Help with Apistogramma info, sexing and ID.

[Mike Wise]

Now for something different. This is a fish that Julio collected and imported the first time:

Note that the eye in this photo shows no red eye ring but does show the yellow pectorals. It also shows a more rectangular caudal spot, like seen on Jacobus' photo. Are we looking at different forms? I don't know - and probably will never know without known collecting locations (or genetic sequencing). BTW the fish in Julio's and my photos were both collected in the same general area, but a few months apart. Also Julio's photo shows a fish just imported. My photo shows a fish that I had in my tank for about 6 months. That could also affect appearance.

 

[Jacobus]

That is what bothered me as well: the absence of yellow pectorals (which look nice indeed) and the red ringed eye. These two are really good, well defined determination points, which are clearly missing.
I agree with you on the fact that they do not belong to the ortegai-, but rather the cruzi sub-complex. (The split vertical bars of the eunotus subcomplex are also absent).

 

[Jacobus]

Mike's photo of Julio Melgar's fish is indeed something else: no coloured eye, only yellow pectorals, and
the fish shows most of all blue notes, whereas mine is having more orange. But that might not be a decisive point?
It remains a puzzle. I'll try to get more info on the origin.

 

[anewbie]

For some reason i think genetic sequence is more important than colouring since there seem to be some variation in colour if not natural than due to age and diet. Unfortunately like most useful things in life it is easy to say x but actually accomplishing x is beyond reason or most - esp myself.

 

[Jacobus]

Phoned the fish store where I bought the fish.
They do not have any information on the catch location at all.
So this does not bring us any further. Pity.

 

[Jacobus]

Phoned the fish store where I bought the fish.
They do not have any information on the catch location at all.
So this does not bring us any further. Pity.

Perhaps it is interesting to show a few more pictures, of the same male Cruzi-subcomplex fish. It iis again a few weeks older.