Looking to ID

[Brilliant]

Hello,

I am looking to id this fish. I thought it was sold to me as pertensis, maybe my notes were wrong and its gephyra...I forgot about the gephyra and thought it was agassizi. The white colors on the tail make me wonder.

Can you tell what it is from this picture?

Thank you

 

[tjudy]

Welcome to the forum!

I think it is an aggie.

 

[John S]

I would have to agree with Ted.

 

[bigbird]

i would third that decision. Aggie cheers jk

 

[Brilliant]

Thank you guys and thanks for the welcome.

If Mike Wise could come seal the deal I will have closure hahaha j/k

Later on!

 

[Mike Wise]

OK, but you might not like it! The fish in the photo is a member of the agassizii-complex. It looks like one of the species in the A. agassizii superspecies, but the photo isn't good enough to positively ID the form. Is there any chance that you could get a better photo of the caudal fin when spread wide? How long have you had these fish & what are you feeding them? These will help with the ID.

 

[Brilliant]

Hi, thanks!

I will look for better photos. The fish is somewhat young. A sneaker male that bloomed when I removed from tank that a pair formed in. The female I moved with it spawned for the first time about a week ago. If that is any indication of age. They are eating endlers, planted tank stuff and occasional live shrimp.

 

[Brilliant]

This is the best I am gonna find.

Example 1
Example 2

Another male from same group of young has different colors in the tail. The original parents had lots of yellow. Hopefully I get to see the new young mature into adults.

 

[aquaticclarity]

#2 is almost a dead ringer for A232 A. cf. gephyra in the Datz book. If it isn't cf. gephyra I'd really like to know what seperates geyphra and cf. gephyra from agassizii and cf. agassizii.

 

[Brilliant]

I really wish example 2 was in focus. I am almost positive I incorrectly wrote pertensis in my notes and this fish was purchased as gephyra. I am uncertain but I know they arent pertensis.

Thank you again for the feedback.

 

[Mike Wise]

Well, after looking at the photos, I'm still not certain. If the female in the first photo is guarding eggs/fry, then there is a good chance that it is an A. gephyra form. The male, however could be either A. cf. gephyra A232 or one of the broad black caudal seam forms of A. cf. agassizii from the Amazon system below the Rio Tapajós. These forms often show a lacy pattern in the caudal fin. Again, it would help to see this fish in aggressive display toward a mirror or other fish. If in aggressive display the lateral band is distinct over the entire length of the body and the unpaired fins remain relatively short and less pointed then I would guess that they are A. cf. gephyra. If in aggressive display the lateral band is more distinct in front of the lateral spot and on the caudal peduncle, and the unpaired fins are longer and more pointed, then it is A. cf. agassizii BBCS.

 

[Brilliant]

I found another folder of photos. The female was ready they were courting out front of the rock. Later she spawned on the other side. Hopefully this is the one you need. I need to check my cameras memory but doubt I will be able to find more.

Example 3
Example 4

Female

Pair

Thank you for your feedback.

 

[Mike Wise]

These photos help. The male appears to show scales on the breast area. A. gephyra shows no scales in this area. The male's dorsal fin doesn't so a distinctly separate red stripe at the top, which one would expect in gephyra forms. To me, based on what I can see, your fish are A. cf. agassizii (BBCS) from one of the southern tributaries of the lower Amazon or Rio Tocantins. There are forms of A. cf. pertensis (and A. cf. gephyra) from the same area.

 

[Brilliant]

Thank you again.

A. cf. agassizii it is.

Beautiful fish, I am loving it.

 

[Mike Wise]

A. cf. agassizii BBCS (Broad Black Caudal Seam) is more precise. It separates it from other A. cf. agassizii forms/species: Netz, Pastel, Purus, etc.