North American Native Fishes

[whuntley]

I was in the process of arranging to get some eggs of one of our native species to Singapore, and it hit me that you see very few of our nice Mexican and US killifish. The way the trade is organized (out of Europe and W, Africa) you may have been missing a few treats. You see some livebearer cultivars (Guppies, Mollies, etc.), but very few of our nicer native killifish.

Most US hobbyists ignore the local fish as being too common to be very interesting. [Grass is always greener on the other side!] Also, the restricted habitats makes many extinct in the wild, threatened, or endangered, so possession is quite illegal, here. The popular Atlases have favored Africans, for the most part, though Baensch does have lots of NA Natives in the first three volumes.

Pupfish and Fundulus are probably your best bets for interesting aquarium pets. The pupfish are a bit cichlid-like in breeding and territorial behaviour and one has even been mistaken for a Sunfish (Jordanella floridae, the American-Flag Fish).

Fundulus tend to be top-water fish, a bit like the Epiplatys of Africa. Many have strong markings and are colorful, too. Since they are most all east of our Rocky Mountains, Bill is in a better position to find many of them than I. My part of the country has pupfish and springfish but all are on the endangered list so I cannot send them to you. For those, you can legally get them out of most European countries, for they are kept there legally. See some of the habitat restoration work we do at:

http://www.pupfish.net/dsac/

If anyone in Singapore has interests in any of our natives, LMK. It may offer an aspect of the hobby that your LFS never heard about. :-) Many of our Fundulus come from cooler waters, so look for those from the deep south (particularly Florida) for species that may like your climate better.

Wright

[stormhawk]

Wright, I have a favourite North American species and that would be Lucania goodei, the little Bluefin.

The pupfishes sure look very close to the Aphanius of the Mid-East and the Meditterranean Sea. If you ask me which pupfish would interest me then it would be Cyprinodon diabolis. That should be under US federal protection right?

You have the beautiful Etheostoma darters but those would die in our tropical heat. I only saw them imported in once but they died quickly in the hands of the hobbyists who could not afford a chiller and a riffle tank for these gems. Of course I do have a non-killie favourite and they would be the Enneacanthus aka Pygmy Sunfishes of the Everglades. Don't think I'll ever see those in real life.

[whuntley]

Hello Jianyang,

pectoralis are almost identical to diabolis but not such a hot-button issue (still under protection, here, tho). You might find those somewhere in Germany or Scandanavia if you look around.

Cypr. diabolis are tiny in their Devil's Hole home habitat, but change dramatically when brought out into refuges where there is better food and living conditions. They get bigger, and much more like their close cousins, the Cypr. pectoralis.

Lucania goodei are usually available on aquabid.com and come from waters much closer to Bill than to me. We have Lucania parva, the rainwater killy, as an unwelcome import, all around the SF bay. They compete with our native 3-Spine Sticklebacks in brackish waters. [I sometimes refer to them as the "Three Tenors Fish" because of the name sound similarity. ]

Wright

[stormhawk]

Hello Wright,

Hopefully the parva doesn't have the vocal abilities like Pavarotti . Ok back on topic, I've seen goodei available on AquaBid but they'll only ship to either the US or Canada ONLY. Are the parvas introduced into the waters around SF Bay? I have an Asian version of the stickleback and they're cute little micro-predators.

Read about the sources in Germany and the rest of Europe. Will be giving these a pass for now until I have more tanks.

[whuntley]

Hello Wright,
...Are the parvas introduced into the waters around SF Bay? I have an Asian version of the stickleback and they're cute little micro-predators.

Probably they got into the bay in ballast waters, like the zebra mussels in the midwest. They spread easily, because they can tolerate full-strength sea water (for brief periods, anyway). That lets them (like sticklebacks) jump from estuary to estuary.

They are not on any introduced exotic list, because the folks at US Fish and Wildlife think fish should understand political boundaries. Since Florida and California are withing the US, they are not exotics. Sound like any bureaucracy you know?

I saw the pics of your sticklebacks. Ours are fatter, but pretty in breeding colors. Rarely kept in tanks, so not seen often.

Bill Gallagher told me some of the ponds near Newark alternated years between a snail, the parva and sticklebacks. No one had figured out why, last I knew.

Wright

[Nonn]

Wright,

I spent a few year in USA, started keeping Killi there. In Wilmington, NC, I stayed in an apartment complex where there was a small stream running down to a big pond. I was delighted to find Locania goodei in there. I also known Fritz C. Rhode who took me around exploring the native fish of North America. That was some very good time. I also caught and kept a few species of Fundulus, I espeacially love F. chrysotus, I caght in Disneyland, Orlando

I kept and bred some Cyprinodons when I was there, but didn't bring them back to Thailand with me. Now, I'm always on the look out for them from my contact in Europe but we havn't really get around to work something out yet.

C. diabolis, I just want to see them for once in my life. That blue shine scale and black fins....ah.... I will have to visit Devil's hole before I die. How is their status now? Are they doing and breeding well in their new enviroment?

My other favorite N. American fish genus is undoptedly Elassoma, the dwarf sunfish, they are very cute. The temp. probably to high for them here so I'm keeping our Badis and Dario instead Having said that, a friend of my is breeding TONS of N. American shinners here in BKK.

[stormhawk]

Nonn, they're a dream for us to have. I have some friends who want to keep the darters but the requirements are too difficult for us to replicate in Singapore. So instead of darters we'll just keep gobies. I have a little Brachygobius xanthomelas that fits the darter bit just nice for now .

Wright, if there ever was a Fundulus that I'd like to have then it would be Fundulus julisia. As for the pond that rotated between the snail, parva and sticklebacks, that must have been a helluva merry-go-round situation. Good for investigative minds to research into. Should have loads of surprises.

[whuntley]

Wright,

I spent a few year in USA, started keeping Killi there. In Wilmington, NC, I stayed in an apartment complex where there was a small stream running down to a big pond. I was delighted to find Locania goodei in there. I also known Fritz C. Rhode who took me around exploring the native fish of North America. That was some very good time. I also caught and kept a few species of Fundulus, I espeacially love F. chrysotus, I caght in Disneyland, Orlando

Hi Nonn,

I caught a single baby chrysotus at Avon Park FL during Convention 2000. It grew up to be the melanistic form, with mottled black spots all over the sides. The contrast with the glittering golden scales was awesome! I agree. Really nice fish!

I kept and bred some Cyprinodons when I was there, but didn't bring them back to Thailand with me. Now, I'm always on the look out for them from my contact in Europe but we havn't really get around to work something out yet.

C. diabolis, I just want to see them for once in my life. That blue shine scale and black fins....ah.... I will have to visit Devil's hole before I die. How is their status now? Are they doing and breeding well in their new enviroment?

They are in three refuges away from the original Devil's Hole habitat. One was virtually wiped out by bureacratic ineptness, but I think they are basically safe for now. They change a great deal when removed from the hole, and no one is allowed down in it to see them in their native location. If you get on the good side of the local Ash Meadows US Fish and Widlife folks, you may get them to let you into a refuge and pull back the covers so you can see them up close and personal.

My other favorite N. American fish genus is undoptedly Elassoma, the dwarf sunfish, they are very cute. The temp. probably to high for them here so I'm keeping our Badis and Dario instead Having said that, a friend of my is breeding TONS of N. American shinners here in BKK.

The sunfish should take well to your temperatures. Get the southerly species, like evergladei. A cool period to simulate winter may help, but I think Baensch may be overstating the need for cool water. 25-30C should be fine. The everglades don't get cold.

Several pupfish have as good blue as diabolis Most of our desert species, like nevadensis and radiosus also have male electric blue-white stripes from dorsal to either side of their snout. They flash the stripes, just like the Aussie rainbows do, but the stripes are even brighter! They also have ventral fins (that are missing on diabolis and pectoralis). Go to Ash Meadow in the spring and go out the boardwalk to Crystal Spring to see the brilliant flashing display of the breeding males. [Cyprinodon nevadensis mionectes]

I have some interesting cousins to shiners, growing in a tub in my back yard. They are hybrids of Lahontan (Gila bicolor obesa) and our endangered Owens Tui Chub (Gila bicolor snyderi). [The "Tui" is pronounced "chewey"] As hybrids, my local friends in the Fish and Game office don't care if I keep them.

I helped them rescue a really rare subspecies (still not described) of the Owens Tui Chub last winter. They make diabolis look populous by comparison. It looks like they are breeding now, but went through a genetic bottleneck of only about 64 individuals last fall. That's all there were, anywhere. Habitat loss and blundering by the BLM almost made them extinct.

Wright

[whuntley]

Wright, if there ever was a Fundulus that I'd like to have then it would be Fundulus julisia.

I think you should forget about that one. It's from Tennessee and you can't get your water anywhere near that cold! Besides, it's on the endangered species list, unlike many attractive Florida species that are much prettier.

Wright

[stormhawk]

I think you should forget about that one. It's from Tennessee and you can't get your water anywhere near that cold! Besides, it's on the endangered species list, unlike many attractive Florida species that are much prettier.

Wright

Oh yes I know about that endangered bit. Read about the fish in the article about David Koran in the killie issue of TFH. Attracted me to look at how nice it was. Got my New World Killis Aqualog so I was poring through it and found the picture. Nice.. but pretty hard to get AND keep as well. Well, in SG that is.

[whuntley]

Jianyang,

I'd like to point out that the law on keeping endangered species varies wildly from one country to another. Here in the US, our Endangered Species Act (1973) made it a serious crime to be caught with one in possession, without an appropriate permit.

Early permit abuses by hobbyists got the issuance of them stopped, so you cannot keep one of our threatened or endangered species unless you are a University or Museum that can (maybe, sometimes) get a permit. The same is true of any species that is declared endangered by some other country.

Recently, Brazil's Commerce Dept. made criminals out of half or more of the AKA members, by declaring most of their common SA Annuals as endangered! Their only purpose was to protect an infant fish-exporting industry from hobbyist/collectors, and I'm sure they had no idea what that declaration meant, here.

My Tui Chubs are technically in violation of a stupidly-written CA law that was to keep fishermen from moving fish to the wrong waters. It prohibits live removal of any bait fish from the waters of origin. [The F&G folks would issue me a permission letter, if it was considered a big deal. They know me and trust me to not release them where they don't belong.]

Bottom line is that you need to check your own local laws, and try to comply with them so you can get the support of your wildlife folks when you need it. Become a service to them, if you can, as they don't have enough people to know everything. Then you can provide accurate guidance when they try to cope with a potential problem with a fish they may not understand.

Snakeheads, anyone?

Wright

[stormhawk]

Half of the SAAs are endangered? Gosh, then I'm a criminal too. I just had some baby costai hatch out and now this news. Oh well, at least they're captive bred.

Regarding the julisia, I know about the need to apply for a collection permit and even then, its only for museums or universities with an interest in conservancy. I've read about the small aquarium that has successfully brought back Skiffia francesae from the brink of extinction. Was it Belle Isle Aquarium?? Can't remember clearly but I know that permits are usually issued only for research purposes. I know that there's many species under federal protection in the states and thats why its almost impossible for us to get them. In fact, their requirements like a super-cool temperature is the main reason why many people in the tropical nations don't keep them. Killies from temperate regions are a total No-No locally.

As is, we do have a captive population of the Simp. constanciae and they too are listed in the IUCN Red List as being Vulnerable. The thing is, the line between captive stocks and wild-caught stocks is a blurry one. Some people go around it by stating wild-caught stocks as being captive-bred individuals whereas others label their tank-bred fish as wild-caught fish just to get that extra dollar. It is pretty ironic that some governments list their species as endangered but globally, they're pretty common. Nonetheless, it is still the responsibility of the governments to place some species under protection.

Snakeheads? We've got loads of these critters. Anyone in the States wants a "walking" snakehead that "eats dogs"? Seriously, the only fish that I know of that has actually been said to eat a small mousedeer would be the Tapah, Wallago leerii. Even the Toman/ Red Snakehead, Channa micropeltes, doesn't eat anything that big. Over-exaggerated indeed. Frankly speaking, they can be nice pets, like some of the dwarf snakeheads with their colourful finnage but its still the fault of irresponsible hobbyists and farms that do not understand the dangers of introducing alien species into native waterways.

OT : Snakeheads sure taste nice when they're fried till they're crispy. I'll never forget the meal of crispy fresh snakehead from the pond on my last trip to Ayuthaya, Thailand.

[flacosumo]

This thread has gotten me to thinking.

I took a trip to Death Valley in April of '98 and I took the short hike through the desert to the salt water creek that runs through the valley. In the very shallow salty water were tiny fishes. At the time I was absolutely astonished that anything could live in that dry brutal environment. My friends didn't really understand my fascination with the minnows, but I've just realized reading this that those little pupfish were American killies.

Am I wrong to assume that they were killies? It would be hard to match the salty water, but has anybody in the hobby tried to keep those little fish found in the Death Valley creek?

[whuntley]

flacosumo (is that a name?)

You were seeing Cyprinodon salinus salinus the Salt Creek Pupfish. A much longer and tougher hike can take you to the habitat of Cypr. salinus milleri the Cottonball Marsh Pupfish. The "cottonballs" are salt clumps and the water is several times saltier than sea water. It gets up to the highest known temps to support fish. [I think that is about 107F. A web search can correct me on that.]

No one will admit keeping them. To do so in the US is a serious felony. [You get out quicker if you rape a child.]

They are considerably smaller than their cousins farther east in Ash Meadows, but sized more like the diabolis are in their native Devil's Hole. [Come to think of it, the pectoralis in School Spring also tend to be tiny, but they appear to have ample food and space.]

My guess is that they would grow much larger in an aquarium with good food, but we are forbidden to explore such mysteries. We are also forbidden to maintain a reserve captive population in case a flash flood wipes out their tiny habitat. That is almost certain to happen, one of these days. It is just a matter of time.

Wright

[flacosumo]

We are also forbidden to maintain a reserve captive population in case a flash flood wipes out their tiny habitat.

Wow, Wright that is a shame. In my one and only trip to Death Valley, It was April and it drizzled just a little and you could see sheets of glittering water rolling off the mountain sides. I also worked with a guy who served in the USMC at the nearby military base and he said he personally experienced several quick flash floods in his short stint there. So I'm afraid you're prediction sounds likely.

Maybe the AKA could start a petition or something. Preservation should start with the ecology, but when your talking about such a delicate, unique, and fragile ecosystem, it doesn't seem that wrong to establish a reserve captive population. I'm probably sounding pretty naive.