Fundulopanchax deltaensis (Radda 1976)

Meaning of Name

Referring to the Niger Delta.

First Description

Radda A.C. 1976.
Neubeschreibung von Aphyosemion amieti nov.sp. aus Kamerun und Aphyosemion deltaense nov.spec. aus Nigeria.
Aquaria (St.Gallen 23: 51-60, 4 figures, 2 tabs.

Size

10 cm.

Meristics
  • D = 16, A = 18, D/A = 0, ll = 33 (Huber - Killidata online).
Karyotype

 

Sub-Genus

Gularopanchax

Group

 

Synonyms
  • Aphyosemion NSC - 7 Ingersoll 1975
  • Aphyosemion 'Liverpool' or 'Manchester' fallax (a BKA working name)
  • Aphyosemion 'Deltafish' (a working name suggested by Radda 1976)
  • Aphyosemion deltaense Radda 1976
  • Fundulopanchax gulare Parenti 1981
  • Fundulopanchax deltaensis Lazara 1984
  • Aphyosemion (Gularopanchax) deltaense Huber 1994
  • Giant filamentosum

Populations

  • Bolu-Angiama OJ0 3/9 &
    NG MM 14
  • Koloware ( CI 05 )
  • Odieke, Orashi River
  • Rumuokwuta, near Port Harcourt
  • Warri (deltaense form)
  • CI 05 (Import into the USA)
  • TAAG 2003 / 3

Wild male imported 2003 as deltaense. This shipment was in very poor shape.
Designated code TAAG 2003/3.
Photo courtesy of Alan Green

Same fish as that on left after fattening up. He still has a bent spine though.

Female deltaense wild fish imported in 2003. These were mixed with Fp.sjoestedti females.
Designated code TAAG 2003/3.
Photo courtesy of Alan Green

Male of form circulated as 'deltaensis'.
Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

Female of form circulated as 'deltaensis'.Photo courtesy of Ed Pürzl.

This fish circulated in the BKA early 1980's as A.deltaense.

Photo courtesy of Bob Tucker

NSC 7. Taken in 1975 by Mel Addicott. BKA photo.

 

Bolouangiama NG MM 14 - This was coded NG MM 14 which stands for Nigeria -Macowiak & Mazzola 2014. From the rich swamp lands of Bolouangiama Town in present day Bayelsa State, near Port Harcourt City in the extensive Niger-Delta swamp forests. Collected by Mr. James Ororokuma & imported into the USA as part of a commercial shipment in 2014.
The Fp.deltaense were very variable in this shipment. Two examples are shown below to illustrate this.

Bolouangiama NG MM 14
Photo courtesy of Tony Terceira

Koloware CI 05 -

Wild male imported into the USA 2005 collected at Koloware.
Photo courtesy of Tony Terceira.

Odieke - Orashi River, southern Nigeria. Collected by Uyi & Otufu in 1991.

Rumuokwuta - Near Port Harcourt. Collected by Powell in 1980.

Yellow gularis - Described by Arnold in 1934. A broad median line extending into the caudal fin. Irregularly spotted rounded dorsal fin. Anal fin rounded with irregularly spotted with a broad red submargin. Caudal trilobate with bands of contrasting colours. Pectoral fins pointed.

Type Locality

Approx. 200 yards south of the Sapele - Benin to Warri road, western Niger Delta.

Distribution

Restricted to the western Niger Delta area.

Habitat

Coastal lowlands. They inhabit temporary pools with stagnant water over dark substrate of decaying leaves & bottom mulm. Water depth has been recorded at 30 cm, water temperature 20-30°C. Known to eat ants & other insect sp.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Only really confused with Fp.gularis. This sp. has a more randomly spread distribution of red spots on the sides whereas deltaensis has a more solid line sometimes shown as a row of red spots.
Also, the anal fin in deltaense is clear (usually very pale blue) whereas in gularis a line of red can be seen.
A recent (2003) shipment caused us to look closer at the females, as sjoestedti & deltaensis females arrived in the same bag. Seperating these proved relatively easy as sjoestedti females have feint vertical markings on the rear part of the body with a line of red or dark spots just above the body on the dorsal fin.
deltaensis females by comparison have spots on the body which can form 2 (or more) distinct lines horizontally through the body.

Fp.fallax is another sp. often confused & indeed may be involved with historic descriptions. Easily seperated from fallax - deltaensis is a more chunky looking fish with a more flared caudal fin. Also has a line running horizontally through the body whereas fallax has a series of spots.

Colour/Pattern Variability Relatively low given the distribution area.
History

Originally found in a commercial import. They are regarded to have been collected in the Sapele - Warri area of Nigeria.
At the turn of the century an import into Germany was thought to contain Fp.deltaensis. These fish were referred to as 'yellow' gulare although they were imported as arnoldi.
They are reported to have arrived in the UK through a schoolboy who, on his return from Nigeria sold them to a local fish wholesaler. This is the origin of the names 'Liverpool & Manchester' fallax. J.Jeremy (BKA) bought some & they were distributed.
Dr. Ingersol gave Dr.A.C.Radda eggs of Fp.deltaensis at the 1974 AKA convention. This sp. was then referred to as A.fallax & NSC 7 in the USA. The name 'Deltafish was reportedly first used by Radda.

Breeding Notes

Geoff Wood gave a breeding report of deltaense in BKA newsletter No.141, May 1977. He found egg output was quite low when compared to sjoestedti. Most eggs were laid in large clumps of peat fibre but occaisionally a few eggs were found in a floating mop. Collected eggs were stored in damp peat moss for 3 months at about 72°F.
Fry on hatching are quite large & able to take newly hatched brine shrimp. Growth rate was rapid with three quarters to an inch being attained in a little over a month. He recorded that the young fish fed heavily & as a consequense regular water changes were a must. Also, when the fish get to about 1" they start to fight amongst each other causing fatalities. When transferred to larger tanks this eased the problem.
He noted that fish below the age of 5-6 months produce very few fertile eggs.

First signs of sexing I noticed around 2·5 cm with a dark horizontal line gradually becoming darker. This showed males coming through. At this stage these individuals would become decidedly more aggressive.

Jaroslav Kadlec reported that young fry did not like a drop in temperature. Fry would refuse to eat & would be dead within days. He found they did best if raised at 22-23°C for the first 2-3 weeks & then raise the temperature to 24-27°C. BKA Journal 351, December 1994.

Diameter of Egg

1·6 mm.

Egg rupture of TAAG 2003/3. Eggs of this import would shrink & turn white. This spawning on sand.

Egg of TAAG 2003/3.

Remarks

Can be an aggressive sp. & a larger tank is recommended.
This is not a common sp. & not a fish seen in long term breeding projects which is a shame.