Ameca Splendens
Family :- Goodeidae. JORDAN 1923
described :- Ameca splendens MILLER & FITZSIMONS,1971.
Habitat range. Rio Ameca basin drainage Mexico.
Dorsal Ray count.:- 13 to 14rays.
It originally could be found throughout the Rio Ameca drainage system, but today is some what more limited.At one time too it was a popular inhabitant in many aquarists aquariums, but even here it surprisingly seems to have gone out of favor in recent years.I say surprisingly because as it's common name ( butterfly Goodeid) implies it is really quite an attractive fish. Especially a mature specimen male with it's bright band of Yellow highlighted by a band of black on it's caudal. Then it has a lateral line along the center of it's body above which it displays many beautiful reflective scales. Males also have an enlarged dorsal fin and the normal anal notch of a Goodeid. It does have an over exagerated reputation of being a fin nipper, but I still would not put it with Guppies or small tetras. But when house with more robust species it can be a great addition to any aquarium. They tend to thrive best in clean well aerated water and at temperatures in the low 70f. They will breed quite readily in the aquarium the females giving birth every 6 to 10 weeks according to the water temperature and the condition of the fish. The fry when born can be as large as 2-5cms as the females feed there young while still inside them similar in some ways to the way animals do.
Habitat
Main Pool at the Camp site at No 1 Spring behind village of Teuchitlan
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The above idyllic early morning shot of the mists rising from the main springs at Teuchitlan gives little indication to the amount of human activity there will be there just an hour or so latter when it is used daily as a lido and recreation center for people from miles around. This activity alone could be sufficient to severely disturb any species of a nervous or sensitive disposition, but when you add to this the introduction of non indigenous and predatory species such as Bullhead Catfish, Tilapia, and Bass. Introduced for the purpose of helping to feed the local population then one begins to get some indications as to why so many of the waters natural fauna is being lost. Amongst these the Goodieds are being severely affected, and where as once the Ameca splendens could be found in number throughout the upper reaches of the Rio Ameca, now they seem to be almost entirely restricted to the area around these spring. And while I am not saying that there demise to this point was caused by the above I am saying that it is not helping the current situation and unless some steps are soon taken all could be lost.
Below are just some shots giving you some indication of the current use of these springs.These were taken at the other end of the day when most people had gone home
On right The last bus leaves the site at the end of the day bound for Guadalajara and Chapala |
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Below The children's swimming pool. Showing the last few campers watching our Millenium search party as they investigated the site. |
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This year "the millenium" ( 2000 ) we took another expedition back to this site and again carried out a search. On this occasion we had Dr John Lyons from Wisconsin USA with us and he brought along his Electro fishing equipment, so we were able to do a more thorough survey but there was still no sign of the Skiffia francesae or the Zoe, tequila. However the Ameca's where still here in reasonable numbers although they were more numerous the nearer the spring you got
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