ID Needed Please

[Saffa]

Hi folks

These were sold to me as A. bitaeniata. They came from Europe on a group import to South Africa late last year.

Are these female bitaeniata?? Please help?


Sean

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
With the usual disclaimer that I have a very poor record with ID's and sexing, and I've no idea what species it is, but the turquoise spangling and long ventral fins make me think it is probably a male.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mpaw]

Hi,
Probably young male Apistogramma paucisquamis - for me.

 

[Saffa]

Thanks for the replies... This is what they were shipped with:

 

[Mpaw]

From Brasil ?

 

[Saffa]

From Europe. Tank bred in Germany as far as I know.

 

[Chromedome]

They could be female bitaeniata, but I suspect they are immature or hider males. I had this problem years ago, females were far fewer in number from any given batch. Probably the wrong temperature range when being raised.

 

[Saffa]

Bugger... I'm the only person in the country who has this species, so what the heck am I going to do with 8 males?? It's so bloody frustrating.

However, in saying that, I have 4 fish in one tank. The only one the dominant male doesn't chase around is the fish in the second pic. So maybe, just maybe it's a female. I'm holding thumbs.

 

[aquaticclarity]

Don't hold your breath...those little guys in the pictures are not bitaeniata and I'm pretty sure they are male. I would agree with paucisquamis or something VERY close to that like mendezi (the broader lateral line has me leaning toward mendezi).

 

[Mike Wise]

If they are A. paucisquamis I would expect to see a 2 abdominal bands below the lateral band. Maybe it's just the lighting. How large are the fish?

 

[Saffa]

They're half the size of the male bitaeniata. I'd say maybe 2.5-3cm?

 

[Saffa]

Had a look at pics of mendezi and paucisquamis and they are similar, but not the same. These fish don't have high dorsal fins. They don't have extensions. There is a slight red lining on the top of the dorsal. I don't know. It's bugging the hell out of me.

Also, there are sleeper males, and they are very different looking to these fish. Orange in the ventral fins, which is missing from these particular fish.

 

[Saffa]

This might help?

 

[Mike Wise]

Well, the big fish is definitely a male. The others, I don't know. Female A. bitaeniata typically have clear caudal fins with no pattern.

 

[Saffa]

So this might be more convincing?

Same fish as the first picture in my first post. I have a little more hope.