One day at the breakfast table there was an idea... An idea to spend spring break in parched west texas. My family flew into el paso, and spent a day at Carlsbad caverns, NM. Balmorhea state park is midway between Carlsbad and big bend, so we are staying the night. I'm very excited to see all of the rare fish species in the spring. Pupfish, pecos gambusia, and headwater catfish are very easy to spot. In the morning I will try to take and post pictures.
Balmorhea state park
Started by
Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
, Mar 23 2014 10:43 PM
13 replies to this topic
#6
Isaac Szabo
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- NANFA Member
- Marble Falls, AR
Posted 25 March 2014 - 04:21 PM
Looks like you a had a good time. Thanks for sharing the video. I could pick out the tetras, catfish, and softshell, but it was hard to tell what some of the smaller stuff was in the video. I assume some were gambusia and pupfish. Do Pecos gambusia look much different than normal gambusia (affinis)? Are the pupfish in the part of the spring where you can swim pure Comanche Springs pupfish? Seems like I remember reading that another species was hybridizing with them. What other species did you see? Any F. zebrinus?
#7
Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
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Posted 25 March 2014 - 04:32 PM
The male (I think) Pecos Gambusia are straight out yellow. After a morning looking in every nook and cranny of the stream and pool, along with ranger info, the olny fish species in San Solomon Springs are G. nobilus, C. elegans, Ictalurus lupus, and A. mexicanus. The pool has catfish, huge schools of mexican tetras, and the pupfish. I remember reading that the tetras get in the way when filming,
and boy is it true! The only really good pupfish shot I got is shown in the last part.
and boy is it true! The only really good pupfish shot I got is shown in the last part.
Edited by Gavinswildlife, 25 March 2014 - 04:33 PM.
#8
Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
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Posted 25 March 2014 - 04:57 PM
Today we tracked down the Big Bend Gambusia, In Big Bend National park. The pond isn't exactly advertised (most rangers are unaware), and only accessible hidden off an unmapped utility road with "Do Not Enter" signs.
An old sign states:
Fish So Fragile
This pond contains the world's population of Gambusia Gaigae. These minnow-sized fish have lived here since mastodons.
Unique and fragile, they survive today only because man wants to make it so.
An old sign states:
Fish So Fragile
This pond contains the world's population of Gambusia Gaigae. These minnow-sized fish have lived here since mastodons.
Unique and fragile, they survive today only because man wants to make it so.
Edited by Gavinswildlife, 25 March 2014 - 04:58 PM.
#11
Isaac Szabo
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- NANFA Member
- Marble Falls, AR
Posted 25 March 2014 - 06:57 PM
Diamond Y Spring: http://www.nature.or...ng-preserve.xml
It doesn't look like there's public access, though.
It doesn't look like there's public access, though.
#12
Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
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Posted 25 March 2014 - 08:26 PM
Thanks, looks like we're not going (no access). It's hard to believe how few and far between fish are out here, and water for that matter. The place we are staying at says to only use 5 gallons a day. It really is amazing, I would definitely recommend it to all y'all who want to come out.
#13
mattknepley
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- NANFA Member
- Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.
Posted 26 March 2014 - 05:33 AM
Thanks for posting! Glad you are able to experience such a neat ecosystem, and am happy you shared it with us.
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#14
Guest_mmyers1976_*
Guest_mmyers1976_*
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Posted 26 April 2014 - 08:56 AM
I went myself last summer. Here is my thread on my visit.:
http://forum.nanfa.o...801#entry108801
http://forum.nanfa.o...801#entry108801
Edited by mmyers1976, 26 April 2014 - 08:58 AM.
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