Re: Apistogramma incognita

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

Doug Brown is correct.  It is Apistogramma sp. Rotpunkt.  If the lighting is
correct and the male is actually this yellow instead of having a bluish cast then
it's A. sp. Rotpunkt (Puerto Narino).  Your male shows the name sake red spots
behind the gill cover on the flanks.  Your female looks like a macmasteri-group
female but doesn't have the diagnostic ventral patch found on all
macmasteri-group females.  The Rotpunkt Apisto exhibits features intermediate
between the regani-group and the macmasteri-group.  It's what I call a "bridge
species" between the two groups.  These fish have been collected in the Colombian
Amazon (Rio Caquetá) and Colombian Orinoco (uppermost Rio Guaviare, I think)
along the foot hills of the Andes.  This area is intermediate between areas
inhabited by regani-group species (eunotus-complex) and the macmasteri-group.
All of the various color forms (Rotpunkt (Red-spot/point), Schwarzsaum
(Black-edged/fringed/rimmed), Puerto Narino, and Blue-cheek) are white water
species that readily breed even in slightly alkaline, moderately hard water.
Males are highly polygamous and "sneeker males" are common.  I even had a male
take on the female's brood colors and pattern and join the female in guarding
fry.  I thought it was two females tending the fry, but they never succeeded in
raising any of them.  That's when I realized that I had a male in females
clothing.  The Rotpunkt apisto is very common in the hobby and makes an excellent
beginners fish.

Mike Wise

plasticolor@guate.net wrote:

> Hi everyone:
>
> I`m looking for some help to identify this species.  I have enclosed a URL
> with some images to avoid the proverbial 5,000 words.  The dates are a
> little mixed up and I will check and correct them.  There are five images.
> Image Nr. 1 is the male in breeding colors.  Image Nr. 2 is a juvenile, if
> I remember correctly (somethig I don`t do quite often), 40 days old.  Image
> Nr. 3 is the female and one of the juveniles, shortly before her second
> nesting cycle.  Image Nr. 4 is the female doing the "tail wiggle" to entice
> the male and Image Nr. 5 is another image of the male.  I hope these images
> can aid in their identification.
> The page is located at:
>
>         http://www.sigloxxi.com/fish/index.html
>
> Thanks,
>
> Peter Rockstroh
> plasticolor@guate.net
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------