Indian cichlids--esp. Etroplus canarensis

[Janthina]

Hello--

I am trying to find information on south Indian cichlids, particularly Etroplus canarensis, as i think is the only endemic. This info will help with a book currently in the works on the wildlife (focusing on endemics and biodiversity) of the Western Ghats of southwest India.

Is anyone keeping Indian cichlids in the U.S.? If so, would you be willing to talk and/or allow us to possibly photograph your fish? Even better, do you know where to collect these fish for on-site photography (followed by immediate release) in India? I've heard canarensis is found in a very small, hard-to-find locality. Or perhaps you know of an aquarist in south India who is raising them?

I greatly appreciate any info you can pass along. Thanking you in advance,

Cara

[Tolis]

There are actually three cichlid species endemic to India, Etroplus canarensis, E. suratensis and E. maculatus. The latter is often found in aquarium shops as it has been imported and bred comercially for some decades.

[Patrick]

Dear Janthina,

I have some original information on the 3 Etroplus species, as with my friend, the late Jean-Claude Nourissat, we could observe and collect these fishes in various places during our January-February trip to South India. However E. canarensis was observed only at and near the type locality, at Uppnangudi in the Kumaradhara River, some 60 km upriver from Mangalore, South Karnataka. Actually at this place, Uppinangudi bridge, the 3 Etroplus species were swimming together , with also cichlid like and Western Ghats endemic, Pristolepis marginatus. By any chance, would you read some French? This because I have written an article in that language on our trip and collecting in South India. I could send you (or to other interested people) the text of the article by e-mail if you wish. Here are already the main scientific and aquarium references on E. canariensis:

1993- Menon, A.G.K., K. Rema Devi &W.E, Burness : On the rediscovery of Etroplus canarensis Day. TFH, March 1993, pp. : 146-149.

1991- Talwar, P.K. & Arun G. Jhingran : Inland Fishesof India and Adjacent Countries. ISBN 81-204-0639-7.

2000 - Warzel, F. : Neu importiert – Etroplus canarensis. DATZ, 12. 2000, p. (sorry the pages are missing! In German)

And my article:

de Rham, P. 2000: Etroplus. L'an Cichlidé, vol. 1/octobre 2001, pp.: 91-103 (L'an Cichlidé is an AFC yearly publication).

Sorry that I cannot give you more information presently, as about to leave for a trip to Indonesia.

[Florent]

Dear all,

Some Etroplus canarensis are available in France. I think I'll take some in my tanks.

I read Patrick's article, so I know it's a fresh water species...

Something else is know about care in aquarium ?

[Florent]

My first picture of them !

[Juan Artigas]

Wonderful fish! Thanks for sharing. Hope to get some of those myself one day.

[mattc]

I've recently acquired six canarensis, and they're fantastic! Mine are currently alone in a 900 litre tank and have already doubled in size in the month that I have had them.

They are very delicate, dainty little fish and were at first a little tricky to feed. Mine were wild caught and quite thin when they first arrived. They're now taking spirulina and staple aquarium flakes, plus frozen bloodworm and brineshrimp.

They shoal very tightly and none of the fish get much more than 30cm away from the others before quickly rejoining the group. They're not showing much sign of pairing off as yet, but the museum records I've checked suggest that they've got some growing left to do, as they're still only babies at 5cm, or so.

Matt

[Tolis]

there is a little more here http://www.tolibra.com/fish/canarensis.htm

the eggs have been eaten some hours later, next time I'll be more prepared...

(Should not this topic move to the Asian cichlids category?)

[Juan Artigas]

Whooa it is great, would you please keep us posted on the development of the spawn and fry?

[Don Hiatt]

Janthina is correct in stating that Etroplis canarensis is endemic to India. E.maculatus and E.suratensis are also found in Sri Lanka (separate country). These two species should be considered native, but not endemic.

[Juan Artigas]

Absolutely, this is how I have it in the Cichlid Room Companion catalogue. Thanks Don

[Tolis]

No development unfortunately, the eggs have been eaten after lights out.

[Lisachromis]

Well... that's too bad!

Since they spawned once for you, they should again. Hope it works next time.

[joyban70]

Hi To all,

We at http://www.iah.in have been following the E. Canarensis locally in India and had actually made a trip last May 2005 to collect some of these fishes from the wild.

Link :-
http://indianaquariumhobbyist.com/commu ... =17&page=1



http://indianaquariumhobbyist.com/commu ... tit&lid=32



The Survey had the following data & comments :-

1. Location One Netravati River Biotype:-

GPS Position:

N 12D 49.573M

E 75D 34.212M

Altitude - 460 feet above mean sea level.

pH = 6.5

Water Temparature - 32.6 Deg C at Noon.

TDS - 50 ppm

Conductivity- 94 microsiemens

Kh - 2 degrees

Gh - 2 degrees

Water Velocity: 1.1Km/Hr to 1.5Km/Hr

Water Depth: 2 feet To 4 feet



Lab Test Of Water Parameters Collected form this Location:-



pH - 6.58

Total Hardness as CaCO3 - 26

Iron as Fe - Nil

Chlorides as Cl - 9

Total dissolved Solid - 80

Calcium as Ca - 6

Copper as Cu - Nil

Manganese as Mn - Nil

Sulphate as SO4 - 13

Alkalinity Total (as CACO3) - 34

Magnesium as Mg - 2ppm

Carbonate as CaC03 - 26

Non Carbonate - Nil

Hydroxide Alkalinity as CaCO3 - Nil

Carbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 - 12

BiCarbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 - 22

P- Alkalinity as CaCO3 - 6

M.O. Alkalinity as CaCO3 - 28

Suspended Solids - 40

Conductivity - 76.4



2. Location On Kumardhara River Biotype :-

GPS Position:

N 12D 40.796M

E 75D 36.805M

Altitude - 493 Feet above Mean Sea Level.

pH = 6.5

Water Temparature - 33.1 Deg C at 1800 hrs.

TDS - 40 ppm

Conductivity- 85 microsiemens

Kh - 2 degrees

Gh - 2 degrees

Water Depth: 2 feet To 4 feet



pH - 6.76

Total Hardness as CaCO3 - 28

Iron as Fe - Nil

Chlorides as Cl - 5

Total dissolved Solids - 50

Calcium as Ca - 6

Copper as Cu - Nil

Manganese as Mn - Nil

Sulphate as SO4 - 6

Alkalinity Total (as CACO3) - 30

Magnesium as Mg - 3ppm

Carbonate as CaC03 - 28

Non Carbonate - Nil

Hydroxide Alkalinity as CaCO3 - Nil

Carbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 - 6

BiCarbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 - 24

P- Alkalinity as CaCO3 - 3

M.O. Alkalinity as CaCO3 - 27

Suspended Solids - 10

Conductivity - 74.2



There are numerous fish in the river but not in the large numbers that we
would like to see. Both these locations are between 75 - 100 kilometers from Mangalore where the rivers enter the sea. All fish photographed were juveniles. Adults were seen but very difficult to catch. The water depth in both these rivers was not in excess of 4 feet in the locations we found.

This puts ends to all speculation that these fish inhabit brackish waters.

What we feel is these fish inhibit and breed in the soft, oxygen rich slow
flowing waters well away from the sea and salt. During the monsoon these
rivers turn into torrents and these fish are washed closer to the coast and
what's trapped there near the coast have been collected previously.

We doubt these fish breed during the monsoons as the rivers are a raging
torrent and the waters would be at a TDS of practically ZERO.

The juveniles we sighted were about 4 months old. So the fish breed in
Dec-Jan when the water temparature in these parts should drop to about 25 Deg C or lower.

Maintaining these fish at the higher temparature of 33 Deg C and gradually
dropping the temparature to about 25 Deg or lower over a couple of weeks should trigger spawning.

Another option is to drop the temparature and raise it back again to 33 Deg C, if in case these juvenile fish are actually younger than 4-5 months, this would be the temparature variation say in Feb-March.

E.canarensis were found gazing on the algae on rocks. In all 3 biotopes they were seldom found alone. They were along with P.filamentosus, P.aurilius, P.mahecola. Sounded that they followed the barbs for safety and mostly found along the rocky banks. Also when stood with no movements they were pecking on our legs. What a moment it was to be pecked by one of the rarest cichlid in the world!

Also found a group of E.maculatus & E.suratensis in pure fresh water along
sandy banks along with a few panchax and barbs. But these guys were extremely brilliant. When we tried to chase them to our nets they were smart enough to take a diversion away from the net through narrow paths between rocks. ....and Pristolepis malabaricus too shared the waters with E.canarensis, but unlike them P.malabaricus were seen among roots and drift woods on the banks of the water hole. And the tiny puffers.

Also am happy to report successful spawining of E. Canarensis in captivity by one of our members "Tim" in US.

the details are at :-

1. http://www.indianaquariumhobbyist.com/c ... 03&start=0

2.
http://www.petfrd.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19418

As per Tim the following triggered spawining:-

Yes they are fiercely protecting the spawn, the tank is large (220Gallon) but is overpopulated with 20 E. Canarensis and 7 Puntius Denisonii......I am a bit nervous keeping the spawn in the large tank with all the other fish......The Puntius Denisonii look ready to snack at any time .....but I am keeping them well fed and hopefully they will leave the spawn alone.....

tim

Here is a brief history:


I have a large (220 gallon) tank with 20 E. Canarensis and 7 Puntius Denisonii, the Canarensis are two groups the oldest is now two years old and the younger group is about a year and a half (I acquired them a year ago, and they were very small, presumably from the Dec 2004/Jan 2005 season.) A pair formed from the older group and had an earlier unsuccessful spawn about 6-8 weeks ago.

This time, the water temperature had been 78F for some time, and we had a week of warm weather which caused the temp to perk up to 83F, this was followed by some initial courtship behaviour. Noticing this I made two significant water changes (2x25%) and fed them heavily with Mysis…..the water changes were made on Thursday and Friday, by Saturday afternoon the Oviduct was visible on the female, and nest-building had begun in a manner very reminiscent of E. Macalatus. Sunday evening the spawn occurred late in the day.

I have many pictures which I will forward to you showing the sexual dimorphic colour patterns which are striking.

So hope this give all of you enough information on EC specially on the Biotype / water parameters & of course an insite to breeding them in captivity....

Best Of Luck!!!!

Regards

Sujoy
(member of iah.in & participated in the hunt for EC in India May 2005)

Source :- http://www.iah.in

[mattc]

There's a report of a successful spawning on canarensis on the Practical Fishkeeping website http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=914

[Ken Boorman]

Joyban, that is a wonderful photo essay. Makes me want to go collecting again

Ken

[Don Hiatt]

I thought the spawning of Puntius denisonii was an even bigger deal. Fish farms the world over have been racing to breed these fish without any luck. I hope some day the price will come down on both these fish. Thanks for posting mattc.

[Vincent Fu]

E. canarensis fry from the first captive spawn are now available on AquaBid:

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwcichlidso&1157934627

The seller is in San Diego.

[ashwin]

Hi,
I am a new member to the club, i am from Mangalore,india. I have fortunate to have been living a hour drive from the only place in the world, where E canarensis is found in the wild. I am planning to collect some brooders from the wild and try to breed them in captivity, the ststus in wild is bad due to urbanization. Well i will write on the follow up. Anyone keen to know more can write to me
byw

[Lucky Nate]

Awesome fish!