Commentary on the Situation – Spring 2014
Benjamin Wilden (Paderborn/Germany)
Translation by Helene Schoubye, revised by Peter Finke
In the Spring Census of this year 57 persons has participated. Of these 13 were reports of ‘no fish’. But overall this is a good participation.
There are still all species in stock, although in a very different distribution than before.
General remarks
P. deissneri, P. sumatranus, P. gunawani, P. phoenicurus was at the last Census weak in stock. Additionally P. parvulus show a chocking negative development in numbers.
P. bintan, P. filamentosus, P. linkei, P. nagyi, P. quindecim are still very well represented, – as well as P. tweediei or P. ornaticauda which because of new imports also are quite often seen. Thankfully there have also been reports of a few fry, too.
It can be concluded that the godfathers were able to keep the number of these fish rather constant and stable. Only few have lost their stock and only were to be removed from the list because they have not taken part in Census for a number of years. As new godfather for P. linkei ‘Sukamar’ I have listed D. Stainq, because this locality is known to us for a long time, and also the number of fish promises a long perspective for this form.For P. nagyi kuantan St. Menzel joined as godfather. It is still important that everyone who keeps a species should make efforts to breed these, – and for the species where there are only a few keepers, it should be considered that these must in any case be seen as godfathers. All in all it is a good development.
This time I have noticed that some friends have reported their fish without naming any locality, even if in the last Census a locality was given. In these cases I took it for granted what seems to be an apparent consensus from last Census. If this is not accurate, I apologize, but for the overall impression it will not make a difference as it is only by the some of the more common species that this has been the case.
Special remarks
P. alfredi can still be seen as safe, also even though the animals from the trade probably will continue to decline in numbers, – and a few keepers have not participated in Census. But the relative high numbers of young fish is very positive.
P. allani belongs to the critical species. The offspring leaves hopes, though, for at least one locality variant.
P. anjunganensis can still not be classified as threatened, although the numbers from the years of import can probably not be reached without new imports, but the number of fish and aquarists is rather constant compared with last year
P. bintan it’s still one of the more common species. If the name given is correct (and there may be some doubts in some cases) P. bintan is the most obtainable species in the fish trade. With regard to locality the picture is very different. This information is only available for very few people (and this gives reason to the above mentioned remark), however the number of fish is kept very constant and stable.
P. deissneri is only represented by one male and two females in our stock. This species has always been very rare and there is no improvement to be seen in this for the near future.
P. harveyi is constantly well represented. The species is to be found in the tank of many friends, and the high number of young fish clearly shows the attractiveness of the species.
P. linkei is safe. Many fish and young fish have been reported. However, the forms with a clear locality are strongly threatened, as these are to be found in the stock of very few friends.
P. nagyi has continued to increase and can be seen in all the available forms as stable and safe. The form from ‘Kota Tinghi’ is – as expected – lost, but a new form from ‘Paya Paman, Ibok Kemaman’ has been reported. These are only to be found with one friend.
P. opallios is still badly represented in our stock, both few fish and few aquarists point to that this species is far from safe.
P. ornaticauda can be considered rather safe. Indeed, even new imports have been reported. The number of fish as well as the number of aquarists, the number of offspring, too, is very promising. The form from ‘anjungan’ is still only available at one friend.
P. pahuensis has in comparison with the last few Census somewhat decreased in numbers. Also the number of aquarists is low, so the species cannot be considered safe.
P. paludicola ‘paka’ can be considered safe, although with a few people only, but there is a great number of offspring available. The form from ‘Sungai Kolok’, however, was not reported any longer. But the keeper of this form has not participated in this Census, so the stock might still exist.
P. parvulus had increased in stock a little bit over the last years. But there is a shocking development to be seen here. Only two keepers have reported this fish. Therefore, the species must be considered – because of lack of offspring – as very threatened in our tanks. Hopefully, in this case the picture in nature is better (opposite to most other cases).
P. phoenicurus could maintain the low numbers from last Census, but it is very good that there are more pairs now. Still the species shows very weak.
P. quindecim has almost not changed at all. The species is common and can be seen as safe.
P. rubrimontis is staying rather stable. The species is common, but we still must hope for more offspring.
P. sumatranus , sorry to say, must be considered as very critical. Although sometimes a few fish come new by trade, this has almost not changed the situation.
P. tweedie does still very well. The numbers of aquarists have fallen a little, but the number of fish is relatively constant.
P. gunawani is reported by two people only. Therefore, the species can still be considered strongly threatened in our tanks, even although the numbers of fish is three times bigger than before. But as in the case of bintan, we are not always sure of a correct identification.