Sky blue colouration of body.

Huber J.H & Radda A.C. 1977.

Cyprinodontiden Studien in Gabun IV Das du Chaillu Massif.

Aquaria 24 : 99-110 (100-102 ?).

4 - 4·5cm (Radda & Pürzl 1987)

D = 11-12, A =14-15, D/A = +7-8, ll = 29-31.

• n = 16, A = 18. (Moanda (& Malinga ?) populations Huber/Scheel 1980)
• n = 15, A = 18, (Titi population)

Mesoaphyosemion

A.coeleste

• Haplochilus cameronensis non Boulenger 1903; Pellegrin 1930

• Kounda
• Malinga
• Massango (southern Gabon)
• Mayala
• Mbinda - south
• Moanda
• Mounana
• G16 / 76
• GBG 93 / 2 ( affinis?)
• GEB 94 / 18
• GHP 80 / 3
• GJS 00 / 14
• JH 159 ( Mbinda )
• JH 160 Mayoko )
• JH 162 ( Louesse )
• JH 213 (Malinga)
• JH 215 ( Moungoundou )
• RPC 5 ( Titi )
• RPC 8 ( Leboumbou )
• RPC 9 ( Oubouesse )
• RPC 10 ( Vouka )
• RPC 11 ( Mayome )
• RPC 12 ( Moungoundou )
• RPC 13 ( Ndengue )
• RPC 14 ( Ndengue )
• RPC 15 ( Mayala )
• RPC 16 ( Mambengue )
• RPC 17 ( Ngamaka )

RPC 5 - Imported by the BKA Species Import Committee & distributed in February 1980. This population was still in circulation in the UK in 2006 as lots were enterred in the Midland Charity auction.
RPC 15 - A small rainforest stream on the road from Moanda to Mouna near Massango. Height above sea level at this point is 400 metres.

• Mounana http://www.nakashima.org/ga_coe_mo.htm Japan Gallery
• GEB 94 / 18 http://www.nakashima.org/gaphyosemion_celiae.htm Japan Gallery

A brook situated close to Massango, 13 km north west of Moanda on the road to Lastoursville, south east Gabon. This is in the Lekedi system which drains into the upper Ogooue drainage system. G16 / 76.

This sp. has a fairly large distribution area covering southern Gabon & south western Congo. Inhabits the eastern slopes of the Do Chaillu massif & the Louesse River drainage of southern Congo.

Biotope near to Moanda. Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Found in small forest rivers where the water flows slowly or forms swampy areas. A.coeleste have been caught under grassy overhangs at the waters edge. Water quality at the Mbinda location measured pH 6.5, DH 1, water temperature 18·9°C at 1000 hrs. Altitude 400 metres.
Other biotopes have been measured at pH 5. Water temperature has been observed as being between 18-19°C with a drop recorded at 17°C & a rise recorded at 21°C. These temperatures relate to dry season recordings (June - August). BKA kilinews 276, August 1988, Pürzl & Wachters.

Measurements taken at an unknown location where this sp. was found on the 7th of August 1976 gave a width of biotope as 1 - 4 metres & depth as 10 - 40 cm.

Sympatric sp. included Aphyosemion thysi, Procatopus cf. calindae., Barbus camptacanthus, B.trispilomimus & other Barbus sp., Ctenopoma nanum & Hymenochirus sp. (?)..

This sp. is quite variable in colouration with the Mayala population being perhaps the most strikingly coloured with wide marginal & sub-marginal bands.

The population from Mbinda differs greatly in that the flanks are relatively un-marked & the sub-marginal band is considerably thinner.

The closest relatives of A.coeleste are A.citrinipinnis (which is relatively un-marked apart from a thin band in the anal fin) & A.ocellatum which is easily seperated by the ocellus or spot behind the gill plates. This is absent in A.coeleste.

First discovered by J.H.Huber & A.C.Radda close to Moanda in August 1976. It was later re-discovered in 1978 in various localities in a large area of western Congo towards Titi. J.Buytaert & W.Wachters found them in 1976 in the Louesse River basin from Mossendjo to Makabana. In 1979 J.H.Huber brought a population back from Malinga in southern Gabon. This location was called JH 213.

Purzl & Hofmann also caught this sp. in 1980 at a location called G15 which is situated at Moanda, Gabon.

Not a prolific spawner. Best kept in cooler water (19 - 21'C). Eggs are fairly large & are usually found near the surface in floating mops & vegetation. Incubation in water takes 2 - 3 weeks but experiments with semi-dry storing have also shown limited success (probably no more than 3 weeks).

Food for the fry should be newly hatched brine shrimp & microworm but I always prefer to start them on infusoria for the first few days.

Growth rate is fairly slow with the first colours showing through after 3 months & maturity occurring at 6 months. The first signs of males is a red sub-marginal band which appears on the un-paired fins.

Young fish are reported not to breed until they reach 6 months of age.

A letter accompanying fish sent to me in the early '80's said they had been bred in pH 7.0. Brown mops were used. Eggs layed before the parents reached 6 months of age were infertile.

Pürzl & Wachters in BKA Killinews 276 give this account of spawning where they considered water changes with sudden changes to water quality to cause a failure to spawn, hunger strikes, shyness & a lack of colouration.
They considered a water change monthly to be adequate.
The spawning tank consisted of a base of peat with peat fibre in clumps to serve as spawning media. Dried Banana leaf or Oak leaves are also added for cover.
Water temperature was maintained at 19-20°C with a pH 0f 6.
Fish should only be fed every second day on live foods as they tend to gorge themselves. Bloodworms should be fed sparingly it was observed.
Fry appeared in 2-3 weeks & newly hatched brine shrimp was fed sparingly. These fry are usually not harmed by the parents.
As the fry grew, sieved Cyclops & Daphnia were added but the brine shrimp feed was also maintained.
After 6 weeks care should be excercised as these young fish will tend to eat new born fry.
It was noted that fish grew faster in soft water although no harm was done in harder water they took longer to grow on. Salt was added to reduce the risk of velvet.
Sexes should be kept seperate as soon as they start to show.
It was felt that although the fish grow quickly it was a good idea to wait until the young reached an age of 8 months before trying to breed them.
The authors recommended breeding this sp. in the summer months when live food was plentiful.

Norbert Dadaniak in BKA newsletter No. 300, Sept. 1990 reported putting these eggs on damp peat fibre. Eggs hatched in 12-18 days. Water was added to the fibre when the eyes were visible.. Within a few hours most of the eggs hatched. After 14 days mosquito egg rafts were floated on the tank. These hatch small enough for the fry to take. Males were found to colour up quickly & at the size of 2 cm full colours were observed.

According to letters I received long ago this sp. goes through resting periods where no eggs are layed.

The population from Titi seems to be the most often seen in the UK, right back to it's first introduction. Auctions in the UK (1999/2000) still come up with a pair or two.