P. gunawani at Ruinemans

If this information is correct, Bartian, this will be of major interest to all Paro-friends in Europe! Hitherto, we had no clear commercial import of gunawani or spec. Danau Rasau before. Only two private imports, but with very limited numbers and the last without any females.

I think it is possible that the information of Ruinemans is correct, but I beg you, dear Bartian, try to receive more information about the origin of the fish: Are they really coming from Sumatra, county Jambi? Even then, there are some other forms which have been more often imported, and they are similar! Nevertheless, adult gunawani are to be recognized by their stout bodies and the colourful small bandings of the male fins.

Some photos would be great.

Anyway, it is likely that such imports do occur by several companies and in several European countries nearly at the same time, so maybe Glaser in Germany has got he fish, too.

We all should be highly interested since the species is otherwise lost at the moment in the project. Therefore, we should get hold of a bunch of pairs and have only one aim: to breed them. I did that once with animals that I got from Horst Linke’s private import, and it was not very difficult. They are niot as easy als e.g. linkei, but not as difficult as e.g. ornaticauda.

Praise to you, Bartian, for keeping your eyes open!!

Stefanie, try Tropicwater. The patron, Wolfgang Löll, was very helpful in other cases. But he was disappointed in the last case, too: Somebody identified a bunch a about 600 Paros imported by Glaser as the true deissneri, it would have been the first commercial import of that famous and magnificent fish, and Mr. Löll bought them all.
Then it became clear that it wasn’t deissneri; in fact, it was the new and hitherto unknow spec. Ampah. Not bad either, but diappointing nevertheless. I am not sure whether he sold all of them. We made it popular, the fish were excellent, but it was a flaw nevertheless. So, I am not quite clear if Mr. Löll is again ready to help in such a Paro-case, but I hope so. He is a fine chap. If it would be clear it’s gunawani he would readily do so. But in the situation like this – maybe or maybe not – I am uncertain.
Nevertheless, try. In principle Tropicwater sells to private buyers, too, not only to shops or other dealers.
If you are successful: tell us. There might be many friends more that were ready to follow you.

On Saturday, I asked my local retailer whether he orders at Ruinemans at all. He confirmed that he does – and replied that he would try tio get some of the ominous Paros (I guess it will be eight to ten).

As soon as they have arrived in his tanks, I will try to go there and take some pictures.
Given my tank situation, I will not be able to permanently accomodate more than six – or maybe only four fish (if I can distinguish males from females).

What do you think? Should I buy all fish ordered straightaway? Then I might have to distribute some of them to another Paro keeper.

Michael

Dear Michael Kotzulla, don’t buy all before we know whether it’s really gunawani (or something else very interesting. It it still possible that the fish are some of the regularly imported bintan-variants. But to buy a few males and females would surely be a good idea.

Perhaps your dealer could acquire some more information oabout the fish’s origin (although this is difficult: the “last” origin” is not the real or first origin; but it is a hint that might be of some informative value.

My local retailer informed me, that the fish (unfortunately, I don’t know yet how many exactly) arrived this afternoon. As I will not be able to visit the shop before Friday – or maybe even not before Saturday – he will keep them for me as long as necessary.