• Hello guest! Are you an Apistogramma enthusiast? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's a great place for Apisto enthusiasts to meet online. Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your fish and tanks and have a great time with other Apisto enthusiasts. Sign up today!

Apistogramma id, pls...

jeonghun

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
44
Hello.
I have two questions:

221742512656

PostView.nhn

1. Apitogramma of the above photograph purchased with A.bitaeniata a while ago. Please tell me if this apistogramma is a real bitaeniata female.
2. Please tell me how to distinguish the male and female of A.meinkeni.
Thank you.
 

Attachments

  • 20191219_091709.jpg
    20191219_091709.jpg
    634.7 KB · Views: 330
  • 20191219_091701.jpg
    20191219_091701.jpg
    626.5 KB · Views: 345
  • 20191219_000716.jpg
    20191219_000716.jpg
    2 MB · Views: 319

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
It looks more like an A. agassizii female to me.

As for A. meinkeni, the first thing is that many pertensis-complex species have been sold as 'A. meinkeni'. The true A. meinkeni can be sexed like many non-dimorphic apistos by the shape of the dorsal fin tip and fullness of the body, but these are generally only visible in fully mature adults. One other sex difference is that females show a pale yellowish abdomen while on males this area is a dirty white.
 

jeonghun

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
44
Please see if this apitogramma is meinkeni.
 

Attachments

  • 20191220_093948.jpg
    20191220_093948.jpg
    1.9 MB · Views: 331
  • 20191220_093938.jpg
    20191220_093938.jpg
    1.9 MB · Views: 324
  • 20191220_093910.jpg
    20191220_093910.jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 329

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Yes, it appears to be A. meinkeni. The 2 spots, lateral spot (Bar 3) and flank spot (Bar 2) are diagnostic for this species. Not only that, but it appears that you have both sexes.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Pretty sure it's A. meinkeni. Tiquié has a more subterminal mouth on a more rounded head profile. The flank spot on Bar 2 on Tiquié tends to be merged with the postorbital stripe and not separate in most moods, like on A. meinkeni. Male Tiquié also have a more squared-off terminal edge to the caudal fin.
 

Frank Hättich

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
563
Location
Germany
Thanks for your explanation Mike. However, given the variablity/mood-dependency of these subtle differences, I will probably need to see some more and better photos to become confident about the ID of these fish.
 

jeonghun

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
44
More picture
 

Attachments

  • 20191223_104731.jpg
    20191223_104731.jpg
    2.8 MB · Views: 298
  • 20191223_104628.jpg
    20191223_104628.jpg
    2.6 MB · Views: 310
  • 20191223_104627.jpg
    20191223_104627.jpg
    2.6 MB · Views: 326
  • 20191223_104620.jpg
    20191223_104620.jpg
    2.4 MB · Views: 295
  • 20191223_104613.jpg
    20191223_104613.jpg
    3.3 MB · Views: 311
  • 20191223_104534.jpg
    20191223_104534.jpg
    2.7 MB · Views: 295
  • 20191223_104448.jpg
    20191223_104448.jpg
    2.3 MB · Views: 285
  • 20191223_104534.jpg
    20191223_104534.jpg
    2.7 MB · Views: 296
  • 20191223_104422.jpg
    20191223_104422.jpg
    2.8 MB · Views: 295
  • 20191223_104322.jpg
    20191223_104322.jpg
    2.6 MB · Views: 292
  • 20191223_104305.jpg
    20191223_104305.jpg
    2.7 MB · Views: 319

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Me? Most likely they are A. meinkeni. I gave my reasons why they are this species previously. Why do you think they are A. sp. Tiquié? I'm always open to being wrong. Lord knows, my beautiful wife lets me know on a regular basis!:D
 

Frank Hättich

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
563
Location
Germany
These are the reasons why I believe they are A. sp. Tiquie rather than A. meinkeni:

1. The first two membranes of the dorsal are blackened as is common in both sexes of Tiquie, whereas in meinkeni only brooding females are supposed to show this coloration. Additionally the first 5 (or so) membranes of the dorsal seem to be more “spiky”/serrated than in meinkeni.

2. The upper edge of the dorsal can show a red/orange seam, like in both sexes of Tiquie. Instead meinkeni show a much narrower white seam (as also known from other pertensis-complex species/forms).

3. As in Tiquie, the often horizontally extended rectangular/trapezoid caudal spot is narrower than the lateral band. In meinkeni it is roundish/oval and wider than the lateral band.

4. In some moods (e.g. aggression) the lateral spot extends clearly above the lateral band (and sometimes also a bit below), which is also the case in Tiquie but not in meinkeni (perhaps with the exception of stressed specimens).

5. As in Tiquie the lateral band often noticeably widens in bar 7 due to the addition of dark pigmentation above (and sometimes also below) the lateral band.

6. As in Tiquie, the suborbital stripe is wider than in meinkeni, especially directly at the eye.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
17,915
Messages
116,199
Members
13,027
Latest member
tonc61

Latest profile posts

Josh wrote on anewbie's profile.
Testing
EDO
Longtime fish enthusiast for over 70years......keen on Apistos now. How do I post videos?
Looking for some help with fighting electric blue rams :(
Partial updated Peruvian list have more than this. Please PM FOR ANY QUESTIONS so hard to post with all the ads poping up every 2 seconds….
Top