Considering Least killies ( h. Formosa)

Smallest live bearer only has about 2 fry per female per month. Anyone had them. Any thought on them?

Kat.. Never kept them.. can they go in with your endlers without fear of cross breeding?  Bill

p.s. I'll not steal your "thunder"....

Problem with going in with the endlers is not cross breeding but think would be harder to tell if I get babies off them as soon with them only having 1-2 babies per female per month. Tried to fish out the endler males to get a count on them, man they swim in a container as soon as you put it in the tank, but try to catch them with a net and they know how to stay away from you! and don't know even though endlers will not eat their own babies if there would not be a chance they would eat the least killies.

4th picture is wide.

Ok, with research, the smaller ones are the g/s I listed. The larger with the bigger dorsal fin are seeming to be a Xiphophorus not sure which species.

I'll not argue with your appraisal a second!

leaning towards Xiphophorus marmoratus

http://www.hobbykwekers.nl/vissendatabase/midden-amerika/2183-xiphophorus-meyeri why does it have 2 species names?

calling round to try to get positive ID on these.... answer.... guppies.... um... NO thanks for your lack of help though!

Well I found someone else to email the pictures to that might know someone who can help or know someone to help. I don't care if it's a stupid question, I want to know what kind the last kind are!

Kat.. perhaps you've taxed the knowledge of this group in your quest!.. Please share with us what your responses are! Bill
(yea.. still at it at 4:45)..

I didn't mean negative of anyone here not knowing. More annoyed the source of the fish is insistant about it being guppies, and has no interest in helping me further in id-ing what it really is.

Welcome to the addictive part of my personality. When I pursue something I do so full heartedly.

Kat..I haven't offered to help out here simply because this one is outside my realm but GOOD FOR YOU in your quest to properly ID this cool little fish! You make me want to set up a planted live bearer tank!! And BTW....we might have to nickname our forum the "all nighters"! Seems we do keep some odd sleep schedules!      

Xiphophorus couchianus

http://www.xiphophorus.txstate.edu/stockcenter/galleries/platyfish.html

No no no, I didn't mean any annoyance at any of you - like I said.

Just frustration and "real world" refusal to help me. I mean we are talking to the point that the store did not even want to net the fish - I did it myself when they gave up!

I love my livebearers, and learning I like "microfish" as well as species specific tanks.

So to make these guys make more sense.... they are from Fin and Feather in Richmond. Not the best place but..... anywho. Add to my oddness.... these are the feeder tank hidden in the back, on the top shelf, by the bathroom (which I often have to take my almost 5 year old daughter to.

SO the tank I've looked a few times and seen "feeder" guppies. The wild type coloration, and I'm nostalgic about those. I don't remember what I was sick with, but I remember my mom picking me up a bunch of them once as a child and setting up a wide round fishbowl on top of the tv. I also remember them all quickly dying off - no heat no filtration etc. BUT Still remembered loving the markings etc of these little fish. I've seen 3 sources for them - 1 as a child, 1 in college, and 1 now. Most pet stores don't carry them and not often available online.

SOOOO fast forward. Decided these are the stock for the hex tank (sorry Neo) see how they do with proper care etc. This time took a look with a step ladder while daughter went potty. It wasn't all guppies. asked for some of each, they pulled all guppies except 1.... so went back and asked again, for mostly the other types but some guppies ok.... they netted 4 of the other type, I netted another 9 of the unknown type (and 1 guppy) They told me they order these feeders in orders 100 and they thought they were all guppies. Though did get an employee to agree not all guppies once I explained the differences to them. I called today to talk to the manager to ask for contact info for the supplier they order these from, along with the item number or such, to try to get ID on the 1 unknown type or possibly info on what could have accidently gotten mixed with this stock. They told me I can't contact the supplier and that the supplier won't speak to me, but did take name and number and said they would call me back. (if I don't hear tomorrow I will call back at naptime and ask again) I'm not trying to cut the middle man, I am just trying to ID what I have! I did also call Feather and Fin of Ashland and the owner there was VERY nice and very helpful. He says he doesn't get much business in fish anymore, and doesn't bother to order feeder guppies and not even sure his supplier would be the same as the other store or not. BUT he has a copy of the .... fish atlas if I'd like to come pick it up and borrow it, as well as knows someone with knowledge to wild fish, mostly local, but that person may know someone who can help me. So emailed pictures and he's going to forward them - wonder if it is a local person we know? I'm not insisting on an instant answer from anyone I've contacted, just looking for willingness to help and a source that can help me know where to look. Being told by 4 employees of the other store that they are all guppies, kinda irritating!

So there is my explanation/rant.

Seems like you put a lot of working into Iding. Hex deserve to have what you want in it . Have you checked http://livebearers.org/. They usually have a lot of stuff I just don't have time to go through everything . I'm starting to get busy with my breeding program and work. Anyway hope that site is useful if not then I'm going to look around the other forums.

 can it really be that simple?

Xiphophorus variatus

So now you've Piqued my interest!.. So you now think it's a variable platy? Capable of growing to a size of almost 3 inches? It does look like one... Thank's for the education... Bill

I'm still grasping for straws here so donno yet.

latest facebook answer is mosquito fish..... um... no....

called back today, they said they haven't heard back (I'm guessing didn't even contact) and said I'll have to wait to talk to the owner/manager.... and he won't be in til Monday. Not knowing or being misled is one thing. Helping a customer ID your merchandice and not being willing to help is entirely another.

It would fire my ire for sure.....Perhaps a write up in the Review section would give them a wake-up call? Bill

Or I'll make a nice daily call for awhile Still thinking of getting some more least killie first before they put my photo in the office. Might make a trip up monday to talk to the owner/manager whoever it is in person, much harder to avoid questions when the person is standing in front of you.

Might head there Monday to check on few things.

What ya thinking of checking for - ask about what type of fish are in the tank! I'll tell you which tank!

OOOH   OOOH OOOH

Body shape - check
dorsal fin - check
markings - check
tail shape - check
size - seems more likely a check
markings check if you assume mine are poor examples.... from probably really bad over crowded conditions etc.....


Xiphophorus pygmaeus


http://www.elacuariodulce.com/t2318-peces-de-pequeno-tamano-adecuados-para-nano-acuarios


http://www.northtrop.co.uk/xiphpyg.html




what do you guys think?????????

posting for self to read later, there are close related species too. http://fishchum.okstate.edu/index.php/scientists-featured-articles/62-the-high-backed-pygmy-swordtail-xiphophorus-multilineatus-from-the-rio-coy