Where is the real francesae?
Grigri posted: 03.05.2011
Hello all !
I am quite afraid by this subject : where is the real francesae, the 1978 strain ?
I see on the web a lot of people breeding Sayula strain... but nothing about the true historic strain, the real one.
even at the Aqualab it seems that they don't breed the historic strain any more...
May be am a little dramatic, but I think the new Sayula strain do not have to substitute the older strain in our tanks.
They could be francesae, but they are not the francesae from teuchitlan...
If some one have some I could be interested, as I am also looking for Skiffia lermae.
Thanks for the infos !
See you in Varberg !
Alain
Michael Koeck posted: 10.05.2011
Hi all,
we have at least about 80 specimens in London Zoo, according an Email from Brian Zimmerman, I have received today.
Please be aware: The Skiffia from Sayula might belong to francesae, but that isn't sure at all!! We cannot simply replace a strain in the moment, we detect a new one!!! In all cases: Don't mix them!!! Bare in mind: One of our goals is to prevent the disappearance of captive strains.
By the way, according to phylogenetic studies by Omar Dominguez, francesae and the Skiffia from Sayula should belong to multipunctata, what would increases the danger for this fish, because they would be simply be "only" multipunctata.
So, if you still have the francesae from 1997, spread by Langhammer, Lambert, Chester Zoo and Detroit, please tell us and keep an eye on these fish:-)
Best, Mike
Michael Koeck posted: 11.05.2011
Hi friends,
G. Schleussner from Germany is breeding the real francesae as well,some pairs at the moment. Further places might be Chester Zoo, Bristol Zoo, Zoo Plock as well as some privates in Germany; am waiting for further info. Any persons you know? Please get into contact!
Cheers, Michael
Grigri posted: 12.05.2011
Very good news Mike !
I propose we try to collect some specimens for the october meeting, if possible, and spread them within some voluntaries of the GWG.
Even if francesae is not a true species (e.g. only a population of multipunctata), it's an emblematic strain...
we are in charge of them.
Goog job Mike !
Illustrator posted: 02.07.2011
ISIS database (maybe a bit outdated because they switch to different software at the moment):
Institution Count
BRISTOL 10
CHESTER 307
LONDON RP 75
{Regional Subtotal} {392}
Totals 392
Grigri posted: 06.07.2011
Good news Paul !
I have at least 6 breeders between French and Belgian that are interested in this species.
Some are really experimented breeders, one of them have a 1.800 litres tank with a huge population of characodons "Los berros"
Do you think we could ask to this british aquarias to have a stock to distribute during our october meeting ?
It will be a very good act of collaboration between institution and hobbyist.
By the way Paul, are you coming to our meeting in octuber ?
Illustrator posted: 06.07.2011
About the British ZOO's, I don't have contact with them at this moment, maybe Michael has?
And the October meeting. I would love to, but I don't think that I can come. There's the EAZA meeting a few weeks earlier (also in France) and several other urgent things (I expect an animal transport in september as well). I don't think that my boss will be too enthousiastic when I tell that I want to go to a "fish meeting" as well, especially since we don't have an aquarium at the zoo ... Also privately, i am not sure how many free days i will have left by then ...
Michael Koeck posted: 07.07.2011
Hi friends, yes, I could try to get fish from there for the meeting. Itsn't really far for them to send some. I asked Zoo Plock too, they've run out of francesae; in Germany, Guenther Schleussner has got many and will breed in the open this year, normally between 60 and 120 fry each year. It is possible to get some from him too. He distributed them already and I will get names of the people still breeding them.
Jim Langhammer is still breeding the original Miller-fish and distributed them well in the states, should be still some breeders but we wil have to wait for an American breeder-list...
But at the moment, the situation around the "real" francesae looks better again. But as he talked recently, the "new" francesae from the Sayula valley disappeared due to a dry pool...
Mike
Sorry, I mistipped: As WE talked recently:-)
Mike