A loose definition or example of Convergent evolution, is when two species evolve similar traits (looks, trophic needs etc)to match certain aspects of a habitat, but are often from different parts of the world.
It can be of significant relevance to aquarists. How?????
Let's say you love the look of Heros severus, but.... live in an area of very hard, high conductivity and high pH tap water.
And this Hero's group , generally come from the soft, low conductivity, acidic waters (often with pH as low as 5) of Amazonia.
As an aquarist, you can buck science, and nature, and face the often dire consequences of that decission, such a s shortened life span, or scarring from HITH
or can go to great lengths to change your tap water chemistry by adding acids, or employing an RO? DI unit.
When I was a noob aquarist the Amazonian Heros were my holy grails. But I had hard, high pH, and the Heros I acquired often did poorly....not right away... but often in a year or 2.
My solution (once I realized the limitations of my tap water) was to look elsewhere in the world for similar appearing species that actually thrived in my tap water parameters.
For me this turned out to Etroplus suratensus, a similar looking, primarily vegetarian species that evolved in a convergent way across the globe in India, and Sri Lanka.
The important difference for me, although convergent in many ways, is that it evolved in often hard, sometimes even brackish water, (high conductivity)so it had resistance to the bacteria in evolved to live in that type water, as opposed to Heros that evolved in low pH soft water, without needing resistance to the same hard water, pH dependent bacterial species.
It is not the water parameters that affect higher animals like fish, but the primitive animals like bacteria, that are the mitigating factors in keeping certain species healthy..
Another example of convergent evolution that may be of significance to aquarists regarding water parameters, are the soft, acidic water groups of geophagines, and the Central American hard water equivalent earth eaters of the genus Cribroheros, and Thorichthys
Left and right Cribroheros rostratus, middle Geophagus pyrocephalws.
There are also earth eaters found in the African rift lakes such as Fossorochromis rostratus, and eartheaters in Madagascar, such a Ptychochromis species.
With almost 3000 species of cichlids world wide, finding the convergent species that fit our differing water parameters, and also meettng our desired appearance preference, with a little research is not that hard, and can also induce a more satisfactory aquarium experience,
It can be of significant relevance to aquarists. How?????
Let's say you love the look of Heros severus, but.... live in an area of very hard, high conductivity and high pH tap water.
And this Hero's group , generally come from the soft, low conductivity, acidic waters (often with pH as low as 5) of Amazonia.
As an aquarist, you can buck science, and nature, and face the often dire consequences of that decission, such a s shortened life span, or scarring from HITH
or can go to great lengths to change your tap water chemistry by adding acids, or employing an RO? DI unit.
When I was a noob aquarist the Amazonian Heros were my holy grails. But I had hard, high pH, and the Heros I acquired often did poorly....not right away... but often in a year or 2.
My solution (once I realized the limitations of my tap water) was to look elsewhere in the world for similar appearing species that actually thrived in my tap water parameters.
For me this turned out to Etroplus suratensus, a similar looking, primarily vegetarian species that evolved in a convergent way across the globe in India, and Sri Lanka.
The important difference for me, although convergent in many ways, is that it evolved in often hard, sometimes even brackish water, (high conductivity)so it had resistance to the bacteria in evolved to live in that type water, as opposed to Heros that evolved in low pH soft water, without needing resistance to the same hard water, pH dependent bacterial species.
It is not the water parameters that affect higher animals like fish, but the primitive animals like bacteria, that are the mitigating factors in keeping certain species healthy..
Another example of convergent evolution that may be of significance to aquarists regarding water parameters, are the soft, acidic water groups of geophagines, and the Central American hard water equivalent earth eaters of the genus Cribroheros, and Thorichthys
Left and right Cribroheros rostratus, middle Geophagus pyrocephalws.
There are also earth eaters found in the African rift lakes such as Fossorochromis rostratus, and eartheaters in Madagascar, such a Ptychochromis species.
With almost 3000 species of cichlids world wide, finding the convergent species that fit our differing water parameters, and also meettng our desired appearance preference, with a little research is not that hard, and can also induce a more satisfactory aquarium experience,
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