Girardinichthys viviparus collection data

Conservation Moderator Joined: Sep 24, 2005 Posts: 278

To the best of my knowledge I can only find two collections in captivity of G. viviparus. One that Derek Lambert collected in 1989.
And one Alain collected back in 2001(?) in Chapultepec park.

Now the questions:

Where did Derek collect his fish?

Was Alains collected in 2001?

Is anyone still breeding Alains fish? (Besides Jan in Holland)

Is there any other collections around? I am aware of other nameless strains, are these from Dereks collection?

Martin

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 3:14 pm

Martin wrote:

To the best of my knowledge I can only find two collections in captivity of G. viviparus. One that Derek Lambert collected in 1989. And one Alain collected back in 2001(?) in Chapultepec park.
...
Is there any other collections around? I am aware of other nameless strains, are these from Dereks collection?

Martin

Martin,

You asked if there were other collections around. I know as recently as a week ago, marlin@48067@yahoo.com was advertising G. viviparus from Lake Texcoco. I don't know much of anything about the geography of Mexico City, but I have heard that what is left of Lake Texcoco is east of the city, while Chapultepec Park is west of the city. I don't know if any of this is meaningful or not, but I thought I would throw it out there.

Joel

Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:48 am

Hi !

The Texcoco lagoon is the remaining part of the antic lagoon of Mexico city. it is effectively east located. For what I know it is actually used as rain water and others bad waters reservoir and water quality is quite low. I am not sure that viviparus could survive there.

In 2001 and 2002 I visit the Xoximilco drainage, south of the city. but it was full of platies, xiphos and pseudoxiphos... doubt it could remain viviparus there.

I went to the Chapultepec park, it's just in the middle of the city. Water was trouble with a lot of plastics bags... I find the viviparus in great number in the lake near the natural history museum but they are said to be also found in the others lakes of the park. Dr. Lyons found some of them, in poor condition in the major one.

Next time I wish to go to visit the university garden as a rumor said it could have some viviparus...

I loose the strain during a change of home... but will be really super happy to recover some of this so particular Goodeids.

Conservation Moderator Joined: Sep 24, 2005 Posts: 278

Well, it would be interesting to get some of these fish from the recent collection.
I use to breed Alains fish in great numbers but they also died out the past winter while moving to a new house. Girardinichthys hates to move!

Anyway, I have just received 2 pairs from the old Lambert collection and 3 pairs of what might be another collection. I am checkking up on that.

Hopefully these fish will be breeding a lot next year as they use to in my aquariums.

I know where there are some fish of Alains collection but they are not in great numbers yet.
Martin

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 4:13 am

For what I have seen I could say that they are really threatened in the "wild" as they mainly survived in artificials lakes... They must have to be in the priorities.
As the multiradiatus they are really temperature sensible and have to be maintained really cold.
Hope You will have a good exit breeding them ! I already register for some !!!

Conservation Moderator Joined: Sep 24, 2005 Posts: 278

The other group of viviparus I got turned out to be also from Lambert collection. Anyway, they are set up in two different aquariums and I will live breed them. When I get your collection again these will also get their own aquarium. That would secure the species much better.

Martin

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:53 am

Yes, that's the best way ! Razz

Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:14 am

There is new population of Girardinichthys viviparus found in the Lago Tecocomulco, 100 km north-east from Mexiko City. There is an Article described in the Journal of Fish Biology(2008) Vol. 73 p 317-322

Horst

Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:21 am

Horst,

Thanks for sharing that information! I would never have known about this otherwise. I appreciate it. Thanks!

Joel