This month’s issue is packed with cichlid information from the African Rift Lakes and both Central and South America—something for everyone.
Regular contributor Juan Miguel Artigas Azas shares the mysterious case of a Thorichthys (‘firemouth’) species from the Sarstoon River which creates the southern border between Guatemala and Belize for some 34 km (or 21 mi.) This is a tale of unexpected identity in which a unique form of T. helleri, initially discovered there by Rusty Wessel and which should be T. aureus given its geographic distribution, turns out indeed to be T. helleri. It is a compelling story. You’ll love the photos too!
Patrick Tawil, another regular contributor to this magazine, introduces us to the Tiger Mbuna, Tropheops sp. ‘olive’ from Lake Malawi. The genus Tropheops contains comparatively few popular species that are available on a regular basis to the hobby due to their overall aggressiveness and often dull coloration. Although likewise aggressive, ‘dull’ is not the adjective that should be used for the uniquely marked ‘olive tiger’, as can be seen from the beautiful photos that accompany his article.
Thomas Andersen, yet another familiar contributor, presents the peculiar and rare sand-dwelling cichlid from Lake Tanganyika, Cardiopharynx schoutedeni. While our knowledge about Tanganyika’s cichlids has grown steadily over the years, this sand-dwelling species is rarely encountered in the aquarium hobby. Thomas compares and contrasts this species with several other sand-dwelling species from other closely-related genera in the tribe Ectodini. Additionally he presents detailed firsthand information on their spawning behavior. Fascinating!
As a spin-off of my article on the genus Geophagus in the last, April issue, I present evidence here for a possible mimicry situation in two syntopic Surinamese cichlids, Geophagus harreri and Guianacara owrowefi, in which juveniles share similar banding patterns and school together to minimize predation.
Finally, well-known American cichlidophile Pam Chin shares her strategy for the maintenance and spawning of the Tanganyikan cichlid Petrochromis trewavasae in her article “A manual to breeding Petrochromis trewavasae in the aquarium.” We wrap up this issue with Laif DeMason’s usual ‘What’s New’.
We think we’ve put together a blockbuster of an issue for July and hope you will agree. Enjoy your cichlids!
