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I got pygmies!

Started by Guest_jetajockey_* , May 07 2011 12:47 PM

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19 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_jetajockey_*

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Posted 07 May 2011 - 12:47 PM

Well after several weeks of a broken down SUV ($2800 and a new engine later) we finally got to go out. We took a trip to freeport and there is an awesome little bird watching park off of SR-20. It was really cool, has a little jungle gym and slide, even running water and a bathroom. So anyway after seeing lots of large carp and bass, started dragging the net around in the grassy areas and came up with a couple of ellasoma. We also got several crays, pickerel, gambusia, and some unidentified fish. Here's a couple pics of the ellasoma.

Posted Image

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#2 Guest_mywan_*

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Posted 07 May 2011 - 01:21 PM

Very cool. :tongue:

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#3 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 07 May 2011 - 03:43 PM

Nice fish there, jetajockey! You said a couple of fish... were they both as colored as the one shown in the photo (males)? Or did you get some that are more plain looking (females)? You might have the beginnings of your own little colony there...

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#4 Guest_jetajockey_*

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Posted 07 May 2011 - 04:25 PM

Nice fish there, jetajockey! You said a couple of fish... were they both as colored as the one shown in the photo (males)? Or did you get some that are more plain looking (females)? You might have the beginnings of your own little colony there...

I believe it's 3 males, as they all look very similar. I'm sure we'll be taking a trip out there again in the near future, it's only about an hour and a few minutes drive. What species does this look like? I don't have any others to compare it to (in person).

Also ended up keeping a fair sized pirate perch.

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#5 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 07 May 2011 - 04:58 PM

I believe it's 3 males, as they all look very similar. I'm sure we'll be taking a trip out there again in the near future, it's only about an hour and a few minutes drive. What species does this look like? I don't have any others to compare it to (in person).

Also ended up keeping a fair sized pirate perch.

I wouldn't keep the pirate perch with the pygmies, they may become food.

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#6 Guest_jetajockey_*

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Posted 07 May 2011 - 05:57 PM

I wouldn't keep the pirate perch with the pygmies, they may become food.

They aren't. The pygmies are in a 10g species tank. I have alot of tanks so I'm not in any pinch to keep incompatible species with one another. Appreciate you looking out though.

Edited by jetajockey, 07 May 2011 - 05:58 PM.

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#7 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 07 May 2011 - 10:10 PM

I believe it's 3 males, as they all look very similar. I'm sure we'll be taking a trip out there again in the near future, it's only about an hour and a few minutes drive. What species does this look like? I don't have any others to compare it to (in person).

Look like E. gilberti to me... also based on range maps... they have to be evergladei or gilberti... get a Peterson's Field giude, it helps alot with stuff like this.. and you have the fish to look at so you can even count fin rays and look for specific characteristics that might not show well in a photo.

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#8 Guest_jetajockey_*

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Posted 08 May 2011 - 03:22 PM

Look like E. gilberti to me... also based on range maps... they have to be evergladei or gilberti... get a Peterson's Field giude, it helps alot with stuff like this.. and you have the fish to look at so you can even count fin rays and look for specific characteristics that might not show well in a photo.

They are really small, I was looking at them this morning and I may have to put them in a specimen container to get a good look. I have a field guide, the 2nd version, just got it 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately it doesn't have a plate for gilberti, but it is listed on the range maps.

Looking at them today and noticed that one has turned a solid black with blue markings, so it screams gilberti to me. The other two are still a brownish but have the same blue markings.

It says the evergladei has scales on its forehead, and if i can get a close enough look I'll confirm if that's the case on any of these.

Thanks again!

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#9 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 08 May 2011 - 04:55 PM

They are really small, I was looking at them this morning and I may have to put them in a specimen container to get a good look. I have a field guide, the 2nd version, just got it 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately it doesn't have a plate for gilberti, but it is listed on the range maps.

Looking at them today and noticed that one has turned a solid black with blue markings, so it screams gilberti to me. The other two are still a brownish but have the same blue markings.

It says the evergladei has scales on its forehead, and if i can get a close enough look I'll confirm if that's the case on any of these.

Thanks again!

If you read closely, I think it also says that there is some sort of anal fin ray difference also...

Males of both evergaldei and gilberti get totally black with blue glints on them, so I dont think that is a differenciating charateristic...

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#10 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 08 May 2011 - 09:08 PM

Pretty fish. And hey, $2800 to fix your vehicle, vs. $20 to join NANFA - sounds like a deal to me :closedeyes:

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#11 Guest_AOmonsta_*

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Posted 08 May 2011 - 10:22 PM

Love the color on that fish.

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#12 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 09 May 2011 - 11:18 AM

E. evergladei does not have those bright blue borders on the dorsal, anal and caudal fins.

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#13 Guest_jetajockey_*

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Posted 10 May 2011 - 04:55 AM

E. evergladei does not have those bright blue borders on the dorsal, anal and caudal fins.

Thanks Gerald, I was hoping you'd chime in.

I'm going to start looking at some places a little closer to the interstate so it's less of a trip.

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#14 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 10 May 2011 - 09:25 AM

The westernmost dot for gilberti in Snelson's range map is in the SE corner of Okaloosa County, near Niceville FL

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#15 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 10 May 2011 - 12:24 PM

Here's a picture of a female (I hope) Elassoma gilberti, for your ID help when you go out collecting again. http://gallery.nanfa...female.jpg.html
Here's a scaled photo so you can get a sense of how big these fish are: http://gallery.nanfa...mber 2.jpg.html
Here's a link to my gallery, which has tons of photos: http://gallery.nanfa...eser/?g2_page=2

Here's the range guide for Elassoma gilberti vs Elassoma okefenokee (scroll to page 136): http://biology.unm.e...et al. 2009.pdf

Edited by EricaWieser, 10 May 2011 - 12:28 PM.

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#16 Guest_jetajockey_*

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Posted 10 May 2011 - 11:02 PM

The westernmost dot for gilberti in Snelson's range map is in the SE corner of Okaloosa County, near Niceville FL

I'll have to look on google earth. I don't know of the specific range map you are talking about, the one in the field guide is pretty broad of course so some more specific areas are always welcome. I'm still looking at accessible places and it would be nicer to find some closer to home.

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#17 Guest_jetajockey_*

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Posted 10 May 2011 - 11:03 PM

Here's a picture of a female (I hope) Elassoma gilberti, for your ID help when you go out collecting again. http://gallery.nanfa...female.jpg.html
Here's a scaled photo so you can get a sense of how big these fish are: http://gallery.nanfa...mber 2.jpg.html
Here's a link to my gallery, which has tons of photos: http://gallery.nanfa...eser/?g2_page=2

Here's the range guide for Elassoma gilberti vs Elassoma okefenokee (scroll to page 136): http://biology.unm.e...et al. 2009.pdf

sweet thanks Erica. We are going to head eastward again this friday for a short morning trip.

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#18 Guest_Elassoman_*

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 11:03 AM

sweet thanks Erica. We are going to head eastward again this friday for a short morning trip.

Any luck finding E. gilberti further east?

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#19 Guest_jetajockey_*

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Posted 05 July 2011 - 01:27 AM

Any luck finding E. gilberti further east?

No. Didn't find any 'good' collecting spots, at least nothing noteworthy. Possibly have some from another place a few miles from the first collection point, but I'm still having issues distinguishing female e.gilberti from female e.evergladei.