The Xingu River, the Dam, and You

[slimbolen99]

I've been following the news and events of the perils of the dam building on the Xingu River.
http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0615-hance_lcts_xinguriver.html

Is there a list of fishes that are from that area? I've tried using fish base, but can't find the Xingu as an ecosystem.

What I'd like to do is compile a list of the cichlid species and companions that are uniquely from that area, find a source for them, and start a personal collection. Maybe you want to go in on this with me?

Anyone that can help on finding a source for 1) a list of species, and 2) finding sources for those fish, that would be great!!

Brian

 

[tompoz]

I have found this: http://www.gtoe.de/public_html/publications/pdf/10-2/Camargo,Giarizzo,Isaac 2004.pdf

 

[briztoon]

I've lost the article (and I'm sure it was posted on heresomewhere), but this is only the first of over 100 proposed dams to built in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia, all in the Amazon river basin.

 

[discus_noob]

There was a massive tv feature on 60 minutes I believe? on this particular instance. Sad thing to happen. It is not just the fish you have to worry about but the natives who actually rely on these waterways to survive.

 

[slimbolen99]

Absolutely discus_noob!

 

[Apistomaster]

Hypancistrus zebra AKA Zebra Pleco has been a focal point of species that will be lost during/after the Belo Monte hydro Project is completed. The Xingu is most famous for it's striking Hypancistrus species; most of which simply go by the L-Number identification system. I raise Hypancistrus sp L333 which is found their.
Brown Symyphysodon haraldi Discus are still found near the mouth but their numbers have dropped considerably as many Brown Discus were convenient to catch there not far from Belem.
The river will run low during the dry season and the reservoir will cause many fish to go extinct. It is a project surpassed in size by China's Three River Gorge Dam and few if any others. It is going to be among the worlds three largest dams and much will change.

 

[Mike Wise]

Apisto species from the Bello Monte area of the Rio Xingu: A. sp. Xingu (and its morphs A. sp. aff. Peixoto, sp. Samaúma, & Vielfleck), A. sp. Blauspiegel, A. sp. Parati/Paje, and A. sp. Chao. Most of these are found in tributaries of the Xingu around Altamira. They will probably survive by migrating farther upstream as the water level rises in the Bello Monte reservoir. The exception is A. sp. Chao. This fish has only been found around islands in the Xingu, which will be submerged and destroy their habitat. They will probably become extinct - as will many of the Teleocichla specie that occur in the area. This area is more or less off limits to commercial collecting right now, so it's not likely to find many of these species in the commercial trade anymore.

 

[RustedKnight]

Will get in contact with you again soon, me and a few others are discussing the same idea, and collecting specimens in an attempt to breed and atleast keep these species alive in aquariums.

 

[slimbolen99]

Apisto species from the Bello Monte area of the Rio Xingu: A. sp. Xingu (and its morphs A. sp. aff. Peixoto, sp. Samaúma, & Vielfleck), A. sp. Blauspiegel, A. sp. Parati/Paje, and A. sp. Chao. Most of these are found in tributaries of the Xingu around Altamira. They will probably survive by migrating farther upstream as the water level rises in the Bello Monte reservoir. The exception is A. sp. Chao. This fish has only been found around islands in the Xingu, which will be submerged and destroy their habitat. They will probably become extinct - as will many of the Teleocichla specie that occur in the area. This area is more or less off limits to commercial collecting right now, so it's not likely to find many of these species in the commercial trade anymore.

Mike, are those species you listed sold as something else? Like the macmasteri/eunotus jurensis/schwarzkinn confusions?

 

[briztoon]

Apisto species from the Bello Monte area of the Rio Xingu: A. sp. Xingu (and its morphs A. sp. aff. Peixoto, sp. Samaúma, & Vielfleck), A. sp. Blauspiegel, A. sp. Parati/Paje, and A. sp. Chao. Most of these are found in tributaries of the Xingu around Altamira. They will probably survive by migrating farther upstream as the water level rises in the Bello Monte reservoir.

Do apistos migrate between the wet and dry periods in the Amazon?

I have wondered if species will be able to survive by migrating up streams or by following the shallow water as the water rises. But the big question I keep coming back to, is how will the fish know to migrate much farther than they have had to in the past.

 

[Mike Wise]

These fish are from Brazil and none are scientifically described. Therefore, these are the names under which the fish were exported (mostly by Trop Rio in the 1990s). They were occasionally discussed under other names, but not sold under scientific names.

Apistos do migrate yearly as the water rises and floods the surrounding forest. They tend to move to areas with their preferred depth as the water rises and lowers. There actually are some species that appear to migrate en masse at certain seasons. Römer witnessed a large scale migration of A. uaupesi in the upper Negro.

 

[gerald]

Do we know whether it will operate as a run-of-river or a store-and-release (peaking) hydroelectric facility? That has a big effect both upstream and downstream on fish, bugs, and plants in the shallows. Fish that dont require much current (many Apistos) might survive in the shallow edges of the reservoir IF there's plant beds and fallen tree branches. But if the lake level fluctuates too much (as with peaking operation) then the shallow littoral habitats are useless. Also too much/ too rapid flow fluctuation in the river below the hydro would kill off most kinds of fish. Then there's temperature effects, loss of sediment transport, etc etc.

 

[Mike Wise]

I understand that the dam will produce electricity only parts of each year, during periods of higher river flow. During the dry season, there won't be enough water to produce electricity and allow water flow.

 

[Apistomaster]

I understand that the dam will produce electricity only parts of each year, during periods of higher river flow. During the dry season, there won't be enough water to produce electricity and allow water flow.

That is correct and the reason why this extremely rich source of rare and unique species of Hypancistrus species like the H. zebra found only around Altimira will be driven to extinction.