Amazonia Exhibit at the National Zoo

[jonclark96]

We took the family down to the zoo today. It was a beautiful day for a visit. It had been a year or so since I was there, but I was really happy to see that they had restocked the large tanks on the first floor with all Amazonian fish. The ray pool now has the rays, peacock bass, arowana, and some geos (not sure what type). They still have the aripima and big pacu in the second tank. The third tank was stocked with lots of fish, but all from the Amazon - red head geos, severums, uaru, and others. I was glad to see that the dovii and other Central American cichlids had been rehomed. It's still my favorite exhibit!

 

[Becca]

We were there today, too, but got tuckered out before we made it to Amazonia.

 

[Frank Cowherd]

We were there in June. All the displays were improved from a couple years ago (they ere good back then too). Lots of new kinds of fish too. Did you see the red loaches??

 

[mchambers]

Red loaches? In an Amazonia exhibit?

 

[hollyfish2000]

I still want CCA to get a back stage tour of that!

 

[dogofwar]

Cool - will need to check it out.

I wonder what happened to the giant dovii. They were the source of much interest and controversy...

 

[Frank Cowherd]

So I talked with friends at Amazonia and the fish are Synaptolaemus latofasciatus. They are a hot topic in the fish world. MFK has a thread on them. Amazonia has a nice group of them.

 

[dogofwar]

Leporinus not loaches

Matt

Red loaches? In an Amazonia exhibit?

 

[dogofwar]

I think Tony has a couple of those in his 150g...

So I talked with friends at Amazonia and the fish are Synaptolaemus latofasciatus. They are a hot topic in the fish world. MFK has a thread on them. Amazonia has a nice group of them.

 

[JLW]

Do they still have Mbuna in there?

 

[mchambers]

Was going to go to the zoo tomorrow morning. Will have to try to convince my family to swing by the Amazonia area.

 

[jonclark96]

I think I remember seeing the leporinis, but wouldn't swear on it. They have a couple giant niger cats in with the aripima and pacu. And some not quite adult red tail cats as well.

All of the non-amazonian fish are gone. No mbuna, no dovii, no midas. All in all, a great exhibit.

 

[dogofwar]

Planning to go tomorrow

 

[jonclark96]

Let me know what type of geos you think they are in the ray tank. They are an altifrons type, but not sure which. There are red head tapajos in the third tank.

 

[dogofwar]

Let me know what type of geos you think they are in the ray tank. They are an altifrons type, but not sure which. There are red head tapajos in the third tank.

Will do. I wonder where they sourced everything...

Frank - do you know?

 

[mchambers]

Went this morning. Saw the leporinus (Josh has leporinus on one of his preorder lists), and also, in a small tank, these loach-like fish (synaptolaemus cingulatus):


I was surprised, once again, by the poor labeling. Some of the smaller tanks had fish that weren't described on the labels, like an apisto pair and some cute little tetras, that were probably Hyphessobrycon elachys, Krieg's tetra, or the Dawn tetra.