Proper name for "Apistogramma blue head"

[natczer]

Hi,

I have recently acquired a couple of fish sold as "Apistogramma blue head". I have scrolled through galleries and galleries trying to find their proper name with no luck. Can anyone help me? These fish are readily available in Australia and no-one seems to know their proper name so I can find out further info about them.

Thanks,

Natalie

 

[mervin]

hi there natczer,
the "blue head" that you have.....is it the same as sp. steel blue ????

if it is, i believe the steel blue is a hydrid fish that was "developed" in Singapore.

cheers
mervin

 

[soko]

blue ram?

 

[aquivalley]

reference~~

I don't think so~~ ^^:

But~ :roll:
reference~~

http://www.aaf.or.kr/apis/gallery4/sp/steelblue/steelblue.htm

other common name : new blue

I'm beginners~~ ^^

 

[P.W.]

Hi

Yes, this fish is said to be a hybrid, "created" by breeders in Singapore. I have read somewhere that it could be a cross between a species from the Resticulosa complex and Ap. Borellii. I´m not so sure that this is true, but you never know.
Romer seem to believe that it is a natural species. In his "cichliden atlas" there are photos and some info about this fish. But no collecting sites identified (?)

Many times this fish is sold under the name of Ap. Borellii, and occasionally even under the name Ap. Resticulosa. other names are Ap. sp. bluehead and Ap. sp. steelblue.

The valid commercial name on this fish is of course Ap. sp. Steelblue.

The photos that Aquivalley linked shows typical Ap. sp. steelblue.

The funny thing is that I have never seen a female of this species!!!!
Not in real life or on some photos.
Have anyone of you out there seen a female or heard of someone getting some fry from this fish???

Anyhow, it´s a very beautiful apisto. Altough somewhat aggressive.


Best regards/ Per

 

[mervin]

Romer seem to believe that it is a natural species. In his "cichliden atlas" there are photos and some info about this fish. But no collecting sites identified (?)

All Dr Romer had pertaining to this fish is the description, some pics, probable relations and he did said that the fish was first imported to Europe in 1995 from Singapore.

Distribution was stated as unknown but since it could be a regani group, it suggest that it could orginates from the lower Rio Amazonas.

cheers,
Mervin

 

[Zapisto]

The funny thing is that I have never seen a female of this species!!!!
Not in real life or on some photos.
Have anyone of you out there seen a female or heard of someone getting some fry from this fish???

Personnally none .
no female anywhere.
i am also very interesting see one and have the definitive answer of this question : is it a valid natural specie or not ?

A friend of me from quebec say he has a female , i will let him explain himself , he is register.
for myself , unless someone proove me it is not, Stellblue is an hybrid.

 

[aspen]

until more collection from the wild is done, i would not buy this fish. i am not convinced this is a real species either. the romer book states that intense searching and investigation was done to try and see if this fish is a real fish. if the singaporeans who originally marketed this fish can't (or won't) categorically prove this is a real species, not a tank bred hybrid, then i trust it is simply a fish bred from 2 existing species. i don't own any jelly bean parrots, fancy goldfish or any other mutant fish, except the molly's i use for algae cleaning.

rick

 

[Xanathos]

I bought like 6 of them in a pet shop, thinking how cool it was to get a new species for a so cheap price ( I pay 5$ canadian for each ). After learning what kind of fishes they were, I gave them to a good friend of mine who enjoy good looking fish.

I can't say for sure that he had a female, but one of them sure turned out to a bright yellow after a few weeks in the tanik, just lile any other apistogramma female. We never saw any spawning, but judging from the colors of a particular male, there was definitly some kind of breeding activity.

Unforntunatly, he lost all the tank in a CO2 accident, but still. I believe that they only ship males to pet store, but I guess that sometimes a single female make it in the shipment..

Phil

 

[Zapisto]

I bought like 6 of them in a pet shop, thinking how cool it was to get a new species for a so cheap price ( I pay 5$ canadian for each ). After learning what kind of fishes they were, I gave them to a good friend of mine who enjoy good looking fish.

I can't say for sure that he had a female, but one of them sure turned out to a bright yellow after a few weeks in the tanik, just lile any other apistogramma female. We never saw any spawning, but judging from the colors of a particular male, there was definitly some kind of breeding activity.

Unforntunatly, he lost all the tank in a CO2 accident, but still. I believe that they only ship males to pet store, but I guess that sometimes a single female make it in the shipment..

Phil

phil is one of my best friend.
and i know he have a lot of knowledgement on apisto.
it is possible you get a female , but i am not 100% sure.

but the fact is , nothing proove at this time this species is natural.

 

[aspen]

phil, i hope that you don't think i was being critical of you for purchasing this fish. really i am being critical of the poeple either hybridising this fish, or not supplying the proper info, like it is a big secret. if all science was collected as big secrets, the world would be a sad place to live.

if you did indeed get a female, it is too bad it is lost. many people would like to know more about this species.

rick