History:

Cynolebias Steindachner, 1876 is perhaps our best-know SAA genus. The type species is C. porosus, from eastern Brazil. Cynolebias comprised about fifty species until Costa (1996, 1998) proposed major revisions. Initially, Costa moved 21 nominal Cynolebias spp. to Simpsonichthys. Twenty-four species were placed in the new genus Austrolebias Costa, 1998 (comprising species living in the southern Brazilian states, Uruguay, Paraguay and the northern part of Argentina). Megalebias Costa, 1998 (type species Cynolebias wolterstorffi Ahl) was erected for five ‘giants’. Thereby Cynolebias comprised only seven species!

This realignment caused some controversy. Other researchers (including Garcia et al. 2002, investigating genetic relationships) suggested ‘Megalebias’ was not a natural assemblage. However, Costa (2008) revalidated Megalebias as a subgenus, and presented some new name and species combinations.

A new subgenus Bathylebias Costa, 2008 was also erected for a single species (Cynolebias griseus, Costa, Lacerda & Brasil, 1990).

Cynolebias spp. live on the inland plateau of centraleastern Brazil, in savannah areas with grey- or black-colored soils, but not on red soils. They live together with Poeciliids, Simpsonichthys, Plesiolebias, Trigonectes, and Rivulus.
They often predate on other fishes, and cannibalize smaller relatives. They occupy temporary habitats, including flooded land and stagnant pools, usually near rivers.

Behavior:

In their natural environment they grow rapidly. They start to produce eggs when very young, generally after six weeks. Eggs are buried deep into the soft clay substratum, by ‘diving’ adults. The incubation period is longer than that of Austrolebias spp. Egg development usually requires higher temperatures (although species that occur to the south may need lower temperatures). Breeding is in general not easy - thus the number of species in the hobby is limited. Cynolebias need large tanks for breeding, and a lot of food to keep them in good condition. Males can become very aggressive toward females that are not willing to spawn. As in the natural environment, faster-growing individuals eat smaller ones from the same brood, even if  sufficient food is given. Considering this, breeders need to separate bigger individuals from smaller ones, to avoid losses prior to adulthood. The difficulties with maintenance, and the fact that there are not many people rising to this challenge, is the reason that not many species are photographed herein.

If visitors to this site can send me eggs of species for which there is no image, please contact me by email. I will mention your cooperation in the <reference> chapter, and/or exchange eggs.