Le schede dei pesci

Allotoca zacapuensis

The Allotoca from "Laguna de Zacapu" is described

by KEES DE JONG

Some species are already kept for a while by aquarists before getting their scientific name. This is also the case with the Allotoca-species which is to be found in the Zacapu Lake.   This Goodeid was first recognized as a new species by Derek Lambert from England and established among aquarists.

Allotoca zacapuensis became known under the name "Allotoca spec. Zacapu " and also under the English name" Allotoca spec. Hummel ".

Allotoca zacapuensis clearly differs from the other species of the genus Allotoca and this was the reason for Meyer, Radda and Dominguez (2001) to give this species its own (scientific) name.

In their article published in 2001 they called this species after its area of distribution: "Allotoca zacapuensis". It is a rather colourless fish that displays a weak grey-blue glow on the sides of the body under favourable light conditions. If the fish are in a good condition, also dark transverse bands are noticeable. The rest of the body is greyish-brown and the fins are colourless. The males have a dark mark on the ventral side above the anal fin.

Except the sex organ typical for male Goodeids there are no further differences between the males and females.

Corresponding to the original description Allotoca zacapuensis reaches a size of approximately 3 centimetres. Although it is none of the larger species within the genus Allotoca, they nevertheless can become a few centimetres larger in my opinion. Due to the fact that Allotoca zacapuensis does not have a striking appearance it might not become a special aquarium fish.

In the year 2000 I had the opportunity to catch Allotoca zacapuensis in the Zacapu Lake. The species occurred only in small numbers and I could not catch any except at one place. The fish were between plants and could be distinguished clearly from Skiffia lermae , which occurred here in large number, by their relatively large eyes. Other Goodeids that I found there were Goodea atripinnis, Hubbsina turneri, Xenotoca variata and Zoogoneticus quitzeoensis.

I have caught only 10 specimen of the Zacapu Allotoca altogether. I accommodated these fish in the laboratory (Aqua lab) of the university of Morelia. Two pairs of them I took home with me in the end. All four animals got well over the journey. Having arrived at home I quickly realised that they had a preference for life-food. Frozen food is also accepted willingly. Allotoca zacapuensis are calm fish that are mainly hidden between plants, which they leave only to get food. Does not seem to cause much problems. After some months could I see the first young swimming in the aquarium. The larger fish were not after the fry and therefore I had no reason to isolate pregnant females. The highest number of fry in one litter was about 15.

For quite a while there were no problems with Allotoca zacapuensis. But when the temperature rose during the summer, the fish got an infection and large spots appeared on their bodies. Some fish died of the infection. At a lower temperatures the fish were doing better again so that I could keep a number of Allotoca zacapuensis alive. Corresponding to my own observations the critical temperature-limit seems to be at about 22°C. A temperature of 14°C is tolerated without any problems. According my own experiences with Allotoca zacapuensis I got the impression that it is not easy to maintain this species for a longer period of time.

References:
Meyer, M.K., Radda, A.C. & Domínguez Domínguez, O. (2001): Notes on the genera Neoophorus Hubbs & Turner, 1937 and Allotoca Hubbs & Turner, 1937, with a description of a new species of Allotoca from Laguna de Zacapu, Michoacán, Mexico (Teleostei, Cyprinodontiformes: Goodeidae). Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien (103B): 453-460.