Epiplatys roloffi Romand 1978

E.roloffi Salayea, Liberia. Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Meaning of Name

After Erhard Roloff, German aquarist.
First Description

Romand R. 1978.

Zum Thema Epiplatys olbrechtsi Poll 1941; zugleich eine vorläufige Beschreibung von Epiplatys roloffi spec. nov. aus Salayea.

DATZ 31 (11): p 368-370, 3 figures.
Size

8 cm
Meristics
  • D = 11-13, A = 16-17, ll = 32-34 (Romand 1978)(Original description)
  • D = 11-13, A = 15-18, ll = 31-33 (Romand 1978)(Revue de Zoologie Africaine 92 (4) p 976-984)
  • D = 11-13, A = 15-18, D/A = +8-10 (Romand 1992)
Karyotype

 
Sub-Genus

Epiplatys
Group

fasciolatus
Synonyms
  • Epiplatys olbrechtsi (non Poll 1941) Roloff 1976
  • Epiplatys species 'Braunrot' Berkenkamp & Etzel 1978
  • Aplocheilus roloffi Scheel 1990
Populations
  • Kolahun
  • Macenta
  • Salayea (northern Liberia)
  • Voinjama

Photo taken in the early 1980's
Type Locality

Salayea.
Distribution

The upper Lofa & upper Saint Paul River systems of northwestern Liberia & into southeastern Guinea.

http://homepage.uibk.ac.at/homepage/c102/c102mr/epiplaty/roloffi.htm
Habitat

Small streams, brooks & swamps.
Distinguishing Characteristics Easily distinguished from others of the genus by it's chocolate / brown colouration.
Colour/Pattern Variability  
History

Collected by Roloff in 1971 at Salayeo, Liberia. At first this was thought to be olbrechtsi. Romand described this sp. as roloffi in 1978.
Breeding Notes

A fairly easy species to breed, although my first pair proved hard to breed. This undoubtedly being due to harder water. When I tried another pair in later years in rainwater I had plenty of eggs. The tank was on the top row of my fish house which received natural daylight. I also added a little salt to the water.

Eggs are laid in top mops & I incubated them seperately which took about 14 days. Newly hatched fry can take newly hatched brine shrimp. Growth is slow though & sexual maturity can take up to 9 months.
Diameter of Egg 1·5 mm
Remarks