Doesn't look like borellii to me?

[Jeffk]

Hi All - This has been bothering me for awhile now. I have kept several "opal" variety of apistogramma borellii. The females have always looked like this:

This past Sept, I ordered a pair of borellii from a seller on aquabid, and the female looks different from what I'm used to. I've never had a female borellii with this lateral black line running through it, and sometimes I question whether or not it's actually a female borellii. Any apisto people out there have any thoughts? The only difference I know for sure is that this borellii pair was the "blue" variety, rather than the "opal" variety like the top pic. Here are a few pics of her:

The only thing I can think of is that she's possibly Apistogramma sp. "Steel Blue." Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Mike Wise]

They're not Steel Blue, which show a separate caudal spot. I think they are A. borellii, but not sure. They photos are not good enough for a positive ID.

 

[Jeffk]

They're not Steel Blue, which show a separate caudal spot. I think they are A. borellii, but not sure. They photos are not good enough for a positive ID.

Thanks, Mike - I appreciate your thoughts. If I can get any clearer pictures, I'll post. Every A. borellii female I've owned has looked like my first pic, but they were all the "opal" color variant. This one is the "blue" color variant - I wasn't sure if there was much difference in the female appearance.

 

[crazy72]

For whatever it's worth, I have a female Borellii that has this lateral black line (depending on her mood). How do I know she is in fact a Borellii? Well, technically I'm not 100% sure, but she was sold to me as a Borellii, and she has been laying eggs with a male who is definitely a Borellii. So it seems like a safe bet.

 

[Mike Wise]

One feature that separates A. borellii from most other members of the regani-group is that they have a continuous lateral band without a caudal spot. The posterior end of the band swells, but is not separate.