Skiffia cf francesae

Nigel Hunter posted: 01.06.2011

Bad news it looks like the Sayula population could be gone this was taken from the AFV forum
I hope they do not mind me posting it

Some site news Sayula.

Unfortunately not good for S. francesae. There is little time, the site where they were was retouver Dry ... So this population would have disappeared ...

As for cons Ameca apparently all is well, they do not seem to be in danger ... yet.

This characterizes the main problem with these fish. Even if we can meet them thoroughly on a site, things can change very quickly. A little geographical population disappear in less time than it takes to tell. Another sad example ...

JF

Total Posts : 36
Localisation : Essonne
Joined: 12/05/2011

Michael Koeck posted: 02.06.2011

Hi Nigel and others, I have been told the same by Omar recently: Sayula is dry, no Skiffia and no Ameca there (at the moment?). Juan Miguel mentioned on the other hand, that the pool in El Toboso is dry, too, and the spring as well as the creek are full with Gambusia senilis. He couldn't find any audax, neither in the spring nor in the creek...we have to be sincerly concerned about the situation in the Goodeid-habitats ( not only there, but as a matter of our intersts) and have to bear in mind that no!! population of any Goodeid species is safe. Of course our ex-situ efforts are great, but what about in-situ activities? Anything done in habitat-conservation in Mexico? Has the Fish Ark some information?
Cheers, Mike

Illustrator posted: 11.06.2011

I agree fully that these fish are clearly very vulnerable and we NEED to preserve each and every strain we have. I also agree that aquarium conservation should go hand in hand with in-situ conservation.

But I like to add a note: if a spring is dry, this does not alywas mean the end of a fish population. I know of a spring in my region in Slovenia which is dry almost yearly. Despite this there is a thriving (but possibly introduced) population of Phoxinus lumaireul in this spring. When the water level drops, the fish survive in the underground watersystem, invisible to human observers. From Croatian collegues I hear similar stories, some whole endemic fish-species "disappear" underground for some months each year!

So: more visits to Sayula are nessesary in different seasons!