What type of Apistogramma???

[Moche]

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This is my first apistogramma, the store I purchased it from labeled it as an Apistogramma agassizi (morph). From the pictures I've looked at in my research I am not sure if this is correct. Can anyone tell me specifically what type of Apisto this is, and whther it is a male or female.
thank you

 

[ed seeley]

That looks like a Steel Blue, definitely not an agassizi!

 

[bigbird]

Morning,

Agree with Ted, definately no Agassizi. Steel blue or some sort/ cheers jk:biggrin:

 

[Moche]

Does steel blue have a scientific name for the species?
thanks

 

[Ruki]

Does steel blue have a scientific name for the species?
thanks

If I'm not mistaken- Apistogramma sp. "Steelblue".

 

[ste12000]

Your fish is a male Apistogramma sp 'Steelblue'

The sp means species and hints that this fish does not have a valid scientific name..The Steelblue refers to the fishes body colour..

It is widely believed that this species is a man made hybrid from singapore?? Whether that is true or not i dont really know!! All the same its a nice fish and if you can find females its a nice starter Apistogramma for a breeding project!! Goodluck.

 

[dw1305]

Apistogramma "Steel-blue"

Hi all,
I kept them for a little while, they were my first Apisto, I bought them as a "pair of A. borellii". I soon found out that they weren't borellii and they weren't a pair. My 2 males were very aggressive towards each other, but didn't bother the other fish (Black Neon Tetras - H. herbertaxelrodi).

They coloured up spectacularly and had a fantastic blue shimmer, they really were spectacular. I searched a long time for a female, and when I found one they eventually they all fell victim to a camallanus outbreak (nematodes probably imported with the female, she was one out of hundreds of males and allegedly Czech bred).

Mark "Microman" Breeze had them for sale as pairs a while ago and as mentioned he said they were one of the easier Apisto's to breed, although they are not on his latest sales list. If he no longer has them he may know who he sold pairs too (presumably not Ste1200).

I've got a powerpoint made up with ways to spot A "blue-steel" and also how to ID a female, if anyone wants a copy.

cheers Darrel

 

[Microman]

"Quote Darrel"
If he no longer has them he may know who he sold pairs too (presumably not Ste1200).

Hi Darrel,
Steve and i are good friends and i regularly pass on Apistos to him for breeding purposes.
As it happens it was Steve who sorted out my female Steel blues that i bred from.
There are not many serious Apisto hobbyist/breeders over here in the UK(maybe 3-4) and those of us that are seriously interested keep in regular contact and swap info/fish etc...

Unsure exactly where the Steel Blues went.
Mark...

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I only lurk on this forum, but it has given me great pleasure just to look at the fish, and applaud the efforts Mark (and Steve) have made to make/keep new Apistogramma species available in the UK.

I'd love to try keeping and breeding some more, different Apisto. species, however I'd also like to remain married and living in my house, so both species and tanks must remain limited. Unfortunately, because the tap water locally is so hard (nr. Bath), most people keep Mbuna, and SA dwarf's are a bit of minority interest.

cheers Darrel

 

[gryffin]

I just had the same experience. I purchased an "apisto agassizi" from a local fish store, but it does not look anything like an agassizi- it looks identical to the pictures some of the apisto sp. steel blue that I have seen posted on the web. It looks similar to yours, but the body does not have any blue coloring.

Here are some pictures of my fish:

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff125/thechameleon7/20081227_0384.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff125/thechameleon7/20081227_0382.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff125/thechameleon7/20081227_0383_edited-1.jpg

Here are some pictures I took of others at the store with my phone:

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff125/thechameleon7/IMG00083.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff125/thechameleon7/IMG00086.jpg

I'm from NH and you are from NY- I wonder if our fish stores use the same supplier.

In any case, I'm trying to sex mine and find it a mate if possible.

 

[Mike Wise]

The photos aren't good enough for a positive ID, but I suspect that they are Steel Blue. They definitely are A. agassizii.

 

[ste12000]

Hi Darrel,
Steve and i are good friends and i regularly pass on Apistos to him for breeding purposes.
As it happens it was Steve who sorted out my female Steel blues that i bred from.
There are not many serious Apisto hobbyist/breeders over here in the UK(maybe 3-4) and those of us that are seriously interested keep in regular contact and swap info/fish etc...

Mark...

This made me chuckle...Yes we are great friends and yes i have had many nice species of fish from Mark...The part about swapping fish is a bit of a sham really because im still trying to find a fish that Mr Breeze has not already spawned a lot come my way but unfortunatly i dont often get chance to return the favour..
If anyone anywhere has any Mazarunia mazerunii :biggrin: please let me give them to Mr Breeze a s a nice supprise

I picked up the sp 'Steelblue' earlier in the year in the same way most other have, labeled as Borelli, it took three trips to the shop to pick out a couple of females(very variable colours and markings, i have pictures of one that spawned which had more blue on the face than the male), i succeeded in spawning and raising a few dozen fry(large broods are very uncommon it seems!). Mark took most of them and the rest went to people who didnt know how to keep them and they went the same way as many others do..I dont know of any in the UK today..