Re: Mayland (was:Stressed fish)

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@bewellnet.com>]

Doug Brown wrote:

> Now that I have the book (thanks Mike Evans!), it is pretty obvious that
> the photos have been "doctored" in some way, maybe just through the
> reproduction process used by the publisher.

I've had similar color changes when I copied color slides to color print film and
then had them printed without the photo finisher having reference to the original
slides.  The prints typically became "cooler", which made the flanks of the fish
more blue.  It also made red-orange area more orange.  It seems that without a
reference color (neutral gray or flesh tone) even the best mass photo finishers
have to make their best guess on negative filtration.  I don't know if this is
the same thing that occurred with the the Mayland book.  I can't imagine the
printer not having the original slides to base their work on.  There could also
be some subjective effects by having the fish photographed on a black
background.  Without a natural background (plants, rocks, etc.) the colors of the
fish stand out much more to your eye.


> the real utility of fish photos is ID'ing fish, for which many of these are
> useless.

Based on my (very extensive) experience in trying to ID apistos, I've found that
some of the best LOOKING pictures are worthless.  Colors are NOT a major factor
in apisto ID, the black markings are.  This is especially true with the species
in the regani-group (sensu Kullander) where so many have similar coloration on
the face and flanks, but subtle differences in the size, shape, and locations of
stripes and spots.  In many cases these dark markings are masked by the
pigmentation in males.  In these cases females of a species actually are easier
to use for species ID.  Probably the best ID photos are those of stressed
(frightened or dead) male fish.  The old "shake and bake" method works well for
this (bagging the male, shaking the bag, and then letting him loose in a bare
tank).  The question is, would anyone buy a book with pictures of stressed out
fish?  I doubt it.  Probably the best book for IDing apistos is still Linke &
Staeck's - not the photographs but the line drawings.

Mike Wise

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