any apisto's available in the Philly metro area?

[Kevin F Smith]

I hope everything works out for you with your mail order deal, I only did that once in the mid nineties, when I was starting to get interested in Apisto's. Did Harvey say anything about why the order never happened? I'm just curious because he seemed eager to put some new species in the tanks at THR. Again best of luck with your new arrivals, Dave

Hi Dave,

I'm going to HR in a few minutes. Harvey has been trying to deal with the logistics of getting the apistos. I'm not sure the timing of shipment coincides with HR visits to Philly airport. He sounds optimistic. I mentioned Atlantis and the Czech Republic sources.

Three of my nannochromis arrived dead, but the seller was very good, issuing full refund. The remaining fish are doing well: pair of panduro, 1 male baenschi, male nannochromis.

But, it's just too risky, and I really don't like not seeing what I'm getting. My impatience with the LFS's is why I breakdown and do it, despite my better judgement. I don't want to wait 2-3 years for a particular type of fish, like nannochromis.

FYI, panduro appears to be a pretty hardy fish. I think they have some at TFP.

Will let you know what I see/hear at HR today.

 

[Diesel Fitter]

hey Kevin, how is it going, I haven't done anything with my fishtanks lately other than water changes. Lately I have been getting my ass kicked, in fishing a couple of bass tournaments and practice days, with my son. I hope that all is well with your new arrivals, and has the supplier sent you your replacement nannochromis? dave

 

[Kevin F Smith]

Hi Dave,
Sounds like fun. my brother will be visiting soon, he takes part in the Cape May shark tournament every year. Then he brings us home some good stuff! Went to HR. They keep mislabeling their apistos. I know Harvey has nothing to do with that. They still have the lone Mcmasteri labeled "inirida." Now they have a tank of what looks like Macs, labeled "agassizi!" The only thing interesting about this new batch is they could be "hoignei" which looks like mac with some differences however. Going over this weekend with my Linke book to see if I can do a positive ID. In any event, they need to get their act together with labeling.
Have a great weekend.

 

[aquaticclarity]

Hi Dave,
Sounds like fun. my brother will be visiting soon, he takes part in the Cape May shark tournament every year. Then he brings us home some good stuff! Went to HR. They keep mislabeling their apistos. I know Harvey has nothing to do with that. They still have the lone Mcmasteri labeled "inirida." Now they have a tank of what looks like Macs, labeled "agassizi!" The only thing interesting about this new batch is they could be "hoignei" which looks like mac with some differences however. Going over this weekend with my Linke book to see if I can do a positive ID. In any event, they need to get their act together with labeling.
Have a great weekend.

Check out the "agassizii" carefully. There was an import labeled agassizii that are actually sp. Black Throat. Great fish that isn't readily available yet.

 

[Kevin F Smith]

Check out the "agassizii" carefully. There was an import labeled agassizii that are actually sp. Black Throat. Great fish that isn't readily available yet.

Thanks for the heads up. Going back today to take a closer look.

 

[Kevin F Smith]

I returned to Hidden Reef and purchased a pair. When they settle down I'll post a photograph. The male's basic body patterns are similar to Macmasteri. However, this fish has a great deal of blue in the head region, with blue stripes under the eyes. The anal fin has 4-5 distinct small circular spots on its upper part. The ventral fins have are reddish with a slight blue front border. It also has about three pronounced cacatuoides like lines on its belly. It's chin area is gold, and this color extends into the belly area. Has hints of mac like upper and lower red stripes in the caudal. At first, after searching the literature, the closest resemblance is to Veijita color morph 2, in Linke/Staeck Dwarf Cichlids, page 155, if that name is still valid. However, a Google search of black throat turned up some photos, from a thread on this site, of a fish much more similar to mine, which, however, doesn't have the reddish ventral fins. Hopefully I'll be able to post some pics soon.

 

[Kevin F Smith]

FYI, the have a couple more pairs, at $5.99 a fish. Great price for a find like this.

 

[aquaticclarity]

Viejita II and sp. Black throat are the same fish.

 

[Kevin F Smith]

Great. Thank you. Might be converging toward a positive ID. Looks a lot like this: http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/threads/apistogramma-sp-schwarzkehl-black-throat.17712/ Mine has a great deal of pinkish/red in the ventrals. I'll give the male some time to acclimate and color up and I'll post some photos.

 

[Matt H]

Saw this thread a few days ago (haven't been on here in a while). Was going to mention THR but someone already did. Noticed yesterday THR just got in a bunch of Apisto's (been waiting for Cardinal Tetra's every time I go they're out). Check their website: http://fishnews.thehiddenreef.com/i...k/8-live-stock/570-live-stock-list-06-01-2014

 

[Kevin F Smith]

Thank you Matt. I was there too early Friday, shipment arrived in the evening. Visiting today and will post on what I see. I'll check on the cardinals also.

 

[Kevin F Smith]

I just returned home with a bunch. Prices are $32.99/pair. Lots of bitaeniata, borellii, cacs, pantalones, viejita, panduro.

Apistos at Hidden Reef, Levitown PA, just north of Philly area.
APISTO. AGASSIZI DBLE RED
APISTO. ASST. WILD PERU
APISTO. BITAENIATA
APISTO. BITAENIATA SHUSHUPE
APISTO. AGASSIZI TEFE PEARL BLUE
APISTO. AGASSIZI BLUE
APISTO. BORELLI BLUE
APISTO. BORELLI OPAL
APISTO CACATUOIDES ORANGE FLASH
APISTO. CACATUOIDES SUPER RED
APISTO. HONGSLOI II
APISTO. PANDURO
APISTO. PANTALONE
APISTO. NIJSSENI PANDA DWARF
APISTO. VIEJITA RED NECK

Have about 40 small cardinals but selling quickly.

 

[Matt H]

Was that you talking to the one guy who said he was losing his voice? (the conversation did involve cardinal tetras) I picked up some cardinal tetras and a pair of the tefe blue agassizi. I was surprised at the number of apistos, usually there's only a few pairs. They had 2+ pairs of several of them.

 

[Kevin F Smith]

That might have been me Matt. Was there yesterday late afternoon for a few hours. I've never seen so many apistos at one time in a pet shop. Picked up ten. Good luck with the tefes and cardinals.

 

[Evil_Apistos]

You may want to watch Atlantis also. They're about 2.5 hours from us in NY (North of the end of Garden State Parkway), but they had a great list last year. They should be posting soon. Only open on Saturdays. Not a bad drive on a weekend if you're coming back with 7 or 8 different apisto species. Here is there stock list from September 2013: http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/threads/list-of-fish-imported-from-the-czech-republic.15115/

Atlantis is pretty much done. Both the NY and Florida locations have switched hands. It has gone down hill. The workers from there are now spread out. Fish Hut in saddlebrook NJ has those employees. Fish Hut will be getting apistos in Septemberish. Great store, great fish, great prices. Absolutely fish in clifton nj usually always has them and now they are trying to breed their own. Adams pet safari is a hidden gem. Their apistos are usually awsome and breeding already. There is also another place in hanover nj which has been there for years...really different sp. in that place. Forget the name... jeff rapps is always an option. I like to see the fish first hand before buying though.

 

[Kevin F Smith]

Thanks for the FYI and links. I'm in NJ often. Will visit some of these stores.

 

[Diesel Fitter]

Kevin, after a lengthy hiatus, I am back, I hope all is well with you and your family and your tanks. I have a heads up for you, The Fish factory, on Rd 413 has had and will continue to bring Apistogramma into their store. Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas! Dave

 

[Kevin F Smith]

Kevin, after a lengthy hiatus, I am back, I hope all is well with you and your family and your tanks. I have a heads up for you, The Fish factory, on Rd 413 has had and will continue to bring Apistogramma into their store. Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas! Dave

Hi Dave, thanks for asking. Great to hear from you. Tanks doing well. up to 7 now. I just started to go to Fish Factory and I like the place. Been talking to Don. Have seen agassizi and cacs there. Gave him a list yesterday.
They have interesting fish. Got blue neon and blue paraiba angelfish there for very good price last week.
BTW, Harvey no longer at Hidden Reef. He was their apisto guy. I doubt we'll be seeing many apistos at HR now. I had heard he wanted to open a pet shop in Trenton, focusing on unusual fish, but he left no forwarding info.
Saw some wild caught aggies at TFP back in November but didn't have the room at the time.
Merry Christmas!

 

[Diesel Fitter]

Merry Christmas to you and yours! I picked up a pair of Cacatoides from tff, about 3 weeks to maybe a month ago. I thought that they were getting close to spawning, the female was starting to color up, the male was very interested, when to my surprise yesterday I see the female leading a group of 50-80 fry around the tank, another surprise the male is doing a decent job staying out of the way. Having problems with brine shrimp hatching in sufficient numbers to feed them, hopefully, I can get it together. Dave
.

 

[Kevin F Smith]

Merry Christmas to you and yours! I picked up a pair of Cacatoides from tff, about 3 weeks to maybe a month ago. I thought that they were getting close to spawning, the female was starting to color up, the male was very interested, when to my surprise yesterday I see the female leading a group of 50-80 fry around the tank, another surprise the male is doing a decent job staying out of the way. Having problems with brine shrimp hatching in sufficient numbers to feed them, hopefully, I can get it together. Dave
.

Wonderful. I may have seen that pair, in a tank at the far back of the store. Good luck!