ID please

[mixmixi]

Hi,

This norberti is as large as 3 cm and it was given to me as a male. However, I think it is a female, yet very unsure. It is showing no pattern on caudal fin, its colours are intense too, but also it has a very small black patch on the rear side of the dorsal fin which I hope you can see in the two pictures. Any idea if this is a young male or a female, please? Thanks.

 

[aquaticclarity]

No question that is a female.

It doesn't strike me as norberti either, but that could be because of the soft focus of the pictures.

 

[mixmixi]

It is actually a juvenille of A. sp. aff. norberti not the typical norberti. I spoke with the seller through phone who is also the collector of this fish and assured me they are a pair (which I am still unsure) The image has been taken within the first half hour fish was released in tank. I shall update this threat with more images in the next few days.

 

[Mike Wise]

... it means seller is either inexperienced or not honest :/

No, more than likely he's selling them too young. This is a problem with many hobbyist breeders. They try to move them as soon as possible to make room for more fry. IMHO a 3 cm/1+" A. norberti is just beginning to sex out.

 

[Tom C]

It is actually a juvenille of A. sp. aff. norberti not the typical norberti.....

Is this the Apistogramma cf. norberti (Lyretail) from the (Albergue) Tacana area in Leticia?

 

[Frank Hättich]

Is this the Apistogramma cf. norberti (Lyretail) from the (Albergue) Tacana area in Leticia?

Yes, probably Tom. According to Steve McAlear, the catch locality is "km 11 via Tarapaca Leticia Amazonas colombia. It was a stream in the Yahaucaca drainage". The picture of an adult male he posted on facebook had a lyrate caudal fin and the anterior dorsal fin lappets were highly extended.

 

[Tom C]

Thank you, Frank.
Interesting! I didn't have the time to look for this fish myself when I was in Leticia in October, but a friend searched for it at Km 11. Unfortunately he didn't find any, he only got A. bitaeniata in the net that day ...

 

[mixmixi]

Hi Tom,

Yes as Frank said they are meant to be the youngsters of the new form, I am going to keep my fingers crossed.

 

[mixmixi]

Just a quick update. the dominant fish now shows a marking on the rear of dorsal fin, however I am still in doubt if they are males or females or both sexes (the images are from the dominant fish).

 

[Mike Wise]

This dorsal spot is found on A. norberti, A. cf. norberti Lyretail, and even A. hoignei. Your fish, obviously, is not A. hoignei because this species, being a regani-lineage species, does not show a lateral spot. That leaves the 2 norberti-group species. Which it is, I won't even guess at this age/size. Even sexing would be a guess.

 

[mixmixi]

You are certainly right Mike. I was just trying to give an update to this post. I shall keep posting more photos every month and we may be able to see to what they will grow up.