- Messages
- 234
- Location
- Goodyear, Az. USA
As we drove south back to Trinidad we collected at several more roadside pools where we collected erythrura and linkei.
Water pH 7.2-7.8 Tds 20-80 Temp 91˚-93˚ F.
Next we took Highway 3 west towards San Ingnacio de Moxos.
Gasoline was purchased along the way in 2 liter soft drink bottles. 
We crossed the Rio Mamore on a ferry 
and joined intermittent cattle drives 
along the way.This area was much more lush with lots of ponds along the way. The road was again under construction and so we had to drive in soft newly graded clay.
We collected ponds in the Rio Apare drainage catching A. linkei, and inconspicua.
Water pH 6.6 TDS 50-60 Temp 71˚ F. The final collecting location was in the Rio Tijamuchi drainage on the turn off to Belem. In 2001 the collecting site was chest deep clear black water with water pH 6.8 Tds70 Temp 65˚ F. At that time we collected A. leulingi and staecki. This time there was only 1 inch of water and 3 inches of mud.
We only caught a few rivulus.
On the final night before heading back to Trinidad there was a heavy rain turning the road into a very slippery muddy trail. Our all wheel drive barely could manage the road. Most of the time we were slipping sideways down the road or heading toward the edge and down the bank into the forest. We had to stop several times to clear out the clay from the wheel wells so that the wheels would turn. The car was not happy.
In Trinidad we bagged our fish for transport back to the US. We used breather bags and a heat sealer.
The sealer broke and so the rest of the bags were secured with a knot. This proved totally inadequate with all those bags leaking with the loss of many good fish.
The flight home was a day and a half late leaving Bolivia. We missed our connection in Miami because an inspector seemed to think we were trying to import dangerous fish. First time in about 30 years of collecting that we had this problem. Oh well, we finally made it home and succeeded in getting fish from each of the species we collected home . A successful trip.
Pictures of some of the fish now that they have grown.
A. erythrura
A. inconspicua
A. inconspicua a different color form
A. linkei
Water pH 7.2-7.8 Tds 20-80 Temp 91˚-93˚ F.Next we took Highway 3 west towards San Ingnacio de Moxos.
Gasoline was purchased along the way in 2 liter soft drink bottles. We crossed the Rio Mamore on a ferry and joined intermittent cattle drives along the way.This area was much more lush with lots of ponds along the way. The road was again under construction and so we had to drive in soft newly graded clay.We collected ponds in the Rio Apare drainage catching A. linkei, and inconspicua.
Water pH 6.6 TDS 50-60 Temp 71˚ F. The final collecting location was in the Rio Tijamuchi drainage on the turn off to Belem. In 2001 the collecting site was chest deep clear black water with water pH 6.8 Tds70 Temp 65˚ F. At that time we collected A. leulingi and staecki. This time there was only 1 inch of water and 3 inches of mud. We only caught a few rivulus.On the final night before heading back to Trinidad there was a heavy rain turning the road into a very slippery muddy trail. Our all wheel drive barely could manage the road. Most of the time we were slipping sideways down the road or heading toward the edge and down the bank into the forest. We had to stop several times to clear out the clay from the wheel wells so that the wheels would turn. The car was not happy.
In Trinidad we bagged our fish for transport back to the US. We used breather bags and a heat sealer.
The sealer broke and so the rest of the bags were secured with a knot. This proved totally inadequate with all those bags leaking with the loss of many good fish.The flight home was a day and a half late leaving Bolivia. We missed our connection in Miami because an inspector seemed to think we were trying to import dangerous fish. First time in about 30 years of collecting that we had this problem. Oh well, we finally made it home and succeeded in getting fish from each of the species we collected home . A successful trip.
Pictures of some of the fish now that they have grown.
A. erythrura
A. inconspicua
A. inconspicua a different color form
A. linkei
