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Platyfish in Ky - Actually Gambusia sp.


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#1 Guest_Sho Bud_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 10:43 AM

I caught these in a pond in Louisville. They look like platyfish to me.

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#2 Guest_Erica Lyons_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 10:52 AM

So, first thing I should say is that there's a list of the fish in Kentucky provided by the state government, which is pretty cool. Here's a link:
http://fw.ky.gov/Mor...kyfishid[1].pdf

The gravid spot certainly does scream livebearer. But you've got another livebearer to consider, the only poeciliidae native to Kentucky, the mosquitofish AKA gambusia affinis. It's on page 28 of that pdf. One way to tell the difference between mosquitofish and platies is to take a picture with a male's gonopodium in view. Mosquitofish gonopodiums are differently shaped. Can you take a picture of a male with his gonopodium in focus? and without the water droplets on the plastic/glass. Super awkward question, but it's for ID purposes. A clear photo of the head shape would also help.

Here's what a male gambusia affinis looks like:
Posted Image
http://en.wikipedia....ki/Mosquitofish

#3 littlen

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 10:53 AM

Nope. Gambusia. But also a livebearer.
Nick L.

#4 Guest_Sho Bud_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 11:15 AM

Yeah, I've just noticed the teardrop under the eye. Good looking fish. Thank you.

#5 Guest_dac343_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 11:27 AM

No doubt on it being Gambusia, that one represents many of the introduced populations in the state though. Can you private message me the pond in Louisville or general location?

#6 Guest_Joshaeus_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 12:21 PM

Just to tell you now, but don't try to mix these with other fish...gambusia are infamous for playing rough in communities, and someone inevitably gets shredded.

#7 Guest_Subrosa_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 01:08 PM

The fish is too long in proportion to its height to be a platy.

#8 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 01:35 PM

I changed the title here, just to make it more user friendly in the future...
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#9 Guest_Erica Lyons_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 01:44 PM

The fish is too long in proportion to its height to be a platy.

Eh, you'd be surprised. Not all swordless xiphophorus are maculatus. Some, like my xiphophorus xiphidium are also compact bodied. Others, like couchianus, milleri, variatus, birchmanii, etc can have different body shapes.

Example, xiphophorus milleri of Lake Catemaco
Posted Image
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/47340

#10 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 04:22 PM

Yes there are some slender-body platy species that are almost Gambusi-oid in shape. Counting dorsal fin rays should be reliable: usually 6 or 7 dorsal rays in Gambusia affinis & holbrooki, vs 10 or more in Xiphophorus. Some of those other Tex-Mex Gambusia species have 8-9 dorsal rays.

#11 Guest_Moontanman_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 04:56 PM

Why does the fish in the OP look like it has 4 eyes?

#12 Guest_dac343_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 06:22 PM

Why does the fish in the OP look like it has 4 eyes?


Water droplets on side of picture tank causing distortion.

#13 Guest_Subrosa_*

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Posted 16 May 2014 - 06:30 PM

Eh, you'd be surprised. Not all swordless xiphophorus are maculatus. Some, like my xiphophorus xiphidium are also compact bodied. Others, like couchianus, milleri, variatus, birchmanii, etc can have different body shapes.

Example, xiphophorus milleri of Lake Catemaco
Posted Image
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/47340

The kind of folks who go through the trouble to obtain X. miller, X. couchianus, etc aren't likely to be turning them loose. Maculatus on the other hand every moron and his idiot brother can get at PETCO.



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