id request ?

[anewbie]

These two pictures where provided as an import by someone with mix species:

They were suppose to be columbia bitaeniata which i believe the nicer ones are - but the ones with band look odd - a bit of searching and the only two species i could find with veritcal band were mitu and psammophila but psammophila seems to be a more streamline fish and thse look short and stocky.

 

[rasmusW]

I think it’s bitaeniata and a regani group species.
Can’t get any closer than that.

-r

 

[Frank Hättich]

a bit of searching and the only two species i could find with veritcal band were mitu and psammophila but psammophila seems to be a more streamline fish and thse look short and stocky.

If you mean the vertical bars

these can be shown by all species. The fish in question look like an eunotus-subcomplex species to me.

 

[anewbie]

If you mean the vertical bars
View attachment 17632
these can be shown by all species. The fish in question look like an eunotus-subcomplex species to me.

Any idea on species ?

 

[Frank Hättich]

Any idea on species ?

Maybe A. (cf.) sp. Nadelstreifen. They are found near Leticia where also a form of A. cf. bitaeniata is found. But without knowing the catch location or seeing better pictures of the fish in different moods, this is merely one of several possibilities.

 

[anewbie]

Maybe A. (cf.) sp. Nadelstreifen. They are found near Leticia where also a form of A. cf. bitaeniata is found. But without knowing the catch location or seeing better pictures of the fish in different moods, this is merely one of several possibilities.

Some additional picture. The exporter is trying to get more information on location but he thinks near Leticia, Colombia

 

[Frank Hättich]

Looks like A. sp. Nadelstreifen.

 

[anewbie]

Thank Frank; from the above pictures I think it is a nice looking fish.

 

[Mike Wise]

An interesting feature that I found on A. sp. "Nadelstreifen", which TomC and I collected in the Leticia area in 2008, was the males' threat display pattern. Half of the vertical bars disappear.

 

[anewbie]

Are these fishes anything 'special'? The picture make them look visibility nice but to purchase tanks space is limited.

 

[Mike Wise]

To me, they were not especially colorful. That is the reason they are not imported (except as contaminants with other more desirable species). For those who want something unusual, even if not commercially in demand, they are rare in the hobby.

 

[anewbie]

To me, they were not especially colorful. That is the reason they are not imported (except as contaminants with other more desirable species). For those who want something unusual, even if not commercially in demand, they are rare in the hobby.

Do they have any unique behavior or low/high level of aggression ? Perhaps the picture are misleading but they look more colourful then a lot of common wc bitaeniata I've seen (though i know some bitaeniata can be quite colourful).

Oh well mostly just curious i'd have to break both arms to find room for another species.

 

[Frank Hättich]

Perhaps the picture are misleading but they look more colourful then a lot of common wc bitaeniata I've seen (though i know some bitaeniata can be quite colourful).

It seems you are talking about the A. cf. bitaeniata in the above pictures not about the A. sp. Nadelstreifen...

 

[anewbie]

It seems you are talking about the A. cf. bitaeniata in the above pictures not about the A. sp. Nadelstreifen...

You are correct - when the seller sent me the 2nd batch of pictures he sent them as all nadelstreifen but yea the ones with the reddish tails are bitaeniata i guess and yes i think those are decent looking fishes still the same problem exist with lack of space. I did actually think maybe they were nadelstreifen but when i was looking at the seller store page i realize my error - i'm really quote horrible at identifying species - esp since i still want to count on body markings - heck i sent some 1 inch f1 to someone yesterday and they dropped markings and i couldn't identify species any longer - how you do it i don't know it makes me feel like an idiot most of the time.

 

[Frank Hättich]

I recommend to read Mike's excellent article "A description of Apistogramma species-groups".

 

[Mike Wise]

Most apistos display pleasing colors if seen in the proper light. I had a community tank that had a less colorful A. bitaeniata in it. In the mornings he would float in a beam of sunlight looking like a multi-jeweled spectacle. Lighting on these fish is the factor.