Sexing A. sp "Winkelfleck/Angle-spot"

[curviceps]

Hello.

I bought two A. sp "Winkelfleck/Angle-spot", but I'm not too sure of their sexes. Could someone please help sexing these?

Thanks

Apisto #1

Apisto #2

 

[Mike Wise]

I'm sorry to inform you that:

#1. It looks like 2 males to me.

#2. This is not A. sp. Winkelfeck/Angle-spot. It is A. sp. Masken/Apache, etc.

 

[curviceps]

Thanks Mike. They looked like 2 males by the time they got home so thanks for confirming that.

Are Maskens and Angle-Spots similar such that the LFS mis-labelled them?

 

[Mike Wise]

Both are regani-group species from Peru. To the inexperienced eye they could be confused. Both species have even been sold commercially under the name "A. sp. Cara Pintada". Obvious differences are seen in the depth of the body, height of the dorsal fin, prominence of the tail stripes, and width of the vertical bars.

A. sp. Masken: moderately deep body (similar to A. sp. Rotpunkt); dorsal fin moderately high (typical of most regani-group species); Dark, well marked vertical stripes on most of the height of the tail of the male (faint on females); tall, narrow band-like caudal spot over entire height of caudal peduncle; dark vertical bars much wider than light interstitial area.

A. sp. Winkelfleck: relatively deep body (similar to A. hongsloi cf II); dorsal fin shorter than average (and caudal fin small for such a large apisto); less dark, less distinctly bordered caudal fin bands that cover the interior half of the tail; dark bars on flanks angle posteriorly and are narrower than the light interstitial area.

 

[Microman]

Pics of my A sp Winkelflek... Ive noticed that the dark vertical bars on the flanks are nearly always present whilst in most moods on my male.
Mark...

 

[Mike Wise]

Note the difference between the shape of the caudal spot on Mark's (Microman) Winkelfleck and curviceps' Masken.

 

[curviceps]

here's an update of my fish... waited so long for a shot of them flaring:

 

[Mike Wise]

2 beutiful male A. sp. Masken/Masked