My Winter stock....

[tjudy]

I have to get the fish I want to work with in the Summer.. by late September the teperatures here are too cold to risk shipping via any method other than air frieght, but that requires a 300 mile drive over snowy mountain passes... that ain't gonna happen.

As of today I have obtained/retained the following west africans to work with for the winter.

Pelvicachromis signatus
Pel. rubrolabiatus
Pel. humilis 'kasewe'
Pel. humilis 'boffa'
Benitochromis nigrodorsalis
Nanochromis dimidiatus (undetermined type)
Tilapia snyderae
Hemichromis sp. 'guinae I'
Pelmatochromis nigrofasciatus
Pelvicachromis roloffi
Pel. taeniatus 'makoure'
Pel. taen. 'wouri'

I hope that will suffice (though I am open to suggestions)...

 

[Blackshark667766]

Shipping/temperature restrictions

I take it that you intend to conduct complex behavioural studies based around this "little" group.

Most of us can only "dream" about posessing some of these fish. Envy is not a part of my mind :?: :lol: , but/and I can only wish you well, in the meantime. No doubt, something good will turn up for you.

I can only gasp in wonder at the extent of both your devotion and knowledge. Sometimes when I visit this site, I wonder whether, and indeed, where, the works and views of the "common" fishkeeper and the ichthyologist, actually, if they ever, meet. This is not "inverted" snobbery: merely a mark of respect from someone, wholesomely "out of their depth"


I "take my hat off" to you, and send thanks for your ability.



Salute,



Nick

 

[tjudy]

Gee... thanks Nick. I certainly do not consider myself amongst the 'elite' fishkeepers.

It is also rare that a person in Europe has more difficulty getting west african species then we do over here. At least that is the impression we get. We are more often jealous of the aquarists on the right-hand side of the pond.

I am lucky in that we have a very good importer here... Toyin Ojo at Rehoboth Aquatics. www.rehobothaquatics.com Toyin is also a member of this board.

My other most excellent source is Neil... the administrator of this site. He breeds many species and has access to quality captive-raised and wild stock from other excellent aquarists and exporters.

With the way in which fish are shipped today all it takes to get the species I have is the willingness to pay the price (which is not that bad really). The secret is to buy enough to offset the cost of shipping.

 

[Blackshark667766]

West africans

Aaah! A classic case of Greene's Law :lol: No matter how hard you have trained or studied, the opposition always "look" as "hard as nails" giants. Meanwhile, they are looking at you, and thinking exactly the same thing. :lol:

Up here we have pH 6.4 tapwater, with variable harness and (whisper it)
quality. Having said that, it has been often expressed that those lucky B's down in England get to keep all the Malawis and "Tangerines" (Grass is always greener on the other side) effect.

I personally spent about '71 - '80 (I would have to check my old passports!) in Freetown Sierra Leone, yet never once (except in Bureh Town) about 150 miles South East) caught site of a cichlid. I remember being shown to a very deep (20 feet!) gabbro rock inlet where perhaps even today some undescribed species still exists. One thing was made quite clear to us; "de bete" (they bite!). To this day I still do not know what they are/were.

Sorry to be so vague, but it was a long time ago. Going up to Bo or Kenema was considered a real adventure, yet harmless. For some reason the local people did not consider river fish a harvestable product. I was
therefore astounded to learn that Tilapia marieae exist in that region.

Some of the young lads used to catch "minnows" using handlines, which I now possibly (?) assume to be young Kribensis spp. :?:

Looking back at that potential fountain/fortune of knowledge is almost enough to make even a robot weep :!: I wouldn't call them wasted years.
simply unfullfilled.


As for the biting fish: dismiss the usual suspects . they were definitanely not T. marieae or buttikoferi; I know both these species "very well" :lol: ) + their bites.

Perhaps one day, Sierra Leone, will be at peace with itself. There's some really good people in there, just the type to show you the fish.



Wow! I just went back 30 years in time but forgot how to answer your question. Let me know if you ever want to know about them. They are a real mixture :!: