Hello, I'm new to the forum - my page on Kribs

[adder]

Hello. I am new to this forum and must admit, I am very excited to have found it. A site dedicated to dwarfs! I have had lots of experiences with a wide range of dwarfs, my favorites being Microgeophagus Ramirezi (aka German Blue Rams) and Pelvicachromis Pulcher (aka Kribensis- not necessarily a dwarf, I know). I would like to take the opportunity to post a link to a site I have on the two fish. I guess this specific forum will be more interested in the Kribs. Please take a look and give me some feed-back, good or bad. Thanks. Great site by the way!

http://hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/Kribensis.html

 

[2la]

Someone solve this bit of controversy: Have kribs really been found in brackish conditions? Several normally reputable sources claim that they have (Fishbase.org, Baensch), but specialists such as Linke & Staeck do not document this. In the January 2002 edition of TFH, Mary Bailey also writes:

It is sometimes stated in the aquarium literature that P. pulcher is found in brackish zones and that salt should be added to its aquarium. There appears to be no justification for this assertion, which may arise from the distribution of the species being close to the Niger Delta. "Close to" is not the same as "in," and there is no evidence that this species inhabits tidal waters. A similar recommendation for P. roloffi, which originates in the coastal lowlands of Guinea and Sierra Leone, probably arises from a misunderstanding of the term "coastal lowlands," used to describe the entire lowland area, a hundred or more miles wide, between the sea and the mountains of the interior.

Thoughts?

 

[Randall]

Brackish Water P. pulcher

Dear 2la,

It's my understanding that Pelvicachromis pulcher and heterospecific P. taeniatus (Nigerian forms) are found in coastal regions from, roughly, the Dehomey Gap in Benin, to the west, to the Niger Delta in Nigeria to the east. Further east P. pulcher is replaced by P. sp. aff. pulcher or P. sacrimontis, depending on who you read. As far as I know, they are riverine fish and are not found in tidal pools or estuaries. So, on this point, I agree with Mary.

On an unrelated note, a striking Ndonga, Cameroon, population of P. pulcher has found its way into the US fairly recently. This population is found in soft, acidic water.

All the best,

Randall Kohn

 

[Randall]

Your Web Site

Dear Adder,

Thank you for sharing your well done Web site with the Forum. It looks like much thought went into creating it.

If you'd like to discuss further, please feel free to contact me privately.

Thank you.

Randall Kohn

 

[adder]

Thanks Randall, I will keep that in mind. I have some needed updating to do on the site and hope I will get around to it this summer.

As far as I know, they are riverine fish and are not found in tidal pools or estuaries

That is also my understanding. I have no means of documenting it, but I have heard from a number of sources (primarily through conversations via email), that some aquarists have kept Kribs in slightly brackish water upon recommendation from the sellers. I have never done this before, though have been tempted to experiment a little with it.

 

[tjudy]

Kribs are amazingly versitile. many fish can live comfortably with water conditions that do not match their natural environment. The state of Florida is great example. There are many introduced species thriving there from both South America and Africa, but Florida is not exactly either habitat. I have seined in the Orlando area and found rift lake cichlids in teh same body of water as oscars. We often describe keeping our west africans by using tap water for keeping and ro for breeding.

My favorite story about an adaptable fish involves a Claria catfish we seined out of the ditch in south Florida that went to live with a friend in the upper peninsula of Michigan. A couple years later I was visiting Michigan in November. Very cold... The fish was in a tank along the back wall of this guy's fishroom/garage. The tank was unheated. We went into the room at 7:00 AM and my friend broke through 1/4 inch of ice on the catfish's tank... and fed it... and it ate. Tropical species....

 

[Neil]

adder,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Nice sit. Glad to have you with us!

Neil