Dithers for medium american Cichlids

[duanes]

Caught these Astyanax Tetras in hard, hgh (8.2) pH water, (as were all fish below) in rivers of eastern Panama.
These are about 3", and very quick, and have avoided being eaten, andremained alive with these 4" to 6" cichlids for about 3 months.


The cichlids are Andinoacara, and Isthmoheros, and a few non-predarory Awaous gobies.

 

[duanes]

I have another collecting trip scheduled for tomorrow, to the Rio Mamoni.
The rainy season is in full swing, and hopefully there are some species now, that were absent in the shallows of the dry season.
I always have targets when collecting, although that sometimes turns out to be pie in the sky.
I'm hoping to find the Panamanian Hatchetfish, Gateropelicus maculatus for the planted sump,
Saccodon dariensis, a Central American equivalent so the Siamese algae eater.

Both known to be found in the Mamoni, and east to the Darien.
And a suitable mate for for the Isthmoheros,

Some elusive Geophagus crassilabris, and anything else interesting that falls in our nets.

 

[HUKIT]

They are cool but I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen Astyanax aeneus for sale.

 

[duanes]

A aeneus is usually used to separate the blind version (often called A mexicanus) from the version with eyes.
Sometimes they are separated by location as is A belzienu or A guatamalensus., or here in Panama, A panamaensus.
All very similar schooling tetras

 

[HUKIT]

I’ve never heard that with regards to the blind variation. The blind version is readily available.

Astyanax aeneus summary page

www.fishbase.se

 

[duanes]

Went to Rio Mamoni today.
Where we first tried to enter the river, the current was so strong, it was impossible to safely work, so we swung around to a different entry point about a mile upstream,and decided to try out luck there.
Even tho its the rainy season, the river was less than capacity
,
The substrate was rocky, and tetras were everywhere.

I tested pH and nitrate, and as usual nitrate was undetectable. pH was slight down to about 8.
, ,

 

[danotaylor]

Sounds like a great day on the water. What are the cichlids in the second to last pic mate?

 

[duanes]

The cichlids are Darienheros calobrensis.
It is a rheophille, kind of seems a convergent evolutionary primitive link between the South American genus of earthesters, Geophagus and Central Americans of the genus Cribroheros.
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[duanes]

Here's the 6" as yet unidentified Tetra.

 

[duanes]

Trying to pinpoint what species of tetra it is, is difficult for me, because Characins are not even close to my forte.
Searching the hand book, Peces de Costa Rica, I'm beginning to think its either Brycon behraee or Brycon guatamalensis.
Both species are found in Panama, but behreae, is native to the Pacific side of the mountain range, where this one was caught.
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With all the algae growing on the back of the tank, it is hard to get a fix on details, like the adipose fin.