My first Apistos.. A. Ortegai?

[CyberCoyote]

Hi all. I picked these guys(?) up yesterday, they were sold as Agassizi but someone much more experienced than me on facebook identified them as A. Ortegai. The LFS guy tried to pick out a male and female. There was one very yellow one in the tank I thought was definitely a female, but the most male looking one was chasing her away and keeping this other one close by.

I have them in a 40 breeder with a dozen green neons, 14 bloodfins, a very young and active bristle nose and 4 bronze corydoras. I know corys and apistos together seem frowned upon but they came in from my 10 gallon guppy tank and were too cramped in there.

DO they appear to be Ortegai? After it was mentioned I did find some strikingly similar images to these juveniles online that made this sound accurate. As far as sexing them, they really both look male to me although one has more yellow in the face than the other.

 

[Mike Wise]

No, it is not A. ortegai. It does not show the double caudal spot that is diagnostic of this species. It appears to be a eunotus-complex species, possibly a cruzi-like form related to A. sp. Nanay/Melgar.

 

[Frank Hättich]

I agree with Mike, it might be a cruzi-like form. But imo it might also be a macmasteri-complex species. Can you show some more photos of your fish CyberCoyote, preferably in different moods?

 

[CyberCoyote]

I agree with Mike, it might be a cruzi-like form. But imo it might also be a macmasteri-complex species. Can you show some more photos of your fish CyberCoyote, preferably in different moods?

I'll pull out the photo gear tomorrow and see what I can capture! Appreciate all the expertise!

 

[CyberCoyote]

I'll pull out the photo gear tomorrow and see what I can capture! Appreciate all the expertise!

Turns out nice camera without a macro lens<phone camera.

First the larger one.

 

[CyberCoyote]

Then the smaller one. It does seem the larger one has claimed the wood side of the tank, the smaller one stays more to the other side. They interact a bit but the larger one bosses the smaller one around.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Looks like a male and a female, again I don't know what species they are, or whether they are both the same species.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mike Wise]

Frank's right, it looks like a macmasteri-complex species, maybe a wild population.

 

[CyberCoyote]

Frank's right, it looks like a macmasteri-complex species, maybe a wild population.

Very cool, thanks for the insight! Gives me a better idea how to look after them!