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Apistogramma regani

gingerbeer

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5 Year Member
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54
I picked up a "pair" of these yesterday. No pics yet.

I am looking for info and have read what is in CA2 - doesn't seem to be much on the net.

My pair consist of one male (?) that is about 3 cm long and one female (?) that is about 1.5 cm long.

Both fish have blue marking through the face. Look like Regani based on the pics in CA2.

The male however has no markings on his tail. The smaller female does appear to have markings through the tail.

Are the tail markings 100% sexual diferentiation?

Can anyone give me any tips on sexing and breeding.
 

Mike Wise

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First, A. regani is a very rare species in the hobby. It usually is brought in by hobbyists who collect it in the wild.

Second, most regani-complex species sold commercially in the hobby are sold as "A. regani" at one time or another.

Third, don't rely on Dr. Römer's identification of this species. In Cichlid Atlas, for example, he shows 3 different forms under the name A. regani. In my opinion only the photos by Dr. Staeck are the true A. regani (A55). The others include photos of A. cf. regani "Trombetas" (A56) and A. sp. "São Gabriel" (A53). The species A. sp. "Peru-regani" in Cichlid Atlas 2 is actually A. sp. "Masken"/"Apache" (A52).

A. sp. "Masken"/"Apache" (A52) is commonly sold commercially. Even without seeing your fish, I suspect that this is what you have. I could be wrong of course. I would need to see photos to be certain.

If you actually have A. sp. "Masken"/"Apache", then the caudal fin of males only shows a couple of caudal bands on the very posterior part of the tail. This species can be sexed by the caudal pattern, since female Masken have non-patterned tails. On the true A. regani, the male always has prominent banding over the entire length of the tail. Females have the same caudal pattern although it is not usually as distinct.

As for breeding, A. sp. "Masken"/"Apache" will breed in slightly acid & moderately soft water, but it is more prolific at around pH 6 & hardness below 5º dH. The true A. regani is a blackwater species that usually needs very soft and even more acid (pH 5.5) water to breed successfully.
 

gingerbeer

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5 Year Member
Messages
54
It makes sense that we would have more common fish over here.

I have done my best with some pictures. Sorry about the quality.

First two are the smaller female (?)

She show real distinct zebraing with all her verical bars becoming extremely distinctand horizonatal line disappearing entirely. She shows this pattern when being aggresive.

Also noticed really distinct black to front of ventral fins - and approx 3 coloured bars through tail.

The pictures are her foraging colours.

IMG_1811.jpg

IMG_1815.jpg


The male (?) is harder to catch - he does appear to have some pointing of the fins - but definitely clear tail.

IMG_1814.jpg
 

curviceps

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5 Year Member
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66
Location
Sydney, Australia
Hi gingerbeer - if they are indeed A. sp Masken as Mike suspects, then the male should look like mine in the picture below (bought in Sydney).

masken3.jpg


Are yours like them?
 

gingerbeer

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5 Year Member
Messages
54
Big one

reganifemalepic3.jpg


reganifemale.jpg


Little one

reganimale.jpg


Some updated pictures. The big one does appear to be male. Used a borelie female to get him to flare - and he did. However he has no tail stripes.

When the big one flared - he looked like the masken except no red - and no stripesin the tail.

I am now completely confused with these - both as to what they are and what sex. I am now leaning towards both boys.

Trying to suss out what is going on is driving me crazy.
 

Mike Wise

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No pictures with your latest post. The photos with the 03-10-2008 post are rather unusual. Your "Big one" is a female. The "Little one" probably is a male. They seem to be members of the regani-complex, but do not look exactly like A. regani. Better photos would help with identification.
 

gingerbeer

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5 Year Member
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54
I decided to do an experiment and dropped my spare borelie girly in a container in to see what happens. She (?) being the big one went crazy and colour changed completely in seconds!

borexperiment.jpg


borexperiment2.jpg


borexperiment3.jpg


Seems to be a hint of banding in picture 2 - so ?
 

gingerbeer

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5 Year Member
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54
OK she is a girl - dropped them back in together last night and they seem to have bred - atleast she is staying in her pot and has but on a differnet set of colours.

The female is quite variable in colouration - whereas the male is still keeping the banding.

Will put up any photos I can get to get a firm ID.
 

gingerbeer

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5 Year Member
Messages
54
male

male.jpg


female with wigglers in the pot (probably)

femalepostspawn.jpg


female with fry probably 2 days free swimming.

femalewithfry.jpg


I love the clour of the girl - the male I a still waiting for him to dazzle me.
 

Mike Wise

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I still am not certain what your fish is. I think that you will have to send them to me so I can watch them for a few weeks in one of my tanks.:biggrin: Seriously, they show a lot of similarities to A. regani, but the dark vertical bars are too narrow, the stripes on the tail are fewer and wider, & I don't see an black spot at the anus on any of your photos. The caudal spot (a bar on the true A. regani) seems different, too.

Here are some possible species that your fish might be:
A. cf. regani "Trombetas" (A 56) - unlikely; never commercially collected
A. ortmanni (Mazaruni River) (A 46) - unlikely; never commercially collected
A. sp. São Gabriel (A 53) - rarely commercially collected
A. geisleri (A 58 - 61) - more likely; occasionally collected commercially particularly A. geisleri (Emerald/Smaragd) (A 59).

Compare your fish with photos of these in books and on the web.
 

Mike Wise

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Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
OK, these photos show the species/forms in CA 1&2:

A. cf. regani "Trombetas" (A 56) - CA1, p. 726 top; 727 (as A. regani)

A. ortmanni (Mazaruni River) (A 46) - Only shows the 'more coastal' form without caudal stripes in CA1.

A. sp. São Gabriel (A 53) - CA1, p. 717, 723, 725 (as A. regani) & as São Gabriel, of course.

A. geisleri (A 58 - 61) - more likely; occasionally collected commercially particularly A. geisleri (Emerald/Smaragd) (A 59). - CA1 as A. sp. Emerald/Smaragd. Many of the "geisleri' in the A. geisleri section are actually the robust form of A. taeniata.

I highly recommend getting a copy of the DATZ book. It's well worth the money just for the photo identifications.
 

gingerbeer

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5 Year Member
Messages
54
I have seen a bigger male from the same import. Whereas my male has regular spaced rings accross the whole tail, the big male has them at the end only - more like the "masken" pattern. Does the pattern on the tail change with age/ maturity?

My girl most looks like the females pictures in CA2 as A sp. "peru regani" - my male I would lean towards the pictures of A sp "emerald" for mine - but may revise if people tell me that the bands can change with age.
 

Mike Wise

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Location
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A. sp. "Peru Regani" is the same species as A. sp. "Masken". Caudal patterns do change with age. It might be a good idea to wait until the male grows a bit older & send more photos.
 

gingerbeer

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5 Year Member
Messages
54
Thanks Mike,

Given that and the big one I saw I would say A sp Masken is what I have.

Appreciate all the help.

Will take more pictures once fully mature male and put here.

First spawn yielded 6 babies. Not many buit a start.
 

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