Apistogramma Nijsseni One Spot

[Yo-han]

Two weeks ago I bought a nijsseni couple from a german breeder. A beautiful big male and a small colorless female, but with a strong red circle in her tail fin. Yesterday they already spawned under a piece of wood in my community tank and the female is guarding her fry (eggs) heavily. The female changed to a beautiful bright yellow with black spots. The only thing that concerns me is that she only had a spot on one flank. I've found a picture of another case here: http://www.thekrib.com/Apisto/A-nijsseni.html. But mine is not young anymore and does have a spot on one site.

My question is: does anybody know or this spot will ever appear? And what causes it? And if I put the pair in a breeding tank (or they manage to breed in the community tank) will there offspring have the same fenotype?

Regards,
Johan

My male:

 

[Mike Wise]

Apistos, like many cichlids, are able to change colors at will. What you see is unusual, but not rare (does that makes sense?). It may or may not change.

 

[Yo-han]

I know they change colors, but asymmetric? And will it be passed on to the fry?

 

[Mike Wise]

Yes, asymmetry is not all that unusual in these fish. Many agassizii-group females show 1 spot on 1 flank and 2 spots on the other. It is just part of the genetic variation in any species. Some fry will show it, some will not. If you don't like this, just selectively breed for fish with spots on both sides.

 

[Yo-han]

Here are pictures from the female in question:

Can't say anything but she is doing great. Two weeks in my communitytank and she already laid eggs and the fry is freeswimming already. I notice only 4, but still not bad, considering it is a community tank and it is het first attempt ever.

Regards,
Johan

 

[aquaticclarity]

I had a few tank raised imported nijsseni a few years ago. The two dominant females each only showed a single spot (one on their right side and the other on their left side). The funny thing was the spotted was ALWAYS the side they displayed to the other female! I don't know if it was just coincidence, if the females knew they were doing that, or if the females could control their spots...but they consistently displayed only their spotted sides to each other the entire time I had the fish.

 

[Yo-han]

Thnx for sharing! Have you bred with any of the females with one spot? And can you tell me whether their fry had one or two spots?

Regard,
Johan

 

[Yo-han]

A little update, the male unfortunately died of camallanus I noticed too late and I'm treating the female now but she no longer has only one spot. On the spotless site a vague small spot appearred this week. Don't know whether it will grow but I thought I share this

 

[Brown Water]

Sorry to hear about your male. Did you get any fry to grow?

 

[Yo-han]

Not till mature, they are in a community tank and every morning I lost a few. I lost the female as well