"Collecting in Panama again 2001"

Text and photo by Alf Stalsberg.

Well I will tell you a little from my last trip to Panama last year. Panama is a nice country to travel in and do also have some nice fish. Maybe, not so many as other countries have but still.

This time we flew to Panama wednesday February the 14th. on a little different route because it was a little cheaper. But, longer too, I think we used about 26 hours on the trip to Panama City. Well, aquarist can take that when they know what's ahead.

I had booked two rooms at the same Hotel as last time in Panama. It was Hotel Acapulco. Not the biggest Hotel but a rather ordinary Hotel, but the restaurant downstairs is extra ordinary. The food there is very, very good, and the staff is very nice and the cold beer taste very good too.

We was only tree, my wife, my good friend F. Ingemann Hansen and myself in the begining. My good friend Tor Kreutzman from Finland should come about a week later My good friend Ariel R. Padilla from Panama wanted to come along, but could not follow with that long he wanted, things came up so he could not follow all the time he wanted, but he was with when we collected 'Geophagus' crassilabris, so take your pick from the meny.

Places where we did collect this time 2001 in Panama.

  • Canal zone, both sides.
  • Yaviza, South.
  • West in Los Santos (Macaracas).
  • Northern Panama.
  • Eastern Panama, Chiriqui Grande.
  • Canal zone, both sides.
  • Close to the border to Costa Rica, Pasific side.
  • Close to the border to Costa Rica, Atlantic side.
  • Eastern Panama, Chiriqui Grande in Rio Guarome.
  • Rio Gualaca on Pasific side.
All photos by A. Stalsberg

South and Central American countries, is wonderful to visit and for me they have the most interesting cichlids too. So, this time I will tell you about the trip to Panama in 1996 and 2001. We started in Panama City where we was met by a friend I met on the net.

Namely Lemuel E. Bryant.

Lem turns out to be a great guy, and he was working in the american forces in the Canal zone. Now he lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife and two kids. He gave me a lot of help, with things we had had to use some days on, if he had not done it for me. So he met us at the airport and we got "our" car. But, not the one I had booked, but this is things you just have to deal with in these countries.

The first couple of nights we slept in Lems garden, until we got a nice hotel in the center of Panama City. Not bad, to leave strangers in the garden with the door open! But this is how Lem is, so I think he will be going with on the next collecting trip too, if he decide to come with me.

He is rather new to the hobby, but is eager to learn, and I think he picked up a thing or two when he was with us the first week. We used a couple of days around Panama City to make everything ready to go down to Yaviza, but we did collect fish there too. We had to change the car to a jeep, because we have heard that close to Yaviza the road was gone, due to heavy rain. And the road was in really bad shape for the last 20 km. In the beginning out from Panama City, we went south ? or east ?? Anyhow we was driving toward the Colombian border, then you can choose if you will call it east or south. I'll call it south.

We did not go to far before we came to a river we thought look interesting, this was about 26 km from the new highway and the name on the river I think was Rio Tranca? There we collect different Tetras- Hoplias and "Aequidens" coeruleopunctatus. The position was 09*08' 20" N and 79* 12' 34" W. The temperature in the river was 26,1 *C. pH 8,2 - dH 5 and microsiemens was 120.

"Aequidens" coeruleopunctatus in the phototank after capture.

The next river was Rio Espave, again I think. Because the map I had was not too detailed. But the position should be ok. and it was 09*09' 01" N and 79* 10' 46" W.

There we did collect Ancistrus chagresi, "Ae". coeruleopunctatus, a Red fin Tetra, and a Characidium sp. In the afternoon we came to a river called Rio Chichebre? The water temperature 72*F. or about 22,2 *C. The pH was 7,9- 8, dH 5, kH 6 and the microsiemens was 190. The position was 09* 09' 41" N and 79* 09' 13" W.

Redfin Tetra (Astyanax sp.?) and Curimata sp.

Among the Red fin Tetra, Curimata sp. and "Ae". coeruleopunctatus we also collect a cichlid we think was "Cichlasoma" tuyerence (see photo).

"Cichlasoma" tuyerense

We made camp at the shore of the river, maybe not the best place because all the rocks, but we had a good night. We only had to take cover under the plastic, because of a heavy rain shower. But, this place did not have so many mosquitos. We did dive in the night with flashlight, and some of the fish, espesially the large cichlids was easier to catch then.

We did collect in several places as we moved south, but the rivers, they had about the same fish. It was not until we came to a river we think again, was Rio Nicanor. There did we collect "Geophagus" pellegrini, and I had only collect the fish in Colombia in the Choco, this was allright then I know, that the fish has a wider distribution than expected in the beginning.

We did also collect Rineloricaria sp., "Cichlasoma" sp. "Ae". coeruleopunctatus, Astyanax sp., Characidium sp., 2 or 3 types with livebearers and a very special Ancistrus sp. The air temperature was 33,5*C., pH 7,8, dH 6, kH 6 and microsiemens was 200. The position was 08* 33' 24" N and 78*01' 18" W.

Then we stopped at other places and in the afternoon we had to look for a place to make the camp. The place we found looked very good, but became my worst night I ever had, sleeping outdoors. I've been freezing, I've been wet, but this....... Lem slept in a small tent he had brought with, Ingemann and Benny had their mosquitonet, Torstein slept in our car and I had only a sheet as cover for the night. And in the twilight the mosquitos came. Not a couple or some few, no, they came in a massive attack, all night long. Well I shall spare you for details, but my sheet looks like I had taken a shot at the sheet with a shotgun loaded with ketchup.

The red spot is from the mosquito attack.

Just before we finished our trip in Panama, I got fever, maybe malaria ? So after a bad night, I was very glad to get up at dawn, and we did not make any breakfast at that place, we just packed our things and start driving. After a couple of hours driving we came to a small place which had a small restaurant, and we had our breakfast there.

Here is Ingemann in front of the "Restaurant"
and the toilet (photo right) is just behind the cars in the background.

After breakfast we hit the road again. The road was a dust road, but still acceptable, but not every story has a happy ending, and how long was Adam in Paradise?? Between 15 or 20 kilometer from Yaviza it was the end of the "good" road. Then we had been diving outside the road, several times, others had done it before us we just followed the tracks. Then we came to a mudhole, where we went out

of the car to take a look at somebody had been driving thru so I was to go first. I did not get very far before I was stuck in the mud. The central part between the tracks was high so the wheels could not get any grip, the wheel was only spinning. But, we manage to get the car back on dry land with the car in reverse and pulling with all four wheels. So we thought, this was the end of it, we would not reach Yaviza and had to stay another night outdoor. We was not so keen on staying outdoor one night more after the nightmare with the mosquito last night. And we was dreaming about a good meal and cold beer.

Then somebody must have heard our prayer, on the road on the other side of these mudholes a tractor with a plow in the front came, and Lem went down to talk to the driver. We made a deal with him, to scrape some of the mud in the central part of the tracks away, we gave him ten dollar, one beer and a couple of coke.

Then Lem went over with his car first and I came after, and we made it both. We asked the driver how the rest of the road to Yaviza was, was it any big holes like this, no, no the driver said, it's better??? If we had known how the rest of the road was, we would probably had turned around, but as a carrot to go along, we was thinking about the mosquitos last night and cold beers in Yaviza.

We drove just up the hill and on the other side was new mudholes, this hole was very wet, so I took a stick to measure the depth. I found out that the track felt firm in the holes and told Lem I was going to try to drive stright thru. I put the gear in Low and full speed and manage to get thru. Lem followed and so we took hole after hole. One place they had placed logs outside the road to drive on, the logs was very narrow and slippery, and Lem suggest to try on the other side. I said no way, we just end up in the ditch. So we went for the logs and manage to get over. In one hole Lem was stuck with his car, but we manage to give him a push and he came out of the mud.
And suddenly we were in Yaviza, hurray, hurray, we made it.

We stopped a guy and asked him where we could find our Hotel the "Tres Americas". We found it, and the "Boss" had a room for us, and would charge us 25 $US for the night. We accepted it and drove the cars to the back of the "Hotel"

Well Hotel?? This place would never been called Hotel at home, but out here in Yaviza it was the only possibility to get a roof above your head, or we had to sleep outdoor again. So we took it. It was only four beds, so Lem said he could sleep at the floor on his airmattress. I was very lucky with my bed, not that it was any better to sleep in, but my bed did not have an anthill in the mattress. Small ants, but still......

We did not see that before in the morning, because it was dark when we went to bed, after a hot meal and some few.................. cold beer. So who suspect ants in the bed. Ingemann said in the morning, "Something have been feeding on me thru the night" and then we discover the ants. Nothing serious, but who likes to sleep with ants in the bed!!!

I asked the owner in the morning about hiring a canoe, he said he knew one that could take us up in the rivers, it would coast us 45 US$ + gas pr day. So even though we thought it was expensive, it was split in 5, so we took it. We used some of Lems extra gas, because his jeep was running on gas, but my car was running on diesel.

We found out that the owner of the Hotel had to be some sort of Mafia Boss in the town, because he had the only "Hotel"!!! he had the restaurant, he had a shop, he was running videofilms on a TV in the back and everyone who wanted to look had to pay an entrace fee, and he also arrange Cock fights in a ring in the back. And he had also a finger in the canoe business, we found out that later.
Well our cano driver showed up after breakfast and we took our net, cameraes, plasticbags and all the things we needed to collect fish and went down to the river where he had the canoe.

The first river we went up the first day was Rio Chico, and we past a couple of Indian Camps on our way upriver. When we came down again we stopped by the biggest camp with name Corozal.

We visit the Chief and our driver asked if we could take photos, but he said no. I got some video from the camp, because I turned on the videocamerae while we was walking around in the camp. The scenes I got was not too bad, I got of course my friends leg, the roof on some of the huts, but some of it, turns out well too. So we bought some handycrafts and went down to the canoe to go down the river to Yaviza. We did not collect much the first day, just some catfishes belonging to Chaetostoma and Ancistrus sp. We reached Yaviza just after dark, and guess what taste good in the evening, you were right..... cold beer.

In the morning the day after, just after breakfast we was on our way again, but this time we went up Rio Chuqunaque and later we turned right up into Rio Tupisa. I don't remember how long we drove up in Rio Tupisa, but we found a small stream that was not so turbid, and we decide to go up the stream. The stream was narrow so we could not use the outboard motor, we had to use a pole to push the canoe up the stream. We came to a bend in the stream, and the canoe was to long to pass, so we decide to try there. I took my diving mask, net and a couple of plasticbags and jump into the water. Lem and the others guys decide to try with the net.

I collect quite a few Rhineloricaria sp. and the others collect Hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus maculatus), 'Aequidens' coeruleopunctatus, a livebearer sp., Tetra probably Astyanax sp. and a Pimelodella sp. The temperature on the water was 24,5*C. and this was the first place so far in Panama we had a pH under 8, it was 7,6 and the dH was 0, kH was 2 and the microsiemens was 38. The position was 8* 12' 02" N and 77* 41' 17" W.

Here I'm comming with my plasticbag full with Rhineloricaria.

A Indian hut in Rio Tupisa.

We went out into Rio Tupisa and up to another stream a little bit larger. I think the name on this little stream was Tutumate, here I did collect Sturisoma dariense, Rhineloricaria sp., Ae. coeruleopunctatus, Hatchetfish and Astyanax. The watertemperature was 28,9*C., pH 8-8,2, dH 13, kH 13 and microsiemens was 190. The position was 8* 12' 05" N and 77* 41' 03" W. On our way out of this stream we saw a little canal, and Lem and Benny jump out into this canal and try to catch something with the dipnet, before it was getting to dark.

The next morning we was going back to Panama City, and after breakfast we paid the "Boss", he ask for payment for the canoe too, but I told him we had paid to the owner of the canoe. So we was not interest to pay twice, the price was high enough. After packing all our things into our cars we hit the road back to Panama City. We was not in a hurry so after the first twenty kilometers, when we had past thru all the mudholes, and got thru them without big problems we could relax a little. We stopping at several streams/rivers to se what kind of fish we would find. But, it was first after 47 km. from Yaviza at a place called Santa Rosa we made a longer stop.

There we had our "lunch" and we did also change water on the fish we had in our styrofoam boxes. In the river there we did collect 'Geophagus' pellegrini, Livebearers like Poecilia mexicana and Phalloceros caudimaculata, I think. Astyanax, and 'Ae.' coeruleopunctatus. After lunch we was on our way again, and when we past a sign saying Meteti to the left, and that road was also paved with asphalt. Well we continue and suddenly a truck Toyota hilux was blocking our road and a couple of guys came to my car. I open the window just a little so I could hear what he wanted. I saw the other guy had a gun in his backpocket and watched him. Then the first one showed me a police badge, and said we had to follow him, I asked him where?? He said to the policestation. So he climbed into our car and told as to turne around. Well we did not have any choice, so we followed his instruction and drove up to the police station in Meteti.

The police station(chicken house) in Meteti.

So we was taken into custody. On the station we asked what this was, and then they said they got a message on the radio from the police station in Yaviza to stop us. We wonder why, and then they said that the owner of the Hotel (The Boss) said we had left without paying the rent for the canoe. We told the officer that this was a lie, we paid directly to the driver of the canoe, we did not know what kind of deal the Boss had with the canoe driver, and we did not care, we had paid for everything in cash. So we could not show any receipt

The police officer took contact with the local police station in Yaviza (there was no telephon down there), and told them what we had told him, and we said that they should ask the Indian canoe driver. And they said, he said he had not got any money from us. I said that all my friends saw me paying for the canoe. So they told the local police to bring the Indian to the station for question. An hour later, they was back on the radio, and they told us that he had confessed that he had received the payment from us. So, the Boss was also on the radio, and told the police officer to apologise to us, so we was told that we could go. I was never afraid, but you'll never now, but we had not done anything wrong. So we decided to drive stright ahead to Panama City, and to the Hotel Acapulco, for a nice steak and several cold beer. The trip continue as we went north the next day, but I leave that story to another time, and I hope you enjoyed this part, and let me hear from you.

See you,
Alf

You can reach me by e-mail at: alf.stalsberg@c2i.net

Part 2.

Well we headed North to San Carlos and passing the bridge Puentes Americas we made a stop to take some photos and headed for Chorrera and further up against Chame, we drove out to Punta Chame to look for rooms, but there was none at the Hotel out there. Before we came to Chame we stopped at small town called Capira with a nice river and collect a nicer type of "Aequidens" coeruleopunctatus, Brachyraphis escopi ? another livebearer I think was a Giradinus sp. and there was also a Brycon tetra and a Lebiasina sp.

Water parameters in the river Capira?

Water temp. Air temp. pH dH kH Ms.

Posistion;8*43´29" N
26,4 *C. 32,1*C. 8,6 3 3 170               79*53'06" W

After Punta Chame we went down to San Carlos where we had rooms at a small Hotel. After dinner and some ? few beers, written down the dates from the river, then it was the time for the bed. The day after we left San Carlos heading to Penome and passing Penome we stoped by a river 22,5 km south from Penome. The name on the river was Rio Grande, the water was a little turbid but I manage to collect a Tomocichla sieboldi, Aequidens coeruleopunctatus, livebearer I think was Neoheterandia tridentiger, Brycon sp. and Curimata sp.

 

We found a small Hotel there, after checking in there was still a couple of hours with light, so we decide to look into some rivers we had pass on our way up to San Carlos. We collect only Plecostomus type there, so we went back to the Hotel.