A.Viejita

[ste12000]

Hi chaps...Me again. Can you help Id this apisto..Sold to me as A.Viejita which i have no experience of, Got home and got the cichlid atlas out and found that like the majority of my Apistogramma purchases, things are not so clear cut.. Is the fish pictured A.Viejita or Macmasteri ?? Neither fish in the Atlas conform to my fish and i can see plenty of differences..Any explanation of telling the two apart will be appreciated and will help me for future references.
The picture was taken when moving the fish from its quarantine tank into a fresh breeding setup..More pictures will follow when the pair are settled. Both pictures are of the same male fish, the female was stressed and showed no defining markings for id.Thanks.

 

[Mike Wise]

It looks like A. macmasteri to me. See my discussion at http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery.php?genus=Apistogramma in "Diagnosis" for A. viejita. The photo of Rolo's fish is the real A. viejita.

 

[ste12000]

Cheers Mike, much apreciated..

Looking at them now after reading your explanation i too think Macmasteri. The caudal fin showing slight extentions gives it away. I have yet to find out if they are wild or captive bred but the shop i got them from usually has wild stock, unfortunatly i picked a day when the owner was not there and i was served by the worlds worst shop assistant!!!! That alone is a thread in itself..The guy tried to catch and bag a silver shark when i asked for a female Congochromis out of one tank...and swore blind i had picked the wrong fish when i asked for the Viejita..He though that Rosy barbs were the Viejita..It was comical really but from a specialist shop that stocks the unusual fish i really would expect more... Thanks again.

 

[Microman]

Steve,
I have never seen any true A viejita in the UK and everything sold as such are either domestic bred A macmasteri or A macmasteri/viejita domestic crosses.
I have only ever seen one import of wild A macmasteri and those were much less colourful than your fish with very little red on the shoulders. The colours of your fish will really intensify as they settle.
Mark...

 

[Mike Wise]

Steve,

I agree with Mark, your macs look like good quality domestic Red-shoulder Macs/Rotrücken. As for the shop assistant, you obviously need to talk to the owner about getting this sad person an education on fish identification - or relegate him to mopping floors.

 

[ste12000]

Steve,
The colours of your fish will really intensify as they settle.
Mark...

Well Mark they certainly settled quickly!! These were brought out Yesterday, tuesday 12th August..