The American Livebearer Association (ALA), its affiliate, the Houston Livebearers Association (HLA), and the Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center (XGSC) are jointly offering a tour of the XGSC facility on the Texas State University – San Marcos campus in San Marcos, Texas. There will be an associated collecting trip at the San Marcos River, which flows through the campus. For information concerning the schedule and of the tour/collecting trip, please click here Convention Schedule For information concerning the costs of the Convention and the tour/collecting trip, please click here Registration Form Participation in this tour/collecting trip is restricted to Convention registrants and their spouses. Early registration is encouraged since the number of attendees may be limited by transportation capacity.

 

The tour/collecting trip will commence at the Hilton San Antonio Airport hotel Hilton San Antonio Airport hotel Friday, 8:00 AM, May 2, 2008. Attendees will be transported via van/bus (transportation included) to the XGSC in San Marcos. Attendees should plan on eating breakfast prior to departure, which is available at the hotel restaurant. During the trip Nick Bertrand, the ALA 2008 Convention Speakers and Volunteers Director, will provide a description of the day’s activities and conduct a Q&A concerning the XGSC tour and the collecting trip.

 

XGSC Tour

 

The ALA and HLA in conjunction with the XGSC are offering a tour of the Xiphophorus Genetics Stock Center facilities. The XGSC provides swordtails and platys from more than 60 genetic strains to researchers around the world. Its facilities have almost 1300 aquaria with about 1000 tanks for perpetuating genetic strains of fish and the balance of 300 tanks for hybridization and research. Some of their stocks have been maintained for more than 70 years. The XGSC was established in 1939 at the American Museum of Natural History and New York Aquarium by Dr. Myron Gordon who was studying the development of cancer. The xiphophorines proved useful in his studies. Prior to the transfer of the XGSC to Texas State University, Dr. Gordon and his successors maintained the genetic stocks.

 

At the XGSC, attendees will see numbers of rare xiphophorines species and hybrids and hear a presentation by Leona Hazlewood, ***need her current title***, on the facilities purpose and operations.

 

After the tour of the XGSC, attendees will be transported to the River Pub & Grill where they can have lunch at their expense. The River Pub & Grill is situated on the San Marcos River and is housed in a building that originally was home to one of the largest suppliers of freshwater aquatic plants much of the last century. Attendees will be able to see many of the plants harvested from the river, many of them introductions.

 

 

San Marcos River Collecting Trip

 

After lunch the attendees will begin collecting on the San Marcos River adjacent to the restaurant. The San Marcos River arises just upstream about a mile from the restaurant from the San Marcos Springs. (once known as Aquarena Springs). The springs gush forth from the Texas Hill Country’s Edwards Aquifer and provide constant temperature (69ºF) clear water year-round to the river.  The river joins the Blanco River downstream of San Marcos and the Blanco in turn joins the Guadalupe River about 30 miles downstream. Goliad Farms is providing buckets, seine nets, dip nets, cast nets, minnow traps, bags, a basic first aid kit, bottled water and soft drinks, and oxygen for the collectors. For a list of items not provided that you might want to bring along, click here what to bring .   Permits for collecting fish will be provided under a Scientific Collecting permit from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission at no additional cost to the attendees.

 

In early May, afternoon temperatures will be comfortable, around 80ºF. For those who don’t want to get wet there is a nearby park for non-water activities. For the collectors, there will be large variety of fishes to be collected, for a full list of the species occurring in the San Marcos River, click here. fish list . Collecting will end about 4:30 PM to allow for photography of fish and bagging of fish to be kept. The trip back to San Antonio will start at 5:00 PM; stragglers might be able to hitch rides with Texas State students heading to the bars and clubs of San Antonio for a Friday night of studying for finals. The tour should arrive back at the hotel in time for the evening’s Convention activities.

 

During the return to San Antonio, which is scheduled to allow attendees to eat dinner at a reasonable time, Charles Clapsaddle, ALA 2008 Convention Chairman, and Nick Bertrand will provide debriefing on the tour and collecting trip.