Looking to confirm D21

[rcmclure]

!I purchased these fish at the GCCA -Greater Chicago Cichlid Association rare fish auction in February, the club imported them from Colombia as D21. As they have spawned and I do not want to spread unconfirmed or misidentified Apistos, I’m hoping that I can get confirmation that these are indeed D21 please and thank you, Rob

 

[Frank Hättich]

As they have spawned and I do not want to spread unconfirmed or misidentified Apistos,

That is very commendable!

I’m hoping that I can get confirmation that these are indeed D21 please and thank you, Rob

Unfortunately, that's impossible to tell for sure without knowing the catch location. However, does your male ever show red coloration in the lower half of it's ventral fins, like this one?

 

[rcmclure]

Thank you for your fast reply! I checked all my photos and do not see any red in the ventral fins on the male. So likely not D21 then? What would be an appropriate name? sorry I’m accustomed to Corydoradinae and we identify everything in some way shape or form

 

[Frank Hättich]

Thank you for your fast reply! I checked all my photos and do not see any red in the ventral fins on the male. So likely not D21 then?

On all the pictures I have of 5 different males every one of them has the lower half of the ventral fins colored red. Even some females in brooding dress show red tips of the ventral fins. But exceptions from such "rules" are present in every Apisto species, especially regarding such "soft facts" as coloration.

What would be an appropriate name? sorry I’m accustomed to Corydoradinae and we identify everything in some way shape or form

A. cf. sp. D21 would be reasonable. However, without any information about what species the fish are supposed to be, I would probably call them A. cf. macmasteri. However, the problem is that most people will ignore the "cf." anyway ;-)

 

[rcmclure]

Thank you very much Frank!!

 

[KenL]

Could the location make a difference to the colouring but the species is still the same? I suppose being undescibed makes a difference.

 

[Frank Hättich]

Could the location make a difference to the colouring but the species is still the same?

In principle yes, but as it turned out in recent years (mostly by means of DNA analysis), usually different location means different species.

 

[anewbie]

Kind of sad you never truly know what you have unless you cut it open and steal its dna

 

[Frank Hättich]

Kind of sad you never truly know what you have unless you cut it open and steal its dna

In most cases the exact catch location is sufficient.