Steven A. Ellis
Kennesaw, GA
-----Original Message-----
From: Prizma-in-aol.com
Sent: May 24, 2004 11:07 AM
To: nanfa-in-aquaria.net
Subject: Re: NANFA-- Shiner Observations in Borden Creek, AL
at borden dave n taught me something...
study the round black spot on the caudal fin base. if the front half is very
slightly opaque... kind of frosted, you got you a bama. they also seem more
robust, deeper than a blacktail.
blacktails and white tails seem to share their long sleek bodies. i dont
consider the blacktails caudal spot rectangular tho. round as is the alabama.
blacktails are neat because they are found in such a variety of locales...
from lakes to mountain streams. ( as are white tails. )
i was delighted to see alabamas in many small streams above lake martin. also
got my first glimpse of a breeding tallapoosa shiner... very similiar to the
tricolor of conasauga. very pretty.
both species, black tail and bama, do well in my cement pond year round,
thankfully as a treasure to see when i take a dip.
i observed several male alabamas displaying intensly in the little river a
couple weeks ago. they have got to be one of our most truely spectacular
minnows. their head is covered w/ milky white almost glowing tightly packed
tubercules and the finage carries iridescence blues and teals. the husky, dominate male
kept his fins fully erect warding off the other 6 or 7 equally beautiful
males who would only display when approached by another male.
spectacular sight! they congregate in very fast riffles that are hard to hold
oneself in good orientation too. but what a sight!
casper
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