>At 21:46 17/05/98 +0100, Harro wrote:
>>According to a very detailed article of Heiko Bleher which will be
>published in a few days in
>>aquageographia no. 16, Glossolepis wanamensis is extinct in nature!!!
>Reason: Introduction of Tilapia. In a
>>1995 survey not a single specimen of G. wanamensis has been found in the
>lake, but millions of tilapia. The
>>water was also turbid, the only remaining native species was Oxyeleotris
>fimbriatus.
>>
>>We have immediately to set up a breeding program and a survey for remaining
>specimens. We will discuss
>>this in Erfurt on our meeting in June for the IRG. Everybody reaching this
>message and having G.
>>wanamensis should send number, sex and general condition of his fish to the
>list immediately.
>
>Unfortunately the problem with creating a captive population is that most of
>the Wanamensis in captivity are not a pure strain and were contaminated with
>multisquamatus many years ago. If you cant trace your stock back to the
>original collection I would consider them all suspect.
>
>Adrian.
This is my major concern with a program on this species. We can hope
for the best, but how do we know we have the pure fish? I know of
stocks that some folks have claimed pure that others have called
trash. Others are said to look very good and possibly pure. I know
what is in the general pet trade is definitely trashed. I don't know
of any stock that can be claimed with 100% certainty as pure.
Cary Hostrawser
My Rainbowfish Home Page
http://pw2.netcom.com/~caryho/home.html
Rainbowfish Study Group Web Page
http://home.stlnet.com/~gwlange/rainbowfish.index.html