Identify this female (not apisto?)

[dws9876]

OK, so I have this "female", originally a supposed wild-caught unidentified apisto fry. Size-wise she is not huge (maybe 2" SL), but is way bigger than any apistogramma that I have ever seen. She has caught up in size to some rams in the same tank. Shy, not agressive at all, except in defending her small flower pot cave. Looking at the photo, she does not appear to me to be very apistogramma-like at all.

 

[Frank Hättich]

It's a male of some form of A. cf. alacrina.

 

[dws9876]

AH! That explains the hulking size. Since I only have one, would it be alright to try to find a female online somewhere, or am I just asking for trouble?

 

[Frank Hättich]

If you buy a female, they will likely breed (assuming that you provide them with the proper conditions regarding water, food etc.). In this case they will become territorial and more or less aggressive towards the rams and other fish in the tank. Depending on the size and structuring/decoration of the tank this may be a more or less severe problem. Moreover, the female "A. alacrina" you buy will almost certainly not belong to the same wild population as your male. I personally avoid breeding with specimens from different populations, because with Apistos it's rather the rule than the exception that different populations in the end turn out to be different species.