Amazon Abyss (Animal Planet)

[blueblue]

I recently watched the episode "Amazon Abyss" in Animal Planet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/amazon/creatures.shtml

Did any friend here have some impressions to it?
What i am interested most is the "sponge like thing" in some places found in the Rio Negro. Is there any further information on it? Thanks

 

[blueblue]

A photo capture of the scene - the "sponge" living under Rio Negro!!

 

[ed seeley]

This was shown over here a few years ago. I don't remember anything about the sponges to be honest, but freshwater sponges aren't all that rare, or is that just my impression? I know we get them over here in places. Admittedly I'm pretty sure none of them have such complex tube structures as the still you showed, they are usually more mat-like.

 

[blueblue]

Thanks ed seeley for your reply. Hmm, this particular show was filmed in 2005 while i missed it until recently... When i saw the sponge, i first thought about whether they're alive or not (probably they're alive). I then thought about whether it provided any hint about the different water requirements for apistos and L number suckerfish from Rio Negro... you know, very acidic water, which is suitable for apistos, is not too suitable for suckerfish but some of the species are reported to come from a similar zone in Rio Negro!! ...

 

[beleg]

Well Amazon is a deep river. Its depths might have very different chemical composition than its surface . I watched this documentary too and it was a good one ..

 

[Mike Wise]

Not all streams that enter the Rio Negro are blackwater streams. There are many clearwater streams and even some that might be considered whitewater.

 

[DH247]

For anyone in north america who would be interested in watching some of the series the Discovery Channel is airing episodes 1 and 2 on August 5 at 12 noon. Each episode is an hour long. Should be cool! I've caught little snipits here and there on the web and it is definitely worth watching!

 

[beleg]

The best is BBC's Planet Earth - The Freshwater. I got the hi def version and its truly amazing.

 

[blueblue]

Well Amazon is a deep river. Its depths might have very different chemical composition than its surface . I watched this documentary too and it was a good one ..

Agree and it's amazing

 

[blueblue]

Not all streams that enter the Rio Negro are blackwater streams. There are many clearwater streams and even some that might be considered whitewater.

Mike: As i remember, the sponge is in the blackwater area and the water has a very poor visibility. Do you have some comments on these creatures (sponge)?

 

[Mike Wise]

Michael Goulding mentions them in his book, "Rio Negro - Rich life in poor water", but mostly as a food source for other animals. Sponges are a very ancient and high adaptable animal(s?). Really unusual since they are basically a community of specialized single cell animals that form a distinct animal. They been around for about 600 million years and are probably the first complex animal to develop on the planet.

 

[fish fodder]

a useless piece of information for you, some members of the family loricariidae eat these freshwater sponges. cant tell you what ones though, i'll try and find out

 

[blueblue]

Michael Goulding mentions them in his book, "Rio Negro - Rich life in poor water", but mostly as a food source for other animals. Sponges are a very ancient and high adaptable animal(s?). Really unusual since they are basically a community of specialized single cell animals that form a distinct animal. They been around for about 600 million years and are probably the first complex animal to develop on the planet.

i see and thanks for the info Mike. I will be intersted in reading this book

 

[blueblue]

a useless piece of information for you, some members of the family loricariidae eat these freshwater sponges. cant tell you what ones though, i'll try and find out

Thanks and right... it is also why many hobbyists reported that their suckermouth catfish eats the sponge of their sponge-filter!! Sponge is actually a food source for catfish, ... by the way, is it possible to plant this kind of river-sponge in our aquarium??

 

[fish fodder]

i couldnt tell you tbh! will have an ask around