Heres my question of the week!

Does direct sunlight have an extreme impact on a fish's physical Attributes?

Thiw was first introduced to me last year as strictly theory by word of mouth from Damien (Number6 at CF) when we were having a discussion about albinism and how the UV rays can kill out an albino individual in lake tanganyika. I then asked him, why do some fish tend to look slightly different when they are caught wild versus their F1 off spring in concerns to colour, and body shape. So, as you guys know, i am a Malawi Peacock buff (Aulonocara Sp.). My example to him was that why do Aulonocara Jacobfreibergi (Undu Reef) aka. the lemon jake, take a different body shape in the wild then they do in captivity, evan to their F1 offspring. I have kept Wild lemon jakes and their F1 offspring and the body shape forms completely different. The wild Jake has a much taller front portion of the body with shorter fins where as the F1 and TR offspeing have a proportioned body with very long strunf out fins. I have seen this in young (3") WC and old WC and no difference. Damien was convinced, although he had no solid reasoning for it, that the exposure to direct sunlight and possibly the different types of UV rays can change certain structure.
In terms of Colour, there is a much more locical explanation why WC display often more intense colouration. This is simply due to the purest of genes, all natural food with their own balanced diet in the wild, and of course the open waters with endless space.There are endless variables that determine this.

This is my oppionions, what are yours?

Kyle (who interned with Stuart Grant for a summer) told me once that wild fish tended to be taller as a forced adaptation to living in water depths where pressure exerted on them is greater than in the aquarium.

Conversely, in tank raised generations or offspring, they were more thin/slender- elongated and relaxed because the increased water pressure was not forcing them to adapt to a taller body postureany longer.

Dont know if this is true, but the theory sounds reasonable

the thought of that never occured to me but that seems like it is entirely possible.
BTW, do you know if I could do my Co-Op program for school there for 5 monthes, who would i talk to?

I believe he did something like that. He lives in Canada like you.
Let me track him down and ask him for you. I dont have some of the contact stuff I had from my old forum...so give me a day or two to get a hold of him

Brad, I haven't a clue as to the answer to your question, but I can vouch for Damian...He's one of the real brains in the hobby! I wouldn't discount anything he says.

Kim

I wouldn't either. He is one of the most knoledgable people about the hobby I have ever met. He has bred things I couldnt evan keep along, and he shares a common interest in the malawi cichlids. He knows EVERYTHING. I mean I have spent countless hours researching this hobby, and I can comfortably say that i know a fair bit, but when there ever is a question or curiosity about something when the web or you average hobbiest doesn't help, he is always the guy I go to.