Pike cichlid ID help

[Jwitho]

The shop I work in have had a delivery of pike cichlids, listed as C.geayi but I don’t believe they are

My guess is a notopthalmus sp of some sort, any guesses?

 

[MacZ]

Not so sure if this is a Wallacia. @Mazan is the one here with highest activity and experience with them.

 

[Jwitho]

Not so sure if this is a Wallacia. @Mazan is the one here with highest activity and experience with them.

See I thought Wallacia due for to body shape and the spot on the caudal area
But more than happy to be told different

 

[MacZ]

All the small species have been put together in the genus Wallacia. I myself have no expertise in ID-ing certain species, but I can tell in most cases whether it's the right genus. In this case I'm out, though.

 

[Jwitho]

All the small species have been put together in the genus Wallacia. I myself have no expertise in ID-ing certain species, but I can tell in most cases whether it's the right genus. In this case I'm out, though.

To be honest I’ve never seen juvenile C.geayi so they could easily be the right species
Always best to ask those who know more when in doubt!

 

[Mazan]

I don’t really have that much experience with pike cichlids, only with one species of Wallaciia, however I did look into the dwarf species a lot when I first got mine and I don’t think it’s a Wallaciia and certainly not nothopthalmus, probably it’s one of the larger species.

 

[Jwitho]

I don’t really have that much experience with pike cichlids, only with one species of Wallaciia, however I did look into the dwarf species a lot when I first got mine and I don’t think it’s a Wallaciia and certainly not nothopthalmus, probably it’s one of the larger species.

After doing a deep dive into the whole group
I’m thinking potentially a Saxatilla species

 

[Jwitho]

I ended up taking one home to grow on and hopefully ID as it ages
Luxury of working in a fish store, if it does turn out to be a larger species I can take him back

 

[MacZ]

Nice looking tank! is that a Biotodoma in the background?

 

[Jwitho]

Nice looking tank! is that a Biotodoma in the background?

Thank you!
And no it’s a gymnogeophagus rhabdotus that I took in from a customer
Trying to move it on to someone i know who keeps s.barbatus so they’ll be in much more suitable tank

 

[MacZ]

Trying to move it on to someone i know who keeps s.barbatus so they’ll be in much more suitable tank

That's a really nice combination. I would love to keep Scleromystax, but no chance, I lack the space.

 

[anewbie]

That pike is starting to generate interesting colours on the fins will be interesting to see how it ages.

 

[Jwitho]

That's a really nice combination. I would love to keep Scleromystax, but no chance, I lack the space.

Exactly the same here, original plan was a 3ft by 2ft in the cabinet under this tank for sclero, the rhabs and probably bloodfin tetra
But I want to start breeding a few fish and it’s the only space I have
Too many fish not enough room

 

[Jwitho]

That pike is starting to generate interesting colours on the fins will be interesting to see how it ages.

Definitely, hopefully it does end up being Wallaciia, which looks a bit more promising due to the dorsal spot and mouth shape but we shall see
Behaviour wise is much more akin to Wallaciia too, more skulking and hiding than from what I’ve typically seen in the larger pikes

 

[anewbie]

One question - the wallaciia is not compatible with water or temperature of the Gymnogeophagus rhabdotus so i presume you will sep them during the winter ?

 

[Jwitho]

One question - the wallaciia is not compatible with water or temperature of the Gymnogeophagus rhabdotus so i presume you will sep them during the winter ?

The Gymnos were never a long term plan for this tank, it was a case of rescuing them from someone else’s tank
By winter they should be in a tank that’s kept around 18c year round