The Genus Laetacara was created by Dr. Sven O. Kullander at the Swedish Museum of the Natural History in 1986. In his revision of the Genus Cichlasoma in 1983 he placed these fishes in "Aequidens" dorsiger group. There is at least two undescribed species belonging to the Genus Laetacara , but Dr. Kullander is referring to three species. The two known in hobby Laetacara sp. is Laetacara sp. "Buckelkopf" and Laetacara sp. "Orangeflossen" and it was Ingo Koslowski in Gelsenkirchen, Germany who gave these two their name. Erik Åhlander at the Swedish Museum of Natural History has been working with the Laetacara sp. "Orangeflossen" for many years. Not continuous, but to and fro. And I have been waiting for a name on this fish for years. Dr. Kullander refer to a paper in his book in 1986, that Laetacara will be dealt with more extensively by Åhlander & Kullander but, so far nothing has been published.

I collected Laetacara sp. "Orangeflossen" in Colombia in 1991 and in 1993 in the Province Guainia out in Puerto Inirida. One of the places was in Rio Atabapo, another place was in Caño Caiman and the third place was in a very small lake south of the town Puerto Inirida. And the lake was called Lagona Coco. The property where the lake was on was owned by an old lady, but she gave us permission to visit the lake and collect fish there.

Well there have happen something since last, and that is that the fish we for many years have called Laetacara sp. Orangeflossen has finally been described.

Laetacara, Kullander, 1986

• Laetacara curviceps, ( Ahl, 1924 )
• Laetacara dorsigera ( Heckel 1840 )
• Laetacara flavilabris ( Cope 1870 )
• Laetacara thayeri (Steindachner 1875)
• Laetacara sp. "Buckelkopf"
• Laetacara fulvipinnis ("Orangeflossen")

Laetacara curviceps is probably still better known as "Aequidens" curviceps. It will take some time before people will get used to the new name. Personally I think that the new name should be well known. After all it's ten years since the new Genus was created. This fish has been one of the most popular cichlids among aquarist. Easy to keep and breed, did not harm other fish, and has been available in the hobby most of the time. There have been written articles pages up and pages down, about the fish, so there is no need for me to tell you more about the fish. You will find it in allmost all books about aquarium fish.

A pair of Laetacara dorsigera with egg. Photo A. Stalsberg

This Laetacara dorsigera have been one of the most common Laetacara seen in Aquarium shop and in aquarist aquarium in these last few years. It's a very nice fish, don't harm any other fish, don't dig up plants and so on. No wonder why this fish has gain such popularity. When this fish showed up in the hobby, it was some few among many Laetacara curviceps. So in the beginning no one could tell exact where the fish was collect, but aquarist went out there and made collections, so now we all know from where the fish is comming.

A pair of Laetacara flavilabris with fry. Photo A. Stalsberg.

When I first came in contact with this fish, it was through Dr Kullander, he had brought adult fish back from a collecting trip in Peru and they spawne in his tank.
He was kind enough to let me have some small fry, and I was able to feed the fish to some very nice adult fish. And the result is on the photo of the fish. The fish was very shy in the begining, and they got easily panic. But, that was more or less in the begining.The color on the fish outside mating is rather dull, but the lines around the mouth made Langhammer give the fish the name, "The smiling Acara". They don't seem to be bred much, you usually find them in shipment directly from Peru, if you have the chance to look at a shipment with fish from Peru, look for this fish, Laetacara flavilabris.

Laetacara thayeri. Photo Ingo Koslowski

The photo of this fish is taken by my friend Ingo Koslowski in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. I also got some of his Laetacara thayeri, but they was probably to old when I got the fish, so I never manage to bred the fish. Nor did I manage to take photo of the fish while I had them and I have never had the fish since then, and that was in 1985.

So I'm sorry that I can't give you any more information about the fish, since I've had no personal experience with the fish, but if you want scientific material about the fish. Then I will highly recommend Dr. Kullanders book "Cichlid fishes of the Amazon River drainage of Peru", from 1986.

A female of Laetacara sp. "Buckelkopf." Photo Alf Stalsberg

This small and lovely little fish deserve a larger distribution in the aquarium hobby, of course it has the same drawback as a lot of South American cichlids, they are rather dull in the colors while they are small. But, if you give them a chance, they will pay you back in full, nice colors, interesting behavior and a fish you can keep together with almost anything.

They are rather easy to breed, and the fry is very small, but if you have microworm and newly hatched Brine shrimp, there will be no problem. As all fish do, Laetacara also prefer clean clear water, and I change the water in my tanks half every week. By doing this, you will keep a good waterquality. Of course, I know that not all of you are having such water in your tap, that you can use directly in the tank as I do, but have to prepare the water first. But, do it, the fish will pay you back.

A male of Laetacara sp. "Buckelkopf." Photo Alf Stalsberg

This male of Laetacara sp. "Buckelkopf" is also good looking, and the name buckelkopf refer to the hump on the forehead, none of my fishes/males has got this hump (see photo of male), but it might come as they grow older or they are fed heavily, then they might develope a hump you can call as they do in German Buckelkopf.

Laetacara sp."Orangeflossen" Photo Alf Stalsberg

Laetacara fulvipinnis.

This is my last one in the Genus Laetacara and this is the one I have been waiting for a name in years. But I hope that Dr.Kullander and Erik Åhlander soon will publish the paper Dr. Kullander refer to in 1986 in his book "Cichlid fishes of the Amazon River drainage of Peru, on page 321.(See text on top of this page Genus Laetacara).

Well at last this fish has now got his name, after I have been waiting for it for a very long time, the name is Laetacara fulvipinnis it seem that Dr. Wolfgang Staeck and Dr. Ingo Schindler also thougt so. So at last, last year the published paper came and I'm very glad for that. If you want to read the whole description then here is the text. Description of Laetacara fulvipinnis sp. n. ( Teleostei: Perciformes: Cichlidae) from the upper drainages of the rio Orinoco and rio Negro in Venezuela. You can also download it from the net, www.vertebrate-zoology.de

So I hope this will satisfy you too.

Here we are in the biotope in Caño Caiman, and as you can see there are a lot of logs and branches in the water, this did not make it easier to collect fish.

The Laetacara fulvipinnis in daily colors in the aquarium.

Laetacara fulvipinnis is a calm and nice fish, maybe a little shy, but seen in breedings color is quite a different fish.

In the biotope there were also Dicrossus filamentosus and Apistogramma, Teras and other fish too. Later Dr Ingo Schindler and Dr Wolfgang Staeck described a new Dicrossus from these parts and that is Dicrossus gladicauda it was published in May 2008. You can download the description on www.vertebrate-zoology.de

Vertebrate Zoology 58 (1) 2008