Conservation of Parosphromenus fishes and other peat swamp specialist fishes in Malaysia.
In March 2020, a group of experts, including Wen Tian Shi from the Parosphromenus Project met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to draw up an action plan for endangered Peat Swamp fishes in Malaysia. The meeting was hosted by Monash University Malaysia and Global Environment Centre, facilitated by Mike Baltzer from Shoal www.shoalconservation.org.
The meeting was designed to support the ambitions of the Parosphromenus Project and will contribute to the plan of the IUCN Asian Species Action Programme to prepare an action plan for all critically Endangered freshwater fish species in Malaysia. The high number of threatened fish species found in the diminishing peat swamp forests in SE Asia is of the highest concern.
During the meeting, the team discussed which species should be included, the habitats these species rely on and the actions required to save them from extinction. A plan has been drafted and will be worked on further as more information is obtained. The next step is to design and fund the most urgent projects. The three most urgent projects are all targeted at sites where Parospromenus species are found in Peninsula Malaysia.
The team also noted that more information is required on the status and distribution of peat swamp and threatened species in Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo).
For further information, please contact Mike Baltzer at Shoal This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Our Team
The Parosphromenus Project is a teamwork between many individuals all over the world, — of dedicated people who contribute in many ways, — as breeders, as researchers, as hobbyists, as scientists, as supporters. The Project would not excist without our many members and active people.
But to keep this together, coordinate, inspire and continually search for progress, a smaller group of dedicated people have been continually taking on responsibilities within the Project in our Steering Group, and we would like to introduce ourselves on this page.
The Parosphromenus Project November 2019
HUSBANDRY GUIDELINE — PROJECT
The Parosphromenus Project is helping Chester Zoo create Husbandry Guidelines for BIAZA (British and Irish Assosiation of Zoos and Aquariums) and EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria)
In order for different Zoos in Europe to be able to maintain and keep populations of Paros, it is essential that guidelines for best Husbandry Practise is created.
This is not just describtions of experiences, or guidelines, this is at best a collection of precise data and information, gathered over a period.
Andrea Swatman is the responsible person at Chester Zoo initiating this, and the work began already in September 2019, at the International Meeting in Chester.
As a beginning, — a lot of written material has been given on from the Parosphromenus Project, — describtions of our known experience, as well as data connected with habitats — water conditions, levels of ph, and other things. Not habitat data in terms of distribution is nessesary.
But mainly we have provided basic experience and knowledge about keeping paros in tanks, — food, breeding behaviour, fry development etc.
Also a spreadsheet is being developed, — containing all important documentation and information about all species.
To gather all this information is a continuing proces, and we invite everyone to take part in it by offering their knowledge and specific experience.
If you have any information which you would like Chester Zoo to incorporate in this Husbandry Guideline, please write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (IN ENGLISH, PLEASE)
Your email will then be viewed by the PP and Chester Zoo, and any contribution will be accredited.
Captive management
Behaviour
Breeding
Diet and feeding behaviour
Specific problem
Recommended research for in-situ (captive populations) — Chester Zoo has access to MSc and PhD students, — are there any questions we want answering ?
SHOAL
In February 2019 we became partners with Shoal — a new online platform for freshwater species conservation.
Please find their homepage here and a also find here a link to an article written by Michael Balzer, director of Shoal, Underwater Jewels threathened by forest fires
ASAP
In november 2019 we became partners with ASAP — species on the brink (Asian species Action Partnership)
You can find our special page in ASAP here
In november 2019 The PP was approached by Andrea Swatman, head of the Aquarium Team at Chester Zoo. She had been tasked with
maintaining IUCN insurance populations as an outcome of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) ex-situ mandates and EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria )Regional Collection Plans.
The task is to maintain ‘insurance populations’ of the REDLIST critically endagered species of P. alfredi and P. tweediei.
This is a difficult task for Chester Zoo to do on their own and because keeping ‘insurance populations’ is very close to what we have preciously done with our ‘old’ GODFATHER program, it was logical for us to offer to engage in this work.
The Parosphromenus Project therefore is now engaged in keeping, maintaining, breeding and reporting these two species. P. alfredi is only present at very few holders in Europe, but cooperation has been established, and will report this — in Census, and to Chester Zoo. The same is happening for P. tweediei.
Also, a DNA testing of a species, which in the past was wrongly identified as P. tweediei, — but actually may be P. alfredi, is underway.
It is our intention to develop this structure in the future to include other species, and other keepers. We are quite aware that not all really critically endagered species are listed as such on the REDLIST, so this will not stop us from trying to create a structure within the PP — using in particular Census — to observe and create ‘insurance populations’ for other species.
The species we are particularly conserned about right now are p. deissneri, p. rubrimontis.
‘Insurance population’ = IUCN has determined that to prevent extinction for one particular species, it has become more important to make sure that this species is not kept in too small numbers with few people. Therefore they wish to make certain that the species is kept by a minimum of 3 people, with a stock of a minimum of 50. Such a stock is called an ‘insurance population’.
IUCN works together with EAZA (European Association of Zoos) of which Chester Zoo is a member.
by helene schoubye
by helene schoubye
by helene schoubye
by helene schoubye
by helene schoubye
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