Yesterday Daniel Atencio and I revisited the Rio Chorrera, because the dry season is now upon us, and we hoped its would be less treacherous, and….. and it was but..…
The last time we tried to collect there, it wasn’t realistic even to try.
Yesterday I stayed above the falls, and Daniel went below to net in the rapids.
Above the falls an hours netting, I only caught a few Roiboides tetras, below the falls, he caught tetras, and a number of large plecos.
The 2 above, were both caught in the same cast, each was at least a foot long, and they were returned to the river, (not realistic to keep, especially knowing the turulent waters, they arre now used to) as were the tetras caught.
So we headed east and hit the Rio Caimetito… again, only shoals of tetras were netted.
Our last stop was the narrow, (only 10 feet wide, and maybe 6 to 10 inches deep during the dry season), Rio Pedro Miguel, where tetras again outnumbered any other species, but we also netted some Andinoacara coerleopunctatus, they were very attractive, but not out wish list, so also thrown back. Our collecting day ended up, a self imposed bust.
Seems the only cichlids now on my list are found in the eastern part of Panama, ranging from the Rio Mamoni and beyond, into the Darien.
The last time we tried to collect there, it wasn’t realistic even to try.
Yesterday I stayed above the falls, and Daniel went below to net in the rapids.
Above the falls an hours netting, I only caught a few Roiboides tetras, below the falls, he caught tetras, and a number of large plecos.
The 2 above, were both caught in the same cast, each was at least a foot long, and they were returned to the river, (not realistic to keep, especially knowing the turulent waters, they arre now used to) as were the tetras caught.
So we headed east and hit the Rio Caimetito… again, only shoals of tetras were netted.
Our last stop was the narrow, (only 10 feet wide, and maybe 6 to 10 inches deep during the dry season), Rio Pedro Miguel, where tetras again outnumbered any other species, but we also netted some Andinoacara coerleopunctatus, they were very attractive, but not out wish list, so also thrown back. Our collecting day ended up, a self imposed bust.
Seems the only cichlids now on my list are found in the eastern part of Panama, ranging from the Rio Mamoni and beyond, into the Darien.
