ACA 2006 - any impressions?

[zmirek]

Hi all,

Last week some of you participated in annual ACA convention in Chicago.

Since there were many interesting matters (i.e two lectures of Uwe Roemer) it will be really good to share (for non-participants) your impressions/opinions regarding apisto and non-apisto related part of this convention.

Best regards

 

[tjudy]

The show was a good one. Dr. Romer's talks were very good. There were very few dwarf cichlids in the show. The west African class of dwarf cichlids had more entrants than normal, but the variety was low. There were at least three small Steat. irvinei, for example, and two male Pel. humilis (which I have not seen in a show in recent years). No Pel. taeniatus, which is really odd.

There were not many apistos et al. in the show either. A great looking Dicrossus maculatus and a very nice A. borelli (which won the class).

Tony Orso brought a lot of dwarf cichlids to sell. I bought two varieties of wild Pel. humilis from him. Rick Tincklinberg (sp?... sorry Rick if I am butchering your last name) had a great selection of tank raised dwarfs... lots of westies. I got some Pel. humilis 'kasewe' from him. Jeff Michels (Aquaticclarity) set up a small shop in his room and had a great selection of westies also.. including Teleo. brichardi and C. guentheri lohmbergeri (sp?). Ken Davis had a lot of wild SA dwarfs for sale.. including T. candidi and D. filamentosus.

 

[Mike Wise]

I found it interesting that Römer showed 2 different species of Mouthbrooder-like apistos, one being a typical cave spawner, the other the regular mouthbrooding form. He says that they are virtually identical except for size of the head. I got some new species, courtesy of Römer & Tony Orso. I planned on picking up only 3 species, but ended up with 6. If I am successful with my new fish & "N". adoketa, I hope to talk Uwe into trading for some A. sp. Gabelband/Fork-band sometime. I now know his secret junk food vice:biggrin: (he can't get it in Germany & we couldn't find it on our shopping trip to the grocery store:frown. We also went to the Field Museum in Chicago were we examined many specimens - including some new species & some too small to say what they are. As for next year, the Sacramento convention doesn't seem to have anyone talking on dwarfs yet. Some of you on the West Coast need to put a "bug" in the program chair's ear.

 

[zmirek]

Hi,

I found it interesting that Römer showed 2 different species of Mouthbrooder-like apistos, one being a typical cave spawner, the other the regular mouthbrooding form. He says that they are virtually identical except for size of the head.

Very interesting even if mouthbrooder is not my favourite apisto. I hope info regarding these two species will be put into CA2. Are the any news when we will finally see it? Any direct info from Römer

I got some new species, courtesy of Römer & Tony Orso. I planned on picking up only 3 species, but ended up with 6.

Could you tell us which species did you get. I am especially interested in those that come from Roemer since seems to be much easier to try to get them from him instead of going to States. ;-)

I hope to talk Uwe into trading for some A. sp. Gabelband/Fork-band sometime.

Does it mean he has this species now?

Thanks both Mike and tjudy for what you have written for us.

 

[Mike Wise]

Very interesting even if mouthbrooder is not my favourite apisto. I hope info regarding these two species will be put into CA2.

I doubt it. The non-mouthbrooding fish was found after the manuscript was finished, but who knows what he will add.

Are the any news when we will finally see it [CA2]? Any direct info from Römer

Probably not until later this year. Mergus has other books to print ahead of CA2. He also told me that all English copies (1500!) of CA1 were destroyed in a warehouse fire. Next printing of CA1 cannot be finished until early next year. If you don't have one now, you will either have to wait until then or find a copy in some book store's inventory.

Could you tell us which species did you get. I am especially interested in those that come from Roemer since seems to be much easier to try to get them from him instead of going to States. ;-)

First of all Uwe does not sell many of his fish, so I doubt that they are available. These came from his research lab: A. sp. "Abacaxis/Wilhelmi", A. sp. aff. "Peixoto" (Rio Purus), A. cf. eunotus "Orangeschwanz/Orange-tail" (Rio Tahauyo), & A. similis "Orange-belly" (Rio Beni).

Does it mean he has this species [A. sp. "Gabelband/Fork-band"] now?

Yes, but only barely enough for his research project. He couldn't even spare any for me

. It is not easy to breed. I doubt that this species will be available very soon.

 

[Lisachromis]

ACA was very cool of course. It was very nice to meet Mike and Ted. Ted is a good person to have at the banquet with you. Lots of talk on fish.....

I only ended up with one bag from the VERY long auction (it ended about 2 am). Was for a pair of A. trifasciata. Well.... the pair is two males. Just my luck. Guess I'll be on a search again for the opposite sex for my fish.

 

[zmirek]

Probably not until later this year. Mergus has other books to print ahead of CA2

That is really bad, but we have no choice as this book (acc. to among other, your opinion) is really worth to wait for it. Hopefully we are now much closer to finally see and get it.

But He also told me that all English copies (1500!) of CA1 were destroyed in a warehouse fire. Next printing of CA1 cannot be finished until early next year.

Another bad news even if I get my own copy 4 years ago. Does it mean that Mergus plan to sell also CA1 and CA2 together (from premiere of CA2) and loss of CA1 stock will have some effect (delay) on issuing date of CA2? Hopefully not.

First of all Uwe does not sell many of his fish, so I doubt that they are available. These came from his research lab: A. sp. "Abacaxis/Wilhelmi", A. sp. aff. "Peixoto" (Rio Purus), A. cf. eunotus "Orangeschwanz/Orange-tail" (Rio Tahauyo), & A. similis "Orange-belly" (Rio Beni).

OK, clear.

Yes, but only barely enough for his research project. He couldn't even spare any for me. It is not easy to breed. I doubt that this species will be available very soon.

I was only curious nothing else since my primary area of interest are fish from Rio Negro/Orinoco drainage. But apart of it is really rare fish so that is also another reason of my question.

 

[Mike Wise]

Originally Posted by Mike Wise
But He also told me that all English copies (1500!) of CA1 were destroyed in a warehouse fire. Next printing of CA1 cannot be finished until early next year.


Another bad news even if I get my own copy 4 years ago. Does it mean that Mergus plan to sell also CA1 and CA2 together (from premiere of CA2) and loss of CA1 stock will have some effect (delay) on issuing date of CA2? Hopefully not.

No, the loss of CA1 will not affect the distribution of CA2. CA2 is a completely new & different book, with all new species & updates on some in CA1. Like CA1 it, in my personal opinion, has some problems, but I won't comment on them until the book is out. The Cichlid Atlas series will be exactly like the Aquarium Atlas series - each volume will be available for the foreseeable future. Maybe this will drive you crazy, but Uwe is half way through with CA3! It probably will be out in another 2 - 3 years. I can hardly wait!

 

[Greg PL]

Maybe this will drive you crazy, but Uwe is half way through with CA3! It probably will be out in another 2 - 3 years. I can hardly wait!

it only drives me crazy to wait for them, I could buy 10 parts all together if they are available
still, to tell the truth, there are some chapters in CA1 that I haven't yet explored well enough. you never have enough of it, something new (or forgoten) pops out everytime you reach for it.