Iranocichla hormuzensis: the disappearing cichlid of Iran.



August 26, 2010. The August 2010 issue of Practical Fishkeeping has an interesting article recounting Heiko Bleher’s journey to Iran in search of Iranocichla hormuzensis, one of the few cichlid species found in Asia. Like many cichlids, this species tolerates a range of temperature and salinity. Unfortunately, I. hormuzensis is critically threatened with extinction, primarily due to loss of habitat. Bleher records that several localities where the fish had previously been collected were now completely dry; of those that remained, Bleher notes that dessication appears to be gradually increasing the salinity to levels beyond the tolerance of even this adaptable cichlid. This is unfortunate, as I. hormuzensis is perfectly suited to a light brackish aquarium environment. As it is the easternmost-ranged member of the African cichlid flock (the three Etroplus sp. of India are related to the Madagascan group of cichlids), I. hormuzensis is a species of special concern.
Of course, in the process of locating remaining populations of I. hormuzensis, Bleher traveled to several different locales in Iran, and he recounts these in detail: elevation, temperature, water conditions, etc. While not all of these aquatic environments (nor the species which inhabit them) would be considered brackish, several are. Brackish species include several Aphanius killifish sp., some of which are potentially new species that have yet to be formally described. In fact, Bleher speculates that there are likely several new species still waiting to be discovered…so long as their habitat does not disappear. If you have the chance to pick up this particular issue of PFK, do so — the photographs alone are worth it!

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