IMLS FAQ

The IMLS has maintained 24 species of Xiphophorus along with 61 pedigree lines for almost 80 years. We provide live fish, preserved fish, artificial insemination, tissue dissection, conserved biological materials, and husbandry and genetic consultations to researchers.

Platyfish take from 3 months to 9 months to mature but vary depending upon species. Swordtails also vary depending on species but typically take 6 months to 1 year to mature. Some swordtail species will only have one dominant male mature in the tank at a time. The dominant male suppresses other males from maturing until the dominant male is removed; following removal, another male will mature and assume dominance.

Center staff members breed fish to meet requests of specific orders from center users and collaborators. Most fish requests consist of one or several mating pairs (i.e., 1 female and 1 male) of a specific line. Usually, requesting investigators will breed fish further in their own aquaria to meet the needs of their project. In all cases, maintenance and reproduction take longer for live-bearing fish species relative to egg-laying species. Egg-laying species may produce thousands of embryos in a few days, whereas Xiphophorus have broods of 5 to 20 fish about every 30 days. Since aquarium space is always valuable, we maintain only enough fish of each stock to ensure its perpetuation. If large numbers of fish will be needed for a project, it is best to give as much notice as possible to produce the desired required number.

The XGSC produces custom interspecies hybrids for a variety of projects. Fulfilling requests for select inter-species and back cross hybrids can take well over a year. Therefore, we also institute other charges for such specific breeding regimens negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

The cost for fish is $40.00 per mating pair or $20.00 per fish plus FedEx Overnight Priority shipping costs. However, discounts are available to NIH researchers. Following center confirmation of fish availability, checks can be made to the Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center.

Currently, we are only able to ship fish within the United States.

Absolutely! We offer educational tours for small groups and can provide onsite presentations. Contact Markita@txstate.edu to schedule your visit.

We now offer a more convenient method of paying your invoice or donating to the center. Simply click the link to enter your invoice number or the word “Donate” to make an electronic payment.

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