Natural habitat shots

[duanes]

For those interested in creating biotopes, some pics from north and South American cichlid habitats
!st, some pics from the Cenotes of Mexico where we find species such a Rocio (JDs), Thorichthys FMs) and Mayaheros.

Next, a tributary that is part of the Magdalena river system in Colombia, where we find Geophagus, Acaras, and Kronoheros

Below Panama, where I find and collect Andinoacara, Darienheros, and Isthmoheros

 

[duanes]

In the habitat below, I couldn't cast the net, without pulling up large adult Plecos.

 

[ken31cay]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

 

[ken31cay]

Below is a fishbase.org list of the freshwater and brackish water fish found here in the Cayman Islands. It's a very short list of species and none that I care to build an aquarium around. I'm surrounded by marine fish and other marine resources but I simply have no interest in keeping a marine aquarium. Go figure.

Anchoa parva (anchovy-type fish)
Carcharhinus leucas (Bull shark)
Cyprinodon riverendi (pupfish type)
Cyprinodon variegatus variegatus (minnow-type fish)
Gambusia puncticulata (guppy-type fish)
Gambusia xanthosoma (guppy-type fish)
Limia caymanensis (guppy-type fish)
Megalops atlanticus (Tarpon)
Rivulus marmoratus (killifish-type)

 

[duanes]

Cyprinodon riverendi (pupfish type)
Cyprinodon variegatus variegatus (minnow-type fish)
Gambusia puncticulata (guppy-type fish)
Gambusia xanthosoma (guppy-type fish)
Limia caymanensis (guppy-type fish)
Rivulus marmoratus (killifish-type)

Being biotope anal, I would think a community tank with the above species (even tho they aren't the most striking), and planted with local mangrove trees would be an interesting venture.
Because I live on a tiny island, there aren't really any freshwater fish here either, so I need to take jaunts to the mainland to collect mine.
But there are shrimp that live in the small stream here, and I often find mangrove pods washed up, and add them to my sump with the shrimp;


Above, red mangrove pod, below a bunch of black mangrove pods

I plant the mangroves in sand filled bamboo stems, that also commonly wash up.

Now that the saplings are getting taller, some over 2 ft, the roots are breaking thru the bamboo stems, and just resting in the sump floor.

I've been thinking about trying to plant some of the bull rushes (hair grass) that live in the local stream bed, in the sump.

 

[duanes]

Went on a little recon to the north end of Panama, the Caribbean side.
It only takes about an hour to drive across the entire country from the south end of the Panama Canal to the north end.
The canal connect with the joining of the Chagres River, connected by Lake Gatun.

The Chagres northern mouth.

Lake Gatun below

The southern end of the canal is the home of Panama City, quite the contrast.

 

[ken31cay]

I went to Panama twice with my wife a few years back. Of course every latin american country has it's own culture and feel, but I found that the North American influences seemed to be quite a bit more pronounced there than what my experience has been in other latin american countries. It was more 'americanized'. That stood out to me because I guess I wasn't expecting it. But it was a nice place, we had a good time. We took a tour to the Panama Canal but mostly just stayed in Panama City, drove around a little in a rent a car, relaxed.

 

[ken31cay]

I spend quite a bit of time recently in Honduras since we built a home there just outside La Ceiba. My wife is from there. Every time we drive into the city we cross a river (the Cangrejal) and one smaller stream, and I think about the cichlids there, especially Honduran Red Points. I don't have an aquarium yet in the house but you can bet I have plans in the future. I've always loved getting my feet wet and catching fish with nets, which I've done from when I was a boy.

 

[duanes]

I found that the North American influences seemed to be quite a bit more pronounced there than what my experience has been in other latin american countries. It was more 'americanized'.

Agree, there are some cities here, you'd think you were in a suburb of Miami.
Although as the country get further and further away from those years the US owned the Panama Canal the less Gringo-ish the country becomes,.
On the island where I live, you might think you'd stepped 100 years in the past, except for the tourists.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

Agree, there are some cities here, you'd think you were in a suburb of Miami.
Although as the country get further and further away from those years the US owned the Panama Canal the less Gringo-ish the country becomes,.
On the island where I live, you might think you'd stepped 100 years in the past, except for the tourists.
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Low key if any woman dressed like that in Europe, they would be seriously looked down upon. Its funny how us Americans don't seem to mind that at all.