These fish are similar to Aequidens and they have been placed there in the genus Aequidens before. But when Kullander did his revision of Cichlasoma in 1983, he placed these fish in "'Aequidens' guianensis group".

In the first glance you would guess this is an Aequidens, and in most books you find the fish under Aequidens. Only new books if they are updated have the correct name. If you ask some about Krobia, they would probably look surprised, because they don't know what you are talking about. So far you won't find many of these fish in stores either, the one that have been common on the market is the one we have called 'Aequidens' guianensis, and we have also called the fish 'Aequidens' itanyi, but this is not correct.

I learned that when I was visiting Dr. Kullander at the Nat. Hist. Mus. in Stockholm. He showed me a lot of different jar with preserved fish, and he said here is 'Aequidens' guianensis, here is more and here is 'Aequidens' itanyi. I said, waite a minut, I thought that the name itanyi was not valid any longer? He said, but this is the correct 'Aequidens' itanyi, and at that time we was discussing this, he said that we have probably never had the real 'Aequidens' itanyi in our tanks.

I could at first glance not see any differences when I compare two jar, one with 'Aequidens' guianensis and one with what Dr Kullander told me was 'Aequidens' itanyi, but then he told me the differences I could easily see. There was of course other differences too, but this difference, I, as an amateur, could easily see.

So now you are curious to hear what this difference is? Well, when you know it, it's quite easy. The stripe or band that the fish has along the side of the body, goes from just behind the eye and goes to the end of the dorsal fin (look at photo). On Krobia itanyi the band start just behind the eye, but does not reach longer than to the "shoulder spot", it does not goes all the way to the end of the dorsal.

Krobia guianensis, a pair guarding eggs. Photo: Alf Stalsberg.

Krobia guianensis is not difficult to keep, they spawn easy if the condition is right. In my tanks they have been laying eggs like substrat brooders. I have heard, that they should lay eggs on leaves like the Bujurquina do, but I have not got this confirmed. I will when I get the fish back, try to get this confirmed.

I have been planning a trip to Surinam in September/October this year (1998) and I hope I will be able to study the fish in their natural environment. In aquarium they behave just like Aequidens they to not dig much, eat almost everything, and are very fond of earth worms, they eat so much, they can hardly move, they lay on the bottom. But, if you put in another earth worm, they will try to get that one too. The fish has been sold under many names, but I prefer to use the scientific name if I know it. The tradenames are usually very confusing.

Here is from a biotope in Surinam where we collect several fish and also Krobia guianensis, close to the road between Paramaribo and Zanderij the airport. And while we would like to have the fish in aquarium, others prefer them as food.

Here are some photos of Krobia guianensis and the biotope on the right side of the road from Zanderij airport and in to the capital city Paramaribo.

One rather new and undescribed Krobia is Krobia sp. xinguensis, I saw it live some years ago and thought it was a new Aequidens, but they say that the name of the fish was Krobia and that it came from Brazil.

It a nice fish and it's not difficult to keep, a temperature around 25 or a little more, eat everything you give to him, also easy to breed, and lay eggs on a flat stone. It might also spawn on dead leaves like the Bujurquina do, but I've so far not tried that.

You can feed the fry with newly hatched artemia as first food and you can see that the bellies get red, so you can easily see that the fry eat. They can go in a community tank or a special tank together with fish with the same temperament or size. They don't destroy plants, but of course fish that is small enough to eat, will probably end up as food.

Maybe not the strongest color fish, but when it's in good mood, you can see the color the fish has on the cheek, this color can vary, between orange to red. Nice fish, don't you think so too?

Krobia sp. xinguensis.

Well this was a little information about the genus Krobia, there is so far not many in this genus, but if you are interesting in more information, and correct information, I will advise you to get Dr Kullander & Dr Nijssens book. Here follow the whole name on the book; THE CICHLIDS OF SURINAM, by Dr Sven O. Kullander & Dr Han Nijssen. Printed in Leiden, Holland by E. J. Brill. ISBN 90 04 09077 0

Let's also hope that the Krobia sp. xinguensis soon will be described too.