Cobitis paludica

[Matt]

Specimens photographed at the Rio de la Vega, Tarifa, Spain. The other fish in the pictures is the endemic killifish Aphanius baeticus. Both are highly-threatened by habitat loss and introduced species. Sorry about the sand particles in the water.

[starsplitter7]

Wow! What amazing fish!

[mickthefish]

they don't seem to like this fish Matt, i think they are something special and can't wait to see the ones you caught for me mate.

mick

[ch.koenig]

rihgt mick
as species from out-in -the-tropic-woods they would be of great interests even if they where was as simple shaped and coloured as e.g. danionella sp. etc.
seems it needs a certain kick to become famous and a star.
to me they look very interesting. aphanius sp from spain I saw some years ago in a friend's outdoor tank. very cute.
here two species - teenies - from nearby, lake lago maggiore and the woods uphill. no stars till now.




cheers charles

[Matt]

Hey Charles I used to keep common toads when I was a nipper, cool. The Leucaspius looks interesting too; is that as big as they get?

Have to say I also found the initial lack of interest in this thread a bit weird; these are some of the rarest fish in Europe. *shrugs shoulders* I think what Charles said is right; tropical species seem to garner interest more easily for some reason. Mick I think we three may well be the only folk in the world keeping these in aquaria.

I've said this elsewhere but the habitat is beginning to be destroyed too; it's a very fragile, seasonal river ecosystem which becomes almost completely dry in summer. This is not usually a problem but this year someone is allowing horses to graze there, literally in the river bed, which is now covered in their poop. If too much of that gets into the tiny pools where the fish survive the summer they may even be wiped out this year imo.

[Keith Wolcott]

I have been following this, but just don't know anything about them and thus did not comment. I do think that they are quite nice looking and I hope that you can breed them successfully since their habitat is so threatened.

[Matt]

Cheers Keith; I wasn't meaning anything untoward by my comments by the way, just thinking (and typing) aloud really. Musn't start letting my hands follow my thoughts in other situations or there'll be trouble I think!