Breeding the Sailfin Goodeid - Girardinichthys viviparous
by Rich Serva
First published in "Tank Topics", Greater Akron Aquarium Society, Feb/March
2001
Aquarticles
Girardinichthys viviparous is a goodeid that comes from the
canals and lakes on the high plateau of central Mexico in the Mexican states of Mexico
(and perhaps Hidalgo, see later comment). This species is actually found in the ponds and
lakes in Mexico City or the Federal District. This fish was originally described by
Bustamente in 1837. With such an old reference I had no luck in finding that reference so
I thought that I would try finding information on specimens collected for Museums. I
contacted an ALA member (Dan Fromm) who has done considerable research on wild species and
he pointed me to NEODAT II database.
This database is searchable on-line and I cut & pasted the following excerpt from
their web site. "The Inter-Institutional Database of Fish Biodiversity in the
Neotropics (NEODAT) is an international cooperative effort to make available systematic
and geographic data on neotropical freshwater fish specimens deposited in natural history
collections in the New World and Europe. The Project is funded by National Science
Foundation grants to the University of Michigan (UMMZ), the American Museum of Natural
History (AMNH) and the University of New Orleans (UNO)." My point in referencing this
database is that this is probably a better way of referencing fish habitats than using
standard aquarium hobby literature.
NEODAT lists that museum specimens have been collected in the canals in Xochimilco
(Federal District), Lake Texcoco, Lake Zumpango, Lake Chalco, Lake Xochimilco and various
ponds & overflows associated with these larger bodies of water, as well as many of the
ponds in the Federal District. In 1972 RR Miller collected this fish in Rio Tula (Part of
the Rio Panuco system) near the city of Ixmiquilpan in the state of Hidalgo. A collection
note with this specimen read like Miller felt that the fish ended up in that body of water
by accident. If that was the case then the fish can only be found in the still waters of
the mesa where Mexico City is located.
Description of the species:
Girardinichthys viviparous has broad dorsal and anal fins like the related Girardinichthys
multiradiatus. Its common name is the black sailfin goodeid and I would describe the
male's shape as more like a rainbow fish than like other goodeids. The dorsal, caudal and
anal fins are black in males. They also show a dark longitudinal line through the body.
Like many livebearer species, the females are fairly nondescript and could be mistaken
easily for several (just for clarification since it otherwise implies that they resemble
"all" others) other goodeid females. Males grow up to around 2 inches and
females can grow up to 2.5 inches.
Habitat:
These fish inhabit the lakes, ponds, pools and canals on the high mesa of central Mexico.
In the wild these fish are subject to a wide range of variation in temperatures. Although
we frequently think of Mexico as being a tropical country, the temperatures on the mesa
can get quite cold. Temperatures can vary from the low 30s F to the high 80s.
Personal observations:
After having this fish several times in the past with little to no luck in reproduction, I
decided to take a different tact this time. I had picked up some young adults at the 2000
ALA convention and put them in a 40 long by themselves. (What can I say? I cleaned out a
lot of tanks at ALA so I had the room.) I fed the fish a variety of live daphnia, baby
brine shrimp, and frozen brine shrimp.
This fish has been a problem species for aquarists in the past so I was not expecting
much even though I had read Hammer's article in Livebearers and I did refrain from feeding
flake foods.
In the meantime I set up a 30-gallon tub outside. I seeded the tub with green water and
fertilized the water. Before long the water was getting quite green. I then seeded the
water with daphnia. Around 2 Weeks later the tub was teeming with daphnia and outside
temperatures were pretty reasonable so outside went the fish. I also put some floating
plants and potted herbs (I put bricks on the bottom of the tub to hold up the pots so only
their feet were wet).
The fish are somewhat bashful. They hid only coming out to feed. Since these were such
gluttonous feeders I was able to see the fish during my periodic feedings of baby brine or
frozen shrimp. The fish steadily grew during the summer and I started spotting fry in
August. Unfortunately I also started having my usual problem of green frogs infesting all
of the shorter tubs. The frogs are usually pretty hard on the fish so I pulled some fry
and brought them inside. By luck rather than design, I had placed these fish in a tank
that quickly went green after introduction of the G. viviparous and pond water.
The fry have been growing nicely on daphnia & baby brine shrimp and I have been
content with not trying to eliminate the green water.
References:
NEODAT II database - http://www.neodat.org/
Langhammer, J. K., "Lost Treasure of the Aztecs, Pt. IX: An update to the
Husbandry of the Black Sailfin Goodeid, Girardinichthys viviparous ".
Livebearers member 145.
Meyer, M. K., L. Wischnath & W. Foerster. "Lebendgebarende Zierfische-Arten
Der Welt'. Mergus-Verlag (1980).
Wischnath, L, "Atlas of Livebearers of the World". T.F.H. Publications, Inc
(1993). TS-180.
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