Besides having guppies breeding a 10 gallon tankful as a kid, I don't have a lot of experience with live bearers. I have a lot of experience with African cichlids and am now starting to expand my horizons. I am building a large stand for a fish room right now and when it is complete I will have 17 tanks running with a total of 453 gallons of water.

I currently have Peocilia sp. Endlers in a tank with cherry red shrimp and red ramshorn snails. All are breeding on a never ending basis. The next fish I am hoping to get is Xiphophorus Alvarezi.

I tend to lean towards the "natural" side of the hobby. The fish that I keep, to the best of my knowledge, are all wild type. While some of the hybrids make beautiful fish, I am still a purist.

I am hoping to learn a lot from the people here.

John

there is a lot of knowledge here. I get on and lurk alot just reading and have picked up more than a few things..another idea is to read do a lot of reading I have picked up some used books and they have been very helpfull also.. I hope you enjoy the livebeares as much as I have.

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Well, I got the Alvarezi today. A little before I planned, but found some so I had to get them. They will be put in a planted tank once the stand is built. Here are some pics.

Beautiful fish, congrat's on obtaining them.

There are many ALA members with wild-type fish available. Club members receive a periodic trader publication that is invaluable for sourcing the more obscure species, including endangered and threatened species. Many enjoy a good trade too. Members also receive the Livebearers Journal, which is a fantastic resource for both new Livebearer enthusiasts and veterans. Then there's the yearly convention, which always has a fantastic selection of premium specimens. We would love to have you join us when you're ready.

Wilds are very interesting. I started with wild mollies and gambusia. We use to have lots of Sailfin Mollies all over Texas. I vacillate between wild and domestics. I think the wilds are the best type to put into planted displays- they don't detract from the scenery. The domestics with their "bling" colors look great in minimalist set-ups. Though that's just me. However, I've got 9 blood red swords in a planted 50. They are gorgeous, but it's like looking at neon Broadway sign, in the middle of a forest stream. LOL