Re: NANFA-- fwd: Snakehead or bowfin?

R. W. Wolff (choupiqu-in-wctc.net)
Fri, 21 May 2004 00:53:57 -0500

I have dwarf snakeheads, C. gaucha. They are pretty easy to spawn, and are
terrific parents putting most cichlids to shame. Bowfin on the other hand
need to be larger, older, and only the male cares for the young. All three
of these things are set backs versus the mouth brooding dwarf snakeheads as
far as aquarium spawning is concerned. Otherwise I would have already
spawned bowfin in aquarium situtations.

For that matter, it is not that hard to tell the snakeheads I have from the
species that USGS lists as introduced and problematic. It is as hard as
telling smallmouth bass from largemouth. In both the bass and snakehead
cases- The agencies think us ordinary little people are just too damn stupid
to tell any fish in the same genus apart. Bite me! Smallmouth bass not only
are night and day different than largemouth bass, they act and live
differently as well. I would venture to guess that the snakeheads are as
different as well. It goes for pike, walleyes and sunfish as well. The line
that they are not easily told apart is just an escape route. We are not
talking about groups of cypinids. No scale counting, color on the one part
of the fin differentiating. This is cut and dry. Different colors, sizes,
habits, fin shapes, the whole nine yards.

My opinion is the bowfin is superior to any snakehead. Proof? Who has lived
on this earth not just a bit longer, but many more histories longer.
Channids are upstart percoids, who copied the bowfins body style to get by.
Probably covering up some other short coming. That said, I love my dwarfs,
they are so family orientated, they put most people to shame. Five inch fish
ready to take me on since they think I might harm their young. To start
with, Daddy starves while his young hide in his throat. Meanwhile Mommy
patrols the area to keep danger-in-bay. These are small fish, but act like
they are killer whales ( another misnomer). I figure, any fish smart enough
to copy the bowfin, is alright by me. They might be posers, but they did it
right. They even fooled my Mom.

Ray
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