Apistogramma identification

[ryansmith83]

Hi everyone,

I have had an account here for a long time but I rarely log in. I've spent the last 10 - 15 years working mostly with Heros, Geophagus, and various acaras (Andinoacara, Aequidens, Bujurquina, Krobia, etc.). I have never really ventured into Apistos. I'm familiar with South American cichlid husbandry and I've bred and raised a lot of difficult stuff (blackwater fish, etc.). But the Apistos are a large, unwieldy group and I've never known quite which angle to attack it from.

I am local to First Coast Tropical Fish in Florida (username 90125 on AquaBid) who received a wild-caught "mystery" Apisto last week that they cannot identify. I have no idea the country of origin -- he has wild-caught fish on his list from Colombia, Peru, and Brazil, so it doesn't really narrow it down much. I was wondering if anyone had a guess based on the fins and colors here. This is the only picture he sent.

He also has Apistogrammoides on his list which I'm curious about. I'm going tomorrow to check him out and I'm thinking of trying my hand at some Apistos, but it'd be nice to know which species I'm potentially looking at before I make a purchase. It's so rare to find any wild-caught cichlids locally that I didn't want to pass up an opportunity.

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

 

[Julian]

Im no expert but mabye apistogramma macmasteri?

 

[MacZ]

Im no expert but mabye apistogramma macmasteri?

Looks a bit like the same species complex, but I wouldn't go further. Stress colouration is also kind of a hindrance.

 

[Frank Hättich]

It's a macmasteri-subcomplex species and from what I can see, it can be A. macmasteri. But without information on the catch location, it's impossible to be sure.

 

[rasmusW]

A macmasteri complex fish, would be my guess too.. though i’m by far any expert.
Beautiful fish, nonetheless..

-r

 

[ryansmith83]

Thank you for all the help. The consensus from everyone here and several people on Facebook (I know, I know) agree that it's in the macmasteri group, likely macmasteri itself.

I was being indecisive about them today and decided I didn't want to roll the dice if I didn't know what they were, so instead I came home with a pair of Czech-bred A. nijsseni... and Laetacara, and Dicrossus. Oops.

 

[MacZ]

I was being indecisive about them today and decided I didn't want to roll the dice if I didn't know what they were, so instead I came home with a pair of Czech-bred A. nijsseni... and Laetacara, and Dicrossus. Oops.

The better decision imo. Macmasteri, even wild caughts, recently seem a bit ubiquitous.

 

[anewbie]

I'm extremely found of a. nijsseni. good luck with them.

 

[ARJDA]

My first thought was mcmasteri, too.