someone messed with my Congo tetras ( Phenacogrammus interruptus )

[Magnum Man]

I was disappointed losing my Congo tetras long ago... my African Tetra tank has not lost any fish lately, but had slowly worked down to a little less than normal stocking level, so I bought 3 Congo's... these are not fully mature yet, so lacking a little of the color my old ones had, but hoping that comes... but all of their fins have the glowing white edges that they seem to get, when their extended fins start growing but it's not just on their tail and dorsal, it's on literally, all their fins, like they are going to be a long fin variety, which I've not seen, and did not order... I have seen albino, so I know "man" is messing with these guys too... are there long fin varieties of these in the hobby now???

pictures of the new boys, as I get time... I guess no time like the present..

 

[Innesfan]

I haven't kept them in years but as I recall the males develop the fin extensions and the females do not. I believe that importers and suppliers, in their infinite lack of wisdom, have attached the 'longfin' adjective to Phenacogrammus interruptus, the 'original' Congo Tetra, to distinguish it from all the more recently described and imported species of
African tetras. That's not to say that the fish farms aren't also selectively breeding for longer finnage. Someone else might be able to speak to that.

 

[Back in the fold]

Interesting . I haven’t seen any type of Congo Tetra in decades but they are cool .

 

[Magnum Man]

most all the shippers I buy from, have had these and albino...

 

[GaryE]

Congos were always high end here, but they now sell small ones for standard tetra prices. I picked up 3 males, 3 females a few months ago, and the growth is steady. They were a little over 3 cm. They've doubled their size. I can't really compare them to yours as the lighting seems extreme in your shots. They are far bluer than mine, but I think it's a trick of the light.

I used to handle a lot of wild caughts, unpacking Congo River boxes, and the ones I have here are true to form even if they are clearly farmed. Yours may be un-messed up, but the photos are dark and the flash picked up the white.

When I was getting into breeding fish I visited a club member who supplied the local stores with them. He had a group in a room divider tank with a torrential powerhead flow. He said they'd spawn a few times a week when the morning sun hit the tank for an hour or so. I was looking for killies, and somehow didn't register how he collected the eggs. When mine get to size, I'll try floating mops. They spawned up at the surface, as I was there on a morning where he wasn't bothering to collect eggs.

By next summer, they should be full sized. Yours look to be halfway there too.

I have a standing order with my 4 hour away local store for yellow Congos (Alestopetersius caudalis) , which are also being farmed. That is a beautiful larger Characin.The store owner has had them on past lists, and he's the kind of person who becomes curious and decides to order new to him things.

I hope I will find some tiny young Bryconalestes longipinnis in West Africa next year. Exporters think everyone wants the big adults but I'm crossing my fingers I'll find some small ones that can survive the rigours of being carried along and shipped. At the very least, I'll be in habitats and learn how to set up tanks properly.

 

[Magnum Man]

yep, a 24 inch deep black water tank, so a pair of full length LED tank lights over the top...