Apistogramma gephyra

[Ekona]

I got these in as A. gephyra (they look like it to me)? I ordered two pairs, but got three definite males and the smaller fish (2nd series of photos below).

Male ~1.75" This is the winner of the group - quite nice. The other two males are rather plain looking.

Is this a female?? This is a smaller fish ~1.25". I'm really hoping this is a she...what do you think?

Been quite some time wanting to get A. gephyra!

 

[Andrew Powell]

Lovely fish buddy

 

[Ekona]

Lovely fish buddy

That is reassuring considering what I ended up having to pay for them And, I would have to agree, mate.

 

[gerald]

I dont see any features that scream "male" yet, so it could go either way.
Delete the middle photo pf smaller fish (the less yellow one) and we'll declare it "female" for you.

 

[Ekona]

I dont see any features that scream "male" yet, so it could go either way.
Delete the middle photo pf smaller fish (the less yellow one) and we'll declare it "female" for you.

Lol! Done!! And so it is!!
How about this? I say female...

 

[gerald]

And now bulk "her" up on live mosquito larvae and see what happens.

 

[Ekona]

And now bulk "her" up on live mosquito larvae and see what happens.

Yep. Thanks G

 

[Ekona]

Posting another pic of the "her" that shows the colorful dorsal that first lead me to believe it was a male.

However, here are a couple of pics of a same sized fish that looks more like a male to me. I see longer fin extensions in the dorsal and pelvic fins. Will just have to wait and see.

 

[Ekona]

Ok so after a couple of days of TLC and feeding - the mystery fish as blossomed into a definite female
She should be quite something when fully displaying...stay tuned.

 

[gerald]

Hooray! -- that blue anal fin (before she turned yellow) made me suspicious. She looks a whole lot better now.
Are gephyra females normally more colorful than agassizi females?

 

[Ekona]

Yep, the blue on the anal fin along with the colorful dorsal fin of the "female" had me thinking, at first, it was a male. One thing I have noticed in the two times that I have kept gephyra is that the dorsal fin of males is highly bronze/green-gold metallic, more so in my experience, than agassizii. I now believe the same is true for female gephies. See the pics below of the bright metallic dorsal on the male and too a lesser degree on female - but both more than in agassizii - again in my limited experience. So, yes, I think, depending of location and form, female gephies have quite a bit of color on them. All in all, a nice apisto. My thanks to Jeff R. for sending excellent specimens.

Male showing bronze/green-gold metallic dorsal.

Female (not the best picture) with similar colored dorsal with red seam as well.

 

[Ekona]

Here is the other larger male I got in - it was really rather plain looking up until today when got into a sparring match with another apisto. Then it's colors intensified to look quite nice. From the same wild caught batch, but quite a bit of variation from the other larger male.

Here a one inch male A. gephyra spars with a one inch female A. mendezi - even at such a small size these apistos got a lot going on.

 

[Ekona]

Portrait

 

[Ekona]

The female is growing out nicely - hopefully ready to spawn before too long.

 

[gerald]

Oooh she's nice. That photo reminds me of a conversation some years ago with a guy named Phil who I was trading fish with (in KS or OK I think?) who kept LIVE semi-aquatic Sphagnum mosses growing in his softwater tanks. Good water softening and substrate for food micro-orgs, he told me. Your Sphagnum looks dead now, but have you tried any live?

 

[Ekona]

Yep, I'm aware of the live sphagnum moss to condition water (breeding SA tetras) and if I could easily get my hands on some I'd definitely use it. The dried stuff is the closest I can get. The dried moss can generate lots of infusoria and I guess it could lower pH and perhaps TDS, but I have not actually tested that. I will though...thanks for the idea

 

[Ekona]

Just a quick update - male growing out nicely.
Also more wild apistos at have come in at Tangled Up In Cichlids, in case anyone is interested.

 

[ADC Nederland]

Hey Ekona,

Check your private messages buddy

 

[Ekona]

PM sent.

 

[Ekona]

Practicing more macro photography - I thought the eye of this fellow looked pretty cool.