Apisto sp?

[sum1special]

Hi! I'm new to apistos and was having some trouble with the ID of my new pair... They were labeled as Apisto. agassizii (sp?) at the LFS, but I doubt that is what they are. I bought three, 1 male, 1 female, and 1 unknown...
Here are some pics of the male:

and the Female:

Sorry I can't take much better pics and please excuse the dirty glass.

 

[fishgeek]

they could be steelblue though you will need to clean your glass

 

[blueblue]

It is definitely NOT agassizii, it looks like apistogramma sp "red-dot" to me.... are there any better photos? ^.^

 

[KenL]

Yes, I agree that they are (could be?) Apisto sp. rotpunkt

Imagine labelling those as agassizii

 

[sum1special]

Thanks, I'll look those up... Meanwhile I'll clean my glass and see if I can get some better pics. I'm getting the impression that agassizii is just the name they give any apistos at the LFS around here.

 

[blueblue]

Thanks, I'll look those up... Meanwhile I'll clean my glass and see if I can get some better pics. I'm getting the impression that agassizii is just the name they give any apistos at the LFS around here.

yes, i understand that some local vendors always use agassizii to call any apistos!! It is a bit strange while probably because agassizii is such a popular fish that could increase sales of the fish...

 

[ernstvangenne]

I think it's a Spec. close to the A. sp. rotpunkt from the Rio Meta but he is very beautiful blue...
ernst

 

[blueblue]

I think it's a Spec. close to the A. sp. rotpunkt from the Rio Meta but he is very beautiful blue...
ernst

Agree, ernst ^.^

 

[Mike Wise]

It is A. sp. Rotpunkt/Red-spot/dot. I bet the blue tint is due to the lighting when the fish was photographed.

 

[sum1special]

Ok, I've cleaned my glass and have some new pics ready...
Mike Wise: You're right about the blue tint, I had the flash on when I took those pictures. The male doesn't actually have that irridescence.

Here's a new picture:

That pic is of the male and the unknown...
The unknown fish will occasionally look very similar in coloration to the male, but then it looks more like a female. The lateral stripe is usually solid, while the male's is broken up. The two of them (male and unknown) swim together around the tank, sometimes chasing one another, but usually just hanging out. I know that some other cichlids 'pair up' and will stay near eachother, are apistos similar and is it common for them to pair up this quickly (I've only had them for 2 days)?
Thanks again for all your help!

 

[ernstvangenne]

Hello Sum 1.
I looked in my "old":biggrin: D.A.T.Z. nr. 10 from 2004 is an article from Ingo Koslowski, he writes that it's the A. alacrina, his pictures looked as you'r pics.
The place where those Ap. lives in nature is still unknown. I have seen some in Villaviciencio, Colombia, but I am not 100 o/o shure that they are the same.
But who knows, in febr. 2006 I go again to that aerea, the Rio Casanare is the place we go.
www.ernstvangenne.nl

 

[sum1special]

OK, I messed up with the labeling on my first post... the fish I labeled as the female is actually the unknown, which I think might be a female, what does everyone else think? I've gotten some pics of the female fish, which is very shy, and on closer inspection she doesn't look like a rotpunkt (but remember I'm just a newbie:wink: ). She has a little blue iridescence on her face, but lacks the dark markings by her dorsal. Maybe she lost them from being stressed out? Well, since I'm new at this, here is another pic which needs and ID:

 

[Mike Wise]

OK. I think we understand now that you are asking about the 'female' fish, not the male A. sp. Rotpunkt (not actually the same as the type material of A. alacrina). I would need a better photo to be certain, but based on the fact that it is a eunotus-complex fish & probably came in with the Rotpunkt (which is found in the Rio Caquetá drainage) you might have a male A. sp. Caquetá. This species probably is the same as the Kullander's paratypes of A. cruzi from the Rio Caquetá.