[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Apisto Unknown, Round 2
OK Mike, et al., I have another strong lead.
To begin, I want to thank those individuals who offered to digitize my
photos to facilitate my fish's ID. I wasn't satisfied with the results of
the images and will try again when I get hold of a camera that doesn't force
autofocus. More on that to them privately in just a bit.
I have, however, dropped by Amazon to order Linke and Staeck's "Dwarf
Cichlids : A Handbook for Their Identification, Care, and Breeding".
Shipment was confirmed today, so I can safely say that I'll be able to
handle my requests more precisely and recognizably in the future. I've also
been reading the posts concerning Rowe's, so will most likely attempt to
gain future passage on that boat, too.
Meanwhile, since I'm nowhere near satisfied as yet, I've come across a much
closer match to what I've purchased. I mentioned to someone Wednesday the
book was ordered, and he showed me a copy of his newly- acquired Mini Atlas.
Ooh, ooh, let me see that...hmm...apistogramma...Well, what d'ya know!
Although it's not an airtight match, it comes in very handy as a clue.
Apistogramma gossei, page 77 in his issue (didn't think to check date/vol).
There isn't much out there on it, however, but I did find another set of
photos of same at
http://www.aquaristik-online.de/AquaristikAktuell/96-6/apistogramma.htm
The page is in German, but at least the pictures are understandable ;-)
Since I don't have the Mini Atlas in front of me anymore, I'll use the
pictures from the above to point out differences. But don't get anxious,
because at this stage I'm not trying to pinpoint the specific fish. Before
the Handbook arrives I was hoping to get some ideas as to which groups might
possibly be involved, should I be looking more for color morphs of a type,
is the body shape any sort of defining distinction, very general things like
that. Might help to prevent or lessen the "Mug Book" syndrome brought on by
looking at picture after picture after...
So, shall we play a game?
First off, while it's in my head, the thing that caught my eye first and
that I do remember about the MA picture is the way that the vertical bars
meld to a horizontal line on the fish's top side. When fully "striped", mine
show evidence of this blending, but I don't know if this is a common feature
of many.
The web page's second fish shot (head shot) shows the orbitals well. This
particular shot shows a bare trace of the supraorbital, but you can follow
the preorbital through the eye to it to form a sloping line following the
contours of the forehead. My fish show this line strongly, with hardly a
trace of the suborbital. It is almost the exact opposite of the effect in
the bottom photo. The effect is like a line of black warpaint across the
eyes. I point this out because most pictures I've seen of other apistos show
the orbitals intersecting in a more right-angled cross. But then, there
doesn't appear to be a flood of pictures to go by on the net.
Also staying with the center head shot, the fish's appearance when faded
along the flanks is closer to this - no real trace of a lateral band as of
yet.
The mouths on mine seem to set slightly higher on the face, leading to the
appearance of the underbite I've mentioned before. The basic features are
similar, with a well-defined but small and tight mouth.
The color, when calm, is about that of an out-of-season Cherry Barb in the
body, only a bit paler. Where the picture of the A. gossei shows blue
tatooing on the face and gill covers, mine are coming in a strong gold.
There is a little blue-green, and of course some red edging in the dorsals
of what appears to be the males. Most distinctive is the arc of solid green
through the caudal fin behind the spot. (After a couple week's live foods,
colors are starting to "liven up" considerably. This also has me hoping
they're wild, unspoiled specimens, as I cannot get them to eat anything else
yet - at all.) The "females" don't seem to possess the added fin coloring to
any significant extent.
Again, I'm not necessarily looking for the specific fish, but if anyone can
narrow the search parameters a little, it'd be helpful and certainly
appreciated.
-Y-
David A. Youngker
http://www.mindspring.com/~nestor10
nestor10@mindspring.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@majordomo.pobox.com.
For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
email apisto-request@majordomo.pobox.com.
Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!