RE: [Killietalk] Cool water killies and related considerations

["Brian R. Watters" <bwatters at sasktel_net>]

Lee Harper wrote:

>
> ...... I would be interested in a comparable comparison with
> warmer water species (Simpsonichthys) in Brazil.
>

I have not looked at the rainfall data for Brazil in great detail but the
situation there is much closer to that in East Africa with a more pronounced
difference in rainfall between wet and dry seasons. For example, if we look
at the climate for Formosa (near Brazilia and near the Maratecoara
localities):

Jan 262.2 mm
Feb 212.9
Mar 201.9
Apr 102.9
May 19.7
Jun 4.0
Jul 4.2
Aug 5.8
Sep 34.5
Oct 139.7
Nov 238.2
Dec 328.6

This rainfall pattern is very close to that for most areas in which we find
Nothos, with a marked distinction between wet and dry seasons. I don't have
air temperature data for Formosa but that for Brasilia shows a range from a
low of about 18.5 to a high of about 21.5 (monthly averages). The very small
variation is due to the proximity to the equator. Those temperatures are, in
general, somewhat lower than those in East Africa. However, I suspect that
in areas closer to the coast and at a lower elevation in Brazil the
temperatures would also be higher.

Anyway, the conditions are quite different to those in Argentina-Uruguay.

It is aspects such as this that make the hobby so interesting for me.

>
> I have not recognized differences in the need for
> dryness in the fishroom. It may be an environmental happenstance, but not
> critical for incubation.
>

That is much as I thought. It always amazes me how adaptable killifish can
be. We go to a lot of trouble to measure conditions in there natural
habitats and yet they will invariably do very well in our fish-rooms under
conditions that are vastly different.
___________________________________________
Brian R. Watters
University of Regina
Regina, Sask. S4S 0A2, Canada
Ph: (306) 584-9161 (home); (306) 585-4663 (work)
Fax: (306) 585-5433
E-mail: bwatters at sasktel_net



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