These fish are similar to Aequidens and they have been placed there 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 a 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 ta nks.

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 the 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 Aequidensthey 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 knows i t. The tradenames is usually very confusing.

Well this was a little information about the genus Krobia 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