After Eduard Pürzl, collector, author, aquarist & photographer.

Radda A.C. & Scheel J.J. 1974. (Aphyosemion puerzli).

Aphyosemion puerzli nov. spec. und Aphyosemion robertsoni nov. spec., zwei neue Rivulinen aus Kamerun.

Aquarium Journal 4 (3): p 33-37, 3 figures.
The description also appearred in the AKA Journal of February 1975.

7 cm

D = 13-14, A = 16, D/A = +2-3, ll = 33-34 +3-4 (Radda & Scheel 1974)

n = 20 (2n = 37-38), A = 21 (Radda & Scheel 1974, 1975).

Paraphyosemion

ndianus (formerly gardneri)

• Aphyosemion puerzli Radda & Scheel 1974
• Fundulopanchax puerzli Lazara 1984
• Aphyosemion (Paraphyosemion) puerzli Huber 1994

• Dibamba
• Dibeng
• Dibeng - CI 02
• Ndokama
• CSK 95/26

• http://www.nakashima.org/gaphyo_puerzli.htm Japan Gallery
• Ndokama http://home8.swipnet.se/%7Ew-86183/english.htm Alf & Anita's site
  
  
• Dibamba - This location is known to have 2 wide horizontal lines. It is reportedly similar the Fp.kamdemi (formerly Fp. sp. Korup National Park).
• Dibeng - This is a location fished by commercial fishermen for an exporter based in Cameroon. First started to be seen in imports to the UK & USA around 2000. Subsequently seen in shipments in later years ( CI 02 ).

27 km northeast of the Douala - Edea - Yabassi road junction in the direction of Yabassi. The biotope was a small stream near its entry into a larger tributary of the Wuri River.

Western Cameroon where they inhabit the Henda, Nkwoh & Wuri River drainage systems.

Rainforest swamps & shallow swampy parts of brooks & streams.

Sympatric sp. include A.riggenbachi which inhabit open water areas & are found in considerable numbers. Fp.puerzli is found 'under heavily shaded retreats in shallow, still inlets of small streams & in sections of backwater'.
Also found are E.sexfasciatus also found in quantity in open water & Procatopus similis, males were found to be spotted in deep red. Non killie sp. include Barbus sp. & Pelmatachromis (probably Pelvicachromis) sp. Also, a fish called 'Grundel' was found but I don't know what this is.
Clausen & Scheel took the following measurements-
On the 8th February 1966 - pH 6·8, DH 1.
On the 23rd January 1969 the measurements were pH 6·4, DH 1. Electrical conductivity was 100 micro-siemens at 12.30 hrs & the water temperature was 25·8°C.
On the 29th November 1973 at 13.20 hrs the water temperature was 24·8°C in the fast flowing water of the main stream.
(Aphyosemion puerzli. A New Rivulin from Cameroon. A.C.Radda & J.J.Scheel - BKA newsletter No.111, November 1974).

Described from specimens collected in a brook in the Vouri (Wouri) River drainage 27 km north of the intersection of the Douala, Edea & Yabassi roads, Cameroon.

Fairly easy to breed. I used bottom mops & incubated the eggs on a layer of wet peat. Peat can also be used in the tank & taken out to dry every few weeks. Dry incubation takes 6-8 weeks with sexual maturity being attained around 2-3 months.

I did find they went through periods where no eggs were layed. A lowering of the temperature can sometimes trigger spawning.

First breeding attempts by Ed Pürzl report that the fish were spawned in water of 4-6 DH. Eggs were kept in moist peat & wet after 2 weeks with the result that no fry hatched. After 4 weeks a very few fry hatched. He found that after a drying period of 7-8 weeks a large number of eggs were ripe for hatching. Longer periods of dry storage produced fewer numbers of fry.

Adrian Burge in BKA Killinews No.276, August 1988 had the following breeding account..
The pair were spawned in a small tank (12x8x8") which received sunlight. He found the fish were shy although the male did display to the female which was generally ignored.
The tank was kept bare except for a floating mop which extended to the tank base. Live foods consisting of white worm, Daphnia & glass larvae were fed with flake food being offered also. A water change of 25% was undertaken each month.
Eggs were picked off the mop daily but 50% were found to fungus before hatching in 30 days. Newly hatched fry were fed on infusoria, microworm & newly hatched brine shrimp.

Tom Soper in the same newsletter states..
I set the fish up in a 12x8x8" tank with 50% freshly drawn water & 50% mature water. The base was covered with a half inch layer of peat moss & a clump of Java moss in the corner. An airstone was added.
Temperature ranged from 74-76°F with dim lighting.
The pair were fed daily on Tubifex, white worm & Daphnia. After a week the peat was removed & dried. After 8-9 weeks the peat was wet & a good number of fry were hatched although many turned out to be males.
He had no success with water incubation.

P.K.Webber in the same article as above noted that success in water incubation was determined on the age of the brood stock. He found eggs from young pairs easier to incubate in water. He found a 'definate cut off point after which only dry storage became viable'.

Steve Carpenter in BKA newsletter No. 352, January 1995 used 100% rainwater, carbon filtered with 1 teaspoon of tonic salt per 2 gallons. In maintaining them the fish would stand temperatures of 79°C but for breeding this was dropped to 75°C. Eggs were laid in a bottom mop for 3 weeks when they stopped. Spawning would be periodical. The male got quite aggressive during spawning but the large female was OK. Egs were water incubated & hatched after 25 days. Fry were 3mm long. They were fed on green water to start, then micro worm, then newly hatched brine shrimp. Water changed daily. The young sex out at 5 weeks. Growth to 1 - 1·5" in 7 weeks.

Jim Gasior reports breeding in BKA newsletter No. 363, December 1995. Condition the fish seperately for 10 days. Water waspH 7·6, DH 10°, water temperature 72°F. One floating & two bottom mops in a bare tank. Most eggs found in bottom mops. The male is put in the tank in the morning & the female an hour later. Mops are checked after 4-5 hours. The fish will eat their eggs. Eggs taken out are stored on top of moist peat. This is wetter than you would normally use but not soaked. Breeders are seperated again after 48 hours as males can be aggressive. Egg losses in storage are about 50%.
After 8 weeks the peat is wet & within 48 hours all fry should have hatched. He found that re-wetting the peat at a later date produced no further fry.
Fry present no problems. Java moss & some snails & newly hatched brine shrimp. Young fish start to sex out in 4 weeks. Young fish should not be crowded in small containers. Water change frequently. Sexual maturity is gained at 3-4 months.

Greg Schoenberg in AKA Journal Nov/Dec 1981 experimented in water incubating eggs with peat extract solution. Only 10% of the eggs went bad & hatching was in 4 weeks.

I have had this sp. a number of times & found they go through periods of no breeding activity despite the usual shock tactic of reducing the water temperature, which can work when the fish are waiting for it to happen.
It should be noted that all attempts were made with fish from auctions without collection data & these were most likely many generations removed from wild blood.