| With holiday distractions behind us, let’s hope this issue brings some
welcome relief from winter doldrums — at least for those of you in colder
climates. In fact, the contents of this issue promise to take you far afield
of the norm for the hobby, as in addition to our regular coverage of Malawi
and Tanganyikan favorites, we visit such disparate locales as Lake Kivu,
Lake Barombi Mbo in West Africa, and Madagascar. Hopefully, introductions
to such lesser-known inhabitants of the cichlid world will encourage their
growth in the hobby; as emphasized by the authors herein, these fishes
are not only of interest for their own unique appearances and behaviors,
but also due to the threatened status of native populations in the wild.
So keeping and breeding these species not only adds to our general knowledge
about cichlids, but more importantly helps to maintain genetic stocks that
we might otherwise lose.
As he’s done so often in the past, Paul Loiselle has a knack for getting
hold of some of cichlidom’s oddest representatives. As such he not only
sets an example for the rest of us, but also practices what he preaches
with regard to conservation efforts. Here he brings us the scoop on — of
all things — a sponge-eating specialist, Pungu maclareni, from the
unique endemic species flock of Lake Barombi Mbo in Cameroon. Paul deserves
our recognition and appreciation for taking on the task of obtaining and
reporting on — and eventually distributing — such novelties. Along the
same lines, Uwe Werner, a German hobbyist, has reviewed his own and other
available information on the Malagasy genus Paratilapia. I’ve chosen
to include a condensed version of his report (which first appeared in Cichlidae,
the journal of the Dutch Cichlid Association) in hopes of boosting interest
in these fishes in the U.S. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for the
fishes of Lake Kivu, as they are virtually unavailable to us in the hobby;
nevertheless, being aware of their existence, which is the goal of Justyn
Miller’s report, could be a first step in stimulating efforts to obtain
them. And for you Rift Lake purists, don’t dismay. Even Lakes Malawi and
Tanganyika continue to reveal new or, at least, poorly-known, species,
as reflected by articles by Ad Konings on a new Neolamprologus and
Larry Johnson on the genus Mylochromis.
The result? Many “new” species for a happy New Year. So enjoy!
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