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Borellii or blue steel?

Bobblehead27

Member
Messages
46
I picked up a couple of fish marked as borellii the other day. now I'm sitting here at work reading about and seeing pics of blue steels sold as borellii and I'm getting nervous I should be home from work tomorrow afternoon and take some pics but I was wondering at what size should I be able to tell the difference because I'm noticing a lot of blue speckles on their face and I'm thinking I was duped. also what size should they start getting their mature colors in? mine are still small I'd say maybe an inch.
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
Photos would help. Steel-blue vs borellii should be distinguishable at that size, although there's a bunch of other possible steel-blue lookalikes (inconspicua, caetei, etc). Determining sex may take longer. Both are nice fish -- don't be too disappointed if they're steel-blues, as long as you can find a female.
 

Bobblehead27

Member
Messages
46
Yea based on what I read this is definitely a steel blue (or at least definitely not a borellii) based on the spot at the start of the tail :(
 

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MickeM

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
441
Location
STOCKHOLM , SWEDEN
As you say..The Apisto in your pic is absolutely not a borellii .. !! By the yellow color + lacking any blue metallic signs/shimmering, it may be a female..??????
Do you know if they are bought from a wholesaler as WildCaught or as bred fishes ??
How much did they cost??

Post a pic of a male if you can/have one!!;):)
 
Last edited:

aquaticclarity

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,809
Location
Richfield, WI
I'd say female, but it's not a borellii. More pictures of the fish, especially at more of a straight on angle at the side of the body, would help though.
 

Bobblehead27

Member
Messages
46
As you say..The Apisto in your pic is absolutely not a borellii .. !! By the yellow color + lacking any blue metallic signs/shimmering, it may be a female..??????
Do you know if they are bought from a wholesaler as WildCaught or as bred fishes ??
How much did they cost??

Post a pic of a male if you can/have one!!;):)

They definitely have metallic blue speckles all over their face starting to get some on the body
Tank bred
2 for 18
I've come to terms with the fact that they're steel blue :( might return them for some female Agassizii but I might just keep them. my wife still likes them
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
With the usual disclaimer that I'm not very good at this, but they look like a male and female of "Steel-Blue".

These ones belonged to Ste Chesters.


cheers Darrel
 

Bobblehead27

Member
Messages
46
Yep that looks like them. thanks I was really looking forward to borellii but whatever you win some you lose some I guess.
 

Madchester313

Member
Messages
55
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l I know this is a old thread

I too went for some borellii but it has been suggested mine may well be steel blue although I can see the black circle just before the tail fin on mine like your have.

How have yours turned out was they infact steel blue. Not 100% sure what I have there still young. No idea what sex either
 

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