Common name identification.

[briztoon]

Hey guys,

I am wondering if anyone who has been collecting in Peru or recieve shipments from Peru has heard of Apistogramma agassizii "fire tail", and if they know the possible collection point, location variant or sub-species?

Our LFS that specialises in dwarf cichlids often stocks wild caught Peruvian Apistogramma. One of the newer species in store is an agassizii variant with the above name. All the LFS owner could tell me is that they are wild caught from Peru, sold as "fire tail".

I have a trio on hold from the first shipment of them. They are definately an agassizii form, with the male measure approximately 75mm to 80mm TL, and the females are quite large at approimately 45mm to 50mm TL. I could not take a photo of them as the tank they are in has quite a lot of algea on the glass, and a few pieces of driftwood and java fern which they swam in and out of.

The owner had them had home in a tank with ketapang leaves in it, and said they were quite pretty looking at home in the tea coloured water, but lost much of thier colour in store in the harder, clear water.

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds.

 

[Mike Wise]

Commercial names are just that: commercial names. Many aren't even published common names. "Fire tail" is a new one for me. It probably is a group of A. agassizii whose males have red in their tail. Most populations of A. agassizii have some males with red in the caudal, but this doesn't make the the red form of A. agassizii (a distinct population), which has a different caudal pattern.

 

[briztoon]

Thankyou Mike W.

I was afraid that was going to be the case. I guess we'll have to waite and see, once I get them home and into a tank.

I am slowly adding to my agassizii colection. I am going to need a friend of mine to photograph them as I would like confirmation of the variants I currently have. You have already confirmed that I have a pair of Apistogramma cf. agassizii ("Netz", Alenquer). Since then I have bought a pair of Apistogramma agassizii "Flamenco" which I am unsure of. And a trio of yellow gephyra that are more than likely a form of BBCS, the males unpaired fins really are turning an intense yellow/orange colour, and the tail markings aren't similar to any of the photos in your Breeding the Gold Agassizii article.

Ok one final question, are Apistogramma sp. ‘1 Jari’ and sp. ‘2 Jari’ a form of agassizii or a closely related species from the agassizii group?

 

[Mike Wise]

I have bought a pair of Apistogramma agassizii "Flamenco" which I am unsure of.

This is a population from the Rio Tigre in Peru. It should have a lot of red/orange in the unpaired fins.

Ok one final question, are Apistogramma sp. ‘1 Jari’ and sp. ‘2 Jari’ a form of agassizii or a closely related species from the agassizii group?

Photos of the two "species" shown in PFK are the same form. A. sp. Jari 1 & 2 is a population of A. cf. agassizii (Netz/Net) from the Rio Jari (not the Rio Purus, as originally reported). The Jari is east of Alenquer.

 

[steph]

HI Pete

Have you seen the flametails that Jodi has? I asked her for a pic but she said the nicest male was being camera shy ! SO she hasnt sent me one yet.

Are they really that spectacular - at $40 each I would hope they are superb.

Im kinda keen, but have to find a way to sneak it past the boss

They are wildcaughts - so I will need to quiz her on collecting location if she has it.

Cheers

Steph

 

[briztoon]

Hi Steph,

It was very hard to get a good look at them. Jodi-Lea had a trio in one out of the way tank and another lot in a bottom tank. The ones in the bottom tank were next to impossible to see, as they were staying hidden. Some of the apisto tanks also double as plant tanks, and some times it is very hard to get a propper look at the fish for sale.

The other trio were in a tank that had a lot of algea growing on the side of the tank so I could not see in from the side, and there was a large piece of planted driftwood towards the front, and they stayed behind that mid tank. To add to this, the male kept swimming in and out of a large chunk of java moss. They two females were quite content to swim out in the open and looked very healthy and nice. Certainly the largest agassizii females I have ever seen. The male did have very nice facial markings, but it was difficult to get a proper look at him, even when he was displaying to a female. And I did not spend overly long checking them out.

I will be back some time this week and try and take a photo of them. Though I warn you my photographic skills a pretty poor.

While I am there I am going to ask Jodi-Lea to find out if she can source some A. cf. agassizii (Netz/Net) from the Rio Jari.

 

[Mike Wise]

Briztoon, I removed the photo of A. sp. Jari that you copied from either Heiko Bleher or PFK. Unless one has permission to use a photo, it is best only to give a site: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co....website&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=Item_2740. The last thing I want is to have someone come down heavy on this forum for unauthorized use of their photos.

 

[briztoon]

Sorry Mike.