Calling All Goodeid Experts

[dwarfgourami]

I was just leafing through John Dawes book on Livebearing Fishes (Christmas present from my kind brother). Very interesting book btw. Anyway, what struck me was that he suggested temperatures ranges of 22-27 (72-79 F) for Ilyodon xantusi and Zoogeneticus tequila, and 20-25 (68-77F) for xenoophorus captivus. I thought it was only ataneiobus toweri that thrived in tropical temperatures. What do you reckon folks? Is he right? Or does he mean that they can cope with tropical temperatures for a while but need a winter resting period? Would I be able to keep xenoophorus or ilyodon in a tank that stays at 24-25C or would this be putting strain on the fish? If I do ever try my hands at goodeids I'd like to get it right.

Also, can you fill me in on the respective temperaments on those three species? I know some goodeids are really aggressive, some fin-nip and ameca splendens apparently have a thing about cories. Would you say any of the three above would do in a community tank (no cories though).

 

[helterskelter]

John Dawes book is what got me into livebeares 15 years ago and still keep the book next to me here.

Goodeids are a primarily a cool water fish living in the central highlands of Mexico, this is much like here in the UK at spring, from on some morning so it shows how cold the water can get.
Depending on location depends on the fish, some a lake fish, desert, stream and spring.

Each has it own wants in life, a lot of spring fish want algae in their diet as there is little else to eat, and they spend most the day grazing, i found the very common with Characodons (derset spring), lake fish like live foods, and hubbsina turneri is a nocturnal hunter which will only feed on live foods. Ilyodon's are stream fish what are very diverse, with in one location, some will have thin mouths which are a hunter of live food's some with wide mouth's for graving and some with normal for other stuff i guess...

Most have temperature ranges that are very diverse as i said above, 18oC to 24oC is best, but some need lower like Giradinichthys anything over 20oC and your in trouble. But like u say with Ataneiobus toweri their a srping feed fish thats from a sulpherous geothermal spring which is why it's the only Goodeid that want the warmer temperature of 27oC.

Personal i would only keep one species to a tank, their still not sure what will cross and what will not.
Course u could keep some like ameca with allotoca and geneticaly and visually their very different. However with Ameca and Chapalicthys never put then together.

Anything else u want to know?

 

[dwarfgourami]

Goodeids are a primarily a cool water fish living in the central highlands of Mexico, this is much like here in the UK at spring, from on some morning so it shows how cold the water can

That's what I thought. I have read quite a bit about goodeids elsewhere, but for the species I mentioned (xenoophorus, ilyodon, zoogeneticus), Dawes actually gives a higher temperature range than other sources, so that's why I wanted to doublecheck. I thought like you that ataeniobus is the only one that can cope with temperatures up to 27C (not that I keep my tanks that warm), but Dawes seems to say the same of zoogeneticus and xenoophorus.

Also, I didn't actually mean mixing different goodeid species (I can see the obvious risk of hybridisation) but keeping them with other unrelated fish.

 

[helterskelter]

Yes he dose list quite a high temp like u say, but from personal experance cooler the better.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Yes he dose list quite a high temp like u say, but from personal experance cooler the better.

thanks, that was just what I wanted. So what temperature range would you suggest for those three species?

 

[helterskelter]

70-74 for breeding

i also give a restring period for a few months of 60-65, this dont always stop them from breeding but the hish seem happier for it.

 

[dwarfgourami]

thanks a lot