Help A Guy Out With His Cichlid!

[Asp]

Hi everyone!

I'm not much of a fish keeper, I know a lot more about aquatic amphibians and reptiles, but I've always had a comunity tank ticking along nicely. A few years ago I bought (what I believe to be) an African river cichlid.

My local fish shop was selling them as pairs, but let me have him cheap because I'm a good customer and he was the last one in the shop. I believe that they sold him as Pelviachromis taneatus. He's been living quite happily and peacefully in a (mostly south american) tank with Colombia tetras, black neons and pygmy corys, but these are getting old and starting to die off - I only have a handful left. So I thought it might be a good idea to look a bit more closely into getting him a female and starting a tank more geared to this species.

However I've been finding a lot of conflicting information. As far as I can tell this species has a lot of regional variation, and frankly I need someone with a better idea than me to ID it comprehensively.

Here are a couple of pictures, can anyone help me out? (he's not very coloured up, I've just re-planted the tank and he's a bit annoyed with me...)

Thanks in advance,
Alex.

 

[jacko32]

its not a pelviachromis tenatius i would say it was a jewel cichlid-Hemichromis bimaculatus but dont hold me to that

 

[Wills]

Jacko is right its not a pelvachromis but I disagree with it being a jewel cichlid looks more like an apisto to me....

 

[jacko32]

Jacko is right its not a pelvachromis but I disagree with it being a jewel cichlid looks more like an apisto to me....

which apisto would you say it is im torn between borelli and hongsloi though ive never seen a borelli that colour

 

[Asp]

That might explain why I was having a mare trying to find another one that looks like him! (I take it he is a he, right?)

For what its worth he's very small - 2.5" max, and I'm sure he's fully grown, I've had him long enough. Sorry the pics aren't great, I'll try and get better ones, but he's not very cooperative.

 

[jacko32]

That might explain why I was having a mare trying to find another one that looks like him! (I take it he is a he, right?)

For what its worth he's very small - 2.5" max, and I'm sure he's fully grown, I've had him long enough. Sorry the pics aren't great, I'll try and get better ones, but he's not very cooperative.

quick question hows the fish been eating its belly looks a bit shrunk in could just be the camera angle

 

[Asp]

quick question hows the fish been eating its belly looks a bit shrunk in could just be the camera angle

yeah, I noticed that - I think its just that photo, he looks fine to me and he's eating like a pig!

He gets various cichlid pellets, the tetra prima stuff the colombias love and various frozen foods (bloodworm etc.) when I feed the muds, musks and spotties.

edit - that said he's been in a holding tank for a bit for the re-planting, he might have been off his food for a bit with the change of scenery. I've known other fish do this, is it possible?

 

[jacko32]

quick question hows the fish been eating its belly looks a bit shrunk in could just be the camera angle

yeah, I noticed that - I think its just that photo, he looks fine to me and he's eating like a pig!

He gets various cichlid pellets, the tetra prima stuff the colombias love and various frozen foods (bloodworm etc.) when I feed the muds, musks and spotties.

edit - that said he's been in a holding tank for a bit for the re-planting, he might have been off his food for a bit with the change of scenery. I've known other fish do this, is it possible?

probs just the camera it would take a good week for it to sink in badly

 

[Wills]

I havent a clue as to what apisto it is its got me quite baffled, looks like the line bred fire red Agazzi but with a Borelli face. Can you get strains of Borreli?

My suspicion is though its something rather special....

 

[Always Learning]

Looks a little like the Pelvicachromis Taeniatus "Wouri", though the head shape throws me off. Unless it's just deformed..

 

[jacko32]

I havent a clue as to what apisto it is its got me quite baffled, looks like the line bred fire red Agazzi but with a Borelli face. Can you get strains of Borreli?

My suspicion is though its something rather special....

only thing is the fins are all wrong for agassizi but never seen a red borelli

 

[Asp]

If the general feeling is that this he's S. American, should this be moved to the New World cichlid section? Just incase some of the other apisto. people who might have an idea don't check the African section.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Closest I've found is the Hongsloi, but its not a perfect match...
http/www.dwarfcichlid.com/Apistogramma_hongsloi.php

 

[Asp]

Great site that, but i've just trawled through all its species entries and none of them look right to me. I'm somewhat confused at this point.

 

[jacko32]

its a male nannacara anomala i emailed the picture to a specialist in dwarf cichlids i deal with and thats what he confirmed it to be
which would also explain why hes only 2.5" fully grown