ID help please

[a.d.wood]

Hi there,

These came into the UK from Brazil with the name Apistogramma 'Xingu Gold'. Current thought is that they might actually be Apistogramma sp Erdfresser / Earth-eater.

Unfortunately they are in a very difficult tank to get decent shots, the male is just starting to show a lyreate tail (just the one pair pictured here):

Male

Female

Anyone care to confirm, offer alternative ID??

Andrew

 

[Mike Wise]

I can't see the end of the caudal fin, so I can't be sure if it is lyrate or not. Everything else looks like the pattern of A. sp. Erdfresser (A 154), however.

I doubt that this fish came from the Rio Xingu. It is presently only known from the Rio Purus.

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Hi Mike and Andrew,

I would just like to clear some confusion here the fish came in as Apistogramma meinkeni from glasers. This was around the same time as this thread
ID Apisto Meinkeni?????

http://forum.apistogramma.com/showthread.php?t=6765

Now whats the chance of getting 2 different gold headed fish from the same place under the same name. So when I saw the name Meinkeni Wild on the list I thought it does not matter if i get Meinkeni or Xingu. So had a look in the bag when they arrived show they had glod heads and thought they are the Xingu. Put them in thier tank and did not see them again. Only yesterday after adding some more fish to the tank did I really get a good look at them and noticed the lyre tail and thought strange. So I got in contact wit the only other person I had given a pair too and that was Andrew

 

[Mike Wise]

Well Peter, as you obviously know, it is not A. meinkeni. It doesn't show a lateral spot. A. meinkeni (especially the female) usually has 2 flank spots (Bars 2 & 3). The fish shows all of the obvious markings of a member of the pertensis-complex. The only presently known species within the pertensis-complex that has a lyretail is A. sp. Erdfresser/Eartheater. The front edge of the scales on the flanks of Erdfresser are very dark. This produces the pronounced net-like pattern that is visible on your fish. So, if your fish has a lyretail, too, I can't see it being any species other than Erdfresser. Your and Andrew's fish appear to be the form of Erdfresser without a visible lateral spot (A154). The other form with a small, elongate lateral spot (A155) appears to be more rare.

Aquarium Glaser is an excellent source for wild fish, but you can't expect them to be experts on all the fish that they sell. Their identifications, at least with apistos, often leave something more to be desired. Just look at their own book SAC II. The number of mis-identifications is close to 20%! Some of the photos show the same fish under 2 different names.