AquaticRepublic.com - Astyanax mexicanus (Characidae) All Fishes

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Astyanax mexicanus** (De Filippi, 1853)
Common Names	Banded Astyanax Blind Cave Tetra, Mexican Tetra
Type Locality	A lake near Mexico [probably Lake Tequesquitengo, Pacific drainage, Mexico].
Etymology	Astyanax: The name of Astyanax, Hector´s son in the Greek mythology
Species Information
Size	120mm or 4.7" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	The cave tetra is the blind cave form of the Mexican tetra.
General Remarks	The fish are born with eyes, but they quickly deteriorate leaving behind two scars where the eyes once were.
Habitat Information
Distribution	North America: originally restricted to the Nueces, lower Rio Grande and the lower Pecos River drainages in Texas, USA; now established elsewhere in Texas (primarily streams on Edwards Plateau) and New Mexico, USA (throughout Pecos River system); also in eastern and central Mexico.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2011.
Husbandry Information
Compatibility	The blind cave tetra is easy to care for and is hardy.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Revue et Magasin de Zoologie (Sér. 2) v. 5, pp 166 [3].
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There is but a single record of this fish being seen, view it.
Forum BBCode

	Look up A. mexicanus on Fishbase
	Look up A. mexicanus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up A. mexicanus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator
Last Update	2020 Oct 05 14:46 (species record created: 2013 Jun 13 23:47)