The Rio San Martin is part of the Pacora river system cascading into the foothills from the Cordillera de San Blas mountain range, only about an hour east, and north of Panama City.
We have collected a number of other rivers in this system, the Utive, the Rio Los Lotes, and the Cable Bre, all named after the small pueblos that dot their banks.
So far, I have only collected 2 cichlid species in this central area of the system, south of the mountain range, Andinoacara coerleopunctatus, and Isthmoheros tuyrense.
Yesterday was no exception, both species were caught, iin @ the 2 to 4" range, along with Awaous gobies,
Machrobrachium shrimp,
and as usual, many Tetras and other Characins were the most populous fish found, but because my tank already has many, most were returned them to the river.
We are still in the end of an extended dry season here in Panama, so the average depth of the river, was only about knee deep, and only about 50 ft wide, the substrate was silty in parts, but in many other areas, covered in river washed stones.
Over about 3 hours we collected in an area of about 2 acres.
Typical of many Panamanian rivers in this system, there were no aquatic plants, but the banks were filled with forest that had tree roots and semi aquatic plants, reaching into the rivers. Nitrates were undetectable, and pH about 8.
Some underwater GoPro footage was attempted, and will be added to the thread, if it turns out.
We have collected a number of other rivers in this system, the Utive, the Rio Los Lotes, and the Cable Bre, all named after the small pueblos that dot their banks.
So far, I have only collected 2 cichlid species in this central area of the system, south of the mountain range, Andinoacara coerleopunctatus, and Isthmoheros tuyrense.
Yesterday was no exception, both species were caught, iin @ the 2 to 4" range, along with Awaous gobies,
Machrobrachium shrimp,
and as usual, many Tetras and other Characins were the most populous fish found, but because my tank already has many, most were returned them to the river.
We are still in the end of an extended dry season here in Panama, so the average depth of the river, was only about knee deep, and only about 50 ft wide, the substrate was silty in parts, but in many other areas, covered in river washed stones.
Over about 3 hours we collected in an area of about 2 acres.
Typical of many Panamanian rivers in this system, there were no aquatic plants, but the banks were filled with forest that had tree roots and semi aquatic plants, reaching into the rivers. Nitrates were undetectable, and pH about 8.
Some underwater GoPro footage was attempted, and will be added to the thread, if it turns out.
