Fish Id Required

[Bluetooth]

Hi guys

Just picked up this fish and its mate, this one has gone into my 5 footer and its mate has been put into QT as its been beat up quite badly in the LFS tanks.

Bargain at 7.50 (good old english POUNDS) for both.

Anyway, i have no clue what this fish is and neither does my father, any help would be muchly appreciated.

http/img853.imageshack.us/i/photob.jpg/

 

[Verminator89]

That my friend is an Acara of sorts. Which one though, i couldnt tell you. But the shape is typically Acara.


Seeing as you have a QT, wouldnt it have made sense to put them both in. Seeing as though thats what its there for, new fish to see if they have issues. Putting one into the tank and the other in QT totally goes against the point of it Each to their own though...

 

[Bluetooth]

That my friend is an Acara of sorts. Which one though, i couldnt tell you. But the shape is typically Acara.


Seeing as you have a QT, wouldnt it have made sense to put them both in. Seeing as though thats what its there for, new fish to see if they have issues. Putting one into the tank and the other in QT totally goes against the point of it Each to their own though...

Thanks, any help to narrow the type down would be great.

The reason one is in QT and this one went into the main tank is that this one was beating 10 bells of crap out of the one in QT so have seperated the poorly one so it can get better till it can go with its mate.

Will have a look at the types of acara and try to narrow it down.

 

[Bluetooth]

That my friend is an Acara of sorts. Which one though, i couldnt tell you. But the shape is typically Acara.


Seeing as you have a QT, wouldnt it have made sense to put them both in. Seeing as though thats what its there for, new fish to see if they have issues. Putting one into the tank and the other in QT totally goes against the point of it Each to their own though...

Thanks, any help to narrow the type down would be great.

The reason one is in QT and this one went into the main tank is that this one was beating 10 bells of crap out of the one in QT so have seperated the poorly one so it can get better till it can go with its mate.

Will have a look at the types of acara and try to narrow it down.

After having a look at acara shapes its either Port Cichlid/Black acara (Cichlasoma Portalagrense) or the Royal Acara (Aequidens Diadema)

 

[hamfist]

A.metae is another possibility. There's a few of this genus which really do look very similar.

 

[kaivalagi]

Looks very much like mine although it's hard to tell. Is it well settled in that pic or could it be a little stressed?

Here's mine (clickable thumbnails):



I'd always thought mine to be a Port Acara but as it's matured I am not so sure and think it more likely a Cichlasoma dimerus or some other lesser documented sub-species

So IMHO your fish could be either:

Common name? - Cichlasoma dimerus
Black Acara - Cichlasoma bimaculatum
Port Acara - Cichlasoma portalegrense
Or another Cichlasoma!?!?!?

 

[GShorty1981]

Looks like a Port to me.

 

[bonzo]

What makes you think when you put them together again it wont still knock the crap out of it ? Plus why buy a fish and have no clue of it's needs

 

[GShorty1981]

Well 90% of Acaras have the same needs, i think you are being harsh.

 

[kaivalagi]

Well 90% of Acaras have the same needs, i think you are being harsh.

Agreed, and it is most def an Acara on first view for most fishkeepers I'd hope

Also separating the fish and putting them together later on could well sort things out, especially is they have moved into different surroundings too...

 

[Bluetooth]

Yep I think I'm looking at a port acara to be honest. That pic was after 5 mins of being in it's new tank. After some time however it seems to have the yellow in it's dorsal and tail fins plus the very yellow pectorals.

I have seen the fish darken to reveal a line that runs from behind it's eye to the tail dot.

Also yes, it's an old trick to split fish who battle up and move them around, if it doesn't sort it I'm pretty sure I can move the weaker fish on so it doesn't die needlessly.

Also tbh if I can keep up with discus I'm sure I can sort an acara and a couple of oscars

Thank you all for your help, may write off to PFK to see if they can give it a definite I'D but for not I'm happy with port acara

Thanks again guys, can always rely on my fellow cichlidiers

 

[bonzo]

Well 90% of Acaras have the same needs, i think you are being harsh.

As stated at the begining they had no clue what they had bought ( i wonder how many people have bought a cute 1" oscar to find it has outgrown their gold fish bowl) IMO the weaker of the two fish should of been given time in the main tank to get established before the dominant fish was introduced.

 

[GShorty1981]

I thought this was a 'friendly forum' your response was kinda sarcastic.

 

[bonzo]

I thought this was a 'friendly forum' your response was kinda sarcastic.

We are supposed to be responsible fish keepers, and if we dont research and know what we are taking home with us then there is only one thing that will suffer and thats the fish. We are their carers and to buy without knowing what you have bought just to find out at a later date that you cannot give that fish what it requires IMO is just irresponsible.

 

[scouse_andy]

Not sure this is a port acara to be honest. I have a couple of ports and they are darker in colouration with lots of blue too.

I am thinking either Aequidens Metae (yellow acara) as Hamfist said or A Diadema as the OP said. They are very similar at this size but the metae will stop at about 5 inches and the diadema could go 8-10 inches - very nice fish and a real bargain if that's what you've stumbled across. Your 5 footer is easily big enough for diadema if that's what they prove to be.