We started yesterdays collecting trip at the Rio Mamoni, casting our nets our nets for over an hour, without one fish turning up.
Rains had pushed the river far beyond its normal banks, it was now nearly double its width, and the current made it difficult to stand in.
So we decided to move east, along the Panamanian highway, crossing over a bridge to the Rio Plantaneros. It held water, but was more of a stream, than a river, at times barely 10 ft wide, yet under the overpass, was a section that was wider, and at times chest deep.
Dani immediately pulled up a couple two, 6¨ mullet and a few tetras, that he released.
On my first cast I landed a 1 ¨juvie Darienheros, and quickly followed by a few more calobresus fry, the most numerous cichlid found in these parts.
That was it until Dani said, what is this? is it worth keeping?
It was Saccodon dariensus, a Characin sometimes called a scrape tooth tetra, closely related to the Parodon algae scrapers in S America, with only S dariensus found this far north into Panama.
One of the most interesting points to me, is how they seem to be the Confluent evolutionary (spiting image) twin to the popular Asian Siamese algae eater, Crossocheilus oblongus, and Gyrinocheilus (yet aggressive) Chines algae eating loach, sometime kept in aquaria.
So for those interested in keeping a true geographically correct biotope tank, these Parodons, are the new wold equivalents, and for me, the perfect addition and species correct (Saccodon dariensus) Panamanian biotope tank.
Rains had pushed the river far beyond its normal banks, it was now nearly double its width, and the current made it difficult to stand in.
So we decided to move east, along the Panamanian highway, crossing over a bridge to the Rio Plantaneros. It held water, but was more of a stream, than a river, at times barely 10 ft wide, yet under the overpass, was a section that was wider, and at times chest deep.
Dani immediately pulled up a couple two, 6¨ mullet and a few tetras, that he released.
On my first cast I landed a 1 ¨juvie Darienheros, and quickly followed by a few more calobresus fry, the most numerous cichlid found in these parts.
That was it until Dani said, what is this? is it worth keeping?
It was Saccodon dariensus, a Characin sometimes called a scrape tooth tetra, closely related to the Parodon algae scrapers in S America, with only S dariensus found this far north into Panama.
One of the most interesting points to me, is how they seem to be the Confluent evolutionary (spiting image) twin to the popular Asian Siamese algae eater, Crossocheilus oblongus, and Gyrinocheilus (yet aggressive) Chines algae eating loach, sometime kept in aquaria.
So for those interested in keeping a true geographically correct biotope tank, these Parodons, are the new wold equivalents, and for me, the perfect addition and species correct (Saccodon dariensus) Panamanian biotope tank.
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