Need Help in ID-ing Fish

[naturalmystic]

Just got these from bro Scope.
Need help in ID-ing them as Joe has no idea what they are.
Was informed that they are live-bearers and algae-eaters.
Got 3 pairs and the male colouration tapers at their tailfins.
Pictures taken while they were in a holding tank, their colours are much more intense now.
As the females are dull in colour, did not take any picture of them.
One managed to sneak in though

[stormhawk]

They are all strains of Micropoecilia parae (Eigenmann, 1894).

I found this picture while Googling for info:



Image taken from www.sfu.ca.

More info here:
http://www.aquascaperz.com/2009/08/m...cies/#more-238

Apparently these are captive bred strains that originated in Asia, probably Thailand. Supposedly difficult to maintain in aquaria. Good luck with them, they are beautiful.

[naturalmystic]

Bro stormhawk,

Thanks for the information.
Surviving for 4 days now.
Even my Sparkling Gouramis, easily double/triple their size, are afraid of them

[stormhawk]

Most livebearers are aggressive in nature. Even guppies nip each other when they get the chance. It is good to hear that they are surviving. Try to propagate them. They seem like a great fish to keep around, especially for a wild livebearer species.

[naturalmystic]

Saw their fries today.
One of the females got a flat body, must be the one.
Sadly, I noticed the fries due to the strange behaviours of my Sparkling Gouramis, 5 of them hovering near the surface.
Managed to salvage only 2 fries

[stormhawk]

Ouch, that's a loss. Time to move the gourami out. At least you have 2 fry left. Take them out, raise them in a separate tank and see what you get. I have a reason to believe that it is possible they will turn out to be a 1M/1F pair.

[naturalmystic]

Hmm... I could not see my yellow melanzona and 1 of the females in my 4-footer anymore.
I pair lost
Bro stormhawk, coincidentally, I had just finished cycling my 1-footer.
Thinking of getting an Apisto pair from Bro Joe.
Guess it will now be a nursery till the fries are big enough.
Caught another 2 fries, 4 of them now.
Not sure if they will survive; need them to replace my lost pair
Diet consists of decap bbs and TetraMin Baby.

[stormhawk]

That should suit them fine. I fed my baby guppies on a diet of Sera Micron and some live BBS, they did fairly fine. I still think live Moina/Daphnia (when they're super red) are the best live food for young fry.

My friend's Endler fry got nothing but live Moina for the first few weeks, before switching to live tubifex. They grew big real fast.