Fish for next meeting

[Montrealguy]

Hi,
Since I'll be talking about fish for unheated tanks, it only makes sense to bring some. If there's any interest, I will bring a pair or unsexed juvenile groups of the following species:

Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl (Mexican livebearer);
Girardinus microdactylus (Cuban livebearer);
Phallocerus cf caudimaculatus (uruguayan livebearer);
Procatopus nototaenia (Cameroonian lampeye);
Fundulopanchax gardneri (nigerian killie);
Xenotoca eiseni (Mexican livebearer - endangered species);
Macropodus opercularis (South Asian labyrinth fish).

And for the heated tank, one bag of unsexed juvenile Pelvicachromis taeniatus Moliwe (Cameroon) dwarf cichlids.

I posted this here as it's not an ad. If there's interest, these will be donations for the OVAS auction.
Gary Elson

[dan2x38]

Wow some amazing fish... Folks Google these characters you'll be impressed!
Very generous offer too... thanks!
Look forward to your visit!

Going to wear a costume? 

[Vizerdrix]

Thanks Gary!  That is so generous of you!  Dang it, I wish I had the space for some of these! 

[tim_s]

Can we start bidding now?

[washefuzzy]

Do you have any fancy male guppies? I'm looking to buying 2.
The Highland Playties I got a while ago are still swimming around.    But they haven't breed yet. Wish they would.

[Fishnut]

I would like some of the Fundulopanchax gardneri...maybe a pair...depends on how much they are

[Vizerdrix]

I believe all the fish that Gary will bring will be included in the auction.  These are beautiful species, and Gary takes meticulous care of them so are sure to be healthy and robust!  

[Montrealguy]

Everything will be donated to OVAS, so the price will be determined by you guys. I'll bring one pair or bag of each.

I'm a purist who only keeps wild forms, so I don't have any fancy guppies. All my fish are as nature forms them.

What's a highland platy?

[dan2x38]

Hey folks bring out more than your pennies to the auction...  come on crack open those piggy banks! These are some rare and beautiful fish. As mentioned these are from pure wild stock strains. I have some of Gary's fish they are always healthy and beautiful fish. Another excuse to rev-up your case of MTS get those tanks ready... 

[washefuzzy]

What's a highland platy?

xiphophorus evalynae

[Montrealguy]

What's a highland platy?

xiphophorus evalynae

Thanks. I didn't know the 'English' name. That's a nice little fish. I have some here, but they aren't breeding much yet - just a few fry in with their parents. A fish I'm looking for, on the unlikely chance someone has it, is a wild form Xiphophorus maculatus. I have a quest to see what a platy was like before we bred them for orange, crossed them with helleri and variatus and generally made a mess of them. I've been after real platies for years with no luck, but it never hurts to float a balloon.

A lot of the fish I listed are stunning hues of grey - wilds need camouflage. Their beauty's in their shapes.

[mseguin]

I've had the P. caudomaculatus, before, great little fish, as are the eiseni and killies. Those taeniatus are very tempting.

[Nerine]

bah I know I'll be outbid haha

Looking forward to seeing these fish!!!

[dan2x38]

The taeniatus are awesome fish. I got a pair. One thing I'd read was to add a few dither fish to help them feel comfortable. The taeniatus can be quite shy. Added 3 harlequins they were swimming nicely eating well. About a week later I couldn't see them... the male ate them... little bugger... he is aggressive even towards the female I am trying to pair him with. I read it can take over a year even more to have them pair up some times. Still great fish though just don't trust them with defenseless little guys... 

[Fishnut]

Well, I've been doing my research on the killies and everything says to put them in a species tank .  How true is that really?  I had Red Australes in a species tank many years ago and I bought a clown killie a few years ago and put it in with a sparkling gourami and a cherry shrimp.  It did well, so will the other killies do just as well with peaceful species?  I want to put the fish I get in with CPD's, cherry shrimp and tiger shrimp.

[dan2x38]

I have the Gabon killi fish in with CPDs. Check my sig. I am actually bring them to the auction to donate to OVAS. You can bid on them or pay the reserve before hand... still goes to OVAS though not me.

[Nerine]

Is it monday yet??

I'd love to have some of these fish, but would need a second set up and I just sold my last empty tank

[dan2x38]

Is it monday yet??

I'd love to have some of these fish, but would need a second set up and I just sold my last empty tank

Whose fault is that? 

[Montrealguy]

A couple of last minute points. Killies do best in species tanks because they get pushed around. Fp gardneri are tough, and will handle communities. However, if the water's too warm, they time out. They can live 3 years plus at 20c, but at 27, a few months will be all they get. Most West African killies stay out of the sun and lurk in shady, plant overhangs, or in the rainforest proper. Their water's cooler, so warm water wears them down. They are also slow moving, hovering fish, so they can't handle quick tankmates. I've come to believe their logic is : if it's running, something's chasing it. At that point, they freak and try to jump.

For Dan's taeniatus - I've kept the species off and on since 1993, and that's the first report of them eating tankmates I've ever seen. They have eaten fry under 1/4 inch, and like all dwarfs, spawning is sometimes telegraphed by them killing dithers that stray into their territory, but that's rare with taenies. Could it be they had fry?

[dan2x38]

Maybe they did spawn and I did not see the eggs? I've been watching them closely though. Besides my pair are not your model loveing couple... LOL the male is very pushy he needs some counselling! LOL I've read & Gary said they are usually very passive.