New Wild-Types

[Melody]

Once again I've been fish-blessed by the kindness of a friend who brought some fish across the border for me. All arrived safe & sound! I am most happy that the box included some new preservation projects.

These pictures were taken soon after they arrived, and many are young adults, so their colour is off. I'll post more once they've settled in. Google has pictures of most of them too.

Skiffia francesae is a species maintenance fish for the American Livebearer Association (http://www.livebearers.org). They are thought to be extinct in the wild. Twenty pairs were donated to the ALA to be auctioned off at the 2009 convention. The average price was $51/pair for these rare beauties.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Skiffia-francesae.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Skiffia-francesae3.jpg

Skiffia multipunctata is also endangered. They're a stunning Goodeid that is a little more common by comparison to S. francesae. You'll definitely need Google to see their potential.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Skiffia-Multipunctata-2.jpg

I also received some lovely P. orri... all I can say about them is zoom zoom zoom! I don't think I've ever seen a Livebearer so fast and active.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-P-Orri.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-POrri.jpg

Betta simplex is also reported to be threatened in the wild, according to the information I found anyway.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Betta_simplex-2.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Betta_simplex.jpg

I was also delighted to receive Phallichthys amates, but they've disappeared into the plants so I don't have any pictures of them yet. They don't exactly stand out, so I took some random shots hoping to catch them. It didn't work, but I like this picture of G. metallicus and M. lacustris so I'll throw it in anyway. :Smile:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/Girardinus-metallicus-9.jpg



So there's my incoming for this week! I'm thrilled with them all and can't wait to start seeing babies.

[Ursus sapien]

I tell ya, every time you guys post pics of your new -very cool - fish, I start looking around for more room. It isn't going to happen, but that doesn't squelch the lust!

[RescuePenguin]

That is why we post pics. Its not the real thing, but next best. Imagine trying to own a colony of every fish you enjoy.



I tell ya, every time you guys post pics of your new -very cool - fish, I start looking around for more room. It isn't going to happen, but that doesn't squelch the lust!

[CACAdmin]

Thanks for posting the pics. They're beauties. Enjoy. I hope they do well for you.

[Ursus sapien]

... Imagine trying to own a colony of every fish you enjoy.

All it would require is a great deal more space and a budget for staff!

[Melody]

Thanks for the comments, I'm really enjoying these fish.

Well it wasn't easy, but with 120 attempts and a little brine shrimp, I got a few pictures of the Phallichthys amates youngsters.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Phallichthys-amates-2.jpg



http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Phallichthys-amates.jpg



And a bad picture of a female. I have no idea where that vivid blue under the eye came from, but it isn't the colour of the fish.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Phallichthys-amates-3.jpg

[RescuePenguin]

They are very nice. I wish I could take photos like that

[Kimr]

Wow those are so pretty, congrats!!!!

[Pamelajo]

Nice new additions.

[Melody]

Thanks all :Smile:

I'm happy to report that they're all doing very well. I was so afraid that the adjustment to my water and maintenance schedule would be too much for them. They're accustomed to hard water and five (yes, FIVE) water changes per day (yes, DAY) on an auto-changer system.

I'm accustomed to boosting the pH/GH/KH, but trying to match their home parameters using natural methods is next to impossible. There wasn't enough water to do a proper acclimation. The Goodeids aren't always big on change so I was really worried.

I think I can safely attribute their adjustment to supreme health. They're active, eating well and breeding. Now bring on the babies!

[Ursus sapien]

Brilliant. Well done.

[Melody]

Thank you sir, but I think I have the breeder to thank for that. An animal (or person) can handle a lot of stress if they're healthy enough.:yes:

On a side note, these Orri LOVE bubbles...lol...both females keep playing in the sponge filter output.

[Melody]

Well I have my first (I think) fry from the new fish. P. orri blessed me recently.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-P_Orri-Fry.jpg

They ignore their fry all together from what I've seen. They grow very rapidly, even for a Livebearer.

Something I've learned is Orri enjoy nibbling on plants, or whatever is on them. They even pull at Hornwort all the time. They're awesome fish, I love watching them zoom around the tank.

The young S. multipunctata are growing like duckweed. I'm starting to see some colour on the males. Speaking of zooming, this male was chasing the female so fast all I could do is shoot in their general direction and hope for the best.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Skiffia-Multipunctata-5.jpg

I finally managed to get a more colour-accurate shot of the S. francesae. They're doing fantastic too, which pleases me to no end. This is the two males:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-Skiffia-francesae7.jpg

I haven't lost any of the shipment (knock on wood) and I'm really enjoying the chance to get to know these fish better. :Smile:

[GaryofMontreal]

I am soooo jealous of those orri. I think I may have a vacation trip brewing for this winter, in which case I will return to the beach where I saw the orri fry and try once again to bring some home.
They were in the bleakest habitat - just a dirty ditch outlet from a wooded pond area. There was no cover - it was like eighty foot long walmart tank.
Here are the photos I got of the place - tough to compete with, eh? How could you make a tank look that, ummm, beautiful.

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