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Many countries understand that personal hobbyist collectors who only collect a few specimens for their own use will not adversely affect the species. Additionally hobbyist collectors bring in money to the local economy. Commercial collecting can be a problem if not regulated. We know for example...
Sometimes trying to remove the male can disturb the female and then eats the spawn. My philosophy is that as long as no harm is done to either fish, then I don't bother. Your water values should be OK for breeding.
Most come from Guyana which is rather protective of their wildlife. AFAIK commercial export is rather limited. Most specimens reach the hobby through hobbyist who collect their own.
Definition is entirely arbitrary. Back decades ago color was based on the color of the soft parts of the dorsal and anal fins. I've had blue, green, black and red (orange actually) color morphs.
True blackwater streams in Nature have very few submerged plants. Most are emergent or floating plants. This is an example of a typical (flowing) blackwater stream. (Who is that guy anyway?):)
As I recall when I had A. gibbiceps back in the mid-80s their behavior was much like A. agassizii. Mine bred in moderately soft and slightly acidic water but my guess is that they were from the middle Rio Negro near Barcelos. They came in as "Mixed Apistogramma" together with A. hippolytae and...
At typical temperatures it take about a week from egg laying to freeswimming fry. Now, when did the breeder see them, when they first became freeswimming fry or a week or two later???
A. sp. "Maravilha" is a member of the gibbiceps-group (none of the above photos show it). It was collected in the lower Rio Negro. Males develop a spade/lance-shaped caudal fin, unlike the 2 other members of the group. AFAIK it was brought in only once and has since disappeared in the hobby.
At 1.5"/3.5cm the 2nd fish could be either an immature male or a female. I would wait another 2-3 month of growing. You should be able to sex them by then.
Nope. The lack of a lateral spot indicates that the fish are from the regani-lineage. A. baenchi, being in the nijsseni-group and trifasciata-lineage, shows a lateral spot. It's little things like this that help reduce the number of possible species.
There are many local/regional cichlid clubs. We have one here in Denver (Rocky Mountain Cichlid Association). Like most it is primarily oriented toward Rift Lake cichlids.
Larger tanks make life easier for territorial fish. Your 180 gallon/680 l (6x2x2'/180x60x60cm) tank allows them a lot of room to avoid each other when necessary. Most hobbyist don't have that luxury.
You provide not enough information: aquarium dimensions (if not standard), aquarium decor, location of aquarium in the home, height of the aquarium above the floor, water values (pH, conductivity, etc.), aquarium maintenance (water change schedule and quantity changed), nutrition (foods fed and...