What is with Mike Wise......?

[themountain]

...is he on fishing trip??

 

[Ttw]

Yes, I believe he is collecting for the month.

 

[Mike Wise]

More like trying to find a way up treen & brush-clogged streams (think Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen; yes sometimes guides (and TomC) getting in the water and towing the boat). Then stumbling through the steaming jungle and falling off logs crossing dry stream beds. Just got back from Rio Sumon. Dry Dry Dry! Water is 2+ meters lower than normal this time of year. Nothing new apisto-wise; some A. bitaeniata and A. agassizii. Only 4 good things came out of the trip: 1. we collected some nice Characidiums I hope to bring bring back, 2. visiting the world famous artist Francisco Grippa at his home in Pebas, where he gave us color lithographs of some of his art - personally signed for us (and a couple of rounds of beer); 3. Not running into cocain producers said to be in the area and 4. TomC's great companionship and dry wit. Next project? Trying to find some small streams with water!

 

[abrooks12376]

Pretty cool!

 

[gerald]

If there's any spring-fed streams in the region, they might still have flow when other rain-dependent streams are dry ... and they might also have different species! Good luck with the rest of the adventure.

 

[MickeM]

...and don`t forget to look for odd Killies too!!!

 

[Mike Wise]

Often find Rivulus sp. with apistos. The problem is that they all seem to jump out of the net, bag or, later, holding tank (they don't use tops on tank, no need to hold heat in them)! I've never gotten any back to home from my previous 2 attempts.

 

[MickeM]

That is pity, since we rarely see any of these fishes in the hobby either.., may even be "new" species of these fishes too!!
But I sure understand the situation may not be the easiest ..
But if you manage to get a couple, it is a very big chance you are the only man in the hobby to have them too.. (and BTW..they are usually not very difficult to breed in a planted tank..)
Just keep them separated during transport.. even from Apistos..!!! As long as kept in darkness and wet/moisty, they will probably survive a pretty long trip..,
since they are experts in jumping from creek to creek as you say... even resting among leaves for several days/nights if they can not find a new "pool"..
(I think the measured record is 66 days!!! .. not 100% sure though..)

I recently lost some Apisto-fry due to underestimation of the temper of these toothcarps..
Thought my smaller Rivulus-fry would match the larger Apisto-fry OK..!! You can say that I got bitten badly...!!!

But if you can... please take some photos of the Rivulus or other species anyway!!! ...
....and have a nice time!!!!

 

[Tom C]

This is supposed to be our "highway"; usually a big river: Río Sumón. Quite low now

In the lower right corner you see Mike Wise, waiting in the boat (so now you know where he is ):

We had to pay 8 dollars to support the community of local indigenous people, to get permission to fish in the Río Sumón drainage.
In this community all the families lived together in one, huge house:

The Apistogramma bitaeniata from the Río Sumón are quite nice:

My first picture of Apistogramma cf. ortegai (Río Sumón):

 

[abrooks12376]

Sooo cool!! You guys are rock stars!! All your collection points that mudded up? Would that make netting easier or are they overly alert due to poor visibility?

 

[themountain]

Nice pics so far..the "big house" is called "Maloca" (for whose who are interested)..yes, and some photos of Killis would be nice . My plan is to go the first week of October to Oxapampa. What can I expect there to find ?

 

[Mike Wise]

.. But if you manage to get a couple, it is a very big chance you are the only man in the hobby to have them too..

Not really we met a group of Czech hobbyists at our hotel, one of which was collecting killies. Had the nastiest sunburn on his back and shoulders I've seen since my legs after collecting in the Rio Orosa (shudder!).

....and have a nice time!!!!

'Nice' isn't in the vocabulary. I'll be happay with successful.

 

[Mike Wise]

Sooo cool!!

No, hot, sweaty, sticky and smelly actually. ;-)

You guys are rock stars!!

Then where are all the cold drinks and money??? :-o

All your collection points that mudded up?

No, apisto collecting locations have fairly clean water, until we muck it up with nets. Look at the water in with the fish. It's pretty clean. The Sumon looks muddy, but you don't find apistos in rivers, as a rule, but in small jungle streams (quebradas in Peru).

My plan is to go the first week of October to Oxapampa. What can I expect there to find ?

I'm afraid that you'll be too high for apistosl.

 

[Ttw]

When we collect Apistos, Rivulus are also on the menu so to speak. Mike is right, they love to jump out of the net or holding container. When we bring them home each rivulus gets a separate bag. Learned from experience.

 

[MickeM]

Not really we met a group of Czech hobbyists at our hotel, one of which was collecting killies. Had the nastiest sunburn on his back and shoulders I've seen since my legs after collecting in the Rio Orosa (shudder!).



'Nice' isn't in the vocabulary. I'll be happay with successful.

Haha...Why am I not surpriced..the Czech`s are often active fishbreeders/enthusiasts..!!!

And BTW.. I would be happy to be burned by the sun ...sometime this year..!!! And tell Tom to enjoy it too..
since he probably soon will be back in the same cloudy+rainy+15 degree Celsius Nordic area that I am very familiar to...

I see what you mean ... No Apistos, No Happiness!!!

 

[rr16]

Found any interesting Lebiasinidae? (think I got that right!)
Hope you guys have fun. I still reckon I'll make it one day!