| This spring’s issue is a tour de force for Rift Lake aficionados, beginning
with a lengthy report on new forms of Cyprichromis from Lake Tanganyika.
Ad Konings has spent many years observing these fishes in the wild and
hence has an unusual grasp of variation in color, behavior and ecology
within the group. All of which translates to enhanced enjoyment in the
aquarium. Next we seque to south of the border for our only non-Rift topic,
as Dan Woodland relates his experiences with a little-known but lovable
“bull-dozer” of a cichlid, ‘Cichlasoma’ beani from the Pacific coast
of Mexico. Next, Ad Konings does double-duty (lucky for us) with a hot-off-the-presses
update based on his most recent trip to Lake Malawi on the Protomelas
group. Comprising many aquarium favorites, these haplochromines provide
quite a challenge where sorting out species boundaries is concerned. So
any contribution that helps to clarify their basic biology is welcome.
Next, a first-time contributor, David Tarragó, offers an interesting
synthesis from a veterinary biologist’s bent on an old nemesis for many
hobbyists — bloat in Tropheus. Without claiming to provide a final
solution, Dave makes a number of points that could prove very useful to
those who cherish these special (read expensive!) fish. Finally, a word
puzzle. Martin Geerts muses on the array of terms that have been applied
to a group of cichlids — “shell-dwellers” — whose popularity is certainly
on the rise in the hobby. Delving deeply — and certainly beyond the bounds
of the cichlid hobby — into the etymological backgrounds of terms applied
to the marriage of fish and shell, Martin proves once again that things
are never as simple as they might seem on the (shell’s?) surface. And then
on to What’s New and plenty of pictures of the latest additions
to our ever-changing smorgasbord.
In closing, a sheepish confession along the lines of the old “crime
doesn’t pay” adage. I thought I’d sneak one in on all of you, by using
a newly-named (translated: “virtually unknown”) cichlid as last issue’s
Mystery Fish. Well, the joke’s on me; it seems I may have shot myself in
the foot as there’s a question as to whether the formal description of
the fish has been published as we go to press with this issue. Clarification
to follow next time. And one other note — we’ve had a “down” period regarding
our fax-line (305-247-0460), but it’s now back up and running, so fax away.
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