From 'exiguus' meaning small.

Boulenger G.A. 1911.

Descriptions of New African Cyprinodont Fishes.

Ann. & Mag. Nat. History: series 2 (8) : pages 260-268.

4cm

• D = 8, A = 12, ll = 28 (Boulenger 1911)
• D = 8-10, A = 13-17, D/A = +7, ll = 27-30 (Radda & Pürzl 1987).

n = 18, A = 36 (Scheel 1968, 1974, 1990). n = 18-20 in some publications.

Kathetys

exiguum

• Haplochilus exiguus Boulenger 1911
• Panchax carnapi Ahl 1924
• Panchax exiguus Ahl 1924
• Panchax preussi Ahl 1924
• Panchax jaundensis Ahl 1924 (Ahl 1924 ?)
• Panchax loboanus Ahl 1924
• Panchax (Aphyosemion) jacobi Ahl 1928
• Panchax (Aphyosemion) loloensis Ahl 1928
• Panchax normani Ahl 1928
• Haplochilus carnapi Pellegrin 1929
• Panchax cameronensis (non Boulenger); Holly 1930
• Aphyosemion exiguum Myers 1933
• Epiplatys normani Myers 1933
• Aphyosemion preussi Scheel 1968
• Aphyosemion carnapi Scheel 1968
• Aphyosemion jaundensis Scheel 1968
• Aphyosemion loboanum Scheel 1968
• Aphyosemion normani Scheel 1968
• Aphyosemion jacobi Scheel 1968
• Aphyosemion loloense Scheel 1968
• Aphyosemion (Kathetys) exiguum Huber 1980

• Abong - Mbang GKC 90 / 14
• Abong - Mbang, Coffee Plantation
• Akono (Akona?)(Akolinga?)
• Awae
• Batchenga
• Bertoua (CXC 12)
• Djoum
• Ebolowa (southern Cameroon)
• Elom (southern Cameroon)
• Fegmimbang
• Lolodorf
• Mbalmayo (southern Cameroon)
• Mbamkomo
• Mbouam
• Melotabe
• Ndélélé (GKC 90 / 9, GKC 90 / 11)
• Ndokok
• Ngolmok
• N'golongok
• Ngongolo CGE 91 / 10
• Nloup
• Oman 2
• Ouvangoul (possible corrupion Ouvangou or vice versa)
• Sangmelima (southern Cameroon)
• Yaounde
• Zoatupsi
• Zoétélé
• Zouatopsi
• C93 / 10
• C93 / 13
• CCMP 85 / 16
• CGE 91 / 2
• CGE 91 / 5
• CGE 91 / 6
• CGE 91 / 7
• CGE 91 / 8
• CGE 91 / 10
• CGE 91 / 11
• CGE 91 / 14
• CGE 91 / 15
• CXC 7
• EMS 90 / 2
• GBHL 86 / 8
• GKC 90 / 12
• GKC 90 / 14
• GKCAR 90 / 3
• GKCAR 90 / 4
• GKCAR 90 / 8
• GKCAR 90 / 9
• PEG 94 / 23

Sangmelima - Towards the end of 1972 this population was donated to the BKA by Manchester killie keepers.
An aquarium strain circulating in the late 1960's was collected 30 km north of Sangmelima in 1966.

Nyong River, Southeastern Cameroon.

Southern Cameroon on the Inland Plateau, in the Boumba, Boumw, Dja, Lobo, Nyong & upper Sanaga River drainages. This range extends to the south into northern Congo, northern Gabon in the upper Ivindo basin & the southwestern Central African Republic.

Forested streams & pools in mainly stagnant, swampy areas. They prefer to inhabit clearings where vegetation overhangs the water banks. Scheel found them in Raffia swamps where there was only sufficient light to support the growth of algae. He measured the water at 0.1 - 1.5 German degrees hardness, pH 4.2 - 6.5.

Scheel reports in ROTOW 1 that he collected them with A.batesii during the dry season. A.exiguum was found to be breeding at this time.

Sympatric sp. include E.sangmelinensis, A.obscurum, A.batesii.

Biotope of A.exiguum & A.cameronense near Zoetele, Cameroon
Photo: Courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Discovered by G.L.Bates in the Nyong River (Cameroon). This single specimen was used to describe the species as Haplochilus exiguus by Boulenger in 1911.

Boulenger gives the following collectors / locations in his 1915 Catalogue.

• 1 (Type). Collected by G.L.Bates at the Nyong River.

In 1966 Scheel collected them in wooded areas of the inland plateau of eastern Cameroon.

Known to be in the BKA in December 1966. These were sent by Leif Christensen of Denmark & were breeding at one & a half inches. They were described as having a 'yellow body with a pattern of reds & browns'. Also came into the UK through the BKA Species Import Committee late 1968 & June 1974.

Collected by Roger Langdon north of Sangmelima (Cameroon) in 1971.

Rod Roberts along with 7 Austrians & a Frenchman collected in Cameroon in July 1983 (K/N 228). Rod's group also comprised Ed Pürzl & Hubert Peturka. A population was caught at Febmimbang. This population was distributed in the UK in limited numbers.

In January 1986 P.Wagner & R.Wendel found this species in Gabon for the first time.

History of the synonymous A.jacobi.

Jacob, in 1928, collected 4 specimens from the Lokundje River, Lolodorf, southern Cameroon. This locality is 440 metres above sea level. These were examined by Ahl & used to name the species Panchax jacobi.

History of the synonymous A.jaundensis.

Ahl described Panchax jaundensis in 1924 from a single female collected at Jaunde, east Cameroon. Holly studied the type material in 1930 & changed some of Ahl's data.

History of the synonymous Panchax loboanus.

Ahl, in 1924, used a single specimen collected by Schreiner at the upper reaches of the Lobo River, Sangmelima, southern Cameroon.

In 1930 Holly re-examined the type specimen & changed some of the meristic data given by Ahl.

History of the synonymous Panchax loloensis.

Jacobs caught 4 specimens at Lolodorf, eastern Cameroon which Ahl used in 1928 to describe the species. Lolodork can be found on the Lokundje River north of Kribi & south of the Nyong River. Lolodorf is 440 metres above sea level.

When first imported to the hobby very few pairs were available & these produced few fish for distribution. The advent of breeding this sp. in permanent setups however produced a greater number of fish for distribution.
Dutch breeders started breeding this sp. in tanks containing a mixture of tap & rainwater with a layer of boiled peat. Ceratopteris was added. Fry started to appear in 15 days. Parents did not harm the young.
It was noted that 'white mosquito larvae' (glass larvae?) should not be introduced to this setup as they will predate the young fry.

I have found this sp. a little more difficult to spawn & never had more than a few eggs. A dark tank should be used for breeding. Reports suggest that a water change using clean rain water has induced the fish to spawn, although they are not a prolific sp. Eggs are laid mainly in floating mops or vegetation & take 2-3 weeks to hatch. Water incubation is around 10-15 days. Parents are reportedly avid egg eaters (some reports state they are not, & fry go unmolested). Fry can be hard to rear & do best in water from the parents tank which is shallow (2-3"). Fry are small & do best on infusoria for a few days. Water changes should be carried out with extreme caution. Old water would seem to be the key to success with raising this sp. They seemed to dislike harder water of DH10+.

Fry are slow to mature & start to sex out in 3-4 months but full sexual maturity is not attained until they reach around 8 months..

In BKA newsletter No.70, June 1971 a dark breeding tank was used with a layer of peat on the base & floating plants. A handful of rotting sphragnum moss was also added. Water temperature 72-74° F, pH 6·6-6·8, DH 2-7. Collecting eggs from mops was not successful as they turned fungussed. It was found more successful to breed them in a natural setup & let fry hatch in the parents tank.

One report in BKA newsletter No.95, July 1973 by Dr.R.B.Ingersoll concerned the breeding of the Roger Langton collection of 1971 from north of Sangmelima. The brood fish were F2 generation. The fish were maintained in a bare 5 gallon (US) tank filtered with a corner box filter. Temperature was 21-23°C, pH 6·2-6·4, DH 2·5. The tank was kept dark with light excluded from the back & sides.
Light blue mops were used for spawning which were favoured over other colours tried. He found this sp. to be avid egg eaters & used mops with 3 times the number of strands. Mops were floating type but reached the tank base. Spawning was observed between 6.30 & 8.30 each evening & eggs were collected at 10.30 pm. Eggs were found all over the mop but a greater concentration ocurred at the top.
The parents were fed brine shrimp daily, tubifex every other day & fruit flies once a week, although these were generally ignored. Adult brine shrimp was also fed.
Eggs were collected & placed in petri dishes with water from the parents tank. Eggs were found to be quite fertile & acriflavine was added more out of habit than neccessity. Eggs were stored at 20-21°C for 2 weeks in a darkened area. It was observed that few eggs hatched in the shallow petri dishes but hatched OK in deeper containers. Embryos were found to die in the egg at 17-18 days when kept full term in shallow dishes.
The method used to force hatch the eggs in 14 days was to exhale into a vial containing the eggs & carry them around in your pocket for a few hours.
Fry were found to be border line for first foods & infusoria was used, although it was noted that 20% of the fry could take newly hatched brine shrimp. Fry were raised in shallow plastic trays with gentle aeration from an airstone. Ceratopteris (Indian Fern) was also added to this setup. A few snails were also added.
The young were found to be slow growing with sexing out being first observed in 3-4 months.

An article by J.Willerton in BKA newsletter No.113, January 1975 gave the following breeding information - Aged deionised water was used with the addition of similar water which had been standing over peat for some time. The mixed water turned to a 'weak tea' colour with a pH of 6·4-6·6, DH 1. The water temperature was 72-74°F. A handful of peat fibre was placed in at one end of the tank which the pair spawned in.
The pair were left in this set up for 20 days & then removed to another tank. Eggs hatched in the breeding tank after 3 weeks & were notably small & were fed infusoria for the first week graduating onto micro eel & micro worm for a further 3 weeks when grindal worm was introduced into the diet.
After 8 weeks of age the young fish were moved into a larger growing on tank with old water. He noted that this sp. does not like fresh, new water.
He observed that 5 eggs took 5 weeks to hatch & all these turned out to be females.
The breeding pair were fed solely on Daphnia & grindle worm.

A report by Ian Sainthouse in newsletter No.173, January 1980 gave the following information - The fish prefer to be in a quiet tank where they cannot see other fish in a neighbouring tank. Fish can be maintained at DH 6-8 but few eggs are laid. Spawning was induced by changing 30% of the water with cooler rainwater. Within 24 hours 10-15 eggs are usually collected. This number usually being layed for 2-3 days. After a week this number dropped to almost zero.
For spawning a floating mop was used which just touch the bottom of the tank. Eggs were always layed in the lower half of the mop ( about one inch from the bottom ) with a high proportion attached to the end of the strands.
Eggs were put into a seperate container with a little methylene blue. At a temperature of 73-75°F the eggs started to hatch out in 12 days. Infusoria was fed for the first couple of days. Growth rate was regarded as reasonable but not rapid. Young males were noted to be more blue on sexing out, later becoming greener.

This sp. seems to dislike fresh new water. Water changes should be gradual & with well aged water (rainwater would appear to be best with at least one third mixed with aged tap water). This is not surprising though given that they inhabit more stagnant areas of the rainforest.