Re: Apisto Predators

["David A. Youngker" <nestor10@mindspring.com>]

I'm still here, and still following - it's just that my General Manager was
in an auto wreck, and my share of the extra workload is keeping me tied up
right now. This would've been a day off, but I'm about to go in to cover the
second half of the day for her. Was out to midnight closing the restaurant
last night.

I just wanted to point out that we needn't get too far astray on expanding
the field of available predators.

First off, I have plenty of fry predators already available. I've mentioned
the fact that I let a lot of fry "fend" for themselves in a tank (they get
pretty crafty to do so in some of my tanks) to keep populations under
control. Apisto- specific tanks at my place are not Apisto- exclusive (as
with the species tank).

Along with that, it's not necessarily the breeding/brooding behaviors that
I'm solely interested in. I've been considering this type of setup,
especially where scale is concerned, for quite a while for the observational
opportunities it presents. A recent response of mine to the APD concerning
the appearance of fish in true "black water" environments got me to thinking
along the lines of camouflage strategies and external markings. There's
usually a reason any organism develops a distinct characteristic, as Nature,
outside of playing around with little jokes like the appendix, usually is
pretty efficient at filling _needs_.

And Mike Wise brought up an interesting point that I _hadn't_ taken into
consideration yet - if I use too efficient a predator, the prey in question
may not even realize there _is_ a threat and there's _no_ response. Then
it's just simple population control, and hopefully I should already have
made provisions along the way for that.

I have to admit, there are predators out there with interesting lives of
their own - which is why I keep some - but it's nailing down a lot of the
stimulus/response/adaptability questions of the *Apisto* that is the focus
of this exercise.

The Dwarf Pike was the the first thing that popped into my head. Considering
the size of the tank involved in the first "trial run", I'm thinking I
should modify the requirement that it be a constant threat to an _adult_
Apisto in favor of population density and space requirements to support such
a predator. Maybe for now I _will_ stick to just expanding the opportunities
for observing brood behavior. Perhaps later, I can build a small pond - one
of the install- it- yourself landscaping ponds for scale reference - for the
more complex response reactions.

C. regani (and the rather intriguing suggestion of the Leaf) is definitely
on the consideration list. Is there one that might be useful as a threat
against, say, juvenile or adolescent Apistos? (still thinking along the
lines of Borelli)...

-Y-




-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com.
For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
email apisto-request@listbox.com.
Search http://www.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!