Campellolebias Vaz-Ferreira & Sierra 1974 was erected with the description of C. brucei. The name honors the Brazilian Ichthyologist Gilberto Campello Brasil.

Parenti (1981) removed C. brucei to Cynolebias. Subsequently, Costa, Lacerda and Brasil (1989)  reinstated Campellolebias and described two new species. Costa reviewed the genus, and described a fourth species, in 2006.

Campellolebias shares with Cynopoecilus a special character: the development of a gonopodium-like structure, formed by the first 2-3 rays of the anal fin. This unusual (in Rivulins) apparatus is used for internal fertilization, as in poeciliids (live-bearers). Eggs develop for only a short time inside the female, then are dropped freely, or in the substratum, some days (is not clear how long) after internal fertilization. This is not the case in live-bearers, in which fertilized eggs develop to hatching in the females’ abdomen.

It is also possible for females to store the male’s semen for a rather long period, to fertilize new-formed eggs internally. I myself witnessed the production of eggs (in early development) by the female, up to three weeks after males were removed from the tank.

Behavior:

These fishes have an annual life cycle. However, storing eggs in water has been reported by breeders, with varying results. Water storage seems less effective than storing the eggs for 8-10 weeks in damp peat. The members of this genus do not like high temperatures and will soon be stressed if kept above 24C.

Eggs should be stored in cooler temperatures, 18-22C. The species are typical forest-dwellers, and eggs should not be stored in full light. The eggs have a hirsute (‘hairy’) membrane easily recognized, formed by numerous tiny non-adhesive filaments. Minute particles thereby can attach, and eggs become almost invisible to predators (and for us, as a breeder!).