ID: A. bitaeniata??

[blueblue]

The fish is a wild fish (please see the URLs).
It should be an A. bitaeniata while
it does look similar to an A. eremnopyge. Has anybody
kept it before? Does anybody know about its background?
Please advise. Thanks much.

http://www.aquariumfarm.com/phpBB2/files/yau004.jpg
http://www.aquariumfarm.com/phpBB2/files/yau008.jpg

 

[Mike Wise]

It is a nicely colored A. bitaeniata, probably from a stream entering the lower Rio Ucayali.

 

[blueblue]

Thanks Mike for your advice. Just a followup question, some friends in Taiwan suspected that this fish is a natural mix of A. bitaeniata and A. eremnopyge as many characteristics of A. eremnopyge
are also found in this specimen. What is the likelihood of it? May
you please comment on it? Thanks much. ^_^

 

[Mike Wise]

some friends in Taiwan suspected that this fish is a natural mix of A. bitaeniata and A. eremnopyge as many characteristics of A. eremnopyge
are also found in this specimen. What is the likelihood of it?

I understand why you are confused. The fish shows unusually dark markings in areas not usually so distinct. It shows rows of spots on the flanks and an apparent caudal peduncle patch below the lateral band - both characteristics of A. eremnopyge. A. eremnopyge, however, has 3-4 rows of spots and no abdominal stripe. Your fish shows only 2 rows of dark red spots: one on the back edges of scales just below the lateral band (often seen as indistinct black/gray spots on A. bitaeniata) and a second row along the abdominal stripe. Since your male has a lot of red, the spots appear red instead of black. The fish only shows a darkening of the abdominal stripe on the caudal peduncle, not a caudal patch,. It covers a much wider distance (bars 6 & 7) than the caudal patch on A. eremnopyge, but is not as tall. The dark area does not extend into the lateral band on your fish, but on A. eremnopyge it covers all of bar 7 below the lateral band. Your fish appears to me to be a specimen of A. bitaenata transitioning between 2 behavioral color patterns: dominant/aggressive (which shows no very dark markings except the lateral spot) to fright pattern (which shows a lateral band and abdominal stripe connected by vertical bars.

 

[blueblue]

i see. Thanks Mike. ^_^

 

[blueblue]

This fish is called
"Ap.bitaeniata Pirata orange fin" in Taiwan...
http://my.so-net.net.tw/bigrice/ap_bita_pirata.htm

 

[blueblue]

This fish was imported again recently.
Interesting enough, i find that it is identical to the
recent imports of bita from Rio Maranon (Peru)!!

Here comes my question: Is there a river/localty known
as Pirata??

 

[Mike Wise]

Pirata = Pirate, in Spanish. It is possible that there might be such a place, but I do not know of any river or location in Peru named Pirata.

 

[Mark]

Hi all and especially Mike,

I have bought some of this species in Holland. They are sold (and imported) as sp. Haway. I do not agree that it is a bitaeniata because it really has some characteristics of the eremnopyge. The second band along the lateral is only shown at some occations and not as obvious as the bitaeniata. The females of this species show some lines (3?) under the lateral line and these disappear and change into the wider line. In the tank next to these there were wild (real) eremnopyge and the females are very difficult to separate. I think it really is a separate species which forms a link between the eremnopyge and the bitaeniata. I will try to make photo's in a couple of days.

Mark
Netherlands

 

[Mark]

BlueBlue,

The fish you show us by your link is different from the fish you show us by the first post. The link is a bitaeniata, but in my opinion the other 2 are not.

Mark

 

[Mike Wise]

It is very difficult to ID some fish from only a few photos - especially when they show features that do not appear to have "typical" markings. Unless I can see more photos of the fish in blueblue's link in other moods, I will stay with my original opininon - which may or may not be correct.

 

[blueblue]

Hi Mike, Here are a couple of new photos of the recent imports
of "Pirata Bita.", please take a look

http://aquariumfarm.com/phpBB2/files/pirata02_952.jpg

http://aquariumfarm.com/phpBB2/files/pirata04_785.jpg

http://aquariumfarm.com/phpBB2/files/pirata03_106.jpg

 

[Mike Wise]

I agree in part with Mark. The fish pictured on Big Rice are a form of A. bitaeniata. The fish pictured by blueblue is unusual, but probably a form of A. bitaeniata, too. The Big Rice & blueblue fish do not seem to be the same form, however. Are they both supposed to be "Pirata"?

 

[blueblue]

I agree in part with Mark. The fish pictured on Big Rice are a form of A. bitaeniata. The fish pictured by blueblue is unusual, but probably a form of A. bitaeniata, too. The Big Rice & blueblue fish do not seem to be the same form, however. Are they both supposed to be "Pirata"?

Hi Mike, yes, they are all traded under the same name Pirata;
in the same lot of Pirata bita, we could find both forms,
the form similar to mine and the form similar to Big-Rice's, together...
The form in Big Rice's picture may also become similar to the one
i pictured depending on the mood of the fish...