Re: Fish ID

[Mike & Diane Wise <apistowise@fgn.net>]

OK guys, I just got back from a Boy Scout weekend & found this. I think it's time for a
preview of coming attractions, ACA-Wise (pun intended). Let's look at the photos. Photo
#56 seems to show most of the features needed to ID this fish.

First we look at the body: moderately deep (high backed) and laterally compressed. The
scales show a metallic lighter center with darker edges. This gives much of the fish a
net like pattern, especially above the lateral band. The lateral band is fairly narrow,
in no place is it more than 1 scale wide. The lateral band doesn't have a lateral spot.
Instead there is a relatively narrow dark flank patch on Bar 3, extending from the
lateral band upward toward the dorsal fin. The caudal spot is rather small, being an
vertically oriented oval/rectangle that only covers about 1/3 of the height of the caudal
peduncle.

Now let us look at the fins. The dorsal fin is fairly high, but does not have any major
extension of the dorsal spines. The spiny dorsal is only barely serrated. The soft part
of the dorsal (& anal) fin is extended into a point, but doesn't extend past the middle
of the caudal fin. The caudal fin appears (in #56) to be squared off with minor pointed
extensions on both the upper & lower lobes. The center of the caudal fin has rows of fine
spots; the outer edges of the caudal show darker pigment running parallel to the bony
rays of the fin.

Finally, notice that I don't even consider colors. They are not important diagnostic
features for most apistos.

Now the combination of the deep laterally compressed body, light scales with dark edges,
narrow lateral line, patterned tail, & especially the flank patch point to a species
belonging to the steindachneri group.

This is a small species group, composed of only 4 species. Of these, 3 show a caudal
pattern of spot row covering the entire height of the tail. Only A. steindachneri shows
the pattern listed above. Again 3 of the 4 species have round to truncated caudal fins.
Only A. steindachneri has a slightly "double tipped" lyre caudal fin. Also, 3 of the 4
show fairly broad flank patches and caudal spots. Only A. steindachneri has the narrow
flank patch & smallish caudal spot shown here. Thus, all the features point to this being
A. steindachneri. Simple, right?

Mike Wise

Jon Right wrote:

> Hi all. I am looking for some help identifying a fish. The store had them
> listed as 'Dwarf Cockatoos', but it doesn't look like my other cacatuoides.
> The photos are at http://blox.dropship.org/~jon/photos/aquaria. It is the blue
> gray fish that is in the catch cup. Images 55 through 60. If anyone has any ideas as
> to what it is, please let me know. The images behind the thumbnails are rather large,
> but I wanted to get them up and find out what it is.
>
>  Thanks,
>         Jon
> --
> Jon Wright
> Jon.Wright@DropShip.org
>
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