Xenotoca doadrioi & Skiffia multipunctata

[emeraldking]

Overhere a video of two goodeid species in one tank. They won't crossbreed. In this same tank, there are also some juvenile Xiphophorus hellerii Rio Jimba (Rio Jimba swordtails, wild strain) and halfbeaks.

 

[connorlindeman]

Overhere a video of two goodeid species in one tank. They won't crossbreed. In this same tank, there are also some juvenile Xiphophorus hellerii Rio Jimba (Rio Jimba swordtails, wild strain) and halfbeaks.

Maybe this is a stupid question. Why won't they crossbreed?

 

[emeraldking]

Maybe this is a stupid question. Why won't they crossbreed?

That's not a stupid question. These two are from two different genera. And their sexual organs are not compatible with another. A male goodeid (splitfin) doesn't have a gonopodium but an adropodium. on the first rays of his anal fin, there's a small notch (you could see this as a tiny fin on a bigger fin). This is the andropodium of the male. But just like ovoviviparous livebearers, the shape of the gonopodium differ per ovoviviparous species. The same goes for viviparous male livebearers. Every andropodium is different shape unless it concerns males within the same genus. The vent of each female is shaped to the shape of the gonopodium and andropodium. If the sexual organs are not compatible, no natural mating is possible.

Goodeids are also called splitfins. This is because of the andropodium on the anal fin of the male. It looks a bit as if the anal fin is split at the first finrays.

 

[connorlindeman]

That's not a stupid question. These two are from two different genera. And their sexual organs are not compatible with another. A male goodeid (splitfin) doesn't have a gonopdodium but an adropodium. on the first rays of his anal fin, there's a small notch (you could see this as a tiny fin on a bigger fin). This is the andropodium of the male. But just like ovoviviparous livebearers, the shape of the gonopodium differ per ovoviviparous species. The same goes for viviparous male livebearers. Every andropodium is different shape unless it concerns males within the same genus. The vent of each female is shaped to the shape of the gonopodium and andropodium. If the sexual organs are not compatible, no natural mating is possible.

ok, that makes sense. I always thought that if they were from the same species then they would be able to crossbreed

 

[emeraldking]

ok, that makes sense. I always thought that if they were from the same species then they would be able to crossbreed

No, that's not how it works. It's just that very close related (preferably within the same genus) livebearer species are compatible in sexual organs. The shape of the sexual organs (gonopodium and vent) enables them to connect. I've mentioned deliberately "preferably within the same genus". For guppies, endlers and mollies can also crossbreed with limia species. Limias are close related to mollies. These four groups have sexual organs that are compatible with another. It's just that mollies and limias are a bit farther related from guppies and endlers. Which will affect the fertility of the offspring in a negative way when crossing them to a guppy or an endler.
Platies and swordtails can crossbreed with another for they both belong to the Xiphophorus genus. There's one exception in Xiphophorus species. The comma swordtail (Xiphophorus signum) is a wild swordtail species that can not natural mate with another Xiphophorus species. Their sexual organs are different shaped. This make it possible to keep comma swordtails with another swordtail of platy species with the risk of crossbreeding.

When it comes to viviparous livebearers such as goodeids or even halfbeaks, such fish can only crossbreed within the same genus. This makes it possible to keep multiple goodeid species of different genera in one tank.

 

[connorlindeman]

No, that's not how it works. It's just that very close related (preferably within the same genus) livebearer species are compatible in sexual organs. The shape of the sexual organs (gonopodium and vent) are enables them to connect. I've mentioned deliberately "preferably within the same genus". For guppies, endlers and mollies can also crossbreed with limia species. Limias are close related to mollies. These for groups have sexual organs that are compatible with another. It's just that mollies and limias are a bit futher related from guppies and endlers.
Platies and swordtails can crossbreed with another for they both belong to the Xiphophorus genus. There's one exception in Xiphophorus species. The comma swordtail (Xiphophorus signum) is a wild swordtails species that can not natural mate with another Xiphophorus species. Their sexual organs are different shaped. This make sit possible to keep comma swordtails with another swordtail of platy species with the risk of crossbreeding.

When it comes to viviparous livebearers such as goodeids or even halfbeaks, such fish can only crossbreed within the same genus. This makes it possible to keep multiple goodeid species of different genera in one tank.

Thanks for the detailed explanation!

 

[emeraldking]

Thanks for the detailed explanation!

My pleasure...

 

[seba]

@emeraldking sorry to bring up a dead thread but I'm curious how big's the aquarium? I have Skiffia multipunctata, Nomorhamphus ebrardtii and Xiphophorus alvarezi and I love the idea of keeping them together. Do you know if Skiffia multipunctata could hybridize with Neotoca Bilineata?

 

[fish48]

they probably will hybridize Skiffia multipunctata and Neotoca Bilineata are both skiffia and within the same genus.

 

[emeraldking]

@emeraldking sorry to bring up a dead thread but I'm curious how big's the aquarium? I have Skiffia multipunctata, Nomorhamphus ebrardtii and Xiphophorus alvarezi and I love the idea of keeping them together. Do you know if Skiffia multipunctata could hybridize with Neotoca Bilineata?

The tank itself is 180 liters. The combination of S.multipunctata, X.alvarezi and N.ebrardtii should be okay in the same tank. I never had hybrids from the two splitfins you've mentioned. I had them together for a while. But it's not so that every goodeid species can crossbreed with another. Let that be clear. The Neotoca billineata used to be in the same genus but that has been changed for many years already. They're are related to the S.multipunctata which makes a hybridization between them possible. But I don't think they will if you also keep both sexes of both species in the same tank.

they probably will hybridize Skiffia multipunctata and Neotoca Bilineata are both skiffia and within the same genus.

I don't think that Seba has to worry about a hybridization between these two. Yes, in the past they were categorized in the same genus. Technically, they can hybridize but when I look at the period that I kept them together for a long time, I had no hybrids between them. My vision is that they tend to mate with their own kind if both sexes are present. But again, technically they can crossbreed.
It happens more with related species that when kept together, that they tend to choose their own kind instead of the other species when both sexes of both species are present.