Female Apistogramma ID ?

[Andrew C]

I bought a pair of Triple Red A. Cacatuoide by mail order a couple of days ago.
The male died within a day, wasn't surprised as he never looked in good health, though the female is fine.

I do not think the female i was sent is a Cacatuoide female, she is young but looks more longer than a Cacatuoide.

I am hoping to get another partner for her:

 

[fishgeek]

i'm not the best at this though i ould have expected some stripes on the belly/pectoral region in a cac

andrew
if she is a cac she doesn't have much spotting as would be expected at least in the tail of a triple red

 

[Mike Wise]

It's probably a female A. cacatuoides. As Andrew wrote, it's unusual for a female cacatuoides not to show abdominal stripes, but domestic stock can vary in their dark markings from wild stock. Whoever sold this fish doesn't seem to do an adeqate job of culling his fish. That's why I have Muggsy. He does a great job.

 

[Andrew C]

Thanks for the replies.

There seems to be trend starting with mail order, sending you the poorest fish they have in their tank.

At least the pair of Borellii i got are young and healthy.

Andy.

 

[fishgeek]

where did you get them from andrew? the only mail order i know in the u.k have a good reputation for live!stock and will generally replace fish lost if they think the reasons are genuine

 

[Andrew C]

The Cacatuoides and Borelliis i have been talking about were from Trimar Aquaria.
It was six months ago i got a pair of Inka from them, only to find out it was two females and they had no Inkas left, the two of them are in my community tank.

At the beginning of December i got a trio of Cacatuoides and a trio of Borelliis mail order from Weymouth Tropicals.
The Cacatuoide male arrived dead, the Borellii male died within a day, the four females were all in seperate bags unmarked and they looked all the same.
At least my local fish store took them off my hands.

I decided not to waste my time getting onto Weymouth as i have had this thing before and as long as you get the fish alive, theres not much they will do.
So i went back to Trimar and it looks like i was conned again, at least it is a nice young pair of Borellii.

 

[fishgeek]

Monty at trimar has alway been good to me
Not sure who packaged the fish etc though monty has a bit of an interest in the dwarf's and is pretty good at getting the sexes right even in young fish

perhaps give him a polite call and explain the situation, you wont know if you dont ask

never heard of weymouth tropicals and my partners grandparents live in osminton mills just outside of there , i think?
cant say i have seen a good fish shop that particularly caught my eye inthat part of the country and i have used any excuse to check them out when travelling

peter lovett who frequents this list may also be able to help, though you may be best served by buying fish that you choose from tanks in front of you
I cant say i know of any apisto shops in scotalnd where are you? i perhasp could ask some of the scottish members of another forum i frequent
It maybe that fish aren't getting time to settle and show full colouration or that availability is poor

better luck next time
Andrew

 

[_BaDgUy_]

Thanks for the replies.

There seems to be trend starting with mail order, sending you the poorest fish they have in their tank.

At least the pair of Borellii i got are young and healthy.

Andy.

Well.. your not alone... happens here in America also!!

On a big order, a group purchase, of ~50 fish, some were missing, some were unsexed and unsexable, some were really sick, and some were all out not the right fish!! Really disapointed with that order!!

Just stick to the reliable people that you or other hobbiest know of.

Good luck!!

 

[mummymonkey]

The nearest stores with a decent selection of Apistos to Glasgow are North lakes Aquatics in Penrith and House of Pisces in Dundee. Both will often have Borellii, Cacatuoides, Agassazii & Nijsseni. I've seen Opal, Hongsloi and Panduro at Penrith also. Like everywhere else though, nothing is guaranteed to be in stock so telephone ahead.

For more unusual species then mail order or auctions are your best bet.