Re: Apistogramma trifasciata

[Marco Lacerda <marcolacerda@ax.apc.org>]

Maladorno, Dionigi wrote:
> 
> About two weeks ago I ordered at a nearby store two pairs of Apistos,
> one of them listed under the name of A. broad band.
> 
> Well, once they arrived to the store, it was quite evident that they
> were not the "breitbinden", since they lacked the lyrate tail and only
> the first few dorsal fin rays were well developed.
> 
> So, it seems to me that instead they are very close to A. trifasciata.
> Taking as a reference the picture on page 149 of the book by Linke and
> Staeck (the short-finned form of A. trifasciata) , the male I have is
> nearly identical, except for the fact that the dorsal fin is more
> developed (but not as much as the incredible one on page 147) and that
> the "third", ventral line is not visible.
> 
> Here is my question: from the book it appears that A. trifasciata is
> characterized by some amount of variability. Is the ventral line a
> characteristic that may not be visible in some individuals?  Should I
> instead think of some other species?

Dear Dionigi,

Regarding the A. trifasciata-complex, presently there are three species 
within the hobby.
According to Kullander (pers. comm.), the species A. trifasciata is 
restricted to the Paraguayan (I mean from Rio Paraguay and its 
tributaries) form, that have spotted caudal fin as main diagnostic 
character.  
At Rio Mamore-Guapore region in Brazil, we've two additional forms of 
this complex: 
a) one is found from tributaries of lower Rio Mamore, and has been 
identified by Kullander as Apistogramma maciliense, which was first 
described by Haseman as a subspecies of A. trifasciata a long time ago.
It is very similar to A. trifasciata, but lack the spots on caudal fin, 
and sometimes (but not in all specimens!) the 'third stripe' (ventral 
one).
b) second is found at tributaries of upper Rio Mamore, and is known in 
the hobby as Apistogramma sp. 'Rio Mamore' (see DATZ - a German magazine 
- - 9/96, pages 548-549) for its introduction in the hobby ("Staeck, 1996. 
Neu Importiert: Apistogramma aus dem Mamore"). It also appeared in the 
1997 German edition of Linke & Staeck's Tetra boo, page 142) and in the 
new Mayland's book - also in German - (Zwerg Buntbarsche, 
Sudamerikanische Geophaginen und Crenicarinen), page 146, MISIDENTIFIED 
as Apisto. maciliense (which is a DIFFERENT fish, see letter (a) of this 
e-mail). [personally, I don't recommend Mayland's book, it's full of 
mistaken identifications, and also the fish colors are not real, but a 
sort of Photoshop-jokeŠ].
There are two color varieties of the A. sp. Mamore, the red and blue. I 
consider the red one a SPLENDID fish, to be compared to the prettiest 
species of Apistogramma (its caudal fin is deep red, even in wild 
fish!).

We're presently keeping and breeding both A. maciliense and A. sp. Rio 
Mamore, both are very easy species to breed, no problem.

About the size of dorsal-fin rays of males, this is quite a variable 
character, this condition is find in given populations of all three 
forms of the A. trifasciata-complex, and I believe it cannot be used as 
a diagnostic character.

I suggest you ask the owner of the petshop the origin of the fishes he 
sold you. This might help on the identification.
Also look for spots on caudal fin (true A. trifasciata), broad lateral 
band + never the third ventral stripe (A. sp. Mamore) or very similar 
form to A. trifasciata, but no spots on caudal fin (A. maciliense).
I hope this can help you!

> Anyway, that purchase worked great for me. They spawned barely a week
> after I got them, and now the female is watching a very large cloud of
> fry! In addition, the store gave me for free a pair of A. Njesseni since
> I politely asked them to see if the relatively high price I paid was
> justified for a less uncommon species! Not bad al all!
> 
> Any suggestions?
> 
> Dionigi Maladorno

All the best, Marco.