Wild Xiphophorus maculatus, Rio San Pedro

[emeraldking]

This year I've been on a trip to Mexico again. And I've brought back platies from multiple locations.
Overhere some pictures of self caught wild maculatus platies which I've caught at a spot of the San Pedro river close to the city of Balacán, Tobasco in Mexico back in July this year. I brought back young specimens for those are more adaptive to new conditions and have a better survival potential than wild caught adults.
These platies have a strong scale pattern. Their body color varies between greyish till yellow-brownish. and they have a crescent at the start of the caudal penducle.
In the meantime that I had them at my place, the grownig pace differs per individual specimen.

I've already shared some with a friend breeder of mine in case my population dies for some reason. Spreading the chances of succes...!

 

[Back in the fold]

How are they adapting to life in an aquarium ? Have you lost any ? Have they gifted you with fry ? How did they take to civilized food ?

 

[GaryE]

Allow me to express my deepest jealousy....

 

[Death by Fish Tanks]

Platies are my first live bearer they were wagtail maculatus platies. Nowadays, they're so mixed bred they all look like variatus now.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

With most fish, I feel that the wild varieties are much more beautiful and interesting than the selectively breed, artificially colorful varieties. This is especially true of platies: The domestic strains are boring to me, but the wild varieties are wonderful to see.

 

[Death by Fish Tanks]

Allow me to express my deepest jealousy....

Me too, Gary. Me too

 

[emeraldking]

How are they adapting to life in an aquarium ? Have you lost any ? Have they gifted you with fry ? How did they take to civilized food ?

They've adapted quite well, tbh. Yes, some did die within the first two weeks. Those were a bit bigger. That's why I generally go for the young specimens. Young ones adapt faster to new conditions. And they have a better survival rate coming from the wild.

Allow me to express my deepest jealousy....

Granted...
I've got platies from other locations well. But these grow faster. Most of them are maculatus platies but I also have variatus platies which I've caught. The variatus platies have been collected in the north eastern part of Mexico and the maculatus platies in the south eastern part of Mexico.

Platies are my first live bearer they were wagtail maculatus platies. Nowadays, they're so mixed bred they all look like variatus now.

That goes for all of the big 4 (mollies, swordtails, guppies and platies)...

With most fish, I feel that the wild varieties are much more beautiful and interesting than the selectively breed, artificially colorful varieties. This is especially true of platies: The domestic strains are boring to me, but the wild varieties are wonderful to see.

I love both disciplines but wild species over breeding forms...