Id please...Macmasteri confusion

[Bev N]

After posting some pics under member galleries and finding out what I thought I had was something different entirely I am now wondering just what I really do have.

The first two pictures are of a pair that I got labeled as Macmasteri double red I believe.

This is the pair that I bought as Viejita f1 that Mike let me know are Macmasteri.

And last this is a pair I got as viejita rio meta. When I got them they were not showing any color. They are shy but I managed to get a few not so great shots.

So....do I have three pairs of all the same of different variations of macmasteri?

Thanks,
Bev

 

[bigbird]

Morning Bev,

I agree with you, with the LFS store telling you one thing and then you findout out it is the other, gets frustrating . I also have a pait of the Macmastery double body red, however the male looks different to your one. I would have to leave this to Mike and the experts. I recently also bought 1M 2F of Meinkeni, only to be told by the Apisto experts it was Apisto Sp Erdfresser, not that I mind, as they are beautiful fish, but for my records etc. Hope you get your reply soon.
Love your photos though. I will have to try and get some as well
cheers Jan-kurt

 

[bigbird]

Hello Bev,

Some photos of my Macmasteri

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hope this works
cheers jan-kurt

 

[Mike Wise]

Compare the difference between wild forms of A. macmasteri and A. viejita at http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery.php?genus=Apistogramma. You will see some obvious differences. Read the diagnostic features on the A. viejita page and compare them to your fish. Ignore the bright colors.

All of the fish shown here appear to be commercially/domestically bred specimens. All are probably A. macmasteri or a mix of A. macmasteri + some other macmasteri-complex species (either A. viejita or A. sp. Rotflecken/Red-flecked).

Don't be so hard on your LFS. They can't be experts on every fish that they sell (nor can you). More often than not they depend on their suppliers for the identification of the fish. I guess it is best summed up by my motto (seen at the start of all my programs): Know your fish.

 

[Bev N]

Thanks Mike,

I can definately see the differences on the web site. I am learning that within any group there can sometimes be a lot of variations.

As for the LFS I actually got mine from an importer who bought them as Viejita F1 so in turn just labeled them as that for sale. I am happy with the fish under any name but am happy to now know their correct name.

Bev