Re: A. agassizi

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

Jason,

Here's my 2¢. I often have problems separating newly imported bitaeniata from
aggies in those 1" fish lots of "Mixed Apistos". At an 1" it's difficult to pick
males from females. You can't depend on size because these are wild caught fish
and aren't all the same age.

Female aggies can easily dominate a 10 gallon tank. Actually, 10 gallon tanks can
be too small to safely house a female with fry plus the male. The male usually
loses.

Right now you might have an aggie pair, 2 female aggies, or even a mix of
bitaeniata & agassizii. When I'm in this situation I usually try to pick out the
most dominant fish in the tank. This is usually a male. If it is round tailed,
it's an aggie; if squared off it's a bitaeniata. Then comes the fun part. I
usually take 5 or 6 of the smaller (but not the smallest) fish and grow them out.
I almost always get a pair of something out of this - either aggies or
bitaeniatas. Either is more colorful and a bit more challenging than what they
call A. cruzi in the trade. The true holotype-like A. cruzi, from the Rio Napo
(See Aqualog, p. 30 listed as "A. cf. cruzi"), just isn't seen in the commercial
trade. What we get is either the pallid cruzi form from the Rio Putumayo (like in
Linke & Staeck listed as A. sp. Parallel-stripes, or Aqualog, p. 29 except
S03455-4 which I think is A. sp. Masken) or the Red Cruzi which is actually a
eunotus-like form [A. cf. eunotus (Römer)] (See Römer Atlas, p.398-399).

Mike Wise

J Miller wrote:

>   Well, my fun with A. biteineata is over, the LFS only had a lone male
> left, and what appears to be a tank full of aggi's.  This was a
> shipment of wild fish, and they are all young (about 1" or less), so it
> is hard to determine the sex.
>   Anyway, I brought home what I think is a male for what I think I have
> is a female.  Actually is *was* the other way around.  The 'female'
> that I originally thought was a male (knowing my luck she is still a
> he), is sporting some nice breeding colors.  'She' is bright yellow
> with a dark dorsal spot - some coloring to the fins.  However, 'her'
> behavior leads me to believe that 'she' is a male.  Very aggressive,
> 'she' has taken the whole tank (well planted 10 gal) and won't stop
> chasing 'her' new companion.
>   The 'male' is smaller, with some coloring on the fins, and is
> bordering between the typical apisto color and the grey body of the
> adult male.  I thought 'he' was perhaps a female at the LFS because
> 'he' was kind of smallish and kind of yellow (compared to the dominant
> male in the tank).  However, now 'he' shows more male characteristics
> than my 'female' so you can understand why I am confused.
>
>   Any opinions/comments?  Should I just take the both of them back and
> go for a pair of A. cruzi?  I think for now, I'll take my own advise
> about the A. sp. Mamore, and hold onto them for a bit until I am sure
> of their sex.
>
> Thanks
>
> =====
> J. Miller
> Edmonton, AB, Can.
>
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