Re: Mystery cichlid.

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@bewellnet.com>]

Bailin,

I really had problems with your description of this fish. Some of it probably is
because you didn't have the luxury of enough references and, if your fish is the
one I think it is, there aren't many published photos of it at all. First off,
Linke's drawing of A. ortmanni has a major flaw in it. A. ormanni's lateral band
doesn't extend past the caudal patch into the caudal fin. Like all regani-complex
species, the lateral band ends in front of a light area just in front of the
caudal spot. It can't be a macmasteri-group species either, because it does not
have a serrated dorsal fin. Besides, A. macmasteri has faint abdominal stripes.
The fish on page 40 is not A. caetei. It is A. sp. Paraguay/Paraguay I. Without
more details I couldn't ID this fish, but I have a pretty good idea what it is
because Max Gallade sent me photos of a fish with similar coloration that were
also sold as A. borellii. I'll bet that they are the same species. It is A. cf.
resticulosa. Don't look at resticulosa in Linke & Staeck's book. They show a
photo of A. sp. Wangenflecken instead. Max's fish appears to the same as
Matsuzaka's A. sp. Mamoré Blue. I am wondering if it isn't the same species that
has been described on the list as A. sp. Malome. Since I've never seen a photo or
fish of A. sp. Malome, I can't say for sure.

Mike Wise

Bailin Shaw wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> A friend and I were able to get some "apistos borelli" at the local Petsmart
> this past week.  I know that recently we had a discussion about the
> mislabeling of the apistos and someone had posted a picture that looked
> almost identical to the fish we have.  I believe the person was calling it
> Apisto. "blue face".  My friend and I feel like it could be an Apisto
> ortmanni.  Following is a detailed description of the fish in question.  Any
> ideas on what the fish could be would be appreciated.  The description is
> based on the Horste and Linke dwarf cichlids book.l
>
> <I've observed this fish quite a bit now and have decided that it is not
> ortmanni.
> Everything about it checks out with the ortmanni drawing, except that the
> lateral band does not extend into the caudal fin.  It ends with the sixth or
> seventh traversal bar.  There also are no abdominal stripes or markings.
> The dorsal fin also seems to not be seperated as much in the front rays.  I
> also have not been able to detect a pre-orbital stripe.  The super and sub
> are present though.  The fish is overall a very nice blue color with his
> face being a brilliant cobalt color with motling around the cheeks and chin
> regions.
> THere is *some* reddish-yellowish coloration among the blue too.
> Particularly above the eyes there is a bright yellow coloration.  He is
> eating well and doesn't seem to mind the blue ram at all.  Very peaceful so
> far.  The lateral stripe and traversal bars are very visible too.
> The caudal spot is very dark and covers most of the base of the caudal fin
> which does have the striping or blotching that the ortmanni has.
> I believe the fish may be a macmasteri (pg 85), although his lateral band
> and traversal bars are much more pronounced - likewise I cannot detect any
> red around the caudal fin.  IT may even be something close to a caetei (pg.
> 40) yet his traversal bars are more pronounced and his face is MUCH bluer
> than the one in this picture.
> Caudal fin is definitely truncate too.  Although different specimens will
> likely exhibit different characteristics.>
>
> Thanks,
> Bailin
>
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