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Wild axolotls

martin

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How do I differentiate a true wild A. mexicana from the ones who have been crossed with the tiger salamander. I know that a colour morph would indicate that its the hybrid I am dealing with, but what if its a wild coloured specimen?

Martin
 
J

john

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Firstly, it's Ambystoma mexicanum, not "mexicana". Most if not all axolotls in captivity today probably carry some tiger salamander. Read about it at the Indiana University Axolotl Colony: http://www.indiana.edu/~axolotl
 

martin

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I have been breeding the livebearers from the same lakes and ponds as these Ambystoma species for years now. These are from the family goodeidae. I got interested in the salamanders as they would be able to live under the same relative cool setups and I like their appearence. I am actually breeding one of the species from the same "lake" as A. mexicanum, Girardinichthys viviparus. These fish are to be found in the wild in very very small numbers and we are actual having more fish than whats estimated to live in Mexico City.

See photoes: http://www.emys.dk/goodeids.htm

My interest would be to make a similar breeding programme for the axolots, but I see no reason with starting with hybrids. That would not be of any value.

So, are anyone actual breeding the pure wild form? Or others species from the highland of Mex? Zacapu, Patzcuaro etc?

Martin
 
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john

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No one could tell you if they are what you are looking for or not - anyone who says they are is lying. Wild axolotls are not available outside of Mexico, nor have they been for many years. Most of the axolotl stocks in captivity today have their origins in laboratories.
 
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erik

Guest
Indiana University has some recent wildcaught axolotls and they were producing pure F1's or at least they were a couple years ago. I'm not sure how difficult it is to get offspring from their colony these days, but it's probably your best shot...
 
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