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Hi,
I was recently working up some data I collected last year in Costa Rica
and was wondering if someone more knowledgeable in the "swimming"
literature, particularly larval swimming could comment.
Water velocities in this river change rapidly with precipitation, but at
some places and times I recorded velocities of around 60 cm/sec.
Free-swimming young of the species I study (Cichlasoma tuba, TL = roughly
1 cm to 1.5cm) were maintaining position in these currents (with some
difficulty). This comes out to 40 to 60 body lengths per second of
sustained swimming (for at least a few days before the water slowed down).
This seems pretty high to me in comparison to the values I seem to be
encountering in the literature.
My question: is this unusually athletic or are there other fish doing
similar things? Any pointers would be gratefully received.
Thanks,
Ron Coleman
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