Welcome to our spring issue. I hope it helps to bring a thaw to your
part of the country. For us here in Florida the changes are subtle — certainly
no explosion of buds and blooms — yet somehow the cichlids sure know the
difference, as at farms locally the breeding season is swinging into
high gear. Of course, such changes occur at different times in different
places around the world, such that availabilities of cichlid varieties
from the wild, as tracked each issue by Laif DeMason in his regular pictorial
feature What’s New, vary broadly — though somewhat regularly — based
on geography, climate, and collecting efforts.
This year, likewise, the spring season brings us a variety of fascinating
topics for your study and enjoyment. First, Wayne Leibel provides a comprehensive
review of the systematics, natural history, and aquarium husbandry (the
latter based largely on his own experiences) of the true “basketmouth”
cichlids of the South American genus, Acaronia. We’re lucky to have
people like Wayne in the hobby, people who are willing and able to take
on the challenges most of us can’t (or won’t) and, as a result, fill in
the gaps in our knowledge of certain cichlid groups such that we all end
up benefitting.
Similarly, along the lines of “sharing the wealth,” where would most
of us be vis-a-vis personal, hands-on experience with observing and collecting
cichlids in the wild if it weren’t for people like Ad Konings and Dan Woodland
to share theirs? Here, Ad takes us back to Lake Malawi and reviews the
history of the introduction, subsequent loss, and eventual rediscovery
of the beautiful Copadichromis borleyi “Red Kadango” from the southern
part of the lake; while varieties come and go in the hobby, their fates
usually do not ride on the question of “Now which little pile of rocks
did this fish used to live on?”, as is the case here. Closer to home, Dan
Woodland takes us on a tour of one of the magnificent river systems — the
Rio Panuco — of our neighbor just to the south, not only documenting the
wealth of cichlids that reside there, but also warning us of the dangers
that many of them are facing with regard to human intervention and habitat
disruption.
Finally, Georg Zurlo introduces us to a sometimes neglected, but nevertheless
delightful coterie of species colorfully known as the “clowns” of Lake
Tanganyika; otherwise known as goby cichlids, these forms are in fact a
welcome and entertaining addition to just about any Tanganyikan community
tank, so check them out.
Hope this helps to get you all launched into your own spring seasons!
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