Help on an ID?

[griffrat]

Greetings all. Slimbolen99 and I have been talking about the apistos in the pics below. And we are in need of some wiser and expert advice and this is the place to come!

The first was sold as a wild caught Apisto. bitaeniata

The next two were sold at an auction as Apisto. eunotus

Males

female

What I am mainly concerned with is that the female matches with what the males are or vice versa. If there is a difference I would really like to now so that I can order some "proper" matches in to the tanks... :biggrin:

thanks!!

 

[tjudy]

I am no expert, but I like to guess before the experts pop in. Maybe I am getting better! :wink:

Fish one look like an A. bitaeniata to me.. but one that is in pretty rough shape, so I could be wrong.

The others do look like eunotus to me...

 

[bigbird]

Hi, need better Pics.
Agree with Ted. Fish one looks very bad. Get some live food into his belly quick smart or he will not be with yiu long I think . Sorry Cheers Jk

 

[griffrat]

Trust me, the poor guy is fairing much better than he was two weeks ago. I got six at one time and I think those six were the pick of the litter. The fish were completely stressed at the expo and lost two the first night they were in the tank, and then another two the following night and then the last one to die was a couple weeks after purchase. While this is the only guy that survived he is eating a lot of frozen bloodworms and believe you me he is doing much better every day!! Thank God!!

When you say better pics what exactly do you mean. I am not the best photographer, and I will gladly admit it! I am interested in finding out the species as there is a group order getting ready to happen here in the K.C. area and I would like to get some trios of the correct species. :wink:

Thanks for the feedback thus far!! I knew this was the place to come:biggrin:

 

[Mike Wise]

Well photo #1 isn't good enough for a positive ID because the dorsal and tail fins are clamped. My guess is that it is a wild A. bitaeniata that is half starved or has a major infestation of intestinal worms/parasites that are keeping it from fattening up.

Photo #2 isn't A. eunotus. The stripes on the tail aren't found on imported forms. It appears to be a species of the regan-complex. The caudal pattern is seen mostly on Brazilian forms. I would need more photos of the fish to properly identify it.

Photo #3 looks like a female A. cf. eunotus.

Photo #4 is not good enough to ID the fish. The fish is out of focus, the fins are clamped, and many of the diagonstic dark markings are hidden by plants. All that I can say for certain is that it is not part of the regani-lineage because it has a lateral spot.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[Lolojil]

To me,

1. A. bitaeniata
2. A. sp Vielfleck/Xingu
3. probably A. cf. eunotus
4. It seems to be A. sp "Black Chin"

 

[griffrat]

First and foremost thanks to all for the comments!! They are greatly appreciated.

I just got home changed the batteries out on the camera and will set up the tripod so that I can try and get the best pictures possible.

On the wild caught A. bitaeniata all the fish at the expo were clamped and hard to determine anything. I will throw some more bloodworms into the tank and try to take some pictures. That is one time that she tends to "flare" out.

Feeding time is also the best time to take the pics of the "mystery female.

Again thanks everybody for the input. The group order is in about a weeks time so I hope to get some "proper" opposites.... thanks again!!

 

[griffrat]

Well after sitting like a hunter in a blind I finally got some more pictures of the apistos in question.....so with a little bloodworms, some more patience and the camera on a tripod...I think that I may have some pictures that will aid in the identification.

Again I thank you all for the assistance in this identification

First here are some more pictures of the first with the clamped fins.

Now on to the others
(what I think is the male, and I could be wrong)

(What might be the female)

The side by side shot

The mystery apisto

I know that some of those pics are a little fuzzy. But the mystery apisto is really shy. If she was a cacatuoides I would swear that she was guarding a clutch of eggs. She hangs out around this piece of driftwood/swordplant. Her tail fin was pretty chewed as she was sold in the bag with the two fish in the side by side shot. I think that the tail fins are getting better but like all wounds takes time to heal.

Thanks again for all the help on the idea of these guys

 

[Mike Wise]

I'd have to agree with lolojil for the most part:

1. A. bitaeniata
2. A. sp Vielfleck/Xingu - a male
4. A. sp "Black Chin/Schwarzkinn"

3. Shows no split vertical bars on the ventral part of the caudal peduncle, so it isn't an eunotus form. The broad pale space between the back of the lateral band and the caudal spot is diagnostic for regani-complex species. It might be a form of A. geisleri. It certainly is an odd group of fish to find together.

 

[griffrat]

Awesome, thanks for the help with the id. It really does help with the future livestock purchases!!