Re: NANFA-L-- Alabama Shiners Follow-up


Subject: Re: NANFA-L-- Alabama Shiners Follow-up
From: Bruce Stallsmith (fundulus-in-hotmail.com)
Date: Tue Dec 07 2004 - 12:41:42 CST


My alpha male 'bama is probably about 8 cm (3 inches) long, and you
accurately described the porcelain quality of the tubercles on the head. I
have pretty good current in the tank from a submersed powerhead sitting on
top of a small rock pile in one back corner, and above that the outflow from
a Magnum Hotshot (I think? It puts out a lot of water). The 'bamas and two
Mobile logperch spend a lot of time in the area of strongest current, and
the blacktail shiner and 4 blackstripe topminnows stay mostly on the edge of
it. It's a riverine environment from what I've seen in the Sipsey system,
but it's definitely not whitewater. And like you mentioned, they're not
fussy eater.

--Bruce Stallsmith
the Tennessee is cresting-in-Whitesburg Bridge about now
Huntsville, AL, US of A

>From: Prizma-in-aol.com
>Reply-To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
>To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
>Subject: Re: NANFA-L-- Alabama Shiners Follow-up
>Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 13:01:00 EST
>
>the most awesome display of bama shiners ive seen was in the little river
>last year in early spring. several males had gathered and were circle
>sparring
>in a pretty intense rapid flow. i was able to hook lock my legs onto the
>edging rockwork and watch unabtrusivily for about 15 minutes. the males
>were
>circling and displaying regularly as ive often seen before. their heads
>were
>covered and glowing w/ the translucent hot white porcleanish tubercules.
>their
>bodies were irridescent metallic blue and gold flecked and their flagish
>dorsal
>fins were stunningly beautifully patterned. generally a bama will display
>their finage for but just a second or two... i had supposed it is hard for
>them
>to fully extend their finage and still circle or maintain their place in
>such a rapid flow. however the one super dominate male was able to
>maintain his
>position and keep all his finage fully extended for prolonged periods of
>time, many, many seconds. what a sight it was. they are certainly one of
>the
>outstanding minnows of our continent. so strong, robust and yet adaptable
>to many
>different habitats. i see them in many locations from tiny creeks to pools
>to rivers and have kept them in aquaria several times w/ little fuss and
>still
>have about a dozen in the cement pond that have resided for going on 3
>years
>now. very tough and stunning fish. a large male in an aquarium would not
>be
>correct tho. they really need massive current to prosper and display i
>think.
>the males in my pond were nice and tuberculed but not radiant becuase i
>have
>only a small area of flow... which they did not spend time at. displays
>were
>done-in-the bottom in 3' of water circling one another. an oddity to my
>wild
>observations... but perhaps illustrates their adaptability and why they
>are
>found in a variety of habitats. come to think of it they are similiar to
>my
>experience w/ white tail shiners.
>how big is your tubed male now? do you have a power head in there?
>
>casper

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: Sat Jan 01 2005 - 12:41:50 CST