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The July ACA convention in Denver has come and gone and by all accounts it was a great success! Very sorry to have missed my first one in nearly 20 years of attendance: will surely be in Louisville for the next, 2014 version! As summer transitions to colder times, the October issue of Cichlid News brings something for every cichlid hobbyist. Ad Konings continues his ongoing discussion of the biology of Tropheus species (e.g. January 2012) with a discussion of their evolutionary timing – how long ago they first appeared — based on recently published dating based on a DNA ‘molecular clock’ analytic approach, in comparison to that derived from radiometric (radioactive decay) dating of the fossil record. Fascinating! It is worth mentioning here that Ad’s new book “Tropheus in their Natural Habitat” has been recently published and can be obtained here. Trophic specialization — specialized food choices and the adaptations that allow for them — are behind the successful diversification of Rift Lake cichlids. Some cichlids graze algae, others pick invertebrates, still others are scale-eaters — the long list goes on. One specialized feeding guild, that of the “baby eaters”, or paedophages, is well-represented in the cichlid fauna of Lake Malawi. Patrick Tawil discusses the systematics and general biology of those cichlids that have evolved to exploit this unique food source. Paul V. Loiselle reintroduces us to a diminutive African Tilapia species, T. ruweti, which was initially introduced into the aquarium hobby in the late 1960s, and kept by Dr. Loiselle in 1971. This initial stock was subsequently lost from the hobby, eclipsed by the then newly-available Lake Malawi cichlids. It was recently re-imported into Europe, from whence Paul obtained them once again. Paul writes about the “old” and “new” strains and their husbandry and captive reproduction. I admit to a “Facebook Habit”, part of which takes the form of photo postings and discussions on pages specifically for specialized cichlid interests (e.g. South American, etc.). Interestingly, one SA cichlid that is clearly a popular favorite and which has led to much discussion is ‘Cichlasoma’ (‘Heros’) festae, the “Red Terror”, which is often confused with ‘Cichlasoma’ (‘Heros’) urophthalmus, the “Mayan” from Central America. Willem Heijns sets the record straight with his detailed article on the differences between the two species. Radek Bednarczuk shares his experiences with the Panda Uaru, U. fernandezyepezi, a relatively newly-described (1989) cousin to the better known Triangle Uaru, U. amphiacanthoides. This much sought-after species from Venezuela has filled the dreams of many a cichlid hobbyist. Radek shares his husbandry recommendations with us along with some nifty photos. Known for his interest in and success with Lake Victorian cichlids, Greg Steeves shares his “Favorite Six Cichlids” with us …there are some surprises here to be sure! Finally, Laif DeMason caps off this issue with his regular feature “What’s New”. It’s truly a great issue! Enjoy the magazine and, of course, enjoy your cichlids! |
Wayne S. Leibel, Editor  |
