wild apisto. vs. tank-bred apisto

[blueblue]

As a breeder, I myself like to collect wild apistos because breeding them
can give more interesting F1. However, it could be hard
in many cases to distinguish whether an apisto. is really
caught in the wild or is just a tank-bred fish. Are there some
tips/remarks to distinguish between the two?

For me, when i find that a tank of "new arrival wild-fish" all look very
intact and "fat", i will be inclined to believe that the fish are
actually tank-bred, instead of wild caught. So, quite often, when i
purchased wild-caught fish, i would have purchased something
like the following fish (the tail is damaged but i am sure the tail will
grow to the normal size again),

 

[Mark]

I am using the same ideas. I know sometimes bred fish is sold as wildcaugth fish. I will get suspicious when the fish are all in good shape, the same size and sometimes the same sex.
You can also see the difference by looking at the shape of the fish (very robust, fat fish can't be wildcaugth fish to me) and at the color. The color of wildcaugth fish is more intens and subtile.
The last way to see it is by looking at the behaviour of the fish. Wildcaugth fish is usually more stressy and very afraid when you're disturbing the tank.

These are all aspect I use alltogether. There is not one aspect that can tell it for 100% sure. I hope the combination tells me enough to distinguish with certainty.

I hope this works for you too. Please let us know...

Best,
Mark

 

[blueblue]

Thanks Mark for your sharings ^.^

 

[blueblue]

Are there some more sharings on this topic? ^.^

 

[Rolo]

However, it could be hard
in many cases to distinguish whether an apisto. is really
caught in the wild or is just a tank-bred fish. Are there some
tips/remarks to distinguish between the two?

I don't think, that there are certain visible differences between wild-caught and tank-bred fishes.
As you said, a freshly imported fish often is in worse feeding-condition and with damaged fins... but it don't have to be like that or a tank-bred fish could look the same, depending on it's growing conditions.

It seems to be a matter of believe ;-)

best regards,
Rolo

 

[Mike Wise]

I have to agree with Rolo. We have to rely on what the importers says for the most part. In the past, when apistos were not very popular, they would be shipped in as "mixed dwarf cichlids". Shipments of dentified species were rare. They were usually small, thin, breathing heavy, & had frayed fins. Now that apistos are so popular - and importers know they can get better prices for species with names - they are more carefully collected, shipped, and fed than in the past. Now we see, in the US, apistos shipped directly from Peru that are well fed and in very good condition. I believe that this is because the are held and fed at export stations before they are shipped to other countries. The importers tend to hold them & feed them before shipping them to other countries, too. This results in larger, healthier, wild-caught apistos in the hobby.

 

[cootwarm]

I have 2 pair od wild caught cacatuoides that have an occasional fleck of black like they were sprinkled with black pepper. I was told that only wild caught cacs have this. I was disappointed that these flecks of black weren't passed on to their young. One of the females has an interesting pattern of black flecks on just one side of her body that looks really cool, especially when in her bright yellow brooding colors.

Has anyone else heard of these black flecks?
Are they on species other than cacs?

Michael

P.S. - When I buy wild caughts, I get them from reputable dealers that import directly from South America. I'm no expert, but I feel I did indeed receive wild caught apistos. I learned of these dealers through AquaBid and also this forum.

 

[blueblue]

Thanks Rolo, Mike and Cootwarm for your kind sharings ^.^

 

[Mark]

Hi Cootwarm,

The black spots are well know from wildcaugth fish. Unfortunately for you the spots only occur with wild fish. Sometimes they only have 1 or 2 spots and the spots get more in time. The reason why these spots occur is not clear (as far as I know), but it might be caused by a parasite. The parasite uses multiple hosts which are not present in our tanks.
Fact is that the fish seem to be unharmed by the spots, the only thing is that they get ugly (or more beautiful in your case). All the Apisto species can come in having these spots, so it's not only on caca's. I had wilhelmi, mamore and some others with spots.

So having spots is a good sign that the fish is wildcaugth, but some of us will not buy them because of it.

Best,
Mark Klootwijk

 

[Rolo]

Has anyone else heard of these black flecks?
Are they on species other than cacs?

As far as I know, these flecks are a (harmless) virus infection.
Of course, other species can get them, too. But it seems, that only dwarf cichlids will be infected.
But it is NOT correct, that only wild-caught fishes can get these spots. It's virulent and it will infect other fishes in your tanks.

regards,
Rolo

 

[blueblue]

yes, here in Hong Kong, many people also propose that wild fish, is notorious of having this black-spot disease, BUT it does NOT mean that only wild ifsh has this problem. It is owing to a virus, and all fish infected seem to be all fine except having the black spots.

One interesting point to note is, after keeping Apistos in a good aquarium for some time, the black spots will disappear in many cases!! So, some people do say that: Black spots are a very useful way to distinguish wild-caught fish from tank-bred fish as an apisto with black spots is very likely a wild-caught fish...