MEEK, 1904

English name:
Tower's Goodeid, Bluetail goodea

Family:
Goodeidae JORDAN, 1923

Subfamily:
Goodeinae JORDAN, 1923

Original description:
MEEK, S. E. (1904):  The of fresh more water fishes of Mexico North of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.  Field.  Col.  Mash.  Publication.  5:  pp. 1-252. 

Derivation of the species name:
named toweri after Dr. W. L. TOWER. 

Type locality:
Upper tributaries of the Rio Panuco with Rio Verde, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. 

Meristic properties:
Dorsal fin = 11 rays; Anal fin = 13 rays;

Keeping Ataeniobius toweri in tanks of at least 80 litres is not too difficult. It is important to have sufficient plant vegetation, stone superstructures and roots as hiding-places since this species is shy and therefore needs some protection.

The temperatures are unusually high for Goodeids and should always be between 26 °C and 28 °C. Ataeniobius toweri is prone to tuberculosis, so regular water changes (weekly approx. 30%) are advisable in order to prevent the disease. 

The males reach approx. 8 cm, the females up to 10 cm. DOMINIC ISLA reported of 25 cm (!) long copies,

DOMINIC ISLA reported of 25 cm (!) long species, which he was allowed to examine in the collection of Dr. SALVATOR CONTRERAS BALDERAS at the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey.

DOMINIC ISLA  could also witness specimen of at least 13 cm length in the 400 litre tank of JOHN MANGANESE, which in addition also displayed their natural colours.

Ataeniobius toweri prefers fast flowing water. DOMINIC ISLA observed swarms of this species in the Laguna Media Luna. The water was 1 - 1.7 m deep, the underground consisted of stones and gravel.

The food for Ataeniobius toweri should have a high vegetable portion.  In addition, life-, frost and flake food is accepted. 

Even under good conditions breeding is not easy. Sometimes it is successful however. There can be 30 young in a litter. Gravidity lasts 6 to 7 weeks.

It is noticeable that during the cooler season breeding is stopped.

Due to little distribution of the fish there is a higher variability of the species.

In its natural environment Ataeniobius toweri is opposed to increasing pollution and biotope destruction and has become a threatened species.   

Ataeniobius toweri
Habitat: Laguna Media Luna, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Ataeniobius toweri
Habitat: Laguna Media Luna, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Ataeniobius toweri
Habitat: Laguna Media Luna, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Literature of:

Ataeniobius toweri (Meek, 1904)

C. Aguilera (1995) : Universidad atonoma de Nuevo Leon - Programs for the endangered fish species of Mexico. Aquatic Survival  (3): 14-15

J. Dawes (1980) : Goodeidae. Het Aquarium (15): 467-468

J. Dawes (1997) : Goodeiden Teil 3: Allgemeine Hinweise zur Pflege und Zucht sowie Kurzbeschreibungen zu einigen Arten (1). Das Aquarium  (342): 16-19

J. Dawes (1997) : Goodeiden Teil 1: Einführung in die Familie Goodeidae. Das Aquarium  (340): 12-15

J. Dawes (1997) : Goodeiden Teil 2: Die "Inside Story". Das Aquarium  (341): 12-15

I. Dibble (1999) : Hobbyist Aqua Lab Conservation Group "Mexico" Dagboek over de voortgang Deel 1. Poecilia Nieuws  (5): 105-110

C. Grimes (1979) : Mix and match. Livebearers  (43): 11-14

H. Hieronimus (1993) : Eihüll der Goodeiden. DGLZ-Rundschau  (2): 35-35

H. Hieronimus (1993) : Ataeniobius zu Goodea gestellt. DGLZ-Rundschau  (3): 64-64

H. Hieronimus (1993) : Lebendgebären - was ist das?. DGLZ-Rundschau  (3): 57-59

D. Isla (1999) : Zurück in Zacapu!. DGLZ-Rundschau  (2): 56-60

K. de Jong (1996) : De blauwstaart hooglandkarper, een geïsoleerde soort. Poecilia Nieuws  (6): 138-145

K. de Jong (1997) : De blauwstaart hooglandkarper, een geïsoleerde soort. Het Aquarium  (10): 238-241

K. de Jong (2003) : Op zoek naar zwaarddragers Mexico 2002 (tweede deel). Poecilia Nieuws  (5): 70-82

K. de Jong (2004) : Auf der Suche nach den Schwertträgern Mexiko 2002 (Teil 2). Das Lebendgebärenden Magazin  (1): 5-17

M. Kempkes (2001) : Shockverhalten bei Goodeiden. DGLZ-Rundschau  (2): 31-32

P. Lambert (0) : Aquarian endangered species expedition. Viviparous  (21): 0-

D. Lambert (1990) : Goodeid, sport!. Livebearers  (109): 10-12

D. Lambert (1997) : Ataeniobius toweri. Viviparous  (39): 0-

J.K.  Langhammer (1976) : The lost treasure of the Aztecs. Livebearers  (28): 2-5

P. Loiselle (1992) : The Grim Reaper Deser Fishes Status Report. Livebearers  (124): 7-10

J. Mangan (1985) : Courtship and reproduction of Goodeids. Livebearers  (80): 8-9

J. Mangan (1989) : A new color morph of Ataeniobius toweri. Livebearers  (105): 3-5

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

R.R.  Miller (1956) : A new genus and species of cyprinodontid fish from San Luis Potosi, Mexico with remarks on the subfamily Cyprinodontinae. Occasional papers of the museum of zoology University of Michigan  (581): 1-17

T. Neal (1997) : Bluetail  Goodeid. Livebearers  (147): 25-27

A.C.  Radda (1986) : Cyprinodonte vissen uit Mexico 1. Poecilia Nieuws  (1): 12-15

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

B. Snook (1985) : Goodeids. Livebearers (83): 6-8

E.C.  Taylor (1984) : Hooglandkarpers (vervolg). Poecilia Nieuws  (2): 5-6

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