Help with Apisto ID please

[a.d.wood]

Hi folks,

I previously had this posted on the British Cichlid Association forum, but think it's worthwhile opening it up to a wider audience now.

Originally purchase as w/c Apisto macmasteri, detective work then showed the shipment came in through Peru, so this ID was questionable (not to mention the fish have now settled, are breeding and look nothing like A macmasteri!!). Thoughts have included A cruzi, A eunotus (orange tail variant) but remain unsure.

Any thoughts on ID much appreciated...

Thanks

Andrew

 

[Mike Wise]

It definitely is not a macmasteri-complex fish. It is a regani-group species, but since neither photo shows most of the diagnostic dark markings (the curse of of 'pretty fish' pictures) it is hard to say exactly what you have. It probably is a eunotus-complex fish, but without seeing split bars on the posterior flanks, I can't even be sure of this.

 

[a.d.wood]

Hi Mike,

I will endeavour to get some photos with markings!!!!

Thanks

Andrew