As the year ends I want to say how fantastic this group is. I never would have imagined 30 years ago that I would be able to click button and see hundred of pics of hundreds of different pikes with thoughts from hundreds or other crenichlahollics. My appreciation to one and all.
I also wanted to create and nominate a Pike of the Era award (drum roll): the Crenicihla Johanna
You know, they aren't my favorite crenicichla, but consider...
-Beauty: Although not as super-beautiful (IMO) as full blown Tapajos reds, Rosemariaes, real Lents, nicest Marms, deep black and red Xingu 3 females, fires etc.....they are nonetheless quite full of color and form. A solid red (no fading with mood here boys!) on the dorsal, that smiley Johanna mouth, the broad black horizontal line which actually sticks around in adulthood, the bright red eyes, the over the eye black "mascara". All in all a highly attractive pike. And with variety to the looks as well.
-Availability/accesibility: They are usually pretty inexpensive and highly available and have been for decades. Can we say that about ANY of the more exotic pikes? Maybe the Xingu 1s are regularly available and from places other than top distributors...but otherwise it's go to the best sellers, or a crap shoot. Not Johannas, they are always around and everywhere. They are also usually among the cheapest of the big lugubris pikes. Sure the Rosemariaes and Fires are more exotic and beautiful...but they cost 5-50 times a Johanna and you will never see one of them at the local pet shop. Certainly Johannas are the pike for the everyman.
-Personality: Harder to evince this point, but I think they are one of the more keeper-interactve of the pikes along with Cintas, Vens and a few other (will accept some correction here if I'm off)
-History: As I mentioned above I started with pikes in the early 1980s and came back to them in the mid 2000s with an occccassional visit in between and I can say Johannas were in the hobby at the start, there in the middle and are still there all the time-truly a pike which has stood the test of time.
When I get myself a monster pike tank soon, I probably will get one of the more exotic crenichcla...but the Johannas "represent" like no other.
Greg
I also wanted to create and nominate a Pike of the Era award (drum roll): the Crenicihla Johanna
You know, they aren't my favorite crenicichla, but consider...
-Beauty: Although not as super-beautiful (IMO) as full blown Tapajos reds, Rosemariaes, real Lents, nicest Marms, deep black and red Xingu 3 females, fires etc.....they are nonetheless quite full of color and form. A solid red (no fading with mood here boys!) on the dorsal, that smiley Johanna mouth, the broad black horizontal line which actually sticks around in adulthood, the bright red eyes, the over the eye black "mascara". All in all a highly attractive pike. And with variety to the looks as well.
-Availability/accesibility: They are usually pretty inexpensive and highly available and have been for decades. Can we say that about ANY of the more exotic pikes? Maybe the Xingu 1s are regularly available and from places other than top distributors...but otherwise it's go to the best sellers, or a crap shoot. Not Johannas, they are always around and everywhere. They are also usually among the cheapest of the big lugubris pikes. Sure the Rosemariaes and Fires are more exotic and beautiful...but they cost 5-50 times a Johanna and you will never see one of them at the local pet shop. Certainly Johannas are the pike for the everyman.
-Personality: Harder to evince this point, but I think they are one of the more keeper-interactve of the pikes along with Cintas, Vens and a few other (will accept some correction here if I'm off)
-History: As I mentioned above I started with pikes in the early 1980s and came back to them in the mid 2000s with an occccassional visit in between and I can say Johannas were in the hobby at the start, there in the middle and are still there all the time-truly a pike which has stood the test of time.
When I get myself a monster pike tank soon, I probably will get one of the more exotic crenichcla...but the Johannas "represent" like no other.
Greg
