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| Zoo seeks mate for last surviving 'gorgeously ugly' fish | Zoo seeks mate for last surviving 'gorgeously ugly' fish |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| London Zoo is appealing to fish keepers to try to find a mate for a critically endangered, tropical species. | |
| The Mangarahara cichlid is extinct in the wild but the three in captivity are all male. | The Mangarahara cichlid is extinct in the wild but the three in captivity are all male. |
| Described as "gorgeously ugly", the Zoo is hoping to start a conservation programme if a fit female can be found for the captive males. | Described as "gorgeously ugly", the Zoo is hoping to start a conservation programme if a fit female can be found for the captive males. |
| And with two of the males now 12 years old, the quest is said to be extremely urgent. | And with two of the males now 12 years old, the quest is said to be extremely urgent. |
| These cichlids were named for the Mangarahara river in Madagascar where they were first found. | These cichlids were named for the Mangarahara river in Madagascar where they were first found. |
| The construction of dams on the river caused the streams they lived in to dry up and the fish is now believed to be extinct in its natural habitat. | The construction of dams on the river caused the streams they lived in to dry up and the fish is now believed to be extinct in its natural habitat. |
| Bachelor boys | Bachelor boys |
| There are two males in captivity at London Zoo and another in Berlin. There had been a female in captivity at the German zoo but attempts to breed ended in disaster when the male killed her. | There are two males in captivity at London Zoo and another in Berlin. There had been a female in captivity at the German zoo but attempts to breed ended in disaster when the male killed her. |
| "It's a fairly common thing with cichlids," London Zoo's aquarium curator Brain Zimmerman told BBC News. | "It's a fairly common thing with cichlids," London Zoo's aquarium curator Brain Zimmerman told BBC News. |
| "They are unusual fish compared to many in that they practise pair bonding and parental care of the eggs and the fry, so there's a lot of tussling that goes on between them." | "They are unusual fish compared to many in that they practise pair bonding and parental care of the eggs and the fry, so there's a lot of tussling that goes on between them." |
| Having carried out a search with other aquariums around the world and failed to find a mate for their bachelor boys, the team at ZSL are now hoping that someone may have a female in a private collection. | Having carried out a search with other aquariums around the world and failed to find a mate for their bachelor boys, the team at ZSL are now hoping that someone may have a female in a private collection. |
| According to Brian Zimmerman, if you have one you're likely to know it. | According to Brian Zimmerman, if you have one you're likely to know it. |
| "They are not a particularly beautiful fish, they are gorgeously ugly, they are unusual. They are more a connoisseur's type of fish. They need quite a bit of space, the males are bigger than your hand, and they need a decent tank," he added. | "They are not a particularly beautiful fish, they are gorgeously ugly, they are unusual. They are more a connoisseur's type of fish. They need quite a bit of space, the males are bigger than your hand, and they need a decent tank," he added. |
| Given the age profile of the London males and the failure to find a mate in the world's zoos, Brian Zimmerman is not very confident for the future of the species. | Given the age profile of the London males and the failure to find a mate in the world's zoos, Brian Zimmerman is not very confident for the future of the species. |
| "I'm not very hopeful. This fresh water fish crisis is huge worldwide and as water becomes diverted for human use it becomes scarcer and fish generally lose out," he said. | "I'm not very hopeful. This fresh water fish crisis is huge worldwide and as water becomes diverted for human use it becomes scarcer and fish generally lose out," he said. |
| "I think there's probably a very slim to no chance of this fish surviving." | "I think there's probably a very slim to no chance of this fish surviving." |
| London Zoo is asking anyone with information about female cichlids to email the team at fishappeal@zsl.org | London Zoo is asking anyone with information about female cichlids to email the team at fishappeal@zsl.org |
| Follow Matt on Twitter. | Follow Matt on Twitter. |