HI,
I just got 2 pairs of a killifish I never thought I'd see again. It is now known as Scriptoaphyosemion liberiensis but was once a separate species from liberiensis known as "Roloffia calabarica". A scientist in the 1960's lumped the 2 species together although many feel they are 2 different species -- I am one of those. Anyway, this fish was collected from an unknown location (probably Liberia or Sierre Leone) by a German sailor in 1935 and brought to Germany. They managed to survive WWII -- INCREDIBLY -- in Germany and made it to the USA in the late 1940's. They were uncommon but kept by killie fanciers until the early 1980's when they were thought lost to the hobby -- partly due to the scientist who lumped them with other liberiensis types. Friends and I were discussing this lost gem a few years ago when I got an email from a San Francisco hobbyist with a picture. There was the lost "calabarica"!!! He had it. It seems while it had disappeared in the USA and Europe a few guys in Frisco had managed to keep it going without realizing it was "calabarica". The Fricso strain came from Herr Roloff himself, a famous German killifish aquarist who had kept the fish from 1935 until 1969 when he brought it to a friend in California. So, we now have the rare old species slowly circulating through the hobby again and they are direct descendents from the one and only importation of 1935. Imagine that this fish has survived on one importation, inbreeding and war and is still going strong 65 years later. I love it.
"Calabarica" is a slim species about 2 inches long with the males having a deep rich blue green body covered with ruby red blotches, spots and stripesand with a caudal fin edged with canary yellow on the top and bottom. The female is tan with lots of brown marks all over the body and a neat little small round spot where the top of the caudal fin meets the body.
I hope I can breed them. They will ahve a 30 gallon tank to themselves full of plants and soft acid water. They fry should be ok with the adults. I hope to do my part in redistributing this gorgeous little legendary gem.
Bobby
I just got 2 pairs of a killifish I never thought I'd see again. It is now known as Scriptoaphyosemion liberiensis but was once a separate species from liberiensis known as "Roloffia calabarica". A scientist in the 1960's lumped the 2 species together although many feel they are 2 different species -- I am one of those. Anyway, this fish was collected from an unknown location (probably Liberia or Sierre Leone) by a German sailor in 1935 and brought to Germany. They managed to survive WWII -- INCREDIBLY -- in Germany and made it to the USA in the late 1940's. They were uncommon but kept by killie fanciers until the early 1980's when they were thought lost to the hobby -- partly due to the scientist who lumped them with other liberiensis types. Friends and I were discussing this lost gem a few years ago when I got an email from a San Francisco hobbyist with a picture. There was the lost "calabarica"!!! He had it. It seems while it had disappeared in the USA and Europe a few guys in Frisco had managed to keep it going without realizing it was "calabarica". The Fricso strain came from Herr Roloff himself, a famous German killifish aquarist who had kept the fish from 1935 until 1969 when he brought it to a friend in California. So, we now have the rare old species slowly circulating through the hobby again and they are direct descendents from the one and only importation of 1935. Imagine that this fish has survived on one importation, inbreeding and war and is still going strong 65 years later. I love it.
"Calabarica" is a slim species about 2 inches long with the males having a deep rich blue green body covered with ruby red blotches, spots and stripesand with a caudal fin edged with canary yellow on the top and bottom. The female is tan with lots of brown marks all over the body and a neat little small round spot where the top of the caudal fin meets the body.
I hope I can breed them. They will ahve a 30 gallon tank to themselves full of plants and soft acid water. They fry should be ok with the adults. I hope to do my part in redistributing this gorgeous little legendary gem.
Bobby
