Can we talk geography?

[ryansmith83]

Agree with qguy, it would take many, many generations to even scratch the surface and undo those millions of years of evolution.
The tannins in black water tend to have a natural antibacterial effect.
Seems as oscars age they become more and more susceptible to bacteria that cause HITH, and other maladies. The soft, tannin infused water helps to prevent this, and besides, the rivers oscars come from, move in the million of gallons per second, so even the most prolific water change regime can't compare.

This is also true for fish like discus. Yes, they are adaptable to a wide array of water parameters, but we do large, frequent water changes due to things like bacteria loads building up in the water that will stress the fish. As you mentioned, extremely soft blackwater environments do not allow most bacteria to thrive, and so the fish are not equipped to deal with a build-up of such bacteria in an aquarium setting. In addition to replacing trace elements/minerals that are absorbed by the fish and reducing DOC/nitrate, there are other reasons for water changes that people do not necessarily see with the naked eye but that are directly linked with the environments in which the fish evolved. It's why I get so impatient with those who suggest water changes are unnecessary.

We are lucky that so many cichlids are so adaptable. I am able to keep and breed a lot of the species that I do because of the resilience and hardiness of the fish, and their ability to acclimate to very different water chemistry from where they were fished.

 

[Anders247]

Very nice cichlids!
N newworld , yes convicts are central american.

 

[duanes]

Newworld (Sam) has spent time and collected in many countries from Mexico, and throughout Central America,(as have I) and was just messing with me, because to him, and probably many here, this info should be matter of fact, and obvious.
But I sometimes find in some posts, (especially newbie posts, or those who have outdated info from early in the aquarium hobby) the differences need to be clarified.

 

[Botiadancer]

You mean everyone doesn't run to a book and a map before/during/after they buy a fish to see where it is from? You don't wonder where all those "geographic locale types" of species are from?? You don't follow exploration/fish trip articles by looking at google maps??? That's half the fun of fishkeeping... or maybe I'm just nerdy... Back to the new issue of Amazonas...

 

[Anders247]

Lol, sorry about that......

 

[duanes]

I'm one of those nerds. Whenever I get a species I've not had before, I research what the pH, average temp, flow rate (if its a river), of the waters it comes from, and other fish it might share habitat with. Always keeps things interesting, and as you say"half the fun of the hobby".

 

[tiger15]

Agree with qguy, it would take many, many generations to even scratch the surface and undo those millions of years of evolution.
The tannins in black water tend to have a natural antibacterial effect.
Seems as oscars age they become more and more susceptible to bacteria that cause HITH, and other maladies. The soft, tannin infused water helps to prevent this, and besides, the rivers oscars come from, move in the million of gallons per second, so even the most prolific water change regime can't compare.

 

[tiger15]

Mexico is part of the North American plate and so geologically it is in North America. So technically all Mexican species are NA but biologically and culturally, Mexicans are closer to CA than NA.

Evolution used to be thought to occur at slow steady pace that takes million years to make changes. Recent studies have found that evolution was not steady but had made quantum leaps during rapid environmental changes on earth. Fish have short life cycles and can evolve rapidly as evidenced by domesticated species. Many captive bred fish look and behave differently from wild species within a few generations.

 

[TripleW]

I'm one of those nerds. Whenever I get a species I've not had before, I research what the pH, average temp, flow rate (if its a river), of the waters it comes from, and other fish it might share habitat with. Always keeps things interesting, and as you say"half the fun of the hobby".

This is a lot of the fun of fishkeeping for me as well.

 

[darth pike]

Obviously you can't move then duanes, you'll be introducing a NA exotic into the CA native population! It could bring chaos!! Cats and dogs, living together!!!