id request - a. gibbiceps or something else (?cf uaupesi) ?

[anewbie]

These were sold as a. gibbiceps (possibly as females):

I realize the images are a bit blurry and will try for better one - but how would i distinguish between a. gibbiceps and cf uaupesi; tom's website talks about pointers on the male but not the female. One thing i think is that these two black dots one closer to the tail and one mid body. Hum. just not sure what to make of these.

 

[Frank Hättich]

They are gibbiceps, at least the last one is a male.

 

[anewbie]

They are gibbiceps, at least the last one is a male.

For my education what was the key identifier on species. The pictures show 2 different fish - the last one was near the front and the other two pictures (same fish i think - though there were 2 fishes side by side) are in the middle of the aquarium near the edge - it is 48x24 (inch).

 

[Frank Hättich]

For my education what was the key identifier on species.

Mostly gut feeling supported by the shape of the head and body and the narrow lateral band. If your fish show abdominal markings or horizontal caudal pattern or a downwards widened suborbital stripe as in the following picture, you can be 100% sure:

 

[anewbie]

Mostly gut feeling supported by the shape of the head and body and the narrow lateral band. If your fish show abdominal markings or horizontal caudal pattern or a downwards widened suborbital stripe as in the following picture, you can be 100% sure:

View attachment 17551

Thanks - Yea the vertical markings i know about (though i don't know if the females have those); one of the fish that is quite large has the strong vertical bars but was a little concern about mixed species import.

Do the females have vertrical markings ?

 

[Frank Hättich]

Thanks - Yea the vertical markings i know about (though i don't know if the females have those); one of the fish that is quite large has the strong vertical bars but was a little concern about mixed species import.

Do the females have vertrical markings ?

yes

 

[Mike Wise]

A. gibbiceps, being an agassizii-complex species, will show a metallic blue spot on the upper lip. A. uaupesi, being an iniridae-group species, doesn't show the lip spot.

 

[anewbie]

A. gibbiceps, being an agassizii-complex species, will show a metallic blue spot on the upper lip. A. uaupesi, being an iniridae-group species, doesn't show the lip spot.

Is the blue spot seen at birth or something that develops as the fishes age? I purchased 8 for a 100 gallon aquarium (mostly in an attempt to get mixed sex; then really wanting 8 but they are said to be relatively docile); but some are quite young.

 

[Frank Hättich]

Is the blue spot seen at birth or something that develops as the fishes age?

In adult males, but not all show the spot equally pronounced.