The Plzeň Aquarium Society IRIS invites all aquarium enthusiasts to the spring aquarium market

March 14, 2026 (Saturday)

Venue: Dormitory of the Secondary School of Transport, Karlovarská třída 99, Plzeň

Time: 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Throughout the event, there will be sales of aquarium fish, plants, food, and breeding supplies. Visitors will also have access to expert advice provided by society members.

Reservation of sales places:
Table orders are accepted until: March 12, 2026
Phone: 603 231 494
e-mail: info@irisplzen.cz

Those interested in membership in the IRIS society, historically the second oldest aquarium society in the Czech lands, can register directly at the event venue.

While reading the fantastic book Ocean by David Attenborough, I came across an interesting creature that I would like to share with you.

Enypniastes eximia is a dark red deep-sea sea cucumber, unflatteringly referred to as the "headless chicken monster" due to its appearance while hovering above the sea floor, although it is actually a beautiful creature. This species of sea cucumber (order Elasipodida, class Holothuroidea) is unique in that it can detach from the sea floor and "fly" in the water column. Enypniastes is a close relative of the well-known "sea cucumbers."

Enypniastes has a gelatinous, translucent body (often very transparent in younger individuals) and a wide "veil" at the front that functions as a swimming surface. It measures about 10 centimeters and its surface is sticky and stinging.

Most of the time, the sea cucumber spends on the bottom in a horizontal position, gathering food with its legs from the upper layer of sediment, but when it needs to change location quickly or escape, it hovers above the sea floor. A remarkable feature of Enypniastes is that when threatened, it can "shed" the outer layer of its surface and release it, drifting away in another direction.

Beautiful footage and many more interesting facts about this creature can be found in these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJnbbt9QVtA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnR-Agj7crM

Zveme vás na další Akva Tera bazar který se bude konat v kulturním domě Delta v Břeclavi.

9 pieces of shrimp

🐟 Invitation to the Aquaristics Fair in Třeboň: Fish, Plants, and Expertise
We warmly invite all aquaristics enthusiasts, from experienced breeders to newcomers, to the traditional Aquaristics Fair in Třeboň (Wittingau). Come by to enrich your aquariums, acquire equipment, or simply exchange ideas with experts.

📍 When and Where?
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026

Location: Mensa of the Fisheries Vocational School (Střední škola rybářská)

Address: Táboritská 941, Třeboň, Czech Republic

🕒 Program
07:00 AM: Admission for sellers and setup

09:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Sales fair open to the public

Supervision: The event is under professional veterinary supervision (MVDr. J. Konrád).

🌿 What to Expect?
Look forward to a wide selection of ornamental fish, invertebrates, aquatic plants, as well as a rich offering of accessories and feed. An important aspect of the fair is also the focus on animal welfare.

🎫 Admission
Adults: 50,- CZK

Children up to 10 years: Free admission (accompanied by parents)

📢 Information for Sellers
Do you have offspring from your own breeding or plants to sell? Reserve your sales space in advance!

E-Mail: akvateracb@seznam.cz

Tel.: +420 605 714 634

The Aquaristics Association looks forward to your visit!

V neděli 22.2. se bude konat další, už tradiční burza v Kunovicích u Uherského Hradiště.

Aqua Congress in Žďár nad Sázavou
Organized by the Tetra Aquarists Association

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Speaker: Radim Blažek, Ph.D.

Program of the day
10:00 – Meeting of the AKVA CZ associations

13:00 – Afternoon lecture with Radim Blažek

16:30 – Announcement of a rich tombola

19:00 – Party with dancing and free entertainment

Lecture topics:
1) Pitfalls of fish and their parasites research across Africa
Peek behind the scenes of scientific expeditions into the heart of the African continent.
2) Cuckoos with fins
Unique feathered fish from Lake Tanganyika and their fascinating breeding strategies.

Volume 100 l, lighting Diversa led expert white, filter JK Atman pump with biomolitan, plants of the genus predominantly Vallisneria, Rotala, Lugwidia, Echinodorus, Bleher's/ocelot.. no fertilization, no CO2.. fish once Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, Loricaria catfish, various Ancistrus sp.. the aquarium was in operation for 3.5 years before it was discontinued.. during the 3 years there were a few changes... I wanted to show a simple way without using CO2 or any fertilizers.

Přání k Vánocům a na konci roku

Drazí čeští akvaristé,

rok 2025 se chýlí ke konci. Byl v mnoha ohledech jiný a náročnější, než jsme na začátku doufali. O to více nás těší, že se v tomto roce navázal velmi dobrý kontakt s vámi. Považujeme to za výjimečně pozitivní a cenný vývoj.

Jménem Cichliden-Forum.de, DCG e.V. a VDA AK-Fischkrankheiten vám srdečně děkujeme za konstruktivní a důvěryhodnou spolupráci. Velmi se těšíme na její pokračování i v příštím roce.

Rádi bychom také nezapomněli zmínit, že velké nasazení, mnoho nápadů a úsilí všech zúčastněných si zaslouží zvláštní pochvalu. Bez vašeho osobního přínosu by toto slibné partnerství nebylo možné.

Děkujeme všem českým akvaristům a mnoha dobrovolným pomocníkům za váš přínos v končícím roce 2025. Každý z vás se osobním nasazením podílel na zahájení a dalším rozvoji naší společné spolupráce.

Jsme pevně přesvědčeni, že i v roce 2026 upevníme naši pozici v akvaristice a naši započatou spolupráci určitě ještě rozšíříme.

Přejeme vám všem, vašim rodinám, blízkým a přátelům poklidné adventní období, veselé Vánoce a šťastný start do nového roku!

Ať vám přinese pár klidných dnů – čas na rozjímání, načerpání sil, být s rodinou a soustředit se na to podstatné.

Tyto dobré přání vám posíláme s srdečnými pozdravy

Manfred Dietz
jménem Cichliden-Forum.de, DCG e.V. a VDA AK-Fischkrankheiten

The Pantanal (swamp area) is half the size of Germany and the largest contiguous swamp area in the world. It is mostly located in Brazil, with the remaining parts in Paraguay and Bolivia. Since the year 2000, the Pantanal has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is protected.

It is home to numerous fish species, many of which are popular in aquaristics. The book about the fish of the Pantanal is unparalleled. Over 660 pages, the fish of this region are presented, with detailed text and an image that almost always shows the respective fish in live coloration. For each species, the morphological characteristics, live coloration, as well as information on occurrence, etymology, type locality, and economic significance are provided.

In addition to the mostly excellent fish images, there are also some habitat photos. A large number of authors were involved in the development. The book is printed in Portuguese. However, with appropriate translation tools, this should not be a problem.

NOTE: Portuguese text!

660 pages
PDF Digital
ISBN: 978 65-81066-05-5

Here is the link:
https://www.cichliden-forum.de/Mittel-Suedamerika/Montagem-livro-Peixes-VERSAO-FINAL-MARCO-2022-ISBN97865-81066-05-5-ONLINE_FINAL-1.pdf

Best regards,
Manfred

With the two volumes by Kai Qvist and Rune Evjeberg, you will receive extensive information and photos of freshwater biotopes and fish from the

rivers, lagoons, and cenotes of Mexico. The books are almost a must for those who are involved with Goodeidae, livebearers, cichlids, and
many other freshwater fish from Mexico or are interested in them.
Volumes 1 and 2 of "A Selection of Freshwater Fish Biotopes in Mexico" include 337 and 241 pages and are packed with detailed information about
the biotopes, water parameters, history of the fish, local communities, and much more.

Anyone with an account at https://de.scribd.com can download the two volumes there for free.

Here is the link to it:
https://de.scribd.com/document/47090…-Mexico-v-2-pdf

Best regards, Manfred

Ahoj všem,

zajímavá novinka: "Příručka sladkovodních ryb západní Asie"

„Příručka sladkovodních ryb západní Asie“ nabízí první shrnutí taxonomie, rozšíření, biotopů a biologie všech sladkovodních ryb mezi Bospor, Ázerbájdžán, Jemen a Írán. Tento region je nesmírně rozmanitý a obývá 625 druhů, z nichž většina je endemická.

Mnoho druhů je známo pouze několika specialistům a autoři strávili 18 let shromažďováním poskytnutých informací.

Kniha nejenže ukazuje všechny druhy na barevných fotografiích, ale také obsahuje první lokalizované mapy rozšíření a aktuální ochranný status všech druhů podle IUCN. Umožňuje také jejich identifikaci pomocí určovacích klíčů a podrobných diagnóz, odkazuje na mnoho otevřených otázek pro budoucí výzkum a obsahuje 1142 referencí pro další informace. Spojuje relevantní a autoritativní informace potřebné k pochopení a zkoumání sladkovodní biodiverzity v regionu a daleko za jeho hranicemi a bude sloužit jako standardní dílo a časová osa po mnoho let.

všechny druhy na barevných fotografiích
mapy rozšíření
aktuální ochranný status všech druhů podle IUCN
identifikace ryb pomocí určovacích klíčů a podrobných diagnóz

Citace
Freyhof, Jörg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash a Kaya, Cüneyt. Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter, 2025.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111677811

Místo vydání Berlín/Boston
Jazyk angličtina
Rozměry 210 x 280 mm
ISBN-10 3-11-167764-8 / 3111677648
ISBN-13 978-3-11-167764-4 / 9783111677644

Stáhnout eBook (PDF 262 MB):
https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783111677811/pdf?licenseType=open-access

S pozdravem všem
Manfred

Warning: Contains old, ancient emigrants from the South of America, representatives of the genus Corydoras.. (female sterbai, female panda, male paleatus).. And African plants Anubias (where to put the nice surplus? 🤭..) They live there only to the end of their days and grow only in a stopover☝️.. So take the subcategory "biotope" with a grain of salt🫠..

The main inhabitant is the male Channa bleheri (somehow turned brown after two years, so probably the brown form), bred by Kuba Lasota, Heiko. Snails Planorbids, Lymnaeids, one lost Clithon, lost and rediscovered Melanoides, Filopaludina..

It is still a low-tech aquarium, where the only technology includes a pumping head from jk animals and an LED tube hsbao retrofit. Occasionally a skimmer jingye, for emergencies when one doesn't want to use tweezers.. But I don't want to get rid of it completely (is that possible?), I make jichu for watering houseplants 😁.. We fertilize with fish waste and maximum long-term NPK fertilizer in the substrate. The used leachate is literally alchemy. The base is Kachu, leaves of Quercus robur, Fagus, Schima, alder cones and leaves, Sphagnum, torf, lotus petals, lotus fruit.... The representatives of the plants growing here are Microsorum, Cryptocoryne, Bolbitis, Najas, Limnophila, Schismatoglottis, my favorite and simultaneously hated Lotus tiger, sometimes red, sometimes green, as it pleases (can be seen in the photo in my gallery, so I'm not making it up..), which was obtained by Jirka Fojtik from Surpan and from whom I also have Schismatoglottis (thanks!), Limna, Rhygoriza (I have it again after 5 years, thanks to Míla Popelka 🍀), and somewhere among all this are still living, just somehow leafless stems of Hydrocotyle leucocephala 😅... And finally, Java and hybrid mosses, Cladophora and Rhizoclonium, which didn't want to grow for a long time .. 👌.. And the lighting conditions themselves? Terrible... But it's growing! 😂

After about half a year, I planted new plants…

Profile: Exochochromis anagenys (Oliver, 1989)
Size of males: approx. 25-30 cm
Size of females: approx. 20-25 cm

Coloration, Differences:
Males and females are almost equally colored.
Gold yellow with three black spots on both sides.
Males grow significantly larger. With large yellow egg spots on the anal fin and bluish head.
As juveniles, the sexes are very difficult to distinguish.

Minimum tank size:
from 250 x 70 x 50cm, from 1,000l

Diet:
Predator, primarily feeds on juvenile fish that it actively hunts.
In the aquarium, they accept flakes, granules, frozen, and live food.

Habitat in Lake Malawi:
The species is widely distributed throughout the lake and hunts over sandy areas and rocks for juvenile fish.

Reproduction:
Maternal mouthbrooder

My experiences with Exochochromis anagenys (Oliver, 1989)

Keeping in the aquarium:
This species is one of my favorite species from Lake Malawi.
Since these fish are quite large and very active swimmers and must be kept in a harem, the aquarium must have a minimum size of approx. 250 x 70 x 60 cm (approx. >=1,000l).
The tank can be designed as a Malawi transition zone. Larger open sandy areas with rocks or rock piles placed in between. The species requires a larger free swimming space in the tank.
The animals are fish predators, hunting and eating smaller fish in the lake. The offspring of other species in the tank are therefore at least endangered!

The species is best kept as a harem of 1M / 3F. In larger aquariums, larger groups of the animals also work.

Diet in the aquarium:
The fish eat juvenile fish that they actively hunt in the lake. Therefore, a carnivorous, protein-rich diet for the animals is necessary. They accept flakes and granule food. Frozen and live food can also be given occasionally.
Please feed sparingly and with high-quality food (low carbohydrates).

Behavior in the aquarium (my experiences):
The species, where females and males look very similar, is a rather calmer Malawi predator in the aquarium, that gets along well with other species and is not aggressive. During courtship, it digs a small sand pit, usually under or next to a large rock. Here, the behavior of the male changes. The calm hunter becomes a somewhat rough character, which defends a minimum of 200 cm length in the aquarium fiercely. Moreover, he hunts his females very persistently, intensely, and until they are ready to lay eggs and swim into his pit. The courtship and hunting can last several days.
I have been able to obtain about 50 juvenile fish per brood several times, raise them, and give them away. The loss was very low, only about 3-5 juvenile fish on average.
The females brood for about 4 weeks and then release the fry at about 10-12 mm in size. The little ones are not further cared for and are left to fend for themselves from the first day after being released.

The fish are gold yellow in color and have three black spots on the left and right sides, which they can completely hide depending on their mood, making them entirely gold yellow. The dominant male also becomes bluish on the head, which then transitions into gold yellow. In my opinion, they are extremely beautiful and elegant fish.

Co-habitation in the aquarium:
A stocking with larger, not too sensitive fish must be chosen in the tank. However, the other fish should not be too rough and aggressive.
The species is, like many Malawi predators, quite a big "sensitive" fish, and they do not like changes in stocking, setup, or constant attacks from rougher other fish, reacting quickly with stress and taking it badly. This can possibly lead to diseases if it becomes prolonged and too severe.
Due to their colors and behavior, they are a real eye-catcher in any non-Mbuna Malawi aquarium. Even in a larger group in a suitably designed species tank, they are a highlight.

My conclusion:
A very beautiful and also special Malawi predator species. With their gold yellow, shiny coloration, the bluish head of the males, and their slim, torpedo-shaped body, they represent a true highlight in the aquarium.
They are very fast swimmers, so one has to be careful when opening the aquarium that they do not jump out.

As mentioned, one of my favorite species from Lake Malawi. I have been keeping them for many years. However, one must ensure that they obtain good, stable offspring; unfortunately, there are also many overbred fish of this species available on the market! With which one usually only encounters significant problems in the aquarium! This can lead to large losses and casualties that cannot be remedied. There are also completely silver-colored fish of the species, which I do not find as appealing. The species is rarely found in Lake Malawi, and wild catches hardly come from Africa anymore.

Population of the species in Lake Malawi:

Placidochromis phenochilus (Trewavas 1935):
- Chesese
- Chirwa Island
- Mdoka

Placidochromis sp. 'phenochilus tanzania:
- Lupingu
- Makonde

Profile - Placidochromis phenochilus Mdoka White Lips
Male size: approx. 18-21 cm
Female size: approx. 14-17 cm

Coloration, differences:
- Males and females are almost equally colored, dark blue with deep black-blue stripes.
- Males are significantly larger, taller with a steeper forehead.
- In juveniles, the sexes are very difficult to distinguish.

Aquarium size:
from 200 x 60 x 50 cm, the larger, the better!

Diet:
predatory fish with a meaty diet, flakes, pellets, frozen and live food

Habitat in Lake Malawi:
transitional zone with large individual rocks and a large open sandy area

Breeding:
maternal mouthbrooder (female incubates eggs in her mouth)

My experiences with Placidochromis phenochilus Mdoka White Lips

Aquarium breeding:
- Since this species grows to relatively large sizes and should be kept in groups, the aquarium must have minimum dimensions of 200 x 60 x 50 cm; the more fish, the larger the aquarium.
- The tank should be arranged like a transitional zone of Malawi, with larger open sandy areas and large rocks placed among them. This suits the feeding behavior of this species. These fish are pursuers that swim behind larger species that sift through the sand while searching for food, consuming food that is disturbed and stirred up in the sandy cloud.
- It is best to keep a group of about 3 males / 5 females. This meets the needs of these very social fish. However, keeping in a harem of 1 male / 3 females is also possible. Always consider the size of the available aquarium.

Diet in the aquarium:
- The fish consume small invertebrates, insects, worms, etc., found in the sand or stirred up by fish swimming ahead of them and digging in the sand (so-called "sand-sifters"). Therefore, a carnivorous diet is necessary. They accept flake and pellet food. Frozen and live food can also be offered occasionally.
- Caution, this species can easily become overweight, which can lead to health problems. Please feed moderately and with high-quality food (low in carbohydrates).

Behavior in the aquarium (my experiences):
- When placed as juveniles, the fish are very peaceful for a long time and move within their group. However, during breeding periods, this species occupies territories, mostly larger, flat rocks, which they then defend very vigorously. When males mature and court, they aggressively attack both their own species and especially foreign fish, even if they are larger.
- The other inhabitants should not be too aggressive but should be robust enough.
- Fish can change their coloration from almost light blue to dark blue, with deep black-blue stripes. This occurs depending on their mood; a dominant male is often a deep dark blue with deep black stripes.

Together in the same tank:
- It is necessary to choose tank mates that are larger, robust fish in the aquarium (e.g., Non-Mbunas, Malawian predators). An optimal companion species would be a large cichlid, such as Fossochromis rostratus, which would, however, require an even larger aquarium.
- Due to their colors and behavior, these fish are striking even in a suitable single-species aquarium.

My conclusions:
A very beautiful and also unique Non-Mbuna species from Lake Malawi, with its stunning shaded, shiny blue coloration and thick white lips, will be a true highlight of any aquarium. These fish exhibit impressive, majestic behavior in larger groups. I really like them and have been keeping them in my Malawi-style aquarium for many years. Although there are occasionally wilder skirmishes that shake the cover glass.

A bit overgrown so you can't see the shrimp and fish, but I still like how overgrown it is like a jungle. I'll let it grow more so it can be even more overgrown for the shrimp and fish; that's the only good thing.

Starting tomorrow, according to the organizers, "the largest European exhibition of parrots, pheasants, ducklings, reptiles, aquarium fish 🐠🐟🦐, and smaller mammals with arrangements of exotic plants and trees" will take place at the exhibition grounds in Lysá nad Labem.

I visited the exhibition last year, where aquarium fish were significantly represented, thanks in part to the Rychnov association Akva-tera, which had a beautiful display at the Exotika 2024 exhibition. Right across from them was a very impressive terrarium display from REPTI PLANET, who will also be at the exhibition this year.

Not only aquarium and terrarium exhibits are worth attention, but also other animals, especially ornamental birds, which are represented in a wide variety, and additionally, the Czech Republic Championship for KPEP scored birds will take place. At the Exotika exhibition, you can of course consult with all the breeders and discuss your questions with them.

I therefore recommend visiting the Exotika exhibition, and I plan to attend it myself this year as well.

Habitat

- Transition zones (or Ecotones) between sand and rock biotopes at depths of 10 to 50 meters.

Characteristics

- Size: The fish reach a maximum length of about 8 to 10 cm.
- Sexual Dimorphism: Males and females are visually difficult to distinguish, with males tending to be slightly more robustly built.

Aquarium Keeping

- Aquarium Size: The species is best kept in a group from which pairs can form. An aquarium with a minimum volume of 300 litres is recommended for keeping a group of 6 to 8 animals. Tank length 150 cm.
- Setup: Substrate of fine, round-edged river sand. A few stones to serve as territorial boundaries.

Diet

- Natural Diet: In the wild, they feed on small crustaceans living in the sand, which they sift out by filtering the sand with their gill rakers.
- Aquarium Food: In the aquarium, the food should be varied and consist of a mixture of small crustaceans, insect larvae (e.g., red mosquito larvae), dwarf shrimp, and Tubifex. Special dry food can also be supplemented.

Breeding and Parental Care

- Xenotilapia papilio is a biparental mouthbrooder, meaning that both parents share the brood care.
- The female lays the eggs on a flat stone, where they are fertilised by the male. The female then takes the eggs into her mouth. After about 11 days, the male takes over all or some of the fry to continue the care. The fish practice mouthbrooding for up to 6 weeks after the initial release of the fry.

With my contribution I would like to provide suggestions for home Artemia cultivation!

Životní prostředí
• Široké rozšíření. Většinu roku se vyskytuje na písčitých dněch v hloubkách 3-40 m, během období rozmnožování v přechodové zóně.

Vlastnosti
• Velikost: Xenotilapia boulengeri dosahuje maximální délky až 20 cm, samice max. 15 cm.
• Vzhled: Ryba má štíhlé, protáhlé a mírně zploštělé tělo. Zbarvení je převážně šedé až hnědošedé. Zvláštním znakem je světle modrá linie podél postranní čáry. Na žaberních víčkách se mohou objevit světle modré, žluté nebo zlaté skvrny. Hřbetní a řitní ploutve často mají modrý nádech a žlutý okraj.
• Pohlavní rozdíly: Dospělí samci jsou větší než samice a mají tmavé okraje na řitních a břišních ploutvích. Během období rozmnožování vykazují také teritoriální chování.
• Postranní čáry: Zvláštností tohoto rodu je, že má tři postranní čáry: jednu na předním těle paralelně k hřbetu, jednu ve středu zadního těla a jednu na ocase.

Životní styl a chování
• Sociální chování: Xenotilapia boulengeri je relativně mírumilovná ryba, která se nejlépe chová ve skupině 8 až 10 jedinců. Během dne se často pohybují ve stádech a prohledávají písek za potravou.
• Rozmnožování: Jedná se o maternální tlamovku. Samci staví až 20 cm vysoké, půlkruhové a na jedné straně otevřené pískové hnízda. Doba rozmnožování trvá přibližně 3 týdny. Samice uvolňuje až 50 relativně malých mladých ryb a dále se o ně nestará.
• Strava: Ryby se živí převážně malými bezobratlými, jako jsou malé krevety a korýši, které filtrují z písku.

Chov v akváriu
• Akvárium: Vzhledem k jejich velikosti a sociální struktuře by mělo mít akvárium minimální délku 150 cm pro malou skupinu 6-8 jedinců.
• Zařízení: Protože ryby prohrabávají písek, je nezbytné mít několikacentimetrovou vrstvu jemného písku jako substrát. Do akvária je dobré umístit jednotlivé kameny jako hranice teritoria.
• Vodní hodnoty: Teplota vody by měla být mezi 23 °C a 26 °C, pH v alkalickém rozmezí mezi 7,5 a 8,5. Karbonátová tvrdost 15-18 °dH.
• Krmění: V akváriu je možné je krmit vhodným živým krmivem (vodní blechy, Cyclops, Artemia), mraženým krmivem, vločkovým krmivem nebo krmivem ve formě tablet.

The DCG (Deutsche Cichliden-Gesellschaft e. V.) warmly welcomes Linda from ForAquarist.com as our first Czech member! Dear Linda, thank you so much for your tremendous commitment.

For the DCG, this is a truly gratifying development and an honor to welcome members from the Czech Republic. We are very much looking forward to welcoming more Czech members. The DCG is ready to further deepen and expand this newly formed Czech partnership.

We look forward to future online get-togethers. It would, of course, be wonderful and highly appreciated if we could inspire Czech speakers to give an online presentation—that would be perfect!

This Wednesday, there will be another online presentation at the DCG Cichlid Roundtable about EU animal welfare law, the status of the Positive List, and related topics. The speaker is Dr. Martin Singheiser (BNA e. V.).

Everyone is cordially invited to attend! As always, subtitles translated into 40 languages will be available.

Links and dates at: https://kalender.digital/Vivaristik-Kalender

Best regards to all Czech aquarists.
DCG i. V. Manfred (PR)