is a lot of literature available in our country. Besides the common angelfish available on our market, where a rather larger body and short fins dominate, with the overall height not exceeding 15 cm in adulthood, there are angelfish that reach a height almost like that of the altum angelfish (Pterophyllum altum). These are mainly P. scalare "Manacapurú", P. scalare "Santa Isabel" and recently also P. scalare "Rio Japurá". All these last mentioned variants (or even new species??) have a typical red colour in the dorsal area. This is also typical for other fish living in blackwater, such as discus and other species.
Homeland
The Rio Japurá is a left-bank tributary of the Amazon. It rises in the Andes, where it flows through Colombia as the Rio Caquetá, as it is called in Spanish. After almost 1400 km it crosses the border with Brazil, where it flows into the Rio Solimões under the Portuguese name Rio Japurá after almost 2820 km. Here, at the confluence, it forms one of the largest wetlands in the Amazon basin. It is the fifth longest tributary of the Amazon. In the basin of this river there are 7 Colombian and one Brazilian administrative districts. The river flows for the most part through the territory of drug lords or guerrillas and is therefore difficult for researchers to access. However, scientists from the Colombian foundation Tropendos have managed to get into this part and thus collect enough information and knowledge about the local ecosystem.
The Rio Caquetá-Japurá is a river with cloudy water coloured by sediments from the Andes. However, it also has some tributaries with clear and black water, which rise in the lowlands. For example, one of the largest tributaries, the Apaporis, which flows into the main stream on the Colombian-Brazilian border, has black water. In its course in the middle reaches, it also has a number of beautiful waterfalls and rapids. It drains water from an area of about 280,000 km². It flows through 7 Colombian provinces before it reaches Brazilian territory. The average annual fluctuation of the river level is about 9 metres. This figure was measured in Araracuará on the middle reaches of the Caquetá River. But in the area where gorges occur, fluctuations of up to 17 metres have been found.
The annual fluctuation of the water level of the lower reaches of the Japurá River is controlled by the confluence with the Solimões River and averages 10 metres. The area is sparsely populated. Florencia, with about 100,000 inhabitants, is the most populous place in the valley. It is also the capital of the Caquetá region. Araracuará, a town of 30,000 inhabitants, is the main centre on the middle reaches of the Caquetá River. There is a daily air link to Bogotá. Most of the population then lives in the foothills around the road connecting the towns of Mocoa and Florencia. This is the area where most coca is grown.
Characteristics
Angelfish are majestic fish and above all cichlids. Their life is a struggle. A struggle for food in the first place, a struggle for a mate and a struggle for a spawning site. The fish we are describing reach a height of up to about 28 cm, but are somewhat more slender in body than the altum angelfish, P. altum. They are also more robust in keeping, and breeding is also easier. Therefore, they can easily serve aquarists to gain their first experience with large angelfish. They are also very territorial fish, and to mitigate intraspecific aggression it is good to keep discus of the genus Symphysodon and peaceful cichlids of the genus Mesonauta in their presence.
Aquarium
As already mentioned, the Czech aquarist is used to angelfish that have been repeatedly bred in our country for decades and no longer resemble their ancestors, which were brought to Europe at the beginning of the last century. To allow the angelfish to grow sufficiently, we need to use a tall tank. For our latest 3 new additions at least 60 cm, as is the case with P. altum. Ideal are more robust and tall plants, soft to medium hard water, pH around neutral and just below. Temperature 26-28 °C, good filtration and regular water changes.
Food
Angelfish are hunters, ideal are small fish, especially if we have a breeding of guppies or other livebearers at home. If this is not the case, we use bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp, larger plankton. In case of need, frozen, flake or granulated food.
Breeding
Spawning occurs in adult fish, and at an older age than in the common Amazonian angelfish found in Europe. We see the first beginnings, with good care, usually at the age of around 18 months and later. The basic instinct of these fish is to protect their clutch from enemies when spawning. Breeding is similar to other Amazonian angelfish, only we use a large spawning tank, at least 100-200 l in volume. Care of the eggs, larvae and young fish is carried out by both parents quite intensively.
Pictures:
- Male Pterophyllum scalare Rio Japurá at the beginning of spawning.
- At the beginning of spawning, the angelfish occupy their territory.
- The rearing of the young is identical to other angelfish.
- The body shape and finnage of the young in the "Rio Japurá" variant is typical of the species P. scalare.
- Very rarely, albino variants of P. scalare "Rio Japurá" can also be seen.
- The Rio Caquetá/Japurá (Goulding, M. et al., 2003) is a left-bank tributary of the Amazon. It rises in the Andes, flows first through Colombia. After almost 1400 km it crosses the border with Brazil, where it flows into the Rio Solimões under the Portuguese name Rio Japurá after almost 2820 km.
