Apistogramma spec2 -Rio Jari, Purus

[kaj.p]

I bought 10 pairs of this apistogramma by Heiko Bleher last year. He had them as show fish in his tanks at the Duisburg Show. According to Heiko are this apistogramma from an expedition made in the Rio Jari 2007. I keep them in plain tap water with pH around 7 and micro Siemens around 180 where they seems to be comfortable. Not easy to breed but i have a few youngster. I think it is a very beutifull apistogramma. My question what do u think about the morphology?

 

[Mike Wise]

Well, the fish look like a form of what is presently called A. agassizii. The photos are really too small to say which species/form it actually is. I've not heard of an agassizii-complex species comming from the Rio Jari, but it wouldn't be surprising since the Jari is only about 100 km downstream from the mouth of the Rio Xingu (but on the other side of the Amazon). I don't understand the reference to the Rio Purus. The Purus is a river that empties into the Rio Solimoes (middle Amazon), upstream from the Rio Madeira. I've seen other species that appear identical to species in the Rio Xingu that Heiko Bleher reported were from the Purus, however.

 

[P.W.]

Well, the fish look like a form of what is presently called A. agassizii. The photos are really too small to say which species/form it actually is. I've not heard of an agassizii-complex species comming from the Rio Jari, but it wouldn't be surprising since the Jari is only about 100 km downstream from the mouth of the Rio Xingu (but on the other side of the Amazon). I don't understand the reference to the Rio Purus. The Purus is a river that empties into the Rio Solimoes (middle Amazon), upstream from the Rio Madeira. I've seen other species that appear identical to species in the Rio Xingu that Heiko Bleher reported were from the Purus, however.

Sorry Kaj for "hijacking" your thread.

There are are some discussions about the wild caught fishes from Heiko Bleher in the swedish cichlid forums. Linking to a nice youtube clip from one of the guys that have a couple these fishes.
I think you have a better oppurtunity to identify the fish from this clip, Mike...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXbJ...ead.php?t=132036&feature=player_embedded#t=46

Best regards/

 

[Mike Wise]

Thanks for the URL, Per. It was very helpful. Based on the extra long extension of the posterior dorsal fin and the broad dark borders on the scales on the flanks, the fish in the clip appears to be A. cf. agassizii (Netz/Net). This species (form?) is found only in left bank (northern) tributaries of the lower Amazon below Manaus. Since the Rio Jari is a left bank tributary of the lower Amazon, it fits in to the distribution pattern very well. As far as I know, this is the farthest east that an agassizii-group fish is found on the northern shore of the Amazon. On the southern bank of the Amazon, A. cf. agassizii (Broad Black Caudal Edge) is found almost to its mouth and even in some Atlantic coastal rivers.

 

[P.W.]

Thanks for the URL, Per. It was very helpful. Based on the extra long extension of the posterior dorsal fin and the broad dark borders on the scales on the flanks, the fish in the clip appears to be A. cf. agassizii (Netz/Net). This species (form?) is found only in left bank (northern) tributaries of the lower Amazon below Manaus. Since the Rio Jari is a left bank tributary of the lower Amazon, it fits in to the distribution pattern very well. As far as I know, this is the farthest east that an agassizii-group fish is found on the northern shore of the Amazon. On the southern bank of the Amazon, A. cf. agassizii (Broad Black Caudal Edge) is found almost to its mouth and even in some Atlantic coastal rivers.

Thanks for the information Mike!