Brazil 2008 Sao Paulo

aquariophil

Brazil 2008 São Paulo

A wonderful place in pristine Mata Atlantica

Estado do São Paulo

Leaving São Paulo in the very early morning it just took 2 hours by car and we reached Robertos ranch. It is located in the Estado do São Paulo ca. 16 km east of Pilar do Sul between São Miguel Arcanjo and Salto de Pirapora. His family owns a couple of hectare fringed by primary pristine Mata Atlantica. We relaxed, barbequed and fished the entire weekend.

EB-BR 36-08 Corrego da Borga
Location	Corrego da Borga, The mountain range where the stream runs is called Serra Paranapicaba, the Corrego da Borga is a tributary to the Represa Jurumirim (water reservoir). The represa is drained by the Paranapanema River which finally belongs to the Paraná basin.
	Estado do São Paulo
GPS coordinates	669m asl, S 23º 51.860', W 47º 49.546'
Date	2008-02-03
Time	15:00
Biotope	A clear water stream running trough dense primary Mata Atlantica, thus the water surface is shadowed. Current: moderate - very fast.
	Riffles, so called Cachoeiras, with stony bottom and very fast current, Sandy bottom with irregular clusters of leaves in moderate current. Some days ago it rained heavily, thus the water was not transparent, but light brownish. No aquatic vegetation. Biotope is in remarkable untouched condition, surrounded by healthy Mata Atlantica featuring thriving moss and fern on stems and stones. Stream roughly 5 m broad and of different depth; in the cachoeiras less than 10 cm, in some pothole over 1 m, maximum depth should be 1.5 m.
Parameters	Temperature	22	ºC
	pH	7.4	pH
	Conductivity (EC)	20	µS/cm
	Hardness General	<1	ºGH
	Hardness Carbonate	<1	ºKH
	Nitrite	< 0.3	mg/l
	Total Dissolved Solution (TDS)	10	ppm
Species	Geophagus brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
	Astyanax scabripinnis (Jenyns, 1842)
	Imparfinis mirini Haseman, 1911
	Rineloricaria latirostris (Boulenger, 1900)
	Brycon orbignyanus (Valenciennes, 1850)
	Piaractus brachypomus (Cuvier, 1818)
	Leporinus macrocephalus (Garavello & Bristski, 1988)
	Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede, 1802)
	Leporinus obtudidens (Valenciennes, 1836)
	Aegla sp.
	Freshwater Crabs
	Macrobrachium sp.
Remarks

The riffle section of the Corrego da Borga possesses strong current over rocky bottom. The environment is shady leading to low temperatures. We had refreshing 22 ºC water temperature in the afternoon.

All around there were epiphytes, mosses and ferns thriving in the cool and moist clima.

This is the sandy section with moderate current of biotope EB-BR 36-08 located some 100 m upstream. Here one can find Geophagus and Rineloricaria.

Fishes: Astyanax and Imparfinis.

Astyanax scabripinnis dwelling in the riffles with fast current.

Imparfinis mirini lives simpatric with Astyanax scabripinnis in the riffle section of biotope EB-BR 36-08.

This freshwater crabs species we discovered in the potholes. They were rather abundant.

In the riffles we also found Aegla sp.

Geophagus brasiliensis EB-BR 36-08 was rather frequent on sandy bottom.

This is a juvenile Rineloricaria latirostris living in the sandy section.

Another crustacean; the shrimp Macrobrachium sp. was as usually abundant.

EB-BR 37-08 Lago do Faisca
Location	Lago do Faisca, property of Roberto Buratin
	Estado do São Paulo
GPS coordinates	669m asl, S 23º 51.860', W 47º 49.546'
Date	2008-02-03
Time	17:00
Biotope	Artificial pond for game fishing, 80 m in diameter.
	No aquatic vegetation.
Parameters	Temperature	ºC
	pH	pH
	Conductivity (EC)	µS/cm
	Hardness General	ºGH
	Hardness Carbonate	ºKH
	Nitrite	mg/l
	Total Dissolved Solution (TDS)	ppm
Species	Piaractus brachypomus (Cuvier, 1818)
	Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes, 1844)
	Oreochromis niloticus
	Brycon cephalus (Günther, 1869)
	Brycon orbignyanus (Valenciennes, 1850)
	Leporinus obtudidens (Valenciennes, 1836)
	Astyanax scabripinnis (Jenyns, 1842)
Remarks

The Brazilian grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella differs from the European populations in morphology.

The Matrinxã is an excellent game fish featuring a long and strong drill to the angler. It frequently jumps out of the water. The scientific name is Brycon cephalus.

This is a red-bellied Pacu. It is known as herbivorous and usually feed upon fruits. Scientific name: Piaractus brachypomus.