BEAN, 1898

Platypoecilus quitzeoensis BEAN, 1898
Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis MEEK, 1902
Zoogoneticus cuitzeoensis MEEK, 1904

English name:
Gold-Edged Goodeid, Picoteed Goodeid

Family:
Goodeidae JORDAN, 1923.

Subfamily:
Goodeinae JORDAN, 1923.

Original description:
BEAN, B. A. (1898): Notes on a collection of fishes from Mexico, with description of a new species of Platypoecilus. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 21: pp. 539-542.

Origin of the species name:
named quitzeoensis after the area of distribution, the Lago de Cuitzeo.

Type locality:
Lago de Quitzeo, Michoacán, Mexico.

Meristic properties:
Dorsal fin = 13 - 14 rays
Anal fin = 13 - 15 rays.

Already in 1955 R. R. MILLER and J.T. GREENBANK had caught Zoogoneticus in the Rio Teuchitlán in the eastern local edge of Teuchitlán in the Mexican federal state of Jalisco. At that time the fish were incorrectly classified as  Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis which would not be correct, however. This species was later called Zoogoneticus spec. crescent and after the valid description, Zoogoneticus tequila.

Preserved specimen of Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis and Zoogoneticus tequila are barely distinct, because the colouration has become pale. This is especially true for the remarkable colouring of the tail fin of Zoogoneticus tequila, which can barely be recognized after preservation.

Tanks of at least 60 litres should be used.

Although Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis demands no special water parameters, the water should be slightly alkaline. The temperatures should fluctuate between 18 °C and 20 °C. A longer period in water temperatures around approx. 25 °C can lead to the notorious fish tuberculosis.

When Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis is kept in a community tank, they should not be socialized with larger or with aggressive fish. However, a species tank would probably be more advantageous for these fish.

The males establish a ranking order by fighting amongst themselves. In contrast to other Goodeids there are no injuries or killings of the inferior males, although the confrontations can be very violent.

One hobbyist reported his Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis, which were bred in captivity, had strong ranking contests between the males. One of the fish seemed to be the whipping boy, because it had strong damage to its tail fin and also stayed behind the other young in growth.

Because of compassion this fish was separated from the others. This, however, resulted in a negative development in the hierarchy of the males.

Now the strongest males terrorized the physically weakest one again. In every group there seems to be something like a whipping boy. To avoid further disturbance, the first individually set back male was put back into the tank with the other fish again and returned to being the victim of aggression again. Some stabilization among the other males returned. The aggression victim seemed to have resigned itself to its role. It still grew; even if more slowly than his congeners.

The dominant male has a striking broad back. The inferior males also court with the females, however, they do not apparently get to copulate.

Breeding should succeed well under culture conditions appropriate to the species. One spawning can consist of up to 30 young, but according to experience the number of offspring fluctuates around about 15 young at most. The newborn fish are between 10 and 15 mm long and so can be raised easily.

The old fish do not excessively pursue their young. The remarkable ribbon-like patterns of the fry may the help the older fish identify them as members of their own species. Experiments have revealed that adult Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis are able to recognize their own offspring within a bigger group of different fry. In an aquarium the offspring of Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis was mixed with young Xenotoca eiseni. The offspring of Xenotoca eiseni were persecuted and eaten whereas the fry of Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis were only followed a short distance then left in peace.

Anyway, in spite of that enough hiding places should be created in the aquarium by dense plants, stone constructions and roots.

It is likely a need of vital importance for the fish to be able to hide somewhere or stay sheltered. While the females can swim from one hiding place to another, the males defend their place very vigorously. An unmistakable and clearly separating territorial behavior is recognizable here. The nervousness of the fish quickly disappears after offering shelter in their tank by adding plants and other hiding places.

This species predominantly lives on live food. Because of the small size of these fish only small invertebrates (e.g., Artemia) are suitable. However, frozen food and flakes are also accepted.

Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis is a relatively variable species with a big area of distribution. The variability refers to the body patterns of both sexes. In the natural habitat BRIAN KABBES could discover strikingly pale populations as well as marbled fish and also some with a colored and sharply drawn appearance.

Remarkable were the fish at the habitat San Juan de los Arcos. Here the male fish displayed a dark green stripe in the dorsal fin beside the orange-yellow rim. Within this population differently coloured specimens exist. However, these differences are not so pronounced that the fish cannot be recognized as members of the population.

In spite of an intensive search BRIAN KABBES could not discover any transitional forms between Zoogoneticus tequila and Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis. The remarkable carroty stripe of Zoogoneticus tequila that is very typical could not be found in any population of Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis – not even in rudimentary form.

Individual specimens of Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis were infested with parasites and seemed obviously weakened.

Fish of this species stay in the midst of vegetation, the males occupy a small territory that is marked a number of recognizable demarkations.

Highly pregnant females separate themselves to quiet bays to deliver their young in shallow water. Fry are to be found nearly without exception in very shallow (and with that warm) water. The adolescent and mature fish live in loose groups in the areas that the territories of the males are touching each other.

Literature of:

Zoogeneticus quitzeoensis (Bean, 1898)

B.A.  Bean (1898) : Notes on a collection of fishes from Mexico, with description of new species of Platypoecilus. Proceedings of the National Museum  (1159): 539-542

I. Dibble (0) : Goodeid conservation project Diary 25th May to 6th June 1998. Viviparous  (44): 0-

I. Dibble (2000) : Fish Ark Project - Mexico. Viviparous  (49): 0-

N. Dokoupil (1991) : Der Goldsaum-Hochlandkärpfling Systematik und Aquarienerfahrungen. Das Aquarium (Juni): 12-11

K.-H.  Eckhardt (1997) : 5 bis 35° - Freilandhaltung von Juni bis Oktober. DGLZ-Rundschau  (4): 77-79

C. Grimes (1992) : Casual success in summer ponds. Livebearers  (121): 4-7

P. Hartman (1989) : The picoted Goodeid Zoogeneticus quitzeoensis. Livebearers  (103): 6-8

P. Hartman (1996) : The picoted Goodeid Zoogeneticus quitezeoensis. Livebearers  (144): 9-11

B. Iepenga (2001) : Zomaar over vissies houden (Zoogeneticus quitzeoensis, Bean 1898), deel 5. Poecilia Nieuws (4): 66-72

B. Kabbes (1999) : Vangreis van Brian en Simone Kabbes, Mexico 1998 Conclusies en bevindingen Familie Goodeidae. Poecilia Nieuws  (2): 22-35

B. Kabbes (2000) : San Juan de los Arcos. Poecilia Nieuws  (2): 20-26

P. Lambert (0) : The lake of delights. Viviparous  (4): 0-

J.K.  Langhammer (1982) : The lost treasure of the Aztecs Part II - The elfin and sawfin Goodeids. Livebearers (65): 3-5

S.E.  Meek (1902) : A contribution to the ichthyology of Mexico. Field Columbian Museum - Zoology  (6): 63-1128

S.E.  Meek (1904) : The fresh water fishes of Mexico north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Field Columbian Museum - Zoology  (5): 1-252

E. Meinema (1992) : Die aus die kalte kommen. Poecilia Nieuws  (4): 17-20

A.C.  Radda (1986) : Cyprinodonte vissen in Mexico 2. Poecilia Nieuws  (2): 28-30

A.C.  Radda (1990) : Studien an cyprinodonten Fischen in Mexico, 1. Reisen 1978 u. 1979. DGLZ-Rundschau (2): 12-21

A.J.  Rothwell (0) : Observations on spawning Zoogeneticus quitzeoensis. Viviparous  (2): 0-

C. van de Sande (1998) : Zoogeneticus quitzeoensis (Bean, 1898). Poecilia Nieuws  (2): 23-26

C. van de Sande (2003) : Zoogeneticus quitzeoensis (Bean, 1898). Das Lebendgebärenden Magazin  (3/4): 67-71

P. Schubert (1990) : Bericht über eine erfolgreiche Zucht bei Zoogeneticus quitzeoensis. DGLZ-Rundschau  (4): 11-13

P. Schubert (1991) : Auslese und gezielte Zucht von Wildformen Lebendgebärender - Ja oder Nein?. DGLZ-Rundschau  (1): 21-22

P. Schubert (1991) : Der Goldsaum-Hochlandkärpfling Erfahrungen bei der Haltung und Zucht. Das Aquarium  (Juni): 14-15

P. Schubert (1992) : Kannibalismus unter Lebendgebärenden - das Beispiel Zoogeneticus quitzeoensis. DGLZ-Rundschau (2): 38-40

E. Soto-Galera et al (1998) : Fish as indicators of environmental quality in the Río Lerma Basin, México. Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management  (1): 267-276

E. Soto-Galera et al (1999) : Change in fish fauna as indication of aquatic ecosystem condition in Río Grande de Morelia - Lago de Cuitzeo Basin, Mexico. Environmental Management  (1): 133-140

A. Stolk (1981) : Weinig-bekende levendbarende. Het Aquarium  (10): 273-273

E.C.  Taylor (1984) : Hooglandkarpers (vervolg). Poecilia Nieuws  (3): 4-7

A.T.  Tveteraas (0) : Collecting goodeids in the area near Morelia, Mexico. Viviparous  (23): 0-

S.A.  Webb & R.R. Miler (1998) : Zoogeneticus tequila, a new goodeid fish from the Ameca drainiage of Mexico, and a rediagnosis of the genus. Occasional papers of the museum of zoology University of Michigan  (725): 1-23

L. Wischnath (1996) : Hooglandkarpers uit Mexico. Het Aquarium  (2): 32-36

cuitzeoensis, Zoogoneticus Meek 1904: 110, Fig. 29 [Field Columbian Mus. Zool. Ser. v. 5; ref. 2958]. Unjustified emendation of (and objective synonym of) Platypoecilus quitzeoensis Bean 1898. Platypoecilus, Goodeidae: Goodeinae.