Help with ID Please

[johnny70]

I bought a pair of wild caught juvenile fish last weekend.

I was told they were;

Burjuquina vittata beautiful fish.

But I have now been told they could be;

Laetacara thayeri??

Pics of the male and female below, any thoughts?

JOHNNY

 

[Mike Wise]

Search under Laetacara flavilabris. They probably are this species. Laetacara thayeri is a more stocky species.

 

[johnny70]

Thanks Mike I agree looks spot on for the fish we have:wink:

Excellent work, thank you

JOHNNY

 

[Stephan]

Hi Jonny,

the fish in the photos are completely reliably Laetacara flavilabris!
I have at present again all Laetacara kinds.:wink:
http://forum.apistogramma.com/showthread.php?t=7036&highlight=flavilabris

 

[johnny70]

Thanks for that

Can you give me any information on them, there doesn't seem to be a lot of it about. Have you had any sucess with breeding? any aggression between the male and female?

Regards
JOHNNY

 

[Stephan]

Hi,

I have my 7 L.flavilabris wild Peru only since 12.2007.
They were there 5-6 cm and are now already approx.. 10 cm.
In 2 weeks I get still 10 WF.
They are not shy, and not very peacefully among themselves.
They rush about, hurt themselves however not.
I cannot recognize the sexes exactly yet.
They are not so far probably yet.
There is very beautiful Laetacaras and many more colored, than I thought!

I translate with a program, I hope, we understand myself in such a way!:wink:

Regards
Stephan

 

[Mike Wise]

Your translation program works fine. For those who don't know "WF" = "Wild Caught (Wildfang)

I only had L. flavilabris once - 20 years ago. They came in as contaminants with wild Neon Tetras (tiny). It took them about 18 month to mature. The fish do best in soft & acid water (pH 5.5; <3º dGH & dKH). Mine spawned on a broadleaf sword plant (plastic). It is very easy to see when they have eggs. The entire head turns sooty black. Mine were very shy and easily disturbed. I kept them in a more secluded part of the my fish room. Otherwise, they never would raise fry.

 

[johnny70]

Thanks to you both:wink:

My water is very soft kh 0 gh 3, ph, I'm slowly dropping, at the moment is 6.4

I have found the female quite skittish but the male is quite happy to see me always comes to the glass and always looking for food, easy to see why they call them the smiling arcara

JOHNNY

 

[johnny70]

Well I'm not impressed, the male has become very very aggresssive towards the female. she has been in constant hiding only coming out of the cave to feed to which he chases her again. I'm feeding at different sides of the tank so she can get food.

We have a bigger tank 30"long to put them in, any idea if this may help?

Cheers,
JOHNNY

 

[ed seeley]

That's a shame Johnny. The larger tank certainly can't hurt and the change of location may help too. Maybe you could move the female to the larger tank, let her settle then add the male after a few weeks?

 

[johnny70]

Yeah I think that will be the plan to be honest, cheers

JOHNNY

 

[Mike Wise]

This is a big Laetacara. Males can reach over 5"/12.5cm. I would not keep them in anything smaller than a 20 Long. Mine were fine and bred in this size tank.

 

[johnny70]

They have now moved and it seems ok at the moment, he is not constantly harrassing her now

JOHNNY