Collection in eastern Panama.

[duanes]

Friday Feb 17th began a collecting trip to the area between Panama City, and the Darien.
I will add day to day experiences, good or bad and some land acquired costs, along the way. Dinner and drinks at the hotel for 2 ran about @ $50, breakfast is included.
Friday was basically a travel day just getting anywhere in Panama takes time, a hotel was chosen to be east of Panama City to be close to collecting areas, but also be comfortable
Ground travel to the hotel ran $40, and the hotel (The Riande) is running about $100 per night. There are cheaper hotels in the area, but being a geezer, I like a pool (especially after a couple hours in the sun collecting), a decent shower, a comfortable bed, and air conditioning.
Sat began an exploration phase, a trip to the Pacora River another 1 hour east.

We spent about 3 hours there, about a dozen casts with net, and caught only 1 species of tetra. They were always in found in the strongest current, but easily spotted.

In the end they were all released, because with another 3 days in the hotel, and with an entire day trip home, their survival would be precarious at best.
I always like to test the waters where fish are kept.

Above, using the API liquid test, pH overwhelmed the normal rang pH reagent, ammonia read 0, and nitrate < 5 ppm.
As you can see above the Api 5 in 1 test strip agreed both nitrate and nitrite read 0., pH between 7.5 and 8, carbonate hardness @120, and general hardness probably around 120.
The Tetras kind of reminded me of tin foil barbs, just not as massive (at least the ones I caught)

The one above was about average size.
Ground transportation to that kind of off road area, ran $50.
Another meal and drinks for 2 at the hotel ran $40 , add $6 river, parking entry fee.
Our next foray east, will be Monday to Lake Bayano, almost on the edge of the Darien

 

[Trouser Cough]

Interesting. Do you notice seasonal changes in water parameters or are your weather patterns consistent enough that changes would be unusual?

 

[duanes]

I have" not" noticed seasonal variations in parameters, compared t o previous tests, it is currently the dry season, and by looking at the river banks, its easy to see the water level is quite a bit lower than in the past.
I have noticed what appear to be small cichlid fry. among the rocks, that jet by. So small, they escape thru normal net spacing.
My guess is, and they appeared look like Andinoacara coerleopunctatus, (of course most cichlids look alike at that size), and seen for only a split second.
because the river seasonally so low is probably why no terrestrial vegetation to hide under along the exposed shore line.
For the last 3 to 4 years, I have kept these Andinoacara, F1 from parents caught near San Martin, so I'm after something different now.
The fry hatched in my tank looked like this.

 

[duanes]

Went to lake Bayano today, a 2 hour drive east of the hotel.
Warned by the locals, v after getting there, that Tilapia are the only small chogorros (cichlids( caught these days, I tried anyway
And Tilapia and the same Tetras as the day before were what came up in te cast net. I released them all back to the lake


I gave up on Lake Bayano after a couple hours, and a little sun stroke.
After lunch in the shade we headed back and hit one of the rivers on the way, the Canitas.

Again, same tetras as before, no cichlids.
Water parameters in this river were slightly softer.
Undetectable nitrite, and undetectable nitrate
pH 7.5
Carbonate hardness @40ppm , Total hardness @ 100
With the sun stroke, I forgot to check parameters for Lake Bayano.


Because it was a holiday, ground transport to the lake, back and forth and fishing (6 hours) , ran double ($160)
Lunch $40.

 

[jjohnwm]

Wow...to my untrained eye, it looks like you have the cast net well mastered. I have got to get one of those things and then learn how to use it.

The price you paid for this day is higher than I guess I expected to hear...but then, I don't suppose gas is cheaper in Panama than...well, than anywhere, I suppose.

It's sad to hear about a trip to a lake in a country as aware of environmental concerns as Panama seems to be, only to hear that the only things still being seen and caught are invasives. Hopefully things start to improve as your trip progresses.

 

[duanes]

Next day (Fat Tuesday) is also considered to be a :double time" pay holiday, and with how luck was trending, we decided to forgo collecting Fat Tuesday.
Another $160+ to come up empty handed, we decided to relax at the hotel pool instead
Maybe try a simple day trip again in a week or two.
Or maybe, look at the positive side of this trip, that this was simply exploration to get the lay of the land, and eliminate the wrong places to go for the end goal.

 

[duanes]

Just in case anyone is interested in the Tetra species found in Rio Caritas, Rio Pacora, and Lago bayano, I checked with both my field guide, and Fish Base, and believe they are Bryconamericus bayano.


Rio Caritas above, below Rio Pacora

Total cost of the trip
Ground transportation $300
Meals $200
Hotel $ 500
Target Fish kept 0

I probably could have spent less by staying at more spartan hotels, there were a number easily seen off the highway going east
Ground transport could have been less (if not done on a holiday)
Most meals were taken at the hotel, so may have been less if at "local" cafes,

 

[FJB]

I like the tetras. Not sure what they are. I am sure you are hoping for better catches, and I hope they come for you and your nets.
It used to be a heck of a lot cheaper to do trips like that in Latin America. Not anymore. Colombia has also become very expensive, and Ecuador….well it runs in American dollars.

 

[duanes]

I've got another short, few hour collecting jaunt to the Rio Pedro miguel, next week,

so I continue practicing net casting, so as not to lose it.
I normally practice on a small stretch of beach next the house, but never catch much, as its basically a sandy underwater desert.
But the Humboldt current and the trade winds have pushed the warm water out to sea, so water temp has dropped from an average of about 78'F down to 69'F.
This has driven the sardines closer to shore, and the sea birds like pelicans, and cormorants along with them

Where I practice only tiny ones are within reach of my net, so I actually caught a few, and temporally brought some home today, for a photo op, and after tossed them back.

They are barely little more than 2' in size.

 

[jjohnwm]

Don't call it a "collecting" trip...because if you don't bring anything home, it was a failure.

It's a "fishing" trip...which cannot fail, whether or not you catch anything. A fishing trip that leaves you empty-handed can be considered as simply a case of paying your dues. Like you said: you're getting the lay of the land...and you are enjoying it. Reason enough to go.